Fama Fraternitatis - 1614

Wiewohl wir nun wohl wissen, daß es umb ein ziemliches noch nicht an dem, da wieder unserm Verlangen oder auch anderer Hoffnung mit allgemeiner Reformation divini et humani, solle genug geschehen, ist es doch nicht unbillich, daß, ehe die Sonne auffgehet, sie zuvor ein HELL oder dunkel liecht in den Himmel bringt und unter dessen etliche wenige, die sich werden angeben, zusammen tretten, unsere Fraternitet mit der Zahl und Ansehen des gewünschten und von Fr.R.C. fürgeschriebenen Philosophischen Canons, einen glücklichen Anfang machen oder ja in unserer Schätz (die uns nimmermehr aufgehen können) mit uns in Demut und Liebe genießen die Mühsamkeit dieser Welt überzuckern und in den Wunderwerken Gottes nicht also blind umbgehen.

Vi vet dock att det enligt vår åstundan och andras förväntningar efter någon tid kommer en allmän reformation av både gudomliga och mänskliga ting. Ty innan solen går upp, upplyses himlen av
MORGONRODNADENS ljus. I väntan på denna reformation församlas några få som med sitt antal skall utöka vårt brödraskap, höja dess anseende och stärka dess förhoppningar och ge de av Fr.R.C. föreskrivna Filosofiska Canons en lycklig begynnelse. I all ödmjukhet och kärlek skall dessa nytillkomna tillsammans med oss dela våra skatter, som aldrig skall förgås, och så lindra denna världens möda och inte längre vandra ovetande om kunskapen om Guds underbara verk.

Howbeit we know after a time there will now be a general reformation, both of divine and humane things, according to our desire, and the expectation of others: for it is fitting, that before the rising of the Sun, there should appear and break forth AURORA, or some clearness, or divine light in the sky; and so in the mean time some few, which shall give their names, may joyn together, thereby to increase the number and respect of our Fraternity, and make a happy and wished for beginning of our Philosophical Canons, prescribed to us by our brother R.C. and be partakers with us of our treasures (which never can fail or be wasted) in all humility, and love to be eased of this worlds labor, and not walk so blindly in the knowledge of the wonderful works of God.

Definition

Det brittiska ordenssällskapet Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn och den tyska Frimurarlogen L'Aurore Naissante, vilket grundades i London 1888 respektive Frankfurt-am-Main 1807, delade på samma hebreiska namn Chevrah Zerach Bequr Aur, förevisat i gyllene gult vid bloggens huvud, vilket ordagrannt kan översättas till “Stigande Gryningsljusets Sällskap”. Denna tyska Rosenkorsiska Frimurarloge i Frankfurt, vilket måste anses vara det ursprungliga modertemplet till GOLDEN DAWN, kallade sig på tyska även Loge sur Aufgehenden Morgenröthe, vilket kan översättas till “Gryende Morgonrodnadens Loge”. Detta skiljer sig åt från den engelska seden att översätta orden Bequr Aur till “Golden Dawn” eller “Gyllene Gryningen”. Med anledning av Rosenkorstraditionens tyska ursprung är en mer korrekt översättning av Bequr Aur, genom franskans L'Aurore Naissante och tyskans Aufgehenden Morgenröthe, inget annat än GRYENDE MORGONRODNADEN. Denna hänvisning till ett stigande gryningsljus, morgonrodnad eller aurora är en klar hänvisning till den allmäna reformationen omnämnt i det ovan citerade stycket från Fama Fraternitatis. Denna blogg har dock valt att behålla den försvenskade anglo-saxiska termen GYLLENE GRYNINGEN för att denna, invand som den är, lättare associeras med den Rosenkorsiska tradition som här ämnas att framställas.

Licht, Leben, Liebe

torsdag 2 oktober 2008

The Frankist Qabalah - A follow up to the Origins of the Qabalah of the Golden Dawn

o
This is a followup on my previous essay on the origins of the Qabalah of the Golden Dawn, or rather my lengthy citations of the schoolary postings of Olen Rush. Yesterday on the International Golden Dawn Forum he made another higly illuminating post on the subject of the frankist Christian Qabalah, named after the founder Yakov Leib Frank (1726-91; see image above), which I feel deserves another highlight.

