KABBALAH
Introduction
1. The first questions which the non-qabalistical
reader will probably ask are: What is the
Qabalah? Who was its author? What are its
sub-divisions? What are its general teachings?
And why is a translation of it required at
the present time?…
2. I will answer the last question first.
At the present time a powerful wave of occult
thought is spreading through society; thinking
men are beginning to awake to the fact that
"there are more things in heaven and
earth than are dreamed of in their philosophy;"
and, last but not least, it is now felt that
the Bible, which has been probably more misconstrued
than any other book ever written, contains
numberless obscure and mysterious passages
which are utterly unintelligible without
some key wherewith to unlock their meaning.
THAT KEY IS GIVEN IN THE QABALAH. Therefore
this work should be of interest to every
biblical and theological student. Let every
Christian ask himself this question: "How
can I think to understand the Old Testament
if I be ignorant of the construction put
upon it by that nation whose sacred book
it formed; and if I know not the meaning
of the Old Testament, how can I expect to
understand the New?" Were the real and
sublime philosophy of the Bible better known,
there would be fewer fanatics and sectarians.
And who can calculate the vastness of the
harm done to impressionable and excitable
persons by the bigoted enthusiasts who ever
and anon come forward as teachers of the
people? How many suicides are the result
of religious mania and depression! What farragos
of sacrilegious nonsense have not been promulgated
as the true meanings of the hooks of the
Prophets and the Apocalypse! Given a translation
of the sacred Hebrew Book, in many instances
incorrect, as the foundation, an inflamed
and an ill-balanced mind as the worker thereon,
what sort of edifice can be expected as the
result? I say fearlessly to the fanatics
and bigots of the present day: You have cast
down the Sublime and Infinite One from His
throne, and in His stead have placed the
demon of unbalanced force; you have substituted
a deity of disorder and of jealousy for a
God of order and of love; you have perverted
the teachings of the crucified One. Therefore
at this present time an English translation
of the Qabalah is almost a necessity, for
the Zohar has never before been translated
into the language of this country, nor, as
far as I am aware, into any modern European
vernacular.
3. The Qabalah may be defined as being the
esoteric Jewish doctrine. It is called in
Hebrew QBLH, Qabalah, which is derived from
the root QBL, Qibel, meaning "to receive".
This appellation refers to the custom of
handing down the esoteric tradition by oral
transmission, and is nearly allied to "tradition".
4. As in the present work a great number
of Hebrew or Chaldee words have to he used
in the text, and the number of scholars in
the Shemitic languages is limited, I have
thought it more advisable to print such words
in ordinary Roman characters, carefully retaining
the exact orthography. I therefore append
a table showing at a glance the ordinary
Hebrew and Chaldee alphabet (which is common
to both languages), the Roman characters
by which I have expressed its letters in
this work; also their names, powers, and
numerical values. There are no separate numeral
characters in Hebrew and Chaldee; therefore,
as is also the case in Greek, each letter
has its own peculiar numerical value, and
from this circumstance results the important
fact that every word is a number, and every
number is a word. This is alluded to in Revelations,
where "the number of the beast"
is mentioned, and on this correspondence
between words and numbers the science of
Gematria (the first division of the so-called
literal Qabalah) is based. I shall refer
to this subject again. I have selected the
Roman letter Q to represent the Hebrew Qoph
or Koph, a precedent for the use of which
without a following u may be found in Max
Müller's "Sacred Books of the East."
The reader must remember that the Hebrew
is almost entirely a consonantal alphabet,
the vowels being for the most part supplied
by small points and marks usually placed
below the letters. Another difficulty of
the Hebrew alphabet consists in the great
similarity between the forms of certain letters--e.
g., V, Z, and final N.
5. With regard to the author and origin of
the Qabalah, I cannot do better than give
the following extract from Dr. Christian
Ginsburg's "Essay on the Kaballah,"
first premising that this word has been spelt
in a great variety of ways--Cabala, Kabalah,
Kabbala, etc. I have adopted the form Qabalah,
as being more consonant with the Hebrew writing
of the word.
6. "A system of religious philosophy,
or, more properly, of theosophy, which has
not only exercised for hundreds of years
an extraordinary influence on the mental
development of so shrewd a people as the
Jews, but has captivated the minds of some
of the greatest thinkers of Christendom in
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
claims the greatest attention of both the
philosopher and the theologian. When it is
added that among its captives were Raymond
Lully, the celebrated scholastic metaphysician
and chemist (died 1315); John Reuchlin, the
renowned scholar and reviver of Oriental
literature in Europe (born 1455, died 1522);
John Picus de Mirandola, the famous philosopher
and classical scholar (1463-1494); Cornelius
Henry Agrippa, the distinguished philosopher,
divine, and physician (1486-1535); John Baptist
von Helmont, a remarkable chemist and physician
(1577-1644); as well as our own countrymen,
Robert Fludd, the famous physician and philosopher
(1574-1637); and Dr. Henry More
(1614-1687); and that these men, after restlessly
searching for a scientific system which should
disclose to them 'the deepest depths' of
the divine nature, and show them the real
tie which binds all things together, found
the cravings of their minds satisfied by
this theosophy, the claims of the Qabalah
on the attention of students in literature
and philosophy will readily be admitted.
The claims of the Kabbalah, however, are
not restricted to the literary man and the
philosopher; the poet too will find in it
ample materials for the exercise of his lofty
genius. How can it be otherwise with a theosophy
which, we are assured, was born of God in
Paradise, was nursed and reared by the choicest
of the angelic hosts in heaven, and only
held converse with the holiest of man's children
upon earth. Listen to the story of its birth,
growth, and maturity, as told by its followers.
7. "The Kabbalah was first taught by
God himself to a select company of angels,
who formed a theosophic school in Paradise.
After the Fall the angels most graciously
communicated this heavenly doctrine to the
disobedient children of earth, to furnish
the protoplasts with the means of returning
to their pristine nobility and felicity.
From Adam it passed over to Noah, and then
to Abraham, the friend of God, who emigrated
with it to Egypt, where the patriarch allowed
a portion of this mysterious doctrine to
ooze out. It was in this way that the Egyptians
obtained some knowledge of it, and the other
Eastern nations could introduce it into their
philosophical systems. Moses, who was learned
in all the wisdom of Egypt, was first initiated
into the Qabalah in the land of his birth,
but became most proficient in it during his
wanderings in the wilderness, when he not
only devoted to it the leisure hours of the
whole forty years, but received lessons in
it from one of the angels. By the aid of
this mysterious science the law-giver was
enabled to solve the difficulties which arose
during his management of the Israelites,
in spite of the pilgrimages, wars, and frequent
miseries of the nation. He covertly laid
down the principles of this secret doctrine
in the first four books of the Pentateuch,
but withheld them from Deuteronomy. Moses
also initiated the seventy elders into the
secrets of this doctrine, and they again
transmitted them from hand to hand. Of all
who formed the unbroken line of tradition,
David and Solomon were the most deeply initiated
into the Qabalah. No one, however, dared
to write it down, till Schimeon Ben Jochai,
who lived at the time of the destruction
of the second temple…After his death, his
son, Rabbi Eleazar, and his secretary, Rabbi
Abba, as well as his disciples, collated
Rabbi Simon Ben Jochai's treatises, and out
of these composed the celebrated work called
ZHR, Zohar, Splendour, which is the grand
storehouse of Kabbalism."
The Qabalah is usually classed under four
heads:
(a) The practical Qabalah.
(b) The literal Qabalah.
(c) The unwritten Qabalah.
(d) The dogmatic Qabalah.
9. The practical Qabalah deals with talismanic
and ceremonial magic, and does not come within
the scope of this work..
10. The literal Qabalah is referred to in
several places, and therefore a knowledge
of its leading principles is necessary. It
is divided into three parts: GMTRIA. Gematria;
NVTRIQVN, Notariqon, and ThMVRH, Temura.
11. Gematria is a metathesis of the Greek
work grammateia. It is based on the relative
numerical values of words, as I have before
remarked. Words of similar numerical values
are considered to be explanatory of each
other, and this theory is also extended to
phrases. Thus the letter shin, Sh, is 300,
and is equivalent to the number obtained
by adding up the numerical values of the
letters of the words RVCh ALHIM, Ruach Elohim,
the spirit of the Elohim; and it is therefore
a symbol of the spirit of the Elohim. For
R=200, V=6, Ch=8, A=l, L=30, H=S, I=10, M=40;
total=300. Similarly the words AChD, Achad,
Unity, one, and AHBH, Ahebah, love, each=13;
for A=1, Ch=8, D=4, total=13; and A=1, H=5,
B=2, H=5, total=13. Again, the name of the
angel MTTRVN, Metatron or Methraton, and
the name of Deity, ShDI, Shaddai, each make
314; so the one is taken as symbolical of
the other. The angel Metraton is said to
have been the conductor of the children of
Israel through the wilderness, of whom God
says, "My Name is in him." With
regard to Gematria of phrases (Gen. xlix.
