Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh)
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Introduction
Overview
Review Of Literature
History Of The Qabalah
Three Branches Of The Qabalah
Orthodox Qabalah
Literal Qabalah
Unwritten Qabalah
The Hebrew Letters
The Ten Sephiroth
The Tree Of Life
Discussion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Written by Balthazar Seferiades
Introduction
Question: "Hey, isn't 'Kabbalah' spelled with a 'k?'"
Answer: "Well, that depends on whether you translate the
Hebrew letter Qoph as 'q,' 'k,' or 'c.'"
The above bit of dialogue gives us an idea of the difficulty we face in translating ancient Hebrew words into English. As Dr. Kraig put it in his book, Modern Magick (1992), "There is no precise transliteration between English and Hebrew." This is why authors simply use whatever spelling for the word "Qabalah" that they prefer. You can decide for yourself whether you like to write "qabalah," "kabbalah," or "Qabalah." There is no exact way of spelling this word in ordinary English. The spelling used in the title of this course, "Qabalah," with a capital "Q" to signify its mystical intent, will be used most often in the pages that follow. However, when quoting from other authors, we have preserved the original spelling used by those authors.
Since the Qabalah is a metaphysical science, shouldn't we have a precise way of spelling Hebrew words? The answer is yes. After all, science requires exact terminology. The word "Qabalah," for example, can be spelled precisely as "QBLH." This is because, as cabalistic author Henrietta Bernstein explains in the Cabalah Primer (1984), "...modern cabalists have devised a system of substituting an English capital letter, which sounds like the original letter, for each letter in the Hebrew alphabet. In this way any Hebrew word can be printed in English with its Hebrew spelling intact, and allow the reader not only to ascertain its numerical value, but also to have a rough idea of the way it is pronounced."
Here follows the system of substitution to which Bernstein refers, with the names of the Hebrew letters written first, and the corresponding English capitals next to them:
Aleph= A
Teth= T
Peh= Ph (or P)
Beth= B
Yod= Y (or I)
Tzaddi= Tz
Gime1= G
Kaph= K
Qoph= Q
Daleth= D
Lamed= L
Resh= R
Heh= H
Mem= M
Shin= Sh
Vau= V (or U)
Nun= N
Tau= Th
Zain= Z
Samekh= S
Cheth= Ch
Ayin= O
This system tells us that the Hebrew word QBLH is made up of the letters Qoph, Beth, Lamed, and Heh. When written this way, QBLH becomes a scientific term with an exact numerical value. We'll get to the math part later. For now, at least we know that there is one precise way of spelling any given Hebrew word using English letters. Knowing how to spell Hebrew words is the first step on the path to becoming a competent cabalist.
For those who feel a bit intimidated by the scientific exactitude of the Qabalah, allow yourself to be soothed by the knowledge that you will not be expected to learn how to draw the ancient Hebrew characters and arrange them from right to left in order to form words, as a true Cabalist or ceremonial magician must in order to truly practice this esoteric art. To quote from the Cabalah Primer (1984) again, "Extensive knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet is certainly not required of those who wish to study Cabalah." The present author shares this lenient attitude with regard to students who wish to take this course for the purpose of acquiring a general knowledge of our subject. The work you now hold in your hands must be seen as an introduction, merely, to the vast subject of the Hebrew Qabalah and its application to the occult sciences. Serious students ought to read widely from the books listed in the bibliography, or from others if these are not to be found. Those aspiring to the path of ceremonial magic must teach themselves to write in the original Hebrew script, and ought perhaps to learn another alphabet such as Coptic or Greek as well. On the other hand, those of you who would like only to acquire the basic skills necessary to practice the esoteric science of the Qabalah need not be troubled with the difficult task of learning how to read and write in ancient Hebrew. The numerical values, lists of correspondences, and metaphysical concepts that follow will allow you to grasp the essentials of cabalistic thinking. Such thinking will be of inestimable value to you in all of your metaphysical endeavors.
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
Overview
Qabalah is an esoteric science that combines math and occult philosophy for the purpose of mystical ormagical attainment. We will be dealing specifically with the Hebrew Qabalah in this course. Greek, Arabic, andEnglish cabalistic systems also exist, or can be recreated by the individual cabalist using the references listed inthe bibliography. All of these cabalistic systems are in essence mathematical languages using a form of logicbased on analogy. Logic by analogy corresponds to Plato's philosophy of ideas and archetypes, rather than to thedeductive reasoning of Aristotle on which rationalist science is based. Therefore, the Qabalah represents one ofthe last vestiges of the mystical school of scientific thought that prevailed in Europe and the Middle East beforethe 17th century. Astrology, alchemy, witchcraft, and the Qabalah all belong to the same tradition: one in whichthe mysterious power of metaphor has been distilled into an exact science.
The Qabalah provides you, the student of metaphysical sciences, with a magical alphabet that can beused to formulate and convey concepts of cosmic significance, as well as to organize and correlate the entire bodyof knowledge that mankind possesses. This magical alphabet serves as a tool for interpreting omens in everydaylife, decoding ancient texts, tarot divination, and the practice of magic.
The magical alphabet consists of ten numbers and twenty‐two letters. Together these make up the thirtytwoPaths on the Tree of Life. The following course explains, as succinctly as possible, the metaphysical conceptsbehind the twenty‐two Hebrew letters and the ten Sephiroth. Those who practice with this system on a daily basiswill learn to read the magical alphabet effortlessly, like riding a bicycle. Such familiarity leads to a comprehensionof the Qabalah and an intuitive understanding of magic. Magical understanding can be used to enchant anythingwe create. For the cabalist, life becomes a continuous act of enchantment.
Eliphas Levi, a noted French occultist from the 19th century, has some timeless advice for the aspiringcabalist. Levi tells us concerning the Qabalah, ʺCharacteristics necessary to success in this study are a greatrectitude of judgment and a great independence of mind. One must rid oneself of all prejudice and every preconceivednotion, and it is for this reason that Christ said: `Unless you become as a little child, you cannot enterinto the kingdom of knowledge.'" (Bernstein, 1984). A great secret lies hidden in this statement. The secret is thatonly you, the individual cabalist, can give meaning to the numbers and the letters. Unless we have thoughts ofour own to organize, ideas that mean something to us personally, the Qabalah will remain empty of meaning.Only when we participate in the Qabalah as we would in an artistic creation will it come alive for us. Only thenwill we see the angels as living entities and learn to perceive the fiery letters that glow in the darkness of the inkin which the Names of Power are written.
Our own imagination must serve as our link to the Divine, and give reality to the things behind theNames. A name means nothing unless it calls to mind the image of a person we know, or a thing we have seen.By associating the numbers of the Sephiroth and the letters of the Hebrew alphabet with things from our ownlives, we can make the Qabalah come alive for each one of us in a unique way. Thus we participate in the game ofcreation, and in the process we get a chance to learn something about the nature of the Creator who made theuniverse that we perceive.
