lordandrei

The general pattern seems to be:

Magick: Qabalah (from Mather's "qibel")
Judaic: Kabbalah
Christian: Cabala

Have you found the same? I prefer Squabbalah, since no one can agree, or using regular expressions: [CKQ]ab[b]?al[l]?a[h]?

It's tough to get the latter into Hebrew, though.

I think the q spelling would be more properly attributed to "hermetic" as a larger category than "magick," but yes that is a convention as I understand it.

Seinfeld aside, shouldn't that be יאדה?

...and to answer your question, I was taught to use קבל. Of course, I'm about as Jewish as a cheeseburger.

This is the link to the discussion in the original thread concerning the 3 vs 4 letter spelling.

What does the dot in the beth do?

It makes it a "bet" instead of a "vet". Without the dot, it's pronounced as a "v". Just like in Gaelic, incidentally.

is argued as to whether it is a contemporary symbol or not. Bet is known to be a 'double letter' which suggets multiple pronounciations. However, I do not believe the bet is ever dotted in the actual torah.

בראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ

Does a berashit in the woods? ;)

I believe the correct spelling in Hebrew is קבּל, with no final he (and definitely no alephs). Will check with dragonfaery93 when she gets done with work tonight, she's the expert.

Apparently the transliteration is a very good clue as to the bias, focus and training of the author; Jewish mystics tend to spell it "Kabbalah", Christian mystics tend to spell it "Cabala", and Pagan mystics tend to spell it "Qabalah". I spell it "Qabala", as that is the most direct transliteration of Qoph Bet Lamed my English speaking brain can come up with.

As I commented above

This is the link to the discussion in the original thread concerning the 3 vs 4 letter spelling.

I saw that; respectfully, I think some of the respondents were a bit confused. Liturgical Hebrew does not include Nikud, but the vowels are spoken even though they're not written. But, again, I'd like to wait and let C weigh in on this, since unlike myself she actually speaks Hebrew.

Assuming you want it to be two syllables,
Whoops, make that THREE syllables.

I suppose it depends on which vowel you want to use. Assuming you want it to be two syllables, you'd want the stronger of the two (ah) vowels-- the one that looks like a super small T). And in order to put that bastard on the end of a word, you'd also need a hay. (Don't ask me, I didn't do it.)

Or I suppose you could use the weaker (ah) vowel-- the one that looks like a really tiny underscore and a really tiny colon next to it. (_:) so that it can stand on it's own.

Then again, I would assume that you'd use the strong vowel and the hay since it's a feminine word.

I will recommend, because their program is quite good and also quite reasonably priced; if anyone on this thread is interested in one day studying QBL (by whatever spelling), the best resource I've found in Seattle for learning Hebrew (which is prerequisite to learning QBL), Temple Beth Am in North City has an an excellent adult learner's program. It's geared toward Prayerbook Hebrew (the old-fashioned, pre-Ben Yehuda kind that we as occultists are most likely to care about), and they are more than happy to teach those of us who were not raised Jewish. The courses are mainly designed to teach converts who didn't learn the language growing up, but they're pretty non-sectarian, and there's always a small "goyische ghetto" in every class (yes, mostly occultists). The classes are fun, inexpensive, and great for helping those of us not so fortunate as to be raised Jewish not make some of the really stoopid Hebrew errors that seem so pervasive in the Seattle Pagan community. Y'know, like a female Wiccan starting the LBRP with "Ateh Malkuth...". Oy. ;)