Part 9 - The Prophet

The Lived Religion - Book 9 - The Prophet


Chapter 1

1 I am a prophet of the written Word, a man with many Books of Kodesh Wisdom, who comes to you in the Name of The Supreme Elohim!

2 I bear proof of my mission for all to see; I was charged by an Instructing Ruach with the burden of a prophet, it saying,

3 “Go forth into the highways and byways of the land, bearing the scars of one seared by nearness to the Flame of Truth!

4 be not a man of pleasure, nor a son of wickedness, have no love of comfort and the flattery of fine clothes,

5 deceive no woman for fleeting satisfaction, nor be deceived by worldly shadows,

6 here, you have seen with the eyes of man and know the nature of earthly things, are they not shadowy forms without substance, in which no trust can be placed?

7 all earthly things pass away, the loveliness of flowers withers and fades as the beauty of a woman's face slips away with the passing years,”

8 the voice of an Instructing Ruach continued,

9 “Go forth, shaker of those who slumber in ruach, go, stir up the minds of men, crying,

10 'Awake! bestir your true self within the flesh which is doomed to decay, cast off the fetters of worldliness and uncover the eyes of the soul!'

11 go, gather the sincere seekers and reveal to them a little light, guide them through the bewitching land of earthly illusion, so they leave it to enter the light of Truth, and not the darkness of death!”

12 hearing these things, I said, “Who am I to be a prophet to men?”

13 the voice of an Instructing Ruach came to me, “Be comforted, my son, by the knowledge of Truth,

14 go, submit yourself to life, the harsh taskmaster and gentle saviour, your own good works are not sufficient to pay the cost of entry into the Place of Light!”

15 I asked in sorrow, “Am I then a man of small righteous credit?” and the voice of the Instructing Ruach replied,

16 “Where is the righteous man who is blameless? all men are prone to error, for it is the father of courage and resolution!

17 you have been found reliable in testing, and fit for the covenant of prophesy,”

18 I speak with the words of the Ruach of Elohim, and I am its mouthpiece to men on Earth!

19 I will become an attraction for tribulation, be overwhelmed with troubles, rejected and mocked,

20 “You will be a physician dispensing a bitter draught, the message you bear will not strike men's ears like a charming love song, the words will not fall pleasantly like notes from a well-played harp;

21 pleasant things are fleeting and stir the hearts of men for only a brief moment, entertaining things are soon forgotten, and amusing things leave no mark;

22 your tongue will be a sting and your mouth a fiery furnace,

23 men will hear your words, but they will not penetrate to many hearts,

24 your hearers will say, 'We are much moved and our hearts charged with righteousness,' but these are words of wind, and their hearts will still follow the corrupting inclinations of their desires!”

25 from that day, I came to love life as never before! from that day, I was a lover of Truth!

26 now I no longer have any trust in the world, I am no longer deceived by its ways, I know the world and the works of men, and I know myself,

27 I sought for my soul, and I found myself,

28 I found Truth, and she stands higher than all the world!

29 I learned the secret of the serpent with its tail in its mouth, I saw the workings of the spawn of evil and the fungus of corruption,

30 I gazed upon the Dark Ones, and when they saw me they became vicious, they sought to attach themselves to me, but I was strengthened against them and came forth uncontaminated!

31 when the implications of my fate awoke knowledge in my heart, I wept for my wife, for my children, for would they not become fatherless?

32 who would harness the oxen and scatter the seed over the soil? who would tend the sheep and stand guard? who would protect from intruders?

33 the Voice said, “The path of the prophet is beset with sorrow,

34 your house is destined to become desolate,

35 your lands shall be abandoned to wild creatures, and many years shall pass before they are resown,”

36 then I said, “Let my wife be spared, and the children of my body? for they will be comforters to me along the way, and strengthen my heart in service,”

37 the voice of the Instructing Ruach replied,

38 “Were these things within my power to grant, gladly would it be done, but you have been chosen as a prophet, and the way is hard and lonely,

39 in the years ahead, your family will be mankind, and I will be your companion;

40 the road is long, and its end rests in Eternity,

41 fear lurks by the wayside, doubt haunts the forest to be traversed, and worldly temptations will be like wolves at your heels,

42 but, you can look forward to the joy of reunion at the destination!

43 and though the way is hard, the journey is not in vain.”


Chapter 2

1 Behold, I am the prophet of the day, now hear my voice! there is a Torah of Compensation: Good always leads to good, and bad always to bad,

2 know that whatever the demands made upon you, they are always within reason;

3 to you who defraud the poor and oppress the weak and defenceless, I tell you, your Day is coming!

4 you who make justice a bitter draught or two-pronged weapon, or who twist the torah of the land to suit selfish ends, you shall not escape the remorseless Divine Justice!

5 you who hate those who expose your evil ways and drag dark deeds out into the light of day, you scorners of honest men, you bribers and acceptors of bribes,

6 have a pleasant hour! for a grimmer Day will dawn!

7 you who harvest in fields you have not ploughed, who snatch a few pennies from the poverty stricken,

8 you who connive with the forces of ignorance, who are self-deceivers thinking yourselves learned,

9 you who walk in the comforting security of El-bestowed riches, unheeding of your duty, enjoy your hour! the Reckoning awaits!

10 you who are self-satisfied, priest-deluded, going about like blind men led by the blind, who dwell under a cloud of shamelessness, gaining riches and power by the ignorance and weakness of others,

11 you who say, “By our own strength have we accomplished our own ends,” rejoice while you may! that Day will come, and what will you have then?

12 the inheritance of Eternity is for the upright and frugal, but the wicked and wasters shall be shut out from the places of contentment and shalom,

13 hear my voice! let every man deal justly with another, speak the Truth, seek the path of true justice and never say, “I need seek no further,”

14 walk in ways of modesty and simplicity, shunning all forms of deceit and hypocrisy,

15 seek earnestly and diligently and surely you will find, selah; but expect no results if you are half-hearted and lukewarm,

16 hear my voice, for I am one who has tasted the waters of Truth at their Source! I come to scatter the seeds of wisdom and enlightenment over the whole Earth,

17 I am a planter of acorns intended to rise up into oak trees of Divinity!

18 do not delude yourselves that because I am among you, I have chosen you above others, I come among the worst not the best, and I am charged to go to all men,

19 yet though I come as an eagle, to strike the foxes who seek to wreck the fowl pen,

20 I come also to salve the wounds of the broken-hearted, and to lead those captive in ignorance to freedom!

21 I am not a prophet of new doctrines, neither do I declare Truth to be a new thing,

22 Truth remains always the same, however she is clothed,

23 I am not a foreteller of the future and do not claim the ability to know the end of any one of you, or even my own,

24 what lies ahead for any one of you is in your own hands.


Chapter 3

1 Some things are certainly revealed to me, and these I must reveal to you, for this is the obligation of a prophet,

2 I come among you not as a miracle worker, but as one charged with the duty of warning you openly,

3 among you are many who make secret mockery of their religion, or who conceal their true beliefs behind a false facade of righteousness, to those I say, beware,

4 awake to Truth! for you are deceived by worldliness!

5 they have failed the test of life, they are victims of its delusions,

6 hear my voice! every man is his own mother, this is Truth, for as a man forms himself, so will he be brought forth!

7 do not reject me, because I differ not from you, I speak in the words of men and act as men act, I make no claim to be more than man,

8 if you say to yourselves, “Why should we listen to this one who is no more than a man? seeking to change our ways? and undermine the teachings of our fathers?”

9 I say, have I come with guileful tongue? and lips coated with honey? do I wear garments of silk and linen? and eat at tables of luxury?

10 I do not come to speak pleasantries to you, but to declare the harsh and unavoidable Reality!

11 what I bring is not a honeyed drink, but a bitter draught, are these the wares of a false prophet?

12 if I am in error then all I endure is in vain, if I am wrong then on me is the punishment; but I have the assurance of certainty;

13 if the things of which I speak be fabricated by myself, or be the fruits of my imagination,

14 then I am like one who labours without wages, for I toil and suffer without gain,

15 even worse, I damn myself before the judgment seat of Truth!

