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.
t Compare the precept in the Smaragdine tablet of Hermes Trismegistus : “ That which is below is like that which is above, and that which is above is like that which is below, for the performance of the miracles of the one substance. ’ This is the fundamental principle of all the ancient mystic doctrines, whether qabalistical, mythological, alchemical, or magical ; and in this formula all are contained. As is God, so is the universe ; as is the Creator the Supernal Man, so is the created the inferior man ; as Macrocosm, so Microcosm ; as eternity, so life !
KABBALAH.
389. “ Also we have learned this: ‘ He hath not kept/ i.e., there is no place wherein anger can remain. Like as in the superior there is opportunity given for taking away ( anger ), so also in the inferior is the (same opportunity) afforded.
390. “ We have learned this : whensoever in this Ancient One, the most concealed of all, this path is uncovered, it is well for all the inferior (paths) ;* for then appeareth counsel for doing good to them all.
391. “ But when it is withdrawn, and is not ununcovered, there is no counsel, neither is there any who knoweth Him, save Himself.f
392. “ Like as also none knoweth the superior Eden, save Himself, save Him, the Ancient of the Ancient Ones.
393. “ And concerning this it is written, Ps. xcii. 6 : c O Lord how excellent are Thy works ! Thy thoughts are very deep ! ’ ”
394. Rabbi Schimeon said unto him: ‘‘May thy works be reckoned in order in the world to come by the Ancient of the Ancient Ones ! ”
CHAPTER XVII.
CONCERNING THE SIXTH PART OF THE BEARD OF
MACROPROSOPUS.
595. The hair is arranged in the sixth conformation, and ascendeth from below upwards, and toucheth the
* That is, the lower forms of the Sephiroth.
+ Himself, HVA, Hoa, whom we can only symbolize by this pronoun ; He, Who is the Absolute ; He, Who is beyond us ; that awful and unknowable Crown, Who hath said, I am ; in Whom is neither past nor future, He Who is the Eternal Present. Therefore is He, Hoa, the Father, known of none save the Son, IHYH, and him to whom the Son will reveal Him. For none can see Hoa and live, for they would be absorbed in Him.
THE GREATER HOLY ASSEMBLY.
circles of most excellent fragrance, even unto the beginning of the month above ; and the hair descendeth from the beginning (of the mouth above ) unto the beginning of the opening of the mouth below. “ Arise thou ! Rabbi Yisa, and expound this conformation/’
396. Rabbi Yisa arose, and commenced, and said,
Is. liv. 10 : “ c And thy blessing shall not depart from
thee ! ’
397. “ Also it is written : c And in everlasting compassion have I had mercy upon thee.’
398. “ Do not these verses contradict one another? They do not. For this is what we have learned : there is given a compassion (of one kind) , and again there is given a compassion of another kind. For the one is the interior compassion, and the other is the external compassion.
399. “ The interior compassion is that of which we have spoken concerning the Ancient of Days, and that is concealed in this part of the beard, which is called the angle of the beard.
400. “ Neither is it advisable for a man to destroy this part (of his beard) because of this interior compassion of the Ancient of Days.
401. “ Aud therefore is it written concerning the inferior priesthood, Lev. xxi. 5 : 4 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the angle of their beard.’
402. “Wherefore? Lest they should destroy the path of the Mercy of the Ancient One. For also the priesthood is (symbolically) referred unto this path.
403. “Also we have learned in the ‘Book of Concealed Mystery ’ that every work existeth in order that it may procure increase for Mercy, and that it may establish the same ; also that this is not to be cut off nor removed from the world.
404. “ This is that which is written : 4 And My Compassion shall not depart from thee.’ Namely, the Compassion of the Ancient of Days.
i5»
KABBALAH .
405. “ {But when it is said in another text), ‘ And in mercy, OVLM, Olahm, for ever {this is the sense), the mercy which is called ‘ mercy for ever ’ is the second form concerning which it is written, Ps. lxxxix. 2 : ‘ I have said, Mercy shall be bnilt up for ever.’
406. “ And this compassion of the Ancient of Days is the mercy of truth. And {this phrase) ‘mercy of truth’ is not said concerning the life of the body, but concerning the life of the soul.