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THE SEPHER HA-ZOHAR OR THE BOOK OF LIGHT |
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CHAPTER 51. THE OCCULT MEANING OF THE SIX HUNDRED YEARS OF NOAH'S LIFE. Referring again to the words "And Alhim said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is before me," Rabbi Simeon spake and said: "These words mean that the destroying angel presented himself before the Holy One, demanding power and authority to mark for destruction the race of the antediluvians. We further read, 'And behold! I will destroy them with the earth' (Gen. VI. 13). make thee an ark of gopher wood wherein entering thou mayst be preserved, and he may have no power over thee. And Noah did according to all that Alhim commanded him, "and in the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows of heaven were opened" (Gen. VII. 11). These words imply that only in that year of his earth life and incarnation, did Noah attain unto human perfection and by thus becoming a just man and perfect, was able to escape the doom impending over the wicked generation in which he lived, whose iniquity had then reached its climax. When Noah had attained unto this age, then the forbearance and long suffering of the Holy One ended and the destruction so long deferred overwhelmed the world and the race of the antediluvians was suddenly swept out of existence from off the face of the earth. Note the words, 'Behold I (ani) even I (hinneni) do bring a flood of waters upon the earth.' Wherefore the repetition of the personal pronoun, the one being the synonym of the other? It is because wherever in scripture Ani (I) is found it is used to designate God and having the same relation to Him as the soul has to the body. Thus it is written, 'I (ani) will make my covenant with thee' (Gen. xvii. 4), implying that God sometime or other will manifest himself and make himself known to mankind. Again, why is it written, 'Ath hammabbul mayin' (the deluge of waters), because thereby to show by the word 'ath' that in addition to the waters of the deluge, Alhim sent the angel of death to destroy the world and gave him authority to accomplish it by the element of water. We know also from tradition that the words 'I (ani) am the Lord' have the same meaning as, I am faithful in my promises of recompense to the righteous, as also in my denunciations of punishment on the wicked in the world to come, and all are made under the name of Ani. The additional words 'to destroy all flesh' also imply that the death angel is the real destroyer of the world and is alluded to as such in (Ex. xii. 23). 'And He will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you.' That is to say, that the destroyer, who in the account of the deluge is designated 'the end of all flesh' shall have no power over you, nor authority to afflict and injure you. All this occult teaching in the secret doctrine respecting the deluge was imparted to me by Rabbi Issac." CHAPTER 52. ADAM SITTING AT THE GATE OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN. On another
occasion Rabbi Simeon spake and said: "It is written, 'I said, I shall
not see the Lord even the Lord in the land of the living; I shall behold
man no more with the inhabitants65b of hadel, which word signifies to shun and avoid, because they have learned to shun the way to death and found entrance into the Garden of Eden. Another interpretation is this: by 'the inhabitants of the world' (hadel) is signified those who through repentance, ceased to do evil and learned to do well, as did Adam who was afterwards appointed leader into Eden of all repentant souls, and thus termed inhabitants of hadel, and therefore is it written, 'that I may know what I lack (hadel)' (Ps. xxxix. 5), Note the words, 'I shall not see Jah.' 'Who then is able to see him?'65b-66a the other part of the verse explains, 'Jah in the land of the living.' When souls encircled with an aura of light, the result of righteous living, ascend on high to the sphere especially prepared for those who have attained unto the higher life, they are then able to gaze into the Zohar, the luminous mirror, or in other words the beatific vision whose splendor and brightness are reflections from the highest heavenly sphere, since a soul clothed in any other raiment than this light would be unable to behold and endure its intense vibrations. For even as souls in their progress and development on earth life and clothed and girded with an aura, so in the world on high, they become encircled with one brighter and still more luminous, by which they are able to contemplate the transcendent light coming down out of the lightest of the heavenly spheres known as 'the land of the living.' It was this aura of the higher life encircling him that Moses was able to behold what he did, as it is written, 'And Moses went into the midst of the cloud (as it seemed to human vision) and ascended the mount' (Ex. xxiv. 15). That is, he became clothed with an aura of divine light, in order to gaze into the luminous mirror, or beatific vision, similar to that which time just or perfected human beings' on their entrance into the higher heavenly spheres are clothed, of which the aura surrounding them during earth life is only a faint shadow and reflection. We now understand why the word Jah in the verse just cited is found repeated. 