16 what I have can be any man's, if he is prepared to suffer and endure as I did,

17 do you expect to obtain what I paid for so dearly, for nothing? to know Truth, you must accept my word, or, follow the road I trod, you have the choice,

18 I do not come before you declaring myself the confidant of The Supreme Elohim, the knower of secrets unattainable by others,

19 I do not lay claim to miraculous powers, neither do I pretend to have the ability to forgive sins, these things are beyond the ability of any man,

20 this I do declare to you:

21 I am no Superior Being, no Angel descended from the Heavens above, I am a man, such as you,

22 will you not hear me as brother listens to brother? will you pay less attention because I am cast in the same mould as yourselves?

23 hear my voice, for I have come to awaken those who sleep! I come to lead the blind! I am the eyes of those who do not see!

24 I am not a beguiler promising soft beds or comfort,

25 I come as a warner against those who promise an easy way, and I raise my voice against any who lull you into indolence by declaring the ability to intercede for you,

26 there is no easy way! and no one can intercede for another! each man is the master of his own fate,

27 as each man plants so shall he garner, and as he moulds himself so shall he come forth, there is always a Day of Reckoning!


Chapter 4

1 Long years I struggled and prepared myself, seeking to discover Truth and the purpose of life,

2 then, the day came when the Truth was revealed,

3 and I saw myself as one seeking for selfish ends, for the satisfaction and contentment of knowing! I, who should be strong, was weak,

4 so I devoted my full attention to the Instructing Voice,

5 I tested it for Reality and knew it was no delusion,

6 now, I act only upon the knowledge and proofs I have been given,

7 I am not a bearer of idle tales, do you think me such a fool as to sacrifice all I held dear? to give up all I possessed? to come and preach a false doctrine to those who would repay me with nothing but scorn?

8 do you consider me so lacking in wit that I would commit such an act of folly?

9 do not disregard what I have to say, the words I speak were dearly bought! do you treat them contemptuously because it was not you who paid the price?

10 hear and heed! I come to proclaim the Way of Life!

11 I can neither save you from the effects of your own errors, nor remit even the slightest transgression, I can only point the way,

12 I can only offer myself as a guide, I cannot drive you, I cannot carry you, neither can I assume responsibility for your fate,

13 if you are bent under a burden of sorrow, then I will lighten your load!

14 if you are oppressed, I will come to your aid! if you are lonely, then I am your friend! my hand is ever ready to help,

15 all things within my power to give I gladly offer, whether they be of this world or transcending it!

16 but false promises to gain popularity, fair words to make friends, appeasing words to turn away anger, those I cannot give;

17 the Day will come when we shall all stand naked before the Glare of Truth! that Day I do not fear, can the comforting false prophets speak likewise?

18 sons of fools are fathers of fools, if you will not accept these words of Truth, you deny them to your children,

19 revile me as you will, sheep bleat and asses bray, but the stalking wolf makes no reply,

20 I follow my beliefs, you follow yours, me to my end, you to yours;

21 had it been in accord with the Creating Intent, you could all have been born perfect in righteousness!

22 but what would you have been then? mere puppets dangling from the hand above,

23 the Divine Intent was not to create puppets, what end could they serve?

24 The Most High Adonai wants men, men with freewill, capable of decision! free men reaching upwards to Divinity, choosing it of their own accord!

25 you look upon me and say in your hearts, “Can we believe him?” yes! look upon me and see how I live, do I not live by my own words?

26 now, look upon those who declare me to be a false prophet, who are they?

27 are they not those who trample others underfoot in a scramble for power? do they not thrust the orphan aside? and permit the poor to starve in the midst of plenty?

28 who is the less hypocritical one to follow and believe?

29 may the woes of the world descend upon those who pray with their lips, while their hearts remain dead and unmoved!

30 likewise those who display devotion in public places, but turn a hungry man away from their back gate!

31 let them suffer no less who worship in the daylight, but in the darkness of night indulge in whispers of scandal and deceit!


Chapter 5

1 Hear my voice! listen to my words, obey these rules of conduct:

2 If any man names you a liar or treats you as one, have no further dealings with him;

3 keep away from the smooth-tongued man with oily ways, for he is unworthy of your friendship;

4 keep your face unsmiling in the presence of a man who uses vile language,

5 what spews from his mouth is the overspill of the rottenness within, he is empty and weak, and if encouraged, will spread his disease far and wide;

6 all things which really benefit man, whether materially or ruach-ually, and do no harm, are good, and should be encouraged;

7 if a man comes to you and says he has secret knowledge of benefit to man, then hear him fairly, bear with him patiently, for if he is sincere, even though you may derive no benefit and may be told nothing new, his sincerity needs encouragement;

8 though it is well to convert others to the Way of Truth, tread wearily,

9 many will seek to lay snares for you, or to find some hidden vice,

10 but, if you live as your Creator dictates, you will go free, and they will become ensnared!

11 foolish men believe what they want to believe and see what they want to see, leave them to form themselves as they will,

12 the Day will come when they will see themselves as they actually are, and on that Day fear will overcome them, they will not know where to run, all their cunning and trickery will not avail them then,

13 their words of scorn and mockery will rise up within them as bitter bile rises into the mouth,

14 have compassion for them! for on the Dread Day they will stand alone, their waiting companions the uncomforting horrors, skulking just beyond their sight!

15 those who have no desire for Truth will never be convinced of its existence!

16 there are many who do not believe in the existence of The Supreme Elohim, because they fear to do so, not because it conflicts with their reason or inclinations,

17 hear my voice, listen to my words! I have Books of Kodesh Wisdom giving guidance towards the light! I teach from them, and if they remain hidden, it is to keep them from the hands of despoilers,

18 you who remain with face set towards the darkness of disbelief, go your way,

19 if your affairs appear to prosper better than the affairs of those who walk in the light, do not deceive yourselves,

20 The Supreme Elohim is compassionate and you prosper because He pities you for your future fate!

21 in His mercy, He is granting you an abundance of pleasure in this life, enjoy it while you may!

22 to you who hear my voice, I say, let these things not bother you or appear unjust,

23 it is proper that the just and upright should suffer, for they are the chosen ones to be tested for greater things,

24 the weak horse is never heavy-laden;

25 you who withdraw, closing your ears to my words, who erect a barrier around your hearts so my teachings cannot penetrate, follow your way,

26 you take your road, and I will take mine, but when the gloom closes about you, do not say, “I have been treated unjustly!”

27 if any injustice is done, it will be by yourselves to yourselves,

28 the wickedness you have done will then recoil upon you, the Truth you derided will have caught up with you!

29 laugh if you will, but laugh well, for your laughter will come to an end, beyond it lies an ocean of tears!

30 if my teachings do not stir your hearts to response, they will not be forced upon you,

31 who am I to change the order of things and still your doubts? I have not come to bring assurances, but as a warner, and awakener,

32 many times, I have been tempted to withhold part of my message, knowing you would hold it in scorn,

33 I have been faint-hearted when others have mocked, saying, “Bring down an elohim from Heaven, or disclose the hiding place of treasure and we will believe,”

34 hard is the road of a prophet, and that is all I am, not a conjurer,

35 I speak with the voice of The Supreme Elohim! I serve Him, and to Him is my life dedicated!

36 were I to demand a sign from Him to bolster my own faith, would I not be unworthy of His trust? and a failure as a prophet?

37 a true prophet speaks harsh words, he is known by his unpopularity,

38 you turn from me, saying one to the other, “What does he want of us? where lies his gain?”

39 I ask nothing from you except a receptive mind!

40 I ask no riches, I seek no payment, my reward lies in the knowledge of a duty done, in a clear conscience, in having done my best,

41 were I seeking wealth, or even fame, this is the last way I would set about it,

42 I speak with a true voice, I am no deceiver with some subtle end in view,

43 I make no claim to possessing Kodesh treasures of wisdom, I make no claim to the knowledge of hidden mysteries or great secrets,

44 I am not an Angel, nor an elohim sent direct from Heaven, I am one of your own kind,

45 I am not a hypocrite seeking to curry favour by taking your side against those who ridicule your own views,

46 I stand alone, asking favour of no man,

47 I speak according to my heart! as my heart, so my lips!

48 my words are true, if I did not utter them I would be a coward, and a betrayer of all I hold dear!


Chapter 6

1 I am not the Prophet of Shalom, he is yet to come, wait and listen!

2 do not worship vainly and to no purpose! serve The Supreme Elohim! for there is none greater to serve, if you think otherwise, you devise false things,

3 take my teachings into your hearts, I offer them gladly, asking no reward,

4 will you not open your hearts and incline towards the light?

