The occultism of the bible and the kabbalah
by
Rabbi H. Geffen, 32, F.P.S
THE NEW AGE - FEBRUARY 1950
Kabbalah is a knowledge of Divine Wisdom. This truth is
the foundation stone upon which the regenerating and saving portion of every
true religion is based. The Kabbalah transmits to us such knowledge as the
adepts of those times chose to commit to writing.
Our Masonic spiritual allegories are based on the
Kabbalah, which is known to us moderns as the Kabbalistic Doctrine.
Monotheism is the only true religion. Masonic students
claim the Bible to be an occult book wherein the Kabbalistic system is embodied
in allegories and symbols. The written and oral laws are dependent on and
complete each other.
The Kabbalah originated with the Essenes, and also with
the initiated Talmudists, who arranged Kabbalistic schools that followed Akiba
and Simon Ben Jochai, who consolidated it into a scientific system in the Books,
Jetzirah and Zohar.
The two chief classics of the Kabbalah, Jetzirah and
Zohar, attributed respectively to Akiba and Simon Ben Jochai, reveal the basis
of the occult religion of the Hebrews. The most ancient and most comprehensive
is the Sefer Jetzirah, probably written by Rabbi Akiba. The Zohar teaches us
that true Torah, or Law of Moses, is not in the literal but in the allegorical
interpretation of the Pentateuch.
Philo Judeas, in his treatise "On the Allegories of the
Sacred Laws," elucidated in a very cautions manner a few of these subjects: the
Creation, the Garden of Eden, the Deluge, the Tilling of the Earth by Man, the
Confusion of Languages, the Migration of Abraham, His Two Wives, and many more
such subjects having mystic truth as their foundation.
Moses probably received and revived the Monotheism of
Abraham. But, the Divine Kabbalah is the spiritual interpretation of material
symbols and emblems. It is this tradition-namely, the esoteric Law of
Moses-which is the Torah, whereof is recorded in the Talmud: "Moses received the
Oral Law from Sinai and delivered it to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and
the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets to the Men of the Great Synagogue."
It must, therefore, be well understood that the Torah thus mentioned by the
Talmud is not the written, but the Oral Law, or Kabbalah, transmitted by
tradition from generation to generation, until collected by Simon Ben Jochai and
preserved in the volume of the Zohar. The Talmud is the Oral Law and is, in
itself, in some places of a Kabbalistic character as a symbolical vehicle of the
Divine Kabbalah.
There were two traditions in the Occult Kabbalah, an
exoteric tradition perpetuated and an esoteric tradition wherein the Kabbalah
was transmitted. The exoteric tradition is permeated with Kabbalism. One must
be a studious Mason to discern the esoteric direction from the exoteric customs
having no divine object.
It is not my purpose here to write the story of Moses.
It is well known that he had obtained the hidden mysteries of Egypt, but he
annulled the superstitious belief of the Egyptians and he built a true
Monotheistic creed of Divine Wisdom. Hence, he insisted on worship being
directed exclusively to Jehovah, the One Universal Omnipotent God; he also
insisted on perfect purity of thought, word and deed. As a true Prophet we must
suppose that his sacrifices consisted not of the shedding of innocent blood, but
his intention was to prevent the people from human sacrifices.
In studying diligently Masonic Occult Philosophy, we,
must thus take into consideration that the Bible is a Kabbalistic Book,
allegorically written and symbolically illustrated. The systems of the Kabbalah
and Esoteric Masonry are identical, and for this reason the Masons call their
Temple the Temple of Solomon. All the Masonic ceremonies have a Kabbalistic
base. Their virtue is not doubted. There are moral, hygienic and spiritual rules
of conduct given. The highest thought that Kabbalah and Masonry ever expressed
was Universality. Although the Bible history is allegoric and symbolic and has
much fable, it is doubtless founded upon truth.
Moses and the Prophets, the Essenes, and the Tanaim were
occultists and, consequently, most if not all their writings are manifestly or
occultly treatises on Kabbalah; and we can say with certainty that they were the
forerunners of Masonry. This assumption must naturally occur to the minds of
only right thinking Masons, who are penetrated by the sublime virtues of our
order and are justly entitled to bear the name of Occult Masonic students.
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