Sin death and beyond

SIN, DEATH AND BEYOND: M.M.NINAN
close his eyes and fix his thought on the four letters of the Ineffable Name. If the color he then
beholds is a very bright, sparkling white, his soul has proceeded from the world of emanation
(V12p233001.jpg V12p233002.jpg); if an ordinary white, from that of creative ideas
(V12p233003.jpg); if red, from that of creative formation (V12p233004.jpg); and if green, from
that of creative matter (V12p233005.jpg).
Special Instances.
The cabalists of the Luria school pretended to know the origins and transmigrations of all the
souls of the human race since Adam; and in their works accounts are given concerning Biblical
personages and the great teachers of Judaism. Thus, for instance, the soul of Aaron is said to
have been derived from the good part of that of Cain. It entered into the body of the high priest
Eli, who, in expiation of the sin committed by Aaron in making the golden calf—a sin
punishable with lapidation—broke his neck in falling from his seat. From Eli it transmigrated
into the body of Ezra; and it then became purified. The name "Adam" contains the initials of
David and Messiah, into whose bodies the soul of the first man successively entered. The
name "Laban" contains the initials of Balaam and Nabal, who successively received Laban's
soul. Jacob's soul passed into Mordecai; and because the former had sinned in prostrating
himself before Esau, Mordecai obstinately refused to prostrate himself before Haman, even at
the risk of endangering the safety of the Persian Jews. Interesting is the account given in the
"Sefer ha-Gilgulim" of the souls of some contemporaries of Isaac Luria. The soul of Isaac de
Lattes is said there to have been a spark from that of a pious man of the olden times
(V12p233006.jpg); that of Joseph Vital, one from the soul of Ezra; that of Moses Minz, one
from the soulof Seth, the son of Adam. To the soul of Moses Alshech was united that of the
amora Samuel ben Naḥmani; hence the former's talent for preaching. Both Moses Cordovero
and Elijah de Vidas partook of the soul of Zechariah ben Jehoiada; hence the great friendship
that existed between them. Because of some sin his soul had committed in a previous state
Moses Vital was unable to acquire a perfect knowledge of the Cabala. The soul of Joseph
Delpino entered into a black dog. Ḥayyim Vital possessed, according to Isaac Luria, a soul
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