5 you demand proof of my prophesy, that I am what I declare myself to be,

6 the proof of a true prophet is in his way of life, have I ever lived otherwise than in accordance with my teachings?

7 false prophets gain worldly things, true prophets suffer unrewarded, without complaint; even then, what they suffer in the sight of men is only a small part of the whole burden;

8 you mock my teachings, declaring them to be false and foolish, you are suspicious of them, what do you fear?

9 be honest with yourselves, is it not because they disturb you? that inwardly, you know their Truth?

10 I have not come to bring you consolation, I come to cause you anxiety! I do not speak words of comfort, but words of urgency!

11 change your path now, before it is too late! the road back is long and tiresome!

12 you may ask me whether it is my desire that you should abandon the worship of your fathers? this is not my desire, retain all that is good and beneficial, reject all that serves no purpose;

13 you accuse me of being too solemn, you say I have lost the ability to laugh, that I set my face against merriment, in all this you wrong me, for I never set myself against laughter and happiness,

14 in all things there must be balance, laughter and happiness have their place, but they are not things of supreme importance;

15 you say, “Why should we not deal with our possessions and our lives as we wish? they are ours!”

16 I say, no man has sufficient wisdom within himself to know where his benefit lies, therefore he must seek guidance if he be truly wise,

17 which is the wiser? to deal with your lives according to the prompting of inclinations and desires? or to live them in a way most beneficial to yourselves?

18 why then do you reject my teachings or doubt my sincerity? have I asked anything from you except a change of heart?

19 you mock me, saying, “We cannot understand the import of your great teachings,” or you deride me, saying, “Were it not that we have pity on your state of madness, we would drive you away from us,”

20 for your sakes I have given up all I once possessed, I have left all I hold dear,

21 can you not spare me a few moments of your time? these are not superficial teachings! can you not spare time to consider them?

22 you say I am no more than a man like yourselves, this is true,

23 you say I am powerless among you, that I remain only because of your benevolence and goodwill,

24 if you think me powerless, you are mistaken, do not think me helpless because I come among you with humility and restraint,

25 had I so desired, my knowledge could have brought me riches and position, instead, I chose to live as I do and follow the road of a true prophet, is this not proof enough of my sincerity?

26 the times are good, there are bountiful harvests and the land is at shalom,

27 men come and go without fear, pleasure and comfort are to be found on every side,

28 it is a bad time for prophets, turbulence and trouble are needed to stir the hearts of men, to lift up their eyes to greater things!

29 when a man is beset with trouble, he turns to ruach-ual things for consolation and help, but no sooner has it passed than he reverts to his former ways,

30 many among you have come forward in a half-hearted manner, and said, “We have heard and believe, we are followers of your teachings,”

31 then the day came when they were called upon to make sacrifices for their beliefs, then, there was a speedy sorting out!

32 my mission is to find those who wish to serve Abba Adonai!

33 the man who pillows his head on a log is more likely to pray than one who lays on a pillow of down;

34 I am not a man gifted with eloquence, and did I come performing miracles, all would follow me, even the hypocrite and evildoer would be among those who walked the road,

35 who then could separate the chaff from the grain? the weak from the strong? those worthy of Divinity, from those who were not?


Chapter 7

1 All creation is upheld by the Torah, and the value of the Torah is revealed in the fact that even The Supreme El does not act against it,

2 the Torah is good, and it must be strictly applied!

3 if men are insincere and shiftless, the performances of miracles will not strengthen their hearts, they are like voyagers at sea: A storm rises and they are distressed, it abates and they rejoice,

4 when the winds roar and the waves mount up, they pray and proclaim their repentance, they profess their intention of living a new life, if saved,

5 yet, when they come safe to land again, they forget all that passed, they return to their previous ways,

6 they commit self-injuring excesses, and deeds of selfishness, only further affliction brings these to an end, can you not understand?

7 hear my voice, those of you who miserably bewail their misfortunes: When troubles beset you and new trials confront you every day, know you are being tested, life itself is a necklace of tests,

8 accept with fortitude whatever test life presents, saying in your heart, when meeting each one, “However this may appear now, it is for my ultimate good!”

9 you seek miraculous solutions for your problems? do you not understand the nature of freewill, and that miracles are contrary to it?

10 were they part of normal life, your fear of Divine intervention, or reliance upon Divine power, would sap your independence and stifle the expression of freewill,

11 your choice between good and evil would no longer be free, and you would become more of puppets and less of men,

12 so face up to every trial! for only the tests successfully undergone and the good deeds done have lasting value!

13 no two persons have the same abilities and inclinations, therefore, let each man serve The Supreme Elohim according to his endowments,

14 do not try to imitate another in service, for such imitation accomplishes less,

15 follow the road of your own choosing, serve to the best of your ability, live a good life! little more can be required of any man,

16 however, do not close your mind to The Supreme Elohim, thinking that service through earthly skill and ability is enough,

17 what you think and what you believe best, may all be wrong, you may not even know what is for your own good,

18 you were born without being consulted, you cannot direct your lives according to your desires, and you will die, whether you wish it or not,

19 such is earthly life,

20 and likewise, your condition in the afterlife may not accord with your own designs and will! selah;

21 you say, “Death is the end of all things! therefore, let us live as we will!”

22 are you certain? that you can state this as a fact?

23 what do you know of death? the only fact you do know beyond a doubt, is that death is the universal lot of man,

24 therefore exercise caution regarding something you know little about!

25 shed no tears for those who are already beyond the place of tears, can weeping console them? or mourning assist them?

26 what is life? or what is death? that you should grieve for either? they come and go, they merge one into the other,

27 sorrow and joy, pain and pleasure, tumult and shalom, they come and go, they play about man and are gone,

28 they are like winds rustling a tree, they pass, and the tree remains unmoved,

29 life is a lamp-lit room, with two doors leading to the darkness of night.


Chapter 8

1 Hear my voice! I condemn the slanderer, the talebearer, and the hypocrite! they are the inheritors of darkness, the ones destined for the dismal abyss!

2 I condemn those who amass riches and store possessions against the future, and those weaklings who delude themselves that wealth will shield them against the trials of life!

3 these are times of worldliness, when riches are the lure, the obsession of men,

4 only on the brink of the grave do they see the folly of their ways, then, when it is too late, they cry out in despair, saying, “Grant us just a little more time!” of what value would more time be to them?

5 food which would sustain widows and orphans is thrown by the rich to their dogs, and they say, “This is the natural order of things,”

6 I condemn them, not for their riches, but for what they think,

7 here, the widows and orphans cry, but who will cry beyond the grave?

8 ah, you indolent rich, fatten yourselves up, surely a lean time lies ahead!

9 and do not shift the blame when your just desserts are meted out,

10 you are the guardians of your future, the preparers of your future abode!

11 I condemn the self-deceivers! they say, with hypocritical lying heart, “This may be done, and this is forbidden,”

12 they split hairs, they have a conscience of convenience, they interpret the message from the formation of a letter,

13 hear my words! heed what I say,

14 do not twist the Truth so that it becomes lies! and say, “These are rules for the conduct of others,” at the same time masking your own deeds under a convenient veil of distortion,

15 never make torot for others, which you are unable to keep yourself,

16 are they better than you? if so, let them make torot!

17 I raise my voice against mean-minded men!

18 would there be any justice, were they to share the same fate as the generous and self-sacrificing?

19 I also condemn cowards! when they are told, “Be men, this is your duty!” their hearts quail inside them,

20 their knees tremble, their feet shift, they know their true nature will be revealed and can find no words to avoid their obligations;

21 those, I do not seek as converts, let them go their own way, for if there is hardship or persecution, if the followers of Truth are to be tested for their worthiness to survive and bear the light, where will they stand?

22 the smug, self-satisfied man is also not called upon to follow,

23 if good fortune smiles upon him, he will say, “See what I have been given? I must surely be a worthy man!”

24 the good fortune has been granted in mercy and compassion, his future fate is awful!

25 I condemn the man who says, “I am pure and I am good!” who is he to judge?

26 does the polecat think its own smell bad? does the adder throw away its venom?

27 only the deluded fool says, “I know what is good and what is bad, and need no information on the matter!”