We are indeed privileged, as human beings, to possess the power of creation, even if our powers aresomewhat limited. As Dion Fortune writes in her masterwork, The Mystical Qabalah (1984), "...as above, sobelow, man is a miniature microcosm... Hence in his perfection, he is said to be higher than the angels.ʺ Practicemakes perfect. In order to perfect ourselves as microcosmic images of Creation, we can use the Qabalah to contactother orders of being such as spirits, angels, and even gods or goddesses. As Henrietta Bernstein writes in theCabalah Primer (1984), "Cabalah is an alphabet of symbols in which Beings in different states of consciousness canbe established. In Cabalah, Gods, angels, and men find a common language.ʺ For the skeptical student, asuspension of disbelief might prove helpful in pursuing cabalistic studies. The mystical language is everywherespoken, but seldom heard by those who refuse to listen. As Salina Rain put it in one of her astrological columns(to be found monthly in the Sentient Times newspaper), the persistent cabalist eventually develops ʺthe ability tosee the Signature of hidden meaning in every occurrence drawing one's attention.ʺ All phenomena, then, can beinterpreted as words in a hidden language that, once understood, will lead us onward to the eventual attainmentof true wisdom and perfect happiness.
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
Review Of Literature
"When we read of Daniel being educated in the palaces of Babylon, we know that the wisdom of theMagi must have been available to Hebrew Illuminati."
—Dion Fortune, Mystical Qabalah (1984).
777 (1909) by Aleister Crowley is the essential cabalistic treatise for students of the occult. Publishedafter a quarrel Crowley had with then head of the Golden Dawn, MacGregor Mathers, the book entitled 777reveals secrets of the Qabalah that many occultists would rather have kept hidden. The original edition, nowfor all practical purposes impossible to obtain, was printed in 1909. A current edition has more recently becomeavailable from Samuel Weiser, in York Beach, Maine. This work contains ʺno less than 183 tables,ʺ all of themorganized around the 32 Paths of the Key Scale, or Tree of Life. Therein, the reader will find complete lists ofthe ingredients necessary for cooking up magic spells and arcane rituals from scratch. The competent cabalistwho has not stinted on the study of Hebrew will have access to a host of Holy (and Unholy) names, from theangels and Gods in Heaven down to the most diabolical denizens of the Qliphoth. As the ʺOccult Reviewʺstates on the back of the Level Press edition (published sometime after 1944 with no date), ʺA knowledge of theHebrew Alphabet and of the Qabalistic Tree of Life is all that is needed to lay open to the reader the enormousmass of information contained in this book.ʺ Linguists and translators can use Crowley's tables to transferHebrew formulae into Coptic, Arabic, and Greek.
Crowley has also written many other noteworthy books, including Magick In Theory And Practice(1991), in which the scientific term ʺmagickʺ was coined. According to Crowley, ʺMAGICK is the Science andArt of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.ʺ
The Mystical Qabalah (1984) by Dion Fortune provides the perfect counterpoint to Crowley's work inthis masterpiece of cabalistic literature. Fortune delves deeply into the significance of the ten mysticalNumbers, the Sephiroth. She gives the reader an awareness of the living philosophy that lies hidden in theQabalah, waiting to be discovered and put into practice. The present course will reveal to you the method ofturning letters into numbers that Fortune does not include in her work. (Presumably, Fortune agreed withMathers with regards to cabalistic secrecy, at least to some extent, and so did not provide the keys that wouldallow students of the Qabalah to practice ceremonial magic.) In order to clear up any confusion about the useof capital letters in esoteric literature, I would like to quote from the first page of Fortune's work, where shewrites that ʺIn this system, common words, such as earth or path, are used in a technical sense to denotespiritual principles. When this is done, a capital is used to indicate the fact." The system of capitalizationemployed in Crowley's definition of Magick (above) ought to be re‐examined in light of this quote fromFortune.
The importance of Fortune's work should not be underestimated. The editorial comments on the backof the 1984 edition inform us that ʺDion Fortune is considered the most important woman thinker to emergefrom the occult revival of the post 1890's in England. In 1919 she was initiated into the Hermetic Order of theGolden Dawn, a magical society whose members included W.B. Yeats and Arthur Machen, among others.ʺ Theeditors further attest, ʺThe Qabalah, whose disciplines include the occult sciences of astrology and tarot, formsthe basis of the Western Mystery Tradition. It is a system of mystical knowledge and spiritual development inthe same way that Yoga is the mystical system of the East.ʺ Few authors display such knowledge as Fortunedoes concerning the Tree of Life. The editors explain, ʺThe Tree of Life, a diagram consisting of ten circlesconnected by twenty two 'paths,' is the heart of Qabalistic teaching. It is a cosmic diagram; the blueprint of theuniverse and the human being, containing within itself a description of all relationships and all phenomena.ʺ
Kabbalah (1973), features many valuable diagrams reprinted from centuries old cabalistic works. Ponceprovides a good overview of the subject, including a most artful exposition on the cabalistic system created byIsaac Luria, the ʺHoly Lionʺ of mystical Judaism. Here we learn how the Ain Soph, the cosmic egg of existence,contracted, leaving an empty space into which the Limitless Light of the Ain Soph Aur could emanate. The firstemanation failed to materialize, and so the first ten Lamps of the Holy Light were broken and became theShells of the Qliphoth, broken vessels where dwell the hellish hosts and Arch Fiends. The second emanationproved more successful and produced the Ten Lamps, which hold the Limitless Light of the Divine, the TenNumbers which are also called the ineffable Sephiroth. Here in these infinite Spheres dwell the angels,Archangels, and Gods with whom the cabalist communicates.
Godwin's Cabalistic Encyclopedia (2003) by David Godwin may be the most ambitious cabalistictreatise now in print. Godwin helps illuminate the Hebrew formulae found in 777 and elsewhere by listingnumerical values and English transcriptions for the most significant cabalistic terms. These include names ofangels, Archangels, Gods, goetic spirits, and more. Practicing cabalists and ceremonial magicians will find thisto be an invaluable sourcebook. Like any other encyclopedia, this work might only be used as an occasionalreference. The details necessary to any magical operation can be found and extracted from Godwin's work asneeded.
For an understanding of the basic ideas essential to the practice of Qabalah in modern times, Irecommend Henrietta Bernstein's Cabalah Primer (1984). Written from a mystical perspective, this workincludes traditional as well as speculative information. According to Bernstein, ʺThe modern Cabalist is heir toa truly ancient doctrine, but he must reinterpret and reformulate...cabalistic doctrine so that it will be ofpractical value to him in today's society.ʺ Bernstein's system of English QBLH gives us a working example ofhow new systems of Qabalah can be created.
A concise summary of the Qabalah's history, along with many fascinating interviews with moderncabalists, can be found in 9 & 1/2 Mystics: The Kabbalah Today (1969) by Herbert Weiner. Weiner approaches thesubject from a Judaic point of view, and offers an intriguing chronicle of visits with Jewish cabalists in differentparts of the world. The depth of Weiner's sympathy with the cabalists he describes reveals the author's ownmystical leanings in spite of this work's scholarly tone.
The Book Of Tokens (1989) by Paul Foster Case explains the mysteries behind the Hebrew lettersthrough a series of cabalistic poems. Comments on the letter poems contain valuable insights into Gematria,the cabalistic science of equating words with numbers in order to reveal hidden meanings. The spare eleganceand symbolic clarity of Case's writing makes this work accessible to mystics of all kinds.
