The Kabbalah Unveiled · 11 of 16 · tr. S.L. MacGregor Mathers

Introduction, Section 1k

[The "path of beauty," or Tiphereth, the sixth Sephira, is sometimes represented by V, Vau , and therefore sometimes stands for Microprosopus by itself; it is really the central Sephira of the group of six Sephiroth which compose him.

The numerical value of Vau is 6.] 36.

(Now the author of the "Siphra Dtzenioutha" hasteneth to the latter explanation of these letters, I, Yod , and V, Vau ; and concerning V, Vau , he saith): Six members are produced from the branch of the root of his body.

(The body is Microprosopus; the root of the body is the mother, who is symbolized by the letter H, He ; the branch of the root is the letter V, Vau , enclosed and hidden within the letter H, He ; and from that very branch were produced the six members--that is, the entire letter V, Vau , now having obtained the head.) [The mother here mentioned is of course the third Sephira, Binah.

The six members of Microprosopus forming the entire letter Vau in an allusion to the numerical value of that letter being 6.] 37.

"The tongue speaketh great things" (see Dan, vi.

8.

And by the tongue is understood the foundation--namely, the letter I, Yod , joined with his bride; the speech is the marital influx flowing forth from the bride; for the queen is called the word; but the great things are the inferiors of all grades produced.) p.

59 [The inferiors of all "grades" or "paths" are the Sephiroth in the inferior worlds.] 38.

This tongue is hidden between I, Yod , and H, He .

(For father and mother are perpetually conjoined in ISVD, Yesod , the foundation, but concealed under the mystery of Daath or of knowledge.) [The conjunction of the letters V and H at the end of the Tetragrammaton IHVH is similar to that of I and H at the beginning.] 39.

Because it is written (Isa.

xliv.

5): "That man shall say, I am of the Tetragrammaton." (The word ANI, Ani , I, when the discourse is concerning judgments, pertaineth to the queen.

But whensoever mercy is introduced it referreth to the understanding, like as in this place.

In order that the sense may be: The supernal path, which is called I, or the understanding in act of conjunction with the father, is for the purpose of the formation of the Tetragrammaton, and this is one conjunction between the father and the mother for the constitution of the six members.) And that shall be called by the name Jacob, IOQB, Yaqob .

(To call by name is to preserve; and another conjunction of father and mother is introduced for the purpose of preserving the Microprosopus, which is called Jacob.) And that man shall write with his hand, "I am the Lord's" (To write belongeth to the written law, or the beautiful path, and the same also signifieth to flow in.

"With his hand," BIDV, Byodo , is by metathesis BIVD, Byod , by I, Yod --that is, through the foundation; in order that the sense may be, it may be formed from his influx, so that the Tetragrammaton may be written with I, Yod , as we have above said.) And by the name of Israel shall he call himself.

He shall call himself thus in truth.

Themes

◆Letter Meditationpraxis

Contemplative practice focused on Hebrew letters as cosmic symbols or gates of divine power.

The passage focuses on the symbolic significance of Hebrew letters as cosmic symbols.

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◆Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology

The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.

Microprosopus is identified as the body, representing a divine image that mirrors cosmic structure.

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◆Permutation Of Letterspraxis

Combining, transposing, or cycling through letters or names as a meditative or theurgical technique.

It describes letters being joined or enclosed within one another to form divine structures.

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] Divine structure is described using human body parts such as tongue, members, and body.

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◇Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

[auto] The text states that the letter Vau is enclosed and hidden within the letter He.

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◇Divine Marriagesoteriology

The reunification of complementary divine principles (male-female, spirit-matter) as a symbol of wholeness and salvation.

[auto] The passage explicitly mentions the foundation joined with his bride and describes speech as marital influx.

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◇Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

[auto] The text describes a structure where members are produced from the root/mother (Binah) to form the body.

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◇Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

[auto] It references the 'Siphra Dtzenioutha' and explains concealed meanings of letters.

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◇Letters Of Creationcosmology

The twenty-two Hebrew letters as the building blocks through which God creates and sustains all existence.

[auto] The text details how Hebrew letters like Vau, He, and Yod produce members and form the divine body.

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◇Logoscosmology

The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world.

[auto] The text equates speech and the tongue with the foundation and marital influx, acting as a mediating principle.

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◇Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

[auto] It emphasizes the numerical value of Vau being 6 and its correspondence to six members.

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◇Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

[auto] Hebrew letters are treated as ontological building blocks carrying divine significance.

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◇Sefirot Treecosmology

The diagrammatic arrangement of the ten Sephirot as a structured 'Tree of Life' mapping divine and cosmic forces.

[auto] It maps relationships between Sephirot such as Binah and Microprosopus using spatial terms like root and branch.

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◇Sephirotcosmology

The ten attributes or emanations through which the Ein Sof (Infinite) reveals itself and creates the universe in Kabbalistic theology.

[auto] The passage explicitly names and defines Tiphereth, Binah, and Microprosopus as Sephiroth or groups of Sephiroth.

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Related passages · 1 parallel

◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 11, Section 1e

“Hence the Good God is called the Fount, first, of the Very Primaries: then, of those creatures which share completely therein; then, of those which share partially therein. 484 484 Migne’s text here is corrupt, I have emended it. (1) The…”

Both passages discuss the concept of divine emanation and the hierarchical structure of creation. The Kabbalah passage describes the Sephiroth and their relationships, while the Christian passage discusses the outpouring of divine qualities and the celestial hierarchy. Both emphasize the flow of divine influence from a higher to a lower realm.