Magico-Cabbalistic and Theological Work

CHAPTER I.

What is Shamayim?

"Shamayim ve-et ha-aretz" Hebrew: "The heavens and the earth" from Genesis 1:1, which is commonly translated as "Heaven and Earth," basically means the Heavens—that is, the primordial waters—and the Earth. Here, Moses places the Heavens—the spiritual Fiery Waters—first, and he does so for very special reasons. For they are the "principle of all things" original Latin: principium rerum omnium or the "principle of principles" original Latin: principiorum principium created first by God the Lord, which remains almost inscrutable to us "according to its true being" original Latin: secundum verum esse suum. Its wondrous name gives us enough to recognize this, for Moses—or rather the Holy Spirit through Moses—calls this expanse Shamayim. This is a "compound name" original Latin: nomen compositum and has been described by all the Rabbis (the eldest ones, namely, who were practiced and experienced in the true Kabbalah The Jewish mystical tradition) as being composed of Esh and Mayim original Hebrew: אש and מים, Fire and Water. Now, according to the outward letter, this is a truly wonderful and strange mixture to us. How does it seem possible to mix two such entirely contrary things so harmoniously? Yet this is an eternal truth; it is just that this "Aery Fire" or "Ur-Fire" The author uses the alchemical triangle symbol $\triangle$ for Fire—without which no creature can live or be sustained—is sought by so very few to be recognized with diligence. To describe this according to its entire sphere is not our present purpose; it might yet be found, though such Divine mysteries likely require a more experienced pen than ours. Yet we do not wish to keep silent about the little that has been shared with us "by the Eternal Light" original Latin: à Lumine Æterno, so that we may successfully reach our intended goal: namely, the primordial generation of common Salt The author uses the symbol $\ominus$ for Salt, whether it be from the sea, springs, or rock salt, or even the wild Earth The author uses the symbol $\oplus$ for Earth. For all other salts, such as Vitriols and Alum The author uses the symbol $\ast$ for Salmiac/Alum, do not belong here, as Vitriols and Alums are contaminated "by metallic particles" original Latin: à Particulis Metallicis. Salmiac $\ast$, however, is a "compound of urine and common salt" original Latin: compositum ab urinesis & $\ominus$ communi, just as Salt itself is a compound of Ref. b. "volatile acids and fixed alkalis" original Latin: acidis volatilibus alcalinis fixis, as shall be proven in the following chapters. The Alkalis are closest to our common Salt, as shall be proven in its proper place.

Ref. c.

§. 6.

It was mentioned shortly before that Almighty GOD in the beginning created the Heavens, Shamayim, as the "principle of principles, or element of elements" original Latin: principium principiorum, seu Elementum Elementorum, namely the fiery Water The author uses the symbol $\nabla$ for Water. Thereupon Moses continues and places afterward ve-et ha-aretz Hebrew: ואת הארץ, "and the earths," which was the "second secondary quality" original Latin: secunda qualitas secundaria. For here Water $\nabla$ and Air The author uses the symbol $\mathbb{A}$ for Air are taken in one sense, as their signs here and the following discourse indicate. For the "little stroke" Referring to the Hebrew punctuation mark maqqep (-) which joins words was not yet there—namely, the separation of both (commonly called elements)—so that the Shamayim might immediately find a fixed body or object in which they could show and exert their power. In the 6th and 9th verses, Moses further describes the separation of the two other "secondary qualities," such as Air $\mathbb{A}$ and Water $\nabla$, from the Earth, or rather the Earth from the Water $\nabla$; and Ref. d. thus Water $\nabla$ was the "first secondary quality" original Latin: prima qualitas secundaria, as will be proven following this. And had the fiery Water $\nabla$ or Essential Fire $\triangle$ kept its seat (as the lightest of all) in the Sphere of Shamayim, but the coarser and elemental Fire $\triangle$ taken its seat in the "center of the earth" original Latin: Centro terræ, then the division or separation of the so-called elements "from the first principle" original Latin: ex primo principio Shamayim was accomplished. That all things now—as mentioned shortly before—have their life, being, and preservation "from Shamayim" original Latin: à Schamajim, is proven by the 11th verse on the third day's work. There, by Divine command through the power of this Fiery Water (which has been called the Universal Mercury The author uses the symbol $\unicode{x2641}$ by the very oldest philosophers), the Earth brought forth all kinds of grass, herbs, and fruitful trees, etc., before the sun, moon, or any stars were created, for the food and nourishment of all living creatures that were only to be created on the 5th and 6th days. For Almighty GOD showed His wise order in this: that the living creatures He still intended to create might immediately find nourishment and preservation. Only on the 4th day were the Sun, Moon, and all stars created as "orderly dispensers" original Latin: ordentliche Dispensatores in this great "World-Economy" original Latin: Welt-Oeconomia; the management of the natural world, to communicate this Divine power, life, and outflow of Shamayim to every creature according to its required necessity. Now the Sun began to impregnate and fertilize the Air $\mathbb{A}$ with full force, its "atoms"—which were nothing but a pure Air $\mathbb{A}$ united with the fiery atoms of the Air $\mathbb{A}$—which then further continuously communicate this heavenly seed to the Sea. The Sea is filled with it even unto the present hour; and not the Sea alone, but also the entire "globe of the earth" original Latin: Globus terræ. This is proven firstly not only by the common Salt $\ominus$ found everywhere, but also by the dew, frost, rain, and snow, all of which are filled with it. From this general "treasure chest," the Sea, it is further guided and led through subterranean passages and clefts through the whole Earth $\oplus$ for the preservation and nourishment of all creatures. It was proven above that Shamayim is a compound name Ref. e. from Esh and Mayim, Fire and Water.

Now the Sun is a coarser part of Aelch Likely a variant of Esh, Fire, the heavenly Fire $\triangle$, just as the Moon and all other stars are from Mayim, the heavenly Water. These bodies are still incessantly "influenced" In the sense of astrological/alchemical influx by the "first principle" original Latin: primo principio Shamayim. Thus they continually partake of the Divine power and outflow (from the great "Miracle-River" that rises in Eden—namely, out of the great Sea of the gentle, still Divine essence—and waters this "Miracle-Garden" or Paradise, known to very few people). They sink this power into the sea through their atoms united in Fire $\triangle$, from whence it is guided through the entire earth for the fertility and preservation of all creatures.

Ref. f.

§. 7.

That such an "influence" influenza of the Sun, Moon, and all stars is Air $\mathbb{A}$—namely Fire $\triangle$ and Water $\nabla$ or Shamayim (called Universal Mercury by the philosophers)—no person will deny whom GOD the Lord has enlightened. For firstly, it is now quite undeniable that...