SEFER NOAH

Translated from the Hebrew texts published by Adolph Jellinek, Bet ha-Midrasch: Sammlung kleiner

Midraschim und vermischler Abhandlungen aus der ältern jüdischen Literatur (6 vols.; repr., Jerusalem:

Bamberger & Wahrmann, 1938), 3:155-160. He has here combined three separate but conceptually

cognate compositions: (1) The prologue to the so-called Sefer Asaf ha-Rofe, wherein a pharmacology and

book of medical lore is revealed to Noah by the angel Raphael after the Flood;1 (2) an apocryphal

penitential ‘Prayer of Adam’ which results in the revelation by the angel Raziel of a ‘holy book’ containing

arcane knowledge to him;2 and (3) the prologue to Sefer ha-Razim, a notorious magical grimoire whose

genealogy is traced to a book revealed by the angel Raziel to Noah immediately before the Flood.3 More

distantly related but nonetheless important are the various tales about Adam’s post-expulsion penitence and

subsequent revelatory events featured in eastern Christian texts like the Testament of Adam, the isolated

anecdotes in the Zohar about Raziel’s gift of a ‘book’ to Adam,4 and the genealogy of religio-medical lore

supplied by the Christian chronographer Bar Hebraeus.

This is the book of remedies which the ancient sages copied from the book of Shem b. Noah which

had been given to Noah on Mt. Lubar, one of the mountains of Ararat,5 after the Flood. For in those days

and at that time the ‘miscegenate-spirits’ (íéøæîîä úåçåø) began to attack the descendants of Noah:

1 Süssmann Muntner, Mavo le-Sefer Asaf ha-Rofe (Jerusalem: Hotza’at Genizah, 1957), 147-54.

Jellinek’s text of this passage is transcribed from Munich Staatsbibliothek Ms. Hebr. 231, a copy which dates from the sixteenth century. See Elinor Lieber, “Asaf’s ‘Book of Medicines’: A Hebrew Encyclopedia of Greek and Jewish Medicine, Possibly Compiled in Byzantium on an Indian Model,” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 38 (1984), 238 n.38.

2 See also the apocryphal narrative extracted from a Yemenite manuscript early in the last century by Louis Ginzberg and published by him under the title of ‘The Son of Samael’ in Ha-Goren 9 (1913): 38-41; reprinted in idem, ‘Al halakhah wa-aggadah (Tel Aviv: Devir, 1960), 227-28.

3 Sefer ha-Razim: A Newly Recovered Book of Magic from the Talmudic Period (ed. Mordecai Margalioth; Jerusalem: American Academy for Jewish Research, 1966); Sepher ha-Razim: The Book of the Mysteries (SBLTT 25; trans. Michael A. Morgan; Chico, Calif.: Scholars Press, 1983).

4 Note especially Zohar 1.55b; cf. 1.37b and 1.118a. 5 See 1QapGen 12.13; 4Q244 8, 3; 6Q8 17, 1 (?); Jub. 5:28; 7:1, 17; 10:15; Syncellus, Chronographia

(ed. Dindorf), 147.1-2; Cedrenus, Historiarum Compendium (ed. Bekker), 1:24.21.

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maddening and leading astray and destroying and smiting humanity with sicknesses, pains, and all sorts of

mortal and debilitating illnesses. Then all the children and grandchildren of Noah came together and

recounted their afflictions to Noah their ancestor, and they spoke to him about the diseases appearing

among their children.6

Then Noah was dismayed, for he knew that it was due to the sinfulness of humanity and to the

manner of their transgressions that they were being subjected to all kinds of diseases and illnesses. So

Noah sanctified his sons and the members of each and every household all together, and he approached the

altar, offered burnt offerings, prayed to God, and entreated Him.7 He dispatched an angel from among the

Angels of the Presence – one of the Holy Ones whose name was Raphael – to eradicate the ‘miscegenate-

spirits’ from beneath the heavens so that they might not continue harming humanity. The angel did so. He

sequestered them in a chamber for judgment; however, he allowed one-tenth of their number to roam about

the earth freely before Prince Mastema to chastise those (humans) who were being wicked, to afflict and to

subject them to all kinds of illness and disease, and to inflict painful torments.8

