mitigated

For sometime the flame was mitigated, that it might not burn up the beasts that were sent against the ungodly; but themselves might see and perceive that they were persecuted with the judgment of God.

But Pompey did not give him time to make any preparations [for a siege], but followed him at his heels; he was also obliged to make haste in his attempt, by the death of Mithridates, of which he was informed about Jericho. Now here is the most fruitful country of Judea, which bears a vast number of palm trees besides the balsam tree, whose sprouts they cut with sharp stones, and at the incisions they gather the juice, which drops down like tears. So Pompey pitched his camp in that place one night, and then hasted away the next morning to Jerusalem; but Aristobulus was so affrighted at his approach, that he came and met him by way of supplication. He also promised him money, and that he would deliver up both himself and the city into his disposal, and thereby mitigated the anger of Pompey. Yet did not he perform any of the conditions he had agreed to; for Aristobulus's party would not so much as admit Gabinius into the city, who was sent to receive the money that he had promised.

So he gave command that the Jews should bring in seven hundred talents; whereupon Antipater, out of his dread of Cassius's threats, parted the raising of this sum among his sons, and among others of his acquaintance, and to be done immediately; and among them he required one Malichus, who was at enmity with him, to do his part also, which necessity forced him to do. Now Herod, in the first place, mitigated the passion of Cassius, by bringing his share out of Galilee, which was a hundred talents, on which account he was in the highest favor with him; and when he reproached the rest for being tardy, he was angry at the cities themselves; so he made slaves of Gophna and Emmaus, and two others of less note; nay, he proceeded as if he would kill Malichus, because he had not made greater haste in exacting his tribute; but Antipater prevented the ruin of this man, and of the other cities, and got into Cassius's favor by bringing in a hundred talents immediately.

With this advice Pheroras complied, and putting himself into such a habit as might most move compassion, he came with black cloth upon his body, and tears in his eyes, and threw himself down at Herod's feet, and begged his pardon for what he had done, and confessed that he had acted very wickedly, and was guilty of every thing that he had been accused of, and lamented that disorder of his mind, and distraction which his love to a woman, he said, had brought him to. So when Archelaus had brought Pheroras to accuse and bear witness against himself, he then made an excuse for him, and mitigated Herod's anger towards him, and this by using certain domestical examples; for that when he had suffered much greater mischiefs from a brother of his own, he prefered the obligations of nature before the passion of revenge; because it is in kingdoms as it is in gross bodies, where some member or other is ever swelled by the body's weight, in which case it is not proper to cut off such member, but to heal it by a gentle method of cure.

The thirteenth (that is, “of the waters,” HMIM, Hamim, which is the thirteenth word) raiseth up these (that is, as well the sanctuary which is above as that which is below) through mercy (since the water symbolizeth that measure of mercy through which judgment and punishments are mitigated), and they are renewed as before (for the six words follow afresh, as in the beginning the six members are enumerated). For all those six continue and stand fast (they are the members of the Microprosopus, and are not as his bride, and from them is the restitution), since it is written BRA, Bera, “created” (which hath a sense of permanence), and then it is written HIThH, Hayitha, “it was” (which also is a phrase of permanence and not of interpolation), for it is very truth (plainly, therefore, the kingdom perished not, although it might be formless and void, but it retaineth hitherto the essence).

But if (these) judgments are to be mitigated, necessarily the Ancient One is required (that is, the first letters of the Tetragrammaton, denoting, IH Yah, the father together with the crown, which is the apex of the primal letter, and is called Macroprosopus.)

The tree which is mitigated (that is, the path of the kingdom or Schechinah, which is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which in itself existeth from the judgments, but is mitigated by the bridegroom through the influx of mercies) resideth within (within the shells; because the kingdom hath its dominion over all things, and its feet descend into death). In its branches (in the inferior worlds) the birds lodge and build their nests (the souls and the angels have their place). Beneath it those animals which have power seek the shade (that is, the shells, “for in it every beast of the forest doth walk forth,” Ps. civ. 20).

The tree which is mitigated (that is, the path of the kingdom or Schechinah, which is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which in itself existeth from the judgments, but is mitigated by the bridegroom through the influx of mercies) resideth within (within the shells; because the kingdom hath its dominion over all things, and its feet descend into death). In its branches (in the inferior worlds) the birds lodge and build their nests (the souls and the angels have their place). Beneath it those animals which have power seek the shade (that is, the shells, “for in it every beast of the forest doth walk forth,” Ps. civ. 20).

“And notwithstanding is AL Himself disposed towards mercies, because in Him the Ancient of Days is mitigated and included and extended.

“And by that conformation all those are subjected, and mitigated in the bitterness of tears, which become sweet in the great sea.

“All things are comprehended in those dispositions; all things raise themselves up in order that they may receive these dispositions of the Mighty King, of the Ancient One, the most concealed of all. And all those are mitigated by those ordinations of the King, the Ancient One.

Rabbi Schimeon said: Now is the universe united together (or mitigated). Blessed be thou, Rabbi Chisqiah, of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones!

Some among them are mitigated, and (some) are not mitigated; but evidently there are certain of them which have not been mitigated.

Some among them are mitigated, and (some) are not mitigated; but evidently there are certain of them which have not been mitigated.

