path." (That is, "hath been changed into ") the boy (namely, Metatron, who is spoken of under his name NOR, Nour, which meaneth a "boy").

35. With the Elohim, and not with the Tetragrammaton (because he himself is referred unto the path of the queen, to whom is attributed this name of Rigor). "And he existed not (longer) under this name (Enoch), because the Elohim took him in order that he might be called by this name. (For this name is communicable unto the angels, and in the first instance unto this chief among them, namely, Metatron.)

36. There are three houses of judgment given, which are four (that is, the three letters IHV, referred into the understanding, which yield the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, pointed with the vowel points of the name Elohim. For) there are four superior houses of judgment (the four said Tetragrammatic letters) and four inferior (which are the four letters ADNI, Adonai, belonging unto the kingdom). For it is written, Lev. xix. 35: "Ye shall not do iniquity in judgment, in dimension, in weight, and in measure." (Where these four are mystically intimated.)

37. (There is one) rigorous judgment (of severity), another that is not rigorous (that is of the kingdom.) There is one judgment by balance (wherein are the two scales of merit and error), another judgment which is not made by balance; (and this is) the gentle judgment (whereby the Israelites are judged. But also there is given) the judgment which is neither of the one nature nor of the other. (Namely, the beautiful path.) 14

38. (Further on it is written), Gen. vi. 1: "And it came to pass when man began to multiply upon the face of the earth." (Where by these words) ADM, Adam, began to multiply (there is understood Daath, or the knowledge, the soul of the beautiful path, to which Moses is referred; which sendeth down many lights into the bride, the earth, when the spouse ascendeth thither). This is that which is written: BSHGM, Beshegam, " in that also, he is flesh" (which word Beshegam," in that also," by equality of numeration equaleth

14 Of course the "beautiful path" is Tiphereth, the sixth Sephira.

MSHH, Moses) Adam (namely) the supernal (Daath, or knowledge). And it is written: "Upon the face of the earth" (which face of the earth is this, that the highest representation of the queen is the understanding, the mother, unto whose gates Moses ascended).

39. (Concerning this face, it is written) Exod. xxxiv. 29: "And Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone" where by the face the mother is understood; by the skin, the queen.) This is that which is said, Gen. iii. 21: "Tunics of skin" (because by itself the kingdom is wanting in light).

40. To shine (but when it is said "the face of Moses," the mother is understood), according to that passage, 1 Sam. xvi. 13: "And Samuel took the horn of oil" (where by the oil, the wisdom, by the oil, or the splendor of the oil, the understanding is denoted). For there is no anointing except by the horn (that is, every descent of unction is through the mother). Hence it is said, Ps. lxxxix. 18: "And in thy favor our horn shall be exalted." (Also) Ps. cxxxii. 17: "There shall the horn of David flourish " (that is, the queen shall receive the influx from the mother). This is the tenth of the kings (that is, the path of the kingdom), originateth from jubilee, who is the mother.

41. For it is written, Josh. vi. 5: "And it shall be when the horn of jubilee is sounded." This is the splendor of the jubilee, and the tenth (path) is crowned by the mother.

42. (This is) the horn which receiveth the horn and the spirit, that it may restore the spirit of Yod He unto Yod He. (That is, when the spirit is to be given unto Microprosopus, his mother contributed as much, which is QRN, Qaran, "the horn," the brilliancy, as the increase which he receiveth from the father.) And this is the horn of jubilee. And IVBL, Yobel, "jubilee," is H, He (the first He of the Tetragrammaton); and He is the spirit rushing forth over all (because the mother is the world to come, when in the resurrection all things will receive the spirit); and all things shall return unto their place (like as in the jubilee, so in the world to come).