The angel told (him; i.e., Noah) the remedies for the afflictions of humankind and all kinds of

remedies for healing with trees of the earth and plants of the soil and their roots. And he sent the leaders of

the remaining spirits to show Noah the medicinal trees with all their shoots, greenery, grasses, roots, and

seeds, to explain to him why they were created, and to teach him all their medicinal properties for healing

and for vitality. Noah wrote all these things in a book and gave it to Shem, his oldest son,9 and the ancient

sages copied from this book and wrote many books, each one in his own language. Knowledge about

medicine increased on the earth among all the nations who examined the books of remedies, (particularly)

among the sages of India, Macedonia, and Egypt, for the sages of India traveled about in quest of every

kind of medicinal tree and spice, and the sages of Aram discovered the medicinal properties of all the

different kinds of plants and their seeds, and they translated into Aramaic an explanation (øùô) for the

contents of the books.

6 Cf. Jub. 10:1-2. 7 Cf. Jub. 10:3-6. 8 Cf. Jub. 10:7-11. 9 Cf. Jub. 10:12-14.

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The sages of Macedonia were the first to begin practicing medicine on earth, whereas the sages of

Egypt began to use magical charms and to divine future events with <constellations>10 and with stars.

(They also began) to learn the expository book (ùøãî øôñ) of the Chaldeans which Qangar b. ’Ur b. Kesed

had translated regarding every magical practice. Their wisdom continued growing for them until there

arose Asclepius (ñåð''éôì÷ñà), one of the sages of Macedon, and forty people with him from the magicians,

who were adept in the translated books. They were continually traveling throughout the earth. They

crossed over to the far side of India to the land east of Eden11 searching for some fragments <of the Tree>12

of Life in order to increase their fame over (that of the other) sages of the earth. And when they had

entered that place, they discovered medicinal trees and fragments of the Tree of Life, and they stretched out

their hands to acquire them. But the Lord flashed a ‘flame of the revolving sword’ (Gen 3:24) upon them,

and all of them were set ablaze by sparks of lightning. Not a single one of them escaped. Hence the

science of healing was abandoned by the physicians, and the wisdom of the physicians ceased (to expand)

for six hundred and thirty years until the reign of King Artaxerxes. During his era there arose a man who

was discerning and wise and learned in the knowledge of the books of remedies and who understood

everything: his name was Hippocrates (è''ø÷åôéà) the Macedonian. The rest of the sages of the nations

include Asaf the Judean, Dioscorides (ñ''åéãø÷ñéã) the Cilician (?),13 and Galen (ñå''ðééìâ) the Cretan, along

with many other sages. Together they renewed the luster of medicine, and it continues (to enjoy prestige)

until this day.

This14 is the prayer of Adam the Protoplast which he prayed at the time when he had been expelled

from the Garden of Eden and before He had given to him this holy book. He begged for mercy before the

Omnipotent One and said: O Lord, God of the universe! You created the entire universe to adorn a

powerful majesty, and You acted in accordance with Your will. Your kingdom lasts eternally, and Your

10 Read úåìæîá in place of úåøæîá. 11 Cf. Gen 4:16, termed there ‘the land of Nod.’ 12 Insert the word õò. See below. 13 Text reads éúìòáä. 14 Translated from the text transcribed in Jellinek, BHM 3:156.17-159.12. He took it in turn from Sefer

Raziel ha-mal’akh (Amsterdam: Abraham Mendes Qawitiniv, 1701), 3a-b.

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grandeur endures throughout every generation. There is nothing concealed from You nor hidden from

Your sight. You established me by the action of Your hands, and You granted me authority over all Your

creatures to serve as ruler over Your works. But the accursedly clever serpent deceived me with the

delightfully desirable tree, and my bosom wife also deceived me, and she did not disclose to me what

would happen or what would be the result for my descendants or what would come upon me and the

generations who are coming after me. I realize and understand that no living entity is innocent before You.

