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.
356. t; If thus be the matter, this is also to be noted which is written : 4 VIDBR IHY H, Vaycdeber Tetragrammaton ; and Tetragrammaton spake forth unto Moses, sayiug.’ Nevertheless, what one of the prophets was so great as Moses ? For never was any man so worthy as he ; for he heard the DBVR, Debur , loud voice, like the proclamation of a herald, and he feared not, neither did he tremble; while the other prophets trembled even at AMIRH, Amir all, the speech, and were greatly afraid.
357. “ Also we have learned that through the first and second dispositions of the beard it is necessary to pass on to the third; like as it is written, Job xxxiii. 29 : 1 Behold, God worketh all this with man by three paths.’ *
358. 44 And come, behold ! it is necessary through the two first conformations that thou pass on unto the third, because the third form is in the midst.
359. 44 For, under the nose, f beneath the two nostrils, there issueth a certain path, and from that path the hairs are wanting.
360. “Wherefore are they wanting? Because it is written, Mic. vii. 18: 4 VOVBR OL PS11O, Va- Glibber Glial Pe sluing, and passing over transgression.’ Therefore is that path prepared ( namely ) for the purpose of passing over ( transgression ).
361. “And therefore that path resideth beneath the nostrils of the nose ; and the hairs do not grow in that path, because it subdueth iniquities.
362. “For it is written: 4 Passing over transgression,’ for the purpose of passing over unto the sacred mouth, in order that it may say, 4 1 have pardoxed.’
* The same word which is here rendered thus is translated in the ordinary version of the Bible, “ oftentimes.”
t See § 217 of this book, and also the “Book of Concealed Mystery,”
ii. § 8.
KABBALAH.
363. “ We have learned that many threatened vials of wrath look for this mouth, and to none among them is it manifested ; for it is withdrawn and guarded around ; it is known, and it is not known.
364. “We have learned in the ‘Book of Concealed Mystery ’ : What is this which is written (in this disposition of the letters in this) word, PShO, Pesliang ? If they be first, the word ‘ OVBR, Ghober , passing over,’ hath place ; if, on the other hand, not so, the word ‘ PShO, Pesliang , transgression,’ hath place.
365. “What doth this phrase teach, ‘passing over transgression ’ ? ShPO, Shephau , influence, (it teacheth ) if Sh (in PShO) be placed before the P.*
366. “ If they are not just, it remaineth (i.e.: the influence), and passeth. not over into Microprosopus.
367. “ What is the difference between the one and the other ? In Microprosopus (the matter standeth thus) : this path descendeth beneath the nostrils of His nose. It is written, Num. xii. 9 : ‘ And the anger of Tetragrammaton was kindled against him, and He departed/
368. “What is this, ‘ And He departed ’ ? Because the spirit of anger departed from those nostrils, and if he found any man before him, he was taken away, and was no more found.
369. “ Which is intimated in these words, Isa. xl. 7 :
* This is simply a transposition of the two first letters of the word in question. Of course, the same letters being retained, though their relative places are changed, the numeration of the two words by Gematria will he identical. But it is worth our while to notice what the numeration of this word is, especially as Rabbi Cliiya has not examined it. P + Sh + 0 = 80 + 300 + 70 = 450 = ThN, Than , the dragon. Ergo, according to the exegetical rule of Gematria, the dragon will be the symbol of transgression. But 450 is also the numeration of ShPO, influence ; therefore is the dragon a symbol also of influence and of power. But “ this influence passeth over into- Microprosopus ; ” now one of the qabalistical axioms given by Pistorius is : “ Paradise is the sephirotic tree. In the midst thereof the great Adam is Tiphereth.” (See Introduction.) Therefore the influence passing, over into Microprosopus is also the serpent entering into the garden of Eden.
THE GREATER HOLY ASSEMBLY
‘ Because the Spirit of Tetragrammaton bloweth upon it.’
370. “But concerning Macroprosopus it is written : £ Passing over transgression.’
371. ‘‘Also it is written, Job xxxvii. 21 : ‘ And the spirit (wind) passeth over and hath cleansed them.’
372. “ Also we have learned that on this account it is thus written : ‘ Passing over transgression ’ in that path. Also concerning that (passage), Exod. xii. 23 : 4 And He passeth over to smite the Egyptians.’