Evil in Early Kabbalah - Emanations of the Left Hand Side - Origins of the Qliphoth / Klippot

The origin, nature and final destiny of Evil is one of the central concerns for theologians, philosophers and mystics. Developments in early Kabbalah (c. 13th. century) made for a dramatic and daring re-conception of Evil as beginning within the dynamism of the divinity itself. This episode explores one of the earliest texts about this new Kabbalistic theory of Evil, the Treatise on the Emanations of the Left or Ma'amar Ha-Atzilut Ha-Sma'lit. This difficult and obscure texts details the origins of Evil, Demons and their final destiny as understood in one of the earliest strata of Kabbalah and serves as the foundation for the later development of the Klippot in later Lurianic Kabbalah.
#kabbalah #klippot #jewishdemonology
Recommended Readings:
Treatise on the Emanations of the Left ( Ma'amar Ha-Atzilut Ha-Sma'lit) in Dan - Early Kabbalah - 978-0809127696
Tishby - The Wisdom of the Zohar (esp. volume II) - 978-1874774280
Scholem - On the Mystical Shape of the Godhead - 978-0805210811
Wolfson - Light through Darkness: The Ideal of Human Perfection in the Zohar - www.jstor.org/stable/1509586?...
Idel - Primeval Evil in Kabbalah - 978-1602804036

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[@Eddie-ls9zw]

@ESOTERICA For whatever it's worth, all of those Liliths made me think of all the Sophias in the Valentinian "Tripartite Tractate". Guess I'll have to go back to it for some old school comparing and contrasting. I think my first comparison is that both texts are incomprehensible!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

@@Eddie-ls9zw Yeah, the TPT is a mess. I'll be covering Valentinian Gnosticism soon and many are these texts hella baroque.

[@Eddie-ls9zw]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Cool! Can't wait! I love the Nag Hammadi Library! I have an obsession with the Gospel of Mary as well. Your take on that text would be very interesting.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

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[@hyperboreanarchives7299]

@@TheEsotericaChannel But do you though? Surely, you must be familiar with what the Talmud teaches about us eh? Do you disagree with the malicious assertions made?

[@04dram04]

“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.” ― Carl Jung

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I'll drink to that , from kether to qliphoth 👍

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As above so below

[@redred1121]

My adepts stand upright; their head above the heavens, their feet below the hells. 41. But since one is naturally attracted to the Angel, another to the Demon, let the first strengthen the lower link, the last attach more firmly to the higher. Aleister Crowley, The Holy Books of Thelema

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Law of polarity

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Catchy, but I don't buy it.

[@MrDalisclock]

"Count me unblessed because WTF did I just read?" That was strangely beautiful. Thank you Dr. Sledge.

[@lotusheart625]

"Totality without evil isn't totality" I've never heard it phrased so succinctly before. Very digestible, pairs so well with that leviathan bagel.

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Wow that sounds like a very interesting study do you think that taking religious studies gave you an understanding you couldn’t or wouldn’t have gotten otherwise?

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Come for the obscure and needlessly-convoluted medieval mystical texts, stay for the promise of salted leviathan meat.

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...mit schmeer

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If like to find leviathans cloaca

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I’ve always quietly enjoyed your humour but this was the first time I straight up spat out my coffee XD

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I'm always happy to facilitate liquid ejection...wait....that came out weird.

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@@TheEsotericaChannel not for us thelemites

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Yeah he's a hoot

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Hahahaha. That was a funny comment Mat.

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There is so much I like about your channel, but "count me unblessed..." That was perfection.

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As soon as he imagined cursing at us with the 🤬… he certainly became “un-blessed”… that was the perfection of disaster!

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This just became my all time favorite KZbin channel. I've not heard this much depth to the mystery of Samael, Lilith.

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See channel: Universal Mastery

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You do such an an amazing job every single time, thank you for your efforts seriously

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Smoked Leviathan on our Apocalypse bagels what a yummy snack for the righteous was the best thing I’ve heard all week keep up the good works dear doctor 🔑😇

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Excellent video, this stuff is crazy. As someone who mostly learned about philosophy and theology from a Catholic standpoint as a kid, these ideas are pretty mind blowing.

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Isn’t it?! I was raised Christian reformed. I can’t get enough

[@annasalko]

I'd love to hear more about these "Various types of Liliths"

[@christinaOmNamahShivayo]

You seriously cover every occult mystical text I have been wanting more depth on. Thank you for this channel and making occult relevant again.