Some among them are mitigated, and (some) are not mitigated; but evidently there are certain of them which have not been mitigated.

But after that Adam was constituted they are called by other names, and are mitigated in a permanent condition through him; and they exist in their place, and are all called by other names and not by their former (appellations).

But as often as judgment threateneth, and that forehead of Microprosopus is uncovered, there is uncovered the forehead of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones, and judgment is mitigated and is not exercised.

And that fire is not mitigated save by the fire of the altar.

And that smoke which issueth forth from the other nostril is not mitigated unless by the smoke of the sacrifice of the altar. But all things depend from the nose.

“And whilst He is mitigated by the disposition of the venerable and holy beard (of Macroprosopus), and this (beard of Microprosopus) reflected that, then through its light is He called ‘God merciful,’ Exod. xxxiv. 6: ‘and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and in truth.’ And thus is the second disposition instituted.

“And now we have taught concerning this Name, ‘And abundant in benignity,’ because therefrom is mitigated the (interior) benignity, so that it may shine into all the lights (otherwise, this Name, ‘Abundant in mercy,’ stretcheth down even unto the ‘mercy’ which is so called absolutely, so that it may illuminate it, and kindle the lights).

“And this path of that place is a duplex form, and is not mitigated, whence he who wisheth to threaten toucheth that path twice with his hand.”

And when the latter is mitigated by the former He is called man, consisting in both aspects.

And therefore in all the crowns (the former state of things) was not permanent, before that the conformations of the King were prepared by the Ancient of the Ancient Ones, so that He might construct the worlds, and form (their) conformations, for the purpose of establishing that Woman, so that She might be mitigated.

Until the supernal Benignity could descend, and then the conformations of the Woman became permanent, and were mitigated by this member (of Microprosopus), which is called the Benignity.

For it is not written, “Who were,” but “Who reigned,” because they were not mitigated until all were formed, and that Benignity went forth.

Therefore is it said,” And he died,” because they were not permanent, neither was Judgment mitigated through Judgment.

“And the name of his wife was Mechetabel, MChITBAL,” herein are they mitigated together, and his (Hadar's) wife is named, which is not written concerning any other of them. MChITBAL, Mechetabel (which bears the signification of “as if were made better by the name of Benignity, AL, El, MChI TB AL”), mitigation of the one by the other.

And were it not that they could be conjoined, the world could not suffer them; whence the Ancient of the Ancient Ones, the Concealed by all things, separateth the one from the other, and associateth them together so that at once they may be mitigated.

And when They are associated together, then are They mutually mitigated in that day on which all things are mitigated. And therefore are the judgments mitigated mutually and restored into order, both superiors and inferiors.

And when They are associated together, then are They mutually mitigated in that day on which all things are mitigated. And therefore are the judgments mitigated mutually and restored into order, both superiors and inferiors.

And when They are associated together, then are They mutually mitigated in that day on which all things are mitigated. And therefore are the judgments mitigated mutually and restored into order, both superiors and inferiors.

ALSO, we have learned in the “Book of Concealed Mystery” that when the Most Holy Ancient One desired to see whether the judgments could be mitigated, and whether these two could adhere together, that then from the side of the Woman there went forth a vehement judgment, which the world could not bear.

And She was not perfect, because She had not been mitigated, and the powerful serpent had transmitted unto Her the pollution of severe judgment; and therefore She could not be mitigated.

And She was not perfect, because She had not been mitigated, and the powerful serpent had transmitted unto Her the pollution of severe judgment; and therefore She could not be mitigated.

Also, we have learned that these are found to proceed from the spirit of the left side, which is not mitigated in human form; and they have gone out from the ordered arrangement of the Holy Body, neither do they adhere unto it.

But from the Spirit which is called Abel, which hath been more mitigated in the Syntagma of the Holy Body, others go forth who have been more mitigated, and can adhere unto the body, but cannot completely be inherent within it.

But from the Spirit which is called Abel, which hath been more mitigated in the Syntagma of the Holy Body, others go forth who have been more mitigated, and can adhere unto the body, but cannot completely be inherent within it.

Also, this is the tradition in the “Book of Concealed Mystery.” When the Syntagma of the Supernal Man had been mitigated as to the Holy Body, in Male and Female form, these two were conjoined together again for the third time.

And the temperation of all things proceeded therefrom, and the superior and inferior worlds were mitigated.

We have learned that because the one hath been tempered by the other, hence it is written, Cant. i. 11: “We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.” For judgment and mercy are connected together (otherwise, judgment is tempered through mercy), and She is mitigated by Him.

We have learned in exotic tradition that this is the sense of “We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver” (Cant. i. 11), that judgment is mitigated through mercy, so that there can be no judgment in which mercy is not found.

And all this is after that She is mitigated through the Male, and They twain are become one being, even the Syntagma of Truth.

Come and see! When that Tzedeq, Justice, is mitigated by that Meshephat, Judgment, then is it called TzDQH, Tzedeqah, Liberality.

Whence all those are not mitigated save by the smoke of the inferior altar.

And all things which adhere unto them, all things, I say, are mitigated. But most of these severities mutually cohere.

And She is mitigated, and receiveth blessing in that place which is called the Holy of Holies below.

And He entereth into the Holy of Holies, and the Bride is mitigated, and that Holy of Holies receiveth blessing, in the place which is called Tzion.