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

[The four, separately joined, probably refer to the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, and the nine to the last nine Sephiroth — i.e., exclusive of Kether. The garden, or Paradise, is another term expressive of the whole Sephirotic system in Atziloth, the archetypal world.]

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KABBALAH.

6. Tliis ornamentation beginneth to be formed before the gate of the ears.

7. It descendeth in beauty into the beginning of the lips ; from this beginning into that beginning.

8. There existeth a path which goeth ont beneath the two galleries of the nostrils, in order that he may seek to pass over transgression ; like as it is written, Prov. xix. 1 1 : u And it is glory to pass over a transgression.”

[The parting of the moustache on the centre of the upper lip.
“ It is his glory to pass over a transgression.”]

9. Beneath the lips the beard goeth about into another beginning.

10. Beneath that another path goeth forth.

11. It covereth the approaches to the aromatic beginning which is above.

1 2 . Two apples are beheld, to illuminate the lights.

[The two “ apples,” or “ apple-trees,” are the cheeks. Compare with this the imagery of the Song of Solomon.]

1 3 . The influence of all floweth down as far as the heart (therein hang suspended the superiors and the inferiors).

14. Among those locks which hang down, none shineth forth above another.

1 5 . The lesser cover the throat like an ornament ; the greater are restored to perfect proportion.

1 6. The lips are free on every side. Blessed is he who shall become the receiver of their kisses.

1 7. In that influence of all stream down thirteen drops of most pure balm.

18. In this influence all things exist and are con- -cealed.

19. At that time, when the seventh month draweth nigh, those months shall be found to be thirteen (for in the Codex, so often said to be correct, this word ThRISR, Tharisar , or twelve, is expunged ; as if it were then shown to be a year of thirteen months, according to the

THE BOOK OF CONCEALED MYSTERY. 6?

number of those thirteen divisions of the influence) in the supernal world, and the thirteen gates of mercy are opened. At that time (by which principally the day of expiation is meant, according to that passage of Isaiah, lv. 6) : “ Seek ye the Lord while He can be found.”

[The “ thirteen divisions of the influence in the supernal world ” are of course these thirteen parts of the beard of Macroprosopus considered in the sense of Atziloth, the archetypal world, the habitation of the pure Sephiroth alone : “ Seek ye the Loud while he may be found.”]

20. It is written, Gen. i. 1 1 : “ And the Lord said, Let the earth bring forth germination ; (let there be} grass yielding seed.” (If here the word IHI, Yehi, u let there be,” be inserted, they make nine words.) This is that which is written : “ And humble your bodies in the ninth of the month at even.” (This is to be understood concerning that time concerning which we have spoken above, because then the Lord is to be sought out.)

[VIAMR ALHIM ThDShA HARTz DShA OShB MZRIO
ZRO, eight words, to which if IHI be added, we have nine. The
English version = “ And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass,
the herb yielding seed.”]

21. (In that passage, Deut. iii. 24, where it is written) : “ Adonai Jehovah, thou hast begun to show unto Thy servant Thy greatness,” the name, Tetragrammaton, IHYH existeth perfectly written in its sides. (So that the name ADNI, Adonai , denoteth the inferior H, He, from the one side ; and the points of the name ALHIM, Ulohim, denote the superior H, He, from the other side.)

[“ In its sides ” — i.e., in its aspects. The points are the vowel marks.]

22. But here in this progermination of the earth it is not perfect, because IHI, Yehi (let there be), is not written. (But we read it so that also these letters do not represent a perfect name.)

23. (But therein is represented to us) the superior I,

KABBALAH.

Yod (that is, the mark of supernal mercy, which is that most holy Ancient One, as the correct Mantuan Codex shows in a marginal note), and the inferior I, Yod (that is, the mark of inferior mercy, which is Microprosopus with the influence which he hath from Macroprosopus, which two II, Yods, are also represented in that passage, Gen. ii. 7) : VIITzR IHVH, Vayeyetsir , Yod , He, Vau , He, and Tetragrammaton formed (the supernal) I, Yod, (and the inferior I, Yod).