KosherTorah School

for Biblical, Judaic & Spiritual Studies

www.koshertorah.com
email. arieltzadok@gmail.com
Ariel Bar Tzadok, Director, Rabbi

The Practice
of Using the First 24 Triads
of the 72 Names of God
from the book, Hayei Olam HaBa
by the master prophetic Kabbalist, R. Avraham Abulafia.

By R. Ariel B. Tzadok
Copyright © 2020 by Ariel B. Tzadok. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Avraham Abulafia is one of the foremost well-known proponents of the prophetic

Kabbalah. In the thirteenth century he wrote prolifically about specific meditative
techniques to be used to achieve spiritual enlightenment, and documented many of the
revelations that he himself received by using them.

Using the 72 triad Name of God is considered by Abulafia, and other prophetic
Kabbalists, before him and after him, to be one of the most sacred spiritual practices
that one can perform.

When performed with the proper preparations and intent, it is believed that the recital
of the 72 triad Name can bring forth the mental image of a spirit guide (Magid) who will
direct one to great revelations and insights about spiritual truths.

For whatever reasons ordained by Heaven, Abulafia’s system was deemed non-
mainstream throughout the centuries and was studied and practiced only by the few
and sincere who sought the prophetic Kabbalistic path. It was only in the late twentieth
early twenty-first century that Abulafia’s Hebrew works were finally published for the
first time, over 700 years after they were written.

There is now a new resurgence of interest in prophetic Kabbalah with the intent to
again make actual, and real contact with Heaven and its messengers (angels). Abulafia’s
system is thus in the process of being popularized.

Center to Abulafia’s system is the use of the 72 triad Name of God. But Abulafia is
definitively clear that usage of the holy Name is wrought with dangers for the
unprepared, and those who lack proper devotion, and seriousness.

Before we proceed to outline an Abulafian system of using the holy Names, it is best that
we let the master himself speak to share his words of warning.

1
Copyright © 1993-2020 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
KosherTorah School
for Biblical, Judaic & Spiritual Studies
www.koshertorah.com
email. arieltzadok@gmail.com
Ariel Bar Tzadok, Director, Rabbi

“The one who requests the wisdom passed down into our hands about the Name, to work with it
for anything that honors the Name, such a one sanctifies the Name.

However if one requests the wisdom of the Name to work with it personal [bodily] matters that
are successful for [acquiring] wealth, for long life, for sons and daughters, for love, for hate or to
kill any enemy, or one focuses on honoring oneself, or other people, or for one’s [other] personal
benefit[s], or the benefit of others, without there being any real [sacred, holy] reason, this is not
the way to honor the Name, [if] one does [any of these things] prior to acquiring from the Name
radiance or spirit[ual insight] from the Explicit Name.

Even if one says with one's mouth or contemplates in one's heart that one cites the Name to
honor it, this is not the case. [Even if] there arose in one's hand a [miraculous] act from the
recitation of the honored and awesome Name, behold [nevertheless] such a man is wicked, evil,
and unclean, desecrating the honorable and awesome Name, and uses God’s great Name for
vanity.

Regarding such a one it is written, “Do not take [the Name of] YHWH your God in vain, for YHWH
will not find innocent the one who takes His Name in vain” (Ex. 20:7).

And this person is cursed before YHWH, Lord of Armies (Elohei Tzvaot), and cursed by his teacher
Metatron, Prince of the Presence who teaches one the letters and the Torah. [Such a one] is cut
off from every Seraph and every angel. [Such a person] is excommunicated from every prophet
and sage. [Such a one] is cursed, and [such a one] shall be cursed and cut off from every student
of this book (Hayei Olam HaBa).

However the one who wishes to learn for the sake of Heaven, [such a one] is blessed, and [such a
one] shall be blessed before God, and in the presence of those above and below, [but only if] one
uses the Name of God to give honor to God, blessed be He.