What power do I have to seek refuge with You? I lack a mouth to respond or to speak, or an eye to lift

upwards, for I have sinned and am guilty, and because of my transgression I have today been expelled.

Behold, I must now break and till the earth in servitude to that from which I was (originally) taken, and fear

of me and awe of me is no longer on those who dwell on the earth as it was in the beginning, for from the

moment that I ate from the fruit of (the Tree of) Knowledge and transgressed against Your words, my

wisdom was taken from me. I am stupid and have no knowledge; I am a fool and do not understand what is

going to happen.

And now, O merciful and gracious God, may Your plentiful mercies return unto the head of Your

created beings, and unto the breath which You breathed, and unto the life which You gave. Welcome me

with Your charity, for You are kind, patient, and full of mercy. May my prayer ascend before Your throne

of glory, and may my cry reach Your throne of mercies, and may You be gracious to me! ‘May the sayings

of my mouth be pleasing before You!’ (Ps 19:15). ‘Do not ignore my supplication!’ (Ps 55:2). You Who

have existed and will continue to exist forever, You Who have ruled and will continue to rule – please have

compassion on the work of Your hands! Instruct me and make known to me what is going to happen to my

progeny and to my descendants, and what is about to come upon me each and every day and each and every

month. Do not conceal the wisdom of Your Watchers15 and Your angels from me!’

After he engaged in entreaty for thirty days, the angel Raziel – the one enthroned above the river

that flows out of Gan Eden – came to him and revealed information to him until the darkening of the sun.

In his hand was a book. He said to him: ‘Adam, why are you alarmed? Why are you mournful and

worried? Your words were heard from the day that you began to stand in prayer and in supplication. I

have come to instruct you (using) clear words and much wisdom and to make you learned in the words of

15 Adopting the textual variant êéøò instead of the main text’s êøæò.

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this sacred book. With them you will gain knowledge about what will happen to you up to the day of your

death! And any one of your children who arises in your stead and all the latter generations who treat this

book as you do – with purity of flesh, humility of spirit, and doing everything that is inscribed in it – will

gain knowledge of what is coming during each and every month, whether day or night, and everything will

be revealed to such a one. That individual will discern and know if there will be misfortune or famine or

severe disorder or heavy rain or drought, or if the harvest will be plentiful or scarce, or if criminals will

gain authority in the world, or if there will be locust swarms or infestation, or when a tree will drop its

fruits, or if there will be a plague of boils among humans, or if there will be wars, or if there will be

sufferings, or if death will gain control of humans or livestock, or if a favorable or unfavorable decree has

gone forth from on high, or if blood will be shed or the wounded will groan16 in the city. Now you – Adam

– approach more closely, and I will disclose to you the manner of this book and its sacral qualities.’

The angel Raziel opened the book and read it aloud to Adam, and when he heard the words of that

sacred book from the mouth of the angel Raziel, he collapsed face-down, quivering. Then he said: ‘Adam!

Get up! Be strong! Do not be afraid and do not fear! Take this book from my hand, yet be careful with it,

for you will gain knowledge and insight from it, and you will recognize everyone who is worthy of it and

what their fate will be.’ And at the moment that Adam received this book, a fire was kindled upon the bank

of the river, and the angel ascended on a flame of fire toward Heaven. Then Adam understood and realized

that he was an angel of God, and that this book had been dispatched from the presence of the Holy King.

So he took hold of it in sanctity and in purity.

After four generations there arose Enoch b. Yared, and he paid heed to the fear of God. He

conducted himself in purity: he would bathe and consecrate himself in running water, and he would plead

in supplication before the Creator of all. There was revealed to him in a dream the place where there was

hidden a book within which was the way by which he should conduct himself and what his task was and

how he might hallow his purification (ritual?). He arose early and went to the cave and waited until noon.

Due to the strength of the sun, he went in there by himself so that the people of the place would not observe

him. He beseeched the Blessed Deity and ascended in purity. He acquired possession of the Pure Name,

and at the moment that he understood it, his eyes illuminated all his paths. He guided himself with it and

16 Cf. Jer 51:52.

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continued until he became like one of the supernal holy ones and was removed from the inhabitants of the

earth. ‘And he was no more, for God took him’ (Gen 5:24).

