The Kabbalah Unveiled — S. L. MacGregor Mathers (from Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin) (1887)
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KABBALAH.
cealed therein. Woe unto him who revealeth the Arcana !
617. And because the Arcana come into contact with this ear, and follow the curvings of that region, hence the Arcana are not revealed unto those who walk in crooked paths, but unto those {who walk in) those which are not crooked.
618. Hence is it written, Ps. xxv. 14: “The SVD IHVH, Sod Tetragrammaton , Secret of Tetragrammaton, is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant ; ” namely, unto such as keep their path and thus receive His words.
619. But they who are perverse in their ways receive certain words, and quickly introduce the same into themselves, but in them is no place where they can be detained {for examination).
620. And all the other openings are opened therein, until those words can issue forth from the opening of the mouth.
621. And such men are called the sinners of their generation, hating God the Most Holy One — blessed be He.
622. In Mischna, or our tradition, we have taught that such men are like unto murderers and idolaters.
623. And all these things are contained in one saying, where it is written, Lev. xix. 16: “ Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people, neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour : AHI IHYH, I am Tetragrammaton.”
624. Therefore he who transgresseth the first part of that verse doth the same as if he were to transgress the whole.
625. Blessed is the portion of the just, concerning whom it is said, Prov. xi. 1 3 : “A tale-bearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”
626. “Spirit, BVCh, Euachf properly (is used here)
THE LESSER HOLY ASSEMBLY.
for the Ruach of such is extracted from the Supernal Holy Place.
627. Now we have said that this is a symbol. Whosoever revealeth Arcana with fixed purpose of mind, he is not of the body of the Most Holy King.
628. And therefore to such a man nothing is an
Arcanum, neither is from the place of the Arcanum.
629. And whensoever his soul departeth, the same adhereth not unto the body of the King, for it is not his place. Woe unto that man ! woe unto himself ! woe unto his Neschamah ! *
630. But blessed is the portion of the just who conceal secrets, and much more the Supernal Arcana of God the Most Holy One — blessed be He ! — the highest Arcana of the Most Holy King.
631. Concerning them it is written, Isa. lx. 21 : 44 Thy people also shall be all righteous ; they shall inherit the land for ever.”
CHAPTER XVII.
CONCERNING THE COUNTENANCE OF MICROPROSOPUS.
632. His countenance is as two abodes of fragrance, and all that I have before said is His testimony.
633. For the testimony, SHDVThA, Sahedutha , dependeth from Him, and in all His testimony dependeth.
634. But these places of fragrance are white and red; the testimony of Ab the Father, and Aima the Mother ; the testimony of the inheritance which He hath taken by right and obtained.
635. And in our tradition we have also established
* See Introduction concerning the names of the parts of the Soul.
KABBALAH.
by bow many thousand degrees the whiteness differeth from the redness.
636. But yet at once they agree together in Him in one,* under the general form of the whiteness ; for whensoever it is illuminated from the light of the white brilliance of the Ancient One, then that white brilliance overcloudeth the redness, and all things are found to be in light.
637. But whensoever judgments ascend (otherwise, threaten) in the universe, and sinners are many, leprosy is found in all things (otherwise, throughout the universe) , and the redness spreadeth over the countenance, and overcloudeth all the whiteness.
638. And then all things are found in judgment, and then [He putteth on) the vestments of zeal, which are called “ the garments of vengeance ” (Isa. lix. 1 7), and all things depend herefrom.
639. And because the testimony existeth in all things, hence so many Lords of Shields are enshrouded by those colours, and attend upon those colours.
640. When those colours are resplendent, the worlds all and singular exist in joy.
641. In that time when the white brilliance shineth all things appear in this colour ; and when He appeareth in redness, similarly all things appear in that colour.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CONCERNING THE EBARD OF MICROPROSOPUS.
642. In those abodes (otherwise forms) of fragrance the beard beginneth to appear from the top of the ears, and it descendeth and ascendeth in the place of fragrance.