Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai
Messiah of the Kabbalah
By John Cole
With the advent of the occult revival of the 19th century, the world was introduced to a plethora of traditions and terminology, which had previously been known to only a few. The zealousness of this emerging esoteric current prompted many aspiring authors to present their wares to the public, and owing to the naivete of the new student body, the result was that many of the Ancient Schools of the Western Mystery Traditions became grossly misrepresented by this new breed of commentators. The most obvious example of this may be found in the honored and illustrious mystical tradition of the Jewish people, namely the Kabbalah. Within the last one hundred years or so, we have witnessed the literary degradation and misrepresentation of this time honored tradition, creating a cottage industry of deceit. This is not to say that there are not presently works on the subject worthy of study, but they are without doubt difficult to obtain and for the most part to be found in Jewish academic circles. At any rate, the recommendation to those who would take up the study of the Kabbalah would be to utilize a great deal of care and discernment. Many of those who attempt to pass themselves off as practicing Kabbalists, have in reality done no more than memorize tables of correspondences and perhaps acquired a very basic knowledge of the Hebrew Language, without ever discovering any of the true inner mysteries of the tradition.
The present work will focus on one of the many mysteries of the Kabbalah, that being the life and teachings of the most renowned figure in Kabbalistic literature, Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai.
R. Simeon was most probably born around 100 c.e., and was one of the seven disciples of R. Akiba. He was condemned to death by Titus, but managed to escape with his son. Legend tells us that they concealed themselves in a cavern for a period of twelve years. In his subterranean abode, he engulfed himself entirely into the study of the Kabbalah, and it was reported that he was frequently visited by visions of the Prophet Elias, who revealed the mysteries to him during this period. According to the Talmud, the secret wisdom embodied in the Zohar was the result of the long seclusion enforced upon R. Simeon by the Roman decree. It was in this same cavern that R. Simeon initiated his disciples into the mysteries, and it was also here that his spirit left this world. It was said that immediately after the departure of his spirit, the cavern was filled with a dazzling light, so intense that no one could look upon the Rabbi's body. At the same time, a burning fire appeared outside the cavern acting somewhat as a sentinel, denying entrance to all except his disciples. After the inner and outer lights had extinguished themselves, the disciples perceived this as a sign that the Light of Israel has expired as well. As they were preparing for the funeral rites, a voice was heard from heaven saying, "Come Ye to the marriage of Simeon bar Yohai, he is entering into peace, and shall rest in his chamber!" A flame preceded his coffin, which had the appearance of being enveloped by fire. When his body was buried, another voice from heaven manifested, saying, "This is he who caused the earth to quake and the kingdom to shake!"
Although it is widely believed that the Zohar was written by Moses de Leon, many consider it to be a later representation of the 2nd century writings of R. Simeon. In fact, the Zohar was alternately known as the Midrash of R. Simeon bar Yohai. Following the lead of the renowned Kabbalistic scholar Gershom Scholem, the Zohar may be broken down into the following sections or books:
1) An untitled section dealing primarily with commentary on the Torah.
2) Sifra di-Tseniutha or the Book of Concealment.
3) Idra Rabba or the Great Assembly.
4) Idra Zutta or the Lesser Assembly.
5) Idra di-be-Mashkana or the Assembly before a lecture on the Torah.
6) Hekhaloth or the Palaces of Light. Dealing with the Seven Halls of Light of Merkabah Mysticism.
7) Raza de-Razim or the Secret of Secrets.
8) Saua Demishpatim or the Discourse of the Old Man.
9) Yenuka or the Discourse of the Child.
10) Reu Methiutha or the Academy Head.
11) Sithre Torah or the Mysteries of the Torah.
12) Mathnithin and Tosefta or small additional pieces.
13) Commentary on the Song of Solomon.
14) Kau Ha-Middah or the Standard of measure.
15) Sithre Othioth or the Secret of letters.
16) Midrash Ha-Neelam or the Mystical Midrash.
17) Midrash Ha-Neelam Midrash Ruth or On the Book of Ruth.
18) Raya Mehemna or the Faithful Shepherd.
19) Tikkune Zohar or the new supplements of the Zohar.
If the primitive spirit of the Kabbalah has been indeed compromised and in particular the Kabbalistic notion of the Messianic mysteries, then the first order of business for a proper understanding of this doctrine must be to rediscover the original teaching and its exegesis.
In a sense, R. Simeon cannot be said to be the Kabbalistic Messiah proper, rather he is the one who prepares the WAY for redemption and makes it possible, similar to the role of John the Baptist as the harbinger of the WAY as seen in the eyes of the Essenes and first Christians. Even the Messiah himself has no direct part in the Kabbalistic Tikkun (restoration or repair). Here we find the idea of Tikkun to be of a similar nature to the Martinist teachings of the Repairer and reintegration. As a side note, a possible theory emerges in this connection. If we were to concede that Martines de Pasquales was of Spanish descent and of Jewish extraction, then we must at least consider a possible linear descent from the Jewish esoteric schools that may have had an influence on Pasquales. Of course, the Jews were expelled from Spain in the late 15th century, but there remains the possibility of the existence of underground schools that may have survived in Spain and neighboring regions that Pasquales could have come into contact with some two or three centuries later.
The Kabbalistic Schools of medieval Judaism were born in Provence and in particular its western region known as the Languedoc. These schools flourished in cities such as Lunel, Narbonne, Posquieres, Toulouse, Marseilles and Arles. In the 13th century, the disciples from these schools transplanted their tradition to Spain, where it took root in such localities as Burgos, Gerona, Toledo, Aragon and Castille. In these regions, there was established a unique cultural exchange between the Jewish schools of Kabbalah, Islamic culture that had moved into the region from North Africa, the poetry of the Troubadours, Gnostic Christianity of the Cathars and Bogomils all of whom shared a common adversary, Catholicism, who would eventually persecute them all. It would not be out of the question to speculate that these esoteric schools did survive underground either as singular or mixed traditions and manifested in the succeeding centuries by way of Hermeticism/Alchemy, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, neo-Templarism and even eventually in Martinism.
Returning to the Kabbalistic idea of the Messiah as found in the Zohar, we find that harmony will be reestablished among the Sefirot after the coming of the Messiah and in particular a special relationship between that of Tiferet and Malkhut. Here it should be stressed that this unification is more properly a reunification, reintegration or repair, in fact a return to our original condition, before its disruption, which was caused by the destruction of the Holy Sanctuary which led to the exile of man. Here, students of Martinism will easily see the similarity of this doctrine with that of Saint-Martin in his writings on the exile of man and his return to the first estate.
Many modern works on the Kabbalah place the Messiah within the sphere of Tiferet, however he should be properly placed in the realm of Malkhut due to his humility. The Prophet Zechariah describes the Messiah as "humble, riding on an ass", and we find that Malkhut as well is humble and "has nothing of its own". At times the Zohar does assign the Messiah with attributes from the more active Sefira of Yesod, where it says that the Messiah is indeed righteous, an attribute associated with Yesod, but he is redeemed rather than the redeemer as also found in Zechariah, "righteous, saved is he". So, in summation of the Zoharic context of the Messiah, that although he may be primarily identified with Malkhut, he does have a connection with the lower three Sefirot of the middle pillar. It is the passivity of Malkhut that is for the most part emphasized.
The Idra Rabba (or Great Assembly) is one of the important sections of the Zohar that is worthy of mention in the area of Messianic study. This assembly of sages is considered to be an event the like of which will not occur again until the coming of the Messiah. The Messianic character of this gathering is evident to R. Simeon as he expresses his astonishment at the absence of the Prophet Elijah, after which Elijah does appear and offer an apology for his absence. The key here is that Elijah must be involved in any event dealing with the advent of the Messiah. The Idra is truly a pre-Messianic event, and at this gathering R. Simeon actualizes his ability to intercede with heaven.
The following verse from the Song of Songs holds a special significance, "I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by gazelles or by hinds of the field: do not make or rouse love until it pleases." The interpretation of this verse in the Zohar says that the love mentioned refers to Hesed, God's love with which He will redeem Israel. This is generally taken to be a warning against trying to hasten the awakening of love and redemption prematurely. In an early version of the Idra Rabba, R. Simeon lifted up his hands in prayer to the Holy One and prayed. After he had finished praying, R. Eleazer (his son) and R. Abba came and seated themselves before him. The Zohar then relates how the three sages see lightning strike on the water of the Sea of Tiberias. The Talmud interprets this as a sign of tears shed by God out of sorrow for His children who are in exile. This reference to the tears shed by God may very well be an allusion to the sectarian Zaddikim and their "rainmaking" abilities.