28 when good fortune comes, he says, “I have led a good life, and this is my reward,” or “This results from my own efforts,”

29 if misfortune befalls him, he says, “This is the fault of some other,” or “This is a chastisement from above,”

30 the Weaver knows the design of the whole tapestry, the threads only the colour in their own part,

31 this life must be viewed together with the life to come if it is to be understood! only The Great Designer can do this,

32 and He metes out success and failure, joy and sorrow, all the tests of life accordingly,

33 heed these words! and heed them well.


Chapter 9

1 If some of you have done wrong and acted against your own future good, whatever it is, the harm is not irreparable,

2 there is still time! how long is unknowable, and that uncertainty is essential,

3 the damage must be repaired by a constant outpouring of good, yet this alone is not enough,

4 for the roots of evil must be torn up within you, felling the tree is insufficient!

5 those who heed my words and follow my teachings are Pilgrims on the Path!

6 they must be resolute and resourceful, for the going is tough, each victory a Pilgrim wins contains the promise of a harder one to follow,

7 every obstacle overcome brings another into view, from birth to death, life is a continual overcoming!

8 I do not speak of profound things, my words are for the ears of unlettered men, I try to speak within the understanding of every man and woman, and according to their capacity,

9 but because of this the enlightenment given to the many, may have no value to the few,

10 even so, there will be those who find it beyond their comprehension,

11 my teachings are many-sided, and therefore, each must interpret them according to his own capacity for understanding,

12 my words are not for those whose minds are pools of stagnation, a pot filled with stagnant water cannot become a receptacle for the flowing waters of wisdom,

13 my words are not for the intolerant and prejudiced, fresh milk cannot be mingled with sour;

14 hear my voice! where are my worldly adversaries? let them come forward and meet me in open discussion before you!

15 why do they keep away? why do they seek refuge behind influential men?

16 it is time to separate the good from the bad, the serviceable from the worthless!

17 the Earth is overloaded with useless things, progress is impeded in a welter of unnecessary things, it is deafened with the clacking of foolish tongues, and overwhelmed in a spate of valueless words,

18 society wallows in the mudhole of a purposeless existence, it must pull itself out or be drawn under and perish,

19 and this can only come about when man obeys the Torot of Life as recorded in the Scriptures!

20 live in accord with your neighbours, for irrelevant quarrelling harms all and benefits none,

21 endure every trial with steadfastness, and in the time between the tests, prepare for the next, never be caught unprepared,

22 many desire fame or greatness, but these come only in accordance with destiny, and if it be destined, they will come unbidden, therefore do not make these your aim in life,

23 those who live a good life, maintaining themselves in uprightness and shunning the ways of wickedness, do this for their own good, they are wise,

24 but would be foolish and hypocritical, were they to hold it was done for the sake of The Supreme Elohim alone, and not for their own sakes also!

25 some have been given riches in abundance, they lack none of the good things of life, others have nothing, and their burdens are grievous and heavy,

26 I have heard men say, “What kind of Adonai makes this the order of things?” but it is not Adonai! it is man who establishes this as the order of things!

27 The Supreme Elohim will not undertake the tasks of men, neither will He withdraw the tests of temptation when they are placed in the paths of men,

28 the Torah covering the dealings between men judges men with a greater justice than Earth can ever know!

29 it differentiates between the powerless slave who owns nothing and the man abundantly supplied with wealth and possessions,

30 a kind word or drink of water from a man in bondage is of greater value than gold pieces from a man of wealth,

31 a poor man who gives from compassion or comradeship does so in goodness,

32 but the goodness of a rich man giving in consciousness of charity, or from pride in his possessions and position, lacks the same purity, it is tainted,

33 whose goodness has the highest quality? that of the poor man who shares all his food and clothing with a fellow man? or that of the rich man who gives a few pieces of gold from the thousands in his treasury?

34 the same Torah differentiates between the maimed and afflicted and those who are whole and healthy, between the strong and weak, the dull-minded and the keen-minded man,

35 to act according to this Torah on Earth, selah; is to know that each man will be judged according to his ability and means,

36 and the feeling and intent behind an act are what give it value.


Chapter 10

1 I speak again to the cowards, for in these pleasant times who knows where they are? there has been no sorting out,

2 only their loud voices betray them, their love of comfort, their lack of hardihood, their appreciation of womanly things,

3 they say, “Would that times were different, and we had a call to action,” but when a matter is placed at issue, when the opposition is aggressive and immovable, they melt like wax images before the heat of fire;

4 there are others, not cowards, who have a point of weakness in their family ties,

5 obligations have an order of precedence which is to be strictly observed, but few men are so unbiased that they can decide such things for themselves,

6 wives and children cause men to stray from the strict path of duty, but for this, the wives and children are to be held blameless,

7 a wife and children are the sun of a man's life, they are almost indispensable to his full development!

8 yet they, like riches and power, are sources of trial, a means of testing, and every man should act in the light of this knowledge, by doing so, his life will be more harmonious and beneficial,

9 he should also bear in mind that his relationship with all his family is judged according to a Torah similar to the one just mentioned: As he treats them, how he acts, so is he judged!

10 the family living in a hovel of poverty is not expected to conform to such a high standard as the one in a place of plenty,

11 that the former does is to its credit, and that the latter fails and its standard falls below the other, is to its discredit, there will be a proper accounting!

12 those who live contentedly, snug in the bosom of their family, safe at home, going placidly about their daily affairs, untroubled by the call of the cause or the demands of duty, shall not be treated or judged like those who sacrifice and serve!

13 the placid and indolent are not judged the same as those who struggle resolutely and endure steadfastly!

14 the constant and the inconstant are not treated alike, their merits are in no way similar,

15 there is a greater recompense of merit for those who turn their back on home comforts than for those who remain content with shalom and placidity,

16 these are times of shalom and prosperity, but are they times of inner stability?

17 those born less fortunately, who have fought in bloody wars, who have been driven away homeless, who have endured famine, imprisonment, or persecution, have learned that mutual suffering is the cement of humanity,

18 the sweet flowers of friendship and understanding are found in the deserts of despair and distress, not in the pastures of pleasure and prosperity,

19 shalom and prosperity cannot remain with you forever!

20 therefore when trouble and strife descend upon you, as they have in the past, remember that the pattern of life is one of light and shade!

21 happiness and sorrow, success and failure, contentment and strife are sent alternatively among men,

22 that the good may be known from the bad, the strong from the weak, the true from the false, the straight-forward man from the hypocrite, and the selfish soul from the unselfish.


Chapter 11

1 Now, I will speak about deceitfulness, the evil rampant among you! nay, do not seek to drown my words in an avalanche of mockery,

2 honest men do not fear Truth! the Words of Elohim do not beat painfully against their ears,

3 there is no deceit so profound as the deceit of the self-deceived!

4 they are prisoners in a cell of their own building, and they have cast the key into the moat outside,

5 they may hide their true selves from others in this life and think they have done well, but there will be no such deception in the life to come!

6 some self-deceivers stand before me, half their thoughts proclaiming their goodness, and the others preparing acts of deceit,

7 others say, “But we are good and we are just,” and twist the lessons of the Scriptures with their own interpretations, and misquote to comply with their own convenience,

8 they cannot deceive The One Who sees the reflection of their inner image, but they may deceive you, for they put on the face of plausibility,

9 only He sees behind their mantle of goodness displayed to the eyes, and discovers the rottenness hidden underneath! the alms they give, the good deeds they perform, are no more than palliatives to their consciences,

10 they blow themselves up to appear great in the eyes of men, but there is nothing inside except wind,

11 beneath the mortal surface, there is a puny thing, weak and withered, could these only see their future fate they would surely cry!

12 to you who are healthy-minded, I say, keep well away from those self-deceivers, for if they do not corrupt you, they will surely lead you astray,

13 take no notice of what they say, their words are false, seek rather to discover the things hidden in the alcoves of their hearts!

14 some of you who are Pilgrims on the Path will find many seeking to gain your confidence and appearing willing to repudiate their own kind, have no dealings with them,

15 a man who would betray his faith, his race, his nation, his convictions, or his family is a weak reed, from which no support can be expected, and upon which no reliance can be placed;

16 if a man plots your downfall, return cunning with cunning, it is not wrong to slay a snake with its own venom,

17 if you disregard a man who schemes against you, you support his cause;

18 those totally ignorant of the Torah can do little harm, but those who know the Torah and disguise her are dangerous!

