The work is structured as an encyclopedic reference, alphabetically listing Holy Names and explaining their origins and specific powers. Key elements include:

It provides instructions for practical magic, including the creation of amulets for protection, healing, and success.

Shorshei Ha-Shemot is widely considered the most authoritative compendium of (practical Kabbalah). Unlike theoretical Kabbalah, which focuses on the nature of the Divine, this work is a practical lexicon of: