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THE SEPHER HA-ZOHAR OR THE BOOK OF LIGHT |
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CHAPTER 61. "SYMBOLISM OF THE COLORS OF THE BOW IN THE CLOUD." Said Rabbi Eleazar: The three primal colors become differentiated into many shades and hues and, as such, are symbols of the divine life and its numerous descending grades of holiness that merge and blend imperceptibly into the evil, just as the animal glides into the vegetable rendering it difficult and almost impossible to distinguish where the one ends and the other begins. The colors of the rainbow have each of them twenty-seven73b different shades and similarly the principle of holiness has the same number of descending gradations until it disappears into that which is unholy and sinful, indiscernible to the ordinary observer, but clearly perceived and distinctly cognized by those who have become recipients of divine wisdom. Blessed is the lot of the upright in heart, to whom the Holy One delights to impart it and entrust to them its secret teachings. It is of them the psalmist speaks, 'The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant' (Is. XXV. 1). Greatly obligatory upon everyone is it to meditate upon the glory of his creator, who hears and attends to the prayers of all such as worship and serve him in sincerity of heart, for then blessings are showered upon them from on high with increasing knowledge of the Holy One who glories in his servants, of whom it is written, 'Thou art my servant, oh Israel in whom I will he glorified.'" (Is. XLIX. 3). CHAPTER 62. "THE MYSTERY OF THE CURSING OF CANAAN BY NOAH." "And Noah began to he a husbandman and he planted a vineyard" (Gen. IX. 20). In their comments on these words, Rabbi Jehuda and Rabbi Jose greatly differed, the one affirming that Noah planted a vine taken from the garden of Eden, the other maintaining that he had plucked it by its roots before entering the ark73a-73b and now planted it in suitable soil, after which it brought forth grades, the juice of which after expressing, he drank and became intoxicated therewith. Said Rabbi Simeon: In this verse is included a fragment of the hidden wisdom. When Noah, desirous of investigating into the cause of man's fall from his primal state of holy innocence. not with the intention of imitating it but of healing the sin of the world, he soon realized his inability to achieve his object. He then pressed the juice of the vine in order to ascertain the natural properties of it, or in other words, he speculated deeply upon the nature of the Divine Being. His intellectual faculties soon became exhausted and he was as one puzzled and drunken with thought, and therefore we read 'He drank of the wine and was drunken and lay uncovered in his tent' (Gen. IX. 21), that is, on lifting only a corner of the veil that hides divine mysteries from human gaze and catching a glimpse of what is never revealed and imparted save only to the enlightened and pure in heart, he became mentally stupefied, confused and overwhelmed with the sublimity and grandeur of the noumenal world so transcendently beyond all human cognition and comprehension. This occurred as stated in his own tent (bethok oholoh) the latter word of which written with a final H, which is a feminine pronominal suffix giving it the same meaning as in the verse. 'Remove thy way from her (mesleyah) and come not nigh the door of her house (bethah) (Prov. V. 8), from which we learn that the words 'within his tent' refer mystically to the tent of the wine, or more explicitly still, to divine mysteries. Furthermore we know from tradition that the sin of the sons of Aaron was that of intoxication, arising not from the indulgence in wine and strong drink, for how was it possible that anyone should bring them intoxicants to drink within the sanctuary even were they so void of all shame as to desire them. Truly their inebriety was not owing to drinking wine but from the abuse of the mystical knowledge of which we have just spoken and of which scripture states metaphorically, 'They offered strange fire (ash zarah) before the Lord which he commanded them not' (Lev. X. 1). The words 'strange fire' have here the same significance as, 'That they may keep thee from the strange woman (ashah zarah), from the stranger that flattereth with her words' (Prov. VII. 5). [paragraph continues] This then was the kind of drunkenness indulged in by Noah as stated and he drank of the wine and was drunken and he was 'uncovered in his tent.' This fatuous act of spiritual inebriation enabled his son Ham, the father of Canaan, to acquire certain. esoteric knowledge and occult powers as we have before explained, that endowed and invested him with a potency to exercise sway and domination over others, for knowing that Noah was a