This rainmaking ability is a reference to taking an active role in the process of bringing forth of the "Messianic Rain" that would fall on everyone, blessing the righteous and condemning the wicked. We can also see here the connection to the "Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven" as found in Christian eschatology. There are indeed a number of rainmakers of note in sectarian Jewish history; Habakkak, Phineas, Elijah, Onias the Just (also known as Honai the circle-drawer), Hannan the Hidden, James the Just (brother of the Lord) and the original archetypal rainmaker Noah. The associated mechanism of the rainmakers was a theurgical practice known as circle drawing. Although there is a great deal of speculation as to what was specifically entailed in this practice, one theory contends that it was similar to the Gnostic round dance also known as the Hymn of Jesus. In the round dance, Jesus, the Messiah figure is situated in the center of the circle surrounded by twelve disciples. If Jesus was associated with the sectarians such as the Essenes, Nazarenes and Zadokites as many believe, then this ritual could very well have originated from the rainmakers.
In the tradition of the rainmakers, another interesting parallel emerges, in the concept of being "hidden". As already mentioned, R. Simeon was known to have hidden in a cave for many years, where the spirit of Elijah appeared to him. As research progresses in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we have learned that the caves in the Qumran area were used not only as scroll depositories, but also for habitation of the local sectarians. One of the rainmakers, Hannan the Hidden (of whom some believe to be identical with John the Baptist) was given his nickname due to his cave dwelling. In the Protevangelium of James, it is said that Elizabeth hides John the Baptist in a mountain cave when Herod tries to destroy him. A passage from the Zohar also seems to be relevant here as well, where it tells of Noah (the Patriarch of the rainmakers) being "hidden" in the Ark by God, hidden not only from the eschatological flood, but from someone that it refers to as the "adversary". There is one thing for certain, and that is that cave dwelling and being hidden from an evil force was an integral theme to the rainmaking tradition.
Returning to the Idra, we discover the list of attendees at the assembly were as follows: R. Simeon, R. Eleazer, R. Abba, R. Yahuda, R. Yosi (son of Jacob), R. Isaac, R. Chisqiah (son of Rav), R. Chiyah, R. Yosi (distinct from the other R. Yosi) and R. Yisea. From these ten sages, it is evident that the core of these elect ones to be R. Simeon, R. Eleazer and R. Abba. R. Simeon said of these; "We are the type of all things" (that is, we represent the three columns of the Sefirot) "thus far are the columns established". For a deeper sense of the significance of the three it is said that, "For out of paradise came the souls just hither, that they may hearken, together with the Shekinah of the Divine presence". Furthermore on this subject, R. Simeon said, "I will not say it unto the heavens, that they may hear; I will not declare it unto the earth, that it may hear; for certainly we are the pillars of the universe". Upon a closer analysis of this triad of sages, a greater depth of the mysteries begins to unfold. These sages mirror the supernal triad which holds the ability of creative acts focusing through the middle pillar whose head is the Macroprosopus, who in a sense is personified by R. Simeon.
Although Saint-Martin indicates that observations on the number three are somewhat scattered and obscure, one thing does indeed stand out in relation to the three sages. The number three operates the direction of forms in the celestial and terrestrial; that is, in all bodies the number of spiritual principles being triadic, every name and every sign which falls on this number belongs to forms or must operate some effect on forms. So with this in mind, a picture begins to develop of how the three sages in unison may participate as intermediaries in the aiding of the manifestation of the Messianic era.
The Idra gives forth yet another great mystery which manifests in the legend of the "single pillar". R. Simeon opens the Idra with the following words, "Until when we dwell where only one pillar is our support." It is thought that this statement expresses a complaint about the state of things prior to the assembly and that the purpose of the assembly was to remedy the sad state of affairs. So if this exegesis is accepted, then the entire order of events of the assembly would be required to fully understand the opening statement.
An analysis of the idea of the single pillar will indicate that it has two aspects, the first is that it symbolizes R. Simeon himself, and the other aspect being that the pillar is a symbol of a divine force and in particular an attribute of divine judgement (Middat ha-din).
As to the first aspect of the pillar, we must consider the dual nature of the pillar, as both a terrestrial person and a cosmic force. This becomes more lucid when we realize that lurking behind R. Simeon's own statement lies the verse from Proverbs, "Ve-Tsaddik Yesod 'Olam"--"The Righteous is an everlasting foundation". Also from the Talmud, we find "The world rests on one pillar, and its name is Righteous, for it is said, Righteous is the foundation of the world". The context of this statement in the Tractate Hagiga certainly indicates a real pillar, but in other places a righteous person is undoubtedly intended, for example: "Even for the sake of a single Righteous man does the world endure", as it is said, "But the Righteous is the foundation of the world" (Yoma 38b). Another excellent example may be found in the Sefer ha-Bahir which cites two opposing Talmudic statements, yet it begins with a pillar and ends with a Righteous person:
"There is one pillar from the earth to the firmament and Righteous is its name, after the Righteous Ones, and when these Righteous persons are in the world it gains strength, and when they are not it is weakened and it bears the burden of all the world, as it is written, 'Righteous is the foundation of the world, and if it is weak the world cannot exist'. Therefore even if there is only one Righteous man in the world, he upholds the world".
As to the second aspect of the single pillar, which is said to be some type of force which acts as divine judgement, this judgement is also related to the Tikkun, which was required to repair the state of imperfection that existed before the meeting of the assembly. So, we might ask, what was this state of imperfection in the world at the time of the Holy Assembly? It appears that the deficiency existed on a multidimensional level. To begin with, on a plane of human existence, there was only one truly Righteous man in the world, namely R. Simeon, and the existence of the entire world was dependant on him. Also on the mundane plane, there was a lack of love and fraternal friendship among the sages which certainly had its effect on the egregore of this group upon which all of Israel depended. It was also felt that at this time there were very few people who had much knowledge of the Kabbalah and only R. Simeon was privy to its mysteries in their entirety. In other words, among the mystics of the time, there was only a cursory knowledge of the Kabbalah and certainly not an intuitive link to the mysteries descending from above. On the ontological plane, the structure of the upper worlds themselves lacked harmony and the various divine attributes could not be divided into male and female and therefore could not maintain their existence. Remember, as above, so below. If the Arikh Anpin or supreme emanated configuration had not experienced its requisite Tikkun, then its Light would be barred from shining on Ze'er Anpin, the lower configuration, and the result would be the pouring forth of a stern and wrathful judgement. With this upper and lower configuration lacking a continuous and intimate relationship, it then became impossible to achieve a full mystical Devekut (communion). Lastly, it must be remembered on the historical level, that Israel at this time was in exile, without a sovereign of its own and was subject to foreign rule. The children of Israel suffered not only at the hands of the Romans, but at this time there emerged a new threat. The Jewish sectarians, including the Essenes and Nazarenes had worked for about three centuries to bring about the Messianic age, which was never intended to be a new religion, but rather an elevation of Judaism. Many Jews of the first century c.e. considered the New Covenant to have been established in the person of Jesus and continued with his brother James the Just in Jerusalem. Not long after this movement become fertile in the hearts of its followers, it found itself abducted by Saul of Tarsus and his strange vision. The Pauline doctrine was at odds with the direct followers of Jesus and after a relatively short period of time there was little semblance of the original message left intact. Saul has replaced the tenets of the Ebionites with injections of pagan mythology, so in a sense, at the time of R. Simeon in the second century c.e., the Holy Assembly was forced to "start over from the beginning". The Temple lay waste on several levels. It is ironic that what has become the most profound mysteries of Christianity is its own suppressed history. With the aid of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other lost source materials, we are slowly rediscovering these mysteries.
The story of creation as understood by the Kabbalists, was known as the Ma'ase Bereshit and explained creation through the emanation of the Sefirot. R. Simeon said, "The companions study the story of Ma'ase Bereshit and have knowledge of it, but only few know how to interpret it in connection with the great sea monster (Leviathan), and as we have learned, the entire world hangs from its fins". The mystery of Leviathan, as R. Simeon's discourse subsequently makes clear, concerns the Sefirot of Sitra Ahra, which according to Gnostic Kabbalists was a Sefirot made up of sparks of destroyed worlds. These Gnostic Kabbalists who were versed in the knowledge of the Sitra Ahra were on a much higher rung than the Kabbalists who knew only of the Holy Mysteries. Going back to R. Simeon's statement, the esoteric catch phrase "only few know", is a reference to the Jewish Gnostics who have penetrated the deeper mysteries to some extent. This great mystery was known at most to only a few, and in the deepest sense most probably to only one person, namely, R. Simeon. It was to him then that the Rabbi's alluded to when they said, "that the whole world is supported on the fins of Leviathan" (as in a parallel manner that it was said that the world was supported by the single pillar of R. Simeon). They did not mean the actual fins of Leviathan, but were referring symbolically to the one person who understood the mystery.