'I shall not see Jah in the land of the living,' were uttered by Hezekiah and mean that he feared and had no hope of ever experiencing the joy and delight of gazing upon the splendor of the light emanating from 'the land of the living,' through his dying childless, and therefore he said also, 'I shall not see Adam sitting at the gate of the Garden of Eden on high.' But why should he be afraid of this? because Isaiah the prophet had said unto him, 'Thou shalt die, thou shalt not live,'Is. 38:1 that is, thou shalt not live in the world to come as thou shalt die childless; for whoever leaves and quits the world without offspring is not admitted into the garden of the celestial Eden and is therefore altogether precluded from contemplating the glory and splendor of its light. If therefore Hezekiah with all the inherited merits of his forefathers, besides being an upright and just person, feared lest by dying childless, he should fail to attain unto the beatific vision, or enter into 'the land of the living,' so ought he be alarmed who, lacking ancestral merit and virtues,66a transgresses divine laws. The aura surrounding the just and perfected in the world to come who have lived the higher and diviner life is known and designated by initiates of the secret doctrine as 'The Master's Robe.' Happy they who wear it, for it is on their account the Holy One has reserved and put by unnumbered joys in the world to come, as it is written, 'For from the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ears, neither have seen, Oh God beside thee, what thou hast prepared for him that putteth his trust in Thee.'" (Ps. lxiv. 4.)Is. 64:4 CHAPTER 53. REMARKS ON THE DESTROYING ANGEL AND THE ANTEDILUVIANS. "'Behold I even I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth,'" said Rabbi Jehuda. "These words have reference to the waters of strife (Meribah), when the children of Israel murmured against the Lord and caused his holiness to appear amongst them. But was this act of insubordination and murmuring against God the only occurrence in the history of the children of Israel, that scripture should thus characterize it? The fact is, it is recorded as the occasion Israel afforded to the executors of divine justice of overcoming and afflicting them. For there are waters sweet and bitter, waters clear and turbid, waters of peace and waters of strife, to which scripture alludes as waters of Meribah where the children of Israel strove with the Lord: that is, they attracted to themselves the impure, unclean spirit that defiled them (vayiqqadesh bam) (Num. xx. 13). In objecting against this exposition, Rabbi Hezekiah said: "If your interpretation was correct, the word vayiqadshou (they were deified) would have been used by scripture. The true meaning of the words is I think as follows: 'He whom the children of Israel should have worshipped and adored became degraded by them, if I may so express it. They became so obdurate and wilfully irrational both in mind and heart that the sense of the Divine presence with them became lost and extinguished, as doth the light of the moon at its fall. Therefore as the word vayiqadesh used by scripture should not be translated in its best sense of being sanctified; so the words, 'Behold I even I do bring a flood of waters,' should be understood as meaning, 'I will send unto them the impure and destroying angel by whom they have allowed themselves to become defiled.'" Said Rabbi Jose: "Woe unto those who are unwilling to repent of their evil ways and deeds before the Holy One during their life on earth, for if, continuing unrepentant, at the close of66a-66b it, they become cast into that outer darkness, where their torment ceaseth not and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Observe that by the open persistence of the antediluvians in their heinous and flagitious iniquity they were condemned and punished by the Holy One in a remarkable and open manner. Said Rabbi Isaac: "Even when a man sins in secret, the Holy One is long suffering, and if he repents, has mercy upon and forgives him. On the contrary, if he continues in his evil and secret deeds, they become at last revealed and manifested and he is punished openly. Of this ordeal of the 'mey hammarim' (bitter waters) is an instance. It was so with the antediluvians, and how were they punished? They were exterminated from the face of the earth. The fountains of the great deep became opened and poured forth rain and mighty volumes of boiling water, so that their fleshless skeletons only remained to show they had once lived and had totally perished from off the face of the earth." Said Rabbi Isaac: "The words 'and they were destroyed from the earth' (Gen. vii. 23), have the same meaning as 'let them be blotted