[@talkgooder]

You say 'fascinating' but I think you mean 'totally rad'. I know we're talking evil here, but this is one of the most badass things I've ever heard and I would like the movie rights.

[@randallpetroelje3913]

I absolutely love this!! You are a scholar and a philosopher beyond compare. I used to have the sepher ha yetzirah and zohar. I found them to be brain wracking. I give you my supreme thanks 🙏. You’ve delved into subjects that I have sought for some time. I nothing but love and respect for you and your endeavors. Keep up the good work.😃

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Justin is my new favorite guru and hero. And he's funny. What more could we want.

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This was fantastic. So many of the questions I've tried and failed at answering over the years were answered here. I never really knew where to look, but this channel is giving me some really important context for how the beliefs in my environment emerged.

[@danyellerobinson5940]

I always appreciate learning how different cultures and religions viewed the ancients. (I know little of my grandfather's Jewish heritage.) People tend to fear what they don't understand. Mankind has repeatedly villianized the beliefs of the ancients. Instead of learning lessons from the mistakes of individuals, historians tend to blame the entire practice or tribe. Historians tend to focus on the sin/evil, instead of the overall values and principles reinforced in the stories. Modern interpretations also are often heavily influenced by modern cultures and belief systems. Most indigenous populations understand that we all possess both a left and right hand. It is up to the individual to find balance for the greater good. When people use their powers for personal gain or to harm others, their practice will turn against them. This is the price for abusing power. At least that is how I understand it.

[@JonahPleatherbooth]

I watched it twice. Thank you for the sources and book recommendations. Your studiousness is to be admired. As I learn and study The scope of the divine puts me ins constant awe. Your channel is an invaluable resource.

[@tarotelemzeskrisztivel]

I am here because Tarot is full with kabbalistic symbology and I love to learn and learn more. Thank you!

[@sophiashekinah9872]

Lol! Dude you're hilarious! I Love your academic approach and intellectual humility.

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you're killing me, smoked Leviathan and apocalypse Bagels. That's even nuts for a West Coast askenazi if I've ever heard it.... wow... And of course the slide to control the expression with slightly rolled eyes is priceless

[@lifepaththirteen2776]

Shabbatai Zevi & Nathan ben Gaza contribute much when it comes to theory of the left emanation.

[@skylarjon3464]

This is one of my favourite videos you've done yet. Extremely interesting stuff. I'll definitely be sure to read this one for myself

[@AnaiBendai]

In my personal opinion this is the best video you posted yet. Thank you and keep up the good work!

[@suzannetol]

Outstanding video Dr. Sledge. I've have come across Eminations of the left hand side before but just in bits and pieces. This video makes the information I had previously more clear and a little less of a jumbled mess. I'll probably view this video quite a few time with a notebook in hand. Thank you for this interesting video!!

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As a Kabbalah honoring Mystic man, I honor YOU & your intelligent body of work on KZbin.

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Slowly I am becoming convinced that the story of a civilization before man maybe real. The details are all across mythology and mysticism and in one way or another they all seem to follow a similar plot. Thank you for this.

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O boy, I cannot wait to really dive into that most beautiful and mindbogglingly intricate text/geometry if the Tree of Life! Thank you so much for sharing this scholarly and mystic level of knowledge, you are giving something priceless for free and we all need this gorgeous and sacred wisdom right now more than ever. I thank you even more though, for your sense of humour and mastery of irony and sarcasm to highlight points and take any fear out of learning the dark ways of our nature and cosmos. Also, it fits in so geometrically with what I am autodidactically studying myself, but your Phd. level knowledge, wise understanding, and untrinsic hilarity, I am beyond grateful for! Love your works, waitin for the next ones!

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Thanks!

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Honestly, so impressed with your approach (rigorous yet accessible)!! Your channel is so needed to help bridge confusion over the material and spiritual pursuits of truth. New renaissance needed and hanks for helping to lead the way!! Sincerely.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Thanks for saying so - very kind. That's exactly what I'm gong for and I hope I strike that balance.

[@kobalt77]

What a wonderful presentation, I was laughing out loud several times, and of course enjoying the information. Thank you my friend.

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I really love they way you present topics. Very informative as well.

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Thanks for your video’s and all your hard work. So much information I’ll have to play this two times back to back.

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Dr. Sledge, I love you and your content so much! I imagine you’re such a fun and interesting person in life, gods be good I’ll have the good fortune to meet you at some point.

