We now proceed to trace the date and origin of the Kabbalah. Taking theex partestatement for what it is worth, viz., that this secret doctrine is of a pre-Adamite date, and that God himself propounded it to the angels in Paradise, we shall have to examine the age of the oldest documents which embody its tenets, and compare these doctrines with other systems, in order to ascertain the real date and origin of this theosophy. But before this is done, it will be necessary to summarize, as briefly as possible, those doctrines which are peculiar to the Kabbalah, or which it expounds and elaborates in an especial manner, and which constitute it a separate system within the precincts of Judaism. The doctrines are as follow:—1. God is boundless in his nature. He has neither will, intention, desire, thought, language, nor action. He cannot be grasped and depicted; and, for this reason, is calledEn Soph, and as such he is in a certain sense not existent.2. He is not the direct creator of the universe, since he could not will the creation; and since a creation proceeding directly from him would have to be as boundless and as perfect as he is himself.3. He at first sent forth ten emanations, orSephiroth, which are begotten, not made, and which are both infinite and finite.4. From theseSephiroth, which are the Archetypal Man, the different worlds gradually and successively evolved. These evolutionary worlds are the brightness and the express image of their progenitors, theSephiroth, which uphold all things.[146]5. These emanations, orSephiroth, gave rise to or created in their own image all human souls. These souls are pre-existent, they occupy a special hall in the upper world of spirits, and there already decide whether they will pursue a good or bad course in their temporary sojourn in the human body, which is also fashioned according to the Archetypal image.6. No one has seen theEn Sophat any time. It is theSephiroth, in whom theEn Sophis incarnate, who have revealed themselves to us, and to whom the anthropomorphisms of Scripture and theHagadarefer. Thus when it is said, “God spake, descended upon earth, ascended into heaven, smelled the sweet smell of sacrifices, repented in his heart, was angry,” &c, &c, or when the Hagadic works describe the body and the mansions of the Deity, &c., all this does not refer to theEn Soph, but to these intermediate beings.7. It is an absolute condition of the soul to return to the Infinite Source whence it emanated, after developing all those perfections the germs of which are indelibly inherent in it. If it fails to develope these germs, it must migrate into another body, and in case it is still too weak to acquire the virtues for which it is sent to this earth, it is united to another and a stronger soul, which, occupying the same human body with it, aids its weaker companion in obtaining the object for which it came down from the world of spirits.8. When all the pre-existent souls shall have passed their probationary period here below, the restitution of all things will take place; Satan will be restored to an angel of light, hell will disappear, and all souls will return into the bosom of the Deity whence they emanated. The creature shall not then be distinguished from the Creator. Like God, the soul will rule the universe: she shall command, and God obey.With these cardinal doctrines before us we shall now be[147]able to examine the validity of the Kabbalists’ claims to the books which, according to them, propound their doctrines and determine the origin of this theosophy. Their works are I.The Book of Creation; II.The Sohar; and III.The Commentary of the Ten Sephiroth. As theBook of Creationis acknowledged by all parties to be the Oldest, we shall examine it first.I.The Book of CreationorJetzira.This marvellous and famous document pretends to be a monologue of the patriarch Abraham, and premises that the contemplations it contains are those which led the father of the Hebrews to abandon the worship of the stars and to embrace the faith of the true God. Hence the remark of the celebrated philosopher, R. Jehudah Ha-Levi (born about 1086)—“The Book of the Creation, which belongs to our father Abraham, … demonstrates the existence of the Deity and the Divine Unity, by things which are on the one hand manifold and multifarious, whilst on the other hand they converge and harmonize; and this harmony can only proceed from One who originated it.”1(Khozari, iv. 25.) The whole Treatise consists of sixPerakim(פרקיﬦ) or chapters, subdivided into thirty-three very briefMishnas(משנות) or sections, as follows. The first chapter has twelve sections, the second has five, the third five, the fourth four, the fifth three, and the sixth four sections. The doctrines which it propounds are delivered in the style of aphorisms or theorems, and, pretending to be the dicta of Abraham, are laid down very dogmatically, in a manner becoming the authority of this patriarch.As has already been intimated, the design of this treatise is to exhibit a system whereby the universe may be viewed methodically in connection with the truths given in the Bible,[148]thus shewing, from the gradual and systematic development of the creation, and from the harmony which prevails in all its multitudinous component parts, that One God produced it all, and that He is over all. The order in which God gave rise to this creation out of nothing (יצר ממש מתוהו), and the harmony which pervades all the constituent parts of the universe are shown by the analogy which subsists between the visible things and the signs of thought, or the means whereby wisdom is expressed and perpetuated among men. Since the letters have no absolute value, nor can they be used as mere forms, but serve as the medium between essence and form, and like words, assume the relation of form to the real essence, and of essence to the embryo and unexpressed thought, great value is attached to these letters, and to the combinations and analogies of which they are capable. The patriarch Abraham, therefore, employs the double value of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet;2he uses them, both in their phonetic nature and in their sacred character, as expressing the divine truths of the Scriptures. But, since the Hebrew alphabet is also used as numerals, which are represented by the fundamental numberten, and since the vowels of the language are alsotenin number, this decade is added to the twenty-two letters, and these two kinds of signs—i.e., the twenty-two letters of the alphabet and the ten fundamental numbers—are designatedthe thirty-two ways of secret wisdom; and the treatise opens with the declaration3—“By thirty-two paths of secret wisdom, the Eternal, the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, the living God, the King of the Universe, the Merciful and Gracious, the High and Exalted God, He who inhabiteth eternity, Glorious and Holy is His[149]name, hath created the world by means of (ספר) numbers, (ספור) phonetic language, and writing (ספר).” (Sepher Jetzira, chapter i;Mishnai.)First of all comes the fundamental number ten. This decade is divided into a tetrade and hexade, and thereby is shown the gradual development of the world out of nothing. At first there existed nothing except the Divine Substance, with the creative idea and the articulate creative word as the Spirit or the Holy Spirit, which is one with the Divine Substance and indivisible. Hence, the Spirit of the living God (רוח אלהים חיים) stands at the head of all things and is represented by the numberone. “One is the spirit of the living God, blessed be His name, who liveth for ever! voice, spirit, and word, this is the Holy Ghost.”4(Chapter i,Mishnaix). From this Spirit the whole universe proceeded in gradual and successive emanations, in the following order. The creativeair, represented by numbertwo, emanated from the Spirit (רוח מרוח). “In it He engraved the twenty-two letters.” Thewateragain, represented by the numberthree, proceeded from the air (מים מרוח). “In it He engraved darkness and emptiness, slime and dung.” Whilst theetherorfire, represented by the numberfour, emanated from the water (אש ממים). “In it He engraved the throne of His glory, the Ophanim, the Seraphim, the sacred animals, and the ministering angels, and from these three he formed His habitation; as it is written—‘He maketh the wind his messengers, flaming fire his servants’ ”5(Cap. i.Mish.ix, x.) These intermediate members between the Creator and the created world sustaina passiveandcreatedrelationship to God, and[150]an actingandcreatingrelationship to the world; so that God is neither in immediate connection with the created and material universe, nor is His creative fiat hindered by matter.Then comes the hexade, each unit of which represents space in the six directions (שש קצוות), or the four corners of the world, east, west, north, and south, as well as height and depth which emanated from the ether, and in the centre of which is the Holy Temple supporting the whole (והיכל הקודש מכוון באמצע). The position of the decade is therefore as follows—[151]These constitute the primordial ten, from which the whole universe proceeded.And lastly follow “the twenty-two letters, by means of which God, having drawn, hewn, and weighed them, and having variously changed and put them together, formed the souls of everything that has been made, and that shall be made.”6(Chapter ii,Mishnaii.) These twenty-two letters of the alphabet are then divided into three groups, consisting respectively of, 1,the three mothers, orfundamental letters(שלש אמות), 2,seven double(שבע כפולות) and 3,twelve simple consonants(שניﬦ עשר פשוטות), to deduce therefrom a triad of elements, a heptade of opposites, and a duodecimo of simple things, in the following manner.1.Three Mothers, Aleph, Mem, Shin.