out of the book of the living' (Ps. lxix. 28). Thus by the use of the word mahha (blotted out, destroyed off) in these two passages of scripture we are taught that the names of the wicked and evil doers are expunged out of the book of life--that they will never use again and appear in the day of judgment. CHAPTER 54. KABBALISTIC REMARKS ON THE COVENANT OR UNION OF THE HIGHER AND LOWER SELF. Said Rabbi Eleazar: "It is written, 'But with thee will I establish my covenant' (Gen. vi. 18): as the continuity of the covenant or good law on earth is the same as in the higher spheres, we infer from these words that when men become just and upright in this world they contribute to the stability of the good law in both worlds. Said Rabbi Simeon: "The words just cited have an occult meaning. The love of the male for the female is based upon jealous desire. Observe, when there is a just man in the world, or one whose higher and lower self have become harmonized and66b unified, the divine spirit or Shekinah is ever with him and abides in him, causing a feeling of affectionate attachment towards the Holy One to arise similar to that between the male and female. Therefore the words, 'I will establish my covenant with thee' may be rendered thus, 'Because of the union between thy higher and lower natures giving rise to a yet diviner life, I will abide with thee forever. I will never leave nor forsake thee. Come thou therefore into the ark into which no one unless he is just can enter.'" Said Rabbi Eleazar: "As long as this covenant or union remains intact and undisturbed between himself and the Holy One, nothing can injure or afflict him. It was so with Noah who keeping the covenant was preserved along with his children, whilst the wickedness of the antediluvians caused them to perish from off the face of the earth." Rabbi Jehuda whilst on a visit to Rabbi Simeon entered into a discussion with him as to the meaning of the words 'And Elijah repaired (vayerape) the altar of the Lord that was broken down' (I Kings xviii. 30). "What," said he, "is the occult meaning of this word vayerape, which literally signifies to heal." In answer to this Rabbi Simeon remarked: "Note that in the days of the prophet Elijah all Israel had forsaken the worship of the Holy One and transgressed against his covenant made with their forefathers, to such an extent that it had become altogether forgotten and sunk into oblivion. Seeing and recognizing this, Elijah brought it back to their remembrance and thus restored it and made known again to them the everlasting covenant, and therefore it is written, 'And Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob;' implying by this that it was by the occult virtue of the number twelve that the altar of the Lord was erected as aforetime; and then we read further, 'Unto whom the word of the Lord came saying, "Israel shall be thy name."' Why is this name of Israel here mentioned? Truly because when Israel attaches itself and adheres to the good law, it is so called; but when they forsake it, they are termed the children of Israel, or sons of Jacob. This is therefore why the word vayerape is written, because Elijah causes the covenant to become a subject of faith with the children of Israel and thus healed the breach between them and the Holy One and restored love and affection between them. Observe further that Phinehas, filled with zeal, inflicted punishment on Zimri and thus helped to reestablish the covenant, and so it is written of him, 'Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace' (Num. xxv. 12). Now it is certain that Phinehas had in no way violated the covenant and needed not this gift. The real meaning is that he prevented it from becoming regarded as obsolete, a thing of no avail and therefore not worth consideration. For so doing he secured the blessing of the 'Covenant of Peace' the occult signification of which is, the mysterious Word, the Mediator between the two worlds, the celestial and terrestrial, and so it is added, 'And he shall have it and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made an atonement for the children of Israel.'" (Num. xxv. 13.) Said Rabbi Simeon: "There is no greater transgression in the sight of the Holy One than the breaking of the covenant, as it is written, 'and I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the breaking of my covenant.'"66b-67a (Lev. xxvi. 25.) Note that the sin of the antediluvians reached its climax by the practice of self pollution, so that the earth itself became corrupted and defiled thereby (va thishaheth) before God, and for this reason he said, 'I will destroy them with the earth (mashitham).' There are, however, some who affirm that the measure of their iniquity became full when ignoring all moral right and justice; and might with them becoming right they broke the laws of heaven and earth, of God and humanity, and reaped their karma, the executors of which never fail to avenge the wrongdoing of those who infringe the Good Law." CHAPTER 55. VARIOUS KABBALISTIC EXPOSITIONS OF BIBLICAL TEXTS. Said