just and perfect man and that his holiness arose from his chastity, he wickedly deprived him as tradition informs us73b of his virile power by the infliction of eunichism. Through this heinous indignity committed upon him it was that Noah said, 'Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren,' as aforetime it had been said to the serpent, 'Cursed art thou above all the beasts of the field.' Eventually at the end of the ages, the erring, the sinful and guilty will be saved and become children of the light, but not Canaan whose irreversible doom is absolute and certain perdition and final extinction a fact not unknown to those initiated in the teachings of the secret doctrine. It is written, 'I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me' (Ps. LI. 5). How cautious and ever watchful should every man be, that he sin not before the Holy One, lest Cain-like he become branded with a mark that can only be effaced after long years of protracted penance and suffering as stated in scripture, 'For though thou wash thyself with nitre and take thee much soap, yet is thine iniquity marked before me saith the Lord God' (Jer. II. 22). Observe that when a man transgresses for the first time before the holy One, his fault is distinguished on high by a mark which, after a second repetition of it, becomes more visible and noticed, but on his further and continuous persistency in evil doing, it abides on him and remains ineffaceable, as it is written, 'Thou shalt he soiled with thy iniquity before me.' Note further that when David had sinned in acquiring Bathsheba for his wife, he became exceedingly afraid that the mark upon him would abide forever. The prophet wishing to comfort him said unto him, 'the Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die' (II. Sam. XII. 13) meaning that the mark on high had become effaced." CHAPTER 63. "REMARKS ON PREDESTINATION." Said Rabbi Abba: It has been handed down by tradition that Bathsheba was predestined from the creation of the world to become the wife of David. If so, how was it that the Holy One permitted before becoming so that she should be the spouse of Uriah the Hittite?" Said Rabbi
Simeon in reply: "The ways and designs of the Holy One are such that
even when a woman is predestined to be the wife of a certain individual,
he does not debar her from marrying before meeting and becoming
acquainted with him who is fore-ordained to he her husband. When this
occurs, the first husband disappears in order that she may become united
with her future partner in life. God could prevent the first marriage by
causing the death of one who wished to marry a woman destined to become
the bride of another man, but it is neither the will nor the pleasure of
the Holy One that anyone should die before the time fixed for his
departure out of earth life. Such was the mystery in connection with
Uriah and Bathsheba before she became the wife of David. Ponder well and
meditate upon this exposition, and you will become convinced of its
correctness. It may be asked why was the Holy Land given in patrimony to
the Canaanite before the advent of the Israelites, but on reflection
over what I have just stated, you will find the explanation by following
the same line of exposition I have followed in respect to the marriage
of David with Bathsheba. Notwithstanding David's confession and
penitence, the consequences of his sins and especially those in
connection with his marriage with Uriah's wife and the remembrance of
them were always with him, nor was he even able to divest and rid
himself of the fear that they would be visited upon him in times of
danger and suffering. In the words 'My sin is ever before me' there is
an occult allusion to the horned new moon, symbol of the impurity
existent in the world that would only disappear on the advent of
Solomon, when it would again attain its full, and the earth give forth a
sweet perfume and Israel live in peace and security, as it is written,73b
'Israel shall dwell safely every man under his own vine and fig tree.'1
Kings 4:25 (KJV) p. 301 73b-74a It is written of Nimrod, "And he was a mighty hunter before the Lord' (Gen. X. 9). He acquired authority and renown by wearing the primogenital robes and garments of Adam and was able thus to corrupt the minds and habits of mankind in his days. Said Rabbi Eleazer: "Nimrod first led men into error and caused them to fall into idolatry. Having possessed himself of the habiliments of his ancestor Adam, he usurped rule and authority over his fellows who submissively yielding to his tyranny made him the object of their worship and adoration. Why was he called Nimrod? Because he rebelled 1 against the Lord, the most high King of Heaven, and brought about a revolt in both worlds, the celestial and terrestrial. Becoming regarded as an universal sovereign