10), IBA ShILH, Yeba Shiloh, "Shiloh
shall come" which equals 358, which
is the numeration of the MShICh, Messiah.
Thus also the passage, Gen. xviii. 2 VHNH
ShLShH, Vehennna Shalisha, "And lo,
three men," equals in numerical value
ALV MIKAL GBRIAL VRPAL, Elo Mikhael Gabriel
VeRaphael, "These are Mikhael, Gabriel
and Raphael;" for each phrase equals
701. I think these instances will suffice
to make clear the nature of Gematria, especially
as many others will be found in the course
of the ensuing work.
12. Notariqon is derived from the Latin word
notarius, a short-hand writer. Of Notariqon
there are two forms. In the first every letter
of a word is taken for the initial or abbreviation
of another word, so that from the letters
of a word a sentence may be formed. Thus
every letter of the word BRAShITh, Berashith,
the first word in Genesis, is made the initial
of a word, and we obtain from it BRAShITh
RAH ALHIM ShIQBLV IShRAL ThVRH, Berashith
Rahi Elohim Sheyequebelo Israel Torah: "In
the beginning the Elohim saw that Israel
would accept the law." In this connection
I may give six very interesting specimens
of Notariqon formed from this same word BRAShITh
by Solomon Meir Ben Moses, a Jewish Qabalist,
who embraced the Christian faith in 1665,
and took the name of Prosper Rugers. These
have all a Christian tendency, and by their
means Prosper converted another Jew, who
had previously been bitterly opposed to Christianity.
The first is BN RVCh AB ShLVShThM IChD ThMIM,
Ben, Ruach, Ab, Shaloshethem Yechad Themim:-
"The Son, the Spirit, the Father, Their
Trinity, Perfect Unity." The second
is, BN RVCh AB ShLVShThM IChD ThOBVDV, Ben,
Ruach, Ab, Shaloshethem Yechad Thaubodo:
"The Son, the Spirit, the Father, ye
shall equally worship Their Trinity."
The third is, BKVRI RAShVNI AShR ShMV IShVO
ThOBVDV, Bekori Rashuni Asher Shamo Yeshuah
Thaubodo: "Ye shall worship My first-born,
My first, Whose Name is Jesus." The
fourth is, BBVA RBN AShR ShMV IShVO ThOBVDV,
Beboa Rabban Asher Shamo Yesuah Thaubado:
"When the Master shall come Whose Name
is Jesus ye shall worship." The fifth
is, BThVLH RAVIH ABChR ShThLD IShVO ThAShRVH,
Bethulah Raviah Abachar Shethaled Yeshuah
Thrashroah: "I will choose a virgin
worthy to bring forth Jesus, and ye shall
call her blessed." The sixth is, BOVGTh
RTzPIM ASThThR ShGVPI IShVO ThAKLV, Beaugoth
Ratzephim Assattar Shegopi Yeshuah Thakelo:
"I will hide myself in cake (baked with)
coals, for ye shall eat Jesus, My Body."
The Qabalistical importance of these sentences
as bearing upon the doctrines of Christianity
can hardly be overrated.
13. The second form of Notariqon is that
exact reverse of the first. By this the initials
or finals, or both or the medials, of a sentence,
are taken to form a word or words. Thus the
Qabalah is called ChKMh NSThRH, Chokhmah
Nesthorah, "the secret wisdom;"
and if we take the initials of these two
words Ch and N, we form by the second kind
of Notariqon the word ChN, Chen, "grace."
Similarly, from the initials and finals of
the words MI IOLH LNV HShMIMH, Mi Iaulah
Leno Ha-Shamayimah, "Who shall go up
for us to heaven?" (Deut. xxx. 12),
are formed MILH, Milah "circumcision,"
and IHVH, the Tetragrammaton, implying that
God hath ordained circumcision as the way
to heaven.
14. Temura is permutation. According to certain
rules, one letter is substituted for another
letter preceding or following it in the alphabet,
and thus from one word another word of totally
different orthography may be formed. Thus
the alphabet is bent exactly in half, in
the middle, and one half is put over the
other; and then by changing letters at the
beginning of the second line, twenty two
commutations are produced. These are called
the "Table of the Combinations of TzIRVP,"
Tziruph. For example's sake, I will give
the method called ALBTh, Albath. thus:
11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 K I T Ch Z V H D
G B A M N S O P Tz Q R Sh Th L
Each method takes its name from the two pairs
composing it, the system of pairs of letters
being the groundwork of the whole, as either
letter in a pair is substituted for the other
letter. Thus, by Albath, from RVCh, Ruach,
is formed DTzO, Detzau. The names of the
other twenty-one methods are: ABGTh, AHDTh,
ADBG, AHBD, AVBH, AZBV, AchBZ, ATBCh, AIBT,
AKBI, ALBK, AMBL, ANBM, ASBN, AOBS, APBO,
ATzBP, AQBTz, ARBQ, AShBR, AThBS. To these
must be added the modes ABGD and ALBM. Then
comes the "Rational Table of Tziruph,"
another set of twenty-two combinations. There
are also three "Tables of the Commutations,"
known respectively as the Right, the Averse,
and the Irregular. To make any of these,
a square, containing 484 squares, should
be made, and the letters written in. For
the "Right Table" write the alphabet
across from right to left; in the second
row of squares do the same, but begin with
B and end with A; in the third begin with
G and end with B; and so on. For the "Averse
Table" write the alphabet from right
to left backwards, beginning with Th and
ending with A; in the second row begin with
Sh and end with Th, &c. The "Irregular
Table" would take too long to describe.
Besides all these, there is the method called
ThShRQ, Thashraq, which is simply writing
a word backwards. There is one more very
important form, called the "Qabalah
of the Nine Chambers," or AIQ BKR, Aiq
Bekar. It is thus formed:
300, 30, 3 Sh, L, G 200, 20, 2 R, K, B 100,
10, 1 Q, I, A
600, 60, 6 M (f), S, V 500, 50, 5 K(f), N,
H 400, 40, 4 Th, M, D
900, 90, 9 Tz (f), Tz, T 800, 80, 8 P (f),
P, Ch 700, 70, 7 N (f), O, Z
I have put the numeration of each letter
above to show the affinity between the letters
in each chamber. Sometimes this is used as
a cipher, by taking the portions of the figure
to show the letters they contain, putting
one point for the first letter, two for the
second, &c. Thus the right angle, containing
AIQ, will answer for the letter Q if it has
three dots or points within it. Again, a
square will answer for H, N, or K final,
according to whether it has one, two, or
three points respectively placed within it.
So also with regard to the other letters.
But there are many other ways of employing
the Qabalah of the Nine Chambers, which I
have not space to describe. I will merely
mention, as an example, that by the mode
of Temura called AThBSh, Athbash, it is found
that in Jeremiah xxv. 26, the word ShShk,
Sheshakh, symbolizes BBL, Babel. 15. Besides
all these rules, there are certain meanings
hidden in the shape of the letters of the
Hebrew alphabet; in the form of a particular
letter at the end of a word being different
from that which it generally bears when it
is a final letter, or in a letter being written
in the middle of a word in a character generally
used only at the end; in any letter or letters
being written in a size smaller or larger
than the rest of the manuscript, or in a
letter being written upside down; in the
variations found in the spelling of certain
words, which have a letter more in some places
than they have in others; in peculiarities
observed in the position of any of the points
or accents, and in certain expressions supposed
to be elliptic or redundant.
16. For example, the shape of the Hebrew
letter Aleph, A, is said to symbolize a Vau,
V, between a Yod, I, and a Daleth, D; and
thus the letter itself represents the word
IVD, Yod. Similarly the shape of the letter
He, H, represents the word Daleth, D, with
a Yod, I, written at the lower left-hand
corner, &c.
17. In Isaiah ix. 6, 7, the word LMRBH, Lemarbah,
for multiplying, is written with the character
for M final in the middle of the word, instead
of with the ordinary initial and medial M.
The consequence of this is that the total
numerical value of the word, instead of being
30+40+200+ 2+5=277, is 30+600+200+2+5=837=by
Gematria ThTh ZL, Tat Zal, the profuse Giver.
Thus, by writing the M final instead of the
ordinary character, the word is made to bear
a different qabalistical meaning.
