The Sepher Yetzirah

The Sepher Yetzirah, or Book of Formation, is acknowledged as being one of the most important kabbalistic texts. Its brief note-like style has made it one of the most commented upon works in the field of kabbalah.

The concepts contained within it detail the basic acts of creation through the use of the Hebrew letters. It is supposed to be the text which medieval kabbalists used to create a golem.

In Jewish tradition, the golem is most widely known as an artificial creature created by magic, often to serve its creator. The word "golem" appears only once in the Bible (Psalms139:16). In Hebrew, "golem" stands for "shapeless mass." The Talmud uses the word as "unformed" or "imperfect" and according to Talmudic legend, Adam is called "golem," meaning "body without a soul" (Sanhedrin 38b) for the first 12 hours of his existence. The golem appears in other places in the Talmud as well. One legend says the prophet Jeremiah made a golem However, some mystics believe the creation of a golem has symbolic meaning only, like a spiritual experience following a religious rite.