Hebrew Literature Part 43

And therefore is (Chokmah) called the Perfection of all; and to it is ascribed the name of Truth.

And therefore is it written, "And Jacob declared," and not written, "and Jacob said."

Those (two) colors are extended throughout the whole Body (of Microprosopus), and His Body cohereth with them.

In the Most Holy Ancient One, the Concealed with all Concealments, (things) are not ascribed diversely, and unto Him do they not tend (diversely), since the whole is the same (with itself) and (thus is) life unto all (things); and from Him judgment dependeth not (directly).

But concerning Him (Microprosopus) it is written, that unto Him are ascribed (diverse) works, properly speaking.

Chapter XII: Concerning the Hair of Microprosopus

From the skull of the Head (of Microprosopus) depend all those chiefs and leaders (otherwise, all those thousands and tens of thousands), and also from the locks of the hair.

Which are black, and mutually bound together, and which mutually cohere.

But they adhere unto the Supernal Light from the Father, AB, _Ab_, which surroundeth His Head (_i.e._, that of Microprosopus); and unto the Brain, which is illuminated from the Father.

Thencefrom, even from the light which surroundeth His Head (_i.e._, that of Microprosopus) from the Mother, Aima, and from the second Brain, proceed long locks upon locks (of hair).

And all adhere unto and are bound together with those locks(854) which have their connection with the Father.

And because (these locks are) mutually intermingled with each other, and mutually intertwined with each other, hence all the Brains are connected with the Supernal Brain (of Macroprosopus).

And hence all the regions which proceed from the Three Cavities of the Skull are mingled mutually together, as well pure as impure, and all those accents and mysteries are as well hidden as manifest.

And since all the Brains have a secret connection with the ears of Tetragrammaton, in the same way as they shine in the crown of the Head, and enter into the hollow places of the Skull.

Hence all these locks hang over and cover the sides of the ears, as we have elsewhere said.

And therefore is it written, 2 Kings xix. 16, "Incline, O Tetragrammaton, Thine ear, and hear!"

Hence is the meaning of this pa.s.sage, which is elsewhere given, "If any man wisheth the King to incline His ear unto him, let him raise(855) the head of the King and remove the hair from above the ears; then shall the King hear him in all things whatsoever he desireth."

In the parting of the hair a certain path is connected with the (same) path of the Ancient of Days, and therefrom are distributed all the paths of the precepts of the Law.

And over these (locks of hair) are set all the Lords of Lamentation and Wailing; and they depend from the single locks.

And these spread a net for sinners, so that they may not comprehend those paths.

This is that which is said, Prov. iv. 18, "The path of the wicked is as darkness."

And these all depend from the rigid locks; hence also these are entirely rigid, as we have before said.

In the softer (locks) adhere the Lords of Equilibrium, as it is written, Ps. xxv. 10, "All the paths of Tetragrammaton are CHSD, _Chesed_, and AMTH, _Emeth_, Mercy and Truth."

And thus when these developments of the Brain emanate from the Concealed Brain, hencefrom each singly deriveth its own nature.

From the one Brain the Lords of Equilibrium proceed through those softer locks, as it is written, Ps. xxv. 10, "All the paths of Tetragrammaton are Chesed and Emeth."

From the second Brain the Lords of Lamentation and Wailing proceed through those rigid locks and depend (from them). Concerning whom it is written, Prov. iv. 19, "The path of the wicked is as darkness; they know not wherein they stumble."

What is this pa.s.sage intended to imply? a.s.suredly the sense of these words: "they know not," is this: "They do not know, and they do not wish to know."

"Wherein they stumble." Do not read "BMH, _Bameh_, wherein," but "BAIMA, _Be-Aima_, in Aima, the Mother," they stumble; that is, through those who are attributed unto the side of the Mother.

What is the side of the Mother? Severe Rigor, whereunto are attributed the Lords of Lamentation and Wailing.

From the third Brain the Lords of Lords proceed through those locks arranged in the middle condition (_i.e._, partly hard and partly soft), and depend (therefrom); and they are called the Luminous and the Non-Luminous Countenances.

And concerning these it is written, Prov. iv. 26, "Ponder the path of thy feet."

And all these are found in those locks of the hair of the Head.

Chapter XIII: Concerning the Forehead of Microprosopus

The forehead of the Skull (of Microprosopus) is the forehead for visiting sinners (otherwise, for rooting out sinners).

And when that forehead is uncovered there are excited the Lords of Judgments against those who are shameless in their deeds.

This forehead hath a rosy redness. But at that time when the forehead of the Ancient One is uncovered over against this forehead, the latter appeareth white as snow.

And that time is called the Time of Grace for all.

In the "Book of the Teaching of the School of Rav Yeyeva the Elder" it is said: The forehead is according as the forehead(856) of the Ancient One.

Otherwise, the letter _Cheth_, CH, is placed between the other two letters, according to this pa.s.sage, Num. xxiv. 17, "VMCHTZ, _Ve-Machetz_, and shall smite the corners of Moab?"

And we have elsewhere said that it is also called NTZCH, _Netzach_, the neighboring letters (M and N, neighboring letters in the alphabet, that is, and allied in sense, for _Mem_ = Water, and _Nun_ = Fish, that which lives in the water) being counter-changed. (_Netzach_ = Victory, and is the seventh Sephira.)

But many are the NTZCHIM, _Netzachim_, Victories;(857) so that another (development of) Netzach may be elevated into another path, and other Netzachim may be given which are extended throughout the whole body (of Microprosopus).

But on the day of the Sabbath, at the time of the afternoon prayers, the forehead of the Most Holy Ancient One is uncovered, so that the judgments may not be aroused.

And all the judgments are subjected; and although they be there, yet are they not called forth. (Otherwise, and they are appeased.)

From this forehead depend twenty-four tribunals, for all those who are shameless in their deeds.

And it is written, Ps. lxxiii. 11: "And they have said, 'How can El know?

and is there knowledge in the Most High?' "

But truly (the tribunals) are only twenty; wherefore are four added?