For using this book makes one wise and makes one astute with regard to the cycles and the

constellations and all the (heavenly) luminaries which officiate in each and every month and the names

which are invoked for every cycle and for the ministering angels during the four seasons of the year. It

teaches the names for the earth and the names for the heavens and even the names for the sun and the

moon. He continued to venerate it with all his energy, and he gained insight into every type of wisdom,

more even than Adam the Protoplast. But he discerned that the generations who would come after him

would not have the strength to persist with it, for he had become powerful and exalted. So he hid it until

the advent of Noah b. Lamech, ‘a righteous man who was perfect among his generations’ (Gen 6:9). And

in the five hundredth year of his (i.e., Noah’s) life, the earth was being destroyed by the violent behavior of

those generations, for ‘all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth’ (Gen 6:12), and the anguished cry of the

earth ascended to heaven before the Throne of Glory of the Holy One, blessed be He.17 ‘Noah however

found favor in the sight of the Lord’ (Gen 6:8).

Afterwards the holy prince Raphael was sent to him, and he said to him: ‘I have been dispatched

with a message of God for you in order to heal (úåàôøì) the earth18 and to disclose what is going to happen

and what one should do in order to escape (the coming destruction).’ Then he gave him this sacred book

and he taught him how he should behave with it and what his task was and how he might hallow his

purification (ritual?).

He said to him: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, for you have been found to be “a righteous man who is

perfect among his generations” (Gen 6:9). Behold, I have given you this sacred book, and I will reveal to

you all of its secrets and its arcana in order to perform it in sanctity and in purity and with chastity and with

humility. From it you will learn how to work the gofer-wood, and then you will enter – “you, your sons,

your wife, and the wives of your sons” (Gen 6:18) – to conceal yourselves for a short while until the wrath

passes by.’ So Noah took the book from the hand of the holy prince Raphael, and at the moment that he

understood the characters engraved in it, the spirit of the Lord rested upon him. He built the ark in length

17 Cf. 1 En. 8:4; 9:2, 10; 87:1. 18 Cf. 1 En. 10:7. In the Hebrew Sefer Noah, Raphael’s mission to Noah is postdiluvian and corresponds

to the prophylactic traditions relayed by anonymous angels in Jub. 10:1-14.

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and in breadth using the knowledge which he discerned in this sacred <book>.19 Then it was heard by him:

‘You and all of your household, enter into the ark, for I have seen that you are righteous’ (Gen 7:1).

Then Noah b. Lamech concealed it (i.e., the book) before Me. They entered the ark. He understood

all its characters, and he perceived how to bring into the ark (the animals) whether two or seven (pairs),

‘each with its mate’ (Gen 7:2). ‘And the Lord closed (the door of the ark) behind him’ (Gen 7:16). ‘There

was a Flood for forty days’ (Gen 7:17) and forty nights. Then he opened his mouth in a spirit of wisdom

and understanding, and he offered praise to the Lord God, the great, mighty, and awesome ruler.

He said: ‘Blessed be the Lord who has granted some of His wisdom to those who revere His Name!

Blessed be He Who has made awe of Him to rule over humankind, Who delivers the lives of His faithful

ones, Who conceals those taking shelter in His shade, and Who preserves a remnant for revivification; the

One Who bestows upon His servants a spirit of intellect and understanding which permits communication

with all people, beasts, animals, birds, and fish in order to disclose to them Your power and the magnitude

of Your might!’ From the wealth of knowledge which He taught with this book, he was able to know

whether it was day or night, and he knew the feeding schedule of each and every animal at its proper time.

His prayer was heard before the Throne of Glory, ‘and He remembered’ (Gen 8:1) him and all ‘who were

with him on the ark’ (ibid.). ‘And God made a wind pass over the earth, and the waters abated’ (Gen 8:1),

‘and the ark came to rest’ (Gen 8:4) on that month ‘on the mountains of Ararat’ (ibid.).