18. In Deuteronomy vi. 4, &c., is the
prayer known as the Shema Yisrael. It begins,
"ShMO IShRAL IHVH ALHINV IHVH AChD,
Shemaa Yisrael, Tetragrammaton Elohino Tetragrammaton
Achad: "Hear, O Israel, Tetragrammaton
our God is Tetragrammaton Unity." In
this verse the terminal letter O in ShMO,
and the D in AChD are written much larger
than the other letters of the text. The qabalistical
symbology contained in this circumstance
is explained as follows. The letter O, being
of the value of 70, shows that the law may
be explained in seventy different ways, and
the D=4=the four cardinal points and the
letters of the Holy Name. The first word,
ShMO, has the numerical value of 410, the
number of years of the duration of the first
temple, &c. &c. There are many other
points worthy of consideration in this prayer,
but time will not permit me to dwell on them.
19. Other examples of deficient and redundant
spelling, peculiarities of accent and pointing,
&c., will be found in various places
in the ensuing work.
20. It is to be further noted with regard
to the first word in the Bible, BRAShITh,
Berashith, that the first three letters,
BRA, are the initial letters of the names
of the three persons of the Trinity: BN,
Ben, the Son; RVCh, Ruach, the Spirit ; and
AB, Ab, the Father. Furthermore, the first
letter of the Bible is B, which is the initial
letter of BRKH, Barakhah, blessing; and not
A, which is that of ARR, Arar, cursing. Again,
the letters of Berashith, taking their numerical
powers, express the number of years between
the Creation and the birth of Christ, thus:
B=2,000, R=200, A=1000, SH =300, I= 10, and
TH = 400; total = 3910 years, being the time
in round numbers. Picus de Mirandola gives
the following working out of BRASHITH, Berashith:--By
joining the third letter, A, to the first,
B, AB Ab=Father, is obtained. If to the first
letter B, doubled, the second letter, R,
be added, it makes BBR, Bebar=in or through
the Son. If all the letters be read except
the first, it makes RASHITH, Rashith=the
beginning. If with the fourth letter, Sh,
the first B and the last Th be connected,
it makes ShBTh, Skebeth=the end or rest.
If the first three letters be taken, they
make BRA, Bera=created. If, omitting the
first, the three following be taken, they
make RASh, Rash=head. If, omitting the two
first, the next two be taken, they give ASh,
Ash=fire. If the fourth and last be joined,
they give ShTh, Sheth=foundation. Again,
if the second letter be put before the first,
it makes RB, Rab=great. If after the third
be placed the fifth and fourth, it gives
AISh, Aish=man. If to the two first be joined
the two last, they give BRITh, Berith=covenant.
And if the first be added to the last, it
gives ThB, Theb, which is sometimes used
for TVB, Thob=good.
21. Taking the whole of these mystical anagrams
in proper order, Picus makes the following
sentence out of this one word BRAShITh:--Pater
in filio (aut per filiumum) principium et
finem (sive quietum) creavit caput, ignem,
et fundamentum magni hominis foedere bono:
"Through the Son bath the Father created
that Head which is the beginning and the
end, the fire-life and the foundation of
the supernal man (the Adam Qadmon) by His
righteous covenant." Which is a short
epitome of the teachings of the "Book
of Concealed Mystery." This notice of
the literal Qabalah has already extended
beyond its proper limits. It was, however,
necessary to be thus explicit, as much of
the metaphysical reasoning of the ensuing
work turns on its application.
22. The term "Unwritten Qabalah"
is applied to certain knowledge which is
never entrusted to writing, but communicated
orally. I may say no more on this point,
not even whether I myself have or have not
received it. Of course, till the time of
Rabbi Schimeon Ben Jochai none of the Qabalah
was ever written.
23. The Dogmatic Qabalah contains the doctrinal
portion. There are a large number of treatises
of various dates and merits which go to make
up the written Qabalah, but they may be reduced
to four heads:
(a) The Sepher Yetzirah and its dependencies.
(b) The Zohar with its developments and commentaries.(c)
The Sepher Sephiroth and its expansions.
(d) The Asch Metzareph and its symbolism.
24. The SPR ITzIRH, Sepher Yetzirah, or "Book
of Formation," is ascribed to the patriarch
Abraham. It treats the cosmogony as symbolized
by the ten numbers and the twenty-two letters
of the alphabet, which it calls the "thirty-two
paths." On these latter Rabbi Abraham
Ben Dior has written a mystical commentary.
The term "path" is used throughout
the Qabalah to signify a hieroglyphical idea,
or rather the sphere of ideas, which may
be attached to any glyph or symbol.
25. The ZHR, Zohar, or "Splendour,"
besides many other treatises of less note,
contains the following most important books.
(a) The SPRA DTzNIOVThA, Siphra Dtzenioutha,
or "Book of Concealed Mystery,"
which is the root and foundation of the Zohar.
(b) The ADRA RBA QDIShA, Idra Rabba Qadisha
or "Greater Holy Assembly:" this
is a development of the "Book of Concealed
Mystery."
(c) The ADRA ZVTA QDIShA, Idra Zuta Qadisha,
or " Lesser Holy Assembly;" which
is in the nature of a supplement to the "Idra
Rabba." These three books treat of the
gradual development of the creative Deity,
and with Him the Creation. The text of these
works has been annotated by Knorr von Rosenroth
(the author of the "Qabalah Denudata,")
from the Mantuan, Cremonensian, and Lublinensian
Codices, which are corrected printed copies;
of these the Mantuan and Cremonensian are
the oldest. A species of commentary is also
given, which is distinguished from the actual
text by being written within parentheses.
(d) The pneumatical treatise called BITh
ALHIM, Beth Elohim, or the "House of
the Elohim," edited by Rabbi Abraham
Cohen Irira, from the doctrines of Rabbi
Yitzchaq Loria. It treats of angels, demons,
elemental spirits, and souls.
(e) The "Book of the Revolutions of
Souls" is a peculiar and discursive
treatise, and is an expansion of Rabbi Loria's
ideas.
26. The SPR SPIRVTh, Sepher Sephiroth, or
"Book of the Emanations," describes,
so to speak, the gradual evolution of the
Deity from negative into positive existence.
27. The ASh MTzRP, Asch Metzareph, or Purifying
Fire, is hermetic and alchemical, and is
known to few, and when known is understood
by still fewer.
The principal doctrines of the Qabalah are
designed to solve the following problems:--
(a) The Supreme Being, His nature and attributes.
(b) The Cosmogony.
(c) The creation of angels and man.
(d) The destiny of man and angels.
(e) The nature of the soul.
(f) The nature of angels, demons, and elementals.
(g) The import of the revealed law.
(h) The transcendental symbolism of numerals.
(i) The peculiar mysteries contained in the
Hebrew letters.
(j) The equilibrium of contraries.
29. The "Book of Concealed Mystery"
opens with these words: "The Book of
Concealed Mystery is the book of the equilibrium
of balance." What is here meant by the
terms "equilibrium of balance"?
Equilibrium is that harmony which results
from the analogy of contraries, it is the
dead centre where, the opposition of opposing
forces being equal in strength, rest succeeds
motion. It is the central point. It is the
"point within the circle" of ancient
symbolism. It is the living synthesis of
counterbalanced power. Thus form may be described
as the equilibrium of light and shade; take
away either factor, and form is viewless.
The term balance is applied to the two opposite
natures in each triad of the Sephiroth, their
equilibrium forming the third Sephira in
each ternary. I shall recur again to this
subject in explaining the Sephiroth. This
doctrine of equilibrium and balance is a
fundamental qabalistical idea.
30. The "Book of Concealed Mystery"
goes on to state that this "Equilibrium
hangeth in that region which is negatively
existent." What is negative existence?
What is positive existence? The distinction
between these two is another fundamental
idea. To define negative existence clearly
is impossible, for when it is distinctly
defined it ceases to be negative existence;
it is then negative existence passing into
static condition. Therefore wisely have the
Qabalists shut out from mortal comprehension
the primal AIN, Ain, the negatively existent
One, and the AIN SVP, Ain Soph, the limitless
Expansion; while of even the AIN SVP AVR,
Ain Soph Aur, the illimitable Light, only
a dim conception can be formed. Yet, if we
think deeply, we shall see that such must
be the primal forms of the unknowable and
nameless One, whom we, in the most manifest
form speak of as God. He is the Absolute.
But how do we define the Absolute? Even as
we define it, it slips from our grasp, for
it ceases when defined to be the Absolute.
