Idra Zuta Qadusha
LESSER HOLY ASSEMBLY
From the Book of Splendor (Sefer HaZohar)
The following translation is the Work of the Chariot edition of the Lesser Holy
Assembly published in 1970.Verses from the Torah are written in
Bold Italic. Verses from the Prophets and Writings
and are written in Bold.
TRADITION: On the day that Rabbi Shimeon was destined to leave this world,
he was putting his affairs in order, when the companions entered his house.
Present with him was Rabbi Eleazar his son, and Rabbi Abba, and the rest of
the companions. The house was full.
2. Rabbi Shimeon raised his eyes and saw that the house was full.
3. Rabbi Shimeon wept and said, "On another occasion when I was sick, Rabbi
Fineyas son of Yayar was present with me and remained until I had chosen my
place, and life had been restored to me until now. When I was restored, fire
surrounded me, which hitherto has never ceased, and no man entered unto me without
permission, but now I see that it has stopped and the house is full."
4. While they were sitting, Rabbi Shimeon opened his eyes and saw what he saw,
and fire went around the house. They all went out except for Rabbi Eleazar his
son and Rabbi Abba. The rest of the company stayed outside.
5. Rabbi Shimeon said to Rabbi Eleazar his son, "Go out and see if Rabbi
Yitza'aq is here, for I am his guarantor; tell him that he should arrange my
affairs, and that he should sit by my side, he whose portion is worthy.
6. Rabbi Shimeon arose and sat and laughed and rejoiced; he said, "Where
are the Companions?"
7. Rabbi Eleazar arose and brought them in, and they sat down in his presence,
Rabbi Shimeon lifted his hands and prayed and was rejoicing, and he said: "Let
those Companions who were in the former Assembly meet here."
8. The others went out, and Rabbi Eleazar his son, and Rabbi Abba and Rabbi
Yehudah and Rabbi Yosi, son of Ya'aqov and Rabbi Chiya remained.
9. Meanwhile Rabbi Yitza'aq entered, Rabbi Shimeon said to him, "How pleasant
is your portion, how much joy shall be added to you this day." Rabbi Abba
was sitting behind his shoulders, and Rabbi Eleazar facing him.
10. Rabbi Shimeon said, "Now indeed is a time of favor, and I have to ascend
without shame to the world to come."
11. "And behold holy matters of NOT (Lo) which previously have been
revealed, I desire to reveal before the Divine Presence of NOT; lest they should
say that I have kept back anything, and that I left the world deficient. For
even until now these things have been concealed in my heart, so that having
entered into these very matters I may be with them in the world to come. But
this is my arrangement of you: Rabbi Abba shall write, and Rabbi Eleazar my
son, study, and the rest of the Companions in silence meditate in their hearts;
Rabbi Abba arose from behind his shoulders and Rabbi Eleazar his son sat in
front of him; he said. "Arise my son, for another shall sit in that place;"
Rabbi Eleazar arose. Rabbi Shimeon wrapped himself and sat down; he opened and
said (Psalms 115): "The dead shall NOT-praise YH. And all who
will go down in silence." "The dead will NOT-praise YH,"
here it is certain who is called "dead," for the Holy One, blessed
be He, is called "Living" (Chayyim), and He is commemorated
among those who are called living, and NOT among the people who are called dead.
12. And it is written in the latter part of this verse, "And all who will
go down into silence," and all those who descend to silence remain in Gehinnom.
13. There is another reason pertaining to those who are called "living,"
for the Holy One, blessed be He, desires their glory.
14. Rabbi Shimeon said, "How different it now is from when we were in the
former Assembly."
15. For there was present the Holy One, blessed be He, with His Chariot (Merkabah).
16. But now the Holy One, blessed be He, is here, and He comes with those righteous
ones who are in the Garden of Eden (Gan Aden), which did not happen at
the former Assembly.
17. And the Holy One, blessed be He, cares for the honor of the righteous more
than for His own honor, as it is written in the case of Jeroboam, who offered
incense and worshipped idols. And the Holy One, blessed be He, was long-suffering
with him; but because he extended his hand against Ido the prophet, his hand
became withered; for it is written (I Kings 13.4): "And his hand
became withered."
