The Kabbalah Unveiled — S. L. MacGregor Mathers (from Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin) (1887)
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280. And therefore doth Solomon expound those two forms of the Woman ; and concerning the first form indeed he worketh hiddenly, seeing it is hidden.
281. But the second form is more fully explained, seeing that it is not so hidden as the other.
282. But at the end all his praise pertaineth unto Her who is supernal, as it is written, Cant. vi. 9 : “ She is the only one of Her Mother, She is the choice one of Her that bare Her.”
283. And since this Mother, Aima, is crowned with the crown of the Bride, and the grace of the letter I, Yod , ceaseth not from Her for ever, hence unto Her arbitration is committed all the liberty of those inferior, and all the liberty of all things, and all the liberty of sinners, so that all things may be purified.
284. As it is written, Lev. xvi. 30 : “ Since in that day he shall atone for you.”
285. Also it is written, Lev. xxv. 10 : u And ye shall
KABBALAH .
hallow the fiftieth year.”* This year is IYBL, Yobel, J ubilee.
286. What is Yobel ? As it is written, Jer. xvii. 8 : “ YOL TYBL, Vci-El Yobel , And spreadeth out her roots by the river ; ” therefore that river which ever goeth forth and floweth, and goeth forth and faileth not.
28/. It is written, Prov. ii. 3: “If thou wilt call Binah the Mother, and wilt give thy voice unto Thebunah.”
288. Seeing it is here said, “ If thou wilt call Binah the Mother,” wherefore is Thebunah added ?
289. Assuredly, according as I have said, all things are supernal truth : Binah is higher than Thebunah. For in the word BINH, Binah , are shown Father, Mother, and Son ; since by the letters IH, Father and Mother are denoted, and the letters BN, denoting the Son, are amalgamated with them.
290. ThBYNH, Thebunah , is the whole completion of
the children, since it containeth the letters BN, Ben ,
BTh, Bath , and YH, Vau He, by which are denoted the
Son and Daughter.
291. YYt AB YAM, Ab Ve-Aii i, the Father and the
Mother, are not found, save BAIMA, Be-Aima , in the
Mother, for the venerable Aima broodeth over Them,
neither is She uncovered.
292. Whence it cometh that that which embraceth the two Children is called ThBYNH, Thebunah , and that which embraceth the Father, the Mother, and the Son is called BINH, Binah.
293. And when all things are comprehended, they are comprehended therein, and are called by that name of Father, Mother, and Son.
294. And these are ChKMH, Wisdom , Father ;
BINH, Understanding , Mother ; and DOTh, Daatli ,
Knowledge.
* The number answering to the “ fifty gates of Binah.” (See “ Book of Concealed Mystery,” ch. i. § 46.)
THE LESSER HOL Y ASSEMBL Y.
295. Since that Son assumeth the symbols of His
rather and of His Mother, and is called DOTh, Dacith ,
Knowledge, since He is the testimony of Them both.
296. And that Son is called the first-born, as it 13 written, Exod. iv. 22: “ Israel is my first-born son.”
297. And since He is called first-born, therefore it implieth dual offspring.
298. And when He increase th, in His Crown appear three divisions.!
299. But whether it be taken in this way or in that, there are as well two as three divisions herein, for all things are one ; and so is it in this (light) or in that.!
300. Nevertheless, He (the Son) receiveth the inheritance of His Father and of His Mother.
301. What is that inheritance? These two crowns, which are hidden within Them, which They pass on in succession to this Son.§
302. From the side of the Father (ChoJcmah) there is one Crown concealed therein, which is called Chesed.
303. And from the side of the Mother (Bincth) there is one Crown, which is called Geburah.
304. And all those crown His head ( i.c ., the Head of
Microprosopus), and He taketh them.
305. And when that Father and Mother shine above Him, all (these crowns) are called the phylacteries of the
* Compare this with the Egyptian Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. Also notice the interchange of symbols between Amen, Kneph, and Khem. The name of the great Egyptian God Amen is noticeable when we compare it with the qabalistic name AMN.
+ Compare with this the alchemical symbolism of Duenech, the King of Earth, after being overwhelmed by the waters, rising again, glorified and crowned with the triple crown of silver, iron, and gold — Chesed, Geburah, and Tiphereth, in the alchemic Sephiroth of the metals.