remonies, and unmeaning antics, formed no part of their inauguration into the profound and mysterious science they professed. It was the fear that its hidden and wonderful instruction might be abused by some unworthy listener, that impelled them to their extreme caution and secrecy. The written treatises on the science were not only short, but most obscure, full of abbreviations and initials, speaking more by signs than by words; so that the writers might be certain that whosoever was not previously and properly initiated in the secrets of their science, would find their works sealed and incomprehensible.

As a science relating to the attributes of God, the creation, and the true meaning of the laws, its stores are by Cabbalists considered as inexhaustible; and, although they admit that the NAMELESS ONE, the Great First Cause, is far above the ken or conception of any human wisdom, they nevertheless consider their science, relating as it does to the most important truths, as boundless. They believe that every professor, according to his worth and piety, attains to a certain degree of perfection in their science, and that, consequently, the same book may be differently understood, according to the various degrees of knowledge possessed by the readers; and that the further any one penetrates into this science, the nearer he approaches communion with the Deity. The Divine law, according to them, is not only wise, but is itself the Wisdom of the Godhead; and as this Wisdom was not created, but was the instrument of creation, the law, which is that wisdom, existed prior to the creation of the world. Thence will be seen the high dignity this science ascribes to man, on whom the law, which is the Wisdom of God, has been freely

bestowed.

Many are the Hebrew works that treat of this science, and without any attempt at mystery, announce themselves as teachers of Cabbala. Few of these, however, ascend so high as the first centuries of the Christian era; because those of that early period were mostly ambiguous; hiding, beneath expressions apparently indifferent,

their profound and mystical 'doctrines, upon which their successors offer expositions. But, with the progress of time, this veil of secrecy decreases, till, in the latter centuries, several works professedly treat on the subject.

The Rabbies of the Talmud, and of the earliest Medrashim, ("Expositions,") have not, in any of their sayings, evinced any direct connexion with Cabbala, although, according to the expositions of the latter Cabbalists, all the doctrines of the Talmud and Medrashim, explained according to the rules of their science, are embued with Cabbalistic principles. We may justly doubt whether these interpretations actually convey the meaning of the Talmudic Rabbies; but we are compelled to admit, that many of the Talmudic doctrines so evidently correspond with those of Cabbala as not to permit us to doubt, that many of those Rabbies studied Cabbala, and in their sayings refer to its maxims; but, as they never openly and without a veil made use of any Cabbalistic doctrines, it is probable that all their maxims have a double meaning, and particularly such of them as appear to us perfectly incomprehensible and void of sense.

The doctrines of Cabbala, according to the statement of its professors, in addition to the sublime and comprehensive science they teach, can impart, to him who is properly initiated, the faculty not only to work wonders, but to exercise powers almost creative. This is called Cabbala mangsioth, or “active or inferior Cabbala;" and we mention it here, in order to acquaint the reader with the exterior influence of Cabbala, before we propound to him its real doctrines, the knowledge of which this Cabbala mangsioth does not absolutely require; because any one, who, even without knowing the why or wherefore, disposes of certain letters in a certain manner and pronounces the words thereby produced, may effect certain miraculous events: Consequently every worker of wonders needs not be a Cabbalist; whereas every Cabbalist, from the knowledge which his science imparts, can be a worker of wonders. We are, how.

ever, bound to do the Cabbalists the justice to admit, that the real professors of this science never carried it on like alchymists, as a means of making gold; but they devoted themselves to its study, because, according to their opinions, its doctrines were Divine; they even considered it a heinous offence, were any one to desecrate their science. by abusing its powers so far as to work wonders for his own advantage. To express this, they use the Talmudic maxim, He who abuses the crown perisheth." It was therefore not for the sake of the wonderful powers it confers that these men studied Cabbala, but for the sake of the profound Divine knowledge they believed it to impart. The most illustrious professors of the science neither endeavoured to derive individual advantages from, nor to shine by, the wisdom of their art. They mostly were poor, needy, and, so far from seeking fame, they concealed their knowledge, and, in the midst of their poverty, felt more happy than the kings of this world.

The reader will here probably demand, how an Israelite, who believes that all occurrences emanate from Divine Providence, should at the same time be ready to assert, that man can by any science produce supernatural effects, and that even criminally, consequently contrary to the will of the Deity. To this question, we, in the name of the Cabbalists, must reply; that what we call " supernatural effects" are in reality necessary and natural consequences of causes operating within their hidden sphere. Moreover, as it is not contrary to the belief that all occurrences are from the Deity, to maintain that man has the free will to murder his neighbour or not; so it is likewise not contrary to that belief, to maintain that a man may, by abusing the powers of Cabbala, act criminally, and consequently contrary to the will of God. Man is a free agent, and may act contrary to the will of God; of which, however, he, with his free will, is ultimately but an instrument.