In his post Olen said that
Shabtai Tzvi (1626-76) suddenly emerged in the wake of Polish persecution of Jews "and the majority of the House of Israel believed him to be the Messiah... then he converted to Islam... and joined the Bektashi Sufi Order. This caused a blending of Islamic Mysticism with the Kabbalah. This forced Conversion became Mythopoetically and Psychologically very Powerful to the Marrano Psyche and they found no objection to the Messiah as a Crypto-Jew. Later... an Avatar arose (the Yechidah Mosiach dwelt within him) his name was Yaqob Frank... he merged the sect with Mystical worship of 'The Virgin' of Czestochwa. The influence of Frank is seen in the Kabblah of the GD as it stemmed from the 'Chevrah Zerach Bequr Aur' or 'Society of the Shining Light of Dawn' which was part of the Asiatic Brethren. Yaqob Frank's cousin was really the primary person of this Group. There is also the influence of Samuel Chayim Falk who was active in circles around Swedenborg, Cagliostro, and also is the source of the 'Kabbalistic College' occasionally mentioned in GD histories. There was also a blending of Neoplatonic Philosophy with Kabbalah along with he use of Islamic Philosophers and the writings of Christian Kabbalists, in the systems of Abraham Cohen de Herrera and a few others whose writings are included in Rosenroth's 'Kabbala Denudata' a source text for the GD"

It is interesting to see how well the Polish Sabbatean Qabalah could blend with Catholicism and the worship of the Virgin Mary. Well it's no surprise actually, as the Frankist take on Qabalah is considered as a form of Christian Qabalah. But in this instance it is the Jew which embraces Christian mysticism, not the other way around like with Pico della Mirandola of the Italian school of Hermetic Qabalah. While the Sabbatean Qabalah finally blended with Islam, through the conversion of
Shabtai Tzvi, Jacov Frank likewise encouraged his followers to embrace Christianity in its messianic mission, as it considered the religion of Christ as a intermediate stage towards a new form of messianic religion. It even considered Jerusalem as replaced with Poland for "the place of the Ascent". Hence its label as "heretic" in the eyes of contemporary Jewdome. As residents of Poland, it was only natural for them to embrace the peculiar cult of the Virgin Mary, which no doubt blended well with the Qabalistic view of sexual polarity.
o
"The Virgin" of Częstochowa is a reference to the painting called "The Black Madonna" which is held in the Polish castle and monnastary of Częstochowa. This image is a true icon of the Polish nation and people, and she is taken through several cities and villages on a yearly basis, were she is worshiped in a almost pagan fashion. In Poland the worship of the "Mother of God" is very prominent as she is said to have appeared in different places there, and effectively selecting the Poles as her "chosen people".

The Black Madonna

As a young child, with ancestry in Poland, I heard a story told by one of my Polish relatives which is quite faschinating, and says a lot of the beliefs held in the
minds of common Polish people. During the war with Sweden in the 17th Century the Swedish Army under Karl X Gustav held a siege of castle Częstochowa. It is generally believed that a Swedish officer took his sword and stabbed the Black Madonna twice at her chin. The two scars are easily seen on the image. It is generally believed by Poles that the two wounds are wandering towards the throat. When they reach it the Apocalypse will be a fact, but this can only be prevented by prayer, a responsibility that is the lot of the Polish people.

The cult of the Black Madonna is a form of a worship of the Divine Feminine, and probably blended well within the Sabbatean/Frankist movement,
which is renowned for its sexual mysticism. Yakov Frank was a devout worshiper of the Divine Feminine, which is easily discernable in one of his sayings: "In a dream in Częstochowa I saw the Goddess who came to me appearing as a beautiful virgin". No wonder then that Inner Alchemy - with its emphasis on the Venusian current - took a prominent place amongst the Asiatic Brethren. Its no surprise either that Frankist Qabalah was chosen to blend with Rosicrucianism, considering the Christian natures of both. And from this, if we are to believe Mr. Rush (and other scholars), finally emerged the Golden Dawn.
o
I cannot help to wonder if there are any traces left from the "new"
messianic religion of Jacov Frank embedded within the philosophy of the Golden Dawn. Perhaps in the myth of Christian Rosenkreutz?

S.R.

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