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This is so fascinating. I love every second of it

[@rocketbob76]

THANK YOU DR. SLEDGE.... Your research & videos are very helpful , interesting , clear, & concise...I can see many possible "chains, schemes, cycles, rounds, & worlds" mirrored in these teachings...Great stuff... The confusion is for good reason & intentional.... It's a DIY thing...

[@robertbradley8309]

Great video! I have just ordered Primeval Evil In Kabbalah. Thanks for the references!!

[@jerryjohnson6810]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge good sir. I enjoy your dialogue and insights on these subjects. Once again thank you.

[@thereeldemodeal3389]

This video is a huge resource. Thank you for all this valuable information. It's so fascinating!! I'm going to donate.

[@welkanektd5554]

OH MY STARS. I found you and subscribed and I'mm once more able to ingest the content so thanks again for existing and doing the work. I hope to glean simple conceptual things which are featured once in a while to be optimistic, and hope that even if I have different opinions, the factual literal content included (which I will ,of course, research to check twice before fronting myself off ) and views are appreciated. ...settling for more intrigue. ah simple pleasures. Aloha and mahalo ( thanks ) from Maui.

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I love your honesty brother. I am subscribed keep the great work.

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I absolutely love this channel. This has opened a door in my spiritual journey that has triggered other knowledge that I'm waiting for confirmation with my angels.

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I've been looking forward to you eventually covering this subject. Outstanding work yet again my friend!

[@tedhand6237]

Does Scholem's take on Kabbalah as "gnostic" hold up these days? I feel like there is still a lot of disambiguation necessary.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

@@tedhand6237 No, not really. 'Gnosticism' doesn't even really hold up these days.

[@tedhand6237]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Yeah that's a big part of it. Funny how everything weird called gnostic turns out to be just Neoplatonism. However check out the work of Dylan Burns (another livejournal pal from back in the day) who makes some powerful arguments in the wake of Williams to rehabilitate Gnosticism as a category, at least for thinking about the Sethiams.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

@@tedhand6237 Honestly, I'm fine using the term. It's just a low resolution scope of analysis. You know I got to hang out with Dylan in Amsterdam a few times. Nice guy and into metal. Had no idea we were on lj together. What was his handle?

[@tedhand6237]

@@TheEsotericaChannel welp I've just been handed the reins to the Gnostic TV and Film podcast so I'll have lots of opportunities to talk through my discomfort with the term!

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Outstanding once again! Truly enjoy your casts! Listen Nightly and have purchased some suggested books!

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Iv been interested in occult/ esoteric teachings forever. One of a few really good channels tackling the WIDE VAST material

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These old texts always fascinating...love from west coast Canada

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Very useful data. I appreciate your approach and flow I. Which you process and present the data. Shalom always

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I found your channel yesterday and I like your videos. God bless you, my brother. 🕊❤

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Great episode, love the humor and analysis. Keep up the excellent work!

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Wow I really loved this video. I learned a lot from it. Thank you !

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Fascinating! I'm really enjoying this playlist!

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baruch shalom brother

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I really enjoy your content. Your humor makes it very palatable.

[@micahminor4764]

Thank you for all of the references. I have more books to read now.

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Such Brilliant explanations on this subject , very informative 🙏

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Thank you for your service brother! Appreciate you!

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This was amazingly as per usual.

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Always interesting and well thought out videos

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Most excellent! Really appreciate your hard work!

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All I look for is a similarity between the old texts to my life and experience. I believe what I think is true for me. Great information. Thanks for letting us info your world of Jewish mistic and writing

[@Microtherion]

I see that it wasn't only me, but besides an excellent treatment of the subject, that had me (especially around about 25m) in stitches a few times. A highly effective use of 'scire et tacere'. Thank you. :)

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Bravo Sir. Your research and presentation was thoughtful and engaging.

[@grouchotrout444]

Well done! I must read this now asap

[@endtimespreaching8872]

I have to write this down. You pass important knowledge with every sentence. Concise fount of information that forces me to pursue further these "extremely difficult" texts....How Dare You Sir.....Thanks;)

[@felipeassis9785]

Best explanation ever!! This IS a tough debate in kabbalistic treatises and I'd go with the 'broken vessels' and Lost sparks idea. Lehitraot 🙌🏻

[@mysticray-mixtureelixir9050]

Splendid sit down comedy performance! Kudos!