שלש אמות אמ״שThe above-named three primordial elements, viz., ether, water and air, which were as yet partially ideal and ethereal, became more concrete and palpable in the course of emanation. Thus the fire developed itself into the visible heaven, the elementary water thickened into the earth, embracing sea and land, whilst the elementary air became the atmospheric air. These constitute the three fundamental types of the universe (שלש אמות בעולם). The three primordial elements also thickened still more in another direction, and gave birth to a new order of creatures, which constitute the course of the year and the temperatures. From the ether developed itself heat, from the water emanated cold, and from the air proceeded the mild temperature which shows itself in the rain or wet. These constitute the fundamental points of the year (שלש אמות בשנה). Whereupon the three primordial elements developed themselves in another direction again, and gave rise to the human organism. The ether sent forth the human head, which is the seat of intelligence; the water gave[152]rise to the body, or the abdominal system; whilst the air, which is the central element, developed itself into the genital organ. These three domains, viz., the macrocosm, the revolution of time, and the microcosm, which proceeded from the three primordial elements, are exhibited by the three lettersAleph(א),Mem(מ) andShin(ש.) Hence it is said that by means of these three letters—which, both in their phonetic and sacred character, represent the elements, inasmuch asא, as a gentle aspirate, and as the initial ofאוירair, symbolisesTHE AIR;מ, as a labial or mute, and as the initial ofמיﬦwater, representsTHE WATER; whilstש, as a sibilant, and as the last letter ofאשfire, typifiesTHE FIRE(Chapter iii,Mishnaiii)—God createdIn the World—The Fire, Water, Air.In Man—The Head, Body, Breast.In the Year—Heat, Cold, Wet.2.Seven double consonants—Beth, Gimel, Daleth, Caph, Pe, Resh, Tavשבע כפולות בגדכפרתThe three dominions proceeding from the triad of the primordial elements which emanated from the unity continued to develope themselves still further. In the macrocosm were developed the seven planets, in time the seven days, and in the microcosm the seven sensuous faculties. These are represented by the seven double consonants of the alphabet. Hence it is said that by means of these seven letters, which are called double because they have a double pronunciation, being sometimes aspirated and sometimes not, according to their being with or without theDagesh, God created—In the World—Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon.In Man—Wisdom, Riches, Dominion, Life, Favour, Progeny, Peace.In the Year—Sabbath, Thursday, Tuesday, Sunday, Friday, Wednesday, Monday.[153]Owing to the opposite = double pronunciation of these seven letters, being hard and soft, they are also the symbols of the seven opposites (תמורות) in which human life moves, viz., wisdom and ignorance, riches and poverty,fruitfulness and barrenness, life and death, liberty and bondage, peace and war, beauty and deformity. Moreover, they correspond to the seven ends (שבע קצוות), above and below, east and west, north and south, and the Holy Place in the centre, which supports them; and with them God formed the seven heavens, the seven earths or countries, the seven weeks from the feast of Passover to Pentecost. (Chapter iii,Mishna, i–v; cap. iv,Mishna, i–iii.)3.Twelve simple consonantsשתיﬦ עשר פשוטות.The three dominions then respectively developed themselves into twelve parts, the macrocosm into the twelve signs of the Zodiac, time into twelve months, and the microcosm into twelve active organs. This is shown by the twelve simple consonants of the alphabet. Thus it is declared, that by means of the twelve letters, which areהוז חטי לן סעצק, God created the twelve signs of the Zodiac, viz.:—In the World—Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces.In Man—The organs of Sight, Hearing, Smelling, Talking, Taste, Copulating, Dealing, Walking, Thinking, Anger, Laughter, Sleeping.In the Year—The twelve months, viz., Nisan, Jiar, Sivan, Tamus, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tebet, Shebat, Adar. (Comp. chapter v,Mishnai.)The three dominions continued gradually to develope into that infinite variety of objects which is perceptible in each. This infinite variety, proceeding from the combination of a few, is propounded by means of the great diversity of combinations and permutations of which the whole alphabet is capable.[154]These letters, small in number, being only twenty-two, by their power ofcombinationandtransposition, yield an endless number of words and figures, and thus become the types of all the varied phenomena in the creation.7“Just as the twenty-two letters yield two hundred and thirty-one types by combiningAleph(א) with all the letters, and all the letters withAleph;Beth(ב), with all the letters, and all the letters withBeth, so all the formations and all that is spoken proceed from one name.” (Chapter ii,Mishna, iv.). The table on the opposite page will shew how the two hundred and thirty-one types are obtained by the combination of the twenty-two letters.The infinite variety in creation is still more strikingly exhibited by permutations, of which the Hebrew alphabet is capable, and through which an infinite variety of types is obtained. Hence the remark8—“Two letters form two houses, three letters build six houses, four build twenty-four, five build a hundred and twenty houses, six build seven hundred and twenty houses; and from thenceforward go out and think what the mouth cannot utter and the ear cannot hear.” (Chapter iv,Mishnaiv.) The following table will show how the letters, by permutation, will yield an infinite variety.TABLE OF PERMUTATION.a.Two lettersb.Three lettersc.Four lettersאב1.אבג1.דאבג19.גאבד13.באגד7.אבגד1.בא2.אגב2.דאגב20.גאדב14.באדג8.אבדג2.באג3.דבאג21.גבאד15.בגאד9.אגבד3.בגא4.דבגא22.גבדא16.בגדא10.אגדב4.גאב5.דגאב23.גדאב17.בדאג11.אדבג5.גבא6.דגבא24.גדבא18.בדגא12.אדגב6.formtwo.build six.build twenty-four.[155]TABLE OF COMBINATION.שתרשקרצקפצעפסענסמנלמכליכטיחטזחוזהודהגדבגאב. .רתקשצרפקעצספנעמסלנכמילטכחיזטוחהזדוגהבדאג. .. .קתצשפרעקסצנפמעלסכנימטלחכזיוטהחדזגובהאד. .. .. .צתפשערסקנצמפלעכסינטמחלזכויהטדחגזבואה. .. .. .. .פתעשסרנקמצלפכעיסטנחמזלוכהידטגחבזאו. .. .. .. .. .עתסשנרמקלצכפיעטסחנזמולהכדיגטבחאז. .. .. .. .. .. .סתנשמרלקכציפטעחסזנומהלדכגיבטאח. .. .. .. .. .. .. .נתמשלרכקיצטפחעזסונהמדלגכביאט. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .מתלשכריקטצחפזעוסהנדמגלבכאי. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .לתכשירטקחצזפועהסדנגמבלאכ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .כתישטרחקזצופהעדסגנבמאל. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .יתטשחרזקוצהפדעגסבנאמ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .טתחשזרוקהצדפגעבסאנ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .חתזשורהקדצגפבעאס. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .זתושהרדקגצבפאע. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .ותהשדרגקבצאפ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .התדשגרבקאצ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .דתגשבראק. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .גתבשאר. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .בתאש. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .את—————————————————————1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21= 231[156]In order to ascertain how often a certain number of letters can be transposed, the product of the preceding number must be multiplied with it. Thus—