In Genesis 1:21 we find: "God then created the great sea monsters and all the living creatures that move and swarm in the waters". Legend tells us that the spouse of Leviathan was none other than the infamous Lilith. The attributes given to Lilith are too numerous to enumerate here, but one of the more important and all encompassing would be to say that she is the 'shadow reflection' of the Shekinah, and furthermore the archetypal mother of the shadow side of all beings. With the birth of Eve the archetypal mother of all living beings, Lilith was forced to take refuge in the deep along with her mate Leviathan. We may now begin to understand the depth of these mysteries that were understood by R. Simeon alone, and which included knowledge of the rise and fall of previous worlds, as well as an understanding of the hidden side of all things.
From both Kabbalistic and Gnostic circles, it may be shown that Leviathan is a fitting symbol for the foundation of the world and a designation for the Sefira of Yesod. In making this connection, we find an interesting discovery in that by the use of this symbol in the context of the forces of evil, which are called the sea monsters, this puts the idea of the righteous one who is the foundation of the world in a new light. This suggests that he upholds the world by fighting the evil forces, which is the reason that there is a resemblance between him and them. Here we are reminded that the gematria value of the Messiah and the serpent are equal. The Zohar gives another valuable piece of the puzzle by telling us that the evil sea monsters are ruled over by superior monsters, which have been blessed and are no doubt the Holy Sefirot. Here too, R. Simeon resembles Moses, who was able to overcome the great monster--Pharaoh, the King of Egypt--because he first of all entered him "room by room" and came to know him well. In this manner, R. Simeon's merit was greater than that of Job, for the latter, since he turned from evil, had no part in the Sitra Ahra and so awakened its envy.
As R. Simeon continued his invitation to the participants of the Idra, he said, "Enthrone Him as king who has power of life and death". He told his companions this in order to indicate to them that as their egregore became aligned with the spirit of God, so would they themselves come to symbolize the attributes of God. Early Christian writers made it abundantly clear that one of the principal attributes of Jesus was "the power over life and death". R. Simeon next reinforces the understanding that the participants, by virtue of their symbolic cosmic status, are thus granted the capacity to issue decrees relating to matters of the world. He actually tells them that one of the qualities of the righteous man is his ability to issue decrees affecting the upper world. The passage continues by telling the participants of the Idra that they are now higher than the angels, which is why the angels listen to their voice and are happy to hear them and know them. The story of the angels assembling to hear the words of the scholars recurs several times in the Idra. The origin of the idea of the angels listening to and surrounding the mystics has its source within the schools of the Merkava mystics of the Talmudic period. With the establishment of intimacy between the scholars and the angels, it would be a simple task to envision the possibilities of opportunity to engage in working of angelic magic and theurgy. We do possess a few remnants of this genre of occult work, but the majority of these practices have either remained in the oral tradition of esoteric Judaism or have been watered down and filtered into other schools such as Alchemical/Hermetic circles, Christian Gnosticism and Rosicrucianism. It has been suggested that the workings of the Elu Cohen were derived directly from these Kabbalistic gatherings, although disguised in Christian attire.
As to the physical activities of the members of the Idra, everything was conducted with great solemnity and ritual. The members were urged to envision themselves as entering the gathering robed in their spiritual armor. As they entered, they were all required to place their hands upon their breasts as R. Simeon has them swear a grave and solemn oath, "Cursed be the man who makes a graven or molten image, a work of craftsmanship, and sets it up in secret", and they all answered, "Amen". This oath is most probably meant as a warning against attributing corporeality and anthropomorphic features to God, which is consistent to Kabbalistic thinking in general.
The oath as given by R. Simeon to his disciples is extremely similar in nature and interpretation to the one used by Isaac Luria in his school at Safed. One of the more important meanings of the oath was that the students should not study the mysteries from anyone other than their master, and that they must also keep the teachings a secret, hidden away from the uninitiated. The Zohar repeatedly stated that the Godhead contains both revealed and concealed mysteries. The revealed aspect is in the Sefira of Malkhut, whose primary quality is judgement, while the concealed aspect resides in the Sefira of Yesod, the spiritual source of all blessings. The Zohar also reminds us of the Rabbinical saying, "A blessing is found only in what is hidden from the sage". R. Simeon himself declared that the world exists by virtue of a secret. The word Raza (secret) itself may be used as a reference to "Righteous foundation of the world", the support of the world. In regard to this reference we should remember that the word Righteous has a dual meaning, one being that of the supernal Sefirot, the other being an actual terrestrial person. Keeping this in mind, it will help us to draw a conclusion as to the features of the terrestrial Righteous one, who is but an image of the supernal Righteous one. Thus at the beginning of the Idra, R. Simeon stressed the importance of not disclosing the mysteries to anyone, for he told them that "The world's existence depends upon the secret". R. Simeon furthermore conveys to the disciples the importance of taking great caution in their future roles as Guardians of the secret, and in reality the Rabbis would not divulge the keys to the mysteries to a pupil until he was persuaded that the student was sincere in this regard. Papus, in his book, 'The Qabala', says, "Every religious or philosophical reformer of antiquity divided his doctrine into two parts: one veiled and destined for the masses, and one clear, destined for the initiates". We need not be reminded here of the teaching method of the Master Yeshua.
The ramifications of all of the connections of Yesod to the Messiah are practically endless. Due to the scope and limitations of the present work, we will touch on only a few, however, students of the Kabbalah should be encouraged to continue to research this matter in their private studies. This will help in establishing an understanding of the hidden and revealed attributes of the true Messiah throughout the ages and also be an aid in identifying these great teachers.
One such attribute that should not be overlooked is the connection of Yesod as the foundation of the world, depicted as a "stone" falling from the heavenly throne of glory of the Holy One (Tiferet). This brings to mind the legends of the Holy Grail also described at times as a (green) stone falling from heaven. The following quote from the Zohar sheds light on the matter:
"Observe, he said, that when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to create the world, He detached one precious stone from underneath His throne of glory and plunged it into the abyss, one end of it remaining fastened therein whilst the other end stood out above; and this other and superior head constituted the nucleus of the world, the point out of which the world started, spreading itself to right and left and into all directions, and by which it is sustained. That nucleus, that stone, is called sh'thyiah (foundation), as it was the starting point of the world. The name sh'thyiah, furthermore, is a compound of shath (founded) and kah (God), signifying that the Holy One, blessed be He, made it the foundation and starting point of the world and all that is therein."
- Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2.
If the Kabbalist can but traverse the path between Malkhut and Yesod, then the foundation stone grows into the single pillar, which will connect the upper and lower worlds. This is addressed in the Sefer Bahir:
"There is a single pillar extending from heaven to earth, and its name is righteous (Tzaddik). This is named after the righteous. When there are righteous people in the world, then it becomes strong, and when there are not, it becomes weak. It supports the entire world, as it is written, 'And righteousness is the foundation of the world.' If it becomes weak, then the world cannot endure. Therefore, even if there is only one righteous person in the world, it is he who supports the world. It is therefore written, and a righteous one is the foundation of the world."
- Sefir Bahir 102
This point is elaborated on further in the Zohar:
"The kingdom of heaven, which is the side of holiness, is fixed at two points, one it's own and one belonging to the world to come. The upper point is hidden, and therefore it has two points. Under it's own point is Jerusalem, the center of the inhabited world. The point which takes from the hidden supernal Mother is the terrestrial Paradise, which is the center of the whole world. In the center of this Paradise there is a hidden supernal point which is not manifested, and a pillar rises within that point from below, and from thence issue waters which spread to all four sides of the world."
- Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2
This passage helps to explain the process of the pouring forth of the waters of the four rivers of Paradise flowing to the world below. The Zohar gives further explanation to the allegory of the river coming out of Eden:
"It is written: A river went forth from Eden. It has been laid down that the name of that river is Jubilee, but in the book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder it is called life, because life issues thence to the world. We have also laid down that the great and mighty Tree in which is food for all is called the Tree of Life, because its roots are in that life. We have learned that that river sends forth deep streams with the oil of plentitude to water the garden and feed the trees and the shoots. These streams flow on and unite in two pillars which are called Jachin and Boaz. Thence the streams flow on and come to rest in a grade called Tzaddik, and from hence they flow further till they are all gathered into the place called sea (Malkhut-Kingdom), which is the sea of wisdom."
- Zohar, Vayikra, Section 3
This pillar is also associated with the ladder of Jacob's dream. After awakening from his dream, Jacob considers this pillar to be a gate to heaven, so he took the stone on which he laid his head and he set it up as a sacred pillar and poured oil on it. In Genesis 28:21 He says: "…Then the Lord shall be my God, and this 'stone' which I have set up as a sacred pillar shall be a house of God." Thus it may be seen that the spiritual sustenance of the world may be received through this single pillar.
