Heichalot

Heichalot or "Heikhalot" (The Palaces) refers to a collection of Jewish literature which dates from Talmudic times and earlier. Many motifs of later Kabbalah are based on the Heichalot texts, and the Heichalot literature itself is based upon earlier sources, including traditions about Enoch.^[1]

Some of the Heichalot texts are:^[2]

• Hekhalot Zutartey ("The Lesser Palaces"), which details an ascent of Rabbi Akiva;
• Hekhalot Rabbati ("The Greater Palaces"), or Pirkei Hekhalot, which details an ascent of Rabbi Ishmael;
• Ma'aseh Merkabah ("Account of the Chariot"), a collection of hymns recited by the "descenders" and heard during their ascent;
• Merkhavah Rabbat ("The great Chariot"):
• Sepher Hekhalot ("Book of Palaces," also known as 3 Enoch)

Other similar texts are:^[3]

• Re'uyyot Yehezqel ("The Visions of Ezekiel")
• Masekhet Hekhalot ("The Tractate of the Palaces")
• Shi'ur Qomah ("Divine Dimensions")
• Sepher Ha-Razim ("Book of the Mysteries")
• Harba de Moshe ("The Sword of Moses")
• Alphabet of Akiba ben Joseph

See also

• Merkabah
• Smaller Midrashim
• Seven Heavens

References

1. ^ Scholem, Gershom, Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism, and the Talmudic Tradition, 1965.
2. ^ Schäfer, Peter (1992). The hidden and manifest God: some major themes in early Jewish mysticism. p. 7. ISBN 9780791410448. http://books.google.com/books?id=hz06KXyyqEcC&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
3. ^ Don Karr. [http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/karr/mmhie.pdf "Notes on the Study of Merkabah Mysticism and Hekhalot Literature in English"]. http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/karr/mmhie.pdf. Retrieved 21 December 2010. 

External links

• The Zoharic Seven Heavens
• The Heichalot & the Merkavah, (The Palaces & The Chariot)
• Notes on the Study of Merkabah Mysticism and Hekhalot Literature in English
• English translation of the Hekhalot Rabbati