Active Cabbala according to the assertions of Cabbalists, comprises another branch, opposite in its kind,

namely, the effects produced by the means of impure powers, called kishoph, sorcery; as there are in the inferior world, (as we shall hereafter detail,) impure spiritual beings, who accompany purity as the shadow does the light, and by means of whom supernatural effects may likewise be produced.

But all these assertions merely relate to accessaries, which scarcely deserve further notice; whilst the essential doctrines of Cabbala certainly merit investigation, in order to arrive at a correct idea of their authenticity and tendency. After having acquired the fundamental rules of their science, which in itself can only be considered as a system of philosophy, the chief occupation of Cabbalists is to apply these rules to the letters, words, meaning, and commands of the Mosaic law, in order to explain the same. In this they always succeed in a most surprising manner. They find, in the positive and negative commands of the law, a far more sublime meaning than what is generally, but superficially, assigned to them; although they do not deny the correctness of the meaning generally assigned, as far as that meaning goes, they maintain that it is insufficient to explain the laws of God. And they are of opinion, that if man, guided by his common sense only, were capable of conceiving the real purport and object of the Divine laws, there would have been no occasion for the Deity to reveal them; and man would in that case have been justified in modifying or altering them as circumstances might require. As an instance, in our last number, we mentioned the Divine command to blow the cornet on the Rosh hashana, and we there endeavoured to explain its intent, and connexion with the service of the day. The Cabbalists do not deny, that such, in the first instance, is the intent of this command; but they go further, and assign other far more sublime purposes and effects, which they demonstrate according to their doctrines; and are of opinion, that, if the blowing of horns had no other purposes than such as we enumerated, the Jews might dis

pense with the observance, as other means could be found, (for instance, the firing of cannon,) which would produce the same solemn impressions even in a higher degree.

It must not, however, be supposed that these opinions of the Cabbalists, or even the admission of the correctness of their doctrines in general, is essential to the Jewish faith, or that the authenticity of this science must of necessity be acknowledged by every Jew. No! the Cabbalists themselves (to their high honour) do not make the belief in their maxims (although they consider them as the real essence of religion) an indispensable condition either to salvation, or to the being an acceptable worshipper of the great God of Israel. They even admit that the Jew who never heard of Cabbala, or who contradicts its authority, will, nevertheless, be a real Jew, and entitled to salvation, provided his conduct in other respects be in accordance with the laws of God, though he does not or will not penetrate into their real meaning. They consider the possession of their science as a special perfection, which every Jew is not able, and therefore, not obliged, to attain.

Notwithstanding the many books which have been written on this science, its real professors are so few, that it is possible, amongst ten thousand Jews learned in the law, not to find one conversant with the doctrines of Cabbala. But though the real knowledge of their essentials is thus limited, a superficial knowledge of these doctrines is spread amongst the Jews, and has always exercised a powerful influence on their general character. It is true, that some learned and celebrated men amongst them altogether reject the Cabbala, and will hear nothing of its doctrines; as, for instance, Rabenu Moses Ben Maimon,* (or as, from the initials of his name, he is more generally called, Rambam,) who not only scoffs at Cabbala in general, but more especially at Cabbalam angsioth, of and at which he pours forth his unqualified reprobation. But notwithstanding this way of thinking, he is, however, * Vide pages 28.

acknowledged by all Jews as one of the most eminent teachers of the law. But this great man combated a science which he knew only by name; for his extensive studies of the laws, philosophy, and medicine did not leave him any time for the acquisition of a science, which his prejudices prevented his considering as worthy of his attention. In like manner, the opponents of Cabbala ever were such as had not deigned to make it a subject of their studies; so that, with respect to their opinions concerning Cabbala, the Jews may be divided into three classes: 1. The professors of the science, who all assert its authenticity and excellence; but their numbers are very limited. 2. Learned Jews, who, though they have not studied Cabbala, reject its system, and combat its doctrines; but their numbers are still less. 3. Learned and unlearned Jews, who have no knowledge of the doctrines of Cabbala, but who are aware there is such a science, and who entertain no doubts of its authenticity. The last of these classes form the bulk of the nation, by whom its general character is expressed. (It will scarcely be necessary to call those a fourth class, however numerous they may be, who know nothing, and believe nothing.) And it is a certain fact that, though Cabbala, as we have already said, forms no part of the Jewish faith, yet its influence on the general character of the nation is so strong that even the lowest and most ignorant Jew, provided he keeps the commands of his law, is impressed with the conviction, that these commands have a most sublime and important purpose; which, though he knows nothing of it, is not the less certain. From this conviction arises the devoted resignation with which the Jew, in all ages and in all climes, has borne the reproaches of his opponents; and, when he thus submitted to the contumely with which he was loaded by those who accused him of superstitious observances, it was certainly done not from any want of acute feelings of honour, but, on the contrary, from an inward sentiment of pity for those who could contemn that of which they knew not the worth.