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The Kabbalah Unveiled

By S.L. Macgregor Mathers

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Concerning the Eyes of Macroprosopus

112. THE eyes of the White Head 1 are diverse from all other eyes. Above the eye is no eyelid, neither is there an eyebrow over it.

113. Wherefore? Because it is written, Ps. cxxi. 4: "Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep;" that is, the superior Israel.

114. Also it is written, Jer. xxxii. v. 19: "Whose eyes are open."

115. And this is the tradition. Seeing that all is operated through mercies, He hath not covering unto His eye, nor eyebrow above His eye; how little, then; doth the White Head require such.

116. Rabbi Schimeon spake unto Rabbi Abba, and said: "To what is this like?" He answered unto him: "To the whales and fishes of the sea, which have no coverings for their eyes, nor eyebrows above their eyes; who sleep not, and require not a protection for the eye.

117. "How much less doth the Ancient of the Ancient Ones require a protection, seeing that He far above His creatures watcheth over all things, and all things are nourished by Him, and He Himself sleepeth not.

118. "This is that which is written, Ps. cxxi. 4: 'Behold! He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.' That is, the superior Israel.

119. "It is written, Ps. xxxiii. 18: 'Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him;' and it is written, Zech. iv. 10: 'They are the eyes of the Lord, running to and fro throughout the whole earth.

120. "There is no contrariety (between these sayings); one is concerning Microprosopus, and the other concerning Macroprosopus.

121. "And further, although there be two eyes, yet they are converted into one eye.

122. "This is pure in its whiteness, and so white that it includeth all whiteness.

123. "The first whiteness shineth, and ascendeth and descendeth for the purpose of combining with that which is connected (with it) in connection.

124. "This is the tradition: That whiteness darteth forth its rays, and igniteth three lights, which are called HVD, Hod, Glory, VHDR, Vehedar, and Majesty, VChDVH. Vachedoah, and Joy; and they radiate in gladness and in perfection.

125. "The second whiteness shineth and ascendeth and descendeth, and darteth forth its rays, and igniteth three other lights, which are called NTzCh, Netzach, Victory, ChSD, Chesed, and Benignity, ThPARTh, Tiphereth, and Beauty; and they radiate in perfection and in gladness. 1

126. "The third whiteness radiateth and shineth, and descendeth and ascendeth, and goeth forth from the part enclosing the brain, and darteth forth its rays toward the seventh middle light.

127. "And it formeth a path to the inferior brain, and formeth a path to the inferior, and all the inferior lights are thereby ignited."

128. Rabbi Schimeon said: Thou hast well spoken, and the Ancient of Days will open this eye upon thee in the time of thy necessity.

129. Another tradition runneth thus: Whiteness in whiteness, and whiteness which includeth all other whiteness.

130. The first whiteness shineth and ascendeth and descendeth in three lights on the left-hand side, and they radiate and are bathed in that whiteness, like as when a man batheth his body in good unguents and odours, in better than he at first possessed.

131. The second whiteness descendeth and ascendeth and shineth in three lights on the right-hand side, and they radiate and are bathed in that whiteness, like as when a man batheth in good unguents and odours, in better than he at first possessed.

132. The third whiteness shineth and ascendeth and descendeth, and goeth forth the light of the inner whiteness of the brain, and darteth forth its rays when necessary unto the black hair, and unto the head, and unto the brain of the head.

133. And it irradiateth the three crowns which remain, when it is needful, so that it may be uncovered, if that be pleasing unto the Most Ancient One hidden from all.

134. And this is the tradition: This eye is never closed; and there are two, and they are converted into one.

135. All is right; there is no left there. He sleepeth hot and slumbereth not, and He requireth not protection. He is not such an one as hath need to defend Himself, for He defendeth all things, and He Himself waited upon all things, and in the sight of His eye are all things established.

136. This is the tradition: Were that eye closed even for one moment, no thing could subsist.

137. Therefore it is called the open eye, the holy eye, the excellent eye, the eye of Providence, the eye which sleepeth not neither slumbereth, the eye which is the guardian of all things, the eye which is the subsistence of all things.

138. And concerning it is it written, Prov. xxii. 9, "The bountiful eye;" thou shalt not read "the blessed eye," but "it blesseth," for it is called "the bountiful eye," and by it are all things blessed.

139. And this is the tradition: There is no light in the inferior eye, so that it can be bathed in redness and blackness; except when it is beheld by that white brilliance of the superior eye which is called "the bountiful eye."

140. And to no man is it known when this superior holy eye may shine and may bathe the inferior; and when the just and the supernal blessed ones are about to be beheld in that Wisdom.

