Chapter XXIII
THE MYSTICAL ARK
mind, are nevertheless accustomed at some time to be confined within the bounds of human comprehension. All kinds of contemplations can be carried out in both modes and are accustomed to be exercised now by ecstasy of mind, now without any ecstasy of mind.
Chapter XXIII That some have the gift of ecstasy fortuitously while others possess it from virtue, as it were Among those who are led above themselves in their contemplations and are carried up to ecstasy of mind, some await and receive this even now only from the summons of grace. On the other hand, others can acquire this for themselves by great activity of soul, yet with the cooperation of grace. The former have this gift fortuitously, as it were; but the latter already possess it as though from virtue. This experience is fortuitous, as it were, to each one in that he is not able to have it when or as he wishes. Therefore those who are able to do nothing at all in this from their own activity but can only await the hour of the summons of grace have this as though fortuitously. Those who in great measure are already able to have it when they wish are said to have the efficacy of a grace of this sort from virtue. We have the representation of one thing in Moses; the other, in Aaron the priest. For it was only by the grace of a showing from the Lord that Moses deserved to see the ark in the cloud on the mountain. He did not have it in his power at all to see it when he wished. However, Aaron had it in his power in great measure to enter into the Holy of Holies as often as the office of priest itself or reason required and to see within its veil the ark of the Lord.
It is certainly sufficiently evident that the Holy of Holies occupied the innermost and most secret place in the tabernacle of the covenant.
Therefore, just as we understand the supreme point of the mind by the peak of the mountain, so we understand the innermost part of the human mind by the Holy of Holies. But in the human soul the supreme point is undoubtedly the same as the innermost part, and
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
the innermost part the same as the supreme point. And so we understand the same thing by the peak of the mountain and the oracle of the tabernacle of the covenant.
Therefore, what does it mean to approach the peak of the mountain or the interior tabernacle, other than to ascend to, to take possession of and to occupy the supreme and innermost recess of the mind? Indeed, by that first tabernacle we understand the common state of the soul that we all know; but by the second tabernacle we understand that state of soul which is by ecstasy of mind and which few know as yet. To the former especially pertains the rational sense; but to the latter, the intellectual sense. In the former surely we gaze at the invisible things of ourselves; in the latter we contemplate invisible divine things. But a dense veil of forgetting separates and shuts off these states from each other (that is, the one known to all and the other experienced by few). For when we are carried away either above or within ourselves by ecstasy of mind in contemplation of divine things, we immediately forget all exterior things—nay not only those which are outside us but also those which are in us. And again: When we return to ourselves from that state of sublimity, we are completely unable to recall to our memory, with that truth and clarity we earlier observed, those things which earlier we saw above ourselves. And although we may retain in memory something from that experience and see it through a veil, as it were, and as though in the middle of a cloud, we lack the ability to comprehend or call to mind either the manner of seeing or the quality of the vision. And marvelously, in a way remembering, we do not remember; and not remembering, we remember; while seeing we do not discern; looking at, we do not examine; and as we direct our intention to something, we do not penetrate it. Certainly you see that the human mind— whether it goes into that innermost place of hidden secrets or whether it goes out from there to exterior things—you see, I say, that each of these has a veil of forgetting.
And so it means the same thing to enter the cloud and to penetrate within the veil. But although that which Moses accomplished and that in which Aaron was employed often are concerned with the same things, nevertheless they differ especially in that which each of them does, since in this hour the former was mindful only of the good pleasure of another; the latter undertook it as a duty, as it
THE MYSTICAL ARK
were, and accomplished it in great part as he wished. But so that Aaron might be able to have the proper and ready thing in order to go within the veil when he wished and it was necessary, he had acquired and possessed for himself the pontifical accoutrements and clothing sufficient for that office. What does it mean to have clothing sufficient for that office, except to acquire those merits of virtues by which it is possible to have in use the function of a grace of this sort? However, it is proper for whoever wishes to penetrate to the interior of the veil to move forward not only clothed in the pontifical clothing but also surrounded with a cloud of aromatic smoke, according to the Lord's command; the result will be that at the hour of his entrance he is fervent with so great an exhalation of celestial desires and a boiling over of aromatic smoke, as it were, that he comes to Him in contempt of self and considers everything that might be pleasing among the accoutrements of the inner man to be worth nothing. Perhaps it means the same thing for Moses to leave the crowd behind at the foot of the mountain and for Aaron to take off ordinary clothing before entering into the tabernacle; or again, for Moses to ascend the mountain with the elders of Israel and for Aaron to go into the interior tabernacle with pontifical clothing. Perhaps it is not one thing and then another when Moses reaches the peak of the mountain with only Joshua after having left the elders behind on the ascent of the mountain, and Aaron hastens into the Holy of Holies with aromatic incense. And again: No less does Moses penetrate into a cloud and Aaron penetrate within the veil. The result is that between the two actions there is only this difference as far as concerns the mystical teaching: That one went secretly into that secret conversation of divine showing from only the calling of the Lord; the other went from his own deliberation.