18. Here it is not written that it was because he worshipped idols, but because
he extended his hand against Ido the prophet.
19. And now the Holy One, blessed be He, wants our honor, and they all come
with Him.
20. He said, indeed, Rab Hamnuna the elder is here and around him are seventy
righteous ones represented in his circle, each one with the splendor of the
brightness of the Holy Ancient One, Mystery of all Mysteries.
21. And he comes to hear with joy these things which I will say.
22. And when he had sat down...
23. He said, "Behold Rabbi Fineyas, son of Yayer is here, make ready his
place; the companions who were there trembled greatly, and they arose and sat
down in the lower part of the house.
24. And Rabbi Eleazar and Rabbi Abba remained with Rabbi Shimeon.
25. In the former Assembly I found that the whole company spoke, as I did.
26. Now I alone will speak.
27. And they will all listen to my words both those in heaven and on earth.
28. Worthy is my portion today.
29. Rabbi Shimeon opened and said (Song of Songs7): "I am my
Beloved's, and His desire will arise."
30. All the days that I was perfumed in this world, I was perfumed with One
perfume,
namely the Holy One, blessed be He, and therefore, now "His desire will
arise."
31. For He Himself and His whole holy company come, so that with joy they may
hear the secret words, and the praise of Him, the Most Holy Ancient One.
32. Mystery of all mysteries.
33. Separate and set apart from all, and NOT separate.
34. For everything is joined in YH,
And He (Hu) is joined within all,
He is all,
The Ancient One of all Ancient Ones,
Mystery of all mysteries,
Conformed and NOT conformed.
35. He is formed in all that endures, and NOT conformed in all that is NOT manifest.
36. When He is conformed, He produces nine lights, which shine forth from Him,
from His conformations, and those lights shine from Him and are lit from Him
and they proceed and are spread out in all directions.
37. As a lamp from which Light is spread out in all directions.
38. And as those rays which spread out, when they are approached to know them,
are NOT found, except for the lamp alone; so is He, the Holy Ancient One, the
highest lamp, mystery of all mysteries.
39. And He is NOT found, except for those rays that are extended, those that
are revealed, and those that are revealed and hidden.
40. And they are called the Holy Name, and therefore are all things One (Echad).
And what our companions said in the former books, that these are degrees that
had been created and the Holy Ancient One was revealed in every single one of
them, because these are the confirmations of the Holy Ancient One.
41. Now is not the time for these things for I have said them in the Holy Assembly.
42. And I have seen What (Mah) of NOT, which I knew until now, and I
have hidden the matters of my heart.
43. And now I alone will describe these things before the Holy King, and all
those worthy of truth who have come to hear these things.
44. Skull of the White Head has beginning and end in NOT, the sphere whose parts
are extended and illumined and from which the just shall inherit four hundred
special worlds in the world to come.
45. From this sphere with parts, which is the White Skull (Vast Face), dew drops
every day onto Small Face to the place which is called "Heaven," and
where the dead are waiting ready to be revived in the time to come, as it is
written (Torah B'reshith 4.28): "Therefore
Elohim will give you of the dew of Heaven."
46. And His Head (Rosh) is filled with that dew, and from Small Face
it drops to the field of apples, and all the field of apples shines from that
dew.
47. He, the Most Holy Ancient One, is hidden and concealed.
48. And the supernal wisdom is found in that Skull,
Found and found as NOT;
In Him, the Ancient One, Nothing, is revealed except the Head alone,
Because it is the Head of all Heads.
49. The supernal wisdom, which is the Head within Yod y, is hidden therein,
and is called the supernal brain,
50. The hidden brain,
51. The tranquil and calm brain,
52. Of which None knows except hy, the Son Himself.
53. Three Heads have been formed within the other.
54. And One is above the other.
55. The Head (Rosh) of One is the hidden wisdom which is covered and
opened up in NOT, and this wisdom is mysterious, the Head of all Heads of the
other wisdoms.
56. The Head of Above, Holy Ancient One, mystery of all mysteries.
57. Head of all Heads,
The Head which is of NOT,
Known as NOT.
What is knowable in the Head is NOT connected with wisdom
And NOT connected with understanding.