141. This is that which is written, Isa. lii. 8: "For they shall see eye to eye;" When? "When the Lord shalt bring again Zion." Also, it is written, Num. xiv. 14: "That Thou Tetragrammaton, art seen eye to eye."

142. And unless the bountiful superior eye were to look down upon and bathe the inferior eye, the universe could not exist even a single moment. 

143. This is the tradition in the "Book of Concealed Mystery;" Providence ariseth from the inferior eye when the highest splendour shineth down upon it, and that highest splendour goeth forth into the inferior; for from it are all things illuminated.

144. This is that which is written, Num. xiv. 14. "That Thou, O Tetragrammaton! art seen eye to eye." Also it is written, Ps. xxxiii. 18: "Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him." And it is written, Zech. iv. 10: "The eyes of the Lord running to and fro throughout the whole earth."

145. "The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him," if they be upright. This is the superior eye. On the contrary, when it is said, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro," this is the eye which is below.

146. This is the tradition: On what account was Joseph worthy, so that the evil eye had no dominion over him? Because that he was worthy of being beheld by the superior benign eye.

147. This is what is written, Gen. xlix. 23: "Joseph is the son of a fruitful bough; the son of a fruitful bough above Ayin." Why, "the son of a fruitful bough above Ayin?" 1 As though to imply, "because of that eye which beheld him."

148. Also it is written, Prov. xxii. 9: "The bountiful eye shall be blessed." Why? Because it giveth its bread unto the poor.

149. Why is it said in the singular number? Come and see. In the eyes which are inferior are a right eye and a left eye, and they are of two diverse colours.

150. But in this instance there is no left eye, and they both ascend in one path, and all are right. And on that account is one eye mentioned, and not two.

151. And this is the tradition: This eye, which is the eye of observation, is ever open, ever smiling, ever glad.

152. Such are not the inferiors, who in themselves have redness, and blackness, and whiteness--three colours; and are not always open, for there are eyelids as a protection over these eyes.

153. And concerning this matter it is written, Ps. xliv. 23: "Awake, O Lord: why sleepest Thou?" And, 2 Kings xii. 16: "Open Thine eyes, O Lord."

154. When they are opened, for some are they opened for good, and on some are they opened for evil.

155. Woe unto him upon whom it is opened, so that the eye is mingled with redness, and unto whom the redness appeareth, spreading across that eye. Who can escape from it?

156. But the Ancient of Days is blessed, presiding over that eye the white brilliance of whiteness, seeing that also it is of such whiteness that it endureth all whiteness.

157. Blessed also is his portion whom that brilliance of all whiteness irradiateth.

158. And concerning this certainly it is written, Prov. xxii. 9: "The good eye is to be blessed." And it is written, Isa. ii. 5: "Be ye present, O house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of Tetragrammaton!"

159. This is the tradition: Save in all these instances, the name of the Ancient One is concealed from all, and is not mentioned in the law, save in one place, where Microprosopus sware unto Abraham.

160. Like as it is written, Gen. xxii. 16: "By Myself have I sworn, saith Tetragrammaton." (Understand) that this is said concerning Microprosopus.

161. Also it is written, Gen. xlviii. 20: "In thee shall Israel bless." That is, the superior Israel.

16:. Also it is written, Isa. xlix. 3: "Israel, in whom I will be glorified." In these passages the Ancient of Days is called Israel.

163. But we have also stated that the Ancient of Days is called by His name, yet both this (statement) and the other are correct.

164. This is the tradition: It is written, Dan. vii. 9: "I beheld until the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit."

165. "The thrones were cast down." What is this? He spake unto Rabbi Yehuda, and said: "Stand in thy place and explain these thrones."

166. Rabbi Yehuda answered: "It is written (ibid): 'His throne is of fiery flame;' and upon that throne sat the Ancient of Days."

167. "For what reason? Because thus is the tradition: If the Ancient of Days were not seated upon that throne, the universe could no longer exist before that throne.

168. "When the Ancient of Days sitteth upon that throne, it is subject unto Him. For He who sitteth upon it ruleth over it.

169. "But at that time when He departeth from that throne, and sitteth upon another throne, the first throne is overturned, lest any should rule over it save the Ancient One, who alone can sit upon it."

170. Rabbi Schimeon spake unto Rabbi Yehuda, and said: "May thy way be ordained for thee, and may it be pointed out (unto thee) by the Ancient of Days!"

Footnotes
124:1 This, like Macroprosopus, is a title of Kether, the first Sephira. (See introduction.)

126:1 Netzach. Chesed, and Tiphereth, are respectively the seventh, fourth, and sixth Sephiroth.

128:1 The word Ayin means eye.--TRANS.