Shall we then say that the Negative, the
Limitless, the Absolute are, logically speaking,
absurd, since they are ideas which our reason
cannot define? No; for could we define them,
we should make them, so to speak, contained
by our reason, and therefore not superior
to it; for a subject to be capable of definition
it is requisite that certain limits should
be assignable to it. How then can we limit
the Illimitable?
31. The first principle and axiom of the
Qabalah is the name of the Deity, translated
in our version of the Bible, "I am that
I am," AHIH AShR AHIH, Eheieh Asher
Eheieh. A better translation is, "Existence
is existence, or I am He who is."
32. Eliphas Levi Zahed, that great philosopher
and Qabalist of the present century, says
in his "Histoire de la Magie" (bk.
i. ch. 7): "The Qabalists have a horror
of everything that resembles idolatry; they,
however ascribe the human form to God, but
it is a purely hieroglyphical figure. They
consider God as the intelligent, living,
and loving Infinite One. He is for them neither
the collection of other beings, nor the abstraction
of existence, nor a philosophically definable
being. He is in all, distinct from all, and
greater than all. His very name is ineffable;
and yet this name only expresses the human
ideal of His Divinity. What God is in Himself
it is not given to man to know. God is the
absolute of faith; existence is the absolute
of reason, existence exists by itself, and
because it exists. The reason of the existence
of existence is existence itself. We may
ask, 'Why does any particular thing exist?'
that is, 'Why does such or such a thing exist?'
But we cannot ask, without its being absurd
to do so, 'Why does existence exist?' For
this would be to suppose existence prior
to existence." Again, the same author
says (ibid. bk. iii. ch. 2): "To say,
'I will believe when the truth of the dogma
shall be scientifically proved to me,' is
the same as to say, 'I will believe when
I have nothing more to believe, and when
the dogma shall be destroyed as dogma by
becoming a scientific theorem.' That is to
say, in other words: 'I will only admit the
Infinite when it shall have been explained,
determined, circumscribed, and defined for
my benefit; in one word, when it has become
finite. I will then believe in the Infinite
when I am sure that the Infinite does not
exist. I will believe in the vastness of
the ocean when I shall have seen it put into
bottles.' But when a thing has been clearly
proved and made comprehensible to you, you
will no longer believe it you will know it."
33. In the "Bhagavadgîtâ," ch.
ix., it is said, "I am Immortality and
also death; and I, O Arguna! am that which
is and that which is not." [Or, "which
exists negatively."] And again (ch.
ix.): "And, O descendant of Bharata!
see wonders in numbers, unseen before. Within
my body, O Gudâkesa! see today the whole
universe, including everything moveable and
immovable, all in one." And again (ibid.)
Arguna said: "O Infinite Lord of the
Gods! O Thou who pervadest the universe!
Thou art the Indestructible, that which is,
that which is not, and what is beyond them.
Thou art the Primal God, the Ancient One;
Thou art the highest support of this universe.
By Thee is this universe pervaded, O Thou
of the infinite forms….Thou art of infinite
power, of unmeasured glory; Thou pervadest
all, and therefore, Thou art all!"
34. The idea of negative existence can then
exist as an idea, but it will not bear definition,
since the idea of definition is utterly incompatible
with its nature. "But," some of
my readers will perhaps say, "your term
negative existence is surely a misnomer;
the state you describe would be better expressed
by the title of negative subsistence."
Not so, I answer; for negative subsistence
can never be anything but negative subsistence;
it cannot vary, it cannot develop; for negative
subsistence is literally and truly no thing.
Therefore negative subsistence cannot be
at all; it never has existed, it never does
exist, it never will exist. But negative
existence bears hidden in itself, positive
life; for in the limitless depths of the
abyss of its negativity lies hidden the power
of standing forth from itself, the power
of projecting the scintilla of the thought
unto the outer, the power or re-involving
the syntagma into the inner. Thus shrouded
and veiled is the absorbed intensity in the
centerless whirl of the vastness of expansion.
Therefore have I employed the term "Ex-sto,"
rather than "Sub-sto."
35. But between two ideas so different as
those of negative and positive existence
a certain nexus, or connecting-link, is required,
and hence we arrive at the form which is
called potential existence, which while more
nearly approaching positive existence, will
still scarcely admit of clear definition.
It is existence, in its possible form. For
example, in a seed, the tree which may spring
from it is hidden; it is in a condition of
potential existence; is there; but it will
not admit of definition. How much less, then,
will those seeds which that tree in its turn
may yield? But these latter are in a condition
which, while it is somewhat analogous to
potential existence, is in hardly so advanced
a stage; that is, they are negatively existent.
36. But, on the other hand, positive existence
is always capable of definition; it is dynamic;
it has certain evident powers, and it is
therefore the antithesis of negative existence,
and still more so of negative subsistence.
It is the tree, no longer hidden in the seed,
but developed into the outer. But positive
existence has a beginning and an end, and
it therefore requires another form from which
to depend, for without this other concealed
negative ideal behind it, it is unstable
and unsatisfactory.
37. Thus, then, have I faintly and with all
reverence endeavoured to shadow forth to
the minds of my readers the idea of the Illimitable
One. And before that idea, and of the idea,
I can only say, in the words of an ancient
oracle: "In Him is an illimitable abyss
of glory, and from it there goeth forth one
little spark which maketh all the glory of
the sun, and of the moon, and of the stars.
Mortal! behold how little I know of God;
seek not to know more of Him, for this is
far beyond thy comprehension, however wise
thou art; as for us, who are His ministers,
how small a part are we of Him!"
38. There are three qabalistical veils of
the negative existence, and in themselves
they formulate the hidden ideas of the Sephiroth
not yet called into being, and they are concentrated
in Kether, which in this sense is the Malkuth
of the hidden ideas of the Sephiroth. I will
explain this. The first veil of the negative
existence is the AIN, Ain=Negativity. This
word consists of three letters, which thus
shadow forth the first three Sephiroth or
numbers. The second veil is the AIN SVP,
Ain Soph=the Limitless. This title consists
of six letters, and shadows forth the idea
of first six Sephiroth or numbers. And the
third veil is AIN SVP AVR, Ain Soph Aur=the
Limitless Light. This again consists of nine
letters, and symbolizes the first nine Sephiroth,
but of course in their hidden idea only.
But when we reach the number nine we cannot
progress farther without returning to the
unity, or the number one, for the number
ten is but a repetition of unity freshly
derived from the negative, as is evident
from a glance at its ordinary representation
in Arabic numerals, where the circle 0 represents
the Negative, and the 1 the Unity. Thus,
then, the limitless ocean of negative light
does not proceed from a center, for it is
centerless, but it concentrates a center,
which is the number one of the manifested
Sephiroth, Kether, the Crown, the First Sephira;
which therefore may be said to be the Malkuth
or number ten of the hidden Sephiroth. Thus,
"Kether is in Malkuth, and Malkuth is
in Kether." Or, as an alchemical author
of great repute (Thomas Vaughan, better known
as Eugenius Philalethes) says, ["Euphrates,
or, The Waters of the East"] apparently
quoting from Proclus: "That the heaven
is in the earth, but after an earthly manner;
and that the earth is in the heaven, but
after a heavenly manner." But inasmuch
as negative existence is a subject incapable
of definition, as I have before shown, it
is rather considered by the Qabalists as
depending back from the number of unity than
as a separate consideration therefrom; wherefore
they frequently apply the same terms and
epithets indiscriminately to either. Such
epithets are: "The Concealed of the
Concealed," "The Ancient of the
Ancient Ones," the "Most Holy Ancient
One," &c.
39. I must now explain the real meaning of
the terms Sephira and Sephiroth. The first
is singular, the second is plural. The best
rendering of the word is "numerical
emanation." There are ten Sephiroth,
which are the most abstract forms of the
ten numbers of the decimal scale, i. e.,
the abstract forms of the ten numbers 1,
2, 3,4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 10. Therefore, as in the higher
mathematics we reason of numbers in their
abstract senses, so in the Qabalah we reason
of the Deity by the abstract forms of the
numbers; in other words, by the SPIRVTh,
Sephiroth. It was from this ancient Oriental
theory that Pythagoras derived his numerical
symbolic ideas.
40. Among these Sephiroth, jointly and severally,
we find the development of the persons and
attributes of God. Of these some are male
and some are female. Now, for some reason
or other best known to themselves, the translators
of the Bible have carefully crowded out of
existence and smothered up every reference
to the fact that the Deity is both masculine
and feminine. They have translated a feminine
plural by a masculine singular in the case
of the word Elohim. They have, however, left
an inadvertent admission of their knowledge
that it was plural in Gen. iv. 26; "And
Elohim said: Let Us make man." Again
(v. 27), how could Adam be made in the image
of the Elohim, male and female, unless the
Elohim were male and female also? The word
Elohim is a plural formed from the feminine
singular ALH, Eloh, by adding IM to the word.