The Qabala Trilogy (1985) by Carlo Suares might be called the crowning work of Orthodox Cabalism. Inthis mammoth volume Suares uses the Hebrew Qabalah to decipher the Book of Genesis and the Song ofSongs, two Holy Scriptures containing cabalistic significance. Suares also explains the Sepher Yetzirah, theancient sourcebook for cabalistic systems of correspondence. All three ancient texts are presented in theoriginal Hebrew, with commentary by Suares. Note that cabalists in past centuries considered the study of thehidden meanings behind the Scriptures to be a direct path to divine revelation.
Students of the occult sciences will appreciate Modern Magick (1992) by Donald Micheal Kraig. Dr.Kraig provides step by step instructions for the aspiring ceremonial magician (i.e. practical cabalist), frombeginning to advanced levels. Later sections of this extensive course book include Golden Dawn rituals andEnochian formulae. The Enochian language, channeled via crystal ball by Edward Kelly and transcribed by Dr.John Dee in Elizabethan times, can be used to communicate directly with angels, as well as to perform feats ofmagic. Dr. Kraig approaches the subject of ceremonial magic with reverence and caution. His slow, methodicalinstructions, if followed responsibly, can help the student avoid many of the pitfalls into which inexperiencedoccultists often stumble.
The Magus (1967) by Francis Barrett is reputed to be the source for many of the Golden Dawnteachings. Written in 1801, this veritable Grimoire offers a complete system of occult philosophy. The quantityof spells and formulae included in Barrett's work provide sufficient material with which to begin a magickalcareer.
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
History Of The Qabalah
The Qabalah dates back to ancient times, and what little we know about those times must bereconstructed, partly through legends and mythology. Legend tells us that Moses learned the secrets of theQabalah in Egypt. Since Moses was the first Hebrew prophet, it follows that the Qabalah predates Judaism.However, the mystical science of numbers didn't necessarily originate in Egypt, as some scholars claim that itdid. Hebrew myth holds that Adam and Noah both received the Qabalah through divine revelation, but failedto pass their knowledge along to others. Later, according to the same myth, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob allreceived the Qabalah from angels. Legend says that Abraham the Patriarch ought to have credit for the SepherYetzirah, but this work was not written down until the 2nd century A.D. When the Hebrews became slaves inEgypt, their knowledge was again lost, or so it would seem. Moses somehow regained this ancient knowledge,whether through divine revelation, from angels, or by some other method, and used it to free his people frombondage. The secrets of the Qabalah may have allowed Moses to perform miracles such as turning sticks tosnakes or parting the Red Sea. The Qabalah might also have helped the primordial prophet to formulate theoriginal teachings of Judaism. Legend further relates that Moses communicated his knowledge to a fewdisciples so that it could be handed down and preserved for all time.
Mythology and history begin to mix when our story reaches 70 A.D., the year that imperial Romeordered the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The time known as the Diaspora followed,centuries during which the Hebrews wandered the earth as nomads. Simeon ben Yochai, a Hebrew mysticliving in Israel at the beginning of the Diaspora, is said to have evaded the Romans by hiding in a cave with hisson for thirteen years. During these fugitive years Simeon is supposed to have written the Zohar, or Book ofSplendour. This book became one of the most important texts of Jewish mysticism after its publication in 1290A.D.
Historians claim that Simeon ben Yochai could not have written the Zohar. Instead, credit or blame forthe work has been given to Rabbi Moses ben Shem Tov de Leon, the Spanish cabalist who published the Zohar.But regardless of who really wrote the book, the Zohar had a tremendous influence on Jewish thought in thecenturies after its publication. As Henrietta Bernstein relates in the Cabalah Primer (1984), ʺBy the latter part ofthe 15th century, Spain had become the Cabalistic center of Europe; but then in 1492 the Jews were expelled byQueen Isabella and King Ferdinand, and the Cabalah disappeared from that country. Then during the 16thcentury the Cabalistic movement arose again and centered in Safed, in Galilee. And from this center some ofthe most profound speculative thinkers of their time, such as Moses Cordovera and Isaac Luria, brought forththeir teachings.ʺ In his book 9 & 1/2 Mystics (1969), Herbert Weiner relates that Isaac Luria's cabalistic systembecame the basis for a ʺmystical theology of Judaism.ʺ
Mystical Judaism began to decline in the 17th century and was gradually replaced by therational Judaism that prevails in the present day. Several factors might have contributed to the Qabalah'sdecline among Judaic thinkers. The false messiah, Shabbathai Zevi, attracted a large following among Hebrewsduring the 1660's. Zevi's prophetic and musical use of the Qabalah convinced many middle class Jews in majorEuropean cities to sell their possessions and travel to the Middle East before the predicted end of the world in1666. Zevi disappointed many of his followers by marrying a woman of ill repute, converting to Islam underduress, and other scandalous acts. Rational‐minded Jews might also have wanted to distance themselves fromthe Qabalah because of its association with magic and the occult. Jews were often hated and feared during theMiddle Ages just as witches were, and reputedly possessed the same mysterious powers. Dr. Kraig, in his bookentitled Modern Magick (1992), writes, ʺThat Kabbalistic mysticism continued to develop during the centuries ofthe Common Era since the beginning of the Diaspora (70 A.D.) cannot be disputed. It is one of the reasons thatJews were hated and feared. Part of the Kabbalah is related to magickal abilities, and people fear magick.ʺChristian cabalists in Spain such as Luis de Leon, Santa Teresa de Jesus, and San Juan de la Cruz translatedmany Hebrew cabalistic works in their search for the Holy Magick wielded by biblical figures like Moses andDaniel. The work of these scholars helped neo‐platonists like Pico della Mirandola to establish the independenttheological significance of the Qabalah, thus freeing it from the constraints of Jewish dogma.
Occult scientists became some of the primary exponents of the Qabalah after the 17th century, bywhich time the prevailing rationalism of modernity had calmed fears of magick and witchcraft somewhat,making the subject into a curiosity for dilettanti as well as an illuminated science. Cornelius Agrippa laid thecornerstone of ceremonial magic with his work entitled Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Ceremonial magiciansuse the Qabalah as a systematic basis for the construction of spells, rituals, and talismen. Agrippa's booksinspired such writers as Eliphas Levi and Francis Barrett, and these writers in turn helped spark the 19thcentury occult revival in Europe. This revival culminated in the formation of the aforementioned GoldenDawn, the Hermetic Order to which MacGregor Mathers, Aleister Crowley, and Dion Fortune each belonged atone time or another.
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
Three Branches Of The Qabalah
Qabalah can be roughly divided into three branches: Orthodox, Literal, and Unwritten. The Orthodoxor Dogmatic Qabalah might be considered the modern version of the mystical theology of Judaism that IsaacLuria developed centuries ago. The work of Carlo Suares exemplifies this branch of our subject. The LiteralQabalah, more often spelled with a ʺc,ʺ consists of games played with letters and numbers. Books onnumerology often fit into this category. The games of the Literal Qabalah derive from ancient Hebrew methodsof encryption and deciphering. The mysterious Unwritten Qabalah lies concealed in the composite symbolknown as the Tree of Life, and in the thirty two Keys or Paths that comprise it. In this section of our course wewill be dealing mostly with the Unwritten branch of the Qabalah, since that is the most important one formodern mystics. The other two branches will be covered briefly in order to provide some background for anunderstanding of the Unwritten Qabalah.