Jacob discovered that the pillar/Yesod was the path used by the angels going both upward and downward. Thus the path between Malkhut/kingdom and Yesod/righteousness is known by the Kabbalists as the path of the Tzaddik. This may also be taken to mean that once a person truly seeks first the kingdom/Malkhut, then righteousness/Yesod will naturally become the next step to a further relationship with God. Aryeh Kaplan, in his commentary of the Sefir Bahir addresses this issue:
"Here again, 'heaven' refers to Zer Anpin, while 'earth' is Malkhut/kingship. But in a more general sense, 'earth' is the physical world, while 'heaven' is the transcendental. In either case, one who wishes to ascend on high must always travel along the path from Malkhut/kingship to Yesod/foundation. Looking at the diagram of paths (the Kabbalistic Tree of Life) it is evident that, while there are many paths interconnecting the other Sefirot, there is only one path leading from Malkhut, the lowest Sefira, upward, and this is the path leading to Yesod. This path is called Tzaddik, the pillar of righteousness."
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of the path of the Tzaddik.
"But seek ye first the Kingdom of God (Malkhut), and His righteousness (path of the Tzaddik), and all these things shall be added unto you."
- Matthew 6:33
" Because straight is the gate (Malkhut), and narrow is the way (path of the Tzaddik), which leads unto life, and few there be that find it."
- Matthew 7:14
It may be shown that King David also searched for the path of the Tzaddik. It should be mentioned at this point that Yesod, as the river of Eden or stream of blessings that flows from the upper to the lower worlds, is also known as El Hai, or the Living God.
"My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the Living God (Yesod)."
- Psalms 84:2
The Zohar shows that David rightfully sought first the kingdom/Malkhut in his divine quest:
"But, indeed, these words, like all David's words, were uttered in the Holy Spirit. He was addressing the kingdom of heaven (Malkhut), for she is the intermediary between earth and heaven, and whosoever has a petition of the king must make it known to her first. Hence David said: "I will acknowledge my sin to thee, the kingdom of heaven, and mine iniquity have I not hid from the Righteous One of the universe, and I said, I will confess my sin to the Lord, to wit, the Holy King to whom all peace belongs." Then it goes on, "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin"; this was in the highest realm, the place where the Ancient Holy One abides. Thus this verse includes all; and in the same way, whosoever prays to the King should unify the Holy Name in His thought, ranging from lower to upper, and from upper to lower, and linking all together, and then his prayer will be granted. R. Jose said, "Who has the skill to pray like King David, who used to keep watch at the gate of the King?" R. Hiya said to him, "Assuredly it is so, and therefore the Torah has taught us the ways of the Holy King that we may know how to seek him, as it says, "After the Lord your God ye shall walk"."
- Zohar Vayikra, Section 3
The faith of David is further expressed in terms of a covenant, which is the subject of the following passage from the Zohar:
"I have made a covenant with my chosen. This covenant is the secret of faith. Or we may interpret the chosen one of the Tzaddik from whose issue blessings to all the lower creation, all the holy Hayyoth being blessed from the stream which flows forth to the lower world. I have sworn unto David my servant, to wit, that he will always be established in this Tzaddik, the foundation of this world, save in the time of galuth (Diaspora), when the flow of blessing is cut off, and faith is defective and all joy is banished."
"Happy are they who are called righteous, for only he is so called who observes this grade (Yesod), this sign of the Holy Covenant. Happy are they in this world and in the world to come."
- Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1
So it may be said that the path of the Tzaddik may be thought of as: 1) the method by which God reveals Himself to us, 2) the expression of our path of becoming conformed to God's image, 3) as a covenant or bond between God in heaven and man on earth. The Zohar does cite an association of this covenant with the rainbow, and points out that the rainbow had "preexisted". This section of the Zohar relates how the rainbow is associated with the heavenly realm as found in Ezekiel's vision.
"And God said to Noah…This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you…I have set my rainbow in the cloud. The past tense "I have set" shows that the bow had already been there. In connection with this passage, R. Simeon discoursed on the verse: "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone." Before this verse, he said, we find the words, "And when they went I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty." These are the four sacred and mighty beings called Hayyoth (animals), by whom the firmament is upheld, and whose wings are usually joined together to cover their bodies. When, however, they spread out their wings, a volume of sound swells forth, and they break out into songs of praise, "as the voice of the Almighty", which never becomes silent, as it is written, "so that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent". The tenor of their praises is, "The Lord hath made known his salvation, his righteousness hath he revealed in the sight of the nations". It says further: "A noise of tumult like the noise of a host", i.e. like the sound of the Holy Camps when all the supernal armies assemble on high. What is it they declaim? "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory." They turn to the south and say "Holy", they turn to the north and say "Holy", they turn to the east and say "Holy", they turn to the west and say "blessed". And that firmament rests upon their heads, and in whatever direction it turns, their faces turn also. They turn their faces to the four cardinal points, and all revolve in a circle. The firmament is imprinted, at the four corners of a square, with four figures, of a lion, eagle, ox and a man; and the face of a man is traced in all of them, so that the face of lion is of man, the face of eagle is of man, and the face of ox is of man, all being comprehended in him. Hence it is written: "As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man".
- Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1
It was also said that during the lifetime of R. Simeon, that there was no appearance of the rainbow, for he protected the world in its stead. In the Zohar he said, "I am the sign that protects the world". The rainbow (keshet) alludes to the Sefira of Yesod, and the word keshet in Rabbinical usage refers to a phallic allegory, while in Ezekiel, it identifies with the Glory of God. R. Simeon's relationship with the rainbow also has a messianic significance, for according to the Zohar, the rainbow will appear on the eve of the Messiah's coming.
The light of the rainbow is magnificent and derives from the light of the intellect, which is also the level of Metatron, for it is said that the intellect is fixed in him like the Holy Spirit in the body. The Zohar says: "Certainly the rainbow that is revealed in the exile is none other than Metatron who is called Shaddai. It should be noted that the gematria value for Metatron is the same value as that of Shaddai and Yesod.
It may be said with a fair degree of certainty that the story of R. Simeon in the Zohar was written with a Messianic intention. As to the Zohar, the author's purpose was to change and redeem the external world by showing the actions of a group of men (R. Simeon and his companions), who redeem the world by means of words, oaths, blessings and theurgy. Their imagination creates a genuine reality, which in turn expresses a great triumph of spirit over matter. The Zohar explains the theoretical basis for the possibility that Tikkun and the creation of genuine entities might be accomplished.
The Gnostic version of the bridal chamber may be found in early esoteric Judaism, and expanded upon in the very early Judeo/Christian tradition, although this mythical tradition became somewhat confused by an influx of Pagan ideas toward the end of the first century c.e..
In the early version of the bridal chamber myth, the lords of the firmament (Rakia) of Yesod become companions of the Shekinah of Malkhut. The Rakia is at times also referred to as the royal book of remembrance or Zikkaron, which of course is always alluded to as masculine in character. In short then we have a reference to Yesod as the entity of the akashic records, recording the events of the companions who are at present residing in the sphere of Malkhut, the dwelling place of the Shekinah. It is said that the upper or male firmaments are restored by Kabbalistic discourses from below, and in turn, the earth is restored through the praise from above. The allusion of the Messianic rain produced from the efforts of the theurgical rainmakers may be easily seen in this context.
In conclusion, we may ask ourselves, what in general terms, is the significance of the Zohar and the story of R. Simeon to us today as Martinists in the 21st century? We know that Papus and many other important Martinists in the past have held this literature in the highest regard. In simple terms, we learn from the Zohar, that a dedicated, organized group of people, may exact a profound effect on the spiritual state of this world, and even to an extent into the upper worlds. Our tradition allows us the potential of bringing about a Tikkun or spiritual restoration. As with all great endeavors, there should be careful and measured steps. We must first realize as did R. Simeon, that the firmament of Yesod serves as a veil or barrier between the beings of Malkhut and the higher powers. Once we ascend the single pillar, then we become part of the process of allowing the divine light to seep down into the lower world, and as well, we will also receive further light that will illumine our paths in future quests of which we cannot contemplate in our present state. The Martinist would be well advised to take up a study of the Zohar, for it is a virtual handbook for bringing about the Tikkun of bringing downward the flow of divine light, as well as raising the Holy Sparks of humanity.
We will conclude with the following statement from the Zohar:
"For the Matron sat with the King, and they were joined face to face…in which all were sweetened. Therefore judgements were sweetened (mitigated) and the upper and lower worlds were restored."
