3. The Thanksgiving Hymns (1QH, 1Q35, 4Q4 27-432) Explanation of Mysteries
The Microprosophus is a creature of clay (3) that represents Jacob the humble servant (1) and will speak as a necromancer out of the ground (Isaiah 29) about “star in their courses and luminaries in their mysteries” which will to lead the people (of Israel) in the God’s way.
The teacher of the Thanksgiving Hymns is, “an edifice of dust” (5:20-21) Adam was made out of dust, so all men are made from dust or clay. One might think the repeated reference used in the text to one made from clay is a therefore man. To Rabbis in the Zohar, repetition is a cause for inquiry. So we might guess something else is meant in the text. In the following we quote some of the verses and see how they relate to the image of the face of Jacob.
Text | My Interpretation |
And I know that there is hope for someone you fashion out of clay to be an everlasting community. | The clay image of Jacob is to be the everlasting community of Israel
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I, a creature of clay, what am I? Mixed with water, with whom am I counted? What is my strength? | An The clay image is counted as the image of God who is his strength
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Through me have You illumined the faces of full many, and countless be the times You have shown Your power through m~ For You have made known unto me Your deep, mysterious things, have shared Your secret with me and so shown forth Your power; and before the eyes of full many this token stands revealed, that Your glory may be shown forth, and all living know of Your power. Yet, never could flesh alone attain unto this, nor that which is molded of clay do wonders so great
| The clay image is not human so flesh alone could not do these things
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a vessel of clay and kneaded with water, a foundation of shame and a spring of filth, a melting pot of iniquity and a structure of sin, a spirit of error, perverted without understanding and terrified by righteous judgment (9:21-23)
| The clay image as Jerusalem is a structure of sin
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