On the Highest Good, etc.

...flowing divinity and wisdom, that is, the Father and Son dwelling at Beersheba or the "well of the oath," so that readers may discern for themselves whether the Venetian original: "Venetus"—likely referring to Francesco Zorzi (1466–1540), a Venetian friar and influential Christian Cabalist whose work Mersenne attacked. is a peddler of trifles, according to Mersenne's opinion.

But truly, with this single stone—like a javelin taken from the armory of the Cabalists and placed in a well-aimed sling—I will now attack that Goliath, the defender of the enemies of truth. I speak of this single Hebrew word אבן Aben, meaning "stone.", which sounds like "stone," a most secure weapon of war against him, as it is completely filled with the power of wisdom. For we have in this single אבן, in this (I say) Cabalistic stone, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is not difficult to point out even from its "husk" In Cabalistic thought, the "husk" or kelipah refers to the external, literal, or material layer of a thing, while the "kernel" is its spiritual essence. or its letters, since in the Hebrew language א. The letter Aleph. Ab denotes the Father, and ב. The letter Bet. Ben denotes the Son. But truly, where the Father and the Son are present, the Holy Spirit cannot be absent.

Reuchlin, On the Wonder-Working Word Johannes Reuchlin (1455–1522) was a famous German humanist and the primary figure who introduced Hebrew Cabala into Christian scholarship. In accordance with the consensus of all Cabalists, we observe that three persons are found in this single Aben, not only from an external view but also from an internal and mystical perspective—one that consists and moves not in the letter or the husk, but in the true spirit and the kernel.

But perhaps that Monk Referring to Marin Mersenne, who was a member of the Order of Minims. will reply with words of this sort, saying: "I ask you, what is this stone of such great wonder? What is your 'Aben'? From where does its great power come, that it—and nothing else—should be required for the consistency and sustenance of both the little and the great world The Microcosm (humanity) and Macrocosm (the universe).? Did I not write a great volume? Indeed, did I not comment on the mystery of Genesis itself and expound the most celebrated questions on that subject? Is it possible that a man of such great learning and reading as I am could err so significantly? By the faith of God and men! How empty and of such little importance (so it seems to me) is that Aben, and how tiny it is, since it is not at all submissible to my mind, which is capable of containing all things! Therefore, it is either nothing at all, or at least a thing so cheap and ignoble that it could never appear to an intellect as exalted as mine."

I, however, confidently respond to such empty and frivolous opinions of that boastful and vainglorious man. For although it is true that "the eagle does not catch flies" and "Jupiter does not have time for small things" Two common Latin proverbs indicating that great people do not concern themselves with trifles., nevertheless, with Mersenne’s leave, the tiny remora original: "eheneis"—the echeneis or suckerfish, which ancient legend claimed could stop a massive ship despite its small size. is accustomed to halting massive ships.

For the same reason, it should not be doubted that our Aben here, since it can do all things, can accomplish greater feats than the giant imagination of Mersenne (leaning as it does on the wings of foolish self-love). It is to this that the words of the Apostle refer: 1 Corinthians 3 The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. And elsewhere: 1 Corinthians 1

God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, has God chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, etc.

By this discourse, the Apostle seems to suggest that those things which appear to the worldly as foolish, weak, base, despised, tiny, or even non-existent, are to God Himself more essential and more powerful. He seems to confirm this in another thread of the same discourse: 1 Corinthians 3 The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. And St. James speaks of this kind of wisdom in a frequently repeated passage, saying: James 3 that the wisdom which contradicts the truth is not that which descends from above from the Father of Lights, but is earthly, animal, and demonic. 1 Corinthians 1 But truly, the wisdom of God is that which the saints speak of in mystery; it is hidden and revealed only to the elect, as St. Paul testifies. Therefore, it is no wonder if Mersenne is deceived in his own wisdom, and consequently believes those things to be foolish, weak, despised, and non-existent which are, in truth, the only things that exist—while all others are false images which appear to be, but are not.

CC