Orthodox Qabalah
The Hebrew Qabalah can be traced back to two ancient texts: the Sepher Yetzirah, and the Zohar. Hebrewcabalists in past centuries and up to the present have used these books to decode the hidden meanings containedin the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. Carlo Suares makes this ancient form of mysticismavailable to modern readers in the Qabala Trilogy (1985). Suares tells us that "…Qabala is a science and…theSepher Yetsirah is a precise and accurate treatise on the structure of cosmic energy, written in a hidden code." Theidea of the Key Scale, still used in modern versions of the Tree of Life, seems to have originated with the SepherYetzirah. To quote directly from the ancient text, "YHVH, through thirty two paths, engraved his name." (Ponce,l973). YHVH is the English transcription of the Jewish word that scholars usually translate as "Jehovah." TheSepher Yetzirah thus purports to explain the thirty-two Paths as Letters in the Divine Name. This idea is essentialto a mystical understanding of the Qabalah. The thirty-two Paths are not merely a collection of numbers andletters used for the purpose of encryption. Indeed, they symbolically represent the invisible or cosmic forces ofthe universe. The Qabalist makes contact with these forces by using the Paths, just as you might contact a personby using their telephone number. The principle is the same, even though the method might be somewhatdifferent.
The Zohar, or Book of Splendour, played a key role in the history of Jewish mysticism (as mentionedearlier). According to the Cabalah Primer (1984), "The start and the goal of the Zohar is knowledge of God." Suchknowledge can be gleaned from the Zohar's mystic narratives, which conceal cabalistic interpretations of theTorah. Orthodox cabalists have believed for centuries that the messages hidden in the original Hebrew words ofthe Torah lead directly to divine knowledge.
Literal Qabalah
Gematria, Notariqon, and Temurah are the three games that comprise this branch of the Qabalah. Let'sbegin with Gematria, the favorite game of numerologists. Beginning cabalists might make the mistake of takingGematria equations too literally, or of confusing it with the entire cabalistic art. Gematria has an important placein our subject, but the truths it reveals are metaphorical, not literal.
An antiquated encyclopedia defines Gematria as "A cryptograph in the form of a word, the letters ofwhich have the numerical values of the word taken as a hidden meaning; also the cabalistic method of explainingthe Hebrew scriptures by means of the cryptographic significance of the words."(Godwin, 2003). This definition,probably without equal in more current encyclopedias, still leaves us in the dark about the finer points ofGematria. How, we might ask, are the hidden meanings of words related to their numerical values? The CabalahPrimer (1984) explains to us that, "Gematria relates to the numerical values of words. Words of similar numericalvalues have a definite relationship with other words of the same number, and they tend to be explanatory of eachother." Paul Foster Case defines Gematria in his Book of Tokens (1989) as, "the Qabalistic method of establishingidentities between words of the same number." Two words with the same number can be thought of as having ametaphorical or analogical relationship. In a metaphor, the "is" of identity conveys to us the idea that one thinghas the properties of another, apparently unrelated, thing. Poetry and fiction use the magical power of metaphorto make fantastic images come to life in our minds. Gematria does the same thing with numbers.
For example, the Hebrew word Lamed means "ox-goad." Lamed transcribes into English letters as LMD,which tells us that the Hebrew letters in it are Lamed, Mem, and Daleth. Lamed equals 30, Mem equals 40, and Dequals 4, according to the Hebrew system of Gematria. Add this up and we get 74. The Jewish word Diin,meaning "justice," is spelled DYYN, which also adds to 74. Therefore Lamed, by virtue of its equivalence withDiin, represents the idea of justice.
Let's move on now to our next game, Notariqon. Modern readers already play this game every time theyuse an acronym such as N.A.T.O. or M.A.D.D. The Cabalah Primer (1984) provides an easily understood definition.It says, "Notariqon relates to abbreviations. It literally means quick writing or shorthand, and it is of two forms.The first is where a word is formed from the initial letters of several words; and the second is where the letters ofa name become the initial letters of the words in a sentence."
An example of Notariqon in action is the Hebrew phrase Al Melekh Neheman, meaning "faithful." By thefirst method of Notariqon this phrase can be reduced to its initial letters, A.M.N. This forms a new word, AMN orAmen. The word AMN is still used at the end of prayers by English speaking people. Though most of themprobably do not know that this word is a reduction of a three word Hebrew phrase, the word Amen has retainedits association with the idea of faith. Amen is also associated with Egyptian antiquities.
The second or opposite method of Notariqon entails expansion rather than reduction. The easiest methodof expanding Hebrew words is called writing in plenitude. By this method, the word that each Hebrew letterrepresents (i.e. the name of the letter) can be written in place of the letter. Thus the god-name YHVH, whenwritten in plenitude, becomes Yod Heh Vau Heh, or YVD HH VV HH. As you might guess, this process can beextended indefinitely.
Now let's delve into the mysteries of Temurah. Also called esoteric cryptography, Temurah refers to thedirect substitution of one letter for another by a system of equivalents, or to scramble messages. In the CabalahPrimer (1984) we read: "Temurah relates to permutations or anagrams. It consists of an immense variety ofrearrangements of the letters in a word to form another word. Sometimes they are even replaced by other lettersin accordance with some code."
The most well known such code is called AYQ BKR. In this system of Temurah, the Hebrew letters aredivided into nine boxes containing three letters each. (Note that this makes twenty-seven, not twenty-two letters,but the five extras are called "final" letters and have larger values, from 500 to 900. These letters also look a bitdifferent from their ordinary counterparts when written in Hebrew script.) Any of the letters in each of the nineboxes can be substituted for another letter in the same box. Using English transcriptions of the Hebrew characters,the AYQ BKR system looks something like this:
A=1 B=2 G=3
Y=10 K=20 L=30
Q=100 R=200 Sh=300
D=4 H=5 V=6
M=40 N=50 S=60
Th=400 K(final)=500 M(final)=600
Z=7 Ch=8 T=9
O=70 Ph=80 Tz=90
N(final)=700 Ph(final)=800 Tz(final)=900
(For the complete table see Godwin, 2003, p.13.)
Taken literally, the Qabalah might be seen merely as an antique system of encryption and deciphering, atool for organizing and hiding information. This idea appears in 9 & 1/2 Mystics (1969), in which the authorwrites, "Not only Gematria, but the whole system of Kabbalistic imagery might be looked upon as a system ofcoordinates of the kind a mathematician would use for drawing a graph."
Unwritten Qabalah
By definition, the Unwritten Qabalah cannot be elucidated in words. The only way for you to learn whatit's really about is to teach yourself. However, we can provide you with a series of notes written in a kind ofcabalistic shorthand that ought to make it easier for you to intuit the meaning of the cryptic symbols thatcomprise the Unwritten Qabalah. As Elsie Sechrist says in her book, Dreams: Your Magic Mirror (1968), "Whatshorthand is to words, symbology is to ideas." The symbols we want to concentrate on now are the twenty-twoHebrew letters and the ten numbers of the Sephiroth. The ideas behind them may take awhile to become clear toyou. Daily practice will bring these ideas to light more quickly.
