Humanity’s Connectivity to the Divine: Selections from the Kabbalistic Zohar, Part 1 of 2

Kabbalah is the ancient mystical school of thought of Judaism. Literally meaning “the received,” Kabbalah is also an esoteric method believed to have been revealed to elect saints and preserved by a certain few since the time of the Garden of Eden. Kabbalah aims to explain the relationship between God – the unchanging and eternal Ein Sof (The Infinite), and God’s Creation – the mortal and finite universe. Today, we would like to present selections from the Greater Holy Assembly, a volume of the Zohar where Rabbi Schimeon led a group of holy sages through a discussion on the attributes governing the laws of physical reality as symbolized by the features of Microprosopus.

CHAPTER 25 THE INGRESS OF MICROPROSOPUS. “Now take ye your places, and apply the science (the Qabalah) to describe how the parts of Microprosopus are conformed, and how he is clothed with his conformations, from the forms of the Ancient of Days, the Holy of the Holy Ones. For now wisdom requires that ye judge a true judgment, becoming and honorable; so that ye may dispose all the conformations as accurately as possible.

But the conformations of Microprosopus are disposed from the forms of Macroprosopus; and his constituent parts are expanded on this side and on that under a human form, so that there may be manifest in him the Spirit of the Concealed One in every part.”

CHAPTER 27 CONCERNING THE SKULL OF MICROPROSOPUS AND ITS APPURTENANCES; NAMELY, CONCERNING THE SUBTLE AIR, AND THE FIRE, AND THE DEW. “What is the fire in this place? But verily it is not fire, but that splendor which is included in the subtle air, and it shines in two hundred and seventy worlds. And rigor or judgment is found therefrom; and therefore, it is called the hard skull.

And from that skull there is a place of exit in one place unto those which are below; and they reflect his light towards the Ancient of Days, when they ascend in numeration beneath the wand. Therefore is his skull cleft beneath, when (the inferiors) ascend in numeration, and from this cleavage, a reflection of light arises toward the Ancient of Days.”