The Sepher Yetzirah or "Book of Formation," although very short, is probably the most important of the Kabalistic texts. Its secrets were passed on in the Hebrew oral tradition until it was written down in the 2nd century BCE. It lays out the principles of Kabalistic cosmology and the Tree of Life, how humankind (the microcosm) reflects the Divine (the macrocosm). It also sets forth the Hebrew doctrine of Logos--the creation of the world in numbers, letters, and sound, and therefore is a seminal text for all serious magicians. Stenring has made a word-for-word translation from several texts.choosing only those parts which he believed to be authentic. He reveals the text's secrets in his diagrams, tables, and extensive notes. His "Master Key" to the theoretical and practical Kabala is a diagram of the correspondences between the English and Hebrew alphabets and is not found in other translations of the Sepher Yetzirah. Also unique in this translation is Stenring's assignment of certain tarot cards to the paths on the Tree of Life. Several authors have done this before, but Stenring asserts that he arrived at his correspondences on his own. The introduction by Waite surveys the historical background of the Sepher Yetzirah translations and the import of this foundational Kabbalistic text. R.A. Gilbert's foreword provides background information on Waite's interest and involvement with Stenring's translation.

This book is considered to be the oldest known Jewish mystical text and is now an important part of Cabalistic studies. It first appeared in historical records during the first century C.E., but its principles had been passed down for centuries before this, with Jewish scholars believing that the patriarch Abraham had received the teachings directly. It is written from the perspective of an observer who is relating the work of God's creation step by step, as it unfolds. It covers not only the creation of the universe, but the formation of the earth and humanity as well. It reveals how the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet work symbolically and interact with one another, through God, to bring about our physical world. Most cultures agree that God created the universe, our world and our bodies but many creation stories beyond this one are less complete. By looking deeply at this story and studying its message, one can come away with meaningful insights that will not be available elsewhere. This book is often considered to be a meditative text, focused upon more in the first translation by Kalisch, and also as a magical text, covered more clearly in the second version by Stenring. If something is not made clear in one version it can be likely be found in the other, which is what makes this book so interesting. It is a very powerful mystical work and having access to two separate translations in one volume is of immense importance.