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You so real! Your quips help cut through the dense left-brain philosophical discourse: a necessary challenge but you make it engaging! “Blessed is he who understands things as they are” and your response mirrors my right-brain’s sometimes ‘irreverent’ candor😭 “DF did I just read?!” was a common refrain throughout many portions of my Western Philosophy 101 experience. This content is great though! I love your exegesis and your (beautifully executed) jokes have the same impact that carbonated water has on liquor: makes it go down easier and helps me absorb it more efficiently. Super informative and insightful stuff that used to be gate-kept from the masses🙏🏾🤘🏾I appreciate your work, friend❤️‍🔥🕺🏾

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I love your intro on these videos, its very nice

[@RestoringReality]

The nature of this realm well beyond my comprehension but I do enjoy your content and perspective. Thank you.

[@nelliedean7088]

“Jung to live by” have a fascinating take on the Lilith story.

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👍👍👍

[@christinahoneycutt9360]

Thank you!! Fascinating introductions

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You, sir, are a treasure trove of knowledge! Thank you!

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Amazing work!

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That was informative and very entertaining. Thank you sir.

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Such amazing content. I feel like I ought to donate some money because I ve been enjoying this channel for some time now. Right up my alley

[@shemuelthesabbatian1254]

great video! Treatise on the left emanation is certainly a text to be wrestled with, I know I have. Still, it’s one of the most profound texts I’ve read.

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What a scholar! Don't give up, you get there! The rare place where others have not been.

[@kylw3460]

Hey, Love your work ! Thank You !!

[@Belialith]

Awesome! This is great: "This difficult and obscure texts details the origins of Evil, Demons and their final destiny as understood in one of the earliest strata of Kabbalah and serves as the foundation for the later development of the Klippot in later Lurianic Kabbalah." I have been researching the Isaac Luria material, and this is before, I'm so glad. This helps.

[@Belialith]

@эзотерика философия наука Yup. Lovely. Thank you for the comment. The thing is, in order to communicate in this world, we need to use words because most people only understand the written or spoken form of communication. So we say that there is evil and there is good, because there IS need for a foundation. Even animals have a foundation and know the difference. But if man doesn't understand his foundation to comprehend the difference, then he is worse than any animal. Also, like you said ( I only understand the English part of your message), there are so MANY intricate variations, it's a beauty of sculptured thinking to unlock and unravel and know the minute and fabulous differences...but that is for communicating with those who know deeper language, not so much as a physical expression, but with the use of that physical language, like music, there are parts that make a sound, and parts that are silent, which express as much and sometimes even more than the sounds, when well placed. Very well said. I really love intelligence when I see it.

[@Belialith]

@эзотерика философия наука You know, this is brilliant, I love this: "man has no strength. no resource. that would somehow influence more or less significant events or processes in the world around us." Gurdjieff the teacher taught the same thing, but then, so did Don Juan of the Carlos Castaneda writings, and many others too have written about this. The point I'm trying to describe is that, man can have strength and the resource, but he has to be willing to do the work, the work of knowing himself first, the work of discovering, and it is not a simple easy thing, it is like being a scientist all one's life. It's an intense seeking of the truth. And one step at a time, one can learn. After enough steps are taken, the pieces of the puzzle begin to form. One needs the pieces of the puzzle to be put together for his conscious self. You see.... one can KNOW that one has the power, and just allow it, and go with the flow on that wave of that internal structure. But, it is the same as having a silver platter of food in front of you, without doing any effort to have earned it. One has to want to know. That is the only way one can eventually find out how to use what they do have, in order to sculpt that conscious self they now have. That's what I have found. From my own researches into the structure of inner and outer worlds.

[@Belialith]

@эзотерика философия наука Yeah, not everything's about the brain, doc. But if one prefers to stay in that brain level of existence, then they will continue to be unbalanced, and of course, there could be great differences, that all result to the same thing. Misunderstanding. But, check out that dude, black adept's work, "Covid-19, The Great Reset, by Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret. Their brains work backwards. Everything they say, sounds to an unsuspecting individual, or, not individual yet, like he's saying something good for them. But their brain is not tuned in to his structure. His structure, haha, is corrupt. You have to open the view through observation, to be able to see what he's really saying. It's funny to read it, knowing what I've found out for myself, and knowing how so many can be so easily deceived by it, by that backwards brain. Like for example, he says (on page 12 of this pdf I downloaded) "Let's begin by putting things into perspective: human beings have been around for about 200,000 years, the oldest bacteria for billions of years and viruses for at least 300 million years." He's not talking about separate things. He's telling us what he feels about Humanity. Maybe there is no man in that body that's writing the book. Maybe someone else is talking through that 'brain.' Perhaps this entity has been around for a long time, and has long hated Humanity, in whatever form they came in. So yea. You're right. There are many ways of seeing. But, there is a foundation, and that means, a correct way, rather than a sandy, flaky, shadowy way. I just started reading the book. But I've already recognized the entity. Not personally, of course not.

