God’s Omnipresence: Selections from the Kabbalistic Zohar, Part 2 of 2

CHAPTER 40 CONCERNING THE FEMININE PORTION OF MICROPROSOPUS; AND CONCERNING THE REMAINING PARTS OF THE BODY OF EACH.

“This Tiphereth, Beauty, has been extended from the heart, and penetrates it, and passes through unto the other side, and institutes the formations from the Countenance of the Woman even unto Her heart; so that from the parts about the heart it takes its rise on this side, and in the parts about the heart it terminates on that side.

Moreover, this Tiphereth, [Beauty], is extended, And it forms the internal parts of a Man. And it enters into and disposes therein all mercies and aspects of mercies. Also we have learned that in those internal parts are comprehended six hundred thousand Lords of Mercies, and that they are called the Lords of the Internal Parts. Whence it is written, Jeramiah 31:20: ‘Therefore My bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, says Tetragrammaton.’

We have learned that this Tiphereth, Beauty, embraces Mercies and Judgment, and that Mercy is extended in the Male. And it passes over and goes through unto (otherwise, shines on) the other side, and forms the internal parts of a Woman on the side of Judgment; and thus also are Her internal parts disposed.

We have learned that the Male has been conformed on His side (otherwise, from His heart), in 248 members; of which some are within, some without; some Mercies, some Judgments. […]

And come, behold, Abraham is not called perfect in that Benignity, until I, Yod [God’s omnipresence, of the member is uncovered; but when that is uncovered he is called perfect.”

“Assuredly, he who uncovers that Yod [God’s omnipresence]; […] he may have part in the world to come, and that he may be bound together in the sheaf of life. […] And therefore is it written: ‘I will be upright before Him,’ because ‘he has become perfect in the uncovering of Yod [God’s omnipresence,’ and ‘I will keep myself from the sinner.’

And that Benignity comprehends in itself five Benignities. And Benignity is from those on the right, but Severity from those on the left. And when the latter is mitigated by the former He is called man, consisting in both aspects. And therefore in all the crowns (the former state of things) was not permanent, before that the conformations of the King were prepared by the Ancient of the Ancient Ones, so that He might construct the worlds, and form (their) conformations […]. Until the supernal Benignity could descend. […]”