But inasmuch as IM is usually the termination
of the masculine plural, and is here added
to a feminine noun, it gives the word Elohim
the sense of a female potency united to a
masculine idea, and thereby capable of producing
an offspring. Now, we hear much of the Father
and Son, but we hear nothing of the Mother
in the ordinary religions of the day. But
in the Qabalah we find that the Ancient of
Days conforms Himself simultaneously into
the Father and the Mother, and thus begets
the Son. Now, this Mother is Elohim. Again,
we are usually told that the Holy Spirit
is masculine. But the word RVCh, Ruach, Spirit,
is feminine, as appears from the following
passage of the Sepher Yetzirah: "AChTh
RVCh ALHIM ChIIM, Achath (feminine, not Achad,
masculine) Ruach Elohim Chiim: One is She
the Spirit of the Elohim of Life."
41. Now, we find that before the Deity conformed
Himself thus, i. e., as male and female that
the worlds of the universe could not subsist,
or, in the words of Genesis, "The earth
was formless and void." These prior
worlds are considered to be symbolized by
the "kings who reigned in Edom before
there reigned a king in Israel," and
they are therefore spoken of in the Qabalah
as the "Edomite kings." This will
be found fully explained in various parts
of this work.
42. We now come to the consideration of the
first Sephira, or the Number One, the Monad
of Pythagoras. In this number are the other
nine hidden. It is indivisible, it is also
incapable of multiplication; divide 1 by
itself and it still remains 1 multiply I
by itself and it is still 1 and unchanged.
Thus it is a fitting representative of the
great unchangeable Father of all. Now this
number of unity has a twofold nature, and
thus forms, as it were, the link between
the negative and the positive. In its unchangeable
one-ness it is scarcely a number; but in
its property of capability of addition it
may be called the first number of a numerical
series. Now, the zero, 0, is incapable even
of addition, just as also is negative existence.
How, then, if I can neither be multiplied
nor divided, is another 1 to be obtained
to add to it; in other words, how is the
number 2 to be found? By reflection of itself.
For though 0 be incapable of definition,
1 is definable. And the effect of a definition
is to form an Eidolon, duplicate, or image,
of the thing defined. Thus, then, we obtain
a duad composed of 1 and its reflection.
Now also we have the commencement of a vibration
established, for the number 1 vibrates alternately
from changelessness to definition, and back
to changelessness again. Thus, then is it
the father of all numbers, and a fitting
type of the Father of all things.
The name of the first Sephira is KThR, Kether,
the Crown.
The Divine Name attributed to it is the Name
of the Father given in Exod. iii. 4: AHIH,
Eheieh, I am. It signifies Existence.
Among the Epithets applied to it, as containing
in itself the idea of negative existence
depending back from it are:
TMIRA DTMIRIN, Temira De-Temirin, the Concealed
of the Concealed.
OThIQA DOThIQIN, Authiqa De-Authiqun, the
Ancient of the Ancient Ones.
OThIQA QDIShA, Authiqa Qadisha, the Most
Holy Ancient One.
OThIQA, Authiqa, the Ancient One.
OThIQ IVMIN, Authiq Iomin, the Ancient of
Days.
It is also called: NQDH RAShVNH, Nequdah
Rashunah, the Primordial Point.
NQDH PShVTh, Nequdah Peshutah, the Smooth
Point.
RIShA HVVRH, Risha Havurah, the White Head.
RVM MOLH, Rom Meolah, the Inscrutable Height.
Besides all these there is another very important
name applied to this Sephira as representing
the great Father of all things. It is ARIK
ANPIN, Arikh Anpin, the Vast Countenance,
or Macroprosopus. Of Him it is said that
He is partly concealed (in the sense of His
connection with the negative existence) and
partly manifest (as a positive Sephira).
Hence the symbolism of the Vast Countenance
is that of a profile wherein one side only
of the Countenance is seen; or, as it is
said in the Qabalah, "in Him all is
right side." I shall refer to this title
again.
The whole ten Sephiroth represent the Heavenly
Man, or Primordial Being, ADM OILAH, Adam
Auilah.
Under this Sephira are classed the angelic
order of ChIVTh HQDSh, Chioth Ha-Qadesh,
holy living-creatures, the kerubim or sphinxes
of Ezekiel's vision and of the Apocalypse
of John. These are represented in the Zodiac
by the four signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio,
and Aquarius--the Bull, Lion, Eagle, and
Man. Scorpio, as a good emblem, being symbolized
by the eagle, as an evil emblem by the scorpion,
and as a mixed nature by the snake.
This first Sephira contained the other nine,
and produced them in succession, thus:--
43. The number 2, or the Duad. The name of
the second Sephira is ChKMH, Chokmah, Wisdom,
a masculine active potency reflected from
Kether, as I have before explained. This
Sephira is the active and evident Father,
to whom the Mother is united, who is the
number 3. This second Sephira is represented
by the Divine Names, IH, Yah, and IHVH; and
among the angelic hosts by AVPNIM, Auphanim,
the Wheels (Ezek i.). The second Sephira
is also called AB, Ab, the Father.
44. The third Sephira, or Triad, is a feminine
passive potency, called BINH, Binah, the
Understanding, who is co-equal with Chokmah.
For Chokmah, the number 2 is like two straight
lines which can never enclose a space, and
therefore it is powerless till the number
3 forms the triangle. Thus this Sephira completes
and makes evident the supernal Trinity. It
is also called AMA, Ama, Mother, and AlMA,
Aima, the great productive Mother, who is
eternally conjoined with AB, the Father,
for the maintenance of the universe in order.
Therefore is she the most evident form in
whom we can know the Father, and therefore
is she worthy of all honour. She is the supernal
Mother, co-equal with Chokmah, and the great
feminine form of God, the Elohim, in whose
image man and woman are created, according
to the teaching of the Qabalah, equal before
God. Woman is equal with man, and certainly
not inferior to him, as it has been the persistent
endeavour of so-called Christians to make
her. Aima is the woman described in the Apocalypse
(ch. xii.). This third Sephira is also sometimes
called the great sea. To her are attributed
the Divine names, ARALIM, Aralim, the Thrones.
She is the supernal Mother, as distinguished
from Malkuth, the inferior Mother, Bride,
and Queen.
45. The number 4. This union of the second
and third Sephiroth produced ChSD, Chesed,
Mercy or Love also called GDVLH, Gedulah,
Greatness or Magnificence; a masculine potency
represented by the Divine Name AL, El, the
Mighty One, and the angelic name, ChShMLIM,
Chashmalim, Scintillating Flames (Ezek. iv.
4).
46. The number 5. From this emanated the
feminine passive potency GBVRH, Geburah,
strength or fortitude; or DIN, Deen, Justice;
represented by the Divine Names ALHIM GBVR,
and ALH, Eloh, and the angelic name ShRPIM,
Seraphim (Isa. vi. 6). This Sephira is also
called PChD, Pachad, Fear.
47. The number 6. And from these two issued
the uniting Sephira, ThPARTh, Tiphareth,
Beauty or Mildness, represented by the Divine
Name ALVH VDOTh, Eloah Va-Daath, and the
angelic names, ShNANIM Shinanim,(Ps. lxviii.
18), or MLKIM, Melakim, kings. Thus by the
union of justice and mercy we obtain beauty
or clemency, and the second trinity of the
Sephiroth is complete. This Sephira, or "Path,"
or "Numeration"--for by these latter
appellations the emanations are sometimes
called--together with the fourth, fifth,
seventh, eighth, and ninth Sephiroth, is
spoken of as ZOIR ANPIN, Zauir Anpin, the
Lesser Countenance, or Microprosopus. The
sixth Sephiroth of which Zauir Anpin is composed,
are then called His six members. He is also
called MLK, Melekh, the King.
48. The number 7. The seventh Sephira is
NTzCh, Netzach, or Firmness and Victory,
corresponding to the Divine Name IHVH TzBAVTh,
Jehovah Tzabaoth, the Lord of Armies, and
the angelic names ALHIM, Elohim, gods, and
ThRShIShIM, Tharshisim, the brilliant ones
(Dan. x. 6).
49. The number 8. Thence proceeded the feminine
passive potency HVD, Hod, Splendour, answering
to the Divine Name ALHIM TzBAVTh, Elohim
Tzabaoth, the Gods of Armies, and among the
angels to BNI ALHIM, Beni Elohim, the Sons
of the Gods (Gen. vi. 4).
