Why Letters Have Power in Magic

Agrippa believed the universe was created through the Word—divine vibration, language, and form. In this belief, drawn from Christian scripture, Hermeticism, and Kabbalah, the letters of the Hebrew alphabet (and later Latin, Greek, magical alphabets) are not just writing—they are living forces that encode reality.

“Words are the breath of the divine. In their number and shape, letters carry occult virtues.”

Each letter:

• Has a numerical value (Gematria)

• Corresponds to elements, planets, angels, or sephiroth

• Shapes the form of sigils, seals, and talismans

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The Power of the Hebrew Divine Names

Agrippa used many divine names in Hebrew, seeing them as sacred in sound and form.

Here are some of the most important:

• YHVH (יהוה) – The Tetragrammaton. The unspeakable Name of God. Used for divine authority.

• Elohim (אלהים) – The creative power of divinity, often used in planetary and elemental invocations.

• Adonai (אדני) – “My Lord”—used when addressing angels or for submission and invocation.

• Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (אהיה אשר אהיה) – “I Am That I Am.” The Name spoken to Moses.

• El (אל) – The simple, radiant force of God.

• El Shaddai (אל שדי) – “God Almighty,” used in protection and covenantal rituals.

• Tzabaoth (צבאות) – “Hosts,” used in angelic summoning (e.g., Elohim Tzabaoth).

These names are used to command, praise, or consecrate, and their presence in any ritual amplifies divine power.

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