19 those who alter the appearance or mask the face of Truth are servants of evil!

20 among them are those who turn the Scriptures to suit their own ends, they say, “This is the true meaning, it is more convenient, less harsh,”

21 or they say, “This we see is written, but we do not strictly obey, it is too exacting to perform, we consider part and discard part,”

22 get rid of them! they confuse the genuine seeker for Truth, and mutilate the Word with their knife of selectivity!

23 Truth cannot be destroyed or changed! she cannot be stripped and displayed to the eyes of men, wisdom and knowledge cannot be trampled underfoot by turning the sword against their upholders!

24 I may not be powerful, I carry no weapons, my voice may be weak, but better men will come in days unborn, and they will sing glad songs of light!

25 the night of ignorance will have its end!


Chapter 12

1 You ask, “Why do the good suffer as well as the bad? why are the innocent afflicted as well as the guilty?”

2 it is because mankind is a single whole, if an arm is wounded the whole body suffers,

3 also, men are not strictly divided into good and bad, guilty and innocent;

4 just as the soul experiences pleasure, so must it experience pain, were it otherwise the pleasure would have no value, can light be known without the contrasting darkness?

5 it is suffering and sorrow, not pleasure and happiness, that have raised man to his present height,

6 pain is unpleasant, agony sometimes unendurable, but they can be accepted and borne by a realisation of their objective, the knowledge that they have a purpose and end,

7 my people, hear my voice, I am your prophet,

8 transmute the dark memories of your sorrows into light seeds of ruach-uality!

9 the pearl of perfect shalom lies in the dregs within the cup of suffering,

10 the haven of happiness lies across the turbulent seas of strife!

11 I speak to the toil-worn! to those heavy-burdened with labour:

12 In the bondage of servitude, you are free! you are not shackled with cravings begotten by idleness,

13 the idle rich are not free, they are slaves to their possessions, they suffer under the lash of their thoughts,

14 labour is not toil and nothing else, its rewards extend beyond worldly things, this is one of the tragedies of the rich who are denied them,

15 I will teach you the Truth, and it will make you free,

16 there is a right way to labour, and there is a wrong way,

17 there is also a way of labour that is full of song and a way that is silent, both play their part,

18 men should choose their form of labour, and in it, they should find contentment and self-expression, then it will not become wearisome,

19 the man who would be happy and contented must seek a form of labour free from anxious thoughts and fanciful desires, it must bring satisfaction and confer benefit;

20 these things have been said before, but I say them again: Do not pursue vain hopes or seek too high a reward, ask only for a just return and remain your own master,

21 it is unwise to seek a position too great for your abilities, by so doing, you burden yourself with a life of straining,

22 be satisfied with whatever fate decrees, and whatever problems perplex you, rise above them,

23 be without jealousy, never envious of another's position,

24 meet success and failure with equal poise, and your days will not be burdensome.


Chapter 13

1 Learn to see the hand of The Almighty Adonai in all things, and make your labour the sacrifice, your toil the offering to Him!

2 with care and diligence, honesty, and skill being your form of worship, you worship well,

3 diligence in the task, a life of moderation, leisure hours filled with service or study, these are proper sacrifices, selah;

4 those who curtail labour and then do nothing useful with the time gained are fools!

5 to abstain from enjoyment to serve beneficial ends is good, so also is dedication of worldly wealth beyond modest needs,

6 giving an honest day's labour for wages, living modestly and frugally, without meanness or harsh austerity, these too are worthy and acceptable sacrifices,

7 it is through sacrifices such as these that The Supreme Elohim is truly glorified!

8 neither contentment in this world, nor happiness in the world to come is for those who do not know the meaning of sacrifice,

9 all good works, all honest labour, all charitable deeds, all payments of full and fair wages, not futile burnings, are worthy sacrifices!

10 another form of sacrifice is the time devoted to studying the Scriptures!

11 open your hearts to my words! I speak only for your benefit, my voice is not raised for my own amusement!

12 there is much talk about the wickedness and arrogance of the rich,

13 it is not only they who are wicked and arrogant, and no man can be called wicked just because he is rich,

14 wealth does not necessarily serve evil, what matters is how a man deals with the inheritance entrusted to him, not only riches, but also strength, beauty, or talent;

15 search your own hearts before condemning others, it is not only the rich who are idle,

16 each of you, ask yourself how you would fare under the test of riches, and answer honestly,

17 is it certain you are not reviling the rich through envy? are you sure there is no hypocrisy in your hearts?

18 wealth is no light burden, and few, very few survive a severe test!

19 there are others, men of unusual ability, women of great beauty or talent, they, too, often fail; look within before you look without;

20 like those other things, labour is a challenge, the outcome can be a gain or a loss, victory or defeat,

21 the slovenly man who labours only to supply his needs is one on whom life is wasted,

22 the man who declines to utilise mind and limbs to the utmost is no better than the man whose riches permit him to live a life of uselessness,

23 the fault lies with the man, not his money,

24 the enjoyments that flow from worldly things bear within themselves seeds of sorrow to come,

25 worldly pleasures are passing things, and shalom and content are not to be found in them!

26 the man who serves The Supreme Elohim is one who considers the earthly rewards of effort less valuable than the ruach-ual gain,

27 the labour and efforts of Pilgrims on the Path are dedicated to serving mankind! and they reach out for ruach-uality when they find pleasure in their task,

28 therefore labour with zest and dedication, and become a Master of Life!


Chapter 14

1 Even as in all fire there is smoke, so in all things undertaken by men there will be some imperfection, for perfection lies outside this world,

2 the best man can do is strive towards perfection, in whatever he turn his hand to let perfection be the goal!

3 I say to you, seek happiness, enjoy yourselves! life is meant to be more light than shade, I also say, these things cannot be made the whole aim in life, see them in proper perspective,

4 happiness is not the goal of earthly life, it is a reward along the way,

5 but beware, the inclinations of men lure them from the path, I do not speak of things supporting their journey along the way, but of things leading them astray,

6 everyday life is governed by duty and obligation, not happiness and pleasure,

7 to be over-concerned with happiness and contentment is the surest way to unhappiness and restlessness,

8 submission to the Will of The Supreme Elohim is the surest means of avoiding too much suffering and frustration,

9 and knowledge of His Will comes from careful study of the Scriptures!

10 a man's trust in the goodness of The Supreme Elohim must not depend upon the outward circumstances surrounding that man, this is a very important thing to remember,

11 he should try and quell all expectations and preferences, accepting cheerfully whatever comes his way, joyfully enduring whatever destiny bestows, be it joy or sorrow, good or ill,

12 the man who serves best focuses his attention on each step as he travels his path, his only earthly ties being those of love, duty, and obligation,

13 if you are blessed with many gifts, there is no better way to indicate your gratitude than just being quietly and contentedly happy, finding pleasure in even the smallest things!

14 to know the Will of The Supreme Elohim, and do what He Wills, that is the supreme secret of ruach-uality,

15 labouring to fulfil His Torah is to worship with the daily task, a most profitable form of worship,

16 I say, let the Will of The Supreme Elohim be supreme! and subordinate all earthly desires to it!

17 the path of life is on a mountainside, man can ascend or descend according to his inclinations, he can take the hard or the easy way,

18 upwards is the light, downwards the darkness, man has the choice, he goes where he pleases.


Chapter 15

1 I speak to you as a warner, and I warn against the ways of evil men:

2 They are selfish men who are unheedful of the good of others, their thoughts do not extend beyond themselves and their own, they seek to isolate themselves from mankind,

3 they do not know what should be done and what should not be done, they do not understand the nature of good conduct and the path of Truth,

4 they say, “There is no such thing as goodness, mankind has no moral foundation,

5 there is no absolute Truth, there is no Supreme Elohim, there is no Creating Adon,

6 all creation is the result of chance, lust is the only cause of conception,

7 the only purpose of life is an earthly one, we begin and end in the dust!”

8 set in the ways of this belief, these unconscious souls dutifully serve the cause of evil, working, though they know not, for the destruction of mankind,

9 they taint their souls with unrestricted desires and stain them with uncontrolled urges,

10 full of arrogance and deceit, they ride roughshod over the ruach-ual inclinations of others and hold fast to their own dark beliefs,

11 their destructive work is carried on in the name of progress!

