The Kabbalah Unveiled — S. L. MacGregor Mathers (from Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin) (1887)

f The “ Idra Zuta ” contains twenty-two chapters, the number of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, of the chapters of St. John’s Apocalypse, and of the verses of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th chapters of Lamentations of Jeremiah, &c. It is the number of the Qabalistical keys.

J Notice that the tree of life is the united body, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil the separated.

THE LESSER HOL Y ASSEMBL Y.

740. Afterwards is His body extended into two thighs, et intra hasc continentur duo renes, duo testiculi masculini.

741. Omne enim oleum, et dignitas, et vis masculi e toto corpore in istis congregatur ; nam omnes exercitus, qui prodeunt ab iis, omnes prodeunt et morantur in orificio membri genitalis.

742. And therefore are they called Tzabaoth, the Armies ; and they are Netzach ( Victory , the seventh Sephira) and Hod ( Glory , the eighth). For Tiphereth is Tetragrammaton, but Netzach and Hod are the armies ; hence cometh that name, Tetragrammaton Tzabaoth.

743. Membrum masculi est extremitas totius corporis? et vocatur Yesod, fundament um ; et hie est gradus ille qui mitigat foeminam. For every desire of the Male is toward the Female.

744. Per hoc fundamentum ille ingreditur in foeminam ; in locum qui vocatur Tzion et Jerusalem. Nam hie est locus tegendus foeminas, et in uxore vocatur uterus.

745. And hence is Tetragrammaton Tzabaoth called Yesod, the Foundation (the ninth Sephira). Also it is written, Ps. cxxxii. 13 : Since Tetragrammaton hath chosen Tzion to be a habitation for Himself, He hath desired Her.”

746. When Matronitha, the Mother, is separated, and conjoined with the King face to face in the excellence of the Sabbath, all things become one body.

747. And then the Holy One — blessed be He ! — sitteth on His throne, and all things are called the Complete Name, the Holy Name. Blessed be His Name for ever, and unto the ages of the ages !

748. All these words have I kept back unto this day, which is crowned by them for the world to come. And now herein are they manifested, 0 blessed be my portion !

749. When this Mother is conjoined with the King, all the worlds receive blessing, and the universe is found to be in joy.

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KABBALAH.

750. Like as the Male ( Microprosopus ) existeth from the Triad ( Kether , Chokmah, and Binali ), and His beginning is with the Triad, in this same manner are all things disposed, and the end of the whole body is thus ; also the Mother {Inferior') receiveth not the blessing except in the Syntagma of the Triad, and these paths are Netzach, Hod, and Yesod.

751. And She is mitigated, and receiveth blessing in that place which is called the Holy of Holies below.

752. As it is written, Ps. cxxxii. 3 : “ Since there Tetragrammaton giveth His blessing.” For there are two paths ; that which is above, and that which is below.

753. Hence there is permission granted unto none to enter therein, save unto the High Priest, who entereth from the side of Chesed, in order that none other might enter into that supernal place save that which is called Chesed.

754. And He entereth into the Holy of Holies, and the Bride is mitigated, and that Holy of Holies receiveth blessing, in the place which is called Tzion.

755. But Tzion and Jerusalem are two paths, one •denoting Mercy, and the other Justice.

756. For concerning Tzion it is written, Isa. i. 27 : u Through Meshephat, Judgment, it is redeemed.” And concerning Jerusalem it is written, ibid. 21 : “Justice, Tzedeq, abideth in Her,” as we have before explained.

757. And every desire of the Male is toward the Female.
But thus are these called, because hence proceed blessings
for all the worlds, and all things receive blessing.

758. This place is called Holy, and all the holinesses of the Male enter therein, through that path of which we have spoken.

759. But they all come from the supernal head of the Male skull, from that portion of the supernal brain wherein they reside.

760. And this blessing floweth down through all the members of the body even unto those which are called Tzabaoth, the Armies.

THE LESSER HOLY ASSEMBLY.

761. And all that which floweth down throughout the -whole body is congregated therein, and therefore are they called Tzabaoth, the Armies ; because all the armies of the superiors and inferiors go forth therefrom.

762. And that which floweth down into that place where it is congregated, and which is emitted through that most holy Yesod, Foundation, is entirely white, and therefore is it called Chesed.