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The Kabbalah Unveiled

By S.L. Macgregor Mathers

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Concerning the Nose of Macroprosopus

171. AND come, behold, lo! it is written, Isaiah xli. 4: "I, Tetragrammaton, (am) first and with the last. I am HE HIMSELF" (Hoa).

172. All things are HVA, Hoa, He Himself, and He Himself is hidden on every side. So also is His nose.

173. From the nose is the face known.

174. And come--see! What is the (difference) between the Ancient One and Microprosopus? Over these nostrils He ruleth; one of which is life, and the other is the life of life.

175. This nose is as a mighty gallery, whence His spirit rusheth forth upon Microprosopus, and they call it the Giver.

176. And it is thus: The Spirit descendeth; and again the Spirit from hence proceedeth through those nostrils.

177. One is the Spirit; She goeth forth unto Microprosopus, so that he may be aroused in the Garden of Eden.

178. And one is She the Spirit of Life, through Whom in process of time the sons of David hope to know Wisdom.

179. And from that gallery ariseth the Spirit, and proceedeth from the concealed brain, and at length resteth upon King Messiach.

180. Like as it is written, Isaiah xi. 2: "And the Spirit of Tetragrammaton shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge, and of the Fear of Tetragrammaton."

181. Apparently four spirits (are described) here. But we have already said that the Spirit is one; why, then, are three (others added unto it?). Arise, Rabbi Yosi, in thy place.

182. Rabbi Yosi arose and said: "in the days of King Messiach, one shall not say unto the other, 'Teach me this Wisdom.'

183. "Because it is thus written, Jer. xxxi. 34: 'A man shall no more teach his neighbour, &c., because all shall know Me, from the least of them even unto the greatest of them.'

184. "And in that time shall the Ancient of Days arouse His Spirit which proceedeth from His brain, the most concealed of all.

185. "And when that cometh forth all the inferior spirits are aroused with Her.

186. "And who are they? They are the holy crowns of Microprosopus.

187. "And there are six other spirits which are given. They are those of whom it is written: 'The Spirit of Wisdom and Intelligence, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord.'

188. "For thus is the tradition: It is written, 1 Kings ii. 12: 'And Solomon sat upon the throne of David.' Also it is written, 1 Kings x. 19: 'The throne had six steps.'

189. "And King Messiach will be seated on those seven (steps). These are those six, and the Spirit of the Ancient of Days, Who is above them, is the seventh.

190. "Like as it is said, 'There are three spirits which comprehend three others.'"

191. Rabbi Schimeon said unto him: "Thy spirit shall rest in the world to come."

192. Come--behold! It is written, Ezek. xxxvii. 9: "Thus saith the Lord, 'Come from the four winds, O Spirit!' But what have the four winds of the world to do with this?

193. Nevertheless, the four winds are aroused; those three, namely, and the Spirit of the Concealed Ancient One; whence there are four.

194. And thus is the matter; because when that one is produced, three others are produced with it, who in themselves comprehend three others.

195. But it is the will of that Holy and Blessed One to produce the one Spirit, Who in Herself includeth all others.

196. Because it is written, Ezek. xxxvii. 9: "From the four spirits, come, O spirit! It is not written thus: "Ye four spirits, come!" but "From the four spirits, come!"

197. And in the days of King Messiach there shall be no need that one should teach another; for that one Spirit Who in Herself includeth all spirits, knoweth all Wisdom and Understanding, Counsel and Might, (and is) the Spirit of Science and of the Fear of the Lord; because She is the Spirit comprehending all spirits.

198. Therefore is it written, "From the four spirits;" which are those four comprehended in the seven steps of which we have just spoken, § 189.

199. And this is the tradition: All things are comprehended in this Spirit of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones, 1 Who proceedeth from the concealed brain, into the gallery of the nostrils.

200. And come--see! Wherein is the difference between the nose (of Macroprosopus), and the nose (of Microprosopus).

201. The nose of the Ancient of Days is life in every part. Concerning the nose of Microprosopus it is written, Ps. xviii. 8. "There went up smoke out of His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured," &c.

202. There goeth up a smoke through His nostrils, and out of that smoke is a fire kindled.

203. When that smoke goeth up, what afterwards followeth? Coals are kindled by it. What is the meaning of this, "by it?" By that smoke, out of that nose, out of that fire.

204. This is the tradition: When Rav Hammenuna the elder wished to offer up his prayer, he said, "I pray unto the Lord of the nostrils, unto the Lord of the nostrils do I pray."

205. And this is that which is written, Isa. xlviii. 9: "In my praise (that is, My nose) will I refrain My nostrils for thee." In which place the sentence is concerning the Ancient of Days.

206. This is the tradition. The size of this nose is so vast that three hundred and seventy-five worlds are supported by it, which all adhere unto Microprosopus.

207. This is the praise of the conformation of the nose.

208. And this, and all forms of the Ancient of Days, are seen, and are not seen; they are seen by the lords of lords--viz., by pious men--and they are not seen by any others.

Footnotes
133:1 I.e., The Spirit.