The Tree of Life is the master symbol of the Qabalah, and contains all of the esoteric ideas that can becommunicated in ancient Hebrew. The Tree could be thought of as the ultimate system of mystical shorthand. Amere thirty-two symbols can represent the entire Tree. How hard can it really be to fathom the metaphysical ideascontained in it? It can be difficult. If you find yourself needing more assistance to understand these mysteries, youmight try asking the angels…
But before we go that far, let's get down to nuts and bolts. The ten Sephiroth and the twenty-two Hebrewletters, when added together, make up the thirty-two Paths of the Key Scale. The letters are most commonlyreferred to as Paths, but understand that the Sephiroth are also Paths. When all of the Paths are arranged togetherin a certain pattern (sometimes called the "Naples Arrangement"), they form the composite symbol known as theTree of Life. A diagram of the Tree has been included in this course so that you can familiarize yourself with itand begin to use it for meditation.
The first thing you need to know about the Tree is that each Path represents a mystical idea. These ideaslink related phenomena together into chains of correspondence. The cosmic concept signified by any given Pathmanifests itself in an infinite variety of forms. All of these forms share certain characteristics in common whichclue us in to the subtle connection that exists between one thing and another. Physical manifestations appear to beseparated by space and time, but these phenomena are often related in ways that we can calculate and describe bymeans of the Qabalah. This is what we mean by the word "correspondence." Corresponding phenomena are, manifestations of the same cosmic idea, and the Paths represent these cosmic ideas. Put enough correspondencestogether, and we have a "chain" that we can use to pull ourselves along the Path.
For example, the number 9 on the Key Scale is called Yesod (spelled YSVD), which means "Foundation."On the Tree of Life this number represents the ninth Sephirah (singular form of the word "Sephiroth"), whichcorresponds in the Sepher Yetzirah to the sphere of the Moon. The mysterious power emanating from the LunarSphere manifests itself on earth in many forms, some of which appear to us as animals, plants, and stones, forinstance. The lunar animal is the elephant; the herb, damiana; and the stone, quartz. By meditating on each ofthese manifestations in turn, and noting what characteristics they share, we can get a better understanding of thecosmic idea represented by the Moon. This and other chains of correspondence can be found in AleisterCrowley's 777 (l909).
The Unwritten Qabalah can be divided, for our purposes, into three parts. These are: the Hebrew letters,identified mainly by their Yetziratic or astrological attributions; the Sephiroth, which can be most easilyunderstood in terms of the Cosmic Spheres that they represent; and the Tree of Life as a whole, which most oftengets divided up and analyzed according to various systems of the Tarot, but can also be applied to subjects likepsychology, the I-Ching, and many others. Don't let the numbers of the Key Scale confuse you: these numbers areonly there to make it easier for us to identify the chains of correspondence to which the Paths refer. The numericalvalues of the letters actually indicate the hidden meaning behind those letters. The Key Scale is just another kindof shorthand that makes it easier to separate the letters from the Sephiroth when they are pictured together on theTree of Life, or listed together on a table of correspondences. On the Key Scale, the letters are numbered 11-32.However, these will be explained first. The Sephiroth represent composite ideas that can be understood mosteasily in terms of the letters. To borrow an analogy from chemistry, I like to think of the letters as elements, andthe Sephiroth as compounds. The letters in the name of each Sephirah are the mystic elements that combine tomake the composite idea it represents. You could also think of the letters as cosmic building blocks, and picturethe Sephiroth as mystical palaces made out of these esoteric bricks. There are many ways to visualize these ideas,so feel free to let your imagination be your guide when climbing around on the Tree. The Tree is a cabalisticrepresentation of the entire universe, and everything in creation can be put into its place on one or another of thePaths.
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
The Hebrew Letters
According to the Sepher Yetzirah, "God moved the magickal Hebrew letters in such a way that theuniverse was formed." (Kraig, 1992). How could the universe have been formed from letters? This makes moresense if we realize that the letters stand for something more powerful than mere ink on paper. In the QabalaTrilogy (1985) Carlo Suares tells us, "The idea that the universe is created with the letters of the alphabet is acommonplace of Qabalistic doctrine… What is meant is that the powers designated by the letters are the buildingforces of the cosmos." If we can accept the idea that the Hebrew letters stand for cosmic forces, this might help usto understand the nature of angels and Gods in the Qabalah. A combination of several cosmic forces can besymbolized by a name made up of the letters that represent those forces. The composite power behind that Namecan then be personified so that we can contact it as if it were an intelligent being. Such beings can be calledIntelligences, an order of being which includes Gods, angels, spirits, etc. The name of a given Intelligence also hasa corresponding number. You could think of this numerical figure as a telephone number that can be used tocontact the Intelligence behind it. In order to "call" one of these numbers, we must first understand what thenumbers mean. These meanings will then show us which "buttons" to press on our cosmic telephone. There is nocorrect or incorrect way of contacting an angel, for example, only methods that do or don't work for you. Anactive imagination that can make associative leaps easily will be your best ally in making the letters come alive.
The traditional method of communicating with angelic or divine powers is prayer. Occultists mightprefer the terms "invocation" or "evocation," but the basic idea of calling something in order to communicatewith it remains the same. In 9 & 1/2 Mystics (1969), Herbert Weiner tells a story about the Baal Shem, or Hebrewmaster of words. Weiner relates, "The important thing about a prayer, said the Baal Shem, was its kavannah. In theKabbala, kavanna was associated with esoteric knowledge about the dynamics of the sefirot." Without properkavanna, we are told, a prayer will remain on the floor of the synagogue like a bird with broken wings. So, inorder to speak with the angels or with the Gods, we must understand the meanings behind the names that we callthem by. To understand what the names mean, we must first comprehend the mysteries behind the letters. Theletters serve as connections between the Sephiroth ("sefirot"), so the "esoteric knowledge" concerning the"dynamics" of the Sephiroth can be gleaned from the Hebrew letters. When we put the letters into their places onthe Tree of Life, the relations between the Sephiroth will give us a much deeper understanding of what the lettersmean, and the meanings of the letters will illuminate the relations between the Sephiroth. Meditation leads toesoteric knowledge, which will give us the kavanna we need to make our prayers fly.
The Book Of Tokens (1989) has sound advice on how to develop an understanding of the Hebrew letters. Itsays: "This is the key to the mystery of the sacred letters. Fix thy mind on the object set before thee by any letter,and hold thy thought to meditate thereon. Then shall the inner nature of that object become clear to thee." Inkeeping with this idea, the information pertaining to the letters has been arranged so that each one may beconsidered separately, and meditated upon in isolation from the others.
A few more general considerations are in order before we leap into the letter descriptions. The twentytwoletters, when considered as one unit, can be called the Autiot. This Autiot is composed of three Motherletters, seven Double letters, and twelve Single letters. The Mother letters represent the elements, Air, Water, andFire. The Double letters stand for the Planets, which are Mercury, the Moon, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, andSaturn. The Single letters correspond to the twelve signs of the Zodiac. These astrological correspondences arealso called "Yetziratic Attributions," since the idea of equating the letters with ancient astrological symbolsoriginated in the Sepher Yetzirah, or Book of Formation. The mystical ideas behind the letters can be understoodmost easily by their association with these astrological symbols.
