My LORD’s BibleThe Greater Holy Assembly (Idra Rabba Qadisha) 26
513BEHOLD! this have we learned in the “Book of Concealed Mystery”: that the Ancient of the Ancient Ones before that He prepared His conformations (in the equilibrium of balance) formed certain kings, collected certain kings, and gave due proportion unto certain kings; but they only subsisted (for a time) until He could expel them; and in that time hath He concealed them.
514This is intimated in those words, Gen. xxxvi. 31: “And these are the kings which have reigned in ADVM, Edom.” In the land of Edom; that is, in the place wherein all judgments exist.
515But all these subsisted not until the White Head of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones was disposed (in its ordination).
516When this was conformed, He disposed all the inferior conformations, and all the superior and inferior forms were thus arranged.
517Thence we learn that unless the head (or ruling power, or government) of a nation, whatever form of government it may happen to be, be first properly constituted, that nation cannot be properly ruled. For if the head be first disposed aright, then all things can be ordained, but if that be not first disposed aright, neither can the nation be governed aright.
518The ordering of all things is from the Ancient of Days. For before that He was disposed in His conformation, nothing could be ordained, because as yet it was first necessary that Himself should be ordained; and all the worlds were desolate.
520“And there reigned in Edom.” Here is a certain venerable Arcanum hidden; for herein is that place intimated wherein all the judgments are collected together, and whence they depend.
521“Bela, the son of Beor.” This is the tradition. This denoteth the most rigorous judicial decree, for whose cause there are collected together a thousand times a thousand authors of mourning and woe.
522“And the name of his city is Dinhabah.” What is DNHBH, Dinhabah? As if it were to be said, “Give forth judgment.” Like as it is written, Prov. xxx. 15: “The horse-leech hath two daughters, crying, ‘Give, give.’”
523But when he ascendeth, so that he may be conformed therein, he cannot subsist and he cannot consist. Wherefore? Because the form of the man is not as yet constituted.
524What is the reason of this? Because the constitution of man containeth all things under this form, and in that form are all things disposed.
525And because that constitution of Adam was not as yet found, they (the Edomite kings) could not subsist, nor be conformed, and they were destroyed.
526Have they then been abolished, and are all these included in (the supernal) man? For truly they were abolished that they might be withdrawn from form, until there should come forth the representation of Adam.
527But when that form is configurated, they all exist, and have been restored in another condition.
528Some among them are mitigated, and (some) are not mitigated; but evidently there are certain of them which have not been mitigated.
529And if thou shalt say: “Also it is written, ‘and he died,’ surely that denoteth that they were altogether abolished.” I answer that it is not so; but whosoever descendeth from his former position wherein he was before, concerning such an one is it said in Scripture that he died.
530Like as it is written, Exod. ii. 23: “And the king of Egypt died.” Because he descended from the former condition wherein he was.
531But 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).
532Excepting that one concerning whom it is written, Gen. xxxvi. 39: “And the name of his wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.”
533For what reason? Because they were not abolished like the others. Wherefore? Because they were male and female, like as the palm-tree, which groweth not unless there be both male and female.
534And because now they are found male and female, and it is not written concerning them that they died like as the others, but remained in a fixed condition.
535But they were not (definitely composed) until the form of the man was composed (that is, the supernal man). But after that the form of the supernal Adam was constituted, they were restored in another condition, and came in proper order.