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Alchemy and the Kabbalah
AESCH MEZAREPHJ7] - PURIFYING FIRE
159
The AeschMezareph, or Purifying Fire, is in reality the only Zoharic text
that refers directly to alchemy and the Kabbalah. Jewish Alchemy had
been referred to by notable authors such as Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius
Phiiaierhcs) yet the Aesch Mezareph was the first co put it into some sort
of prospectus. In the Zora: proper there are some references to alchemical
concepts,172 but these are fragmented. In the Preface to the Aesch
Mezareph, Westcott says:
The Aesch Mezareph or Ash Metzareph, is only known to
persons of Western Culture from the Latin translation found
in a fragmentary condition in the work entitled Kabala
Denudaw by Knorr von Rosenroth, published at Salzbach in
1677-84. These volumes have a subtitle "Transcendental,
Metaphysical and Theological Doctrines of the Hebrews,"
and they enshrine a Latin translation, with part of the
Hebrew text and commentaries of the great Sohar or Zohar,
"Book of Splendour." The Aesch Mezareph is still extant as a
separate treatise in what is called the Hebrew language, but
which is more properly Aramaic Chaldee: it was a companion
volume to the Cha/dean Bookof Numbers so often referred to
by H. P. Blavatsky.
There is no doubt that the AeschMezareph comes from the first volume
of Rosenroth's work, which is in the form of a Lexicon, 173 and that it
was fragmented and put into a single book form by The Lover of Philalethes
in English in 1714.It has been suggested by numerous authors that this
text is not a course in practical alchemy, but more of a discourse in
rhetoric. Over the years I have had an opportunity of discussing this work
from a practical viewpoint with a number of alchemists and am told that
171For a study on the practical side of alchemy as applied to this text sec Hermetic Journal, vo1.14 1
"The Alchemical Tree of Life," by Rafal T. Pnnkle.
172Part 2, folio 249a-250b. Pard, folio 23b-24b. Part 4. [aha 17la-l7lb (this includes aspects of
what could be considered herbal alchemy).
173Rosenrorh stated that this pardon of the Kabbalah Denudate had five sources:
I. Gardenof Pomegranates.
2. Gate of Ltghtby Rabbi Joseph Gikar.lla ben Abraham.
3. Kabala Recentior by Rabbai [izchak Loria.
4. Indexplurirnarium materiarum Cabalisticaruru in ipso Libra Sohar propitarum.
5. Compendium Libri Cabalistico-Chvrnici, Aesch Metzareph dicu, de Lapide Philosphico,