12 yet with all they have, they are unhappy and discontented, they are loaded with many unnecessary cares, and their restless thoughts never give them shalom,

13 they fruitlessly seek happiness in sensual enjoyments, in pleasure and gaiety, in the frivolities of life, in drinking and gambling, in luxury and ease, firmly believing they will find it there, that life can offer no more!

14 they are bound fast with fetters of worldliness, they are blind and insensitive to anything else,

15 they seethe within! anger, spitefulness, indignation, and malice are relieving outlets,

16 they seek refuge in lies and deceit! they hope for relief in outbursts of temper, in lust, sensuality, and in foul language,

17 their only aim is to amass wealth and possessions, or, to live a life of idleness and ease,

18 they say, “What I have I have earned, it is my own, with it I will acquire whatever I wish to satisfy my desires!

19 I have amassed riches, I have come to a high position, men look up to me, I am praised and honoured,

20 I can buy what I desire, I will enjoy life, I am a success, who else is like me?

21 I give charity, I fulfil my obligations, I am sought after by those who need advice and help,

22 I live comfortably, I eat well, I have all I need!”

23 this they say, but are they really happy? and at shalom?

24 they have been deceived by the trap of earthly conditions, they have fallen prey to the alluring phantoms of the senses,

25 they are slaves to their urges and captives of their cravings, they are bound and helpless in a chariot drawn by runaway horses, carried swiftly towards the yawning abyss!

26 weak men, they become drunk with the heady draughts of power and riches, they are carried away by their own arrogance and conceit,

27 they try to turn earthly condition towards serving their own ends, and struggle futilely against the Torah!

28 willing slaves of arrogance and selfishness, helpless victims in the stormy seas of rage, lust, and violence, these servants of evil hate the Divinity within themselves,

29 they hate and fear the Small Still Voice inside, they stifle it, they smother it under the loud clamour of gaiety,

30 they seek solace in strong wine, in sense-stimulating entertainment, and in ruach-poisoning drugs,

31 stand aside! let them be carried swiftly to the place of sorrow and vain regret!

32 hear my voice, do not fall into the trap of worldliness! do not fall willing victims to the allurements of phantoms!

33 look for Reality! and be satisfied with nothing less than Truth!


Chapter 16

1 Do not reject the Scriptures! study them carefully and you will have a guide through life,

2 they will reveal the right and the wrong, follow their light!

3 do what has to be done, no more is expected of you,

4 heed what I say, for I am your friend,

5 I will speak to you now about the commonplace man:

6 He is one in whom there is neither ruach-uality nor ruach-ual aspiration, he is not righteous, but neither is he really wicked, and he does not have any ingrained evil qualities,

7 he serves the cause of evil, though he is no more than a mere pawn,

8 no man can stand aside from the conflict, men such as these are unwittingly drawn into the service of evil!

9 the commonplace man has an understanding of good conduct, he is genteel, he is cultured,

10 people like him, he is at ease with them, they seek his company, he is useful to them, as they are to him,

11 but though he is full of worldly knowledge, he has little knowledge or understanding of the Scriptures, or of things transcending earthly existence,

12 he cannot soar into the heights, his feet are planted solidly on the ground, but his wings are undeveloped, he cannot rise above the ordinary,

13 his behaviour is that of the common crowd, he is a commonplace man,

14 he has learnt from earthly experience and associations, what conduct is right and what is wrong to serve worldly ends, this is not enough, to live fully and to good purpose, he must know more;

15 the commonplace woman is like the commonplace man: She moves easily in her earthly environment, but is incapable of raising her eyes above it,

16 she has so much to stir the hearts of men, she can be so desirable, yet, she fails to inspire them, she can goad them on towards earthly goals, but not to anything greater,

17 she can fan the flame of ambition in her children, but cannot inspire them to look beyond the world;

18 commonplace people have commonplace traits and weaknesses, I will speak of one, revengefulness!

19 an unjustifiable seeking for revenge springs from an inner weakness, the mean and servile person is most addicted to it,

20 malice, like revenge, is a trait of the weak, not of the strong!

21 if someone wrongs you without cause, do not let this disturb your tranquillity of mind, in this way, you will not be unnecessarily upset, but will also be revenged without any need for seeking it,

22 wrongs inflicted by the revenge-seeking man do not disturb the hearts of Pilgrims,

23 the tearing wind and flashing darts of lightning leave the sun and moon untroubled, their anger is vented on trees and things below!

24 the seas of the heart of the revengeful man are in turmoil!

25 you laugh, you mock me, and say, “We prefer life among the commonplace people, for they are easier to get along with, they do not criticise us,”

26 it is true, they will not, if they are unconcerned about their own future, how can they be considerate about yours?

27 you ask, “Why it is that the righteous people keep to themselves? while the wrongdoers are more companionable?”

28 the answer is simple, those who live good lives walk in the light and so do not fear to be alone, they have the companionship of the Ruach,

29 the wrongdoers however walk in darkness, and so have need of company, for they are secretly afraid.


Chapter 17

1 Not long since, one came to me and said, “Prophet, I have offended against the torah of the land, but not against the Torah of the Scriptures, am I blameless?”

2 I tell you this: The torah of the land may extend out beyond the Torah of the Scriptures, but should not conflict with it,

3 if so, the torah outside the Scriptures must also be obeyed,

4 but it is not for me to tell you of these things, if men are content to suffer under bad torot, whose is the blame?

5 the true nature of a nation is revealed in its torot!

6 this I do say: I condemn the torah-makers! who issue unjust and devious decrees, who seek to hide their true intent under a mountain of words,

7 I condemn the unjust torot armed with the sword of legality!

8 I condemn the judges! who spread a legal covering over cunningly laid traps, and snare men in nets made with words, they deceive the ignorant and simple with false masks of legality,

9 Truth and Justice weep outside the courthouse!

10 I condemn also those who stir up strife under protection of the torah, who cause legal mischief or deal in legal deception, to rob the innocent and unwary!

11 wickedness has many faces, but the most hideous is that of those who twist torot to serve selfish ends, or treat the downtrodden with harsh injustice,

12 I speak of these things, but I have not come to change the torah of the land or decide whether they be good or bad, I leave worldly things to worldly men;

13 you say, “Tell us, to which should a man owe greatest allegiance? to the leaders of his nation? or the leader of his faith?”

14 I say this: There is a scale of precedence, and man must serve whatever ranks highest in his heart,

15 the man who obeys his rulers, identifying himself with his people, with their progress, their welfare, their calamities, as though they were his, repenting for their wrongs and rejoicing in their triumphs, that man is a patriot, and patriotism has a proper place,

16 he is above the commonplace man, but not above the man ruach-ually inclined,

17 for ruach-ual things transcend earthly things, as the good of all mankind transcends the good of any nation;

18 in keeping the Torot of the Scriptures, good intent is the main consideration! there must be a complete absence of hypocrisy and deviousness! selah;

19 I speak in conformity with what is written, for if a prophet sets up a body of torot conflicting with established teachings, or torot claiming to replace them entirely, he is a false prophet!

20 man is the heir to Divinity! he must, however, submit to the Will of The Supreme Elohim, Who is much wiser than man, and this Will is made known through the Torot of the Scriptures!

21 man must not submit abjectly, through fear of punishment or hope of reward, for these things are unworthy of one aspiring to Divinity!

22 there is a ruach-ual value in submission to the Divine Will,

23 where the purpose is obscure and self-discipline required to conform, the value is even greater than where the reason is easily perceived;

24 I am not a man of fancy words, I have lived all my life among wise men and found nothing better for a man than silence,

25 study is not the most important thing, it is deeds! contemplation and speech have their place, but actions shift mountains, while words blow around them!

26 the knowledge that his soul records every word makes a man careful in speech,

27 it is the man whose inner self is wrapped in a mantle of ignorance who keeps no rein on his tongue,

28 if a man antagonises you, never answer him in haste, no reply at all is often an eloquent answer;

29 you ask me concerning marriage, others more able than I have spoken about it, study their words,

30 this I do say: It is not enough for husband and wife to love each other, they must make their love known,

31 a husband does this by showing his wife more respect than to any other woman, is she not the one he chose?

32 or has she been chosen unwisely? if this is so, then it is wrong to make her suffer for it!

