Merkabah

Merkabah, from the Hebrew merkavah meaning “chariot,” refers to a concept in Jewish mysticism as well as to the biblical vision of the divine chariot described in the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 1 and 10, the prophet encounters a radiant throne borne by heavenly wheels and four living creatures, an image often interpreted as a celestial chariot and a manifestation of God’s glory.

Historically, Merkabah denotes a distinct strand of early Jewish mysticism known as Maaseh Merkavah or Hekhalot (Palaces). Beginning in late Second Temple times and continuing through late antiquity, these texts and traditions describe ecstatic or visionary ascents through heavenly chambers, guided by angelic beings and gatekeepers. Practices associated with the movement include purification, meditative contemplation, and the invocations of divine names, intended to facilitate access to divine realms and the heavenly throne.

Key motifs throughout the corpus include the chariot-throne as a symbolic map of heaven, the four living beings (often linked to Ezekiel’s cherubim) and their wheels, and a hierarchical series of heavenly palaces. The figure Metatron appears in several Merkabah traditions as a principal celestial mediator or scribe. Although distinct from later Kabbalistic systems, Merkabah mysticism influenced medieval Jewish mysticism and the development of later interpretations of the divine presence and ascent.

In modern times, Merkabah has entered broader esoteric vocabularies, sometimes in New Age contexts, where the term is used more loosely. Scholarly treatments emphasize its historical development, textual diversity, and its role in the broader landscape of Jewish mysticism.