and succeeding in wielding; the minds of mankind, he induced then to cease and discontinue their allegiance to their Lord and creator." Said Rabbi Simeon: "Initiates of the secret doctrine recognize in the expression 'Adam's habiliments,' a very deep and occult mystery, the explanation of which is never divulged or imparted save to advanced students of the Hidden Wisdom." Footnotes 301:1 "to rebel" = מרד; Nimrod = נמרד--JBH. CHAPTER 65. "THE THAUMATURGICAL ERECTION OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE." "It is written, 'And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech' (Gen. XI. 1). Said Rabbi Simeon, 'Scripture relates of Solomon's temple, it was built of stones made ready before brought to the house. so that the sound of hammer, nor axe, nor of any tool of iron was heard whilst it was building' (1 King VI. 7). What is the meaning of the words, 'whilst it was building?' From the form of expression, we might infer it was in some marvelous and wonderful manner self-builded. Were not Solomon and his artizans the builders of it? Ere replying to these questions let us give the mystical meaning of the words, 'And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold, of beaten work shall the candlestick be made' (Ex. XXV. 31). Now since the candlestick was to be made of beaten gold, and scripture distinctly states, it was 'self-made' (yerechah) how could this possibly be? Our answer is, it was done by the operation of an unknown and invisible force or power, in other words by a miraculous agency. When the artisans of Solomon wished to begin their labors, he instructed them to do work to which they had never been accustomed and of which they were wholly ignorant, so that it was only through the blessing of the Holy One, with wisdom and power from on high directing their hands, that they were able to begin and complete the structure of the holy temple, and therefore it was as scripture states, "and the house when it was being self-built" (vehabeth behibbanothou) through divine power and influence operating in the minds or wills and hands of the artisans who worked according to a plan or a certain method, from which they never deviated until the temple was finished and completed.74a It is also said, it was made of stone ready prepared (shelemah) (which against the general rule is written without the yod) 1 . This strange marvel is further confirmed by the word next following, massang (brought or conducted thither) indicating that the artisans engaged in the construction of the house simply used or made passes with their hauls and the work was accomplished though they understood not, nor comprehended the mystery of its modus operandi. It was further stated, 'There was neither hammer, nor axe nor any tool of iron used in the house while it was building itself.' No wonder therefore is it that whilst wielding, controlling and manipulating such a mysterious and occult power and agent they observed the strictest silence and refrained from the use of tool and implement in the erection of the sacred temple. How deep and occult are the mysteries of the secret doctrine and few are there who have any notion or idea and knowledge of them. When the Holy One wishes to manifest his glory and power to humanity, he causes to descend from a part of the universe termed the 'thought sphere,' whose locus is unknown, save to himself, and pass through the bodily organ known as the 'larynx,' the mysterious breath of life which is designated in scripture and described as 'the living God,' 'the only true God and King eternal.'" Footnotes 302:1 shelemah = שלימה, without the Yod = שלמה = Solomon--JBH. CHAPTER 66. "THE MYSTERY OF THE LOGOS." The three primordial elements of nature are fire, air and water. this section omitted from Soncino Really they are one in use and substance and are able to change the one into the other. It is the same with Thought and Speech and Logos, they are one and the same in themselves. Their seeming duality arises from the different aspects in which they are observed and cognized. That Jacob might become a perfect man it was necessary that the Divine Being should manifest himself to him by the Word or Logos, even as a man in order to make known his thoughts and ideas to another is obliged to clothe them with words in order that the sound produced by the motion of his lips may make them known to his listener, otherwise they would remain unknown and he incommunicable, so in order that the sanctuary of God might exist upon earth, it needed manifestation by means of a Word or Logos, through which it might communicate and speak to mankind. Scripture therefore states, whilst the house was building itself, and not whilst it was building, alluding mystically to the manner of divine manifestation by the Logos in the world. The mystery of