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The Kabbalah Unveiled

By S.L. Macgregor Mathers

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Concerning the Eyes of Microprosopus

607. The eyes of the head (of Microprosopus) are diverse from all other eyes. There is a shadowy darkness cast by the eyebrows which is (as if it were) painted above the eyes, whence all eyes are overshadowed with a dark shade.

608. Curling hairs hang down from the curls of the hair which is above them, and mark the form of the eyebrows above the eyes, at the commencement of the forehead.

609. And in both (the eyebrows) are contained seven hundred times a thousand lords of inspection who reside above the eyelids.

610. In the eyelids radiate one thousand four hundred myriads (of hairs), which adhere to the edges and form the eyelashes; and far above these is the inspection of the eye of the Ancient of Days. 1

611. And as often as those eyelids (of Microprosopus) are raised, the same eye (i.e., that of Microprosopus) appeareth, just as when the eyes of any man are opened when he awaketh from sleep.

612. And (the eyes of Microprosopus) behold the open eye (of Macroprosopus shining down upon them), and they are rendered brilliant with a certain brilliant whiteness of the good eye (i.e., that of Macroprosopus, because in Him "all is right"--i.e., good--and there is no left).

613. Like as it is written, Cant. v. 12: "Washed with milk." What is "with milk?" With this excellent primal whiteness.

614. And in that time is there found with Him (i.e., Microprosopus) an intuition of mercy, and therefore the prayer of the Israelites ascendeth, because His eyes are opened (i.e., those of Microprosopus), and are whitened with that whiteness (of the eye of Macroprosopus).

615. Like as it is written, Ps. xliv. 23: "Awake; why sleepest Thou, O Tetragrammaton? Arise."

616. And truly as often as His eyes are not open, all the lords of judgment subdue the Israelites, and the other nations have dominion over them.

617. But whensoever He openeth His eyes, these are illuminated from the good eye (of Macroprosopus), and mercy is over Israel; and His eye turneth around and executeth vengeance upon the other nations.

618. This is that same which is written, Ps. xxxv. 23: "Awake, and arise." "Awake!" and (Thine eye) shall be illuminated with that whiteness. "Arise!" so that it may exercise judgment upon those who have overcome them.

619. When his eyes are opened they appear beautiful as those of doves; in colour, white, red, and black, and golden yellow.

620. And this eye (otherwise, this whiteness) is not uncovered except when it is looked upon by the good eye, and then all those colours are covered (otherwise, bathed) with this whiteness of the rays.

621. From those colours, when they are uncovered, go forth seven eyes of Providence, which issue from the black of the eye.

622. This is that which is said, Zac. iii. 9: "Upon one stone seven eyes."

623. What is the "one stone?" The black of the eye.

624. From the red go forth seven emissaries, who deflect towards the left side, and they flame with fire, which is toward the north side, and they are combined, so that they may be expanded into the world for the purpose of uncovering the ways of sinners.

625. This is that which is written, Zach. iv. 10: "Those seven are the eyes of Tetragrammaton going forth throughout the whole earth."

626. From the yellow go forth seven pure splendours (otherwise lights), which are turned towards the south side, and they are combined so that they may be extended into the world, towards those ways which are necessary to be uncovered (otherwise towards those deeds, &c.).

627. Like as it is written, Job xxxiv. 21: "Because His eyes are upon the ways of man." And when they are illuminated with that whiteness, then they behold all the lords of truth, in order to do good unto the world because of them; and every glance (of those eyes) is benevolent towards Israel.

628. But with the red colour He beholded those who are bound; which is intimated in these words, Exod. iii. 7: "In seeing have I seen;" "In seeing," for the purpose of doing good unto them; "I have seen," that by vindicating them I may deliver them from their afflictors.

620. And therefore is it written, Ps. xliv. 24: "Awake: wherefore sleepest Thou, O Tetragrammaton? Arise! forsake us not for ever." "Awake and arise." There are two inspections, two openings, two good things; there is mercy, there is also vengeance.

630. The first colour is red, hidden and inclosed within red; in comparison with it, all other reds do not seem to be (red). 1

631. Around this red goeth a certain black thread (of colour), and surroundeth it.

632. This second colour is black, like that stone which goeth forth from the abyss once in a thousand years into the great sea.

633. And when that stone 1 goeth forth there cometh a tempest and a storm upon the great sea 2 and its waters are troubled, and (their motion soundeth as) a voice, and they are heard by the great fish which is called Leviathan.

634. And this stone goeth forth, and is whirled onward in the current of the sea, and goeth forth thence; and this, is so great a blackness 3 that beside it all other blacknesses are as nought (otherwise, now it is withdrawn because all the other paths are hidden and enshrouded by it).

635. And such is the blackness of the black (part of) the eye, which includeth and concealeth all the remaining blacknesses; and about that blackness there is found a certain red thread (of colour) which surroundeth that blackness.

636. The third colour is the yellow of all yellows, which includeth and concealeth all other yellows, and in the circumference of that yellow there whirl around two threads (of colour), a red thread on the one direction, and a black thread in another direction; and they surround that yellow colour.

