The Law To Give
"All this and a book to say how thou didst come hither and a reproduction of this
ink and paper for ever -- for in it is the word secret & not only in the English -- and thy comment upon this the Book
of the Law shall be printed beautifully in red ink and black upon beautiful paper made by hand; and to each man and woman
that thou meetest, were it but to dine or to drink at them, it is the Law to give. Then they shall chance to abide in this
bliss or no; it is no odds. Do this quickly! But the work of the comment? That is easy; and Hadit burning in thy heart shall
make swift and secure thy pen. Establish at thy Kaaba a clerk-house: all must be done well and with business way." Liber AL
vel Legis 3:39-41
The Book of the Law is a gift to the world. The preceding verses were a reproduction of the imprinted
words on the stone tablet, the Stele of Revealing, that told the story of the ancient Mentu Priest of the City of Thebes,
Ankh-af-na-khonsu, that performed a magick ritual before the throne of Ra-Hoor-Khuit, and projected himself into the year
1904 where he dictated the words to contemporary magickian Alsteir Crowley in Cairo.
"All this and a book," the messenger proclaims and then states how Crowley
responded to his summons and reproduced the book of "ink and paper for ever."
The book is filled with secrets, and not only in the English language. Thus Crowley is directed
to comment on the book, and that its words "shall be printed beautifully in red ink and black upon beautiful
paper made by hand." The Egyptians had such technology, producing paper from papaya, and apparently scribed with inks
of both red and black.
The instructions to Crowley were to publish this book and then give it freely "to
each man and woman thou meetest," especially if it is a social meeting for a meal or a drink together.
Whether the recipients of the Book of the Law take the time to study it, and learn its mysteries,
is not Crowley's concern. "Then they shall chance to abide in this bliss or no; it is no odds."
His work is done. The responsibility is upon the receiver to accept this wonderful message. If it is done, there is bliss.
But most will toss it aside. Too confusing, they will say. Too much work to study and learn.
Crowley is instructed to hurry, and get the book published and distributed.
"But the work of the comment? That is easy; and Hadit burning in thy heart shall make
swift and secure thy pen. Establish at thy Kaaba a clerk-house: all must be done well and with business way "
Crowley lamented that the work of interpreting the book, and writing his comments, or clarifications,
about the words was slow in coming. He spent much of the rest of his life in this work and was never completely satisfied.
His book, The Law Is For All, contains an early, brief comment, followed by a second one. Other books that followed were devoted
to the message contained in this small book.
Copyright - James Donahue