58. And concerning this, read (Balaq 1.81): "Flee to your place."
59 (Ezekiel 1): "And the Chayot ran and returned,"
60. And for this reason the Holy Ancient One is called NOT.
61. THAT (Asher) in hy depends on NOT.
62. And all those hairs,
63. And all those threads go out from the hidden brain, and they are all disposed
in the weight.
64. And NOT is seen as the back [of Small Face], ALL HE (Kol Hu).
65. Because this Holy Ancient One is within One form!
66. Everything is in joy, and He does not change His mercy forever, in thirteen
measures of mercy is He found.
67. And He, the Ancient One, includes them and rules over all.
68. One, which shines in the midst of the hairs going forth from the skull,
is that path by whose light the righteous are led into the world to come, as
it is written (Proverbs 4): "And the path of the righteous is
as a shining light..."
69. And concerning this it is written (Isaiah 58): "You will
delight yourself in the Lord YHVH."
70. And from this path all the other paths that depend on the Small Countenance
are illumined.
71. This Ancient One is elder of elders.
72. (He is the…) highest Crown of above with which are adorned in YH all
adornments and crowns.
73. And from Him are all the lights illuminated, and they shine; but He, He
is the Supreme Light, which is hidden and known as NOT.
74. (And all other lights are kindled by Him and shine.)
75. This Ancient One is found in three heads and they are included in one Head.
76. And He Himself is the supreme Head, highest of the highest.
77. And because the Holy Ancient One is formed in three, so also, all the other
lights that shine from Him are formed into three.
78. Further, the Ancient One is engraved in two.
79. This is the division of the Ancient One into two.
80. The Crown (Keter) is the highest of the high ones, Head of all Heads.
81. And HE Himself is that Superior Head, which is known as NOT.
82. So are all the other lights hidden in the two.
83. Further, the Holy Ancient One is formed and hidden in One,
And He is One,
And all are That One (Asher Echad),
Thus all the other lights are sanctified, are restricted, and are glorified
in One,
And they are One.
84. The forehead which is uncovered in the Holy Ancient One,
Is called "Grace (Ratzon, also Will)."
For that Supernal Head,
Concealed in the higher which is known as NOT,
An ornamented, comely, perfumed prince
Which is contained in the forehead.
85. And because the Grace of all Graces is perfected in the forehead and revealed
in that direction, this forehead is called "Grace."
86. And this Grace is revealed.
87. The Grace of Graces is found in all worlds, and all the prayers of the inferiors
are accepted, and the countenance of Small Face is illuminated.
88. And everything is found to be mercy and all judgments are concealed, and
upset on the Sabbath at the time of the afternoon prayers, which is the time
when all judgments are awakened. And this forehead is revealed, and all judgments
are upset and mercy is manifested in all the worlds.
89. And because of this the Sabbath exists without heavenly or earthly judgments,
and even the fire of Gehinnom is stilled in its place, and the guilty have repose.
90. And to this is added a soul of joy on the Sabbath, and men should rejoice
in the three Sabbath meals for all faith and the sum of faith is therein manifested.
91. And men should prepare a dish and eat...
92. Three meals of faith, and rejoice in them.
93. Rabbi Shimeon said, "I call as witnesses on my behalf all those here
assembled, that I have never missed those three meals, and through them, I have
never had to fast on the Sabbath, nor even on weekdays. How much less so on
the Sabbath, for he who has the privilege of them, has the privilege of the
completeness of faithfulness?
94. One is the meal of the Great Mother,
95. One is the meal of the Holy King,
96. And one is the meal of the Holy Ancient One, mystery of all mysteries. And
in that world, they will have the privilege of them.
97. When this Grace is revealed, all judgments are upset in their sequence.
The perfection of the Holy Ancient One is made in One Perfection,
The sum of all Perfections,
Which is the upper secret wisdom,
The sum of all the others,
And this is called the 'secret upper Eden.'
And it is the brain of the Holy Ancient One,
And this brain spreads out in all directions,
And from it another Eden spreads out,
And from this Eden, It is shaped.
And that secret head, which is in the head of the Ancient One, is known as NOT.
When one manner, which is perfected to shine, spreads out,
It touches this brain.
