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SECTION LEKH LEKHA OR THE CALL OF ABRAM.

NOW the Lord said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy76b-77a country and from thy kindred, and

from they father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee'." (Gen. XII, 1.)Start of Lekh Lekha, Gen.12:1-12:27

At a meeting of Rabbi Simeon's students, for meditation on the esoteric meaning of this passagein scripture, Rabbi Abba said: "It is written, 'Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted that are far from

righteousness.' (Is. XLVI. 12.) By the phrase 'stout-hearted' is meant those hardened souls who,

though acquainted with and having some knowledge of the secret doctrine, yet manifest no

inclination nor desire to adapt their lives to its teachings and principles and walk in accordancewith the precepts of the good law, and are therefore said to be 'far from righteousness'."

Said Rabbi Hezekiah: "The meaning of these words is, that they are altogether void of the divinelife and so do not enjoy inward peace of conscience, as it is written, 'There is no peace unto the

wicked.' (Is. XLV III. 22.) Observe, it was Abraham's desire to live the higher life, and to him

may he justly applied the words, "Thou hast loved righteousness and hated wickedness, thereforeAlhim, thy Alhim, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.' (Ps. XLI. 8.)

For this reason it is further written, 'Thou, seed of Abraham, my friend.' (Is. XLI. 8.) Wherefore

does the Holy One style Abraham 'my friends?' It was because he loved righteousness, for of all

who lived in his day and generation he alone was faithful, upright and obedient to the divinelaw."

Said Rabbi Jose: "It is written, 'How amiable are thy tabernacles; oh Lord of Hosts.' (Ps. LVIII.

1.)Ps. 84:1 How incumbent upon us it is to study the works of the Holy One, for our knowledge of

them is only small and limited. Men know not upon what the world is founded and how it is

sustained and upheld. Still less do they know anything of its creation or

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the composition of fire and water that, blending together, become solidified under the action of

the Holy Spirit, which,77a-77b when it is withdrawn, they revert back to chaos, and attractionbetween their individual atoms then ceases, as it is written, 'It is he who shaketh the earth out of

her place and the pillars thereof tremble.' (Job IX. 6.) Everything in the universe is founded on

and governed by law, and so long as there are students found engaged in its study, so will the

world endure. Observe at the hour of midnight when the Holy One enters the garden of Eden onhigh, to converse with the righteous, all the trees of it rejoice and chant forth praises to the glory

of his name, asitis written, 'Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord

because he cometh to judge the earth.' (Chron. XVI. 33.) When is heard a great voice from on

high saying, 'Who hath ears, let him hear, who hath eyes let him behold, and who hath a heart tounderstand, let him listen and attend to the words and teachings of the spirits of all spirits

respecting the tour quarters of parts of the world.'

1. The One Absolute, above all = The sublime Kether, spirit of all spirits.

2. One is below = The nephesh or soul.

3. One is between two = The ruach between the soul and spirit.

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4. Two beget a third = The Neshama.

5. Threebecomeone = The individual

6. One emits rays of color. = Divine light and life.

7. Six on one side and six on the other = The visible and invisible world.

8. Six rise into twelve = The spiritual zodiac in man.9. Twelve produce twenty-two = twenty-two letters, the signatures of all created things.

10. Six are included in ten = Sephiroth.

11. Ten are included in One = The ten sephiroth, emanations of the Absolute.

"Woe unto those who sleep, who know not, and do not desire to learn what will happen themwhen in the presence of the great judge they will have to account for their deeds. When the body

is defiled, the soul departing out of it flees

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to the pure atmosphere on high and goes hither and thither,77b but the gates of heaven remainunopened to it. Like chaff by the wind, or a stone from out a sling so it becomes cast about. Woe

unto those who care nought for and live indifferent to the joys on high that are the recompense of

the just, for they fall into the power of Duma and descend into a hell out of which they will neveragain come forth. It is of them scripture saith, 'As a cloud that is consumed and vanished away,

so is he who goeth down into Sheol. He shall come up no more.' (Job VII. 9.)

"As the voice ceased uttering these words a light flashed forth from the north, illumining the

whole world and falling on the wings of the cock caused it to crow at midnight. At that time no

one rises from his couch save those lovers of truth whose chief delight is in the study of thesecret doctrine. Then the Holy One, surrounded by souls of the just made perfect, in the garden

of Eden listens and attends to the voices of truth-seekers, as it is written, 'Thou that dwellest inthe gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice; cause one to hear'." (Cant. VIII. 13.)

Next: Chapter LXXXI. Interlocutory Explanations

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