Aside from focusing on receiving the radiance of wisdom, speech from Ruah HaKodesh, or the
level of prophecy, [one must follow] after what one is commanded from God, according to His
wisdom and knowledge. [One must be] very careful to act [properly] not erring to either the right
or the left. If one is directed to speak, then speak. If one is directed to write in a book, then
write. If [one is guided] in the path to [speak words] of admonishment about things, then one
must reveal what one is commanded to reveal, and to conceal what one is commanded to
conceal.

Thus will one be blessed before God blessed be He, and be elevated in the eye of the Divine.
[Upon such a one] will be fulfilled the trifold blessing of the Torah [spoken] by the Kohanim, in
accordance with Moses, upon him be peace, and in accordance to the Divine Power. “May YHWH
bless you and protect you. May YHWH radiate His Face upon you and be gracious to you. May
YHWH raise His Face upon you and grant you shalom. And thus shall they put my Name upon the
children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
R. Avraham Abulafia, Sefer Hayei Olam HaBa, Barzani ed. pages 111-112

2
Copyright © 1993-2020 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
KosherTorah School
for Biblical, Judaic & Spiritual Studies
www.koshertorah.com
email. arieltzadok@gmail.com
Ariel Bar Tzadok, Director, Rabbi

With the words of the Rabbi said, now let us proceed to his description of the technique
to be used.

R. Abulafia elaborates on how each letter of the recital is supposed to extend for one
long exhaled breath. At the same time, he outlines how one is supposed to move one's
head in directions that act out the form of the Hebrew vowel that is being used to recite
the present letter.

While this part of his system is part and parcel of his personal practice, later
generations of prophetic Kabbalists, like those before Abulafia, have not considered this
specific practice to be essential to the system. Some today perform these head
movements, others do not. What practice someone today should follow depends fully
upon the insights gained from one's personal experiences.

For the sake of brevity, we will dispense with the head movement rituals, so as to focus
on the true essence of the recitals of the Names, as understood and practiced by those
before Abulafia, and the many after him.

Abulafia taught that one should first meditate upon the sacred Name YHWH, and that
by doing so, one can jump-start a Magid relationship with an entity that will be
envisioned within the mind's eye. This system was later adopted by R. Hayim Vital and
included in his book, Sha'arei Kedusha (Part 4). Abulafia writes:

“Focus your face on the Name [of God] and contemplate [it] as if it is a man standing before you,
waiting for you to speak with him. He [in turn] is ready to answer you about everything that you
ask him. You speak, and he answers. This [then] is the way to go.”
Sefer HaHeshek, Gross ed. Pg 24

“You yourself answer [yourself] using a different voice, so that the voice answering [your
question] is different from the one asking [the question].”
Sha'arei Kedusha, Barzani ed. Page 138, Heshek, Gross ed. Page 25

Following this system of active imagination, Abulafia offers instruction in using the 72
triads of the Name of God to establish similar spiritual connection. Abulafia writes:

“For the Kabbalah by us is that the radiance comes to the complete person when he arrives at the
completion of the first verse, after reciting [the first] 24 names, that their sign is “my beloved”
[Dodi].1 And it's sign is [the verse], “The voice of my beloved [Dodi] knocks” (Song of Songs 5:2).

And then you will see the image of a youth [Na'ar], or the image of an elder [Sheikh]. For Sheikh
in the language of Ishmael (Arabic), means, an elder, and [thus you may] see an elder.

Also in gematria Na'ar (youth) is equal to [the phrase] Zaken v'Zaken (elder and elder).
1 “My beloved,” Dodi in Hebrew is spelled Dalet (4), Vav (6), Dalet (4), Yod (10), for a total of 24, the numerical value of
the first 24 triads.

