Now the first starting place was from Ramesse [Rameses]; and whether the soul starts out from this world and comes to the future age or is converted from the errors of life to the way of virtue and knowledge, it starts out from Ramesse. For in our language Ramesse means confused agitation or agitation of the worm. By this it is made clear that everything in this world is set in agitation and disorder and also in corruption; for this is what the worm means. The soul should not remain in such agitation but should set out and come to Sochoth [Succoth].

Sochoth [Succoth] is interpreted tents. Thus the first progress of the soul is to be taken away from earthly agitation and to learn that it must dwell in tents like a wanderer, so that it can be, as it were, ready for battle and meet those who lie in wait for it unhindered and free.

Then when the soul thinks it is ready, it sets out from Succoth and camps at Buthan [Etham]. Buthan means valley. Now we have said that the stages refer to progress in the virtues. And a virtue is not acquired without training and hard work, nor is it tested as much in prosperity as in adversity. So the soul comes to a valley. For in valleys and in low places the struggle against the devil and the opposing powers takes place.

Iroth [Pi-hahiroth] means villages. For the soul has not yet come to the city, nor is what is perfect already held, but first and for the moment some small places are taken. For progress consists in coming to great things from small ones.

Iroth is situated opposite Beelsephon [Baal-zephon] and opposite Magdalum. Beel-sephon means the ascent of the watchtower or citadel. So the soul ascends from small things to great and is not yet placed in that watchtower but opposite the watchtower, that is, in sight of the watchtower. For it begins to watch and to look for the future hope and to contemplate the height of the progresses; little by little it grows, while it is more nourished by hope than worn out by toils.

This camp or stage is opposite Magdalum [Migdol] but not yet in Magdalum itself. For Magda-lum means grandeur. Thus, since it has in view both the ascent of watching and the grandeur of things to come, the soul, as we have said, is fed and nourished by great hopes. It is now situated in starting places and not in perfection.

Next they set out from Iroth and pass through the midst of the Red Sea and camp at Bitter Waters. We have said that the time of starting places is a time of dangers. How hard a temptation it is to pass through the midst of the sea, to see the waves rise piled up, to hear the noise and rumbling of the raging waters! But if you follow Moses, that is, the law of God, the waters will become for you walls on the right and left, and you will find a path on dry ground in the midst of the sea.

And so they camped at the Bitter Waters [Marah]. Do not be terrified or afraid when you hear of Bitter Waters. For the moment all discipline seems bitter rather than pleasant; later it yields the sweetest and most peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it, as the apostle teaches.^[1] Then too, the unleavened bread is commanded to be eaten with bitter herbs;^[2] nor is it possible to attain the Promised Land unless we pass through bitterness.

Helim [Elim] is where there are twelve springs of water and seventy-two^[1] palm trees. You see after bitterness, after the hardships of temptations, what pleasant places receive you! You would not have come to the palm trees unless you had endured the bitterness of temptations. Nor would you have come to the sweetness of the springs unless you had first overcome what was sad and harsh. . . . And Helim means rams; rams are the leaders of flocks. Thus who are the leaders of Christ’s flock but the apostles, who are also the twelve springs? But since our Lord and Savior chose not only those twelve but also seventy-two others, there are not only twelve springs but also seventy-two palm trees mentioned in Scripture.

They do not enter the Red Sea, since entering it once was enough. Now they camp next to the sea, so that they look at the sea and regard its waves but in no way fear its motions and assaults.

Sin means bramble bush or temptation. Thus the hope of good things now begins to smile upon you. What is the hope of good things? The Lord appeared from the bush and answered Moses; and this became the beginning of the Lord’s coming to the children of Israel.^[1] But it is not insignificant that Sin also means temptation. For visions usually involve temptation. Sometimes an angel of wickedness disguises himself as an angel of light.^[2]

Raphaca [Dophkah] means health. You see the order of the progresses, how when the soul is once made spiritual and begins to have the discernment of heavenly visions, it arrives at health. . . . For the soul has many infirmities. Avarice is one of the worst of its infirmities; pride, anger, boasting, fear, inconstancy, timidity, and the like. When, Lord Jesus, will you cure me of all these infirmities? When will you heal me so that I may say, Bless the Lord, O my soul, who heals all your infirmities^[1] so that I may be able to make a stage at Raphaca [Dophkah], which is healing?

