(Āśram Vidyā Order) Raphael / Asram Vidya Order Raphael
This book is not an essay on the Qabbalah nor a historical study on its origins, but a synthetic presentation in the form of sutra-aphorisms in order to be able to "comprehend" and "realize" its teaching. The expression 'Ehjeh 'Ašer 'Ehjeh, which means "I am That I am" or "Being is Being", represents the knowledge by identity. Therefore the Qabbalah, like any other traditional doctrine, does not constitute a simple learned knowledge but life experience.The Hebrew term Qabbalah, which is equivalent to the the word Masôrah, means “reception” or “transmission”, and represents the esoteric part of the Old Testament. This means that the Old Testament, besides having an external and exoteric function, has also a deeper and significant function which is internal and esoteric.The symbol of the Qabbalah is the Sephirothic Tree in which are are summed up the indefinite expressive possibilities (Sephiroth) of the micro and macrocosm, beyond which there is the sphere of Ain Soph Aur (Absolute) which corresponds to the One-without-a-second (advaita), the unqualified Brahman (nirguna) of the Vedanta doctrine.In view of the fact that the Qabbalah represents a complete teaching, above all RAPHAEL brings to light its metaphysical sphere (Ain Soph Aur) and the pathway taking to it: the "Pathway of Fire". That is the Pathway" that each disciple, to whatever branch he may belong to, must travel in order to realize the identity with his own Essence.