The Greater Holy Assembly (Idra Rabba Qadisha) 8

89THE forehead of His skull is the acceptation of acceptations, whereunto is opposed the acceptation of Microprosopus, like as it is written, Exod. xxviii. 38: “And it shall be upon His forehead alway for acceptation,” &c.

90And that forehead is called RTzVN, Ratzon, Will-power, because it is the ruler of the whole head and of the skull, which is covered by four hundred and twenty worlds.

91And when it is uncovered, the prayers of the Israelites ascend.

92“When is it uncovered?” Rabbi Schimeon was silent. He asked again a second time, “When?” Rabbi Schimeon said unto Rabbi Eleazar, his son, “When is it uncovered.”

93He answered unto him: “In the time of the offering of the evening prayer on the Sabbath.”

94He said unto him: “For what reason?” He answered unto him: “Because at that time the lower judgment threateneth through Microprosopus; but that forehead is uncovered which is called ‘Acceptation,’ and then wrath is assuaged, and the prayer ascendeth.

95“This is that which is written, Ps. lxix. 14: ‘And I have prayed unto Thee, O Tetragrammaton! in an acceptable time.’

96“And the time of acceptance by the Ancient of Days is here to be understood, and of the unveiling of the forehead; and because it is thus disposed at the offering of the evening prayer on the Sabbath.”

97Rabbi Schimeon spake unto Rabbi Eleazar, his son, and said: Blessed be thou, O my son! by the Ancient of Days; for thou hast found in that time in which thou hast need the acceptation of His forehead.

98Come and behold! in these inferiors, when the forehead is uncovered, there is found fixed shamelessness.

99This is the same which is written, Jer. iii. 3: “Yet thou hadst the forehead of a shameless woman, thou refusedst to be ashamed.”

100But when this forehead is uncovered, inclination and acceptation are found in perfect form, and all wrath is quieted and subdued before Him.

101From that forehead shine forth four hundred habitations of judgments, when it is uncovered during that period of acceptation, and all things are at peace before it.

102This is the same which is written, Dan. vii. 10: “The judgment was set”—that is, subsideth in its place, and the judgment is not exercised.

103And this is the tradition: There is no hair found on that part, because it is opened and not covered.

104It is covered, I say, and the executors of judgment behold this, and are pacified, and (judgment) is not exercised.

105This is the tradition: This forehead hath been extended into two hundred and seventy thousand lights of the luminaries of the superior Eden.

106This is the tradition: There existeth an Eden which shineth in Eden. The superior Eden, which is not uncovered, and is hidden in concealment, and is not distributed into the paths, like as it hath been said.

107The inferior Eden is distributed into its paths; (namely) into thirty-two directions of its paths.

108And although this Eden is distributed into its path, yet is it not known unto any, save unto Microprosopus.

109But no man hath known the superior Eden, nor its paths, except Macroprosopus Himself.

110Like as it is written, Job xxviii. 23: “God understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof.”

111“The Elohim understand the way thereof:” this is the inferior Eden, known unto Microprosopus. “And He hath known the place thereof:” this is the superior Eden, which the Ancient of Days hath known, the most abstruse of all.