Rabbi Simeon: "We read, 'And God said unto Noah, enter thou and all thy house into the ark.' Wherefore in the narrative of the deluge is the divine name of Alhim used throughout, except in this particular passage in which the sacred name I H V H is found. The explanation is this. It is not in accordance with the rules and custom of good society for a wife to receive a guest into her home without the consent and permission of her husband, so Noah though desirous to enter into the ark, it was first of all necessary that the husband of the ark, designated here by the Holy Name, representing divine goodness, should give Noah authority and permission to do so, and not before this did he enter the ark; and it is added, 'For thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation,' from which words we infer that no one should ever be received as a guest in a house whose character is blemished and has a stain upon it." Said Rabbi Jehuda: "We find written in scripture, Ps. xxiv. 1, 'A psalm of David. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the world and they dwell therein.' We know from tradition that wherever the name David occurs in the psalms, that it was composed by him himself, but whenever it precedes a psalm it was composed and written by the aid of the Holy Spirit's influence. The words, 'The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof' refer to the land of Israel which is called the Holy Land, whilst 'the fulness thereof' signifies the Schekina, as it is76a written 'for the glory of the Lord filled the houses of God.' (1 Kings v. 11) Why in this passage is the word mla (full) in place of mile (filled). Thereby is meant that the Schekina was as the light of the moon at its full. The Schekina is full of heavenly blessings as a treasure house is with jewels and gold so long as it remains and abides in the land of Israel which belongs unto the Lord. According to another exposition these words refer to heaven on high wherein the Lord delights to dwell, but 'the fulness (oumloah) thereof' are the souls of the righteous filled with the principle of justice, the divine attribute that sustains the universe. Should it however be said, 'Is the earth sustained only by a single pillar?' observe what is written. 'For He lath founded it upon the seas (yammim) and established it upon the floods or rivers (recharoth).' He here refers to the Holy One, of whom it is written, 'It is He that hath made us.' (Ps. c. 3). 'For He looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heavens' (Job xxviii. 24). These words also designate the seven pillars or columns upon which the world stands and when these columns fill the earth then, as scripture states, the earth is said to be full; that is, when the number of the just increases, the earth becomes fertile and fruitful. When however they are outnumbered by the wicked then as it is written, 'The waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up' (Job xiv. 11).67a 'The waters fail from the sea' signify the Holy land watered by rivers of life from on high, but the 'stream (naahr) decayeth and drieth up' refer to the column of justice and righteousness repaired in the Holy Land in order to enlighten it and have the same meaning as the words, 'The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart.'" (Is. lvii. 1.) CHAPTER 56. "THE DIVINE LEHAEROT ON EZECHIEL'S VISIONS." SAID Rabbi Hezekiah: "The title of one of the Psalms is thus, 'A psalm of David Maschil' (for understanding), 'Blessed is he whose transgression is lifted up and whose sin is covered' (Ps. XXXII. 1). This verse has already been commented on. There is however an occult meaning in the word maschil (understanding), and, having reference to divine wisdom, it requires explanation. We learn from tradition that King David in composing his hymns and songs of praise to the Holy One, made use of ten different meters (one of which is termed ("maschil") corresponding to the various progressive states in the divine life symbolized by the ten sephiroth of the tree of life. In order to attain to these, David prepared and disciplined himself, that he might become receptive of their respective states of inspiration and spiritual enlightenment and thus be able to compose his psalms. The meaning of the words, 'blessed is he whose transgression is raised on high' is this, when the Holy One places in the scales of his balance a man's merits and demerits it sometimes happens that the scale in which his sins are placed rises, being overbalanced by the scale containing his good deeds. Such is the meaning of these words. Happy they! whose transgression is forgiven, that is,--when the scale in which it is placed, ascends. The words 'whose sin is covered' refer to those whose sins the Holy One, when his judgments are abroad in the world, covers and hides from the view of the destroying angel, as was the case with Noah whom he saved from experiencing the effects and consequences of the sin that was prevalent in the world through the fall of Adam. As long as sin and wrong-doing