Halus [Alush] means toils. Nor should you be surprised if toils follow health. For the soul acquires health from the Lord in order to accept toils with delight and not unwillingly.

Now Raphidin [Rephidim] means praise of judgment. Praise most justly follows toils, but what is the praise of? Judgment, it says. Therefore the soul becomes worthy of praise when it judges rightly, discerns rightly, that is, when it judges all things spiritually and is itself judged by no one.^[1]

Sina itself is a place in the wilderness that was earlier mentioned as Sin. But this place is, rather, the name of the mountain that is in that wilderness; it is called Sina after the name of the wilderness. Therefore, after the soul has been made praiseworthy in judgment and begins to have a right judgment, then it is given the law by God, since it has begun to be capable of receiving divine mysteries and heavenly visions.

From there they come to the Tombs of Lust [Kibroth-hattavah]. What are the Tombs of Lust? Doubtless it is where lusts are buried and covered over, where all desire is quenched and the flesh no longer lusts against the spirit, since it has been put to death by the death of Christ.^[1]

Next they come to Aseroth [Hazeroth]. This means perfect halls or blessedness. Consider quite carefully, each of you wanderers, what the order of progress is. After you have been buried and have handed over the lusts of the flesh to death, you will come to the spacious dignity of halls, you will come to blessedness. For blessed is the soul that is no longer driven by any vices of the flesh.

From there they come to Rathma or Pharam [Rithmah]. Rathma means completed vision, but Pharam means visible face. Why? Unless because the soul so grows that when it has ceased being driven by the troubles of the flesh, it has completed visions and gains perfect understanding of things, since it has a fuller and higher knowledge of the reasons for the incarnation of the Word of God and the purposes of his dispensations.

From there they come to Remonphares [Rimon-perez], which in our language means a high cutting through, that is, where the separation and distinction of great and heavenly things from earthly and lowly things takes place. For as the understanding of the soul grows, it is also furnished with an acquaintance with high things and is given judgment by which to cut what is eternal away from what is temporal and to distinguish what is perishable from what is everlasting.

Next they came to Lebna [Libnah], which means whitewashing. I know that in some respects whitewashing has a pejorative connotation. . . . But this whitewashing is that concerning which the prophet says, You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . .^[1] So then, this whitewashing must be understood to come from the radiance of the true light and to descend from the brightness of heavenly visions.

The next stage takes place in Ressa [Rissah], which could be put into our words as visible or praiseworthy temptation. Why is it that however great the progress made by the soul nonetheless temptations are not taken away from it? Here it becomes clear that temptations are brought to it as a kind of protection and defense. For just as meat, if it is not sprinkled with salt, no matter how great and special it is, becomes rotten, so also the soul, unless it is somehow salted with constant temptations, immediately becomes feeble and soft.

From it they come to Macelath [Kehelathah], which is sovereignty or staff. Power seems to be meant by both and that the soul has progressed so far as to rule over the body and to obtain by that the staff of power. Indeed, it is power not only over the body but also over the whole world that Paul means when he says, By the cross the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.^[1]

From there they come to Mt. Sephar [Shepher], which has the meaning sound of trumpets. The trumpet is a sign of war. Therefore when the soul perceives itself armed with so many and such important virtues, it necessarily goes forth to the war it has against principalities and powers and against the world rulers.^[1] Or, of course, the trumpet sounds in the Word of God, that is, in preaching and teaching, to give a distinct sound by the trumpet so that the person who hears it can prepare himself for war.^[2]

Next they arrive at Charadath [Haradah], which in our language signifies made competent. Indeed, this is just what Paul says, He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant.^[1]

From there a stage is made at Maceloth [Makheloth], which means from the beginning. For the person who strives for contemplation contemplates the beginning of things, or rather he refers everything to him who was in the beginning, nor is there any time when he abandons that beginning.

Next a stage is made at Cataath [Tahath], which is encouragement or endurance. For it is necessary for someone who wants to be of use to others to suffer many things and to bear them all patiently, as it is said of Paul, For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.^[1]

From there they come to Thara [Terah], which may be understood in our words as contemplation of amazement. . . . Thus the contemplation of amazement means a time when the mind is struck with amazement by the knowledge of great and marvelous things.

