על החלומות, ספר א ל״דOn Dreams, Book I 34
א׳
1[193] When, however, God has come to the company of His friends, He does not begin to say His say before He has addressed each such friend calling him by name, in order that they may prick up their ears, and with stillness and attention so listen to the sacred precepts as to remember them for ever; for it is also said in another place, “Keep silence, and hearken” (Deut. 27:9).
ב׳
2[194] It is on this wise that Moses is addressed at the Bush, for we read “When He saw that he drew nigh to look, the Lord called him from out of the bush saying, ‘Moses, Moses.’ And he said, ‘What is it?’ ” (Ex. 3:4).
ג׳
3And Abraham, at the offering up of his beloved and only son as a burnt offering, is so addressed, both when he was beginning to offer the sacrifice, and when, after giving proof of his piety, he was prevented from causing to disappear from among men the nature which learns untaught, called Isaac.
ד׳
4[195] For when he was at the beginning we are told “God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, ‘Abraham, Abraham’; and he said ‘Here am I.’ And He said, ‘Take thy beloved son, whom thou lovedst, even Isaac, and offer him up.’ ” And when he had now brought the victim to the altar, then “an angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven, saying ‘Abraham, Abraham.’ And he said, ‘Here am I.’ And he said, ‘Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him’ ” (Gen. 22:1, 2, 9–12).
ה׳
5[196] The Practiser being one of the band of friends of God is, as we might expect, accorded the same prerogative and addressed by name; for we read “The angel of God said to me in sleep, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘What is it?’ ” (Gen. 31:11).
ו׳
6[197] And having been addressed by name he pays attention, endeavouring to note precisely the signs which appeared: and the signs are the couplings and breedings of thoughts in the guise of animals; for we read: “He lifted up his eyes and saw the he-goats and the rams mounting upon the sheep and the goats” (cf. Gen. 31:12).
ז׳
7[198] A he-goat is leader of a herd of goats, a ram of a flock of sheep; and these animals are figures of two perfect ways of thinking, of which the one cleanses and purges a soul from sin, and the other nourishes it and renders it full of high achievements. Such are the leading thoughts at the head of the herds within us; and the herds, possessed of dispositions answering to the names of sheep and goats which represent them, dart and go forward towards righteousness with earnestness.
ח׳
8[199] Having therefore opened the hitherto closed eye of the understanding, Jacob saw the perfect thoughts which correspond to he-goats and rams brought to the sharpest edge both for the diminishing of sins and the increase of all that we ought to do,—saw how they mount the sheep and the goats, that is to say the souls that are still young and tender, just fresh and in the very prime and flower of youth,—saw that they do so, not in the pursuit of irrational pleasure, but using the invisible seed of the doctrines of sound sense.
ט׳
9[200] For rich in offspring is this wedlock, seeing that it does not bring one body to the embraces of another but mates well-endowed souls with perfect virtues. Mount then, all ye right thoughts and reasonings of wisdom, impregnate, impart seed, and whenever you catch sight of a soul of deep rich virgin soil, pass it not by, but inviting it to union and intercourse with yourselves, render it pregnant and so effect its consummation; for all that it brings forth shall be goodly, male offspring “consisting of pure white, speckled and ashy-sprinkled” (Gen. 31:10).