Philonis Judaei Opera Omnia (Vol. 3)

PHIL. IUD. ON THE HEIR OF DIVINE THINGS §. 7. 8.

which, being passed on in successive handings-over, will become equal in time to the cosmos. You have also given zeal to those in the ascetic life for the children of the soul's sowing and begetting, and those who were apportioned it by pleasure spoke out, saying, "The children whom God has graced your servant with," original: "Τὰ παιδία οἷς ἐλέησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν δοῦλόν σου," (Gen. 33:5) whose colony, nurse, and foster-mother are the inaccessible, tender, and noble souls, which are receptive to the most beautiful and godlike characters of virtue. Teach me also this: "If the son of Masek, my housekeeper, is able to become the heir of your graces." original: "Εἰ ὁ υἱὸς Μασὲκ τῆς οἰκογενοῦς μου..." (Gen. 15:2) For I have not yet obtained the one hoped for, and I do not hope for the one I have obtained.

§. 8. But we must investigate not cursorily what "Masek" is, and who her son is. "Masek" is interpreted as "from a kiss." And a kiss philema kiss differs from loving philein to love. For the latter seems to indicate the finding of souls being fitted together in goodwill, while the former signifies a bare and superficial greeting, which some need brings into the same place. Just as in "rising" there is not "falling," nor in "swallowing" is there "drinking," nor in a "wallet" is there a "horse," so in "kissing" there is not "loving"; since even many of one's enemies, yielding to the harsh necessities of life, are greeted with a kiss. Who is she who is joined to us by a kiss, but not by a true friendship, I will say without hesitation. It is life with sense-perception, which is entirely fortified, of which no one is unmixed, which the many consider a mistress, but the upright consider a handmaid, not foreign or bought with silver, but a household servant and in a certain way of the same nature. These have been trained to "kiss" it, not to "love" it, whereas those [the wise] love it excessively, and consider it highly desirable. But Laban, the hater of virtue, will not even be able to kiss the powers allotted to the ascetic life, but having hung his own...