subsist on earth, man suffers, because not in his normal and primal sate of innocency. He trembles and flees from before wild and savage animals,71a-71b no longer subject to his will and control. When Noah came forth out of the ark, the world had become cleansed and purified and humanity entered on a new era of existence and therefore it is written, 'And Alhim blessed him and his sons and said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.'" Said Rabbi Simeon: "Though in these words no mention or reference is made to his wife and his sons; wives, yet are they included in, the term 'vaathem' (and ye), as also in the word 'ath' before the name of Noah which includes both males and females, both being subjects and recipients of divine benedictions. Then was it the Holy One gave unto them the seven precepts to be observed as rules of life until Israel should stand before Mount Sinai and receive the full law." CHAPTER 57. "THE MYSTERY OF THE BOW IN THE CLOUD." "It is written, and Alhim said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creation that is with you for perpetual generations, I do set (nathati) my bow in the cloud! (Gen. IX. 12. 13). The word 'nathati' here refers to the past, as the bow from the days of Adam had always been witnessed in the clouds. In his further comments on these words Rabbi Simeon said: 'In the vision of Ezechiel we read, "And above the firmament that was over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone" (Ez. I. 21)Ez. 1:26. Preceding these words, scripture states, 'I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of Shaddai (Almighty), the voice of speech as the noise of a host, when they stood they let down their wings.' We have here given a description of the four celestial cherubic beings by whom the firmament is supported. They were all joined together by their wings which covered their forms. When they extended their wings, they uttered in far resounding tones hymns of praise to the glory of God, that reverberated throughout the universe incessantly. The burthen of their song was, 'The Lord hath made known his salvation, his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen' (Ps. XCVIII. 2). It is also stated that when they moved, there was heard a sound as of a great hostEz. 1:24 on the march, like that of the celestial angelic host when their legions with united voice, utter their hymns of praise to the Holy One, saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, all the earth is full of his glory' (Is. VI. 3). As the four cherubic angels of the heavenly chariot turn to the four quarters of the world, their cry is still the same, 'Holy! holy! holy!' Above them is the glittering firmament, whose cardinal quarters reflect the image of each of their forms when turned towards them, as also the colors peculiar to each of them. They are the forms of a lion, an ox, an eagle and a man. In three of these, the human countenance is so prominent, that the lion resembles a lion man and so with the two others, that are termed the eagle man, the ox man, and thus as scripture71b states, 'They four had the face of a man.'Ez. 1:10 As the firmament was above them it not only reflected their forms but also the colors peculiar to each of them and that correspond to the four letters of the sacred name I. H. V. H. and visible to man, as green, red, white and blue, and which when refracted form twelve different shades and hues, and therefore it is stated, 'as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud, in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord' (Ez. I. 28). This then is the mystical meaning of the words, 'I do set my bow in the cloud.' The term 'my bow' has the same signification as that which was said of Joseph. 'This bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel' (Gen. XLIX. 24). As Joseph was a just man, it is said of him, 'He placed his bow in God', that is the covenant, symbolizing equally the bow and the Only Just One, these two signifying both one and the same thing. Noah being also a just man, the covenant made with him was symbolized by the bow and the arms of his hands were made strong (vayapozow). This word refers to the light proceeding from the bow of the covenant which is the source of joy and happiness to all the world and of which it is written, 'More to be desired is it than gold, yet than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honey comb' (Ps. XIX. 10). This light was the cause of Joseph's mental and spiritual illumination, and therefore is he known as and termed, 'Joseph the upright!' It is termed the bow of the covenant, as the ray in the how though refracted in three others is one way, so is the celestial light reflected downward by the firmament supported by the four cherubic forms of the heavenly or divine chariot. Therefore is it forbidden to gaze at the rainbow that appears in the heaven because thereby the Schekina of which it is an image is profaned. As the great archangels standing in presence of the Holy One71b-72a bow their heads, not daring to regard the