We now proceed to trace the date and origin of the Kabbalah. Taking theex partestatement for what it is worth, viz., that this secret doctrine is of a pre-Adamite date, and that God himself propounded it to the angels in Paradise, we shall have to examine the age of the oldest documents which embody its tenets, and compare these doctrines with other systems, in order to ascertain the real date and origin of this theosophy. But before this is done, it will be necessary to summarize, as briefly as possible, those doctrines which are peculiar to the Kabbalah, or which it expounds and elaborates in an especial manner, and which constitute it a separate system within the precincts of Judaism. The doctrines are as follow:—1. God is boundless in his nature. He has neither will, intention, desire, thought, language, nor action. He cannot be grasped and depicted; and, for this reason, is calledEn Soph, and as such he is in a certain sense not existent.2. He is not the direct creator of the universe, since he could not will the creation; and since a creation proceeding directly from him would have to be as boundless and as perfect as he is himself.3. He at first sent forth ten emanations, orSephiroth, which are begotten, not made, and which are both infinite and finite.4. From theseSephiroth, which are the Archetypal Man, the different worlds gradually and successively evolved. These evolutionary worlds are the brightness and the express image of their progenitors, theSephiroth, which uphold all things.[146]5. These emanations, orSephiroth, gave rise to or created in their own image all human souls. These souls are pre-existent, they occupy a special hall in the upper world of spirits, and there already decide whether they will pursue a good or bad course in their temporary sojourn in the human body, which is also fashioned according to the Archetypal image.6. No one has seen theEn Sophat any time. It is theSephiroth, in whom theEn Sophis incarnate, who have revealed themselves to us, and to whom the anthropomorphisms of Scripture and theHagadarefer. Thus when it is said, “God spake, descended upon earth, ascended into heaven, smelled the sweet smell of sacrifices, repented in his heart, was angry,” &c, &c, or when the Hagadic works describe the body and the mansions of the Deity, &c., all this does not refer to theEn Soph, but to these intermediate beings.7. It is an absolute condition of the soul to return to the Infinite Source whence it emanated, after developing all those perfections the germs of which are indelibly inherent in it. If it fails to develope these germs, it must migrate into another body, and in case it is still too weak to acquire the virtues for which it is sent to this earth, it is united to another and a stronger soul, which, occupying the same human body with it, aids its weaker companion in obtaining the object for which it came down from the world of spirits.8. When all the pre-existent souls shall have passed their probationary period here below, the restitution of all things will take place; Satan will be restored to an angel of light, hell will disappear, and all souls will return into the bosom of the Deity whence they emanated. The creature shall not then be distinguished from the Creator. Like God, the soul will rule the universe: she shall command, and God obey.With these cardinal doctrines before us we shall now be[147]able to examine the validity of the Kabbalists’ claims to the books which, according to them, propound their doctrines and determine the origin of this theosophy. Their works are I.The Book of Creation; II.The Sohar; and III.The Commentary of the Ten Sephiroth. As theBook of Creationis acknowledged by all parties to be the Oldest, we shall examine it first.I.The Book of CreationorJetzira.This marvellous and famous document pretends to be a monologue of the patriarch Abraham, and premises that the contemplations it contains are those which led the father of the Hebrews to abandon the worship of the stars and to embrace the faith of the true God. Hence the remark of the celebrated philosopher, R. Jehudah Ha-Levi (born about 1086)—“The Book of the Creation, which belongs to our father Abraham, … demonstrates the existence of the Deity and the Divine Unity, by things which are on the one hand manifold and multifarious, whilst on the other hand they converge and harmonize; and this harmony can only proceed from One who originated it.”1(Khozari, iv. 25.) The whole Treatise consists of sixPerakim(פרקיﬦ) or chapters, subdivided into thirty-three very briefMishnas(משנות) or sections, as follows. The first chapter has twelve sections, the second has five, the third five, the fourth four, the fifth three, and the sixth four sections. The doctrines which it propounds are delivered in the style of aphorisms or theorems, and, pretending to be the dicta of Abraham, are laid down very dogmatically, in a manner becoming the authority of this patriarch.As has already been intimated, the design of this treatise is to exhibit a system whereby the universe may be viewed methodically in connection with the truths given in the Bible,[148]thus shewing, from the gradual and systematic development of the creation, and from the harmony which prevails in all its multitudinous component parts, that One God produced it all, and that He is over all. The order in which God gave rise to this creation out of nothing (יצר ממש מתוהו), and the harmony which pervades all the constituent parts of the universe are shown by the analogy which subsists between the visible things and the signs of thought, or the means whereby wisdom is expressed and perpetuated among men. Since the letters have no absolute value, nor can they be used as mere forms, but serve as the medium between essence and form, and like words, assume the relation of form to the real essence, and of essence to the embryo and unexpressed thought, great value is attached to these letters, and to the combinations and analogies of which they are capable. The patriarch Abraham, therefore, employs the double value of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet;2he uses them, both in their phonetic nature and in their sacred character, as expressing the divine truths of the Scriptures. But, since the Hebrew alphabet is also used as numerals, which are represented by the fundamental numberten, and since the vowels of the language are alsotenin number, this decade is added to the twenty-two letters, and these two kinds of signs—i.e., the twenty-two letters of the alphabet and the ten fundamental numbers—are designatedthe thirty-two ways of secret wisdom; and the treatise opens with the declaration3—“By thirty-two paths of secret wisdom, the Eternal, the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, the living God, the King of the Universe, the Merciful and Gracious, the High and Exalted God, He who inhabiteth eternity, Glorious and Holy is His[149]name, hath created the world by means of (ספר) numbers, (ספור) phonetic language, and writing (ספר).” (Sepher Jetzira, chapter i;Mishnai.)First of all comes the fundamental number ten. This decade is divided into a tetrade and hexade, and thereby is shown the gradual development of the world out of nothing. At first there existed nothing except the Divine Substance, with the creative idea and the articulate creative word as the Spirit or the Holy Spirit, which is one with the Divine Substance and indivisible. Hence, the Spirit of the living God (רוח אלהים חיים) stands at the head of all things and is represented by the numberone. “One is the spirit of the living God, blessed be His name, who liveth for ever! voice, spirit, and word, this is the Holy Ghost.”4(Chapter i,Mishnaix). From this Spirit the whole universe proceeded in gradual and successive emanations, in the following order. The creativeair, represented by numbertwo, emanated from the Spirit (רוח מרוח). “In it He engraved the twenty-two letters.” Thewateragain, represented by the numberthree, proceeded from the air (מים מרוח). “In it He engraved darkness and emptiness, slime and dung.” Whilst theetherorfire, represented by the numberfour, emanated from the water (אש ממים). “In it He engraved the throne of His glory, the Ophanim, the Seraphim, the sacred animals, and the ministering angels, and from these three he formed His habitation; as it is written—‘He maketh the wind his messengers, flaming fire his servants’ ”5(Cap. i.Mish.ix, x.) These intermediate members between the Creator and the created world sustaina passiveandcreatedrelationship to God, and[150]an actingandcreatingrelationship to the world; so that God is neither in immediate connection with the created and material universe, nor is His creative fiat hindered by matter.Then comes the hexade, each unit of which represents space in the six directions (שש קצוות), or the four corners of the world, east, west, north, and south, as well as height and depth which emanated from the ether, and in the centre of which is the Holy Temple supporting the whole (והיכל הקודש מכוון באמצע). The position of the decade is therefore as follows—[151]These constitute the primordial ten, from which the whole universe proceeded.And lastly follow “the twenty-two letters, by means of which God, having drawn, hewn, and weighed them, and having variously changed and put them together, formed the souls of everything that has been made, and that shall be made.”6(Chapter ii,Mishnaii.) These twenty-two letters of the alphabet are then divided into three groups, consisting respectively of, 1,the three mothers, orfundamental letters(שלש אמות), 2,seven double(שבע כפולות) and 3,twelve simple consonants(שניﬦ עשר פשוטות), to deduce therefrom a triad of elements, a heptade of opposites, and a duodecimo of simple things, in the following manner.1.Three Mothers, Aleph, Mem, Shin.