50. The number 9. These two produced ISVD,
Yesod, the Foundation or Basis, represented
by AL ChI, El Chai, the Mighty Living One,
and ShDI, Shaddai, and among the angels by
AShIM, Aishim, the Flames (Ps. civ. 4), yielding
the third Trinity of the Sephiroth.
51. The number 10. From this ninth Sephira
came the tenth and last, thus completing
the decad of the numbers. It is called MLKVTh,
Malkuth, the Kingdom, and also the Queen,
Matrona, the inferior Mother, the Bride of
Microprosopus; and ShKINH, Shekinah, represented
by the Divine Name ADNI, Adonai, and among
the angelic hosts by the KRVBIM Kerubim.
Now, each of these Sephiroth will be to a
certain degree androgynous, for it will be
feminine or receptive with regard to the
Sephira which immediately precedes it in
the Sephirotic scale, and masculine or transmissive
with regard to the Sephira which immediately
follows it. But there is no Sephira anterior
to Kether, nor is there a Sephira which succeeds
Malkuth. By these remarks it will be understood
how Chokmah is a feminine noun, though marking
a masculine Sephira. The connecting-link
of the Sephiroth is the Ruach, spirit, from
Mezla, the hidden influence.
52. I will now add a few more remarks on
the qabalistical meaning of the term MThQLA,
Metheqela, balance. In each of the three
trinities or triads of the Sephiroth is a
duad of opposite sexes, and uniting intelligence
which is the result. In this, the masculine
and feminine potencies are regarded as the
two scales of the balance, and the uniting
Sephira as the beam which joins them. Thus,
then, the term balance may be said to symbolize
the Triune, Trinity in Unity, and the Unity
represented by the central point of the beam.
But again, in the Sephiroth there is a triple
Trinity, the upper, lower, and middle. Now,
these three are represented thus: the Supernal,
or highest, by the Crown, Kether; the middle
by the King, and the inferior by the Queen;
which will be the greatest trinity. And the
earthly correlatives of these will be the
primum mobile, the Sun and the Moon. Here
we at once find alchemical symbolism.
53. Now in the world the Sephiroth are represented
by:
(1) RAShITh HGLGLIM, Rashith Ha-Galgalim,
the commencement of the whirling motions,
the Primum Mobile. (2) MSLVTh, Masloth, the
sphere of the Zodiac. (3) ShBThAI, Shabbathai,
rest, Saturn.(4) TzDQ, Tzadeq, righteousness,
Jupiter. (5) MADIM, Madim, vehement strength,
Mars. (6) ShMSh, Shemesh, the solar light,
the Sun. (7) NVGH, Nogah, glittering splendour,
Venus. (8) KVKB, Kokab, the stellar light,
Mercury. (9) LBNH, Levanah, the lunar flame,
the Moon. (10) ChLM ISVDVTh, Cholom Yesodoth,
the breaker of the foundations, the elements.
54. The Sephiroth are further divided into
three pillars the right-hand Pillar of Mercy,
consisting of the second, fourth, and seventh
emanations; the left-hand Pillar or Judgment,
consisting of the third, fifth, and eighth;
and the middle Pillar of Mildness, consisting
of the first, sixth, ninth, and tenth emanations.
55. In their totality and unity the ten Sephiroth
represent the archetypal man, ADM QDMVN,
Adam Qadmon, the Protogonos. In looking to
the Sephiroth constituting the first triad,
it is evident that they represent the intellect;
and hence this triad is called the intellectual
world, OVLM MVShKL, Olahm Mevshekal. The
second triad corresponds to the moral world,
OVLM MVRGSh, Olahm Morgash. The third represents
power and stability, and is therefore called
the material world, OVLM HMVTBO, Olahm Ha-Mevetbau.
These three aspects are called the faces,
ANPIN, Anpin. Thus is the tree of life, OTz
ChIIM, Otz Chiim, formed; the first triad
being placed above, the second and third
below, in such a manner that the three masculine
Sephiroth are on the right, three feminine
on the left, whilst the four uniting Sephiroth
occupy the center. This is the qabalistical
Tree of Life, on which all things depend.
There is considerable analogy between this
and the tree Yggdrasil of the Scandinavians.
56. I have already remarked that there is
one trinity which comprises all the Sephiroth,
and that it consists of the Crown, the King,
and the Queen. (In some senses this is similar
to the Christian Trinity of Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit, which in their highest divine
nature are symbolized by the first three
Sephiroth, Kether, Chokmah, and Binah.) It
is the Trinity which created the world, or,
in qabalistic language, the universe was
born from the union of the crowned King and
Queen. But according to the Qabalah, before
the complete form of the heavenly man (the
ten Sephiroth) was produced, there were certain
primordial worlds created, but these could
not subsist, as the equilibrium of balance
was not yet perfect, and they were convulsed
by the unbalanced forces and destroyed. These
primordial worlds are called the "kings
of ancient time," and the "kings
of Edom who reigned before the monarchs of
Israel." In this sense, Edom is the
world of unbalanced force, and Israel is
the balanced Sephiroth (Gen. xxxvi. 31).
This important fact, that worlds were created
and destroyed prior to the present creation,
is again and again reiterated in the Zohar.
57. Now the Sephiroth are also called the
World of Emanations, or the Atziluthic World,
or archetypal world, OVLM ATzILVTh, Olahm
Atziloth; and this world gave birth to three
other worlds, each containing a repetition
of the Sephiroth, but in a descending scale
of brightness.
58. The second world is the Briatic world,
OVLM HBRIAH, Olahm Ha-Briah, the world of
creation, also called KVRSIA, Khorsia, the
throne. It is an immediate emanation from
the world of Atziluth, whose ten Sephiroth
are reflected herein, and are consequently
more limited, though they are still of the
purest nature, and without any admixture
of matter.
59. The third is the Yetziratic world, OVLM
HITzIRH, Olahm Ha-Yetzirah, or world of Formation
and of angels, which proceeds from Briah,
and though less refined in substance, is
still without matter. It is in this angelic
world where those intelligent and incorporeal
beings reside who are wrapped in a luminous
garment, and who assume a form when they
appear unto man.
60. The fourth is the Assiatic world, OVLM
HOShIH, Olahm Ha-Assiah, the World of Action,
called also the world of shells, OVLM HQLIPVTh,
Olahm Ha-Qliphoth, which is this world of
matter, made up of the grosser elements of
the other three. In it is also the abode
of the evil spirits which are called "the
shells" by the Qabalah, Qliphoth, material
shells. The devils are also divided into
ten classes, and have suitable habitations.
61. The Demons are the grossest and most
deficient of all forms. Their ten degrees
answer to the decad of the Sephiroth, but
in inverse ratio, as darkness and impurity
increase with the descent of each degree.
The two first are nothing but absence of
visible form and organization. The third
is the abode of darkness. Next follow seven
Hells occupied by those demons which represent
incarnate human vices, and torture those
who have given themselves up to such vices
in earth-life. Their prince is SMAL, Samael,
the angel of poison and of death. His wife
is the harlot, or woman of whoredom AShTh
ZNVNIM, Isheth Zenunim; and united they are
called the Beast, CHIVA, Chioa. Thus the
infernal trinity is completed, which is,
so to speak, the averse and caricature of
the supernal Creative One. Samael is considered
to be identical with Satan.
62. The name of the Deity, which we call
Jehovah, is in Hebrew a name of four letters,
IHVH; and the true pronunciation of it is
known to very few. I myself know some score
of different mystical pronunciations of it.
The true pronunciation is a most secret arcanum,
and is a secret of secrets. "He who
can rightly pronounce it, causeth heaven
and earth to tremble, for it is the name
which rusheth through the universe."
Therefore when a devout Jew comes upon it
in reading the Scripture, he either does
not attempt to pronounce it, but instead
makes a short pause, or else he substitutes
for it the name Adonai, ADNI, Lord. The radical
meaning of the word is "to be,"
and it is thus, like AHIH, Eheieh, a glyph
of existence. It is capable of twelve transpositions,
which all convey the meaning of "to
be"; it is the only word that will bear
so many transpositions without its meaning
being altered. They are called the "twelve
banners of the mighty name," and are
said by some to rule the twelve signs of
the Zodiac. These are the twelve banners:
IHVH, IHHV, IVHH, HVHI, HVIH, HHIV, VHHI,
VIHH, VHIH, HIHV, HIVH, HHVI. There are three
other Tetragrammatic names, which are AHIH,
Eheieh, existence; ADNI, Adonai, Lord; and
AGLA Agla. This last is not, properly speaking,
a word, but is a notariqon of the sentence,
AThH GBVR LOVLM ADNI, Ateh Gebor Le-Olahm
Adonai: "Thou art mighty for ever, O
Lord!" An arbitrary interpretation of
Agla is this: A, the one first; A, the one
last; G, the Trinity in Unity; L, the completion
of the Great Work.