With the advent of the occult revival of the 19th century, the world was introduced to a plethora of traditions and terminology, which had previously been known to only a few. The zealousness of this emerging esoteric current prompted many aspiring authors to present their wares to the public, and owing to the naivete of the new student body, the result was that many of the Ancient Schools of the Western Mystery Traditions became grossly misrepresented by this new breed of commentators. The most obvious example of this may be found in the honored and illustrious mystical tradition of the Jewish people, namely the Kabbalah. Within the last one hundred years or so, we have witnessed the literary degradation and misrepresentation of this time honored tradition, creating a cottage industry of deceit. This is not to say that there are not presently works on the subject worthy of study, but they are without doubt difficult to obtain and for the most part to be found in Jewish academic circles. At any rate, the recommendation to those who would take up the study of the Kabbalah would be to utilize a great deal of care and discernment. Many of those who attempt to pass themselves off as practicing Kabbalists, have in reality done no more than memorize tables of correspondences and perhaps acquired a very basic knowledge of the Hebrew Language, without ever discovering any of the true inner mysteries of the tradition.
The present work will focus on one of the many mysteries of the Kabbalah, that being the life and teachings of the most renowned figure in Kabbalistic literature, Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai.
R. Simeon was most probably born around 100 c.e., and was one of the seven disciples of R. Akiba. He was condemned to death by Titus, but managed to escape with his son. Legend tells us that they concealed themselves in a cavern for a period of twelve years. In his subterranean abode, he engulfed himself entirely into the study of the Kabbalah, and it was reported that he was frequently visited by visions of the Prophet Elias, who revealed the mysteries to him during this period. According to the Talmud, the secret wisdom embodied in the Zohar was the result of the long seclusion enforced upon R. Simeon by the Roman decree. It was in this same cavern that R. Simeon initiated his disciples into the mysteries, and it was also here that his spirit left this world. It was said that immediately after the departure of his spirit, the cavern was filled with a dazzling light, so intense that no one could look upon the Rabbi's body. At the same time, a burning fire appeared outside the cavern acting somewhat as a sentinel, denying entrance to all except his disciples. After the inner and outer lights had extinguished themselves, the disciples perceived this as a sign that the Light of Israel has expired as well. As they were preparing for the funeral rites, a voice was heard from heaven saying, "Come Ye to the marriage of Simeon bar Yohai, he is entering into peace, and shall rest in his chamber!" A flame preceded his coffin, which had the appearance of being enveloped by fire. When his body was buried, another voice from heaven manifested, saying, "This is he who caused the earth to quake and the kingdom to shake!"
Although it is widely believed that the Zohar was written by Moses de Leon, many consider it to be a later representation of the 2nd century writings of R. Simeon. In fact, the Zohar was alternately known as the Midrash of R. Simeon bar Yohai. Following the lead of the renowned Kabbalistic scholar Gershom Scholem, the Zohar may be broken down into the following sections or books:
1) An untitled section dealing primarily with commentary on the Torah.
2) Sifra di-Tseniutha or the Book of Concealment.
3) Idra Rabba or the Great Assembly.
4) Idra Zutta or the Lesser Assembly.
5) Idra di-be-Mashkana or the Assembly before a lecture on the Torah.
6) Hekhaloth or the Palaces of Light. Dealing with the Seven Halls of Light of Merkabah Mysticism.
7) Raza de-Razim or the Secret of Secrets.
8) Saua Demishpatim or the Discourse of the Old Man.
9) Yenuka or the Discourse of the Child.
10) Reu Methiutha or the Academy Head.
11) Sithre Torah or the Mysteries of the Torah.
12) Mathnithin and Tosefta or small additional pieces.
13) Commentary on the Song of Solomon.
14) Kau Ha-Middah or the Standard of measure.
15) Sithre Othioth or the Secret of letters.
16) Midrash Ha-Neelam or the Mystical Midrash.
17) Midrash Ha-Neelam Midrash Ruth or On the Book of Ruth.
18) Raya Mehemna or the Faithful Shepherd.
19) Tikkune Zohar or the new supplements of the Zohar.
If the primitive spirit of the Kabbalah has been indeed compromised and in particular the Kabbalistic notion of the Messianic mysteries, then the first order of business for a proper understanding of this doctrine must be to rediscover the original teaching and its exegesis.
In a sense, R. Simeon cannot be said to be the Kabbalistic Messiah proper, rather he is the one who prepares the WAY for redemption and makes it possible, similar to the role of John the Baptist as the harbinger of the WAY as seen in the eyes of the Essenes and first Christians. Even the Messiah himself has no direct part in the Kabbalistic Tikkun (restoration or repair). Here we find the idea of Tikkun to be of a similar nature to the Martinist teachings of the Repairer and reintegration. As a side note, a possible theory emerges in this connection. If we were to concede that Martines de Pasquales was of Spanish descent and of Jewish extraction, then we must at least consider a possible linear descent from the Jewish esoteric schools that may have had an influence on Pasquales. Of course, the Jews were expelled from Spain in the late 15th century, but there remains the possibility of the existence of underground schools that may have survived in Spain and neighboring regions that Pasquales could have come into contact with some two or three centuries later.
The Kabbalistic Schools of medieval Judaism were born in Provence and in particular its western region known as the Languedoc. These schools flourished in cities such as Lunel, Narbonne, Posquieres, Toulouse, Marseilles and Arles. In the 13th century, the disciples from these schools transplanted their tradition to Spain, where it took root in such localities as Burgos, Gerona, Toledo, Aragon and Castille. In these regions, there was established a unique cultural exchange between the Jewish schools of Kabbalah, Islamic culture that had moved into the region from North Africa, the poetry of the Troubadours, Gnostic Christianity of the Cathars and Bogomils all of whom shared a common adversary, Catholicism, who would eventually persecute them all. It would not be out of the question to speculate that these esoteric schools did survive underground either as singular or mixed traditions and manifested in the succeeding centuries by way of Hermeticism/Alchemy, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, neo-Templarism and even eventually in Martinism.
Returning to the Kabbalistic idea of the Messiah as found in the Zohar, we find that harmony will be reestablished among the Sefirot after the coming of the Messiah and in particular a special relationship between that of Tiferet and Malkhut. Here it should be stressed that this unification is more properly a reunification, reintegration or repair, in fact a return to our original condition, before its disruption, which was caused by the destruction of the Holy Sanctuary which led to the exile of man. Here, students of Martinism will easily see the similarity of this doctrine with that of Saint-Martin in his writings on the exile of man and his return to the first estate.
Many modern works on the Kabbalah place the Messiah within the sphere of Tiferet, however he should be properly placed in the realm of Malkhut due to his humility. The Prophet Zechariah describes the Messiah as "humble, riding on an ass", and we find that Malkhut as well is humble and "has nothing of its own". At times the Zohar does assign the Messiah with attributes from the more active Sefira of Yesod, where it says that the Messiah is indeed righteous, an attribute associated with Yesod, but he is redeemed rather than the redeemer as also found in Zechariah, "righteous, saved is he". So, in summation of the Zoharic context of the Messiah, that although he may be primarily identified with Malkhut, he does have a connection with the lower three Sefirot of the middle pillar. It is the passivity of Malkhut that is for the most part emphasized.
The Idra Rabba (or Great Assembly) is one of the important sections of the Zohar that is worthy of mention in the area of Messianic study. This assembly of sages is considered to be an event the like of which will not occur again until the coming of the Messiah. The Messianic character of this gathering is evident to R. Simeon as he expresses his astonishment at the absence of the Prophet Elijah, after which Elijah does appear and offer an apology for his absence. The key here is that Elijah must be involved in any event dealing with the advent of the Messiah. The Idra is truly a pre-Messianic event, and at this gathering R. Simeon actualizes his ability to intercede with heaven.
The following verse from the Song of Songs holds a special significance, "I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by gazelles or by hinds of the field: do not make or rouse love until it pleases." The interpretation of this verse in the Zohar says that the love mentioned refers to Hesed, God's love with which He will redeem Israel. This is generally taken to be a warning against trying to hasten the awakening of love and redemption prematurely. In an early version of the Idra Rabba, R. Simeon lifted up his hands in prayer to the Holy One and prayed. After he had finished praying, R. Eleazer (his son) and R. Abba came and seated themselves before him. The Zohar then relates how the three sages see lightning strike on the water of the Sea of Tiberias. The Talmud interprets this as a sign of tears shed by God out of sorrow for His children who are in exile. This reference to the tears shed by God may very well be an allusion to the sectarian Zaddikim and their "rainmaking" abilities.