שלש אמות אמ״שThe above-named three primordial elements, viz., ether, water and air, which were as yet partially ideal and ethereal, became more concrete and palpable in the course of emanation. Thus the fire developed itself into the visible heaven, the elementary water thickened into the earth, embracing sea and land, whilst the elementary air became the atmospheric air. These constitute the three fundamental types of the universe (שלש אמות בעולם). The three primordial elements also thickened still more in another direction, and gave birth to a new order of creatures, which constitute the course of the year and the temperatures. From the ether developed itself heat, from the water emanated cold, and from the air proceeded the mild temperature which shows itself in the rain or wet. These constitute the fundamental points of the year (שלש אמות בשנה). Whereupon the three primordial elements developed themselves in another direction again, and gave rise to the human organism. The ether sent forth the human head, which is the seat of intelligence; the water gave[152]rise to the body, or the abdominal system; whilst the air, which is the central element, developed itself into the genital organ. These three domains, viz., the macrocosm, the revolution of time, and the microcosm, which proceeded from the three primordial elements, are exhibited by the three lettersAleph(א),Mem(מ) andShin(ש.) Hence it is said that by means of these three letters—which, both in their phonetic and sacred character, represent the elements, inasmuch asא, as a gentle aspirate, and as the initial ofאוירair, symbolisesTHE AIR;מ, as a labial or mute, and as the initial ofמיﬦwater, representsTHE WATER; whilstש, as a sibilant, and as the last letter ofאשfire, typifiesTHE FIRE(Chapter iii,Mishnaiii)—God createdIn the World—The Fire, Water, Air.In Man—The Head, Body, Breast.In the Year—Heat, Cold, Wet.2.Seven double consonants—Beth, Gimel, Daleth, Caph, Pe, Resh, Tavשבע כפולות בגדכפרתThe three dominions proceeding from the triad of the primordial elements which emanated from the unity continued to develope themselves still further. In the macrocosm were developed the seven planets, in time the seven days, and in the microcosm the seven sensuous faculties. These are represented by the seven double consonants of the alphabet. Hence it is said that by means of these seven letters, which are called double because they have a double pronunciation, being sometimes aspirated and sometimes not, according to their being with or without theDagesh, God created—In the World—Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon.In Man—Wisdom, Riches, Dominion, Life, Favour, Progeny, Peace.In the Year—Sabbath, Thursday, Tuesday, Sunday, Friday, Wednesday, Monday.[153]Owing to the opposite = double pronunciation of these seven letters, being hard and soft, they are also the symbols of the seven opposites (תמורות) in which human life moves, viz., wisdom and ignorance, riches and poverty,fruitfulness and barrenness, life and death, liberty and bondage, peace and war, beauty and deformity. Moreover, they correspond to the seven ends (שבע קצוות), above and below, east and west, north and south, and the Holy Place in the centre, which supports them; and with them God formed the seven heavens, the seven earths or countries, the seven weeks from the feast of Passover to Pentecost. (Chapter iii,Mishna, i–v; cap. iv,Mishna, i–iii.)3.Twelve simple consonantsשתיﬦ עשר פשוטות.The three dominions then respectively developed themselves into twelve parts, the macrocosm into the twelve signs of the Zodiac, time into twelve months, and the microcosm into twelve active organs. This is shown by the twelve simple consonants of the alphabet. Thus it is declared, that by means of the twelve letters, which areהוז חטי לן סעצק, God created the twelve signs of the Zodiac, viz.:—In the World—Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces.In Man—The organs of Sight, Hearing, Smelling, Talking, Taste, Copulating, Dealing, Walking, Thinking, Anger, Laughter, Sleeping.In the Year—The twelve months, viz., Nisan, Jiar, Sivan, Tamus, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tebet, Shebat, Adar. (Comp. chapter v,Mishnai.)The three dominions continued gradually to develope into that infinite variety of objects which is perceptible in each. This infinite variety, proceeding from the combination of a few, is propounded by means of the great diversity of combinations and permutations of which the whole alphabet is capable.[154]These letters, small in number, being only twenty-two, by their power ofcombinationandtransposition, yield an endless number of words and figures, and thus become the types of all the varied phenomena in the creation.7“Just as the twenty-two letters yield two hundred and thirty-one types by combiningAleph(א) with all the letters, and all the letters withAleph;Beth(ב), with all the letters, and all the letters withBeth, so all the formations and all that is spoken proceed from one name.” (Chapter ii,Mishna, iv.). The table on the opposite page will shew how the two hundred and thirty-one types are obtained by the combination of the twenty-two letters.The infinite variety in creation is still more strikingly exhibited by permutations, of which the Hebrew alphabet is capable, and through which an infinite variety of types is obtained. Hence the remark8—“Two letters form two houses, three letters build six houses, four build twenty-four, five build a hundred and twenty houses, six build seven hundred and twenty houses; and from thenceforward go out and think what the mouth cannot utter and the ear cannot hear.” (Chapter iv,Mishnaiv.) The following table will show how the letters, by permutation, will yield an infinite variety.TABLE OF PERMUTATION.a.Two lettersb.Three lettersc.Four lettersאב1.אבג1.דאבג19.גאבד13.באגד7.אבגד1.בא2.אגב2.דאגב20.גאדב14.באדג8.אבדג2.באג3.דבאג21.גבאד15.בגאד9.אגבד3.בגא4.דבגא22.גבדא16.בגדא10.אגדב4.גאב5.דגאב23.גדאב17.בדאג11.אדבג5.גבא6.דגבא24.גדבא18.בדגא12.אדגב6.formtwo.build six.build twenty-four.[155]TABLE OF COMBINATION.שתרשקרצקפצעפסענסמנלמכליכטיחטזחוזהודהגדבגאב. .רתקשצרפקעצספנעמסלנכמילטכחיזטוחהזדוגהבדאג. .. .קתצשפרעקסצנפמעלסכנימטלחכזיוטהחדזגובהאד. .. .. .צתפשערסקנצמפלעכסינטמחלזכויהטדחגזבואה. .. .. .. .פתעשסרנקמצלפכעיסטנחמזלוכהידטגחבזאו. .. .. .. .. .עתסשנרמקלצכפיעטסחנזמולהכדיגטבחאז. .. .. .. .. .. .סתנשמרלקכציפטעחסזנומהלדכגיבטאח. .. .. .. .. .. .. .נתמשלרכקיצטפחעזסונהמדלגכביאט. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .מתלשכריקטצחפזעוסהנדמגלבכאי. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .לתכשירטקחצזפועהסדנגמבלאכ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .כתישטרחקזצופהעדסגנבמאל. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .יתטשחרזקוצהפדעגסבנאמ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .טתחשזרוקהצדפגעבסאנ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .חתזשורהקדצגפבעאס. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .זתושהרדקגצבפאע. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .ותהשדרגקבצאפ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .התדשגרבקאצ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .דתגשבראק. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .גתבשאר. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .בתאש. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .את—————————————————————1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21= 231[156]In order to ascertain how often a certain number of letters can be transposed, the product of the preceding number must be multiplied with it. Thus—
