=book two, chapter three= the age and quality of the person who undertakes the operation > "his age ought not to be less than twenty-five years nor more than fifty" (p. 55) this chapter outlines the necessary qualifications for a practitioner. age and physical health are important considerations, as younger individuals may lack the maturity, and older individuals may lack the physical stamina required for the operation. while lineage is less important for this sacred magic compared to the qabalah (which has strict rules about legitimacy), the practitioner must live a temperate and virtuous life. the chapter also advises against engaging women in these operations due to perceived risks of curiosity and lack of discretion. > "all the books which treat of characters, extravagant figures, circles, convocations, conjurations, invocations, and other like matters... should be rejected, being works full of diabolical inventions." (p. 56) abraham denounces most magical books that focus on elaborate rituals involving circles, symbols, and invocations as diabolical and false. he asserts that these methods do not lead to true divine wisdom and that any success gained through such books is ultimately a deception by demonic forces. the true sacred magic, in contrast, is simple and does not rely on complex rituals or meaningless symbols. footnotes (56:1, 57:1) explain that these "black magic" books pervert true sacred names and symbols. while they might have a certain effect on the natural world, they are not part of the divine operation outlined in this book. here, the focus is on clarity and sincerity, not convoluted or obscure methods that distract from the direct relationship with god.
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