Preface of the Master Proofreader

This book was with me, sealed in my storehouses for many years. The people of my nation pressed me to print it, but I did not desire to do so, for in all my days I have never said a word and then retracted it just because my words might not be heard. I waited until I saw two clear proofs: first, that the majority of its structure and content had already been printed in a book called The Illustration of Letters original: "Tziyur Otiyot" — likely referring to a contemporary work on mystical alphabets throughout the world in the French language. Second, I saw that this holy and honored book was in the hands of the "poor"—those poor in the words of the Torah—who were allowing it to be copied for one another for great sums of money. Certainly, such copying causes a great outcry and is a wearisome task, for error follows error until the mistakes outnumber the essential text. Through this, God forbid, they might "cut the saplings" a Hebrew idiom for heresy or causing spiritual damage.

I observed, researched, and inquired thoroughly to see if the book in my hand was accurate. I spent much money to borrow two books from other countries, and I saw that my copy was the "father" of them all; they were all copied from my book, as I proved to my people. It bore the signature of "the small one, Eliezer son of our teacher Rabbi Judah" referring to Rabbi Eliezer of Worms, c. 1176–1238, who received the Ma’aseh Merkavah The "Work of the Chariot"—the earliest form of Jewish mysticism focused on the heavenly throne from our teacher Rabbi Judah the Pious, who received it from his father, our teacher Rabbi Simeon the Pious. He was certainly the proofreader himself. It was also signed by the Great Teacher Rabbi Tevele, a resident of the Land of Israel original: "Eretz Tzvi", whose reputation reached from one end of the world to the other. Surely these men would not violate the prohibition: "Let not injustice dwell in your tents" Job 11:14, which refers to one who keeps an uncorrected book in his house.

I also found great benefit in this book for exalted prayer. As it is written regarding the early masters, they would pray and be answered immediately, while we cry out all day and no one pays us heed. This is because they knew "The Name," as it is written: "Because he has known My name, he shall call upon Me and I will answer him" Psalm 91:14-15. Many prophets only prophesied after first looking into this book, as you will see on page 3, for this book is a preparation for prophecy. It is written: "The Lord gives wisdom to the wise," for everything in this world requires preparation. Just as Elijah needed the cake of meal and Elisha needed the jar of oil, and the Israelites "went up armed," so it is in every place. Through the preparation of this book, the verse shall be fulfilled: "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord."

It is also written inside the book on page 3, column 2: "Whoever is worthy of it, happy is he and it is well with him," etc. For "He has given food to those who fear Him"—not all people will understand or be wise through it. I said that if this holy, honored, and awesome book should fall into the hands of one who is from the "side of impurity" original: "sitra de'masaba" — the realm of evil or unholiness or a fool, he will not understand this. Only a wise man who understands of his own knowledge will. All the proper traits are found within it, as written in the "Reproof of Instruction" in the book Raziel the Great. Certainly, no failure, injustice, stumbling, or deficiency will come through this holy book, but only good for those worthy of it, and great benefit for requests and prayers.

I also looked after my vision at the poverty of the people of our generation, my nation who are in "Egypt" original: "Mitzrayim" — a pun on "metzar yam," meaning the straits of the sea, living outside the Holy Land. They dwell among the fullness of the Kelipot The "shells" or "husks" that conceal divine light in Kabbalistic thought and the celestial ministers; they drink from the dregs of those ministers. They are in the "Straits of the Divine Presence" original: "Metzar HaShekhinah", which is called the "Sea of Solomon" in which the building was completed. The shadows of evening have stretched out, creating confusion in the worlds, and Israel has descended very low in words of Torah and prophecy. For "death has come up into our windows"—these are the Kelipot that cover our windows, as it says: "He has covered Himself with a cloud so that prayer cannot pass through." The vision in the lattices has darkened; these are the prophets, as it is said: "Where is the seer?" Because they can no longer see through prophecy, they still used the Holy Spirit original: "Ruach HaKodesh" through a narrow opening, as it is written: "He put his hand through the hole." This was like a finger in a palace, but now it is like a finger in a wall, for the blockage has thickened and the hole is closed due to the greatness of our sins. We have become like donkeys, leaning toward the "material" original: "chomri" — a pun on "chamor" (donkey) and "chomer" (matter/materialism). The intellectual power of the people has become coarse; even though their bellies are full of all the worldly wisdoms, they do not desire to learn the wisdom of Kabbalah. They rely on the Mishnah that says "One does not expound..." and "not in the Account of the Chariot with a lone individual."

However, I relied upon the Gemara which says: "One does not expound to a lone individual unless he is wise and understands of his own knowledge." This implies that it is permitted to teach him. Even without a teacher, it is permitted to learn even if one does not fully understand what he hears, such as by reading a book. Did not Ezekiel write his visions? And the other prophets? If you say the matter is "bound and sealed," even so, this book is bound and sealed in its place.

Some say that the angels were changed at the time of the Destruction of the Temple, as found in the Midrash on the verse: "He has cast down from heaven to earth." They do not understand the plain meaning. For all reception of mystical actions requires one to calculate the cycles, months, days, and hours, for every hour the angel changes, as is seen inside the book. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, made darkness so they could not calculate the hours, as it says in the Midrash on Lamentations: "A king of flesh and blood puts out the lamps; so did I," as it says: "The sun and moon are darkened and the stars withdraw their shining." The angels were "changed" only for them (the people), but the angels themselves stood at their watch as they have been since the days of old.

And some say: "Who has gone up to heaven to tell these things?" These people are deniers of the Torah of Moses and the Prophets. Woe to the ears that hear such things! Their ears are heavy from hearing and their eyes are closed from seeing, for the ultimate purpose of Kabbalah is the essence of the Torah, as it is contained in the two Tablets of the Covenant. The order of the levels is thus: a boor cannot be a sin-fearing person; rather, one must learn the 613 commandments. The Talmud brings us to action. When one reaches this level, action is a ladder to contemplation, which is the "hidden part" Kabbalah, and one will be worthy to behold the pleasantness of the Lord. It is known that the "end" is greater than the "beginning," as it is said: "The end of a matter is better than its beginning." Since every beginning is for the sake of the end, the "hidden" is better than the "revealed," and the hidden Torah is better than the performance of the commandments.

This is the explanation of the verse: "For the commandment is a lamp and the Torah is light." The hidden Torah is the "torch" original: "avuka". We cannot say that King Solomon meant "light" refers to the revealed Torah, for a commandment is greater than study; why then would he call the revealed Torah "light" and the commandment only a "lamp"? Rather, "Torah is light" refers to the hidden part. It is known that if one wants to bring a small lamp into a great bonfire, the lamp is extinguished by the heat of the fire before it arrives. But from one bonfire to another bonfire, one can bring fire. So it is with the Holy One, Blessed be He: He is a "consuming fire." The "lamp of God is the soul of man," and our primary purpose is to cleave to the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is written: "And you who cleave to the Lord your God."