Chapter 14
1This is the book of the words of righteousness, and of the reproof of the Watchers, who belong to the world, (18) according to that which He, who is holy and great, commanded in the vision. I perceived in my dream, that I was now speaking with a tongue of flesh, and with my breath, which the Mighty One has put into the mouth of men, that they might converse with it.
(18) Who belong to the world. Or, "who (are) from eternity" (Knibb, p. 95).
2And understand with the heart. As he has created and given to men the power of comprehending the word of understanding, so has he created and given to me the power of reproving the Watchers, the offspring of heaven. I have written your petition; and in my vision it has been shown me, that what you request will not be granted you as long as the world endures.
3Judgment has been passed upon you: your request will not be granted you.
4From this time forward, never shall you ascend into heaven; He has said, that on the earth He will bind you, as long as the world endures.
5But before these things you shall behold the destruction of your beloved sons; you shall not possess them, but they shall fall before you by the sword.
6Neither shall you entreat for them, not for yourselves;
7But you shall weep and supplicate in silence. The words of the book which I wrote. (19)
(19) But you shall weep…I wrote. Or, "Likewise despite your tears and prayers you will receive nothing whatever contained in the writing which I have written" (Charles, p. 80).
8A vision thus appeared to me.
9Behold, in that vision clouds and a mist invited me; agitated stars and flashes of lightning impelled and pressed me forwards, while winds in the vision assisted my flight, accelerating my progress.
10They elevated me aloft to heaven. I proceeded, until I arrived at a wall built with stones of crystal. A vibrating flame (20) surrounded it, which began to strike me with terror.
(20) Vibrating flame. Literally, "a tongue of fire"
11Into this vibrating flame I entered;
12And drew nigh to a spacious habitation built also with stones of crystal. Its walls too, as well as pavement, were formed with stones of crystal, and crystal likewise was the ground. Its roof had the appearance of agitated stars and flashes of lightning; and among them were cherubim of fire in a stormy sky. (21) A flame burned around its walls; and its portal blazed with fire. When I entered into this dwelling, it was hot as fire and cold as ice. No trace of delight or of life was there. Terror overwhelmed me, and a fearful shaking seized me.
(21) In a stormy sky. Literally, "and their heaven was water" (Charles, p. 81).
13Violently agitated and trembling, I fell upon my face. In the vision I looked.
14And behold there was another habitation more spacious than the former, every entrance to which was open before me, erected in the midst of a vibrating flame.
15So greatly did it excel in all points, in glory, in magnificence, and in magnitude, that it is impossible to describe to you either the splendour or the extent of it.
16Its floor was on fire; above were lightnings and agitated stars, while its roof exhibited a blazing fire.
17Attentively I surveyed it, and saw that it contained an exalted throne;
18The appearance of which was like that of frost; while its circumference resembled the orb of the brilliant sun; and there was the voice of the cherubim.
19From underneath this mighty throne rivers of flaming fire issued.
20To look upon it was impossible.
21One great in glory sat upon it:
22Whose robe was brighter than the sun, and whiter than snow.
23No angel was capable of penetrating to view the face of Him, the Glorious and the Effulgent; nor could any mortal behold Him. A fire was flaming around Him.
24A fire also of great extent continued to rise up before Him; so that not one of those who surrounded Him was capable of approaching Him, among the myriads of myriads (22) who were before Him. To Him holy consultation was needless. Yet did not the sanctified, who were near Him, depart far from Him either by night or by day; nor were they removed from Him. I also was so far advanced, with a veil on my face, and trembling. Then the Lord with his own mouth called me, saying, Approach hither, Enoch, at my holy word.
(22) Myriads of myriads. Ten thousand times ten thousands (Knibb, p. 99).
25And He raised me up, making me draw near even to the entrance. My eye was directed to the ground.
Apocalypse -
APOCALYPSE (Gr. ἁποκαλυψις; "revelation"), term which, strictly speaking, denotes the Jewish literature of revelations which arose after the cessation of prophecy and the Christian writings that derived from this Jewish literature.
The major purpose of apocalyptic writings is to reveal mysteries beyond the bounds of normal knowledge: the secretsPage 257 | Top of Articleof the heavens and of the world order, the names and functions of the angels, the explanation of natural phenomena, and the secrets of creation, the end of days, and other eschatological matters, and even the nature of God Himself. (EJ)
The 10 Sefirot
The nature of God (known as Ein Sof, the endless One) is one of the Zohar’s central concerns. The 10 sefirot, which first appear in pre-kabbalistic mystical texts, recur in the Zohar.The sefirot are expressions of God’s being; they are part of God and also represent the modes through which God relates to the world. These 10 aspects of God also serve as a template for human spiritual experience. The sefirot are:
- Keter (Crown)
- Hokhmah (Wisdom)
- Binah (Understanding)
- Hesed (Mercy)
- Din (Justice)
- Tiferet (Beauty)
- Nezah (Eternity)
- Hod (Glory)
- Yesod (Foundation)
- Shekhinah (the feminine aspect of God) or Malkhut (Royalty)
Sefirot reference: Hila Ratzabi and My Jewish Learning www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-zohar