“The one hand of Moses was not enough for going forth from Egypt, and the hand of Aaron was also needed. Moses stands for knowledge of the law; Aaron, for skill in making sacrifices and immolations to God. It is therefore necessary for us when we come forth from Egypt to have not only the knowledge of the law and of faith but also the fruits of works well pleasing to God.”

“Unrolling the book still further, [Fabiola] came to the passage in which is given the list of all the halting places by which the people after leaving Egypt made its way to the waters of Jordan. And when she asked me the meaning and reason of each of these, I spoke doubtfully about some, dealt with others in a tone of assurance and in several instances simply confessed my ignorance. Hereupon she began to press me harder still, expostulating with me as though it were a thing unallowable that I should be ignorant of what I did not know, yet at the same time affirming her own unworthiness to understand mysteries so deep.”

“You have heard that Moses wrote this down by the word of the Lord. Why did the Lord want him to write it down? Was it so that this passage in Scripture about the stages the children of Israel made might benefit us in some way or that it should bring us no benefit? Who would dare to say that what is written "by the Word of God" is of no use and makes no contribution to salvation but is merely a narrative of what happened and was over and done a long time ago, but pertains in no way to us when it is told?”

“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].”

“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.”

“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.”

“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. 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.”

“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" so that I may be able to make a stage at Raphaca [Dophkah], which is healing?”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.…" 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."”

“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.”

“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, will necessarily have frugality of mouth, since he will know to whom, when and how he should speak of the divine mysteries.”

“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.”

“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."”

“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.”