We now proceed to trace the date and origin of the Kabbalah. Taking theex partestatement for what it is worth, viz., that this secret doctrine is of a pre-Adamite date, and that God himself propounded it to the angels in Paradise, we shall have to examine the age of the oldest documents which embody its tenets, and compare these doctrines with other systems, in order to ascertain the real date and origin of this theosophy. But before this is done, it will be necessary to summarize, as briefly as possible, those doctrines which are peculiar to the Kabbalah, or which it expounds and elaborates in an especial manner, and which constitute it a separate system within the precincts of Judaism. The doctrines are as follow:—1. God is boundless in his nature. He has neither will, intention, desire, thought, language, nor action. He cannot be grasped and depicted; and, for this reason, is calledEn Soph, and as such he is in a certain sense not existent.2. He is not the direct creator of the universe, since he could not will the creation; and since a creation proceeding directly from him would have to be as boundless and as perfect as he is himself.3. He at first sent forth ten emanations, orSephiroth, which are begotten, not made, and which are both infinite and finite.4. From theseSephiroth, which are the Archetypal Man, the different worlds gradually and successively evolved. These evolutionary worlds are the brightness and the express image of their progenitors, theSephiroth, which uphold all things.[146]5. These emanations, orSephiroth, gave rise to or created in their own image all human souls. These souls are pre-existent, they occupy a special hall in the upper world of spirits, and there already decide whether they will pursue a good or bad course in their temporary sojourn in the human body, which is also fashioned according to the Archetypal image.6. No one has seen theEn Sophat any time. It is theSephiroth, in whom theEn Sophis incarnate, who have revealed themselves to us, and to whom the anthropomorphisms of Scripture and theHagadarefer. Thus when it is said, “God spake, descended upon earth, ascended into heaven, smelled the sweet smell of sacrifices, repented in his heart, was angry,” &c, &c, or when the Hagadic works describe the body and the mansions of the Deity, &c., all this does not refer to theEn Soph, but to these intermediate beings.7. It is an absolute condition of the soul to return to the Infinite Source whence it emanated, after developing all those perfections the germs of which are indelibly inherent in it. If it fails to develope these germs, it must migrate into another body, and in case it is still too weak to acquire the virtues for which it is sent to this earth, it is united to another and a stronger soul, which, occupying the same human body with it, aids its weaker companion in obtaining the object for which it came down from the world of spirits.8. When all the pre-existent souls shall have passed their probationary period here below, the restitution of all things will take place; Satan will be restored to an angel of light, hell will disappear, and all souls will return into the bosom of the Deity whence they emanated. The creature shall not then be distinguished from the Creator. Like God, the soul will rule the universe: she shall command, and God obey.With these cardinal doctrines before us we shall now be[147]able to examine the validity of the Kabbalists’ claims to the books which, according to them, propound their doctrines and determine the origin of this theosophy. Their works are I.The Book of Creation; II.The Sohar; and III.The Commentary of the Ten Sephiroth. As theBook of Creationis acknowledged by all parties to be the Oldest, we shall examine it first.I.The Book of CreationorJetzira.This marvellous and famous document pretends to be a monologue of the patriarch Abraham, and premises that the contemplations it contains are those which led the father of the Hebrews to abandon the worship of the stars and to embrace the faith of the true God. Hence the remark of the celebrated philosopher, R. Jehudah Ha-Levi (born about 1086)—“The Book of the Creation, which belongs to our father Abraham, … demonstrates the existence of the Deity and the Divine Unity, by things which are on the one hand manifold and multifarious, whilst on the other hand they converge and harmonize; and this harmony can only proceed from One who originated it.”1(Khozari, iv. 25.) The whole Treatise consists of sixPerakim(פרקיﬦ) or chapters, subdivided into thirty-three very briefMishnas(משנות) or sections, as follows. The first chapter has twelve sections, the second has five, the third five, the fourth four, the fifth three, and the sixth four sections. The doctrines which it propounds are delivered in the style of aphorisms or theorems, and, pretending to be the dicta of Abraham, are laid down very dogmatically, in a manner becoming the authority of this patriarch.As has already been intimated, the design of this treatise is to exhibit a system whereby the universe may be viewed methodically in connection with the truths given in the Bible,[148]thus shewing, from the gradual and systematic development of the creation, and from the harmony which prevails in all its multitudinous component parts, that One God produced it all, and that He is over all. The order in which God gave rise to this creation out of nothing (יצר ממש מתוהו), and the harmony which pervades all the constituent parts of the universe are shown by the analogy which subsists between the visible things and the signs of thought, or the means whereby wisdom is expressed and perpetuated among men. Since the letters have no absolute value, nor can they be used as mere forms, but serve as the medium between essence and form, and like words, assume the relation of form to the real essence, and of essence to the embryo and unexpressed thought, great value is attached to these letters, and to the combinations and analogies of which they are capable. The patriarch Abraham, therefore, employs the double value of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet;2he uses them, both in their phonetic nature and in their sacred character, as expressing the divine truths of the Scriptures. But, since the Hebrew alphabet is also used as numerals, which are represented by the fundamental numberten, and since the vowels of the language are alsotenin number, this decade is added to the twenty-two letters, and these two kinds of signs—i.e., the twenty-two letters of the alphabet and the ten fundamental numbers—are designatedthe thirty-two ways of secret wisdom; and the treatise opens with the declaration3—“By thirty-two paths of secret wisdom, the Eternal, the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, the living God, the King of the Universe, the Merciful and Gracious, the High and Exalted God, He who inhabiteth eternity, Glorious and Holy is His[149]name, hath created the world by means of (ספר) numbers, (ספור) phonetic language, and writing (ספר).” (Sepher Jetzira, chapter i;Mishnai.)First of all comes the fundamental number ten. This decade is divided into a tetrade and hexade, and thereby is shown the gradual development of the world out of nothing. At first there existed nothing except the Divine Substance, with the creative idea and the articulate creative word as the Spirit or the Holy Spirit, which is one with the Divine Substance and indivisible. Hence, the Spirit of the living God (רוח אלהים חיים) stands at the head of all things and is represented by the numberone. “One is the spirit of the living God, blessed be His name, who liveth for ever! voice, spirit, and word, this is the Holy Ghost.”4(Chapter i,Mishnaix). From this Spirit the whole universe proceeded in gradual and successive emanations, in the following order. The creativeair, represented by numbertwo, emanated from the Spirit (רוח מרוח). “In it He engraved the twenty-two letters.” Thewateragain, represented by the numberthree, proceeded from the air (מים מרוח). “In it He engraved darkness and emptiness, slime and dung.” Whilst theetherorfire, represented by the numberfour, emanated from the water (אש ממים). “In it He engraved the throne of His glory, the Ophanim, the Seraphim, the sacred animals, and the ministering angels, and from these three he formed His habitation; as it is written—‘He maketh the wind his messengers, flaming fire his servants’ ”5(Cap. i.Mish.ix, x.) These intermediate members between the Creator and the created world sustaina passiveandcreatedrelationship to God, and[150]an actingandcreatingrelationship to the world; so that God is neither in immediate connection with the created and material universe, nor is His creative fiat hindered by matter.Then comes the hexade, each unit of which represents space in the six directions (שש קצוות), or the four corners of the world, east, west, north, and south, as well as height and depth which emanated from the ether, and in the centre of which is the Holy Temple supporting the whole (והיכל הקודש מכוון באמצע). The position of the decade is therefore as follows—[151]These constitute the primordial ten, from which the whole universe proceeded.And lastly follow “the twenty-two letters, by means of which God, having drawn, hewn, and weighed them, and having variously changed and put them together, formed the souls of everything that has been made, and that shall be made.”6(Chapter ii,Mishnaii.) These twenty-two letters of the alphabet are then divided into three groups, consisting respectively of, 1,the three mothers, orfundamental letters(שלש אמות), 2,seven double(שבע כפולות) and 3,twelve simple consonants(שניﬦ עשר פשוטות), to deduce therefrom a triad of elements, a heptade of opposites, and a duodecimo of simple things, in the following manner.1.Three Mothers, Aleph, Mem, Shin.