Noah continued comporting himself using the wisdom of this book, and he revealed to his son Shem

that he had learned about the ark from it. Therefore his son Shem used it and took possession of it after

him in (his practice of) sanctification. Shem passed it on to Abraham, and Abraham to Isaac, and Isaac to

Jacob, and Jacob to Levi, and Levi to Moses, and Moses to Aaron, and Aaron to Pinḥas, and Pinḥas

(transmitted it) to his son and to all subsequent generations, one after the other.

This20 is the book from the books of the mysteries – the one which was given to Noah b. Lamech b.

Methuselah b. Enoch b. Yared b. Mahalalel b. Kenan b. Enosh b. Seth b. Adam21 from the oral instruction

19 Emend the text’s íùá to øôñá. 20 Translated from the edition prepared in Sefer ha-Razim (ed. Margalioth), 65-66. The text transcribed in

Jellinek, BHM 3:159.13-160.11 was taken from Sefer Raziel (ed. 1701), 34a. 21 Jellinek’s genealogical chain lacks the entries for Kenan and Yared.

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of the angel Raziel in the year that he entered the ark, before he boarded it. He inscribed it22 very clearly

on a sapphire stone. From it he learned the performance of marvels, the secrets of gnosis, the degrees of

understanding, the cares of humility, and the thoughts of deliberation in order to attend to the investigation

of the supernal heights; to roam about among all that is in the seven (heavenly) levels; to observe all the

constellations; to discern the course of the sun; to explain examinations of the moon; to gain knowledge of

the paths of the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades; and to state what are the names for the officiating

entities of each and every firmament and their governance, and by what (means) they might make any

matter prosper, and what are the names of their attendants, and what libation should be poured out for them,

and what is the period when you will be heard by them so that all who approach them in purity have every

desire accomplished. He came to know from it a spell for death and a spell for life; (how) to discern what

is ominous and what is favorable; (how) to examine times and moments to know the time of birth and the

time of death, the time for injury and the time for healing; (how) to interpret dreams and visions; (how) to

stir up strife and to quell battles; (how) to exercise control over spirits and demons in order to dispatch

them and they go off (on their missions) like servants; (how) to gaze (at what is happening) among the four

directions of the earth; (how) to become learned in the sound of thunders in order to report what was done

by lightning flashes; (how) to declare what is going to happen in each and every month; (how) to

understand the affair(s) of each and every year, whether there will be surfeit or famine, harvest or drought,

peace or strife; and (how) to become like one of the awesome ones and gain understanding of the celestial

hymns. And it was from knowledge of the arcana in this book that Noah learned and understood how to

make the gofer-wood (into) an ark, and how to conceal himself from the flood waters of the Deluge, (and)

how to bring along with him (animal life) two-by-two and seven-by-seven, and how to bring in some of

every kind of foodstuff and every kind of provision. He placed it (the book) in a golden box and brought it

initially into the ark in order to determine from it the (different) times of the day and to find out from it the

(different) times of the night and at which time(s) he should arise to entreat (God).23 And when they had

emerged from the ark, he continued to use it all the days of his life. At the time of his death, he passed it on

to Abraham, and Abraham to Isaac, and Isaac to Jacob, and Jacob to Levi, and Levi to Qahat, and Qahat to

‘Amram, and ‘Amram to Moses, and Moses to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the

22 Jellinek: ‘It was inscribed.’ 23 Literally ‘to cast a cry’ (äòååù ìéôäì).

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prophets, and the prophets to the Sages, and so (it was passed down) through each and every generation

until the advent of King Solomon. Now books of mysteries had been revealed to him, and he was

exceedingly adept in books of wisdom, and he exercised control over all the spirits and demons who would

roam about the world (performing) his every desire – due to the wisdom of this book, he bound and he

loosed; he dispatched and introduced; and he built and experienced success. Although many books had

been handed down into his custody, this one was found to be more precious, valuable, and wondrous than

all the rest of them. Happy is the eye that sees, happy is the ear that attentively listens to its wisdom, for

the seven heavens and everything which they contain is within it! From their camps we will learn to

understand everything and to succeed in every endeavor, to think and to act using the wisdom of this book.