divine majesty, so on the appearance of the bow in the heavens ought we to bend ourselves with feelings of reverence and worship of the Divine Being. When it appears, the earth feels assured that the lost harmony between the celestial and terrestrial worlds has been restored. We have already observed that it consists of a ray of light composed of three other rays blended and conjoined as one, forming a mystery only dimly perceptible to initiates of the hidden wisdom. It is further added, 'and above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne as of the appearance of a sapphire stone' (Ez. I. 26). This stone is the central point (shethiya) of the whole world and is the basis of the Holy of Holies in the sanctuary at Jerusalem. This foundation stone is the sacred celestial throne placed above the four cherubic beings whose forms are engraved on the four sides of the heavenly or divine chariot and symbolized the traditional law. 'And upon the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man upon it,' symbolizes of the written law. Hence we conclude it is to be observed and regarded as higher and superior to the traditional. This throne being the foundation stone, Jacob who is the image of the man beheld in vision by the prophetic seer Ezechiel, placed his head upon it ere he went to sleep in Bethel. CHAPTER 58: "RABBI JEHUDA'S DISCUSSION WITH THE MERCHANT, ON JACOB'S PILLAR." RABBI JEHUDA, whilst staying at an inn in the town of Masheya, rose up at midnight in order to meditate and study the secret doctrine. In the same apartment there happened to be sleeping a Jewish merchant who had come thither to dispose of two bales of wearing apparel.72a Said Rabbi Jehuda: "It is written, 'and this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house (Beth Alhim).' The stone here mentioned is the foundation stone at the center of the world, and also on it the sanctuary was built." The merchant on bearing these words raised himself from his Led. and said: "What you have just observed is an impossibility, for this foundation stone existed before the creation of the world and the origin of it. Now the words, 'And this stone which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house' refer distinctly to the particular stone that Jacob then set up, and to none other. More than this, it is said, 'And took the stone that he had put for his pillow and set it up for a pillar.' But Jacob was then in Bethel; how could this stone therefore be one and the same with that at Jerusalem on which the sanctuary was built!" Without taking any notice of the merchant's remarks and question, Rabbi Jehuda, proceeded: "It is written said he, 'Prepare to meet thy God, oh Israel' (Amos IV. 12) 'Take heed and hearken, oh Israel' (Deuter. XXVII. 9), teaching us that the study of the secret doctrine claims and demands from those who engage therein, both a thoughtful mind and a reverent spirit." On hearing these words, the merchant instantly arose and putting on his garments sat down by the side of Rabbi Jehuda and said: "Blessed are the righteous who study and meditate on the secret doctrine, day and night." Said Rabbi Jehuda: "Whilst thou finishest dressing thyself, repeat to me the objections to which thou hast given utterance, that we may calmly, thoughtfully and reverently discuss them. Because so, I rose from my bed to engage in its study with earnestness and attention. We are taught that the Schekina associates with anyone who is an earnest student of truth even though he be alone and far remote from his fellows. Knowing this, how could I remain in bed while sensing the presence of the divine Schekina, and knowing also that the Holy One walks in the garden of the celestial Eden with the righteous who listen attentively to the words and meditations of those who rise at midnight and devote themselves to the study of the law until the dawn of day. Repeat now I pray thee thy objections and questions." Said the merchant: "My question was this, How can you truly affirm that the foundation stone at the center of the world and forming the base of the sanctuary at Jerusalem was one and the same as that which Jacob used as a pillow and afterwards set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He was at Bethel and the foundation stone was in Jerusalem, so that your affirmation respecting it was an inexactitude. CHAPTER 59. "THE SYMBOLISM OF THE FOUNDATION STONE." Said Rabbi Jehuda: "During the night that Jacob slept at Bethel, there was a marvelous replication of the earth's surface so that the foundation stone under the sanctuary in Jerusalem occupied the place where Jacob was, in order that he might rest his head upon it. This explains how it was that the stone was under him. Ah! replied the merchant, but scripture explicitly states that Jacob took the stone that he put for his pillow and set it up for a pillar and said, 'This stone which I have72a set up for a pillar shall be Bethel.' There is here nothing to warrant your assertion that it was the foundation stone on which the world and the Holy of Holies are based. Then said Rabbi Jehuda, "If you can give any other explanation of the words, I pray you to give it." Said the merchant, "It is written, 'As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness' (Ps. XVII. 15). All the love and desire of David was concentrated on this foundation stone, which is justice or righteousness, and speaks of it as 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the headstone of the corner' (Ps. CXVIII. 