Chapter 504
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Let the reader be reminded that in the Zohar, and also in all the Kabalistic works, it is maintained that “Metatron united with Shekinah.” Now Shekinah as the Veil (Grace) of Ain Suph, representing the Logos, is that very Tree of Knowledge; while Shamaël—the dark aspect of the Logos—occupies only the bark of that tree, and has the knowledge of evil alone. As Lacour, who saw in the scene of the Fall (Genesis, iii) an incident pertaining to Egyptian Initiation, says: “The Tree of the Divination, or of the Knowledge of Good and Evil ... is the science of Tzyphon, the Genius of Doubt, tzy to teach, and phon, doubt. Tzyphon is one of the Aleim; we shall see him presently under the name of Nach, the tempter” (Les Œloim, vol. ii. p. 218). He is now known to Symbologists under the name of Jehovah.