the erection of the temple is hinted at in the words, 'Go forth ye daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him on the day of his espousals' (Cant. III. 11). Respecting the stones used in building the sanctuary, it is said of them they were 'prepared' (massang) which also signifies 'carried or transported thither or taken from one place to another.' As thought existing in the Sphere of Mind becomes transformed into vocal speech by descending into the larynx, the ultimate stage for its manifestation in its downward flight from on high, so is it with the Divine Word or Logos and its silent entrance in the mind and soul of man, descending from on high through inferior degrees and states or worlds of being, each working and operating in harmony with it under the control of the great supreme ruler and architect of the universe, and each obedient to the law of evolution for the accomplishment of its destiny, unification with the Divine. Slowly and in silence, the innumerable majestic worlds careering in their orbits throughout the boundless realms of space under the dominance and guidance of an almighty principle of unity, are progressing and approximating to one Divine center, so that unified and conjoined in harmony, they may form an universal temple wherein all souls may worship and serve the one true God, the Almighty Father, the great All,74b and within all who then shall reign forever and ever and to his Kingdom there shall be no end. CHAPTER 67. THE IDOLATRY OF THE POSTDILUVIANS. It is written, "And the earth was of one language and had the same words" (Gen. XI. 1) and it is further added "And as they, these words, went from the east" (miqqedem). This word here signifies he who is the Alpha or Premier of the world. It is also said, "They found a plain or valley in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there." As soon as they separated themselves from this premier, unity of thought and mind amongst them was no longer possible, and they became dispersed and scattered abroad in all parts of the earth. If in opposition to these remarks, anyone should refer to the words of scripture 'And a river went out of Eden to water the Garden and from thence it was divided and became into four heads,' (Gen. II. 10) in order to show that even in association and close proximity with the Divine Presence, divine separation occur and therefore it was nothing extraordinary that this deflection and revolt from the Premier of the world should take place, just as it was with the river of Eden that it should become parted into four heads. In reply we admit that it was not impossible it should do so after but not before its exit from the garden, so with respect to mankind after the deluge, so long as they remained united together they were attached to the worship of God, the premier of the world. They had one in common, one language, one faith, one mode of worshipping the Divine Being, binding them together in an universal Brotherhood that prevailed amongst them. But declining in divine knowledge and reverence, they gradually veered away from allegiance to their great Premier (miqqedem) until at length they found a plain in the land of Shinar, or in other words, they became ignorant of God their creator and devoid of all knowledge of the higher and diviner life. Scripture relates of Nimrod, 'The beginning of his Kingdom was Babel' from which we gather, it was he who first seduced the postdiluvians from the worship and service of the true god, and introducing confusion and disunion amongst them, he eventually succeeded in usurping rule and sovereignty over them and led them to a plain in the land of Shinar, by which is meant, that from that time men forsook the worship of the Divine and began to live in defiance of his law, then degenerated and gave themselves74a-74b wholly up to the pursuit of and indulged in worldly pleasures and enjoyments, worshipping the creature rather than their creator who is blessed forever. It is further related, 'And they said, go to, let us build us a city and a tower whose head may reach into heaven and let us make us a name (shem)' (Gen. XI. 4). CHAPTER 68. "THE TOWER OF BABEL." Said Rabbi Hiya: It is written, 'The wicked are like the troubled sea' (nigrash) (Is. LVII. 20). Is there then a troubled sea? Truly so, for when it exceedeth its boundaries, it becomes 'nigrash' and bursting its barriers, as a man intoxicated with wine, rolling and staggering and unable to keep himself erect, and scripture further adds, of the sea when in this troubled state, 'It cannot rest; and its waters cast up mire and dirt,' meaning that whilst it is calm, the mud concealed in its depths remains undisturbed but the moment its surface begins to be ruffled and agitated by tempestuous winds and storms it is ejected, similarly with a man who