This rainmaking ability is a reference to taking an active role in the process of bringing forth of the "Messianic Rain" that would fall on everyone, blessing the righteous and condemning the wicked. We can also see here the connection to the "Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven" as found in Christian eschatology. There are indeed a number of rainmakers of note in sectarian Jewish history; Habakkak, Phineas, Elijah, Onias the Just (also known as Honai the circle-drawer), Hannan the Hidden, James the Just (brother of the Lord) and the original archetypal rainmaker Noah. The associated mechanism of the rainmakers was a theurgical practice known as circle drawing. Although there is a great deal of speculation as to what was specifically entailed in this practice, one theory contends that it was similar to the Gnostic round dance also known as the Hymn of Jesus. In the round dance, Jesus, the Messiah figure is situated in the center of the circle surrounded by twelve disciples. If Jesus was associated with the sectarians such as the Essenes, Nazarenes and Zadokites as many believe, then this ritual could very well have originated from the rainmakers.
In the tradition of the rainmakers, another interesting parallel emerges, in the concept of being "hidden". As already mentioned, R. Simeon was known to have hidden in a cave for many years, where the spirit of Elijah appeared to him. As research progresses in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we have learned that the caves in the Qumran area were used not only as scroll depositories, but also for habitation of the local sectarians. One of the rainmakers, Hannan the Hidden (of whom some believe to be identical with John the Baptist) was given his nickname due to his cave dwelling. In the Protevangelium of James, it is said that Elizabeth hides John the Baptist in a mountain cave when Herod tries to destroy him. A passage from the Zohar also seems to be relevant here as well, where it tells of Noah (the Patriarch of the rainmakers) being "hidden" in the Ark by God, hidden not only from the eschatological flood, but from someone that it refers to as the "adversary". There is one thing for certain, and that is that cave dwelling and being hidden from an evil force was an integral theme to the rainmaking tradition.
Returning to the Idra, we discover the list of attendees at the assembly were as follows: R. Simeon, R. Eleazer, R. Abba, R. Yahuda, R. Yosi (son of Jacob), R. Isaac, R. Chisqiah (son of Rav), R. Chiyah, R. Yosi (distinct from the other R. Yosi) and R. Yisea. From these ten sages, it is evident that the core of these elect ones to be R. Simeon, R. Eleazer and R. Abba. R. Simeon said of these; "We are the type of all things" (that is, we represent the three columns of the Sefirot) "thus far are the columns established". For a deeper sense of the significance of the three it is said that, "For out of paradise came the souls just hither, that they may hearken, together with the Shekinah of the Divine presence". Furthermore on this subject, R. Simeon said, "I will not say it unto the heavens, that they may hear; I will not declare it unto the earth, that it may hear; for certainly we are the pillars of the universe". Upon a closer analysis of this triad of sages, a greater depth of the mysteries begins to unfold. These sages mirror the supernal triad which holds the ability of creative acts focusing through the middle pillar whose head is the Macroprosopus, who in a sense is personified by R. Simeon.
Although Saint-Martin indicates that observations on the number three are somewhat scattered and obscure, one thing does indeed stand out in relation to the three sages. The number three operates the direction of forms in the celestial and terrestrial; that is, in all bodies the number of spiritual principles being triadic, every name and every sign which falls on this number belongs to forms or must operate some effect on forms. So with this in mind, a picture begins to develop of how the three sages in unison may participate as intermediaries in the aiding of the manifestation of the Messianic era.
The Idra gives forth yet another great mystery which manifests in the legend of the "single pillar". R. Simeon opens the Idra with the following words, "Until when we dwell where only one pillar is our support." It is thought that this statement expresses a complaint about the state of things prior to the assembly and that the purpose of the assembly was to remedy the sad state of affairs. So if this exegesis is accepted, then the entire order of events of the assembly would be required to fully understand the opening statement.
An analysis of the idea of the single pillar will indicate that it has two aspects, the first is that it symbolizes R. Simeon himself, and the other aspect being that the pillar is a symbol of a divine force and in particular an attribute of divine judgement (Middat ha-din).
As to the first aspect of the pillar, we must consider the dual nature of the pillar, as both a terrestrial person and a cosmic force. This becomes more lucid when we realize that lurking behind R. Simeon's own statement lies the verse from Proverbs, "Ve-Tsaddik Yesod 'Olam"--"The Righteous is an everlasting foundation". Also from the Talmud, we find "The world rests on one pillar, and its name is Righteous, for it is said, Righteous is the foundation of the world". The context of this statement in the Tractate Hagiga certainly indicates a real pillar, but in other places a righteous person is undoubtedly intended, for example: "Even for the sake of a single Righteous man does the world endure", as it is said, "But the Righteous is the foundation of the world" (Yoma 38b). Another excellent example may be found in the Sefer ha-Bahir which cites two opposing Talmudic statements, yet it begins with a pillar and ends with a Righteous person:
"There is one pillar from the earth to the firmament and Righteous is its name, after the Righteous Ones, and when these Righteous persons are in the world it gains strength, and when they are not it is weakened and it bears the burden of all the world, as it is written, 'Righteous is the foundation of the world, and if it is weak the world cannot exist'. Therefore even if there is only one Righteous man in the world, he upholds the world".
As to the second aspect of the single pillar, which is said to be some type of force which acts as divine judgement, this judgement is also related to the Tikkun, which was required to repair the state of imperfection that existed before the meeting of the assembly. So, we might ask, what was this state of imperfection in the world at the time of the Holy Assembly? It appears that the deficiency existed on a multidimensional level. To begin with, on a plane of human existence, there was only one truly Righteous man in the world, namely R. Simeon, and the existence of the entire world was dependant on him. Also on the mundane plane, there was a lack of love and fraternal friendship among the sages which certainly had its effect on the egregore of this group upon which all of Israel depended. It was also felt that at this time there were very few people who had much knowledge of the Kabbalah and only R. Simeon was privy to its mysteries in their entirety. In other words, among the mystics of the time, there was only a cursory knowledge of the Kabbalah and certainly not an intuitive link to the mysteries descending from above. On the ontological plane, the structure of the upper worlds themselves lacked harmony and the various divine attributes could not be divided into male and female and therefore could not maintain their existence. Remember, as above, so below. If the Arikh Anpin or supreme emanated configuration had not experienced its requisite Tikkun, then its Light would be barred from shining on Ze'er Anpin, the lower configuration, and the result would be the pouring forth of a stern and wrathful judgement. With this upper and lower configuration lacking a continuous and intimate relationship, it then became impossible to achieve a full mystical Devekut (communion). Lastly, it must be remembered on the historical level, that Israel at this time was in exile, without a sovereign of its own and was subject to foreign rule. The children of Israel suffered not only at the hands of the Romans, but at this time there emerged a new threat. The Jewish sectarians, including the Essenes and Nazarenes had worked for about three centuries to bring about the Messianic age, which was never intended to be a new religion, but rather an elevation of Judaism. Many Jews of the first century c.e. considered the New Covenant to have been established in the person of Jesus and continued with his brother James the Just in Jerusalem. Not long after this movement become fertile in the hearts of its followers, it found itself abducted by Saul of Tarsus and his strange vision. The Pauline doctrine was at odds with the direct followers of Jesus and after a relatively short period of time there was little semblance of the original message left intact. Saul has replaced the tenets of the Ebionites with injections of pagan mythology, so in a sense, at the time of R. Simeon in the second century c.e., the Holy Assembly was forced to "start over from the beginning". The Temple lay waste on several levels. It is ironic that what has become the most profound mysteries of Christianity is its own suppressed history. With the aid of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other lost source materials, we are slowly rediscovering these mysteries.
The story of creation as understood by the Kabbalists, was known as the Ma'ase Bereshit and explained creation through the emanation of the Sefirot. R. Simeon said, "The companions study the story of Ma'ase Bereshit and have knowledge of it, but only few know how to interpret it in connection with the great sea monster (Leviathan), and as we have learned, the entire world hangs from its fins". The mystery of Leviathan, as R. Simeon's discourse subsequently makes clear, concerns the Sefirot of Sitra Ahra, which according to Gnostic Kabbalists was a Sefirot made up of sparks of destroyed worlds. These Gnostic Kabbalists who were versed in the knowledge of the Sitra Ahra were on a much higher rung than the Kabbalists who knew only of the Holy Mysteries. Going back to R. Simeon's statement, the esoteric catch phrase "only few know", is a reference to the Jewish Gnostics who have penetrated the deeper mysteries to some extent. This great mystery was known at most to only a few, and in the deepest sense most probably to only one person, namely, R. Simeon. It was to him then that the Rabbi's alluded to when they said, "that the whole world is supported on the fins of Leviathan" (as in a parallel manner that it was said that the world was supported by the single pillar of R. Simeon). They did not mean the actual fins of Leviathan, but were referring symbolically to the one person who understood the mystery.
