Archangel Raziel is probably the best and the most ancient teacher of cabala in the Universe. Besides, he has special relations to human beings as well. This angel coordinates the cooperation between the magician and all Shemhamphorash angels. For this reason, the magicians should remember to mention Raziel in their conjurations of any Shemhamphorash angel.
Archangel Raziel has a very special link to the first human couple. He was the angel who taught Adam and Eve cabala, when they wanted to acquire necessary knowledge which they lacked in order to get back to their lost paradise in Eden. According to a cabalist lore, in order to help them reach Eden, Raziel wrote a book called “Sepher Raziel” in which they could study: spiritual laws of nature, life on the Earth, correct use of 22 letters, harmonising material and spiritual aspects of existence and many other things. This book has had interesting destiny.
Adam and Eve were obviously excellent students, so they learned a lot from Raziel’s scriptures, but some angels got envious with this first human couple, so they took the book away from them and throw it away into the sea. Luckily, Rava, an enigmatic angel or ancient being from the oceans’ depths, received an order by God to find this book and return it to Adam and Eve. Enoch, Noah, Abraham and many other famous and also unknown and forgotten students have learned cabala from this book as well, which after having being lost, miraculously has always found its way to the mature students.
Alongside with Raziel, some other archangels also appeared as teachers to some worthy human beings: archangel Tophiel taught cabala Noah’s son Shem; archangel Raphael taught Isaak; and archangel Jophiel taught Moses. Having learned cabala, Moses then gathered 70 students who later transferred the knowledge of cabala to new generations. David was, was for example, a master of kabala, and Solomon revealed secrets of cabala to his son Roboam.
What we know for historical fact is that “The Book of Raziel” was finally compiled in the 13th Century by Isaak the Blind or Eleazar Ben Judah von Worms.
“Book of Raziel” is an advanced abalistic master piece. Other magical sources may talk about more earthly things like: how to become rich, famous, happy, healthy, able to heal others, see future, make better evocations and improve rituals. But the “Book of Raziel” could be a great source if you want to: explore Tiphareth in more depths, understand in details relations between Chokmah and Yesod, Malkuth and Geburah, Chesed and Hod, what Binah in Chokmah is about, or what relations are between Yod and Peh and all other Hebrew letters. No wonder that some people find this book indecipherable. To other people it just sounds poorly translated into modern English.
Other angels who have a special authorities and coordinate work of all other Shem angels are 1st Shem angel Vehuiah and 25th Shem angel Nith-Haiah. The magician can also mention one of those two angels in his conjurations to any other angel of Shemhamphorash.
The angel Raziel became a popular reference for magicians and cabalists, and has generated a number of different books on Raziel traditions.
Talerman