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

627. Like as it is written, Job xxxiv. 21 : “ Because His eyes are upon the ways of man.” And when they are illuminated with that whiteness, then they behold all the lords of truth, in order to do good unto the world because of them ; and every glance (of those eyes ) is benevolent towards Israel.

• 628. But with the red colour He beholdeth those who are bound ; which is intimated in these words, Exod.
• iii. 7 : “In seeing have I seen;” “In seeing,” for the purpose of doing good unto them ; “I have seen,” that by vindicating them I may deliver them from their afflictors.

629. And therefore is it written, Ps. xliv. 24 :
“ Awake : wherefore sleepest Thou, O Tetragrammaton ?
Arise ! forsake us not for ever.” “ Awake and arise.”
There are two inspections, two openings, two good things ;
there is mercy, there is also vengeance.

630. The first colour is red, hidden and inclosed within red ; in comparison with it, all other reds do not seem to be (red)*

63 1. Around this red goeth a certain black thread (of colour ), and surround eth it.

632. This second colour is black, like that stone which goeth forth from the abyss once in a thousand years into the great sea.

* Meaning that it is so brilliant that all other red colours seem poor and pale in comparison with it.

THE CEE A TER HOLY ASSEMBLY.

633. And when that stone* goeth forth there cometh a tempest and a storm upon the great sea,+ and its waters are troubled, and (their motion soundeth as) a voice, and they are heard by the great fish which is called Leviathan.

634. And this stone goeth forth, and is whirled onward in the current of the sea, and goeth forth thence ; and this is so great a blackness + that beside it all other blacknesses are as nought (otherwise, now it is withdrawn because all the other paths are hidden and enshrouded by it).

635. And such is the blackness of the black {part of) the eye, which includeth and concealeth all the remaining blacknesses ; and about that blackness there is found a certain red thread (of colour) which surroundeth that blackness.

636. The third colour is the yellow of all yellows, which includeth and concealeth all other yellows, and in the circumference of that yellow there whirl around two threads (of colour ), a red thread on the one direction, and a black thread in another direction ; and they surround that yellow colour.

637. But when that white brilliance whirleth around it, and the eye flameth with that white brilliance, all those other colours are not at rest, and are submerged in the lowest depths thereof ; the red, the yellow, and the black are not seen only that white brilliance alone ; which receiveth its light from Him, even from the Ancient of Days.

638. And from that ( white brilliance ) all the inferiors shine, neither is any colour seen save that white brilliance alone. And therefore are all the lords of red-

* Cf. Rev. viii. 8. This also suggests alchemical symbolism.

t The great sea is Binah, and the great fish is Leviathan, “ whose head is broken by the waters of the great sea.’’ (Seethe Introduction, “Book of Concealed Mystery,” i. § 28 ; Ps. lxxiv. 13 ; and Rev. xiii.)

+ Cf. the “ blackest of the black” of Hermes Trismegistus.

KABBALAH.

ness and blackness, which are as it were twin ( colours ), displaced.

639. This is the same which is written, Cant. iv. 2 :
“ Which go np from the washing, which are all twins.”

640. What is this, “ From the washing ? ” From that white brilliance of the excellent holy eye ; for all are twins, the one {colour) is as the other.*

641. But truly doth not he (the author of the Canticles) say that the teeth are each in turn like a shorn flock ; and thou sayest that all these are twins ?

642. Nevertheless, the sense is that this whiteness of them is as that whiteness of the eyes {of Microprosopus ) when they are made brilliant by the white brilliance of the supernal eye {of Macroprosopus).

643. And the just are about to understand and behold that thing in the Spirit of Wisdom.

644. Like as it is written, Isa. Hi. 8 : “ Because they shall see eye to eye.” When ? u When Tetragrammaton shall bring again Zion.”

645. Also it is written, Num. xiv. 14: uBy whom Thou, 0 Tetragrammaton ! art seen eye to eye : ” f and then the opening of the eyes is towards good.

646. For there is an opening of the eyes toward good, and there is also another {opening of the eyes) toward evil.