In Genesis 1:21 we find: "God then created the great sea monsters and all the living creatures that move and swarm in the waters". Legend tells us that the spouse of Leviathan was none other than the infamous Lilith. The attributes given to Lilith are too numerous to enumerate here, but one of the more important and all encompassing would be to say that she is the 'shadow reflection' of the Shekinah, and furthermore the archetypal mother of the shadow side of all beings. With the birth of Eve the archetypal mother of all living beings, Lilith was forced to take refuge in the deep along with her mate Leviathan. We may now begin to understand the depth of these mysteries that were understood by R. Simeon alone, and which included knowledge of the rise and fall of previous worlds, as well as an understanding of the hidden side of all things.
From both Kabbalistic and Gnostic circles, it may be shown that Leviathan is a fitting symbol for the foundation of the world and a designation for the Sefira of Yesod. In making this connection, we find an interesting discovery in that by the use of this symbol in the context of the forces of evil, which are called the sea monsters, this puts the idea of the righteous one who is the foundation of the world in a new light. This suggests that he upholds the world by fighting the evil forces, which is the reason that there is a resemblance between him and them. Here we are reminded that the gematria value of the Messiah and the serpent are equal. The Zohar gives another valuable piece of the puzzle by telling us that the evil sea monsters are ruled over by superior monsters, which have been blessed and are no doubt the Holy Sefirot. Here too, R. Simeon resembles Moses, who was able to overcome the great monster--Pharaoh, the King of Egypt--because he first of all entered him "room by room" and came to know him well. In this manner, R. Simeon's merit was greater than that of Job, for the latter, since he turned from evil, had no part in the Sitra Ahra and so awakened its envy.
As R. Simeon continued his invitation to the participants of the Idra, he said, "Enthrone Him as king who has power of life and death". He told his companions this in order to indicate to them that as their egregore became aligned with the spirit of God, so would they themselves come to symbolize the attributes of God. Early Christian writers made it abundantly clear that one of the principal attributes of Jesus was "the power over life and death". R. Simeon next reinforces the understanding that the participants, by virtue of their symbolic cosmic status, are thus granted the capacity to issue decrees relating to matters of the world. He actually tells them that one of the qualities of the righteous man is his ability to issue decrees affecting the upper world. The passage continues by telling the participants of the Idra that they are now higher than the angels, which is why the angels listen to their voice and are happy to hear them and know them. The story of the angels assembling to hear the words of the scholars recurs several times in the Idra. The origin of the idea of the angels listening to and surrounding the mystics has its source within the schools of the Merkava mystics of the Talmudic period. With the establishment of intimacy between the scholars and the angels, it would be a simple task to envision the possibilities of opportunity to engage in working of angelic magic and theurgy. We do possess a few remnants of this genre of occult work, but the majority of these practices have either remained in the oral tradition of esoteric Judaism or have been watered down and filtered into other schools such as Alchemical/Hermetic circles, Christian Gnosticism and Rosicrucianism. It has been suggested that the workings of the Elu Cohen were derived directly from these Kabbalistic gatherings, although disguised in Christian attire.
As to the physical activities of the members of the Idra, everything was conducted with great solemnity and ritual. The members were urged to envision themselves as entering the gathering robed in their spiritual armor. As they entered, they were all required to place their hands upon their breasts as R. Simeon has them swear a grave and solemn oath, "Cursed be the man who makes a graven or molten image, a work of craftsmanship, and sets it up in secret", and they all answered, "Amen". This oath is most probably meant as a warning against attributing corporeality and anthropomorphic features to God, which is consistent to Kabbalistic thinking in general.
The oath as given by R. Simeon to his disciples is extremely similar in nature and interpretation to the one used by Isaac Luria in his school at Safed. One of the more important meanings of the oath was that the students should not study the mysteries from anyone other than their master, and that they must also keep the teachings a secret, hidden away from the uninitiated. The Zohar repeatedly stated that the Godhead contains both revealed and concealed mysteries. The revealed aspect is in the Sefira of Malkhut, whose primary quality is judgement, while the concealed aspect resides in the Sefira of Yesod, the spiritual source of all blessings. The Zohar also reminds us of the Rabbinical saying, "A blessing is found only in what is hidden from the sage". R. Simeon himself declared that the world exists by virtue of a secret. The word Raza (secret) itself may be used as a reference to "Righteous foundation of the world", the support of the world. In regard to this reference we should remember that the word Righteous has a dual meaning, one being that of the supernal Sefirot, the other being an actual terrestrial person. Keeping this in mind, it will help us to draw a conclusion as to the features of the terrestrial Righteous one, who is but an image of the supernal Righteous one. Thus at the beginning of the Idra, R. Simeon stressed the importance of not disclosing the mysteries to anyone, for he told them that "The world's existence depends upon the secret". R. Simeon furthermore conveys to the disciples the importance of taking great caution in their future roles as Guardians of the secret, and in reality the Rabbis would not divulge the keys to the mysteries to a pupil until he was persuaded that the student was sincere in this regard. Papus, in his book, 'The Qabala', says, "Every religious or philosophical reformer of antiquity divided his doctrine into two parts: one veiled and destined for the masses, and one clear, destined for the initiates". We need not be reminded here of the teaching method of the Master Yeshua.
The ramifications of all of the connections of Yesod to the Messiah are practically endless. Due to the scope and limitations of the present work, we will touch on only a few, however, students of the Kabbalah should be encouraged to continue to research this matter in their private studies. This will help in establishing an understanding of the hidden and revealed attributes of the true Messiah throughout the ages and also be an aid in identifying these great teachers.
One such attribute that should not be overlooked is the connection of Yesod as the foundation of the world, depicted as a "stone" falling from the heavenly throne of glory of the Holy One (Tiferet). This brings to mind the legends of the Holy Grail also described at times as a (green) stone falling from heaven. The following quote from the Zohar sheds light on the matter:
"Observe, he said, that when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to create the world, He detached one precious stone from underneath His throne of glory and plunged it into the abyss, one end of it remaining fastened therein whilst the other end stood out above; and this other and superior head constituted the nucleus of the world, the point out of which the world started, spreading itself to right and left and into all directions, and by which it is sustained. That nucleus, that stone, is called sh'thyiah (foundation), as it was the starting point of the world. The name sh'thyiah, furthermore, is a compound of shath (founded) and kah (God), signifying that the Holy One, blessed be He, made it the foundation and starting point of the world and all that is therein."
- Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2.
If the Kabbalist can but traverse the path between Malkhut and Yesod, then the foundation stone grows into the single pillar, which will connect the upper and lower worlds. This is addressed in the Sefer Bahir:
"There is a single pillar extending from heaven to earth, and its name is righteous (Tzaddik). This is named after the righteous. When there are righteous people in the world, then it becomes strong, and when there are not, it becomes weak. It supports the entire world, as it is written, 'And righteousness is the foundation of the world.' If it becomes weak, then the world cannot endure. Therefore, even if there is only one righteous person in the world, it is he who supports the world. It is therefore written, and a righteous one is the foundation of the world."
- Sefir Bahir 102
This point is elaborated on further in the Zohar:
"The kingdom of heaven, which is the side of holiness, is fixed at two points, one it's own and one belonging to the world to come. The upper point is hidden, and therefore it has two points. Under it's own point is Jerusalem, the center of the inhabited world. The point which takes from the hidden supernal Mother is the terrestrial Paradise, which is the center of the whole world. In the center of this Paradise there is a hidden supernal point which is not manifested, and a pillar rises within that point from below, and from thence issue waters which spread to all four sides of the world."
- Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2
This passage helps to explain the process of the pouring forth of the waters of the four rivers of Paradise flowing to the world below. The Zohar gives further explanation to the allegory of the river coming out of Eden:
"It is written: A river went forth from Eden. It has been laid down that the name of that river is Jubilee, but in the book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder it is called life, because life issues thence to the world. We have also laid down that the great and mighty Tree in which is food for all is called the Tree of Life, because its roots are in that life. We have learned that that river sends forth deep streams with the oil of plentitude to water the garden and feed the trees and the shoots. These streams flow on and unite in two pillars which are called Jachin and Boaz. Thence the streams flow on and come to rest in a grade called Tzaddik, and from hence they flow further till they are all gathered into the place called sea (Malkhut-Kingdom), which is the sea of wisdom."
- Zohar, Vayikra, Section 3
This pillar is also associated with the ladder of Jacob's dream. After awakening from his dream, Jacob considers this pillar to be a gate to heaven, so he took the stone on which he laid his head and he set it up as a sacred pillar and poured oil on it. In Genesis 28:21 He says: "…Then the Lord shall be my God, and this 'stone' which I have set up as a sacred pillar shall be a house of God." Thus it may be seen that the spiritual sustenance of the world may be received through this single pillar.
