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

28. But his head is broken by the waters of the great sea. (The great sea is wisdom, the fountain of mercy and loving-kindness ; which, if it sendeth down its influence, judgments are pacified, and the hurtful power of the shells is restricted) ; like as it is written, Ps. lxxiv. 13 : “ Thou hast broken the heads of the dragons by the waters.”

[“The waters of the great sea,” are the influence of the supernal mother, Binah, of whom Malkuth is the reflection. But Binah receives the influence of Chokmah. See Introduction.]

29. They were two (male and female, whence the text of the Psalm speaketh of the dragons in the plural number ; but when the plural number is given in its least form, two only are understood). They are reduced into one (for the female leviathan hath been slain, lest they should seek to multiply judgments). Whence the word ThNINM, Thenanim (in the before-mentioned passage of the Psalm), is written in a defective form (purposely to denote that restriction).

[I may refer the reader to the Talmud for further information regarding Jewish ideas of the Leviathan. Tlienanim is written in a defective form, because the letter I of the plural is omitted. Written fully, it should be TnNINIM, instead of ThNINM.]

30. (But it is said) heads (in the plural number, for the purpose of denoting a vast multitude, as well of species as of individuals in that genus) ; like as it is written, Ezek. i. 22 : “And a likeness, as a firmament, above the heads of the living creature.” (Where also the word living creature, ChIH, Chiah , is put in the singular as a genus of angels ; and heads in the plural for the purpose of denoting species and innumerable individuals.)

[“Thou hast broken the heads of the dragons ( Thenanim ) by the waters.” It must be remembered that this dragon is said by the author of the “ Royal Talley ” to be the king of all the “ shells ”

KABBALAH.

or demons. Now, the demons are divided into ten classes, corresponding to the ten Sephiroth, hut in an averse form, and are called in the hook, “ Beth Elohim,” the “ impure Sephiroth.” The heads of the leviathan (cf. the Lemaean Hydra which Hercules slew) are probably these. Compare the description of the beast in Bevelation.]

31. “And the Elohim said, Let there be light, and there was light.” (The sense may be sought from that Psalm xxxiii. 9) where it is written, “ Since He Himself spake, and it was done.” (First, therefore, is commemorated) the Path HYA, Hoa (that is, the mother of understanding, who is called ALHIM, Elohim , near the beginning of the verse, “ And the Elohim said.” She also is called HYA, Hoa , in the words of Psalm xxxiii. 9, on account of her truly secret nature) is alone (as well with Moses as with David). The word YIHI, Vayelii , “ and it was done,” is also alone. (As if the six members were considered separately, seeing that Y, Van occupieth the first place in the word YIHI, Vayehi .

[This statement, that the supernal mother is symbolized by the word Hoa, He, seems at first sight at variance with the statement in another place, that Hoa represents Macroprosopus. But the* letter H in the Tetragrammaton symbolizes the supernal mother, and this is also the initial letter of Hoa. And again by Gematria (see Introduction) Hoa, HYA= 54-6-I- 1 = 12, and the digits of 12 1+2 = 3. And 3 symbolizes Binah because she is the third Sephira. 4 Seeing that Y, Vau , occupies the first place in the word YIHI,,r because Y stands for the number 6. See Table of the Alphabet* Ac., in Introduction.] j