CHAPTER IX.
CONCERNING MICROPROSOPUS AND HIS BRIDE IN GENERAL.
341, HE said: Mouth, mouth, which hath followed out all these things, they shall not dry up thy fountain.
342. Thy fountain goeth forth and faileth not: surely concerning thee may this be applied: "And a river went forth out of Eden;" also that which is written Like a fountain of waters whose waters fail not."
343. Now I testify concerning myself, that all the days which I have lived I have desired to behold this day, yet was it not the will (of God).
344. For with this crown is this day crowned, and now as yet I intend to reveal certain things before God the Most Holy--may He be blessed!--and all these things crown mine head.
345. And this day 1 suffereth not increase, neither can it pass on into the place of another day, for this whole day hath been yielded unto my power.
346. And now I begin to reveal these things, that I may not enter ashamed into the world to come. Therefore I begin and say:
347. "It is written, Ps. lxxxix. 14: 'TzDQ VMShPT, Tzedeq Va-Meshephat, Justice and Judgment are the abode of Thy throne; ChSD VAMTh, Chesed Va-Emeth, Mercy and Truth shall go before Thy countenance.'"
348. What wise man will examine this, so that he may behold His paths, (those, namely,) of the Most Holy Supernal One, the judgments of truth, the judgments which are crowned with His Supernal crowns.
349. For I say that all the lights which shine from
the Supreme Light, the Most Concealed of All, are all paths (leading) towards that light.
350. And in that Light which existeth in those single paths, whatsoever is revealed is revealed.
351. And all those lights adhere mutually together, this light in that light, and that light in this light.
352. And they shine mutually into each other, neither are they divided separately from each other.
353. That Light, I say, of those lights, severally and conjointly, which are called the conformations of the King, or of the Crown of the King, that which shineth and adhereth to that Light, which is the innermost of all things, nor ever shineth without them.
354. And therefore do all things ascend in one path, and all things are crowned by one and the same thing, and one thing is not separated from another, since HVA, Hoa, Himself, and His Name, are one.
355. That Light which is manifested is called the Vestment; for He Himself, the King, is the Light of all the innermost.
356. In that Light is Hoa, Who is not separated nor manifested.
357. And all those lights and all those luminaries shine forth from the Most Holy Ancient One, the Concealed with all Concealments, who is the Highest Light.
358. And whensoever the matter is accurately examined all those lights which are expanded are no longer found, save only that Highest Light.
359. Who is hidden and not manifested, through those vestments of ornament which are the vestments of truth, QShVT, Qeshot, the forms of truth, the lights of truth.
360. Two light-bearers are found, which are the conformation of the throne of the King; and they are called TzDQ, Tzedeq, Justice, and MShPT, Meshephat, Judgment.
361. And they are the beginning and the consummation.
[paragraph continues] And through them are all the judgments crowned, as well superior as inferior.
362. And they all are concealed in Meshephat. And from that Meshephat is Tzedeq nourished.
363. And sometimes they call the same, MLKI TzDQ MLK ShLM, Meleki Tzedeq Melek Shalem, Melchizedek, King of Salem.
364. When the judgments are crowned by Meshephat, all things are mercy; and all things are in perfect peace, because the one temperateth the other.
365. Tzedeq and the Rigours are reduced into order, and all these descend into the world in peace and in mercy.
366. And then is the hour sanctified, so that the Male and the Female are united, and the worlds all and several exist in love and in joy.
367. But whensoever sins are multiplied in the world, and the sanctuary is polluted, and the Male and Female are separated. 1
368. And when that strong Serpent beginneth to arise, Woe, then, unto thee, O World! who in that time art nourished by this Tzedeq. For then arise many slayers of men and executioners (of judgment) in thee, O World. Many just men are withdrawn from thee.
369. But wherefore is it thus? Because the Male is separated from the Female, and judgment, Meshephat, is not united unto justice, Tzedeq.
370. And concerning this time it is written, Prov. xiii. 23: "There is that is destroyed, because therein is not Meshephat." Since Meshephat is departed from this Tzedeq which is not therefore restrained; and Tzedeq hath operation after another manner.
371. And concerning this (matter) thus speaketh Solomon the king, Eccles. vii. 16: "All these things have I seen
in the days of my HBL, Hebel; there is a just man who perisheth in his Tzedeq," &c.
372. Where by the word HBL, Hebel (which is usually translated "vanity"), is understood the breath from those supernal breathers forth which are called the nostrils of the King.
373. But when he saith HBLI, Hebeli, of my breath, Tzedeq, Justice, is to be understood, which is MLKVThA QDIShA, Malkutha Qadisha, the holy Malkuth (Sanctum Regnum, the Holy Kingdom).
374. For when She is stirred up in Her judgments and severities, then hath this saying place: "There is a just man who perished in his Tzedeq."
375. For what reason? Because Judgment, Meshephat, is far from Justice, Tzedeq. And therefore is it said, Prov. xiii. 23: "And there is that is destroyed because therein is not Meshephat."
376. Come and see! When some sublimely just man is found in the world, who is dear unto God the Most Holy One--may He be blessed!--then even if Tzedeq, Justice, alone be stirred up, still on account of him the world can bear it.
377. And God the Most Holy--may He be blessed!--increaseth His glory so that He may not be destroyed by the severity (of the judgments).
378. But if that just man remaineth not in his place, then from the midst is he taken away for example by that Meshephat, judgment, so that before it he cannot maintain his place, how much less before Tzedeq, Justice.
379. David the king said at first, Ps. xxvi. 2: "Try me, O Tetragrammaton, and prove me!" For I shall not be destroyed by all the severities, not even by Tzedeq, Justice Herself, seeing that I am joined thereunto.
380. For what is written, Ps. xvii. 15: "In Tzedeq, Justice, I will behold Thy countenance." Therefore, properly speaking, I cannot be destroyed through
[paragraph continues] Tzedeq, seeing that I can maintain myself in its severities. 1
381. But after that he had sinned, he was even ready to be consumed by that Meshephat, Judgment. Whence it is written, Ps. cxliii. 2: "And enter not into Meshephat, Judgment, with Thy servant!"
382. Come and see! When that Tzedeq, Justice, is mitigated by that Meshephat, Judgment, then is it called TzDQH, Tzedeqah, Liberality.
383. And the world is tempered by Chesed, Mercy, and is filled therewith.
384. As it is written, Ps. xxxiii. 5: "Delighting in TzDQH, Liberality, and MShPT, Judgment; the earth is full of the ChSD, Mercy, of Tetragrammaton."
385. I testify concerning myself, that during my whole life I have been solicitous in the world, that I should not fall under the severities of justice, nor that the world should be burned up with the flames thereof.
386. As it is written, Prov. xxx. 20: "She eateth and wipeth her mouth."
387. Thenceforward and afterwards all and singular are near unto the Abyss.
388. And verily in this generation certain just men are given (upon earth); but they are few who arise that they may defend the flock from the four angles (otherwise, but judgments arise against the world, and desire to rush upon us).
Footnotes
293:1 Meaning the period of revealing these matters, not exactly a day of twenty-four hours: day in the Scriptural and qabalistical sense.
295:1 In other words, whom there is unbalanced force, there is the origin of evil.
297:1 Because in those severities, and behind them, he can see the Countenance of God.
