The Book of Formation or Sepher Yetzirah - Rabbi Akiba Ben Joseph

Author: Attributed to Rabbi Akiba Ben Joseph
Translator: Knut Stenring
Introduction and editing: A. E. Waite
Foreword: R. A. Gilbert
Publisher: Ibis Press, an imprint of Nicolas-Hays
Format: Paperback
Edition: 2004 edition
ISBN: 089254094X / 9780892540945

Condition: Very good second-hand paperback condition with light shelf wear and minor rubbing and handling marks to the covers and edges. Binding appears firm and pages appear clean and readable. Please see photos for the exact copy available.

The Book of Formation or Sepher Yetzirah is one of the foundational texts of Kabbalah and the Western Mystery Tradition. Short but highly influential, it explores creation through numbers, letters, sound, divine structure, the Tree of Life, and the relationship between the microcosm and macrocosm.

This edition presents Knut Stenring’s word-for-word translation, first published in 1923, with an introduction and editing by A. E. Waite and a foreword by R. A. Gilbert. It also includes diagrams, tables, notes, and material relating to the “Master Key to the Theoretical and Practical Kabala,” making it a useful edition for readers interested in Kabbalah, ceremonial magic, esotericism, tarot correspondences, and the Western Mystery Tradition.

A compact but important occult text for students of Jewish mysticism, Hermetic Qabalah, esoteric symbolism, and magical cosmology.

About the Author:

The Sepher Yetzirah, or Book of Formation, is traditionally attributed to Rabbi Akiba Ben Joseph, though its exact authorship and dating remain debated. Knut Stenring produced this English translation, while A. E. Waite, a major figure in the Western esoteric revival and co-creator of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, edited and introduced the text.