63. The first thing we notice is that both
AHIH and IHVH convey the idea of existence;
this is their first analogy. The second is,
that in each the letter H comes second and
fourth; and the third is that by Gematria
AHIH equals IHY without the H (which, as
we shall see presently, is the symbol of
Malkuth, the tenth Sephira). But now, if
they be written one above the others, thus,
within the arms of a cross,
AH IH IH VH
they read downwards as well as across, AHIH,
IHVH.
64. Now, if we examine the matter qabalistically
we shall find the reason of these analogies.
For Eheieh, AHIH, is the Vast Countenance,
the Ancient One, Macroprosopus, Kether, the
first Sephira, the Crown of the Qabalistical
Sephirotic greatest Trinity (which consists
of the Crown, King, and Queen; or Macroprosopus,
Microprosopus and the Bride), and the Father
in the Christian acceptation of the Trinity.
65. But IHVH, the Tetragrammaton, as we shall
presently see, contains all the Sephiroth
with the exception of Kether, and specially
signifies the Lesser Countenance, Microprosopus,
the King of the qabalistical Sephirotic greater
Trinity, and the Son in His human incarnation,
in the Christian interpretation of the Trinity.
Therefore, as the Son reveals the Father,
so does IHVH, Jehovah, reveal AHIH, Eheieh.
66. And ADNI is the Queen "by whom alone
Tetragrammaton can be grasped," whose
exaltation into Binah is found in the Christian
assumption of the Virgin.
67. The Tetragrammaton IHVH is referred to
the Sephiroth, thus: the uppermost point
of the letter Yod, I, is said to refer to
Kether; the letter I itself to Chokmah, the
father of Microprosopus; the letter H, or
"the supernal He," to Binah and
supernal Mother; the letter V to the next
six Sephiroth, which are called the six members
of Microprosopus
(and six is the numerical value of V, the
Hebrew Vau); lastly, the letter H, the "inferior
He," to Malkuth, the tenth Sephira,
the bride of Microprosopus.
68. Now, there are four secret names referred
to the four worlds of Atziloth, Briah, Yetzirah,
and Assiah; and again, the Tetragrammaton
is said to go forth written in a certain
manner in each of these four worlds. The
secret name of Atziloth is OB Aub; that of
Briah is SG Seg; that of Yetzirah is MH Mah;
and that of Assiah is BN Ben. [BN, Ben means
"son".].
69. These names operate together with the
Sephiroth through the "231 gates, as
combinations of the alphabet are called;
but it would take too much space to go fully
into the subject here.
70. Closely associated with the subject of
the letters of the Tetragrammaton is that
of the four Kerubim, to which I have already
referred in describing the first Sephira.
Now it must not be forgotten that these forms
in Ezekiel's vision support the throne of
the Deity, whereon the Heavenly Man is seated--the
Adam Qadmon, the Sephirotic image; and that
between the throne and the living creatures
is the firmament. Here then we have the four
worlds--Atziloth, the deific form; Briah,
the throne; Yetzirah, the firmament; Assiah,
the Kerubim. Therefore the Kerubim represent
the powers of the letters of the Tetragrammaton
on the material plain; and the four represent
the operation of the four letters in each
of the four worlds. Thus, then, the Kerubim
are the living forms of the letters, symbolized
in the Zodiac by Taurus, Leo, Aquarius, and
Scorpio, as I have before remarked.
71. And "the mystery of the earthly
and mortal man is after the mystery of the
supernal and immortal One; and thus was he
created in the image of God upon earth. In
the form of the body is Tetragrammaton found.
The head is I, the arms and shoulders are
like H, the body is V, and the legs are represented
by the H final. Therefore, as the outward
form of man corresponds to the Tetragrammaton,
so does the animating soul correspond to
the ten Sephiroth; and as these find their
ultimate expression in the trinity of the
Crown, the King, and the Queen, so is there
a principal triple division of the soul.
Thus, then, the first is Neschamah NShMH,
which is the highest degree of being, corresponding
to the crown (Kether), and representing the
highest triad of the Sephiroth, called the
intellectual world. The second is Ruach,
RVCh, the seat of good and evil, corresponding
to Tiphareth, the moral world. And the third
is Nephesch, NPSh, the animal life and desires,
corresponding to Yesod, and the material
and sensuous world. All souls are pre-existent
in the world of emanations, and are in their
original state androgynous, but when they
descend upon earth they become separated
into male and female, and inhabit different
bodies; if therefore in this mortal life
the male half encounters the female half,
a strong attachment springs up between them,
and hence it is said that in marriage the
separated halves are again conjoined; and
the hidden forms of the soul are akin to
the Kerubim.
72. But this foregoing triple division of
the soul is only applicable to the triple
form of the intellectual, moral and material.
Let us not lose sight of the great qabalistical
idea, that the trinity is always completed
by and finds its realization in the quaternary;
that is, IHV completed and realized in IHVH,
the trinity of…
Crown King Queen Father Son Spirit Absolute
Formation Realization
This is completed by the quaternary of --
Absolute Father And Mother Son Bride Macroprosopus
Vast Countenance Father And Mother Microprosopus,
the Lesser Countenance Malkuth, the Queen
and Bride Atziluth Archetypal Briah Creative
Yetzirah Formative Assiah Material
And to these four the soul answers in the
following four forms:--Chiah to Atziluth;
Neschamah to Briah; Ruach to Yetzirah; and
Nephesch to Assiah.
73. But Chiah is in the soul the archetypal
form analogous to Macroprosopus. Wherefore
Neschamah, Ruach, and Nephesch represent
as it were by themselves the Tetragrammaton,
without Chiah, which is nevertheless symbolized
"in the uppermost point of the I, Yod,"
of the soul; As Macroprosopus is said to
be symbolized by the uppermost point of the
I, yod, of IHVH. For "yod of the Ancient
One is hidden and concealed."
74. I select the following résumé of the
qabalistical teachings regarding the nature
of the soul from Eliphaz Levi's "Clef
des Mystéres," This gives the chief
heads of the ideas of Rabbi Moses Korduero
and of Rabbi Yitzchaq Loria. "The soul
is a veiled light. This light is triple:
"Neschamah=the pure spirit; "Ruach
= the soul or spirit; "Nephesch=the
plastic mediator.
"The veil of the soul is the shell of
the image. "The image is double because
it reflects alike the good and the evil angel
of the soul. "Nephesch is immortal by
renewal of itself through the destruction
of forms; "Ruach is progressive through
the evolution of ideas; "Neschamah is
progressive without forgetfulness and without
destruction.
"There are three habitations of souls:--
''The Abyss of Life; "The superior Eden;
"The inferior Eden."
"The image Tzelem is a sphinx which
propounds the enigma of life. "The fatal
image (i. e., that which succumbs to the
outer) endows Nephesch with his attributes,
but Ruach can substitute the image conquered
by the inspirations of Neschamah. "The
body is the veil of Nephesch, Nephesch is
the veil of Ruach, Ruach is the veil of the
shroud of Neschamah. "Light personifies
itself by veiling itself, and the personification
is only stable when the veil is perfect.
"This perfection upon earth is relative
to the universal soul of the earth (i. e.,
as the macrocosm or greater world, so the
microcosm or lesser world, which is man).
"There are three atmospheres for the
souls. "The third atmosphere finishes
where the planetary attraction of the other
worlds commences. "Souls perfected on
this earth pass on to another station. "After
traversing the planets they come to the sun;
then they ascend into another universe and
recommence their planetary evolution from
world to world and from sun to sun.
"In the suns they remember, and in the
planets they forget. "The solar lives
are the days of eternal life, and the planetary
lives are the nights with their dreams.
"Angels are luminous emanations personified,
not by trial and veil, but by divine influence
and reflex. "The angels aspire to become
men, for the perfect man, the man-God, [as
distinguished from the God-man] is above
every angel.
"The planetary lives are composed of
ten dreams of a hundred years each, and each
solar life is a thousand years; therefore
is it said that a thousand years are in the
sight of God as one day.
"Every week-that is, every fourteen
thousand years-the soul bathes itself and
reposes in the jubilee dream of forgetfulness.
"On waking therefrom it has forgotten
the evil and only remembers the good."