3
Copyright © 1993-2020 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
KosherTorah School
for Biblical, Judaic & Spiritual Studies
www.koshertorah.com
email. arieltzadok@gmail.com
Ariel Bar Tzadok, Director, Rabbi

And the secret of the name of the one who appears to you is Metatron. He is also called Na'ar,
and his name is also Hanokh (Enoch, but the word also means, to educate). This is hinted to [in
the verse], “Educate a youth in the way he should go, and when he's an elder he will not part
from it” (Prov. 22:6). [The verse] joins together Hanokh (Enoch/educate), with Darkho (the way
he should go), and there is its secret, for when our path is [by] his power, then our power [is
found in] his path.

And when you see him, strengthen your heart, and understand his words, and “Beware of him
and obey him; do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your transgression, for My Name is
within him” (Exodus 23:21).

Now, his Name is hsa (Shadai), and he is iuryyn (Metatron), Prince of the names that are spoken
with the permission of HaShem (the Name).

Now, the 24 names have within them 72 letters, and with his words, he answers me, “speak my
Lord, for your servant (Ab'dekha) is listening” (1 Sam. 3:9). Ab'dekha (your servant), and he is
HaMalakh (the angel)2 who informs you of the secret of YHWH, and [the angel's] name is Gabriel.

It is he [Gabriel] that speaks [with you] within the first verse of the holy Name that your mouth
recites. And he Mar'eh3 (shows) you the wonders of prophecy, for this is its secret, “ I [YHWH] will
make Myself known to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream” (Number 12:6). For Mar'eh
(shows), which is the secret of [this] Pasuk 4 (verse), is Gabriel.

Also, [the word] Halom (dream), is the secret of Adi (my witness), who is Hanoch (Enoch). 5
“Even now, behold my Witness (Adi) is in heaven and He Who testifies for me is on high.” (Job
16:19).

And this Kabbalah is true!”

Sefer Hayei Olam HaBa, Barzani ed. Page 69

2 Ab'dekha (your servant) and HaMalakh (the angel) are both numerically equal to 96. This is typical throughout all of
Abulafia's writings to string together words with equal numerical values to further hint to the secrets to which he
refers.

3 Mar'eh, spelled Mem (40), Resh (200), Alef (1), Hey (5) together is 246, the numerical value of the name of the angel
Gabriel (Gimel (3), Bet (2), Resh (200), Yod (10), Alef (1), Lamed (30), together 246.

4 Like Mar'eh and Gabriel, the Hebrew word Pasuk Peh (80) Samekh (60) Vav (6) Kof (100) equals 246.

5 Halom, Adi, and Hanoch all are numerically equal to 84.

4
Copyright © 1993-2020 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
KosherTorah School
for Biblical, Judaic & Spiritual Studies
www.koshertorah.com
email. arieltzadok@gmail.com
Ariel Bar Tzadok, Director, Rabbi

In earlier books that outline usage of the 72 triad Names, such as the Sefer Raziel HaMalakh,
the emphasis on the usage may be considered to be “magical.” In other words, the Names
were recited in a specific order, often with the inclusion of angelic invocations. The purpose
of these recitations was to call for a result of a specific type. These will be covered in a
separate essay. Abulafia makes very clear, (as quoted above) that these types of pursuits are
not his path.

Abulafia is focused on receiving the spirit of prophecy, which for him, meant an actual
interaction with an actual spiritual entity who would engage him in his mind (and not in the
flesh), and reveal to him the secrets of the universe.

Using a technique which is also used in modern analytical psychology called active
imagination, Abulafia would allow his imaginative faculty free reign to visualize and interact
with his conscious mind.

This was far more than merely a psychological tool for personal introspection. This
technique allowed for the imaginative faculty of the mind to be directed by the recital of the
Names to receive information and insight from outside the limits of the individual intellect,
from that which Abulafia, and other before him call the Sekhel HaPoal, the Active
Intelligence.

This might very well be what Carl Jung called the Collective Unconscious, and what others in
other mystical schools would call the Akashic Records. Essentially, it opened up the psychic
doorways within the mind to receive extra sensory perceptions.