as long as he is devoted to the service of his Lord, his lower nature or self is calla and peaceful, its animal propensities repressed and restrained, but as soon as his relation with his divine higher self becomes disturbed and broken, like a drunkard, he begins to reel and stagger, and give utterance to the depraved feelings and emotions that have lain dormant within him, and in proportion as he babbles forth his obscure and filthy gibberish, so does his profanity increase, for it is the reflection of his impure animal self that then becomes manifested. Observe the words, 'And they said, go to, let us build us a city and tower whose top shall reach into heaven.' The term "habah" (go to) whenever used in scripture is always found in connection with some thing or project unrealizable by those who conceived it. Their blind impulse to build such a city and tower arose only from a wicked and foolish desire that animated and prompted them to live in open revolt against the Holy One." Said Rabbi Abba: "They were the subjects of a horrible and demoniacal infatuation in that they impiously wished to abandon the worship of their Lord for that of Satan or the serpent to whom they rendered homage and glory. The words, 'go to, let us build us a city and tower,' have a deeply occult meaning and contain a mystery most profound. Remark that when the Postdiluvians arrived at the plain in the land of Shinar (a strange kingdom or domain) and had become acquainted with and accommodated themselves to its natural advantages coming from its proximity to the sea, they said amongst themselves, it will be best for us to settle down and dwell here, for with little trouble and at once we can indulge in those sensual pleasures and delights that are the charm of life, making it worth the living. But why worship heavenward and what advantage will accrue to us in so doing. Here let us build us a temple and make a deity of ourselves. Come and let us make a shem (name, a synonym for God, or a Divine Being) whom we can adore and have him always in our midst as a center of attraction, and thus avoid becoming dispersed abroad on the face of the earth." CHAPTER 69. A COMPARISON BETWEEN NOAH AND MOSES. SAID Rabbi Jehuda: "Whilst the antediluvians were living,67a-67b the Holy One looked down up the hearth and beheld no one able to save them from being destroyed. If it be asked, was there not Noah? the question is of no force, since Noah had not that abundance of personal merit to save them; it only sufficed to save himself and for repeopling the world. Therefore it is written of him, 'For thee only have I seen righteous before me in this generation' (Gen. VII, 1); that is, compared with the rest of his contemporaries, he was the only one who lived uprightly." Said Rabbi Jose: "The words 'in this generation' far from diminishing the merits of Noah, rather exalt and increase them. The meaning of scripture is, that they were not comparative with respect to others, but intrinsic and would have made him distinguished had he lived in any other age, even if it had been in that of Moses. If Noah with his righteousness was unable to save the world, it was because there were not ten righteous men to be found to effect this. We infer this from the request of Abraham, whilst ruin was still impending over and threatening the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 'Let not the Lord be angry and I will speak yet but this once: peradventure ten should be found there; and he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake' (Gen. XVIII, 32). Now in the time of Noah, including himself with his sons and their wives, there were not to be found ten such men as he, in that generation, otherwise it would have been spared for their sake and escaped destruction." Said Rabbi Eleazor to Rabbi Simeon, his father: "Tradition informs us that when the sins and iniquities of unrighteous men abound in the world and attain their climax, and divine justice is ready to overtake and destroy them, the just and upright should plead on their behalf, for they alone are able to expiate the guilt of their fellowmen." Said Rabbi Simeon in reply: "We have learned that when Noah came forth out of the ark, the Holy One desired he should repeople the earth. The judgment of the antediluvians was unable to fall upon and affect him, as he was concealed in the ark and so escaped the eye of the destroying angel. Observe it is written, 'Seek after righteousness, seek after meekness, it may be, ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger' (Zeph. II, 3). This was done by Noah, and by entering into the ark he was hid in the day of the Lord's anger and so escaped the power of the accusing angel. This passage of scripture has reference to a great mystery known and understood only by the highest initiates and adepts; that