33 a wife should be treated with delicacy and care, as the most precious of a man's possessions,

34 as no man expects his wife to defile his home by adultery, he should commit no adultery either,

35 a wise man leaves his wife to be mistress in his house and home, and he provides for her needs to the utmost of his ability!

36 this is the way a wife shows her love for her husband: She is at all times affectionate and womanly, always considerate and gentle,

37 she is careful in managing the household and supervises it diligently, being herself always neat and clean,

38 she never does anything to cause her husband anxiety, she is never wasteful with his earnings,

39 and she pushes aside every thought of other men and never disgraces her house or shows her contempt for her husband by committing adultery.


Chapter 18

1 Now, one asks, “Where shall I seek for Truth?”

2 I say this: They who set about it without hypocrisy will find Truth, no matter where or in what manner they seek, it is never far from men,

3 Truth is everlastingly unchangeable! Earth is false, because it changes and passes away,

4 Truth and The Supreme Elohim are One, because they are Eternal things!

5 things as you see them and things as they really are, are in no way alike, illusion is the environment of Earth, and it deludes the inner eyes with outward impressions,

6 as a needle pricks a blister to let out the water, so does the sharp point of The Scriptures pierce the veil of illusion and let out ignorance;

7 the mind of man is like a pool of water, while it is disturbed, only distorted pictures can be seen,

8 but when it becomes calm and still, the light of ruach-ual Truth is reflected there in all its beauty!

9 the inner being interprets things through a veil of emotion,

10 the man who burns hotly within himself sees the world about him as a fierce fire seeking to consume him,

11 while the man who is calm and quiet within sees all about him as tranquil and shalom-ful!

12 everyone suffers from certain fears in one form or another,

13 the feelings of anxiety, doubt, frustration, and despair are only normal, but to be overwhelmed by them is a sign of weakness and immaturity,

14 therefore, to those who are fearful and anxious or have doubts, more will be sent! for this is meant to be experienced and overcome, only by this means can man prepare himself for the greater tests ahead,

15 you ask, “How much more sorrow one must suffer to win freedom from sorrow?” there can be no such freedom on Earth,

16 here, the waters of sorrow are drawn from a bottomless well.


Chapter 19

1 I have chosen you from the many because of your eagerness, your attentiveness, your serenity, and your self-discipline, these are the basic qualities required,

2 you must also prove yourselves loyal, and adaptable, strong and trustworthy, intelligent and unselfish, free of all vices and bad traits, efficient, self-reliant, and stable!

3 when I was given my prophethood, I was told to initiate only the worthy persons who had proven their self-mastery and trustworthiness,

4 each of you must snap the knot of the heart,

5 you must study the Scriptures constantly! and apart from these, read words which are beautiful, inspiring, and true!

6 you must constantly strive for tranquillity of heart, for self-control, for self-harmony,

7 be kind and considerate at all times, always maintain purity of thought, and live good lives!

8 practise frugality, but false austerity for your own inner edification is impure,

9 when self-control or self-discipline become self-inflicted torture, or when their intent is to hurt another, then they are servants of evil,

10 however, sacrifices such as I have taught, the kindly acts of everyday living, are not to be abandoned,

11 strive each day to achieve greater self-harmony, for this is the swiftest path upward,

12 the senses and body cravings must be disciplined! otherwise they would assume control,

13 it is not sufficient to be ruach-ually developed, you must ensure that the body is completely controlled by the soul within, therefore, you must not succumb before the rigours of life,

14 you must not pamper yourselves! obtain victory over heat and cold, over the craving for food and drink, over the weaknesses of the flesh, and over the call of comfort,

15 you must cultivate persistence and resolution, for determination is essential on the path!

16 the women must practise all womanly virtues, such as decorum, decency, pity, modesty, sincerity, devotion, purity in all things, cleanliness, and love of love!

17 they must be free of all sensuality, lewdness, and crudeness,

18 they must maintain an evenness of mind through all things, whether pleasant or unpleasant,

19 they must aim for a single outpouring of pure love! a love never straying, never deceptive,

20 they must have contentment of heart, so that they can enjoy solitude, avoiding vain enjoyments and the noisy multitude;

21 the men must seek contentment and calmness within, and outwardly display a steadfast and unruffled front,

22 they must be courageous, generous, truthful, strong in character, and healthy in body!

23 they must cheerfully accept austerity and have the ability to endure privation, solitude, and a rigorous life,

24 they will have a distaste for aggression, for bullying, for the arrogant and haughty, for the cruel, and for the boasters;

25 in men and women, there will be a constant yearning to awaken the soul,

26 there is to be an ideal to be upheld, and a vision to follow!

27 you may practise all things and follow any way of life, consistent with the ruach-ual aims set out in the Scriptures,

28 hating another unjustifiably is wrong, but hatred itself is not necessarily wrong,

29 there is no wrong in hating cruelty, wickedness, arrogance, and many other things of evil!

30 the measure of all things is to be how they effect the sole aim and purpose of life, the upward flight of man!

31 in seeking contentment and shalom, beware that you do not fall into the pits of complacency, passiveness, and inertia,

32 apathy also sets its trap, and when caught in any of these, you will be doomed to a ruach-ual death!


Chapter 20

1 There are two kinds of people in the world: There are those who must chase enjoyment and pleasure because there is no happiness within them,

2 they are empty and have to suck happiness from people with whom they associate, or from their environment, or have to obtain it by external stimulation,

3 those are the ruach-ually deficient;

4 then there are those who are inwardly happy, they shed joy and contentment,

5 wherever they go they are a lamp of happiness giving out a bright glow which all may enjoy,

6 those can enjoy external things, but are not dependent on them and readily find happiness internally and shalom,

7 they are the ruach-ually healthy;

8 the purpose of earthly life is to experience!

9 therefore be wise enough to understand that though contentment and shalom may be desirable, they are no more than that, they are not prime objectives,

10 some people are like the uncomprehending butterflies, fluttering aimlessly from flower to flower of sensation and pleasure,

11 then there are the ruach-ually strong, who are like hawk-eyed birds, flying directly towards their objective, riding high above lower creatures, those are the two kinds of people;

12 since they never look within, the ruach-ually deficient lack awareness of the soul, and thus wander aimlessly.


Chapter 21

1 Always seek the beautiful in life, and add to it!

2 turn aside from all forms of vulgarity and crudeness, but it would be better to replace them with graciousness and loveliness,

3 however, do not forget that all too often a man seeking the beautiful, becomes soft, and it is well established that beauty can ruin a man!

4 be a man of few words, this does not mean become dumb, but make your words have value, it means avoid idle chatter,

5 a man can be judged by the company he keeps, so make sure you are always in good company,

6 avoid all persons of bad repute, for they follow a path of destruction!

7 be vigorous and alive, never fearing hard work! no living man can ever fully renounce work or effort, so avoid being numbered among the dead,

8 be a Master of Life! this is one who has his body and emotions firmly in rein,

9 when hard pressed by tribulations and afflictions he remains steadfast, his mind is never confused,

10 he knows what has to be done, what is expected of him, and does it! he strikes swiftly when action is needed, or just keeps plodding along the path,

11 his mind is clear regarding his duty, he knows his obligations and does not shirk them,

12 and he is always a pillar of strength to his weaker brethren;

13 who are the Masters of Life?

14 when you can ride the stormy seas of sorrow, when you are not overcome by pleasure, when you can control the passions, master fear, discard anger, and whatever comes maintain a quiet and steady manner, you will be a Master of Life!

15 when you can accept all your obligations cheerfully, do your duty at all times, accepting whatever comes be it good or ill, with steadfast heart, remaining calm in the midst of confusion and upheaval, you will be a Master of Life!

16 when you can temper all your desires with prudence, resist temptations to weakness, and bring all urges under control, when you can bring all senses into harmony, control all emotion, overcome the greed for possessions, and smother unwholesome desires, you will be a Master of Life!

17 when you can subdue anger, dispel dismay, never forget where your duty lies, and be completely free from confusion of mind, you will be a Master of Life!

18 searching their hearts with wisdom, Masters of Life find a stirring response to something greater, and discover the bond of union between man and the Ruach!

19 when the Master of Life knows his true nature and understands the unity of contact, he is freed from all delusion and sorrow, he rises to touch something greater Above!

