Masonic, Occult and Esoteric Online Library
The Kabbalah Unveiled
By S.L. Macgregor Mathers
Further Concerning the Skull of Macroprosopus
52. THE whiteness of this skull shineth in thirteen carved out sides: in four sides from one portion; in four sides from the part of His countenance; and in four sides from another part of the periphery; and in one above the skull, as if this last might be called the supernal side. 1
53. And thence is the Vastness of His Countenance extended into three hundred and seventy myriads of worlds; and hence ARK APIM, 2 Arikh Aphim, Vastness of Countenance is His name.
54. And He Himself, the Most Ancient of the Most Ancient Ones, is called ARIK DANPIN, Arikh Da-Anpin, the Vast Countenance, or Macroprosopus; and He Who is more external is called ZOIR ANPIN, Zauir Anpin, or Him Who hath the Lesser Countenance (Microprosopus) in opposition to the Ancient Eternal Holy One, the Holy of the Holy Ones.
55. And when Microprosopus looketh back upon Him, all the inferiors are restored in order, and His Countenance is extended, and is made more vast at that time, but not for all time (then only is it), vast like unto the (countenance) of the More Ancient one.
56. And from that skull issueth a certain white shining emanation, towards the skull of Microprosopus, for the purpose of fashioning His head; and thence towards the other inferior skulls, which are innumerable.
57. And all the skulls reflect this shining whiteness towards the Ancient of Days, 1 when they are numbered out of their mingled confusion. And by reason of this there existeth herein an opening towards the skull below, when they proceed to numeration.
Footnotes
117:1 The hidden sense of this somewhat obscure passage is, that the brightness arises from the skull, which it conceals, which latter is therefore the emblem of the Concealed One. The thirteen parts are three tetragrammatic forms, which give twelve letters, and symbolize thus the Trinity of the Tetragram; and the one supernal part is the unity. The meaning therefore is, the Trinity in Unity, proceeding from the Concealed Unity, which also proceedeth from the Negatively Existent. Thirteen, moreover, occultly points out unity. for AChD. Achad, Unity, adds up for thirteen.
117:2 Or, AVRKA DANPIN, Aurikha Da-Anpin, the Vast Countenance.
