and Concerning the Edomite Kings
Hereunto have I propounded how one thing agreeth with another; and I have
expounded those things which have been concealed in the most Holy Ancient
One, the Concealed with all Concealments; and how these are connected with
those.
But now for a time I will discourse concerning the requisite parts of
Microprosopus; especially concerning those which were not manifested in
the Conclave of the Assembly, and which have been concealed in mine heart,
and have not been given forth in order therefrom.
Hereunto have I mystically and in a subtle manner propounded all those
matters. Blessed is his portion who entereth therein and departeth
therefrom, and (blessed the portion) of those who shall be the heirs of
that inheritance.
As it is written, Ps. cxliv. 15, “Blessed are the people with whom it is
so,” etc.
Now these be the matters which we have propounded. The Father(841) and the
Mother(842) adhere unto the Ancient One, and also unto His conformation;
since they depend from the Hidden Brain, Concealed with all Concealments,
and are connected therewith.
And although the Most Holy Ancient One hath been conformed (as it were)
alone (_i.e._, apparently apart from all things at first sight); yet when
all things are accurately inspected, all things are HVA, _Hoa_, Himself,
the Ancient One, alone.
Hoa is and Hoa shall be; and all those forms cohere with Himself, are
concealed in Himself, and are not separated from Himself.
The Hidden Brain is not manifested, and (Microprosopus) doth not depend
immediately from it.
The Father and the Mother proceed from this Brain, and depend from It, and
are connected with It.
(Through Them) Microprosopus dependeth from the Most Holy Ancient One, and
is connected (with Him). And these things have we already revealed in the
Conclave of the Assembly.
Blessed is his portion who entereth therein and departeth therefrom, and
hath known the paths; so that he declineth not unto the right hand, or
unto the left.
But if any man entereth not therein and departeth therefrom, better were
it for that (man) that he had never been born. For thus it is written,
Hos. xiv. 10, “True are Thy ways, O Tetragrammaton!”
Rabbi Schimeon spake and said: Through the whole day have I meditated on
that saying where it is said, Ps. xxxiv. 2, “My Nephesch(843) shall
rejoice in Tetragrammaton, the humble shall hear thereof and rejoice”; and
now that whole text is confirmed (in my mind).
“My Nephesch shall rejoice in Tetragrammaton.” This is true, for my
Neschamah is connected therewith, radiateth therein, adhereth thereto, and
is occupied thereabout, and in this same occupation is exalted in its
place.
“The humble shall hear thereof and rejoice.” All those just and blessed
men who have come into communion with God, the Most Holy—blessed be
He!—all hear and rejoice.
Ah! now is the Holy One confessed; and therefore “magnify Tetragrammaton
with me, and let us exalt His Name together!”
Thus is it written, Gen. xxxvi. 31, “And those are the kings who reigned
in the land of Edom.” And also it is written thus, Ps. xlviii. 4, “Since,
lo! the kings assembled, they passed away together.”
“In the land of Edom.” That is, in the place wherewith the judgments are
connected.
“They passed away together.” As it is written, “And he died, and there
reigned in his stead.”
“They themselves beheld, so were they astonished; they feared, and hasted
away.” Because they remained not in their place, since the conformations
of the King had not as yet been formed, and the Holy City and its walls
were not as yet prepared.
This is that which followeth in the text, “As we have heard, so have we
seen, in the city,” etc. For all did not endure.
But She (the Bride) now subsisteth beside the Male, with Whom She abideth.
This is that which is written, Gen. xxxvi. 39, “And Hadar reigned in his
stead, and the name of his city was Pau, and the name of his wife was
Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mizaheb.”
Assuredly this have we before explained in the Assembly.(844)
Now, also, in the book of the teaching of Rav Hamenuna the Elder it is
said, “And Hadar reigned in his stead.” The word HDR, _Hadar_, is properly
to be expounded according unto that which is said, Lev. xxiii. 40, “The
fruit of trees which are HDR, _Hadar_, goodly.”
“And in the name of his wife Mehetabel,” as it is written (in the text
just cited), “branches of palm-trees.”
Also it is written, Ps. xcii. 3, “The just man shall flourish as the
palm-tree.” For this is of the male and female sex.
She is called “the daughter of Matred”; that is, the Daughter from that
place wherein all things are bound together, which is called AB, Father.
Also it is written, Job xxviii. 13, “Man knoweth not the price thereof,
neither is it found in the land of the living.”
She is the Daughter of Aima, the Mother; from Whose side the judgments are
applied which strive against all things.
“The Daughter of Mizaheb;” because She hath nourishment from the two
Countenances (Chokmah and Binah, which are within Kether); and shineth
with two colors—namely from CHSD, _Chesed_, Mercy; and from DIN, _Din_,
Judgment.
For before the world was established Countenance beheld not
Countenance.(845)
And therefore were the Prior Worlds destroyed, for the Prior Worlds were
formed without (equilibrated) conformation.
But these which existed not in conformation are called vibrating flames
and sparks, like as when the worker in stone striketh sparks from the
flint with his hammer, or as when the smith smiteth the iron and dasheth
forth sparks on every side.
And these sparks which fly forth flame and scintillate, but shortly they
are extinguished. And these are called the Prior Worlds.
And therefore have they been destroyed, and persist not, until the Most
Holy Ancient One can be conformed, and the workman can proceed unto His
work.
And therefore have we related in our discourse that that ray sendeth forth
sparks upon sparks in 320 directions.
And those sparks are called the Prior Worlds, and suddenly they perished.
Then proceeded the workman unto His work, and was conformed, namely as
Male and Female.
And those sparks became extinct and died, but now all things subsist.
From a Light-Bearer of insupportable brightness proceeded a Radiating(846)
Flame, dashing off like a vast and mighty hammer those sparks which were
the Prior Worlds.
And with most subtle ether were these intermingled and bound mutually
together, but only when they were conjoined together, even the Great
Father and Great Mother.
From _Hoa_, Himself, is AB, the Father; and from _Hoa_, Himself, is Ruach,
the Spirit; Who are hidden in the Ancient of Days, and therein is that
ether concealed.
And It was connected with a light-bearer, which went forth from that
Light-Bearer of insupportable brightness, which is hidden in the Bosom of
Aima, the Great Mother.