is, the thaumaturgic power of the twenty-two letters of the celestial alphabet wielded by angels in destroying and exterminating the wicked.67b Therefore it is that scripture states, 'they were destroyed from the earth' (va-imchon). Remark now the difference that distinguished Moses from all other men. At the time the Holy One said unto him, 'Now let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great nation' (Ex. XXXII, 10). Moses without a moment's hesitation replied, 'Shall I give up and forsake Israel for my own personal exaltation and advantage? If so, will not worldly people say that I was a traitor and sacrificed them because of my ambitious and selfish desire of becoming ruler and chief of a great nation, like unto Noah who when the Holy One said unto him, 'Behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life from under heaven and everything that is on the earth shall die, but with thee will I establish my covenant and thou shalt come into the ark, thou and thy sons and thy wife and thy sons' wives with thee' (Gen. VI, 17-18). Far from entreating God for his fellowmen, not to destroy them, Noah thought only of his own safety and that of his own family, and, owing to this neglect on his part, the waters of the deluge bear his name; for so it is written, 'For I67b have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth' (Is. LIV, 9). But Moses thought thus: If the people of Israel is destroyed, it will be said I acted selfishly in that I refrained from interceding on their behalf and allowed them to perish for the sake of personal gratification and ambition to become the head of a great nation. No, it is better for me to die and by my death save Israel from perishing; and so it is written, 'and Moses besought the Lord, his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people' (Ex. XXXII, 11) . He prayed for mercy and it was granted to him, and thus was Israel saved." Said Rabbi Isaac: "How could Moses in his entreaty with the Lord on behalf of Israel say, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people? The Israelites had worshipped an idol as God, had just informed him and become idolators as other nations, for they had made them a molten calf and bowed in worship to it and sacrificed unto it and said, 'These be thy gods, oh Israel, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.' Yet after such heinous iniquity and forgetful ingratitude, Moses could say, 'Let not thy wrath wax hot against thy people.' What was his reason in so doing? In reply we say, whoever takes upon him the office of a mediator and intercessor is bound to exterminate the delinquency of the offender before the injured one, and magnify it in the sight of the guilty one. Thus acted Moses who spoke as though the iniquity of the Israelites was of little account, yet did he not fail to upbraid them severely, and said unto them, 'Ye have sinned a great sin' (Ex. XXXII, 30). Yet ceased he not pleading for them, and even offered his own life for their forgiveness and preservation, as it is written, 'If thou wilt forgive their sins, and if not, blot me I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written. It was after the utterance of this prayer, the Holy One pardoned the Israelites and repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. Not so did Noah act, but prayed only for his own salvation and made no effort to save the world; so that when divine judgment afflicts it, the cry of the Holy Spirit is heard far unto the world when no Moses is found to intercede for it. But it is written, 'He remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he that put his holy spirit within him' (Is. LXIII, 11). These words allude to Moses, especially to his earnest intercession;67b-68a so that the Lord said, 'Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward' (Ex. XIV, 15), and thus they were saved at the Red Sea through his prayer, so that they went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground and the waters became as a wall unto them on their right and on their left.' It was also through Moses that the Schekina descended and made its abode in their midst and, therefore, on account of his constant care and solicitude for their welfare, are they described as 'the people of Moses.'" Said Rabbi Jehuda: "Though Noah was a just man, yet was his righteousness not such as to prevail with the Holy One to forgive the sin of the antediluvians. Observe that Moses never trusted in or made mention of his own merit, but of that of the patriarchs, and in this had a great advantage over Noah." Said Rabbi Isaac: "Notwithstanding Noah could not avail himself of the merits of the patriarchs, he should have prayed for his fellowmen when God said unto him, 'I will establish my covenant with thee,' and the prayer of thanksgiving