The Kabbalah Unveiled — S. L. MacGregor Mathers (from Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin) (1887)
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9. But if any man attentively meditateth on the nine divisions of these forms ( see § 5, ante), like as it is meet to do ; that man is one who honour eth the Name of his Lord, even the Holy Name. And hereunto belongeth that which is written, 1 Sam. ii. 30 : u Since those who honour Me will I honour; and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” I will honour him in this world, that I may preserve him, and provide him with all things of which he hath need, in order that all nations of the earth may see that the Name of the Lord is called upon by him ; and that they may fear him. And in the world to come he shall be found worthy to stand in the tabernacle of the righteous.
10. Wherefore such an one seeketh nothing of which he hath need, because he is kept under the special providence of his Lord, and can meditate concerning Him, as it is right to do.
1 1 . But what is to be understood by that passage — “ And they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed ?” Such an one is that man who can neither institute the union of the Holy Name, nor bind together the links of truth, nor derive the supemals into the position required, nor honour the Name of his Lord. Better were it for that man had he never been created, and much more for that man who doth not attentively meditate when he saith Amen !
12. For which reason, concerning that man especially who moveth his lips (in prayer), with a pure heart (meditating) on those purifying waters, in that passage expressly and clearly written, Gen. i. 26 : u And the Elohim said, Let us make man.” As if it were said concerning such a man who knew how to unite image and likeness, as it is right : “ And they shall have dominion over the fish of the sea,” &c.
Hereunto is the annotation.
THE BOOK OF CONCEALED MYSTERY.
9i
CHAPTER IV.
1 . The Ancient One is hidden and concealed ; the
Microprosopns is manifested, and is not manifested.
[The “Ancient One ” is Ketlier, Eheieh, Macroprosopns, the
Vast Countenance. See Introduction, §§, 42, 77.]
2. When he is manifested, he is symbolized by the letters (in the ordinary form in which the Tetragrammaton is written).
3. When he is concealed, he is hidden by the letters which are not disposed according (to the proper order) of the letters, or (according to another reading of this passage) in their proper place ; because also in him their superiors and inferiors are not rightly disposed (because of the disturbed transpositions).
4. In Gen. i. 24 it is written: “The earth brought forth the living creature after its kind, cattle and reptile,” &c. Hereunto belongeth that which is written, Ps. xxxv. 7 : “ 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve both man and beast.”
5. The one is contained under the general meaning of the other, and also the beast under the general idea of the man (on account of the mystery of the revolution of the soul).
6. (And hereunto pertaineth that passage) Levit. i. 2 : “ When a man shall bring from among you an offering unto the Lord, &c. Ye shall offer, &c.” Because animals are included under the generic term man.
7. When the inferior man descendeth (into this world), like unto the supernal form (in himself), there are found two spirits. (So that) man is formed from two sides — from the right and from the left.
8. With respect unto the right side he had NShMThA
QHIShA, Neschamotha Qadisha , the holy intelligences ;
KABBALAH.
with respect unto the left side, NPSh ChIH, Nephesh Chiah , the animal soul.
[These answer to the right and left pillars of the Sephirotli.
See Introduction.]
9. Man sinned and was expanded on the left side ; and then they who are formless were expanded also. (That is, those spirits of matter, who received dominion in the inferior paths of the soul of Adam, whence arose base concupiscence.) When (therefore) both were at once joined together (namely by base concupiscence, together with connexion, and the animal soul) generations took place, like as from some animal which generateth many lives in one connexion.
10. (There are given) twenty-two letters hidden and twenty-two letters manifested (which are the symbols of those sublime forms).