The Mother letters, Aleph, Mem, and Shin, refer to Air, Water, and Fire, respectively. Tau, the last letter,can be used to represent Earth. However it is also one of the Double letters. These are: Beth, which stands forMercury; Gimel, the Moon; Daleth, Venus; Kaph, which is Jupiter; Peh, Mars; Resh, the Sun; and Tau, whosesymbol is Saturn. Here is a brief list of the Single letters and the signs of the Zodiac to which they correspond:
| Heh: Aries | Lamed: Libra |
| Vau: Taurus | Nun: Scorpio |
| Zain: Gemini | Samekh: Sagittarius |
| Cheth: Cancer | Ayin: Capricorn |
| Teth: Leo | Tzaddi: Aquarius |
| Yod: Virgo | Qoph: Pisces |
For a complete list of the Hebrew letters and their transcriptions into English letters, please refer to theForeword of this course. These transcriptions will also be listed in parentheses next to the name of each Hebrewletter in the descriptions that follow.
In order to give you an idea of the mystical significances of the letters, I would like to quote from theQabala Trilogy (1985) by Carlo Suares. This author defines the Hebrew letters in terms of nine archetypes, whichare: "1. Aleph: life and death; union of opposites. 2. Beth: physical support, basis of all. 3. Gimel: organicmovement of Beth, animated by Aleph. 4. Daleth: physical existence; nature, organic activity. 5. Heh: universallife archetype; passive female principle. 6. Vau: active male principle. 7. Zain: field of possibility; germination. 8.Cheth: raw material; undifferentiated substance. 9. Teth: the primeval female; active female principle." Accordingto this system of archetypes, the remaining Hebrew letters can be understood in terms of the first nine byorganizing the alphabet into nine groups of three letters each, just like in the AYQ BKR system mentioned earlierin this section. The letters valued 10 through 90 represent factual manifestations of the nine archetypical ideas.The nine factual letters are Yod (10), Kaph (20), Lamed (30), Mem (40), Nun (50), Samekh (60), Ayin (70), Peh (80),and Tzaddi (90). The nine letters numbered 100 to 900 represent these same archetypes in their cosmic or exaltedmanifestations. The nine cosmic letters are Qoph (100), Resh (200), Shin (300), Tau (400), Kaph "final" (500), Mem"final" (600), Nun "final" (700), Peh "final" (800), and Tzaddi "final" (900). A letter can be considered final whenit comes at the end of a Hebrew word or phrase. Quite often, however, the final forms of the Hebrew letters arenot used. Final letters indicate a more cosmic meaning for the word or phrase in question.
As mentioned before, these basic ideas must be fleshed out by the individual cabalist through meditationbefore the letters will have any real meaning that can be grasped and understood. The letters are like emptyvessels in one sense, ready to be filled with the light of contemplation. Each letter also contains its own ineffablesecrets, and you have the power to discover them for yourself. As Dion Fortune tell us in The Mystical Qabalah(1984), "It is well known to mystics that if a man meditates upon a symbol around which certain ideas have beenassociated by past meditation, he will obtain access to those ideas, even if the glyph has never been elucidated tohim 'by mouth to ear.'"
Note that each letter has: a name, which indicates the metaphorical significance of the letter as well as theactual meaning of the letter when spelled in full; a full spelling, which indicates the expansion of the letter inNotariqon; a full value for that spelling; a pronunciation, which can be used for chanting or mantra stylemeditation; a position on the Tree, indicating the letter's kavanna; an astrological or Yetziratic attribution; andequivalents, whether numerical or conceptual, these being the analogies by which the letter may be more fullyunderstood.
| Aleph (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Value in Gematria: 1 | Key Scale#: 11 | ||
| Meaning: Ox | Spelled: ALPh=111 | ||
| Pronounced: awlef | Position on Tree: Joins Kether to Chokmah (1 to 2) | ||
| Astrology: Air | |||
| Equivalents: Francis Barrett, in The Magus (1967) gives the Hebrew spelling for the element Air as Resh, Yod,Cheth (RYCh) which adds to 218. The spirit ruler of Air is the Cherub (ChRVB=216). The angel of Air is Raphael(RPhAL=311). | |||
| Beth (B) | Value in Gematria: 2 | Key Scale#: 12 | |
| Meaning: House | Spelled: BYTh=412 | ||
| Pronounced: bayth | Position on Tree: Joins Kether to Binah (1 to 3) | ||
| Astrology: Mercury | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word ThAVH, meaning "longing" or "desire," adds to 412. | |||
| Gimel (G) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 3 | Key Scale#: 13 | ||
| Meaning: Camel | Spelled: GML=73 | ||
| Pronounced: geemel | Position on Tree: Joins Kether to Tiphareth (1 to 6) | ||
| Astrology: Moon | |||
| Equivalents: Chokmah, the Hebrew word for "wisdom," adds to 73 (ChKMH). The Moon's influence on the tides,as well as on the fluids in the human body, is well known. The camel has an obvious association with water. | |||
| Daleth (D) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 4 | Key Scale#: 14 | ||
| Meaning: Door | Spelled: DLTh=434 | ||
| Pronounced: dawleth | Position on Tree: Joins Chokmah to Binah (2 to 3) | ||
| Astrology: Venus | |||
| Equivalents: Daleth, the number 4, refers to the four elements: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. These elements can bereferred individually to the four letters in the divine name, Jehovah, spelled YHVH. This divine name is alsocalled Tetragrammaton. A door often has a window, which is the meaning of the next letter. | |||
| Heh (H) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 5 | Key Scale#: 15 | ||
| Meaning: Window | Spelled: HH=10 | ||
| Pronounced: hay | Position on Tree: Joins Chokmah to Tiphareth (2 to 6) | ||
| Astrology: Aquarius | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word AGA, meaning "fugitive," adds to 5. So does ABB, "to blossom," "to bear fruit."In 777 (1909), the following suggestive allusion is listed for the letter Heh: "The Mother is the Daughter, theDaughter is the Mother." The "secret window" is Shin, which represents the element Spirit as well as Fire. WhenShin is added to Tetragrammaton, the word YHShVH, Yeheshuah or Jesus, is formed. This name is also calledPentagrammaton, and symbolizes all five elements. | |||
| Vau (V) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 6 | Key Scale#: 16 | ||
| Meaning: Nail | Spelled: VV=12 | ||
| Pronounced: vahv | Position on Tree: Joins Chokmah to Chesed (2 to 4) | ||
| Astrology: Taurus | |||
| Equivalents: AVH, "to wish for," and ChD, "sharp," both add to 12. A chain of associations comes to mind here,beginning with the idea of a horseshoe being held on by nails, and leading thence to the folk maxim: "If wisheswere horses, beggars would ride." A sharp beggar who hunted for nails might get his wish. As Llewellyn Georgenotes on the subject of Taurus in The A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999), "An energy devoted to stable things ensures afirm foundation and an enduring structure." The double "V" suggests a pair of hooves or horns. | |||
| Zain (Z) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 6 | Key Scale#: 17 | ||
| Meaning: Sword | Spelled: ZYN=67 | ||
| Pronounced: zahyin | Position on Tree: Joins Binah to Tiphareth (3 to 6) | ||
| Astrology: Gemini | |||
| Equivalents: Binah, the third Sephirah on the Tree of Life, also adds to 67 (BYNH). Binah corresponds to Saturn,the planet of death. The Sword is an ideal instrument for the grim work of Saturn. Swords often have two edges,and fencing swords come in pairs. Both of these ideas relate to Gemini, also called the Twins. | |||