75. In the accompanying plate of the formation
of the soul there will be seen in the upper
part three circles, representing the three
parts known as Neschamah, Ruach, and Nephesch.
From Ruach and Nephesch, influenced by the
good aspirations ot Neschamah, proceeds Michael,
the good angel of the soul; that is to say,
the synthetical hieroglyph of the good ideas,
or, in the esoteric Buddhist phraseology,
the "Good Karma" of a man. From
Nephesch dominating Ruach, and uninfluenced
by the good aspirations of Neschamah, proceeds
Samäel, the evil angel of the soul; that
is to say, the synthetical hieroglyph of
the evil ideas, the "evil Karma"
of a man. And the Tzelem, or image, is double,
for it reflects alike Michael and Samäel.
76. The following is Dr. Jellinek's analysis
["Beiträge zau Geschichte der Kabbalah,
Erstes Heft." Leipzig. 1852.] of the
sephirotic ideas, according to the ethics
of Spinoza:--
(1.) DEFINITION.--By the Being who is the
cause and governor of all things I understand
the Ain Soph--i. e., a Being infinite, boundless,
absolutely identical with itself, united
in itself, without attributes, will, intention,
desire, thought, word, or deed.
(2.) DEFINITION.--By Sephiroth I understand
the potencies which emanated from the Absolute,
Ain Soph, all entities limited by quantity,
which, like the will, without changing its
nature, wills diverse objects that are the
possibilities of multifarious things.
I. PROPOSITION--The primary cause and governor
of the world is the Ain Soph, who is both
immanent and transcendent.
(a) PROOF.--Each effect has a cause, and
everything which has order and design has
a governor.
(b) PROOF.--Everything visible has a limit,
what is limited is finite, what is finite
is not absolutely identical; the primary
cause of the world is invisible, therefore
unlimited, infinite, absolutely identical--i.
e., he is the Ain Soph.
(c) PROOF.--As the primary cause of the world
is infinite, nothing can exist without (EXTRA)
him; hence he is immanent.
Scholion.--As the Ain Soph is invisible and
exalted, it is the root of both faith and
unbelief.
II. PROPOSITION.--The Sephiroth are the medium
between the absolute Ain Soph and the real
world.
PROOF.--As the real world is limited and
not perfect, it cannot directly proceed from
the Ain Soph: still the Ain Soph must exercise
his influence over it, or his perfection
would cease. Hence the Sephiroth, which,
in their intimate connection with the Ain
Soph, are perfect, and in their severance
are imperfect, must be the medium.
Scholion.--Since all existing things originated
by means of the Sephiroth, there are a higher,
a middle, and a lower degree of the real
world. (Vide infra, Proposition VI.)
III.-PROPOSITION.--There are ten intermediate
Sephiroth.
PROOF.--All bodies have three dimensions,
each of which repeats the other (3 x 3);
and by adding thereto space generally, we
obtain the number ten. As the Sephiroth are
the potencies of all that is limited they
must be ten.
(a) Scholion.--The number ten does not contradict
the absolute unity of the Ain Soph; as one
is the basis of all numbers, plurality proceeds
from unity, the germs contain the development,
just as fire, flame, sparks, and colour have
one basis, though they differ from one another.
(b) Scholion.--Just as cogitation or thought,
and even the mind as a cogitated object,
is limited, becomes concrete, and has a measure,
although pure thought proceeds from the Ain
Soph; so limit, measure, and concretion are
the attributes of the Sephiroth.
IV. PROPOSITION.--The Sephiroth are emanations,
and not creations.
I. PROOF.--As the absolute. Ain Soph is perfect,
the Sephiroth proceeding therefrom must also
be perfect hence they are not created.
2. PROOF.--All created objects diminish by
abstraction; the Sephiroth do not lessen,
as their activity never ceases; hence they
cannot be created.
Scholion.--The first Sephira was in the Ain
Soph as a power before it became a reality;
then the second Sephira emanated as a potency
for the intellectual world; and afterwards
the other Sephiroth emanated for the moral
and material worlds. This, however, does
not imply a prius and posterius, or a gradation
in the Ain Soph, but just as a light whose
kindled lights, which shine sooner and later,
and variously, so it embraces all in a unity.
V. PROPOSITION.--The Sephiroth are both active
and passive (MQBIL VMThQBL, Meqabil Va-Metheqabel).
PROOF.--As the Sephiroth do not set aside
the unity of the Ain Soph, each one of them
must receive from its predecessor and impart
to its successor--i. e., be receptive and
imparting.
VI. PROPOSITION.--The first Sephira is called
Inscrutable Height, RVM MOLH, Rom Maaulah;
the second, Wisdom, ChKMH, Chokmah; the third,
Intelligence, BINH, Binah; the fourth, Love,
ChSD, Chesed; the fifth, Justice, PcHD, Pachad;
the sixth, Beauty, ThPARTh, Tiphereth; the
seventh, Firmness, NTzCh, Netzach; the eighth,
Splendour, HVD, Hod; the ninth, the Righteous
is the Foundation of the World, TzDIQ ISVD
OVLM, Tzediq Yesod Olahm; and the tenth,
Righteousness, TzDQ, Tzedeq.
(a) Scholion.--The first three Sephiroth
form the world of thought ; the second three
the world of soul and the four last the world
of body; thus corresponding to the intellectual,
moral, and material worlds.
(b) Scholion.--The first Sephira stands in
relation to the soul, inasmuch as it is called
a Unity, IChIDH, Yechidah; the second, inasmuch
as it is denominated living, ChIH, Chiah;
the third, inasmuch as it is termed Spirit,
RVCh, Ruach; the fourth, inasmuch as it is
called vital principle, NPSh, Nephesch; the
fifth, inasmuch as it is denominated soul,
NShMH, Neschamah; the sixth operates on the
blood, the seventh on the bones, the eighth
on the veins, the ninth on the flesh, and
the tenth on the skin.
(c) Scholion.--The first Sephira is like
the concealed light, the second like sky-blue,
the third like yellow, the fourth like white,
the fifth like red, [This mixture of white
and red refers to Microprosopus, as will
be seen in the greater and lesser Holy Assembly.]
the sixth like white-red, the seventh like
whitish-red, the eighth like reddish white,
the ninth like white-red whitish-red reddish-white,
and the tenth is like the light reflecting
all colours.
77. I will now revert to the subject of Arikh
Anpin and Zauir Anpin, the Macroprosopus
and the Microprosopus, or the Vast and the
Lesser Countenances. Macroprosopus is, it
will be remembered, the first Sephira, or
Crown Kether; Microprosopus is composed of
six of the Sephiroth. In Macroprosopus all
is light and brilliancy; but Microprosopus
only shineth by the reflected splendour of
Macroprosopus. The six days of creation correspond
to the six forms of Microprosopus. Therefore
the symbol of the interlaced triangles, forming
the six-pointed star, is called the Sign
of the Macrocosm, or of the creation of the
greater world, and is consequently analogous
to the two Countenances of the Zohar. This,
however, is not the only occult reason that
I have placed this symbol in the plate, for
it typifies other reasons upon which I shall
not enter here. "The Book of Concealed
Mystery" fully discusses the symbolism
of Macroprosopus and Microprosopus; therefore
it is well, before reading it, to be cognizant
of their similarities and differences. The
one is AHIH, Eheieh; the other is the V,
Vau, of the Tetragrammaton. The first two
letters, I and H, Yod and He, are the Father
and Mother of Microprosopus, and the H final
is his Bride. But in these forms is expressed
the equilibrium of Severity and Mercy; Severity
being symbolized by the two Hs, Hes, the
Mother and the Bride, but especially by the
latter. But while the excess of Mercy is
not an evil tendency, but rather conveys
a certain idea of weakness and want 6f force,
too great an excess of Severity calls forth
the executioner of judgment, the evil and
oppressive force which is symbolized by Leviathan.
Wherefore it is said, "Behind the shoulders
of the Bride the serpent rears his head:"
of the Bride, but not of the Mother, for
she is the Supernal H, and bruises his head.
"But his head is broken by the waters
of the great sea." The sea is Binah,
the Supernal H, the Mother. The serpent is
the centripetal force, ever seeking to penetrate
into Paradise (the Sephiroth), and to tempt
the Supernal Eve (the bride), so that in
her turn she may tempt the Supernal Adam
(Microprosopus).
It is utterly beyond the scope of this Introduction
to examine this symbolism thoroughly, especially
as it forms the subject of this work; so
I will simply refer my reader to the actual
text for further elucidation, hoping that
by the perusal of this introductory notice
he will be better fitted to understand and
follow the course of qabalistic teaching
there given.
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