637. But when that white brilliance whirleth around it, and the eye flameth with that white brilliance, all those other colours are not at rest, and are submerged in the lowest depths thereof; the red, the yellow, and the black are not seen, only that white brilliance alone; which receiveth its light from Him, even from the Ancient of Days.

638. And from that (white brilliance) all the inferiors shine, neither is any colour seen save that white brilliance alone. And therefore are all the lords of redness and blackness, which are as it were twin (colours), displaced.

639. This is the same which is written, Cant. iv. 2: "Which go up from the washing, which are all twins."

640. What is this, "From the washing?" From that white brilliance of the excellent holy eye; for all are twins, the one (colour) is as the other. 1

641. But truly doth not he (the author of the Canticles) say that the teeth are each in turn like a shorn flock; and thou sayest that all these are twins?

642. Nevertheless, the sense is that this whiteness of them is as that whiteness of the eyes (of Microprosopus) when they are made brilliant by the white brilliance of the supernal eye (of Macroprosopus).

643. And the just are about to understand and behold that thing in the Spirit of Wisdom.

644. Like as it is written, Isa. lii. 3: "Because they shall see eye to eye." When? "When Tetragrammaton shall bring again Zion."

645. Also it is written, Num. xiv. 14: "By whom Thou, O Tetragrammaton! art seen eye to eye:" 2 and then the opening of the eyes is toward good.

646. For there is so opening of the eyes toward good, and there is also another (opening of the eyes) toward evil.

647. Toward good, like as it is written, Dan. ix. 18: "Open Thine eyes and behold our desolations, and the city over which Thy name hath been pronounced." Here it is toward good.

648. But toward evil, like as it is written, Isa. xxxiii. 20: "Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed." Here truly it is toward good and toward evil, because the one existeth not without the other.

649. We have learned it in the "Book of Concealed Mystery." What is this? "Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation." Is not Jerusalem therefore a quiet habitation? Also it is written, Isa. i. 21: "Justice dwelt therein." But in the place wherein justice is found there is not rest, neither is it at peace (otherwise: In the place wherein judgment dwelleth and is found, this justice is not rest, &c.).

650. For verily this is the true interpretation: "Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation" (is thus to be explained). The habitation is said to be quiet, in respect of the Ancient of Days, who looketh upon those eyes (of Microprosopus).

651. For truly His eye is quiet and tranquil; the eye of mercy the eye which altereth not from this aspect unto any other aspect.

652. And therefore is it written OINK, 1 (instead of OINIK) "They shall behold Thine eye:" not Thine eyes, (seeing OINK is written) without the second I, Yod.

653. But how cometh it that it is said Jerusalem, and not Zion? It is properly thus said for the purpose of subjugating judgment which was found therein, and for exciting mercy upon it.

654. Also have we learned this. It is written, Dent. xi. 12: "The eyes of Tetragrammaton thy God are upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." This is that which is written: "Justice dwelt therein;" because therein are found many most severe judgments, as in all other instances.

655. But in the time to come there shall be found therein one eye of mercy (namely) the eye of the Ancient of Days.

656. This is that which is intimated, Isa. liv. 7: "But with great mercies will I gather thee."

657. Where, because it is said "with mercies," what is (the meaning of the adjective) "great" (used herewith): Assuredly because mercy is duplicated, (namely) the mercy of the Ancient of Days (Macroprosopus), which is called "great mercies."

658. And the mercy of Microprosopus, which is called mercies plain and unqualified, seeing that in Him there are right and left, 1 (symbolizing the balance of) justice and Mercy. And therefore is it said: "And in great mercies will I gather thee;" those, namely, of the Ancient of Days.

659. This have we learned. In those eyes (of Microprosopus), and in the two colours of them--namely, in the red and in the black--there are said to abide two tears, and when He, even the Holy of the Holy Ones, desireth to have mercy upon the Israelites, then He sendeth down those two tears so that they may grow sweet in the (waters of the) great sea.

660. The great sea, which is that of excellent wisdom, so that in that stream (otherwise, white brilliance) and in that fountain they may be cleansed; and they go forth from the great sea, and there is mercy upon the Israelites.

Footnotes
186:1 True to all the previous symbolism, the eye of the Ancient of Days, Macroprosopus, is here spoken of, instead of eyes in the plural number, seeing that, as I have before remarked, he is rather to be symbolized by a profile than by a full face.

188:1 Meaning that it Is so brilliant that all other red colours seem poor and pale in comparison with it.

189:1 Cf. Rev. viii. 8. This also suggests alchemical symbolism.

189:2 The great sea is Binah. and the great fish is Leviathan: "whose head is broken by the waters of the great sea." (See the Introduction, "Book of Concealed Mystery," i. § 28; Ps. lxxiv. 13. and Rev. xiii.)

189:3 Cf. the "blackest of the black" of Hermes Trismegistus.

190:1 I.e.. the black and the red, which are here represented as simultaneously involving each other.

190:2 In our version it is translated "face to face," and not "eye to eye"; but in the original Hebrew it is OIN BOIN, Ayin Be-Ayin, "eye to eye."

191:1 OINK signifies "thine eye," in the singular.