| Cheth (Ch) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 8 | Key Scale#: 18 | ||
| Meaning: Fence; field | Spelled: ChYTh=418 | ||
| Pronounced: khayth | Position on Tree: Joins Binah to Geburah (3 to 5) | ||
| Astrology: Cancer | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word ChTATh, meaning "sin" or "punishment," adds to 418. Note that Teth, the letterfollowing Cheth, means "serpent." This Serpent lies just beyond the Fence. To step on it would be a sin, and abiting could follow as punishment. | |||
| Teth (T) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 9 | Key Scale#: 19 | ||
| Meaning: Serpent | Spelled: TYTh=419 | ||
| Pronounced: tayth | Position on Tree: Joins Chesed to Geburah (4 to 5) | ||
| Astrology: Leo | |||
| Equivalents: The Lion and the Dragon are alchemical symbols representing two stages of the Great Work, makingGold from Lead. Gold corresponds to the Sun, and Lead to Saturn. The Sun rules the sign of Leo. Therefore Teth,when well dignified, corresponds to Gold. In ancient symbolism, Gold represents Wisdom, and Lead, Ignorance.Serpents have a biblical reputation for Wisdom; but Ignorance concerning these creatures, like Lead, could befatal. | |||
| Yod (Y) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 10 | Key Scale#: 20 | ||
| Meaning: Hand | Spelled: YVD=20 | ||
| Pronounced: yode | Position on Tree: Joins Chesed to Tiphareth (4 to 6) | ||
| Astrology: Virgo | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word DYV, meaning "ink" or "darkness," adds to 20. Yod is a hand, and hands writewith ink. Writing often takes place at night, when the world is shrouded in darkness. HYH, "it was," also adds to20. Histories are written in ink so that we can remember "how it was." The next letter, Kaph, has a value of 20 aswell. | |||
| Kaph (K) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 20 | Key Scale#: 21 | ||
| Meaning: Palm of Hand | Spelled: KPh=100 | ||
| Pronounced: kahf | Position on Tree: Joins Chesed to Netzach (4 to 7) | ||
| Astrology: Jupiter | |||
| Equivalents: MDVN, meaning "contest" or "quarrel," adds to 100. This relates to the palm's use as a strikingweapon, as in the event of a "slap in the face." The word MChYTBAL, meaning "mitigation," also adds to 100.The palm can also be used in a conciliatory manner, as when we wave to someone to show that we are friendly.Jupiter is called the "greater fortune," and gypsies read a person's fortune by looking at the palm of the hand. | |||
| Lamed (L) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 30 | Key Scale#: 22 | ||
| Meaning: Ox‐goad | Spelled: LMD=74 | ||
| Pronounced: lawmed | Position on Tree: Joins Geburah to Tiphareth (5 to 6) | ||
| Equivalents: In the A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999), Llewellyn writes that Libra "is symbolized by the apparentlycommonplace scales, but the arms of that tilting beam reach out into eternities. The position of the attachedbowls, which a feather's weight may change, indicates the destinies of ages, the fortunes of empires, the estates ofimmortality. The equipoise of the beam marks the adjustment of mighty feuds internal and external." | |||
| Mem (M) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 40 | Key Scale#: 23 | ||
| Meaning: Water | Spelled: MYM=90 | ||
| Pronounced: mayim | Position on Tree: Joins Geburah to Hod (5 to 8) | ||
| Astrology: The element Water | |||
| Equivalents: As one of the three Mother letters, Mem has influence over the three Single letters bearing Watersigns. These are Nun (Scorpio), Cheth (Cancer), and Qoph (Pisces). Mem is in turn influenced by Beth, since theMoon holds astrological sway over Water. This same kind of idea can be applied to the other elemental letters,Aleph, Shin, and Tau. The Hebrew word DVMM, meaning "still" or "silent," equals 90. The water of lakes andponds can be very still, and the deepest rivers run silently. The letter Tzaddi has a value of 90: thus Mem is toTzaddi as Yod is to Kaph, and as Kaph is to Qoph (see below). | |||
| Nun (N) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 50 | Key Scale#: 24 | ||
| Meaning: Fish | Spelled: NVN=106 | ||
| Pronounced: noon | Position on Tree: Joins Tiphareth to Netzach (6 to 7) | ||
| Astrology: Scorpio | |||
| Equivalents: The word ChBLY, meaning "pains and sorrows," adds to 50. So does YM, meaning "sea." Cabalistssay with regard to the equation between N and YM that "The fish and the sea are one." The full spelling of Nun,NVN, has the same value as TzChCh (106), which means "brilliance." Fish scales often display brilliant colors, asdoes the sea. | |||
| Samekh (S) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 60 | Key Scale#: 25 | ||
| Meaning: Prop | Spelled: SMK=120 | ||
| Pronounced: sawmek | Position on Tree: Joins Tiphareth to Yesod (6 to 9) | ||
| Astrology: Sagittarius | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word meaning "sublimity" or "glory," spelled GAVN, has a value of 60. Samekhtherefore has a direct connection with sublime or heavenly forces. The word meaning "tried by fire," spelledBChN, also equals 60. Access to the glory of Samekh entails some sort of fiery ordeal. Note that Sagittarius is oneof the three signs ruled by the element of Fire. | |||
| Ayin (O) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 70 | Key Scale#: 26 | ||
| Meaning: Eye | Spelled: OYN=130 | ||
| Pronounced: ahyin | Position on Tree: Joins Tiphareth to Hod (6 to 8) | ||
| Astrology: Capricorn | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word OYN also means "well," "fountain," or "spring." The word spelled OMVDY,meaning "pillars," equals 130. Therefore Ayin relates to the three Pillars that make up the Tree of Life. These are,in order from right to left: the Pillar of Severity, the Pillar of Mildness, and the Pillar of Mercy. | |||
| Peh (Ph) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 80 | Key Scale#: 27 | ||
| Meaning: Mouth | Spelled: PhH=85 | ||
| Pronounced: pay | Position on Tree: Joins Netzach to Hod (7 to 8) | ||
| Astrology: Mars | |||
| Equivalents: The ninth Sephirah on the Tree of Life, Yesod, is spelled YSVD. This word has a value of 80, the samevalue as the letter Peh. Yesod means "Foundation," therefore Peh relates to the idea of "founding." Mars is theplanet of war, and kingdoms are founded on martial prowess. The Book of Tokens (1989) lists a biblical reference inregards to this letter. Deuteronomy 8:3 says, "Man doth not live by bread alone, but by all that proceedeth out ofthe Peh of YHVH." Biblical scholars translate Peh as "mouth" and YHVH as "the Lord." In English, the word"bread" often refers to money, and so it may be no coincidence that the Hebrew letter Peh is pronounced likeanother one of our pecuniary words, "pay." | |||
| Tzaddi (Tz) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 90 | Key Scale#: 28 | ||
| Meaning: Fish-hook | Spelled: TzDY=104 | ||
| Pronounced: tzahdi | Position on Tree: Joins Netzach to Hod (7 to 8) | ||
| Astrology: Aries | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word DVMM, meaning "a great silence," adds to 90. Silence helps the fisherman, andTzaddi means "fish‐hook." The full spelling of the letter Mem, MYM, also equals 90. Mem means "water," andthis is where fish are to be found. | |||
| Qoph (Q) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 100 | Key Scale#: 29 | ||
| Meaning: Back of Head | Spelled: QVPh=186 | ||
| Pronounced: kohf | Position on Tree of Life: Joins Netzach to Malkuth | ||
| Astrology: Pisces | |||
