310. "He is set on the crown of crowns, which are the crowns of all crowns, and the crowns which are not comprehended in the other crowns; I say, of those crowns which are not as the other crowns, for the inferior crowns are comprehended by them.*

311. "And therefore are those forms (arranged in) such conformations, whereunto the inferior forms adhere; and they are the dispositions in which Het is disposed Who hath need that He may be blessed by Him, and Who desireth blessing.

312. "For whensoever the dispositions take the form of these, blessings are found beneath them; and It Is that which It Is.§

66

313. All things are comprehended in those dispositions; all things raise themselves up in order that they may receive these dispositions of the Mighty King, of the Ancient One, the most concealed of all. And all those are mitigated by those ordinations of the King, the Ancient One.

314. “We have learned: Unless the Ancient of the Ancient Ones, the Holy of the Holy Ones, were disposed in those conformations, neither the superiors nor the inferiors would be found, and all things would be as though they existed not.

315. "Also we have learned by tradition: how far do those conformations of the beard radiate splendour? Even unto the thirteen inferiors; and whensoever those thirteen are found, those shine.||

* To comprehend the real meaning of section 310, the reader should have carefully studied that part of the Introduction which refers to the Sephiroth, which are symbolized by crowns. In this sense the "crown of crowns" is Kether, the first Sephira, the Ancient One; the crowns of all crowns will be the first three Sephiroth; and the inferiors will be the lower Sephiroth, and those other forms which are dependent on them, symbolized by the crowns of the twenty-four elders in the Apocalypse, which latter is a purely qabalistical work, and is unintelligible without the qabalistical keys.

+ Microprosopus. Macroprosopus. § Cf. Exodus iii. 14.

|| This section refers to the statement that Macroprosopus pours forth His splendour upon Microprosopus, so that the latter shines by reflected light.

L

316. "And all of them are found in the number thirteen.

317. "Therefore is the beard of the King, the Ancient One, most venerable among all, at once in its entirety concealed, and most excellent.

318. "And because it is most excellent before all things, and concealed, there is no mention made concerning it in any place in the law, and it is not manifested.

the Great High Priest, and from that beard descendeth the influx unto the inferior beard of the inferior high priest.*

320. How is the beard of the high priest disposed? The beard of the high priest is disposed in eight conformations. Because also the high priest hath eight vestments, when the ointment descendeth upon his beard.

321. This is that which is written, Ps. cxxxiii. 2: ‘Like the precious oil upon the head descending upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, which descendeth according to the proportion of his attributes,' &c.

322. And whence is this to us? Because it is written in the same place: Also for brethren to dwell together in equality.' The word 'also' increaseth the signification of the inferior high priest.

323. "Seeing that in the same way as the inferior high priest ministereth in the high priesthood, so also, if it be permitted to say so, doth the High Priest above minister in His high priesthood.

324.

66

This is the first ordination of the beard of the Ancient One, the most concealed of all."

325. Rabbi Schimeon said unto him: "It is justly thy due, Rabbi Isaac, that thou shouldest be under the ornament of the conformation of the beard, and that

* The Great High Priest is the son, Microprosopus, symbolized on earth by the High Priest. Compare what St. Paul says about Christ being our Great High Priest.

thou shouldest receive the light of the countenance of the Ancient of Days, the Ancient of the Ancient Ones. Blessed is thy portion, and blessed be my lot with thee in the world to come."

CHAPTER XIII.

CONCERNING THE SECOND PART OF THE BEARD OF

MACROPROSOPUS.

326. “ARISE, Rabbi Chisqiah, and stand in thy place, and declare the worthiness of this part of the holy beard."

327. Rabbi Chisqiah arose, and began his speech and said, Cant. vii. 10: "I am my beloved's and his desire is towards me."

328. "Who is under consideration here, that 'I am my beloved's?' and because that 'his desire is toward me?'

329. "I have meditated, and lo! I have beheld the most excellent light of the supernal lights.

330. It shone forth, and ascended on three hundred and twenty-five sides.

331. "And in that light was a certain obscurity washed away, like as when a man batheth in a deep river, whose divided waters flow round him on every side from that part which is above.

332. "And that light ascendeth unto the shore of the deep superior sea,* for all good openings and dignities are disclosed in that opening.

333. “I asked of them what might be the interpretation of that which I beheld; and, commencing they replied, * Binah, the third Sephira, which is called the sea in the "Book of Concealed Mystery.' It answers to the first letter H, He in the Tetragrammaton. (See Introduction.)

'NVSHA OVN, Nosha Auan, Thou hast beheld iniquity being taken away.''

334. He said: "This is the second disposition," and sat down.

335. Rabbi Schimeon said: Now is the universe united together (or mitigated). Blessed be thou, Rabbi Chisqiah, of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones!

336. Rabbi Schimeon said: All the lights are congregated together which come under this holy seal.

337. I bear witness that the highest heavens from the highest (powers) are above me, and the highest holy earth from the supernals, because now I can see what man hath not beheld from that time, when Moses for the second time ascended the mountain of Sinai.

338. For I see that my countenance shineth like the vehement splendour of the sun, who is about to issue forth for the healing of the universe.*

*

But unto you

339. Like as it is written, Mal. iv. 2: that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise, and healing in his wings."

340. Furthermore, I know that my countenance shineth; Moses neither knew nor perceived (the fact).

341. Like as it is written, Exod. xxxiv. 29: “And Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone."

342. Furthermore, I behold before me with mine eyes those thirteen sculptured (forms of the beard of Macroprosopus), and like flaming light did they shine.

343. And when the second of those (dispositions) was explained by thy mouth, that same at once was raised, and conformed, and crowned, and concealed in the concealment of the forms of the beard, but all the others were reinstated (in outward form).t

* This phrase "splendour of the sun, who is," &c., evidently refers to the sixth Sephira, Tiphereth, or beauty, the splendour of the countenance of Microprosopus, while the universe" refers to Malkuth.

† While Rabbi Chisqiah was speaking Rabbi Schimeon had this vision of the conformations of the beard.

344. And what is more, that one (formation), whilst it was explained by thy mouth, flamed forth in splendour, and was crowned with a crown, and seated upon a throne, like a king in the midst of his army.

345. And when the explanation ceased it ascended, and was crowned with a holy crown, and ordained, and concealed, and again placed among the forms of the holy beard; and thus with (the forms) all and singular.

346. Be ye glad, O my holy companions! for surely (the universe) shall not be in such a condition until King Messiach shall come.

CHAPTER XIV.

CONCERNING THE THIRD PART OF THE BEARD OF

MACROPROSOPUS.

347. “ARISE, Rabbi Chisqiah, for the second time.” 348. We have learned that before Rabbi Chisqiah arose, One angel doth not under

a voice came forth and said:

take two messages."

66

was disturbed, and said;

349. Rabbi Schimeon Assuredly, let each (of you) speak singly in his place (in respect of the symbolism of the seven inferiors); but as for myself, and Rabbi Eleazar my son, and Rabbi Abba, we (three) refer unto the highest and complete perfection (of the whole decad). Arise, Rabbi Chiya."*

* On a little consideration it will be seen that this meeting of ten of the principal Rabbis-viz., Schimeon, Eleazar, Abba, Yehuda, Yosi Ben Jacob, Isaac, Chisqiah Ben Rav, Chiya, Yosi, and Yisawas intended to be symbolical of the ten Sephiroth, wherein, furthermore, the three first-named were also representative of the great trinity of the crown, the king and the queen. In other words, to speak plainly, the whole arrangement of this assembly was closely

www