Abulafia expected that the recital would enable the properly prepared aspirant to see an
internal vision of either an Elder or a Youth. Either way, the entity envisioned is supposed to
be an internal personal vision of Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, who in his book Sitrei
Torah, Abulafia identfies as being the personified form of the Sekhel HaPoal,
Active/Collective Intelligence (Mind).

“For the Kabbalah by us is that the radiance comes to the complete person when he arrives at the
completion of the first verse, after reciting [the first] 24 names, that their sign is “my beloved”
[Dodi].6 And it's sign is [the verse], “The voice of my beloved [Dodi] knocks” (Song of Songs 5:2).

And then you will see the image of a youth [Na'ar], or the image of an elder [Sheikh]. For Sheikh
in the language of Ishmael (Arabic), means, an elder, and [thus you may] see an elder.

This recital of the first 24 triads of the 72 Names of God was considered sufficient to
cultivate the inner vision. However, Abulafia acknowledges that sometimes this single
recitation may not be enough. One may indeed ave to recite the second or third set of
24 names in order to receive the vision.

6 “My beloved,” Dodi in Hebrew is spelled Dalet (4), Vav (6), Dalet (4), Yod (10), for a total of 24, the numerical value of
the first 24 triads.

5
Copyright © 1993-2020 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
KosherTorah School
for Biblical, Judaic & Spiritual Studies
www.koshertorah.com
email. arieltzadok@gmail.com
Ariel Bar Tzadok, Director, Rabbi

Surprisingly here, in the Hayei Olam HaBa, Abulafia does not elaborate the technique
that he described in his Sefer Heshek about the individual aspirant creation one's own
inner dialogue using a change in one's own voice to evoke discussion. Although the
technique is not mentioned here, neither is its usage rejected.

Therefore, what is good for Abulafia in one place in his works, should be good enough
for usage in another. Therefore, an aspiring student today can recite the first 24 triads
of the 72 Names and then seek to create the inner dialogue using a voice change.

While this system of Abulafia seems straightforward enough, R. Hayim Vital, 300 or so
years after Abulafia, quotes Abulafia by name and brings down many of his teachings in
his Sha'arei Kedusha, Part 4. R. Vital also goes further and elaborates a much more
involved system.

This is the order of the recital according to R. Hayim Vital, as recorded in his Sha'arei
Kedusha (4:1). R. Vital does not reference the source of order, but he does elaborate on
the practice, and its accompanying prayers in significant detail.

This order begins with the individual first 24 triads, intertwines each one with the
Name YHWH, and then reference the angel names that correspond to each letter.

Each letter of the triads and the Name YHWH are voweled with their base vowels, which
is typical of the Abulafian system.

This order ends with the individual recitals of the Name: Tash'gi'vivah Tuv'edah Yah
Tzurbah. To date, I have not been able to discover the source of this name, nor its
history outside of its mention here.


  
  


  

 
  

6
Copyright © 1993-2020 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
KosherTorah School
for Biblical, Judaic & Spiritual Studies
www.koshertorah.com
email. arieltzadok@gmail.com
Ariel Bar Tzadok, Director, Rabbi



  

 
 

  


 
  

  
  





Systems of usage change over time. Some become more complex, as with Vital, while
others, like Abulafia, remain much more simple. There is no right or wrong, or better or
worse in comparative systems. The individual aspirant must simply experiment and see
what works best for oneself.

According to Abulafia, the purpose of the recital of the 72 Names of God is to enable the
individual aspirant who is prepared and ready in their usage to actively expand one's
consciousness. Abulafia's techniques are many, but they pretty much revolve around a
singular core. The human mind is rigid and needs to become more flexible. This means
that awareness must expand greatly. The recital of the Names is meant as a means
towards this end.

Abulafia's intent was always that one should practice what he taught, and not simply
learn about it for mere academic interests. Usage of the techniques will speak for
themselves. The reader is invited to properly prepare oneself, and to then take the
Abulafian plunge, and to see for oneself, how the system operates in truth.

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