To: alt.magick
From: bheidrick@aol.com (B Heidrick)
Subject: Mezla (9407.mezla--.bh)
Date: 49940723

93
...

Mezla is a term in Luria (16th century) Qabalah.  In that context, it
refers to the reminent of the universal creative light from which all
things are made.  According to Luria, the universe was filled with
undifferentiated Light (Ain Soph Aur).  This gathered in places and thined
in others, never being fully absent anywhere.  The gathering of this Light
into higher intensity led by additional stages to the creation of the
universe.  Within the universe, the light is further gathered to the point
of solidity and thined to the point of apparent void.  In the void,
eternal light yet remains, called Mezla.  This Mezla is not visible (='s
undetectable as an idea or concept), but it is the means whereby all the
universe is kept in existence and united to the infinite Light beyond. 
Light in this context is used to represent that which cannot be described
--- yet the idea of Light is as close as a human mind may come to it.

   Crowley tended to use "Mezla" incorrectly or haphazardly as "The
influence descending from Kether" ---- this usage is only correct when
Kether is understood to be an idea nearly the same as Ain Soph Aur; and
that is not the usage always given for "Kether", especially by Crowley. 
This inappropriate simplification of "Mezla" has led it to be identified
with the paths connecting the Sephirot on the Tree of Life ---- whereas
those paths and the Sephirot themselves are more traditionally said to
"emerge from Mezla".  Grant appears to have gone further in this
alteration of the significance and meaning of the term, to the point that
his usage includes imaginary Qlipoth and excludes the omnipresent Light
that is the original meaning of "Mezla".

   Mezla and Mazloth (Zodiac) are not derived from the same Hebrew root. 
The latter does mean "paths" as in "paths of the planets" and (modern
Hebrew) train tracks.   This is possibly a contributing *influence* (real
meaning of Mezla!) to the *confusion* (real meaning of Qliphot = shells). 
All in all, the philological confusion is a very good illustration of the
nature and development of the Qliphot!

93 93/93
Bill Heidrick