Sacred Texts Judaism Index Previous Next
510. THE Eyes of the Head (of Microprosopus) are those eyes from which sinners cannot guard themselves; the eyes which sleep, and yet which sleep not.
511. And therefore are they called "Eyes like unto doves, KIVNIM, Ke-Ionim." What is IVNIM, Ionim? Surely it is said, Lev. xxv. 17 "Ye shall not deceive any man his neighbour."
512. And therefore is it written, Psalm xciv. 7: "IH, Yah, shall not behold." And shortly after verse 9: "He that planteth the ear, shall He not hear? He that formeth the eye, shall He not see?"
513. The part which is above the eyes (the eyebrows) consisteth of the hairs, which are distributed in certain proportions.
514. From those hairs depend one thousand seven hundred Lords of Inspection for striving in battles. And then all their emissaries arise and unclose the eyes.
515. In the skin which is above the eyes (the eyelids) are the eyelashes, and there unto adhere thousand thousands Lords of Shields.
516. And these be called the covering of the eyes. And all those which are called (under the classification of) the eyes of IHVH, Tetragrammaton, are not unclosed, nor awake, save in that time when these coverings of the eyelashes be
separated from each other--namely, the lower from the upper (eyelashes).
517. And when the lower eyelashes are separated from the upper, and disclose the abode of vision, then are the eyes opened in the same manner as when one awaketh from his sleep.
518. Then are the eyes rolled around, and (Microprosopus) looketh back upon the open eye (of Macroprosopus), and they are bathed in its white brilliance.
519. And when they are thus whitened, the Lords of the judgments are turned aside from the Israelites. And therefore it is written, Ps. xliv. 24: "Awake: wherefore sleepest thou, O Tetragrammaton? Make haste," &c.
520. Four colours appear in those eyes; from which shine the four coverings of the phylacteries, which shine through the emanations of the Brain.
521. Seven, which are called the eyes of Tetragrammaton, and the inspection, proceed from the black colour of the eye; as we have said.
522. As it is written, Zach. iii. 9: "Upon one stone seven eyes." And these colours flame forth on this side.
523. From the, red go forth others, the Lords of Examination for Judgment.
524. And these are called: "The eyes of Tetragrammaton going forth throughout the whole earth."
525. Where it is said (in the feminine gender) "MShVTTVTh, Meshoteloth, going forth," and not "MShVTTIM, Meshotetim," in the masculine, because all are judgment.
526. From the yellow proceed others who are destined to make manifest deeds as well good as evil.
527. As it is written, Job xxxiv. 21: "Since His eyes are upon the ways of man." And these Zach. iv. 10, are called "The eyes of Tetragrammaton, MShVTTIM, Meshotetim, going forth around, but in the masculine gender, because these extend in two directions--towards the good and towards the evil.
528. From the white brilliance proceed all those mercies and all those benefits which are found in the world, so that through them it may be well for the Israelites.
529. And then all those three colours are made white, so that He may have pity upon them.
530. And those colours are mingled together mutually, and mutually do they adhere unto each other. Each one affecteth with its colour that which is next unto it.
531. Excepting the white brilliance wherein all are comprehended when there is need, for this enshroudeth them all.
532. So therefore no man can convert all the inferior colours--the black, red, and yellow--into the white brilliance.
533. For only with this glance (of Macroprosopus) are they all united and transformed into the white brilliance.
534. His eyelashes (i.e., those of Microprosopus, for to the eye of Macroprosopus neither eyebrows nor eyelashes are attributed) are not found, when (his eyes) desire to behold the colours; seeing that his eyelashes disclose the place (of sight) for beholding all the colours.
535. And if they disclose not the place (of vision) the (eyes) cannot see nor consider. 1
536. But the eyelashes do not remain nor sleep, save in that only perfect hour, but they are opened and closed, and again closed and opened, according to that Open Eye (of Macroprosopus) which is above them.