שלש אמות אמ״שThe above-named three primordial elements, viz., ether, water and air, which were as yet partially ideal and ethereal, became more concrete and palpable in the course of emanation. Thus the fire developed itself into the visible heaven, the elementary water thickened into the earth, embracing sea and land, whilst the elementary air became the atmospheric air. These constitute the three fundamental types of the universe (שלש אמות בעולם). The three primordial elements also thickened still more in another direction, and gave birth to a new order of creatures, which constitute the course of the year and the temperatures. From the ether developed itself heat, from the water emanated cold, and from the air proceeded the mild temperature which shows itself in the rain or wet. These constitute the fundamental points of the year (שלש אמות בשנה). Whereupon the three primordial elements developed themselves in another direction again, and gave rise to the human organism. The ether sent forth the human head, which is the seat of intelligence; the water gave[152]rise to the body, or the abdominal system; whilst the air, which is the central element, developed itself into the genital organ. These three domains, viz., the macrocosm, the revolution of time, and the microcosm, which proceeded from the three primordial elements, are exhibited by the three lettersAleph(א),Mem(מ) andShin(ש.) Hence it is said that by means of these three letters—which, both in their phonetic and sacred character, represent the elements, inasmuch asא, as a gentle aspirate, and as the initial ofאוירair, symbolisesTHE AIR;מ, as a labial or mute, and as the initial ofמיﬦwater, representsTHE WATER; whilstש, as a sibilant, and as the last letter ofאשfire, typifiesTHE FIRE(Chapter iii,Mishnaiii)—God createdIn the World—The Fire, Water, Air.In Man—The Head, Body, Breast.In the Year—Heat, Cold, Wet.2.Seven double consonants—Beth, Gimel, Daleth, Caph, Pe, Resh, Tavשבע כפולות בגדכפרתThe three dominions proceeding from the triad of the primordial elements which emanated from the unity continued to develope themselves still further. In the macrocosm were developed the seven planets, in time the seven days, and in the microcosm the seven sensuous faculties. These are represented by the seven double consonants of the alphabet. Hence it is said that by means of these seven letters, which are called double because they have a double pronunciation, being sometimes aspirated and sometimes not, according to their being with or without theDagesh, God created—In the World—Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon.In Man—Wisdom, Riches, Dominion, Life, Favour, Progeny, Peace.In the Year—Sabbath, Thursday, Tuesday, Sunday, Friday, Wednesday, Monday.[153]Owing to the opposite = double pronunciation of these seven letters, being hard and soft, they are also the symbols of the seven opposites (תמורות) in which human life moves, viz., wisdom and ignorance, riches and poverty,fruitfulness and barrenness, life and death, liberty and bondage, peace and war, beauty and deformity. Moreover, they correspond to the seven ends (שבע קצוות), above and below, east and west, north and south, and the Holy Place in the centre, which supports them; and with them God formed the seven heavens, the seven earths or countries, the seven weeks from the feast of Passover to Pentecost. (Chapter iii,Mishna, i–v; cap. iv,Mishna, i–iii.)3.Twelve simple consonantsשתיﬦ עשר פשוטות.The three dominions then respectively developed themselves into twelve parts, the macrocosm into the twelve signs of the Zodiac, time into twelve months, and the microcosm into twelve active organs. This is shown by the twelve simple consonants of the alphabet. Thus it is declared, that by means of the twelve letters, which areהוז חטי לן סעצק, God created the twelve signs of the Zodiac, viz.:—In the World—Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces.In Man—The organs of Sight, Hearing, Smelling, Talking, Taste, Copulating, Dealing, Walking, Thinking, Anger, Laughter, Sleeping.In the Year—The twelve months, viz., Nisan, Jiar, Sivan, Tamus, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tebet, Shebat, Adar. (Comp. chapter v,Mishnai.)The three dominions continued gradually to develope into that infinite variety of objects which is perceptible in each. This infinite variety, proceeding from the combination of a few, is propounded by means of the great diversity of combinations and permutations of which the whole alphabet is capable.[154]These letters, small in number, being only twenty-two, by their power ofcombinationandtransposition, yield an endless number of words and figures, and thus become the types of all the varied phenomena in the creation.7“Just as the twenty-two letters yield two hundred and thirty-one types by combiningAleph(א) with all the letters, and all the letters withAleph;Beth(ב), with all the letters, and all the letters withBeth, so all the formations and all that is spoken proceed from one name.” (Chapter ii,Mishna, iv.). The table on the opposite page will shew how the two hundred and thirty-one types are obtained by the combination of the twenty-two letters.The infinite variety in creation is still more strikingly exhibited by permutations, of which the Hebrew alphabet is capable, and through which an infinite variety of types is obtained. Hence the remark8—“Two letters form two houses, three letters build six houses, four build twenty-four, five build a hundred and twenty houses, six build seven hundred and twenty houses; and from thenceforward go out and think what the mouth cannot utter and the ear cannot hear.” (Chapter iv,Mishnaiv.) The following table will show how the letters, by permutation, will yield an infinite variety.TABLE OF PERMUTATION.a.Two lettersb.Three lettersc.Four lettersאב1.אבג1.דאבג19.גאבד13.באגד7.אבגד1.בא2.אגב2.דאגב20.גאדב14.באדג8.אבדג2.באג3.דבאג21.גבאד15.בגאד9.אגבד3.בגא4.דבגא22.גבדא16.בגדא10.אגדב4.גאב5.דגאב23.גדאב17.בדאג11.אדבג5.גבא6.דגבא24.גדבא18.בדגא12.אדגב6.formtwo.build six.build twenty-four.[155]TABLE OF COMBINATION.שתרשקרצקפצעפסענסמנלמכליכטיחטזחוזהודהגדבגאב. .רתקשצרפקעצספנעמסלנכמילטכחיזטוחהזדוגהבדאג. .. .קתצשפרעקסצנפמעלסכנימטלחכזיוטהחדזגובהאד. .. .. .צתפשערסקנצמפלעכסינטמחלזכויהטדחגזבואה. .. .. .. .פתעשסרנקמצלפכעיסטנחמזלוכהידטגחבזאו. .. .. .. .. .עתסשנרמקלצכפיעטסחנזמולהכדיגטבחאז. .. .. .. .. .. .סתנשמרלקכציפטעחסזנומהלדכגיבטאח. .. .. .. .. .. .. .נתמשלרכקיצטפחעזסונהמדלגכביאט. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .מתלשכריקטצחפזעוסהנדמגלבכאי. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .לתכשירטקחצזפועהסדנגמבלאכ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .כתישטרחקזצופהעדסגנבמאל. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .יתטשחרזקוצהפדעגסבנאמ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .טתחשזרוקהצדפגעבסאנ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .חתזשורהקדצגפבעאס. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .זתושהרדקגצבפאע. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .ותהשדרגקבצאפ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .התדשגרבקאצ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .דתגשבראק. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .גתבשאר. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .בתאש. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .את—————————————————————1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21= 231[156]In order to ascertain how often a certain number of letters can be transposed, the product of the preceding number must be multiplied with it. Thus—
We now proceed to trace the date and origin of the Kabbalah. Taking theex partestatement for what it is worth, viz., that this secret doctrine is of a pre-Adamite date, and that God himself propounded it to the angels in Paradise, we shall have to examine the age of the oldest documents which embody its tenets, and compare these doctrines with other systems, in order to ascertain the real date and origin of this theosophy. But before this is done, it will be necessary to summarize, as briefly as possible, those doctrines which are peculiar to the Kabbalah, or which it expounds and elaborates in an especial manner, and which constitute it a separate system within the precincts of Judaism. The doctrines are as follow:—
1. God is boundless in his nature. He has neither will, intention, desire, thought, language, nor action. He cannot be grasped and depicted; and, for this reason, is calledEn Soph, and as such he is in a certain sense not existent.