20 self-control and harmony form the first step towards becoming a Master of Life,

21 harmony, meaning tranquillity within and harmonious relationships without,

22 self-control, means self-control in all things,

23 even an artist must exercise self-control when creating, the tradesman must control his sharp tools and the physician his knife, everything man does requires self-control in one form or another,

24 but the Master of Life has to do more than this, he has to transform his whole life into a creative act, self-control and creativity going hand in hand!

25 only self-control of itself is not enough, it must be subordinated to goodwill and loving kindness,

26 you, my disciples, must become Masters of Life! never regretting the past nor worrying about the future, but always applying yourselves to whatever is in hand at present!

27 the Masters of Life know what are good thoughts and what are bad thoughts, they know what to tell and what not to tell,

28 they know what to do and what not to do, they know what serves and what does not, what is good and what is bad:

29 If a house is seen to be on fire, this immediately suggests the getting of water or saving whatever may be within,

30 the commonplace man does not know how to act, he acts foolishly or in haste, the Master of Life does not get excited, he keeps his head,

31 he does not stand aside wringing his hands, he does not rush about or get in the way, impeding others,

32 he does not raise his voice, he does not offer futile sympathy, he remains calm, and quietly and efficiently does what needs doing,

33 he takes charge, or, places himself at the disposal of those who are better fitted to assume control!

34 the Master of Life is not bound by fetters the ignorant wear, neither is he guided into ways of darkness by the blind! he is no longer a prisoner of the flesh, but the charioteer of his body!

35 I call upon each of you! take up your burden, and travel the long road leading to mastership of life!

36 the progress of all Pilgrims who have taken this road is indicated by their conduct:

37 The instability has been left behind, the excesses are gone, the demanding desires are dropped,

38 the spitefulness, greed, and conceit have been discarded, wickedness and malice are thrown aside,

39 one by one they have been sloughed off, as a snake sheds its skin;

40 as Masters of Life, you will call upon others to follow you in the pilgrimage!

41 they will have to be resolute and strong, willing to devote their whole lives to serving the cause of Truth!

42 they will have to study diligently the pages of the Scriptures, and search ever deeper into the inmost recesses of their being,

43 as Masters of Life, you will set an example far beyond reach of the commonplace man,

44 you will be known from others by a profound serenity and resolute steadfastness, just as the commonplace man is distinguished by ignorance, by restlessness, the urge to hide himself in pleasure, and by enslavement to prejudice and emotion;

45 poise and confidence, the marks of real wisdom and knowledge, distinguish the Masters of Life!

46 unsteadiness, shiftiness, unreliability, ever-changing opinions, and fluctuating loyalties distinguish the commonplace man,

47 undue consideration for the outer body and the satisfaction of its desires marks the commonplace man, and his concern for material things is the prime cause of his delusion!


Chapter 22

1 My disciples, heed what I say,

2 be steadfast in heart and mind, cheerfully accepting the trials and tribulations which will beset you!

3 always seek the companionship of congenial and thoughtful fellow wayfarers,

4 develop your soul by contemplation of life, meditation of the Scriptures, and visualisation of the soul's form of beauty and glory!

5 the following are things you must strive against and overcome, so that they are completely banished from your nature,

6 you have heard them before, but they cannot be repeated too often:

7 All forms of anger, recklessness, cruelty, and boastfulness,

8 all tendencies towards falsehood, deceit, or dishonesty, or towards lewdness, obscenity, or lust,

9 fornication, seduction, and the degradation of women are forbidden,

10 cheating, insincerity, gossiping, slander, and talebearing are unworthy of you,

11 such things as an unforgiving nature, moral weakness, cowardice, instability, irresolution, fickleness, and intemperance are to be eliminated,

12 undue love of comfort, of worldly or sensual pleasures, and all forms of uncleanliness in mind and body must be overcome!

13 there is much talk among you concerning the nature of worship, understand this, true worship is seeking to unite the ruach below with the Ruach Above,

14 to do this, you must have a heart purged of all evil thoughts, a tongue undefiled by falsehood or tainted with deceit and hypocrisy, and a life free of all malice and hatred,

15 even this is not enough! for you must have a life filled with love and good deeds, only when in this state are you fit to worship!

16 as true disciples, you must spend your whole conscious life in purposeful and constructive thinking, you must be doers and not dreamers!

17 when you withdraw into the silence to worship, remember the great jewels of prayer: Serenity, purity, and trust!

18 how many of you have hesitated because you feared the opinions of others? the entreaties of loved ones? or the thoughts of possible suffering and discomfort?

19 I have spoken of discomfort, this I say again, too much comfort is not for you! neither should you sleep too much or too little,

20 you must overcome all tendencies towards sloth and carelessness, for these will sap your ruach-ual stamina;

21 do not be impatient for advancement, slow progress is often the best,

22 if someone breaks a hatching egg before its time, no chick will emerge, but when the time is ripe, the shell will be broken from within, and a healthy chick will arrive to life,

23 so it is with the awakening soul, let it emerge from within of its own accord!

24 but until you have purged your hearts of all impurities and washed away all the worldly filth, you cannot even set foot on the lower rung of the ladder leading to enlightenment and ruach-ual growth.


Chapter 23

1 You will choose candidates for discipleship who may become Masters of Life!

2 they must be calm and wise, recognising what is real, desirable, important and true, from what is false, illusive, trivial and unworthy of attention,

3 they must be ones who have overcome worldliness and are aware of Truth, they have no inclinations towards anything not actively assisting them in the search,

4 they must not be weak of character, neither must they be seeking a refuge!

5 the Kodesh Scriptures are not to be swallowed as one does a medicinal compound, they are to be assimilated slowly and digested with reason and experience,

6 never forget, it is the meaning, not the mere form of words in the Kodesh Scriptures which is of value,

7 a silken mantle may look better than a coarse woollen one, but which serves best in providing warmth?

8 also, keep in mind that the Scriptures are guides, they cannot undertake the hard work nor assume the burden,

9 the purpose of the Kodesh Scriptures is to show men what life should be, how they should be governed, how they should conduct themselves, what they should keep and what they should discard,

10 these are the Scriptures of those who follow the Great Path of the True Way, they are not for the mocker, the unbeliever, the man of worldly affairs or the evildoer,

11 nor men who are satiated with worldly learning, who have fallen into the pit dug by their own books!

12 though the Truth within the Kodesh Scriptures is unalterable, can never change, the revelation can always be interpreted according to man's progress,

13 the hidden Truths are to be made available to man whenever he is ready!

14 the ruach-ual man who is truly awakened sees much more in the text than the commonplace man, who may see no more than mere letters and words,

15 yet words are a forest in which man can easily lose his way, fine sentences and a grand manner of expression may just be a lure and a covering for the pit and stake!

16 as there are those who talk about ruach-ual things, but do no more than weave a web of words to trap the unwary!

17 to derive benefit from a bottle, the contents must be taken, merely reading the inscriptions will effect no cure,

18 my disciples, read the Kodesh Scriptures diligently! and never abandon your work and studies,

19 for to do so when you are struggling to cross the stream of life shows lack of resolution, and it achieves nothing, you will sacrifice your own self-assurance and your inspiration will be lost;

20 never forget, these Words are not fair weather friends, they are not things of feathers to blow away before a slight wind, they are stones in a solid causeway, firm and reliable under all conditions,

21 take these Kodesh Scriptures as your daily guide, make them your advisor whenever a problem arises!

22 unless they are put into practice, they remain valueless, just things to be thought about in idle moments,

23 the Inspired Writings are the mid-wife and nurse of the soul!

24 men should never indulge in argument or discussion as to the form and nature of The Supreme Elohim, this is folly, for an understanding of this is beyond even the awakened mind,

25 remember that three things must be brought together in combination: The Kodesh Scriptures, the wise instructor, and the eager and diligent pupil;

26 some awaken the soul by meditation, sometimes it is awakened through a vision, in some it awakens through good works, in others through labour,

27 it can be awakened by creativity and love, there are many means to suit the numerous conditions of men,

28 none will ever find words adequate to describe it to others,

29 so wonderful is the state of a newly awakened soul, so delightful the experience of sudden realisation, that none who has known it will ever forget!

30 there is no thought except a deep awareness of life, of being,

31 there is a sense of deeper reality than that of ordinary consciousness,

32 faith in the reality of the soul then gives way to certainty and assurance in the reality of The Supreme Elohim,

33 this awakened soul can now live life on Earth with certainty! for how can any man doubt the greatest experience of his life?