[@arachs]

Wow, I didn't expect to see a book I own, 'Primeval Evil in Kabbalah' to pop up at the end. Love to see it!

[@duantorruellas716]

Another great lecture Justin. 👍

[@williammartinactor]

You dazzle me & I am grateful!🤩

[@jamiedaly5777]

Thank you. This was highly informative.

[@rebbecawitt581]

This is too good

[@jbaquinones]

WORD!!!

[@youliantroyanov2941]

Indeed

[@dmtripreport8542]

It really is

[@babkeebabkus8177]

@@dmtripreport8542 check out all inclusive consciousness theory on my channel...this guy is too wordy

[@alexandrem9326]

Thank you Dr!

[@andrewbasile1847]

Brilliant and confusing account of things not meant to be understood by most people. I so enjoy your videos which for the most part are enlightening or put things in perspective. I am however baffled by the concept of reading or studying texts that are not meant for me to understand or have parts left out for my own good. I can only hope that once read a sense of understanding and enlightenment will occur of its own accord. If not, then keeping ancient secrets is in fact just that.

[@Belialith]

Thank you for this video. We have to look at everything a lot closer, today, seeing that now we have more knowledge about many things, that can help us to make sense of what it is, really, they were trying to describe. I appreciate this, your delving deeper into things, I myself have been looking into. Thank you.

[@Belialith]

21:32 Ok, something to think about. If those goat demons fell to Earth to become the Nephilim, then perhaps what we're dealing with, is something in this Milky Way galaxy. Seeing that, in Robert Morning Sky's book (which I haven't fully read, because it's so badly written, and sounds like he's worshipping rather than writing an objective work) shows that there are dog-headed cannibalistic beings in some place around Sirius, and the, I think Reptilian, from the Eridanus constellation, and then we have the Drako constellation, and of course the Unholy Six of the evil Orion, constellation, perhaps there is some way of comprehending these texts by combining the knowledge we have of our Milky Way galaxy? Oh and, you may definitely want to take a look at Theresa Talea's (third edition) book, "Eternal Humans and the Finite gods" because they talk about how some of these, Elohim, etc, beings, had fallen from almost the beginnings of creation-into-matter, and that, that's what we're dealing with today. You will find it very interesting...at the same time, like you said of one of those texts earlier, it's very complicated. I've been studying it. Paper and pen, and day after day, to comprehending what all these new terms and concepts mean, and how they fit into what I've already learned and known.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just made up....on both accounts.

[@Belialith]

Oh and, one more thing. When they talk about the sin coming from mankind. Because we, personally, were not born back then, I think they are actually talking about those entities who have a head, trunk, two arms and two legs.

[@DM-jb9qn]

Awesome amazing marvellous Shalom Dhanyavaad

[@kylesty6728]

This is glorious. Subscribed.

[@CadaverSplatter]

Awesome content. The Middle Ages is not a time of history I am very knowledgeable about, and your work continues to inform me on the matter. All hail to the Dr. SLEDGE-Hammer!

[@hopefaithlove2022]

Angel magic 🙏🙌💜 love this channel thank you for the amazing content 😁 fascinating

[@IndelibleNihilist]

I was a left hand path practitioner for 20+ years. Your content is top notch - I was hoping you would have something on the place of shadows and shells, and well.. certainly you do :)

[@vrixphillips]

absolutely amazing. Taschen should do a volume of Kabbalistic manuscript art, it's always fascinating :O

[@kw271]

i am sure they did

[@billiehewett5702]

Love your talk great work

[@ppfuchs]

Great presentation!

[@leeshiflett1863]

Wow! This is always fun!

[@philipvalentini3112]

Excellent introduction to a difficult text and it was very funny indeed!

[@markh.williamsauthor7286]

Fascinating! I was taught that the Klippot emmanates from Gevurah (as you discussed), but I can see the alternative ideas of Keter, Binah, Malkut, etc. all playing a part in the Klippot. I've also studied gnosticism - so interesting ties there (so many between Kabbalah and gnostic texts).

[@markh.williamsauthor7286]

Does Leviathan taste like chicken? I think I'll pass. Thanks!

[@23ADJ93]

@@markh.williamsauthor7286creationists say it’s a dinosaur so probably close to gator