Jacob discovered that the pillar/Yesod was the path used by the angels going both upward and downward. Thus the path between Malkhut/kingdom and Yesod/righteousness is known by the Kabbalists as the path of the Tzaddik. This may also be taken to mean that once a person truly seeks first the kingdom/Malkhut, then righteousness/Yesod will naturally become the next step to a further relationship with God. Aryeh Kaplan, in his commentary of the Sefir Bahir addresses this issue:
"Here again, 'heaven' refers to Zer Anpin, while 'earth' is Malkhut/kingship. But in a more general sense, 'earth' is the physical world, while 'heaven' is the transcendental. In either case, one who wishes to ascend on high must always travel along the path from Malkhut/kingship to Yesod/foundation. Looking at the diagram of paths (the Kabbalistic Tree of Life) it is evident that, while there are many paths interconnecting the other Sefirot, there is only one path leading from Malkhut, the lowest Sefira, upward, and this is the path leading to Yesod. This path is called Tzaddik, the pillar of righteousness."
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of the path of the Tzaddik.
"But seek ye first the Kingdom of God (Malkhut), and His righteousness (path of the Tzaddik), and all these things shall be added unto you."
- Matthew 6:33
" Because straight is the gate (Malkhut), and narrow is the way (path of the Tzaddik), which leads unto life, and few there be that find it."
- Matthew 7:14
It may be shown that King David also searched for the path of the Tzaddik. It should be mentioned at this point that Yesod, as the river of Eden or stream of blessings that flows from the upper to the lower worlds, is also known as El Hai, or the Living God.
"My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the Living God (Yesod)."
- Psalms 84:2
The Zohar shows that David rightfully sought first the kingdom/Malkhut in his divine quest:
"But, indeed, these words, like all David's words, were uttered in the Holy Spirit. He was addressing the kingdom of heaven (Malkhut), for she is the intermediary between earth and heaven, and whosoever has a petition of the king must make it known to her first. Hence David said: "I will acknowledge my sin to thee, the kingdom of heaven, and mine iniquity have I not hid from the Righteous One of the universe, and I said, I will confess my sin to the Lord, to wit, the Holy King to whom all peace belongs." Then it goes on, "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin"; this was in the highest realm, the place where the Ancient Holy One abides. Thus this verse includes all; and in the same way, whosoever prays to the King should unify the Holy Name in His thought, ranging from lower to upper, and from upper to lower, and linking all together, and then his prayer will be granted. R. Jose said, "Who has the skill to pray like King David, who used to keep watch at the gate of the King?" R. Hiya said to him, "Assuredly it is so, and therefore the Torah has taught us the ways of the Holy King that we may know how to seek him, as it says, "After the Lord your God ye shall walk"."
- Zohar Vayikra, Section 3
The faith of David is further expressed in terms of a covenant, which is the subject of the following passage from the Zohar:
"I have made a covenant with my chosen. This covenant is the secret of faith. Or we may interpret the chosen one of the Tzaddik from whose issue blessings to all the lower creation, all the holy Hayyoth being blessed from the stream which flows forth to the lower world. I have sworn unto David my servant, to wit, that he will always be established in this Tzaddik, the foundation of this world, save in the time of galuth (Diaspora), when the flow of blessing is cut off, and faith is defective and all joy is banished."
"Happy are they who are called righteous, for only he is so called who observes this grade (Yesod), this sign of the Holy Covenant. Happy are they in this world and in the world to come."
- Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1
So it may be said that the path of the Tzaddik may be thought of as: 1) the method by which God reveals Himself to us, 2) the expression of our path of becoming conformed to God's image, 3) as a covenant or bond between God in heaven and man on earth. The Zohar does cite an association of this covenant with the rainbow, and points out that the rainbow had "preexisted". This section of the Zohar relates how the rainbow is associated with the heavenly realm as found in Ezekiel's vision.
"And God said to Noah…This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you…I have set my rainbow in the cloud. The past tense "I have set" shows that the bow had already been there. In connection with this passage, R. Simeon discoursed on the verse: "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone." Before this verse, he said, we find the words, "And when they went I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty." These are the four sacred and mighty beings called Hayyoth (animals), by whom the firmament is upheld, and whose wings are usually joined together to cover their bodies. When, however, they spread out their wings, a volume of sound swells forth, and they break out into songs of praise, "as the voice of the Almighty", which never becomes silent, as it is written, "so that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent". The tenor of their praises is, "The Lord hath made known his salvation, his righteousness hath he revealed in the sight of the nations". It says further: "A noise of tumult like the noise of a host", i.e. like the sound of the Holy Camps when all the supernal armies assemble on high. What is it they declaim? "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory." They turn to the south and say "Holy", they turn to the north and say "Holy", they turn to the east and say "Holy", they turn to the west and say "blessed". And that firmament rests upon their heads, and in whatever direction it turns, their faces turn also. They turn their faces to the four cardinal points, and all revolve in a circle. The firmament is imprinted, at the four corners of a square, with four figures, of a lion, eagle, ox and a man; and the face of a man is traced in all of them, so that the face of lion is of man, the face of eagle is of man, and the face of ox is of man, all being comprehended in him. Hence it is written: "As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man".
- Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1
It was also said that during the lifetime of R. Simeon, that there was no appearance of the rainbow, for he protected the world in its stead. In the Zohar he said, "I am the sign that protects the world". The rainbow (keshet) alludes to the Sefira of Yesod, and the word keshet in Rabbinical usage refers to a phallic allegory, while in Ezekiel, it identifies with the Glory of God. R. Simeon's relationship with the rainbow also has a messianic significance, for according to the Zohar, the rainbow will appear on the eve of the Messiah's coming.
The light of the rainbow is magnificent and derives from the light of the intellect, which is also the level of Metatron, for it is said that the intellect is fixed in him like the Holy Spirit in the body. The Zohar says: "Certainly the rainbow that is revealed in the exile is none other than Metatron who is called Shaddai. It should be noted that the gematria value for Metatron is the same value as that of Shaddai and Yesod.
It may be said with a fair degree of certainty that the story of R. Simeon in the Zohar was written with a Messianic intention. As to the Zohar, the author's purpose was to change and redeem the external world by showing the actions of a group of men (R. Simeon and his companions), who redeem the world by means of words, oaths, blessings and theurgy. Their imagination creates a genuine reality, which in turn expresses a great triumph of spirit over matter. The Zohar explains the theoretical basis for the possibility that Tikkun and the creation of genuine entities might be accomplished.
The Gnostic version of the bridal chamber may be found in early esoteric Judaism, and expanded upon in the very early Judeo/Christian tradition, although this mythical tradition became somewhat confused by an influx of Pagan ideas toward the end of the first century c.e..
In the early version of the bridal chamber myth, the lords of the firmament (Rakia) of Yesod become companions of the Shekinah of Malkhut. The Rakia is at times also referred to as the royal book of remembrance or Zikkaron, which of course is always alluded to as masculine in character. In short then we have a reference to Yesod as the entity of the akashic records, recording the events of the companions who are at present residing in the sphere of Malkhut, the dwelling place of the Shekinah. It is said that the upper or male firmaments are restored by Kabbalistic discourses from below, and in turn, the earth is restored through the praise from above. The allusion of the Messianic rain produced from the efforts of the theurgical rainmakers may be easily seen in this context.
In conclusion, we may ask ourselves, what in general terms, is the significance of the Zohar and the story of R. Simeon to us today as Martinists in the 21st century? We know that Papus and many other important Martinists in the past have held this literature in the highest regard. In simple terms, we learn from the Zohar, that a dedicated, organized group of people, may exact a profound effect on the spiritual state of this world, and even to an extent into the upper worlds. Our tradition allows us the potential of bringing about a Tikkun or spiritual restoration. As with all great endeavors, there should be careful and measured steps. We must first realize as did R. Simeon, that the firmament of Yesod serves as a veil or barrier between the beings of Malkhut and the higher powers. Once we ascend the single pillar, then we become part of the process of allowing the divine light to seep down into the lower world, and as well, we will also receive further light that will illumine our paths in future quests of which we cannot contemplate in our present state. The Martinist would be well advised to take up a study of the Zohar, for it is a virtual handbook for bringing about the Tikkun of bringing downward the flow of divine light, as well as raising the Holy Sparks of humanity.
We will conclude with the following statement from the Zohar:
"For the Matron sat with the King, and they were joined face to face…in which all were sweetened. Therefore judgements were sweetened (mitigated) and the upper and lower worlds were restored."