Hebrew Literature Part 39

And therefore is it written, Gen. ii. 10, "And a river went forth out of Eden"-_i.e._, properly speaking, it continually goeth forth and never faileth.

As it is written, Isa. lviii. 11, "And like a fountain of waters, whose waters fail not."

And therefore is She called "My love," since from the grace of kindred a.s.sociation They rest in perfect unity.

But the other is called the Bride, for when the Male cometh that He may consort with Her, then is She the Bride, for She, properly speaking, cometh forth as the Bride.

And therefore doth Solomon expound those two forms of the Woman; and concerning the first form indeed he worketh hiddenly, seeing it is hidden.

But the second form is more fully explained, seeing that it is not so hidden as the other.

But at the end all his praise pertaineth unto Her who is supernal, as it is written, Cant. vi. 9, "She is the only one of Her Mother, She is the choice one of Her that bare Her."

And since this Mother, Aima, is crowned with the crown of the Bride, and the grace of the letter I, _Yod_, ceaseth not from Her forever, hence unto Her arbitration is committed all the liberty of those inferior, and all the liberty of all things, and all the liberty of sinners, so that all things may be purified.

As it is written, Lev. xvi. 30, "Since in that day he shall atone for you."

Also is it written, Lev. xxv. 10, "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year."(831) This year is IVBL, _Yobel_, Jubilee.

What is Yobel? As it is written, Jer. xvii. 8, "VOL IVBL, _Va-El Yobel_, And spreadeth out her roots by the river"; therefore that river whichever goeth forth and floweth, and goeth forth and faileth not.

It is written, Prov. ii. 3, "If thou wilt call Binah the Mother, and wilt give thy voice unto Thebunah."

Seeing it is here said, "If thou wilt call Binah the Mother," wherefore is Thebunah added?

a.s.suredly, according as I have said, all things are supernal truth: Binah is higher than Thebunah. For in the word BINH, _Binah_, are shown Father, Mother, and Son; since by the letters IH, Father and Mother are denoted, and the letters BN, denoting the Son, are amalgamated with them.

THBVNH, _Thebunah_, is the whole completion of the children, since it containeth the letters BN, _Ben_, BTH, _Bath_, and VH, _Vau He_, by which are denoted the Son and Daughter.

Yet AB VAM, _Ab Ve-Am_, the Father and the Mother, are not found, save BAIMA, _Be-Aima_, in the Mother, for the venerable Aima broodeth over Them, neither is She uncovered.

Whence it cometh that that which embraceth the two Children is called THBVNH, _Thebunah_, and that which embraceth the Father, the Mother, and the Son is called BINH, _Binah_.

And when all things are comprehended, they are comprehended therein, and are called by that name of Father, Mother, and Son.

And these are CHKMH, _Wisdom_, Father; BINH, _Understanding_, Mother; and DOTH, _Daath_, Knowledge.

Since that Son(832) a.s.sumeth the symbols of His Father and of His Mother, and is called DOTH, _Daath_, Knowledge, since He is the testimony of Them both.

And that Son is called the first-born, as it is written, Exod. iv. 22, "Israel is my first-born son."

And since He is called first-born, therefore it implieth dual offspring.

And when He increaseth, in His Crown appear three divisions.(833)

But whether it be taken in this way or in that, there are as well two as three divisions herein, for all things are one; and so is it in this (light) or in that.(834)

Nevertheless, He (the Son) receiveth the inheritance of His Father and of His Mother.

What is that inheritance? These two crowns, which are hidden within Them, which They pa.s.s on in succession to this Son.(835)

From the side of the Father (_Chokmah_) there is one Crown concealed therein, which is called Chesed.

And from the side of the Mother (_Binah_) there is one Crown, which is called Geburah.

And all those crown His head (_i.e._, the Head of Microprosopus), and He taketh them.

And when that Father and Mother shine above Him, all (these crowns) are called the phylacteries of the Head, and that Son taketh all things, and becometh the heir of all.

And He pa.s.seth on His inheritance unto the Daughter, and the Daughter is nourished by Him. But, properly speaking, henceforth (from the parents) doth the Son become the heir, and not the Daughter.

The Son becometh the heir of His Father and of His Mother, and not the Daughter, but by Him is the Daughter cherished.

As it is written, Dan. iv. 12, "And in that tree food for all."

And if thou sayest all, a.s.suredly He as well as She are called TZDIQ, _Tzediq_, Just, and TZDQ, _Tzedeq_, Justice, which are in one and are one.

All things are thus. Father and Mother are mutually contained in and a.s.sociated with Themselves.

And the Father is the more concealed (of the two), and the whole adhereth unto the Most Holy Ancient One.

And dependeth from the Holy Influence, which is the Ornament of all Ornaments.

And they, the Father and the Mother, const.i.tute the abode, as I have said.

As it is written, Prov. xxiv. 3, 4, "Through Chokmah is the abode constructed, and by Thebunah is it established, and in Daath shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Also it is written, Prov. xxii. 18, "For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep (_Daath_) within thee."

This is the system of all things, even as I have said, and (all things) depend from the Glorious Holy Influence.

Rabbi Schimeon said: In the (former) a.s.sembly I revealed not all things, and all those things have been concealed even until now.

And I have wished to conceal them, even unto the world to come, because there also a certain question will be propounded unto me.

As it is written, Isa. x.x.xiii. 6, "And Chokmah and Daath shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation; the fear of Tetragrammaton is His treasure," etc., and they shall seek out Wisdom, Chokmah.

Now truly thus is the will of the Most Holy and Blessed G.o.d, and without shame will I enter in before His palace.

It is written, 1 Sam. ii. 3, "Since AL DOVTH, _El Daoth_,(836) is Tetragrammaton." Daoth, or of Knowledges (plural), properly speaking, for He acquireth Daoth by inheritance.

Through Daoth are all His palaces filled, as it is written, Prov. xxix, "And in Daath shall the chambers be filled."

And therefore Daath is not furthermore revealed, for It occultly pervadeth Him inwardly.

And is comprehended in that brain and in the whole body, since "El Daoth is Tetragrammaton."

In the "Book of the Treatise" it is said concerning these words, "Since El Daoth is Tetragrammaton," read not DOVTH, _Daoth_, of knowledges, but ODVTH,(837) _Edoth_, of _testimony_.