Jephthah and Other Mysteries

A NOTE ON “JEPHTHAH.” A SHORT explanation of the scheme of theology adopted in this play appears necessary. The Hebrews of the period had formu- lated the idea of Deity as manifesting from the fundamental conception of NEGATIVE EXISTENCE: The }°N, Ain, negativity, unfolded ; the )}D 79, Ain Soph, the limitless, and thence de- rived the JN DID 79, Ain Soph Aur, the limitless light. This limitless ocean of negative light concentrates a centre "M3, Kether, the Crown, and this is our first positive mani- festation of Deity, or, as the Hebrews technically call it, an emanation or &")°)D, Sephira. Of these Sephiroth there are ten, each emanating from the last, and successively male or female toward the next below or above. These are: 1, the Kether; 2, MDIM, Chokmah, Wisdom; 3, ;33°3, Binah, Understanding, often, symbolized as the great Sea; 4, IDM, Chesed, Mercy (or mionety, Gedulah, Magnificence); 5, 7T"3)33, Geburah, Strength; 6, MTMNDNM, Tiphereth, Beauty; 7, MY3, Netzach, Victory; 8, “}}j1,,Hod, Splendour; 9, “}}D’, Jesod, the Foundation ; and 10, mp, Malkuth, the Kingdom. In the Tetragram ;})j}', translated in our Bible “ Jehovah” or “the Lord,” the last nine Sephiroth are summed up. The first also contains the idea of existence, the Divine Name connected with this Sephira being j}°;T&, Eheieh, Existence. Below this world of Atziluth or of God is that of Briah or Thrones ; to this world belong the Archangels; still lower that of Yetzirah or Formation; to this world ten orders of angels are attributed; . and lastly, the world of Assiah, or of action (the material world). The further development of these facts, their connection with the numerical system, the parts of the soul, and many other interesting details may be studied in the seventy-two volumes