he offered after coming out of the ark, he ought to have made before the deluge, and pleaded for the preservation of the world." Said Rabbi Jehuda: "In defence of Noah, how could he offer sacrifice on behalf of the antediluvians when they were continually committing outrageous and heinous offenses against the Holy One. It is true he saw the awful judgment impending over mankind that was about to destroy them off the earth on account of their exceeding wickedness, and feared lest he himself might be overwhelmed by it." Said Rabbi Isaac: "Always whenever the wicked increase in the world, it is the righteous found amongst them who are the first to suffer, as it is written, (and begin at my sanctuary) (Ez. IX, 6) (mimiqdashe). Now this word should not be translated and read at my sanctuary, but rather by those who sanctify me (miniqdashi). But why was it that Noah escaped the impending destruction? Because it was destined, through him, the earth should be repeopled, inasmuch as he alone was found just amongst his fellowmen. Furthermore his preservation was owing to his earnest exhortations and continuous preaching to them, notwithstanding they persistently refused to listen to him or to regard his predictions of coming evil. It is therefore to him the words of scripture apply, nevertheless68a if thou warn the righteous man that he sin not and he doth not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned, also thou hast delivered thy soul. (Ez. III. 21). From which words we may gather that whoever warns sinners, saves himself even though they give no heed unto him. He has performed his duty, and if they perish, it is owing to their perverse refusal to take advice." CHAPTER 70. WHY THE ANIMAL WAS DESTROYED BY THE DELUGE: Rabbi Jose, whilst on a visit to Rabbi Simeon, asked this question: "What impelled the Holy One to Destroy, along with sinners, the beasts of the field and the fowl of the air? Were they alike responsible for the vast wickedness of the antediluvians?" Said Rabbi Simeon: "It was because, as we read, And God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way, upon the earth (Gen. VI. 12); implying that the animal creation also had forsaken its natural habits and desires after its own species resulting in the production of monstrous and abnormal forms. This was mainly owing to man's corruption and transgression against natural laws, and therefore the Holy One said, Through following and indulging in your lustful inclinations and passions you seek to derange and destroy the order of nature, I will destroy from off the face of the earth all living creatures and will purify the world by water, as at the beginning of creation; and, after that, will repeople it with a new progeny both of men and animals, better than what now exists.' It is written, 'Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.'" (Gen. VII. 7). Said Rabbi Hiya: "We read, 'Can anyone hide himself in a secret place, that I shall not see him, saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth (Jer. XXIII. 24). How great the number of those who foolishly refrain from meditation on the law and the words of their Lord, imagining they can conceal their sins and wrong doing from his all-seeing eye, and say unto themselves, who will see and know what we do? Of such it is written, 'Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us and who knoweth us?' (Is. XXIX. 15). To them may be applied the following parable. A certain king built a large palace with subterraneous passages and chambers.68a-68b Eventually his attendants rebelled against him. He then ordered his guards to seize and imprison them. In order to escape punishment, the rebels went and hid themselves in the secret underground chambers. On hearing of this, the king said, 'Do they think to hide from me who planned and built the palace and therefore am fully acquainted with all its secret hiding places?' To those who seek to hide their sins and misdeeds, God says, 'It is I who have built the secret places; it is I who concealed light and darkness, and you imagine you can hide from me.' Observe when anyone commits sins secretly, the divine law of karma will cause them to become revealed and manifested to the world. But if he repents and desires to atone for them, the Holy One hides him in a manner that the avenging and destroying angle is unable to behold and afflict him. Therefore it is the opinion of Rabbi Simeon that one who has the evil eye, that is, who is naturally envious and jealous in disposition, is biased by the spirit of evil, and, in the sphere wherein he moves, becomes himself a power of evil to others and should be avoided, in order to escape injury from him. For the sake of self-preservation it therefore behoves everyone to shun by the exercise of caution the deadly glances of the destroying angel. Speaking of Balaam, the scripture states, 'And Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eye was closed hath said' (Num. XXIV. 3). Now Balaam possessed the evil eye and whenever he directed on anyone his looks, on him the destroying angel alighted. And knowing this, he turned his gaze upon Israel in order to afflict and destroy them. But note what is said. 