Qabbalism is a form of Jewish mysticism that dates from the beginning of the Christian Era, with its earliest documents orginating sometime between 200 OCE and 400 OCE and continuing to this day.¹ The Hebrew word 'qabbalah' is best translated as 'receiving' or 'acceptance',² and in common usage it denotes the traditional knowledge of the Jewish religion. In its mystical sense, the word denotes that body of religious knowledge transmitted to and received by the earliest Qabbalistic mystics. These first Qabbalists were interested mainly in an allegorical interpretation of the Torah in general, although their interests centered specifically around two particular sections of the scriptures. The first section, which is found in the Book of Genesis, was known as The Creation Story; it includes the first three chapters of Genesis. And the second section, found in the Book of Ezekiel, as part of the prophet's vision, was known as The Chariot Story, and it includes Ezekiel's description, the earliest detailed description, of the Chariot Throne of God. Here, we shall briefly consider each of these qabbalistic topics.³

The Creation Story

The Jewish account of the Creation of the World, taken from opening chapters of Genesis, was of keen interest to the Qabbalists. Unfortunately, this account is disappointingly brief by Neo-Platonic standards, lacking as it does detailed information of the processes of Creation. And for the Jewish mystics of the fourth century of the Christian era, zealously desiring a deep understanding of Yahweh and His creation, the canonical account must have seemed meager compared to then current rival texts. Indeed, the intellectual arena of the time was full of extravagant accounts of creation according to rival sects, both religious and philosophical. The Timaios, Plato's cosmological dialogue, had given rise to numerous imitators, mostly of a Gnostic variety; and the Poimandres of Hermes Trismegistos, as well as the writings of Mani, Marcion, and Valentinus, had wetted intellectual appetites.