43. For it is written, AHH, IHVH, ALHIM, Ahah

Tetragrammaton Elohim! "Ah Tetragrammaton Elohim!" When the H, He, appeareth (first), and H, He (in the second place); then is Tetragrammaton called Elohim (like as a judge; because in the world to come there will be work for much strength. This is) the full name. And it is written, Isa. ii. 11: "And Tetragrammaton alone shall be exalted in that day." When the one He is turned toward the other He, and Yod is taken away, then cometh vengeance into the universe; and except for that Adam who is called Tetragrammaton, the universe would not exist; but all things would be destroyed. Hence it is written: "And the Tetragrammaton alone," etc.

44. Hereunto is the hidden and involved Mystery of the King, that is "The Book of Concealed Mystery." Blessed is he who entereth into and departeth therefrom, and knoweth its paths and ways.

END OF THE SEPHER DTZENIOUTHA

HA IDRA RABBA QADISHA

OR

THE GREATER HOLY ASSEMBLY

CHAPTER I

THE INGRESS AND THE PREFACE

1. Tradition.-Rabbi Schimeon spake unto his companions, and said: "How long shall we abide in the condition of one column by itself? when it is written, Psa. cxix. 126: 'It is time for Thee, Lord, to lay to Thine hand, for they have destroyed Thy law.'

2. "The days are few, and the creditor is urgent; the herald crieth aloud daily, and the reapers of the land are few; and those who are about the end of the vineyard attend not, and have not known where may be the lawful place. (That is, do not study holiness, which is called the vineyard.)

3. "Assemble yourselves, O my companions, in an open space, equipped with armor and spears; be ye ready in your preparations, in council, in wisdom, in understanding, in science, in care, with hands and with feet! Appoint as King over you, Him in whose power is life and death, so that the words of truth may be received; things unto which the supernal holy ones attend, and rejoice to hear and to know them."

4. Rabbi Schimeon sat down and wept; then he said: "Woe! if I shall reveal it! Woe! if I shall not reveal it!"

5. His companions who were there were silent.

6. Rabbi Abba arose and said unto him: "With the favor of the Lord, also it is written, Psa. xxv. 14: The Arcanum of the Tetragrammaton is with them that fear Him.' And well do these companions fear that Holy and Blessed One; and now they have entered into the assembly of the tabernacle

of his house, some of them have only entered, and some of them have departed also."

7. Moreover, it is said the companions who were with Rabbi Schimeon were numbered, and they were found to consist of Rabbi Eleazer, his son; and Rabbi Abba, and Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Yosi the son of Jacob, and Rabbi Isaac, and Rabbi Chisqiah the son of Rav, and Rabbi Chiya, and Yabbi Yosi, and Rabbi Yisa.

8. They gave their hands unto Rabbi Schimeon, and raised their fingers on high, and entered into a field under the trees and sat down.

9. Rabbi Schimeon arose and offered up a prayer. He sat in the midst of them, and said: "Let whosoever will place his hand in my bosom." They placed their hands there, and he took them.

10. When he began, he said (from Deut. xxvii. 15): "Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say Amen!" 11. Rabbi Schimeon began, and said: "Time for Thee, O Tetragrammaton to lay to Thine hand." Why is it time for the Tetragrammaton to lay to His hand? Because they have perverted Thy law. What is this, they hath perverted Thy law'? The higher law, which is itself made void, if it be not carried out according to his commands. Wherefore is this? (Or, as others read: Wherefore is this name Tetragrammaton here employed?) This hath been said concerning the Ancient of Days.1

12. "For it is written, Deut. xxxiii. 29: 'Blessed art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee?' Also is it written, Exod. xv. 11: Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Tetragrammaton?" "2

1 I.e., one of the names of Macroprosopus, the first emanation, the crown, Kether.

2 In the above verse it is well to note that by Notariqon, the second division of the Literal Kabbalah, the initial letters of the first quotation give the word AIMK, Aimakh, "Thy terror," the addition of the numeration of which by Gematria, the first division of the Literal Kabbalah, is 71; and that in a similar manner from the second quotation, the word MKBI, Maccabee, is obtained, whose numeration is 72.