Maftet: Lessons Along the Nile, Part II

Maftet did not insist, nor did I resist, as we walked down into the Nile, under the Nile. Shadowy milk-water, silk enveloping my body; my mind swirling, soul churning. I could breath beneath the stream like some mystical dream, and from there I was carried, not buried, to another place in time and space. The world was new as we flew back up onto the river bank and sank our toes in tall, lush grass; the Nile now shone like sparkling glass just poured from heaven to leaven the earth newly birthed, yet I had not to be told this place, still new with morning dew, was old but not worn or torn.

Maftet pointed toward garden grand — the Garden of God, I knew — made to stand forever and ne’er one celestial strand to be undone. And there, too, was the man, tall and beautifully tan, walking naked without shame, for there was no one to blame, and instantly I knew his name: “Adama.” Maftet nodded. And all the trees and leaves, bees and flowery marquee towering, overpowering enchanting entrance into Paradise, this slice of heaven on earth made to give mirth to both in safe, luxurious catacomb called home.

Whisper breeze carried Voice across choice meadow into the man’s ear to hear. “This all is yours, and fruit for good food, but be astute, ever acute and take care not to tear from the Tree you see of Knowing growing in middle of Garden fine, what flows with such sweet wine, for in the event you snatch potent fruit so cogent to overwhelm this entire realm will be the helm-blow of your death. Tis not for you, man of earth; t’would be your everlasting dearth, but see! I’ll give you one like me — like you, to be yardımcı-ezer — strong and true, lifelong companion to see you through and subdue the wild to render mild. Ah! She is here, your separate self, your better part, torn from your heart, but God gives you new start … as one again to begin again.”

Maftet then pointed to woman anointed with beauty ravishing, lavishing Garden with song so strong and melodic, hypnotic, and instantly I knew who she was: Havva (the one some call Eva.) “So there she is so near the Tree to see how luscious , precious, and wondrous. And will she tempt in contempt of divine decree…?” With no glee nor plea, Maftet silenced my foolish spree. And I noticed mordant serpent twisted round trunk, nearly sunk into bark crevices unseen to scheme his sinister plan to destroy the human clan as Havva approached without reproach to take of mystic produce to suck sweet juice with no abuse, but there was Adama, too, so obtuse.

“Listen! Closely listen!” Maftet insisted, and the serpent spoke to Havva: “Look at the fruit, how delightful, yet has Dyēus told you not to eat such divine treat?” Havva smiled and answered, “No. Dyēus has told Adama not to eat of the Tree, lest he no longer be free; to me Dyēus has said nothing of the kind, and I am not blind.” But wiles were hidden behind serpent smiles, and he answered, “Dyēus knows that when you both eat, you will take your seat among the gods, and with feet will trod the sky so high and heaven so nigh. So why deny your mate to satiate burning hunger for learning instead of churning in soul with gaping hole?”

“I don’t understand,” not muzzling my puzzlement. “Did not God command both to steer clear of tree and ne’er to pluck fruit to suit desire for higher state in defiance of Dyēus?”

“No! Do you not hear what is so clear? Listen and understand ere I reprimand what your foolishness demands.” Maftet held me square and froze me with glare. “I am not you, and you are not me; that much you see, but you and I are we. So I may freely dip, while you may not so much as sip; thus, I may do this while you’re held at bay. Ah! Simple child, Dyēus forbid Adama to eat of this fruit to suit his own raving craving, not Havva, which is why she said, ‘We may not eat; such must be as God does see.’ But it was on that fateful day that Havva gave way to compassion and passion of love, and gave precious fruit to the knave she was meant to succor and save… And the whole cosmos could hear Dyēus crying, and Ma’at raging at the lying ddiafol, desperately trying to forestall the inevitable fall … but the wall arose, and division has been the dæmonic derision of humanity sunk into insanity ever since. And now for ages pages have been written, and prayers have ascended with incense, as the three-mothers rinse away with rain the stain of Şeytan, to regain humanity into unity with complete immunity as it was in the beginning.”

At this I wept and slept on crest of her breast. Is there, then, any hope as we grope through this world, trying to cope with endless, primeval evil? Whisper in dream seemed softly to reply, “One grand try … Dyēus … one and only one Son … birth on earth … hell to fell…” Buckled into Maftet, instinctively I suckled rich flow, pressed against blessed breast, in nest of arms and legs and safe from harm and all alarm.

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Yardımcı-Ezer — Turkish/Hebrew combination translated “help;” however, ezer is used to describe God, the Everlasting One, and only otherwise uniquely applied to Havva (or Eva, Eve)

For other meanings of names and terms, refer to Part I

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Note: Image from http://www.devids.net

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