22). [paragraph continues] When David desired to contemplate and behold the glory72a-72b of his Lord, he first took this stone and possessed himself of it, after which he was able and qualified to enter into the sanctuary; for everyone who earnestly desires to come into the presence of his Lord, it is impossible to do so unless he possesses this stone, as it is written, 'with this (bezoth) shall Aaron come into the holy place' (Lev. XVI. 3). David was therefore congratulating himself when he said, 'As for me, I will behold thy face with justice,' of which the foundation stone was a symbol, and which he so ardently desired to possess. Observe, Abraham instituted the morning prayer and made known the goodness and benignity of his Lord, so that the matutinal hour became regarded as most suitable for addressing vows to the Divine Being, and it is written, 'And Abraham rose up early in the morning' (Gen. XXII. 3). Evening prayer, 'minhah,' was established by Isaac who taught the world that justice exists, and also that there is a judge by whom it is administered. Jacob originated nightly prayer, that had never been uttered and addressed to heaven by anyone anterior to him, and therefore in a moment of self-commendation said, 'This stone which I have set up as a pillar.' What is the real signification of this word pillar (matzebah)? It refers to the foundation stone of the universe, namely, justice that had been thrown down by the wickedness of mankind. It was Jacob who raised it again and his pouring of oil on the top of it denotes that he, more than any other, contributed in re-erecting it and causing its existence to become regarded as a reality. Rabbi Jehuda, as the merchant ceased speaking, rose and embracing him said: 'How is it, that possessed of such knowledge of the secret doctrine, thou art engaged in worldly pursuits to the neglect of things appertaining to the higher and diviner life?" Said the merchant: "It is through necessity. I have two sons attending school for whose maintenance and education I have to provide in order that they may become inculcated in the secret and hidden wisdom." Again the merchant spake and said: "We read, 'and Solomon sat upon the throne of David his father and his kingdom was established greatly' (I. Kings II. 12). How great the encomium of Solomon as expressed in these words, implying that he set up the foundation stone (shethiya) on which he erected the sanctuary in Jerusalem and thereby established his kingdom greatly, as it is stated. We read, 'And the bow shall be in the cloud and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant' (Gen. IX. 16), from which we gather that the bow gives rise to feelings of delight to the Holy One. No man in whom the divine light is not reflected, can ever enter into the presence of his Lord. The words 'And I will look upon it' (urithiha) have the same occult meaning as, 'The Lord said unto him, go through the midst of the city,72b through the midst of Jerusalem and mark the letter Th (thau) upon the foreheads of the men who sigh,' (Ez. IX. 3) from which we learn that God looks upon the face of every man to observe if this than is impressed thereon and if so he remembers the everlasting covenant. Another exposition of these words is, that they refer to the holy sign impressed on the human form. Said Rabbi Jehuda: "All you have said, is quite correct. The origin of the bow visible in the heavens involves a profound mystery. When Israel returns out of captivity, the bow that then will be visible, will be as radiant and beautiful as a bride, adorned for her husband on her marriage day." "Listen," said the merchant, "to the words of my father, addressed to me just before his death, 'Never expect to behold the banner of Messiah until the bow appears in the heavens, flashing forth rays and colors of light so transcendently glorious and splendid, that the sheen of it will lighten up the whole world. When this happens then look for Messiah. We learn this from the esoteric meaning of the words, 'I will look upon the bowGen 9:16 and remember the everlasting covenant.' At present it appears in colors, faint and lustreless and only as an object to remind us that the Holy One will never again destroy mankind by a deluge of waters. When however the advent of Messiah occurs, it will appear radiant in all its beauty and splendor and God will then remember Israel and raise them out of the dust, as it is written, 'And they shall serve the Lord and David, their king, whom I will raise up unto them.' (Jer. XXX. 9), 'And in that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen' (Amos