2. He is not the direct creator of the universe, since he could not will the creation; and since a creation proceeding directly from him would have to be as boundless and as perfect as he is himself.
3. He at first sent forth ten emanations, orSephiroth, which are begotten, not made, and which are both infinite and finite.
4. From theseSephiroth, which are the Archetypal Man, the different worlds gradually and successively evolved. These evolutionary worlds are the brightness and the express image of their progenitors, theSephiroth, which uphold all things.[146]
5. These emanations, orSephiroth, gave rise to or created in their own image all human souls. These souls are pre-existent, they occupy a special hall in the upper world of spirits, and there already decide whether they will pursue a good or bad course in their temporary sojourn in the human body, which is also fashioned according to the Archetypal image.
6. No one has seen theEn Sophat any time. It is theSephiroth, in whom theEn Sophis incarnate, who have revealed themselves to us, and to whom the anthropomorphisms of Scripture and theHagadarefer. Thus when it is said, “God spake, descended upon earth, ascended into heaven, smelled the sweet smell of sacrifices, repented in his heart, was angry,” &c, &c, or when the Hagadic works describe the body and the mansions of the Deity, &c., all this does not refer to theEn Soph, but to these intermediate beings.
7. It is an absolute condition of the soul to return to the Infinite Source whence it emanated, after developing all those perfections the germs of which are indelibly inherent in it. If it fails to develope these germs, it must migrate into another body, and in case it is still too weak to acquire the virtues for which it is sent to this earth, it is united to another and a stronger soul, which, occupying the same human body with it, aids its weaker companion in obtaining the object for which it came down from the world of spirits.
8. When all the pre-existent souls shall have passed their probationary period here below, the restitution of all things will take place; Satan will be restored to an angel of light, hell will disappear, and all souls will return into the bosom of the Deity whence they emanated. The creature shall not then be distinguished from the Creator. Like God, the soul will rule the universe: she shall command, and God obey.
With these cardinal doctrines before us we shall now be[147]able to examine the validity of the Kabbalists’ claims to the books which, according to them, propound their doctrines and determine the origin of this theosophy. Their works are I.The Book of Creation; II.The Sohar; and III.The Commentary of the Ten Sephiroth. As theBook of Creationis acknowledged by all parties to be the Oldest, we shall examine it first.
I.The Book of CreationorJetzira.
This marvellous and famous document pretends to be a monologue of the patriarch Abraham, and premises that the contemplations it contains are those which led the father of the Hebrews to abandon the worship of the stars and to embrace the faith of the true God. Hence the remark of the celebrated philosopher, R. Jehudah Ha-Levi (born about 1086)—“The Book of the Creation, which belongs to our father Abraham, … demonstrates the existence of the Deity and the Divine Unity, by things which are on the one hand manifold and multifarious, whilst on the other hand they converge and harmonize; and this harmony can only proceed from One who originated it.”1(Khozari, iv. 25.) The whole Treatise consists of sixPerakim(פרקיﬦ) or chapters, subdivided into thirty-three very briefMishnas(משנות) or sections, as follows. The first chapter has twelve sections, the second has five, the third five, the fourth four, the fifth three, and the sixth four sections. The doctrines which it propounds are delivered in the style of aphorisms or theorems, and, pretending to be the dicta of Abraham, are laid down very dogmatically, in a manner becoming the authority of this patriarch.
As has already been intimated, the design of this treatise is to exhibit a system whereby the universe may be viewed methodically in connection with the truths given in the Bible,[148]thus shewing, from the gradual and systematic development of the creation, and from the harmony which prevails in all its multitudinous component parts, that One God produced it all, and that He is over all. The order in which God gave rise to this creation out of nothing (יצר ממש מתוהו), and the harmony which pervades all the constituent parts of the universe are shown by the analogy which subsists between the visible things and the signs of thought, or the means whereby wisdom is expressed and perpetuated among men. Since the letters have no absolute value, nor can they be used as mere forms, but serve as the medium between essence and form, and like words, assume the relation of form to the real essence, and of essence to the embryo and unexpressed thought, great value is attached to these letters, and to the combinations and analogies of which they are capable. The patriarch Abraham, therefore, employs the double value of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet;2he uses them, both in their phonetic nature and in their sacred character, as expressing the divine truths of the Scriptures. But, since the Hebrew alphabet is also used as numerals, which are represented by the fundamental numberten, and since the vowels of the language are alsotenin number, this decade is added to the twenty-two letters, and these two kinds of signs—i.e., the twenty-two letters of the alphabet and the ten fundamental numbers—are designatedthe thirty-two ways of secret wisdom; and the treatise opens with the declaration3—“By thirty-two paths of secret wisdom, the Eternal, the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, the living God, the King of the Universe, the Merciful and Gracious, the High and Exalted God, He who inhabiteth eternity, Glorious and Holy is His[149]name, hath created the world by means of (ספר) numbers, (ספור) phonetic language, and writing (ספר).” (Sepher Jetzira, chapter i;Mishnai.)
First of all comes the fundamental number ten. This decade is divided into a tetrade and hexade, and thereby is shown the gradual development of the world out of nothing. At first there existed nothing except the Divine Substance, with the creative idea and the articulate creative word as the Spirit or the Holy Spirit, which is one with the Divine Substance and indivisible. Hence, the Spirit of the living God (רוח אלהים חיים) stands at the head of all things and is represented by the numberone. “One is the spirit of the living God, blessed be His name, who liveth for ever! voice, spirit, and word, this is the Holy Ghost.”4(Chapter i,Mishnaix). From this Spirit the whole universe proceeded in gradual and successive emanations, in the following order. The creativeair, represented by numbertwo, emanated from the Spirit (רוח מרוח). “In it He engraved the twenty-two letters.” Thewateragain, represented by the numberthree, proceeded from the air (מים מרוח). “In it He engraved darkness and emptiness, slime and dung.” Whilst theetherorfire, represented by the numberfour, emanated from the water (אש ממים). “In it He engraved the throne of His glory, the Ophanim, the Seraphim, the sacred animals, and the ministering angels, and from these three he formed His habitation; as it is written—‘He maketh the wind his messengers, flaming fire his servants’ ”5(Cap. i.Mish.ix, x.) These intermediate members between the Creator and the created world sustaina passiveandcreatedrelationship to God, and[150]an actingandcreatingrelationship to the world; so that God is neither in immediate connection with the created and material universe, nor is His creative fiat hindered by matter.