537. And therefore is it written, Ezek. i. 14: "And the living creatures rush forth and return."
538. Now we have already spoken of the passage, Isa. xxxiii. 20: "Thine eye shall see Jerusalem quiet, even Thy habitation."
539. Also it is written, Deut. ii. 12: "The eyes of Tetragrammaton
thy God are ever thereon in the beginning of the year," &c.
540. For so Jerusalem requireth it, since it is written, Isa. i. 21: "TzDQ, Tzedeq, justice abideth in Her."
541. And therefore (is it called) Jerusalem, and not Zion. For it is written, Isa. i. 26: "Zion is redeemed in MShPT, Meshephat, Judgment, &c.," which are unmixed mercies.
542. Thine eye: (therefore) is it written "OINK, Ayinakh (in the singular number). Assuredly it is the eye of the Most Holy Ancient One, the Most Concealed of All (which is here referred to).
S43. Now it is said: "The eyes of Tetragrammaton thy God are thereon;" in good, that is to say, and in evil; according as either the red colour or the yellow is required.
544. But only with the glance (of Macroprosopus) are all things converted and cleansed into the white brilliance.
545. The eyelids (of Microprosopus) are not found when (His eyes) desire to behold the colours. But here (it is said), "Thine eyes shall behold Jerusalem." Entirely for good, entirely in mercy.
546. As it is written, Isa. liv. 7: "And with great mercies will I gather thee."
547. The eyes of Tetragrammaton thy God are ever thereon from the beginning of the year." Here the word "MRShITh, Marashith, from the beginning," is written defectively without A, for it is not written RAShITh with the A.
548. Hence it remaineth not always in the same condition. What doth not? The inferior H, He, (of IHVH).
549. 1 And concerning that which is supernal it is written, Lam. ii. 1: "He hath cast down MShMIM,
[paragraph continues] Me-Shamaim, from the heavens; ARTz, Aretz, the earth the Tiphereth, Israel."
550. Wherefore hath he cast down Aretz from Shamaim? Because it is written, Isa. l. 3: "I will cover the heavens, Shamaim, with darkness," and with the blackness of the eye (of Microprosopus), namely, with the black colour, are they covered.
551. "From the beginning of the year." What, then, is that place whence those eyes of Tetragrammaton behold Jerusalem?
552. Therefore he 1 hasteneth to expound this (saying immediately): "From the beginning, MRShITh, of the year," which (word MRShITh = being written thus), without the Aleph, A, 2 symbolizeth judgment; for judgment is referred unto that side, although virtually (the word Merashith) is not judgment.
553. "Even unto the end of the year." Herein, properly speaking, is judgment found. For it is written, Isa. i. 21: "Justice dwelt in her." For this is "the end of the year."
554. Come and see! A, Aleph, only is called the first (letter). In A, Aleph, is the masculine power hidden and concealed; that namely, which is not known.
555. When this Aleph is conjoined in another place then is it called RAShITh, Rashith, beginning.
556. But if thou sayest that (A) is conjoined herewith, 3 truly it is not so, but (A) is only manifested therein and illuminateth it; and in that case only is it called RAShITh, Rashith, beginning.
557. Now therefore in this (passage) RAShITh (spelt with the A) is not found as regards Jerusalem; for were (the letter A) herein, it would (denote that it would) remain for ever.
558. Hence it is written defectively MRShITh, Me-Rashith. Also concerning the world to come it is written, Isa. xli. 27: 1 "The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them," &c.
313:1 The simple meaning of this and the preceding section is, that the eyes can only see when the upper eyelashes are separated from the low ones by the lids being raised.
314:1 In this section evidently Shamaim is taken to symbolize the supernal H, He.
315:1 Moses. in this passage of Deuteronomy.
315:2 That is. MRShITh instead of MRAShITh.
315:3 That is, irrevocably, so that the word would cease to bear the same meaning were A not there. in other words, were A a radical letter of it.