IX. 11), that is, in the day that the resplendent bow appears in the heavens, God will look upon it and remember his covenant, so that David, becoming reincarnated, shall appear again and reign in Israel.' This is what my father declared and his belief is confirmed by the words, 'For as in the days of Noah, so have I done unto thee and as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should go no more over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee nor reproach thee.'" (Is. LIV. 8). CHAPTER 60. "RABBI SIMEON ON MYSTERIES AND THE HIGHER LIFE." "AND the sons of Noah that went forth of the ark were72b Shem, Ham and Japhet" (Gen. IX. 18). Said Rabbi Eleazer: Why are these names only mentioned? Had Noah other sons who did not go with him on his exit from the ark? In reply Rabbi Abba said: "Noah had other children than the three mentioned in scripture, who likewise had children of their own, and the reason this is not explicitly stated is, that grandchildren are in scripture classed and referred to as sons." Said Rabbi Simeon: "Had I been incarnated and lived on earth at the time when the Holy One entrusted the Book of Mysteries containing the secret doctrine to Enoch and Adam, I would have strongly urged that the contents of it should never be divulged save to those who by their upright and unselfish lives had rendered themselves worthy to receive and understand them; for such only are able to appreciate their value and importance that distinguish it from all other books. The truly wise in this world are they who attain to a comprehension and understanding of its esoteric teachings that under the veil of symbols, emblems, allegories and enigmas, are concealed from esoteric students whose thoughts and labors are concentrated and directed merely towards what is phenomenal and ephemeral. Known only to sages and initiates are the grand mysteries of the hidden wisdom, the knowledge of which they never impart to the 'profanum vulgum' and use only in ministering to the welfare of humanity. Of these great mysteries, one of the most abstruse and profound is contained in the above cited verse of scripture. When the divine life or in other words, the consciousness of the Divine, the cause of all cause, the life of all life, the pleroma of all joy and happiness rises and dawns within the human soul or man's lower nature, like the great orb of day sending forth its effulgent rays of light and warmth, it diffuses within it and makes itself recognized by a feeling, a sensation of enjoyment and delight greater than that which rich and generous wine causes the heart of man to pulsate with an ecstasy of delight not to be expressed. This effluence of the divine life is intermediate between the joy and pleasure that reaches and flows into human nature from the celestial and terrestrial planes of existence. There are within us two souls or natures, the higher and the lower, blended and united together by the mysterious72b-73a Augoides, that corresponds to the upper triad of Sephiroth in the decenary of the human constitution. These three souls, or rather natures, manifest themselves in their differing modes and direction, the Higher Self attaching itself and approximating towards its superior principle produces three offspring, symbolized by Noah's sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet, who came forth from the ark; Shem corresponding to the principle on the right of the Sephirotic tree, Ham to that on the left, whilst Japhet is the medium of connection that like the color of purple is a combination and a reflection of the other two. Ham was the father of Canaan.Gen. 9:18 He symbolizes the lower or animal nature of man susceptive of all material and gross influences that trend to the excitation of animal instincts, desires and passions. He was also the father of him who caused the world along with himself to be cursed and the human face to become blanched and pale through sorrow and suffering; therefore it is not stated of Shem or Japhet that they were the father of this or that one. This is also wherefore it is written, 'And Abram passed through the land,' (Gen. XII. 9)12:6 neither abode in it because the patriarchs through their merits and works had not purified it, neither had Israel made known the sacred name so that it was still suffering under the primal curse pronounced upon the earth and the serpent, 'Cursed he the ground because of thee, cursed art thou above all the beasts of the field.'Gen. 3:14, 3:17 And of the land of Canaan it is written, cursed is Canaan, a servant of servants, shall he be unto his brothers. Furthermore we read, 'These are the three sons of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japhet, and of them was the whole earth overspread' (Gen. IX. 19). These words also include within them a great mystery of the heavenly or superior colors, teaching us that though refracted throughout the universe, the divine glory remains ever the same both in heaven above and on earth below."
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