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The Kabbalah Unveiled

By S.L. Macgregor Mathers

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Concerning the Edomite Kings

513. BEHOLD! this have we learned in the "Book of Concealed Mystery": that the Ancient of the Ancient Ones before that He prepared His conformations 2 (in the equilibrium of balance) formed certain kings, collected certain kings, and gave due proportion unto certain kings; but they only subsisted (for a time) until He could expel them; and in that time hath He concealed them.

514. This is intimated in those words, Gen. xxxvi. 31: "And these are the kings which have reigned in ADVM, 3  Edom." In the land of Edom; that is, in the place wherein all judgments exist.

515. But all these subsisted not until the White Head 1 of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones was disposed (in its ordination).

516. When this was conformed, He disposed all the inferior conformations, and all the superior and inferior forms were thus arranged.

517. Thence we learn that unless the head (or ruling power, or government) of a nation, whatever form of government it may happen to be, be first properly constituted, that nation cannot be properly ruled. For if the head be first disposed aright, then all things can be ordained, but if that be not first disposed aright, neither can the nation be governed aright.

518. The ordering of all things is from the Ancient of Days. For before that He was disposed in His conformation, nothing could be ordained, because as yet it was first necessary that Himself 2 should be ordained; and all the worlds were desolate.

519. Which these words intimate, ibid. 32: "And there reigned in Edom Bela, the son of Beor."

520. "And there reigned in Edom." Here is a certain venerable Arcanum hidden; for herein is that place intimated wherein all the judgments are collected together, and whence they depend.

521. "Bela, the son of Beor." This is the tradition. This denoteth the most rigorous judicial decree, for whose cause there are collected together a thousand times a thousand authors of mourning and woe.

522. "And the name of his city is Dinhabah." What is DNHBH, Dinhabah? As if it were to be said, "Give forth judgment." Like as it is written, Prov. xxx. 15: "The horse-leech hath two daughters, crying, 'Give, give.'"

523. But when he ascendeth, so that he may be conformed therein, he cannot subsist and he cannot consist. Wherefore? Because the form of the man is not as yet constituted.

524. What is the reason of this? Because the constitution of man containeth all things under this form, and in that form are all things disposed.

525. And because that constitution of Adam was not as yet found, they (the Edomite Kings) could not subsist, nor be conformed, and they were destroyed.

526. Have they then been abolished, and are all these included in (the supernal) man? For truly they were abolished that they might be withdrawn from form, until there should come forth the representation of Adam.

527. But when that form is configurated, they all exist, and have been restored in another condition.

529. Some among them are mitigated, and (some) are not mitigated; but evidently there are certain of them which have not been mitigated.

529. And if thou shalt say: "Also it is written, 'and he died,' surely that denoteth that they were altogether abolished." I answer that it is not so; but whosoever descendeth from his former position wherein he was before, concerning such an one is it said in Scripture that he died.

530. Like as it is written, Exod. ii. 23: "And the King of Egypt died." Because he descended from the former condition wherein he was.

531. But after that Adam was constituted they are called by other names, and are mitigated in a permanent condition through him; and they exist in their place, and are all called by other names and not by their former (appellations).

532. Excepting that one 1 concerning whom it is written, Gen. xxxvi. 39: "And the name of his wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

533. For what reason? Because they were not abolished like the others. Wherefore? Because they were male and female, like as the palm-tree, which groweth not unless there be both male and female.

534. And because now they are found male and female, and it is not written concerning them that they died like as the others, but remained in a fixed condition.

535. But they were not (definitely composed) until the form of the man was composed (that is, the supernal man). But after that the form of the supernal Adam was constituted, they were restored in another condition, and came in proper order.

Footnotes
174:1 This brings in the subject of the worlds of unbalanced force which are said by the Zohar to have been created and destroyed prior to the creation of the present world. These worlds of unbalanced force are typified by the Edomite kings. (See, introduction.)

174:2 As the Sephiroth proceed each from the preceding one in the series, it is evident that before the counterbalancing Sephira is formed. the force in the preceding Sephira is unbalanced; e.g., the fourth Sephira is Gedulah or Chesed, Mercy, and the fifth Sephira is Geburah or Pachad, Sternness; therefore, till Geburah appears, Gedulah is unbalanced, and this condition is the reign of one of the Edomite kings: but when Geburah appears, his reign is over.

174:3 ADVM = 1 + 4 + 6 + 40 = 51 = NA = Failure. AN = also 51, and means pain. Ergo, also unbalanced force is the source alike of failure and of pain.

175:1 This is another title of the Crown, Kether. the first Sephira. (See Introduction.)

175:2 Because He is the Absolute One, the Eheieh Asher Eheieh.

176:1 Hadar. HDR.