Seal of the Chariot (Ḥotam ha-merkavah)

. . . the stake, at the top of which the fabric of the world was tied. Then the top of the stake struck the weave of the web [on which the] world in its completeness stands. And it split it immediately . . . And the fountains of the great deep burst apart (Genesis 7:11) and there was a flood over the world and . . . the upper and lower water[s]‌ . . . and it disintegrated, until I took a whip from in front of Him the length of which was 8,000 myriad parsangs and the measure of whose thickness was as 1,000 [whip]s, and I beat the upper and lower [waters] continuously. Lightning bolts went forth from its height and embers from its lashes. Flashing balls burst forth from it and clouds of smoke from when I struck it, until the flood became the arrows of the wrath of the King of the universe, and his anger—not to say that the King was beating. And you, why are you crying out? The Creator was destroying a clay vessel that was in His hand, and wished to make it into another vessel—why are you crying out? He beat until I had subdued the entire world for Him.

Then I heard Him when he said: Tandrael, the [angel]: Let this name be prepared and reserved for him, for the prince—my servant among all others—and not even for the Angel of My Presence, but for a certain sage, who is yet to appear in the end of years in the house of the master in Babylonia, and who will be established before Me in Babylonia, by this house, which will appear in the time to come in Babylonia. For you will tie two crowns: one from the six days of creation and one for the end of days. For I bequeath this name to him—to that sage who will be established before me in Babylonia in the house of the master. And I called him—I and all creation—So-and-So Tanrael, for the number of the letters of his name is equal to those of this name. For this name is five letters, and that name is five letters. Ozhayah, the Prince of His Presence, deferred all the generations from the six days of creation and [added] to it an extra letter. And what was the letter by which he called him? Tandrael. I did so for my reasons and He for His reasons—[so that you would not] say that my name had six letters and the name of the sage who will be established before me in Babylonia in the house of the master that I govern [had six le]tters. As this house is established, so he is established, and the number of the letters in his name is five and the number of my name is five, so that it be measure for measure. For I, Ozhayah, am appointed over one of them, whose name is Magog, like his name, and Tanr[ael Y]HWH God of Israel is appointed over one of them, to exalt him in the eyes of the supreme assembly.

So return, O companion, to the study of the descent to the Merkavah, that I was setting it out before you in order and teaching you: how one descends, and how one ascends, the nature of the first Hekhal, how one compels [the angels], what their adjuration is. But I have interrupted you—write.

Here is the seal of the descent to the Merkavah for the inhabitants of the world, for you and for whoever wishes to descend and to gaze at the King and his beauty. Now take this path, and descend, and see, and you will not be harmed. For I have placed it on a scroll for you and seen it. Afterwards you descended and tested it, and you were not harmed. For I have placed the paths of the Merkavah for you like light, and the byways of the firmament like the sun—not like those before you who found great disgrace. For they are like someone who is lost in a great desert, and took a path, and as he walked it thrust him into a populated forest, and he found there dens of lions and cubs, lairs of tigers and dwellings of wolves. He comes and stands among them and does not know what to do. Then one of them strikes him, tears him, and drags him. [ . . . ]

Then you arrive at the sixth Hekhal. There are troops of princes and of battalions, who were at the gate of the second one pushing and repelling and ejecting—myriads and camps and attendants, all at once—but there is no delay and you are not harmed. For you hold a great seal, and all the supernal angels recoil from it.

Return, O companion, to the warning signs of the sixth Hekhal, that are held for you, like its counterparts, and you will not be destroyed. See the tumultuous fires going forth from the seventh Hekhal to the sixth Hekhal, a coal-like fire and a gushing fire, and a blazing fire, and a sweet fire. They go in and out like arrows. For this reason I have told you not to stand between them in the gate of the sixth Hekhal, but to the side. When they go out from the seventh Hekhal to go into the sixth Hekhal, it is a dangerous sign. Let it be known to you and do not be afraid. For there is a distance of 80,000,000 parsangs from the gate of the seventh Hekhal to the place where you are standing. And when they let forth sound, one in another, you stood. And if you are standing, [sit]. And if you are seated, recline. If you are reclining, lie down on your neck. And if you are lying down on your neck, lie down on your face. If you are lying down on your face, dig your fingernails and toenails into the ground of the firmament, and put cotton in your ears and cotton in your nostrils and cotton in your anus, so that your breath will remain and will not escape, until I reach you and resuscitate you and your spirit returns and your soul lives.

For thus I have commanded you when you wish to descend to the Merkavah to see the King and his beauty, you and all who wish to descend to the Merkavah, whether in your generation or other generations. Over each and every Hekhal he shall pronounce my name and call me in a low voice. Immediately, no creature will harm him or catch him, and he will see the wondrous exaltation and the rarefied beauty. And let this be a sign for you: Even though you are lying on your face against the tumult of the fires of . . . that approach that place where you are lying, your ears . . .

Source: CUL T-S K 21.95C, 2a–2b.