Then comes the hexade, each unit of which represents space in the six directions (שש קצוות), or the four corners of the world, east, west, north, and south, as well as height and depth which emanated from the ether, and in the centre of which is the Holy Temple supporting the whole (והיכל הקודש מכוון באמצע). The position of the decade is therefore as follows—
[151]
These constitute the primordial ten, from which the whole universe proceeded.
And lastly follow “the twenty-two letters, by means of which God, having drawn, hewn, and weighed them, and having variously changed and put them together, formed the souls of everything that has been made, and that shall be made.”6(Chapter ii,Mishnaii.) These twenty-two letters of the alphabet are then divided into three groups, consisting respectively of, 1,the three mothers, orfundamental letters(שלש אמות), 2,seven double(שבע כפולות) and 3,twelve simple consonants(שניﬦ עשר פשוטות), to deduce therefrom a triad of elements, a heptade of opposites, and a duodecimo of simple things, in the following manner.
1.Three Mothers, Aleph, Mem, Shin.שלש אמות אמ״ש
The above-named three primordial elements, viz., ether, water and air, which were as yet partially ideal and ethereal, became more concrete and palpable in the course of emanation. Thus the fire developed itself into the visible heaven, the elementary water thickened into the earth, embracing sea and land, whilst the elementary air became the atmospheric air. These constitute the three fundamental types of the universe (שלש אמות בעולם). The three primordial elements also thickened still more in another direction, and gave birth to a new order of creatures, which constitute the course of the year and the temperatures. From the ether developed itself heat, from the water emanated cold, and from the air proceeded the mild temperature which shows itself in the rain or wet. These constitute the fundamental points of the year (שלש אמות בשנה). Whereupon the three primordial elements developed themselves in another direction again, and gave rise to the human organism. The ether sent forth the human head, which is the seat of intelligence; the water gave[152]rise to the body, or the abdominal system; whilst the air, which is the central element, developed itself into the genital organ. These three domains, viz., the macrocosm, the revolution of time, and the microcosm, which proceeded from the three primordial elements, are exhibited by the three lettersAleph(א),Mem(מ) andShin(ש.) Hence it is said that by means of these three letters—which, both in their phonetic and sacred character, represent the elements, inasmuch asא, as a gentle aspirate, and as the initial ofאוירair, symbolisesTHE AIR;מ, as a labial or mute, and as the initial ofמיﬦwater, representsTHE WATER; whilstש, as a sibilant, and as the last letter ofאשfire, typifiesTHE FIRE(Chapter iii,Mishnaiii)—God created
2.Seven double consonants—Beth, Gimel, Daleth, Caph, Pe, Resh, Tavשבע כפולות בגדכפרת
The three dominions proceeding from the triad of the primordial elements which emanated from the unity continued to develope themselves still further. In the macrocosm were developed the seven planets, in time the seven days, and in the microcosm the seven sensuous faculties. These are represented by the seven double consonants of the alphabet. Hence it is said that by means of these seven letters, which are called double because they have a double pronunciation, being sometimes aspirated and sometimes not, according to their being with or without theDagesh, God created—
[153]
Owing to the opposite = double pronunciation of these seven letters, being hard and soft, they are also the symbols of the seven opposites (תמורות) in which human life moves, viz., wisdom and ignorance, riches and poverty,fruitfulness and barrenness, life and death, liberty and bondage, peace and war, beauty and deformity. Moreover, they correspond to the seven ends (שבע קצוות), above and below, east and west, north and south, and the Holy Place in the centre, which supports them; and with them God formed the seven heavens, the seven earths or countries, the seven weeks from the feast of Passover to Pentecost. (Chapter iii,Mishna, i–v; cap. iv,Mishna, i–iii.)
3.Twelve simple consonantsשתיﬦ עשר פשוטות.
The three dominions then respectively developed themselves into twelve parts, the macrocosm into the twelve signs of the Zodiac, time into twelve months, and the microcosm into twelve active organs. This is shown by the twelve simple consonants of the alphabet. Thus it is declared, that by means of the twelve letters, which areהוז חטי לן סעצק, God created the twelve signs of the Zodiac, viz.:—
The three dominions continued gradually to develope into that infinite variety of objects which is perceptible in each. This infinite variety, proceeding from the combination of a few, is propounded by means of the great diversity of combinations and permutations of which the whole alphabet is capable.[154]These letters, small in number, being only twenty-two, by their power ofcombinationandtransposition, yield an endless number of words and figures, and thus become the types of all the varied phenomena in the creation.7“Just as the twenty-two letters yield two hundred and thirty-one types by combiningAleph(א) with all the letters, and all the letters withAleph;Beth(ב), with all the letters, and all the letters withBeth, so all the formations and all that is spoken proceed from one name.” (Chapter ii,Mishna, iv.). The table on the opposite page will shew how the two hundred and thirty-one types are obtained by the combination of the twenty-two letters.
The infinite variety in creation is still more strikingly exhibited by permutations, of which the Hebrew alphabet is capable, and through which an infinite variety of types is obtained. Hence the remark8—“Two letters form two houses, three letters build six houses, four build twenty-four, five build a hundred and twenty houses, six build seven hundred and twenty houses; and from thenceforward go out and think what the mouth cannot utter and the ear cannot hear.” (Chapter iv,Mishnaiv.) The following table will show how the letters, by permutation, will yield an infinite variety.
TABLE OF PERMUTATION.a.Two lettersb.Three lettersc.Four lettersאב1.אבג1.דאבג19.גאבד13.באגד7.אבגד1.בא2.אגב2.דאגב20.גאדב14.באדג8.אבדג2.באג3.דבאג21.גבאד15.בגאד9.אגבד3.בגא4.דבגא22.גבדא16.בגדא10.אגדב4.גאב5.דגאב23.גדאב17.בדאג11.אדבג5.גבא6.דגבא24.גדבא18.בדגא12.אדגב6.formtwo.build six.build twenty-four.
[155]
TABLE OF COMBINATION.שתרשקרצקפצעפסענסמנלמכליכטיחטזחוזהודהגדבגאב. .רתקשצרפקעצספנעמסלנכמילטכחיזטוחהזדוגהבדאג. .. .קתצשפרעקסצנפמעלסכנימטלחכזיוטהחדזגובהאד. .. .. .צתפשערסקנצמפלעכסינטמחלזכויהטדחגזבואה. .. .. .. .פתעשסרנקמצלפכעיסטנחמזלוכהידטגחבזאו. .. .. .. .. .עתסשנרמקלצכפיעטסחנזמולהכדיגטבחאז. .. .. .. .. .. .סתנשמרלקכציפטעחסזנומהלדכגיבטאח. .. .. .. .. .. .. .נתמשלרכקיצטפחעזסונהמדלגכביאט. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .מתלשכריקטצחפזעוסהנדמגלבכאי. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .לתכשירטקחצזפועהסדנגמבלאכ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .כתישטרחקזצופהעדסגנבמאל. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .יתטשחרזקוצהפדעגסבנאמ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .טתחשזרוקהצדפגעבסאנ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .חתזשורהקדצגפבעאס. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .זתושהרדקגצבפאע. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .ותהשדרגקבצאפ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .התדשגרבקאצ. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .דתגשבראק. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .גתבשאר. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .בתאש. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .את—————————————————————1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21= 231
[156]
In order to ascertain how often a certain number of letters can be transposed, the product of the preceding number must be multiplied with it. Thus—