Next they come to Matheca [Mithkah], which means new death. What is the new death? When we die with Christ so that we may live with him.^[1]

From there they come to Asenna [Hashmonah], which is said to mean bone or bones. By this it is doubtless strength and the firmness of endurance that is revealed.

Now from here a stage is made at Mesoroth [Moseroth], which is thought to mean shutting out. What do they shut out? Doubtless the wicked suggestions of the opposing spirit from their thoughts.

Next they come to Banaim [Bene-jaakan], which means springs or filterings, that is, where one draws water from the springs of divine words until one filters them by drinking. . . . Thus a person filters the word of God when he does not omit even the least commandment, indeed when he gains the understanding that not even one iota or one dot in the word of God is insignificant.^[1]

Next they come to Galgad [Hor-haggidgad], which means temptation or dense crowd. Temptation, as I think, is a kind of strength and defense for the soul. For temptation is so mingled with virtues that no virtue appears to be seemly or complete without them.

When you pass through them, you will camp at Tabatha [Jotbathah]. Tabatha means good things. Thus they do not come to good things except after the trials of temptations.

From there, it says, they camped at Ebrona [Abronah], which is passage. For everything must be passed through. Even if you have come to good things, you must pass through them to better things until you come to that good thing in which you should always remain.

Next they come to Gasiongaber [Ezion-geber], which means the purposes of a man. If someone ceases to be a child in understanding, he arrives at the purposes of a man, just as Paul, who said, When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.^[1]

From there they come again to Sin [Zin]. And again Sin is temptation. For we said that there is no other way of furthering our embarking upon this journey.

Next they camp at Pharancades [Kadish], which is holy fruitfulness. You see where they come from; you see that holy fruitfulness follows the ploughed furrows of temptations.

They encamped at Mt. Or [Hor], which means mountains. For one comes to the mount of God so that he may himself become a fruitful mountain and a massive mountain^[1] or because the person who always dwells on the mount of God is called a mountaineer.

The stage at Selmona [Zalmonah] follows next. Its meaning is shadow of the portion. . . . The shadow of our portion, which gives us shade from all the heat of temptations, is Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Now from here they come to Phinon [Punon], which we think means frugality of the mouth. For the person who can contemplate the mystery of Christ and of the Holy Spirit, if he sees or hears what it is not right for men to speak,^[1] will necessarily have frugality of mouth, since he will know to whom, when and how he should speak of the divine mysteries.

Next they come to Oboth. Although we have not found an interpretation of this name, nonetheless we do not doubt that in this name as in all the others the logic of the progresses is preserved.

There follows next the stage that is called Gai [Iye-abarim], which means chasm. For through these progresses one approaches the bosom of Abraham, who says to those in torments, Between you and us a great chasm has been fixed.^[1] He comes so that he may also rest in his bosom, as blessed Lazarus did.

From there they come in turn to Dibongad [Dibon-gad], which bears the meaning beehive of temptations. How marvelous is the caution of divine providence! For look, this wanderer on his heavenly journey comes right up to the highest perfection by a succession of virtues; and nevertheless temptations do not leave him, though I hear temptations of a new kind. It means beehive of temptations. Scripture considers the bee a praiseworthy insect, and kings and commoners use what it produces for their health. This may rightly be taken of the words of the prophets and the apostles and all who wrote the sacred books.

Next, then, they come to Gelmon Deblathaim [Almon-diblathaim], which means scorn of figs, that is, where earthly things are completely scorned and despised. For unless what seems to delight us on earth is rejected and scorned, we cannot pass through to heavenly things.

There follows next the stage at Abarim opposite Nabau [Nebo], which is passage. But Nabau means separation. For when the soul has made its journey through all these virtues and has climbed to the height of perfection, it then passes from the world and separates from it, as it is written of Enoch, And he was not found, because God had taken him across.^[1]

The last stage is east of Moab by the Jordan. For the whole journey takes place, the whole course is run for the purpose of arriving at the river of God, so that we may make neighbors of the flowing Wisdom and may be watered by the waves of divine knowledge, and so that purified by them all we may be made worthy to enter the promised land.

He places the priest before the leader, since the priest comes closer to God.