And It is formed and made to shine with several lights,
And It goes out and engraves like this ornament which is in the Forehead.
And a light, which is called 'Grace' is engraved in It,
And this Grace is spread out to the Earth in the beard
As far as That Place which rests in the beard.
And It is called 'supernal loving kindness,'
And this is the preserving kindness.
And when this Grace is uncovered,
All the Lords of Judgment behold It, and are turned aside.
98. The eyes of the Head of the Holy Ancient One are two in one, equal, which
are ever watchful,
99. And do not sleep, as it is written (Psalms 121): "The Guardian of
Israel shall not sleep and not slumber," meaning Israel the Holy; and
for this reason He has no eyelashes, and no eyelids on the eyes.
100. That Brain is formed and shines with three supernal white brilliances.
101. With one white brilliance are the eyes of Small Face bathed, as it is written
(Song of Songs 5): "swimming in milk," which is that
primordial white brilliance, and the other lights are bathed in and shine from
the other white brilliances.
102. The brain is called "the fountain of blessing;" the fountain,
because all blessings are found therein.
103. And this brain is lit with three white brilliances of the eye.
104. On the eye depends the blessing of YH, as it is written (Proverbs
22): "Goodly of eye, he shall be blessed," for the white brilliance
of the eye depends on the brain.
105. When this eye looks upon Small Face (worlds),
106. (a.v. "all the Face shines with joy") they all shine with joy.
107. (With) this eye He restrains the Right Hand; by YH there is no Left Hand.
108. The eyes of below are right and left, two with two colors.
109. We have taught in the Book of THAT Which is Concealed, that there
is "Yod above, Yod below."
110. "Heh above, Heh below."
111. "Vav above, Vav below."
112. All these ones of above depend on the Ancient One.
113. The ones of below are in Small Face.
114. They are dependent on NOT, and these are actually in It.
115. And they depend on the Holy Ancient One.
116. For the Name of the Ancient One is concealed from all, and is found as
NOT, except in those letters which depend on the Ancient One, so that they should
exist on Earth.
117. And if it were not so, they would NOT exist.
118. And for this reason, the Name of the Holy One is the Secret (dvc, Sod)
and That, which is the Secret in relation to it, is revealed. For the Holy Ancient
One is the Secret of All.
119. And That (Hu) is revealed, and from That is Small Face, and all
these blessings of the secret eye are revealed, and those secret letters that
are dependent are revealed.
120. The nose, from the nose of This (Zeh), from the nostril to the chest
on which the breath of life is blown to Small Face.
121. And from that opening of the nose, from those openings of the nostrils
depends the [superior] Heh h, in order to establish the other inferior Heh.
122. And this breath proceeds from the Hidden Brain and She is called the Spirit
of Life, and through that Spirit will all men understand wisdom in the time
of King Messiah.
123. As it is written (Isaiah 11): "And the Spirit of the Lord
YHVH shall rest upon Him, a Spirit of wisdom and understanding..."
124. This nose is life and perfect joy in every part,
125. The repose of Spirit,
126. And Health.
127. Concerning the nose of Small Face (as we have learned by tradition),
it is written (Psalms 18.9): "Smoke came out of His nostrils..."
128. But it is written (Isaiah 48.9): "And for my praise, will
I refrain from you."
129. And in the Book of Aggadah of Rabbi Yiba the Elder:
"The Heh is established in the mouth,
And here NOT is fulfilled so,
And NOT brings the combination (as we need it),
It ascends in One,
These judgments depend on the Heh,
And judgments depend on the nose,
As it is written: "There went up a smoke out of His nostrils..."
130. And if you object, saying, behold, it is written (Psalms 18:9):
"and consuming fire came out of His mouth..."
131. The root of anger depends on the Nose.
All the conformations of the Holy Ancient One are perfected
By the quiet mysterious brain.
And all the conformations of Small Face are formed
Through the inferior wisdom.
As it is written (Psalms 104.24): "All these have You made in
wisdom."
And the Heh is the sum of all things.
132. What is the difference between the [inferior] Heh and [the superior] Heh
? By this [inferior] Heh judgment is awakened, and by that [superior] Heh mercy
within mercy.
