THE FIFTY GATES OF INTELLIGENCE

Attached to some editions of the "Sepher Yetzirah" is found this scheme of Kabalistic classification of knowledge emanating from the Second Sephira Binah, Understanding, and descending by stages through the angels, heavens, humanity, animal and vegetable and mineral kingdoms to Hyle and the chaos. The Kabalists said that one must enter and pass up through the Gates to attain to the Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom; and that even Moses only passed through the forty-ninth Gate, and never entered the fiftieth. See the Oedipus Aegyptiacus of Athanasius Kircher, vol. ii. p. 319.

First Order: Elementary

1. Chaos, Hyle, The first matter.

2. Formless, void, lifeless.

3. The Abyss.

4. Origin of the Elements.

5. Earth (no seed germs).

6. Water.

7. Air.

8. Fire

9. Differentiation of qualities.

10. Mixture and combination.

Second Order: Decad of Evolution

11. Minerals differentiate.

12. Vegetable principles appear.

13. Seeds germinate in moisture.

14. Herbs and Trees.

15. Fructification in vegetable life.

16. Origin of low forms of animal life.

17. Insects and Reptiles appear.

18. Fishes, vertebrate life in the waters.

19. Birds, vertebrate life in the air.

20. Quadrupeds, vertebrate earth animals.

Third Order: Decad of Humanity

21. Appearance of Man.

22. Material human body.

23. Human Soul conferred.

24. Mystery of Adam and Eve.

25. Complete Man as the Microcosm.

26. Gift of five human faces acting exteriorly.

27. Gift of five powers to the soul.

28. Adam Kadmon, the Heavenly Man.

29. Angelic beings.

30. Man in the image of God.

Fourth Order: World of Spheres

31. The Moon.

32. Mercury.

33. Venus.

34. Sol.

35. Mars.

36. Jupiter.

37. Saturn.

38. The Firmament.

39. The Primum Mobile.

40. The Empyrean Heaven.

Fifih Order: The Angelic World

41. Ishim--Sons of Fire.

42. Auphanim--Cherubim.

43. Aralim--Thrones.

44. Chashmalim--Dominions.

45. Seraphim--Virtues.

46. Malakim--Powers.

47. Elohim--Principalities.

48. Beni Elohim--Angels.

49. Cherubim--Arch-angels.

Sixth Order: The Archetype

50. God. Ain Suph. He Whom no mortal eye bath seen, and Who has been known to Jesus the Messiah alone.

NOTE.--The Angels of the Fifth or Angelic World are arranged in very different order by various Kabalistic Rabbis.