The Kabbalah Unveiled — S. L. MacGregor Mathers (from Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin) (1887)
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
■which mention hath been made above : because A, Aleph, in itself containeth Y, Vau ; to which latter letter the middle line, in the form of the character of the letter Aleph , can be assimilated. And thus, while it is written HA, the word HYA can be symbolized ; but not vice versd. For although) Y in itself containeth A (because the figure of the letter A may be said to be composed of YIY, if its middle line be divided ; so that also, without taking the whole character A into consideration, it may be read HY : this HY) nevertheless doth not contain in itself any real form of writing H, so that it can be read HY or HI.
[The reader must remember that the argument in this section is concerning the shape of the Hebrew letters mentioned, alone, and that neither their numerical value nor articulate power is taken into consideration. The shape of the Hebrew letters can be seen in the Table of the Alphabet.]
6 5 . (Moreover, in that same form of writing HA, like as A passeth into Y, so that HYA, Ho a, may be read : so also) A is pronounced Aleph (and this is the second way of pronouncing the writing HA, which simply is referred unto MH, Mali. But, moreover, also) Aleph is pronounced as I YD, Yod (because the form of the letter A is usually resolved into these three letters, so that Yod may be above, Vau in the middle, and Dcdeth below. So that same written form HA in itself comprehendeth also that sublimer triune idea. But not vice versa , from HI is HA to be understood, for I, Yod, is not pronounced Aleph ; but IYD is pronounced as I, Yod, which is concealed with all concealments, and to which YD are not joined (like as that form is to be found in the shape of the letter Aleph.)
[H, He, in Hebrew is the definite article ; so that H-A maybe read He-Aleph, the Aleph.
66. (But this form, which in itself includeth Y, Vau , and D, Dalcth , is usual in the inferior paths, and also in the father. And) Woe ! when I, Yod, irradiateth not the letters Y, Vau , and D, Daleth ; (and much more)
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KABBALAH .
when I, Tod , is taken away from V, Vau , D, Daletli , through the sins of the world ; (because then) the nakedness of them all is discovered.
67. Therefore is it written, Lev. xviii. 7: “The nakedness of thy father thou shalt not uncover.” (For YD, Vau Daletli are the same as H, He; and when it is written IYD, it is the same as if it were called IH (namely if Y, Vau , be inserted in D, Daletli). Woe ! when Yod is taken away from He (that is, wisdom from understanding, which is the conceiving mother) because it is written, Lev. xviii. 7 : “ And the nakedness of thy mother thou shalt not uncover ; she is thy mother, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.” Revere her ; she is thy mother ; because it is written, Prov. ii. 3 : “ Because thou shalt call understanding thy mother.” (This is arrived at by reading the word AM in this passage with the pointing Tsere, instead of with the usual Chireq pointing.)
[“ VD = H.” This is again referring to the shape of the letter in question.]
[I have already stated in the Introduction, for the benefit of those jo f my readers who are not Hebrew or Chaldee scholars, that the Hebrew alphabet is chiefly consonantal, the vowels being supplied by small points or marks placed close to the letters.]
THE BOOK OF CONCEALED MYSTERY.
CHAPTER III.
1 . Nine are said to be the conformations of the beard (of Microprosopus). For that which remaineth concealed (that is, the other four forms, which meanwhile are not found in Microprosopus), and which is not manifested, is supernal and venerable (that is, properly and of itself doth not refer to Microprosopus, but nevertheless descendeth upon him in another manner).