'And Balaam lifted up his eyes.' It is not written eyes, but 'his eye,' and he beheld Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes.' As he looked, he detected the presence of the Schekina in their midst, overshadowing and protecting them, so that the glance of his evil eye proved powerless and ineffectual to afflict and injure them. Then he exclaimed, 'How can I prevail against them, seeing that the Holy Spirit their protector is watching over and guarding them against all evil, for he coucheth and lays down as a lion and as a great lion, who shall stir him up?' (Num. XXIV. 9) or, in other words, who shall cause the Shekina to depart from the midst of Israel so that I may attack them with the power of my evil eye? It was in a similar manner the Holy One wished to protect Noah and hide him from the power of the destroying angel's evil glances to afflict him, and so commanded him to enter and conceal himself within the ark and thus escape from the onrushing waters of the deluge." Said Rabbi Jose: "Noah saw the angel of death approaching and therefore went into the ark in which he was concealed for a period of twelve months, respecting which there is a difference of opinion between Rabbi Isaac and Rabbi Jehuda, one affirming that this term is the fixed duration of the punishment of the wicked, the other that it was necessary for68b Noah to pass through the twelve degrees or stages of righteousness ere he could become a just and perfect man." Said Rabbi Jehuda: "The punishment of the wicked endures six months by water and six months by fire. The punishment of the antediluvians was by water, why therefore did it endure twelve months?" Said Rabbi Jose: "The punishment of the guilty in Gehenna is effected both by water and fire; that is to say, first by the descent upon them of waters cold as ice, for a period of six months, and of boiling waters for a like period and that rise from below, and is the chastisement by fire, as has been handed down by tradition. It was therefore essential that Noah should remain in the ark for twelve months to avoid the glances of the death angel who was then unable to afflict him when it floated upon the face of the waters, as scripture states, 'And it was lifted up above the earth.' Woe unto evil doers who will never rise again and appear at the day of judgment. They become blotted out of existence, as it is written, 'Thou hast blotted out their names forever'; (Ps. IX. 6) words spoken of those who perish everlastingly in the primordial fire. 'And the waters bare up the ark and it was lift up above the earth.'" (Gen. VII. 17). The actual punishment lasted only forty days upon the earth, as scripture states, 'And the flood was forty days upon the earth,' the remainder of the year serving for the complete effacement of the antediluvians from off the face of the earth. Said Rabbi Abba: It is written, 'Be thou exalted, oh God, above the heavens, and let thy glory be above all the earth' (Ps. LVII. 11). Woe unto the wicked and unrighteous who daily insult their Lord and by their misdeeds repulse the schekina from them and cause it to forsake and depart from the world. In this verse the Schekina is called Alhim. Observe the words of scripture, 'And the waters bare up the ark'; that is to say,68b-69a the deeds of sinful men repel the Schekina, of whom the ark is a symbol. When this happens, the earth is left without a defender and protector against impending judgments and affliction that assail it from all sides. Only after they have run their course and the wicked have been destroyed, does it return again into this lower world." Here Rabbi Jose asked the question: "If this be so, why has not the Schekina returned again to the land of Israel after the dispersion of faithless and sinful Jews? Rabbi Abba replied: "Because there are found in it no longer any just and righteous men. Wherever the just are, there is the Schekina abiding and dwelling amongst them, even though they leave their native land and emigrate to a foreign country. Of all the sins that tend to drive the Schekina from the world, self-defilement is the most heinous, as was already remarked, and he who is guilty of it will never behold the face of the Schekina, and never ascend into the heavenly palace, but will become as scripture states, 'destroyed from the face of the earth,' and that completely, so the Holy One shall raise the dead.
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