Hence it remaineth not always in the same condition. What doth not? The inferior H, He (of IHVH).
And concerning that which is supernal it is written, Lam. ii. 1: “He hath cast down MShMIM, Me-Shamaim, from the heavens; ARTz, Aretz, the earth, the Tiphereth, Israel.”
Wherefore hath he cast down Aretz from Shamaim? Because it is written, Isa. l. 3, “I will cover the heavens, Shamaim, with darkness,” and with the blackness of the eye (of Microprosopus), namely, with the black color, are they covered.
“From the beginning of the year.” What, then, is that place whence those eyes of Tetragrammaton behold Jerusalem?
Therefore he[860] hasteneth to expound this (saying immediately), “From the beginning, MRShITh, of the year,” which (word “MRShITH” being written thus), without the Aleph, A,[861] symbolizeth judgment; for judgment is referred unto that side, although virtually (the word “Merashith”) is not judgment.
“Even unto the end of the year.” Herein, properly speaking, is judgment found. For it is written, Isa. i. 21, “Justice dwelt in her.” For this is “the end of the year.”
Come and see! A, Aleph, only is called the first (letter). In A, Aleph, is the masculine power hidden and concealed; that namely, which is not known.
When this Aleph is conjoined in another place, then is it called RAShITh, Rashith, beginning.
But if thou sayest that (A) is conjoined herewith,[862] truly it is not so, but (A) is only manifested therein and illuminateth it; and in that case only is it called RAShITh, Rashith, beginning.
Now therefore in this (passage) RAShITh (spelt with the A) is not found as regards Jerusalem; for were (the letter A) herein, it would (denote that it would) remain forever.