Great Kabbalistic Art — Hartmann Schopper, 1564-1569

May the Highest King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to whom all Honor and Glory be given forever, preserve you safe for us.

To the Benevolent and Friendly

Reader

Since I was already advanced in age and successfully more than sufficiently experienced (as many have judged of me) in Mathesis science, and especially in the Kabbalistic Art, I took care to communicate this Art, so useful and noble, to others as well, especially since it is understood by few, and it is certainly something that should be understood by many. Neither the disparagement of those mocking this Art as either ridiculous or even harmful deterred me from my studies of publishing my labors. Rather, truth itself impelled me to the edition, by which it is established that no other among all the Arts and Sciences is so distinguished. Nor should the Name of a wretched Science be lacking for this Art, since the most Learned and proven Men have judged it to be a Science. When, however, this matter is regarded by the ignorant and unlearned as ridiculous or even (as I said) harmful, I do not deny that this can happen in different ways. First, when the False-Doctors of this Sophistical Art promise mountains of gold (as the saying goes), thinking they have a Treasure in their Hands when they hold some Tables, rather than Kabbalahs, invented by rogue Rascals and decorated with some magnificent name. Therefore, when their Deceit is recognized by those waiting on them, they are then deservedly mocked by everyone. Secondly, it is reputed as ridiculous by many because of the Answers which (as they say) they have taken from the Kabbalah, when in truth they demonstrate nothing but fictions invented by their own madness, or at least extracted from some of their ridiculous devices. Next, this Art is rendered harmful to many because of their excessive Curiosity (whom I nevertheless suppose possess some excellent Art, like this of ours or others similar to it). Most often, they answer people correcting them with that Saying of Seneca from the book On the Leisure of the Wise, namely: Nature gave us a curious mind. But let them remember that since no one should fully exercise Curiosity at the cost of God and his own reproach, it is better (as Origen testifies in Volume 16) to be ignorant in number than to learn from Demons. Indeed, that which the Greatest Teacher of God forbade becomes harmful out of ignorance. Things which God wished to be hidden are not to be scrutinized, as Saint Prosper of Aquitaine says in The Calling of the Gentiles, lest we be found unlawfully curious in them.

And here I speak to certain curious possessors of the Kabbalistic Art who search and inquire concerning the Essence of God, the Last Judgment, and the locations of Solomon, which they do more with a certain impious arrogance than with ingenious curiosity. Furthermore, they work with a desire to inquire about the characters, Life, and actions of Kings and Rulers, and similar things. I wished to specifically free our work from such people, mindful of that warning: Correct your friend, lest he do it again; rebuke your neighbor, lest he perhaps repeat it (Ecclesiasticus chapter 19 verses 13 and 14). Beware therefore, Friend Reader, and whatever good you recognize in this Work, attribute it all to God, without whose Light there is nothing in the Lord. If, however, anything does not harmonize with wisdom, advise me with a kind tongue. We are men; we will follow better things once warned, as the Elder Pliny said to the Emperor Vespasian. But if I know myself to be pleasing to you, you will see greater things. Favor me therefore kindly, and meanwhile, fare you well healthfully.

Preface

Since among the Sciences, or secrets both natural and hidden as well as the deep secrets of the human mind, Kabbalah occupies the first place, it deservedly claims the name Divine for itself, whence it is called Divine Science, as it proceeds from the one God.

Etymology.

And first, since it is necessary to speak of its name and Origin, what Kabbalah is, it should be known that Kabbalah is a name derived from the Hebrew word Kabal to receive, or rather from the Chaldean Kibbel, as Johannes Fungernus notes in his Etymological Triple Lexicon. This signifies "I receive" in Latin. Therefore, Kabbalah is the same as "reception." To this, Masora tradition corresponds as an opposite, namely Tradition, considered in such a way that it is brought down in continuous succession from predecessors to those following.

Commentary on the name of Sibyls and Kabbalah

Sometimes, however, Sinnema attaches a miracle to this name Kabal. For he wishes the name of Kabbalah to be the same as Sibyl, so that as often as we hear anything about the Sibyls or their Prophecies, it is nothing other than Kabbalah (to use his words), two books or various prophecies which were drawn and preserved from the Kabbalah, that sacred Doctrine. He testifies that the confusion of these names happened from the error of the Greeks who, since the word Kabbalah was foreign to them and of unknown significance, began to call the Kabbalah by the name of the Sibyl.