| Equivalents: Cabalists often refer to Kether as the "Head," because it is the first Sephirah, and sits atop the Tree ofLife. Qoph, then, lies behind Kether, since it is the back of the head. The Book Of Tokens (1989) explains that "The"Head which is not a Head" is a Qabalistic name for KETHER, the Crown. It is the Head, or beginning of the TenSephiroth. It is "not a Head" because the concentration of the Limitless Light in Kether is itself an effect of themysterious power inherent in En Soph Aur… Thus what is implied here is that Qoph represents the RadiantDarkness, En Soph Aur, which is behind, or back of, the first Sephirah." In Hebrew, the word for Limitless Light orRadiant Darkness is spelled AYN SVPh AVR, and is symbolized by the number 0. | |||
| Resh (R) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 200 | Key Scale#: 30 | ||
| Meaning: Head | Spelled: RYSh=510 | ||
| Pronounced: raysh | Position on Tree: Joins Hod to Yesod (8 to 9) | ||
| Astrology: Sun | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word meaning "wings," spelled KNPYM, adds to 200. In Egyptian symbolism, the sunis often pictured as a sphere with wings. The word meaning "a song" is spelled ShYR and equals 510, the same asthe full spelling of Resh. The Greek god of the Sun, Appollo, plays songs on a lute made from the shell of atortoise. Since Kether, the first Sephirah, is also called a "Head," Resh has a symbolic connection to the firstNumber. | |||
| Shin (Sh) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 300 | Key Scale#: 31 | ||
| Meaning: Tooth | Spelled: ShYN=360 | ||
| Pronounced: sheen | Position on Tree: Joins Hod to Malkuth (8 to 10) | ||
| Astrology: Fire (and Spirit) | |||
| Equivalents: "Life breath" in Hebrew is spelled RVCh, which equals 300. The yogic breath of fire comes to mindin connection with this equivalence. "Formation" is spelled YTzR in Hebrew, and also equals 300. This wouldimply the formative or forging powers of the element Fire. The Sepher Yetzirah takes part of its title from the rootword, YTzR. | |||
| Tau (Th) | |||
| Value in Gematria: 400 | Key Scale#: 32 | ||
| Meaning: Cross | Spelled: ThV=406 | ||
| Pronounced: tahv | Position on Tree: Joins Yesod to Malkuth (9 to 10) | ||
| Astrology: Saturn (and the element Earth) | |||
| Equivalents: The Hebrew word for "erudition" or "instruction," spelled MShKYL, equals 400. Tau thussymbolizes the entire system of cabalistic instruction. The number 400 refers to the number of all of the Sephirothcontained in the Four Worlds of the Qabalah. These four worlds correspond to the four elements, Fire, Water, Air,and Earth, and are called respectively Atziluth, Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiah. Each world contains its own Tree ofLife with Ten Sephiroth, and each Sephirah also contains its own microcosmic tree with ten microcosmicsephiroth. The total number of little sephiroth is thus 400, the same as the value of the letter Tau. | |||
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
The Ten Sephiroth
The Sephiroth, also called Lights, Spheres, Numbers, or Emanations, are ten in quantity. Kether, the firstSephira, is actually not the source of divine light that fills the Spheres. This source lies instead in the RadiantDarkness of the AYN SVP AVR, which can be symbolized by the number 0. Often you might find that Jewishscholars call the Ain Soph, "God." We must realize that scholars use the word "God" for Jewish names thatcannot be easily translated into English. Thus YHVH, YH, ALHIM, and many other specific cabalistic names areusually rendered as "God." However, the Qabalah does not pretend to define the Supreme Being in an absolutesense, and no direct equation between any of the Numbers and this Being can be made without error, for theuniverse will always remain a Mystery to us. The Divine Darkness, or mysterious Void behind the Tree of Life,emanated the Spheres. The number 0 symbolizes this pregnant emptiness from which all manifestation springs. Ifwe must give it a name, it might be better to call it "Goddess." In Aleister Crowley's cabalistic system, Zero is thenumber for the Goddess of Infinite Space, Nuit. (See Magick In Theory And Practice, 1991.)
As Quabalists, we can thus learn to read between the lines so as to know what authors really mean whenthey write in theological terms. For example, we read in the Cabalah Primer (1984), "The Sephiroth act as spheresor vessels through which the Light of God is emanated unto man." The God mentioned here lies somewherebeyond all of our symbols. All that we can know of this Being is the Light that we perceive through the mediumof the Sephiroth. Isaac Luria's cabalistic theology explores this idea at length, telling us how the Sephiroth formedwhen the Limitless Light spilled over into the Void. An exposition on Luria's Cabal can be found in CharlesPonce's Kabbalah (1973). This author quotes from the Sepher Yetzirah, our most ancient cabalistic sourcebook,where we read, "His Holy Name is none other than these Lights."
In the Cabalah Primer, another quote from the same ancient text tells us, "The Ten ineffable Sephiroth haveten vast regions bound unto them; boundless in origin and having no ending; an abyss of good and ill;measureless height and depth; boundless to East and West; boundless to North and South; and the Lord the onlyGod, the Faithful King rules all these from His holy seat, for ever and ever." Each Sephirah, then, can bevisualized as an entire plane of existence, ruled over by a particular Aspect or Divinity corresponding to one ofthe Names of God.
One of the mystical goals is to reach the higher planes beyond our own world, which is symbolized bythe tenth Sephira, Malkuth. As Dion Fortune writes in the Mystical Qabalah, "You might say that the Sephiroth areused as stations for climbing the Tree of Life in order to regain heaven." The angelic and divine names might beof some use to us on this climb. Since the Gods and angels already occupy these higher stations on the Tree,calling on them might induce them to lend us a hand so that we can ascend to their level.
The Sephiroth symbolize ideas similar to those already discussed in the section on the Hebrew letters,with one important distinction. The Sephiroth actually represent more complex metaphysical ideas than do theletters. Each Sephirah contains a complete microcosm, or miniature universe within itself, as mentioned in thenotes on the letter Tau. On this point, Aleister Crowley makes clear in 777 (1909) "The Sephiroth are definitelypositive ideas. The numbers are 'Things in Themselves' much more so than the letters of the alphabet. The Pathsare merely links between the Sephiroth." Without these links, however, there would be nothing to hold the Treeof Life together. In order to comprehend the big ideas behind the Sephiroth, we must put together the little ideascontained in the letters and consider these composite concepts as Whole Numbers.
Dion Fortune recognizes this relation between letter and Number when she writes in the Mystical Qabalah(1984), "The Sephiroth may be justly considered macrocosmic, and the Paths microcosmic." The legendaryalchemist Hermes Trismegistus sheds light on this idea of the similarity between microcosm and macrocosm inthe oft quoted maxim, "As above, so below." What is true of the Sephiroth, then, can also be applied to the letters.Therefore, the information regarding the planetary spheres that appears in the lectures on the Sephiroth can alsobe applied to the Hebrew letters corresponding to those same planets.
In order for the Qabalah to have any real meaning, we have to apply the system to something tangible.Absolutely everything can be classified under the cabalistic system and placed on its appropriate branch of theTree of Life. In 777 (1909) we read concerning this idea that: "We must clothe the mathematical nakedness of eachprime idea in a multi‐colored garment of correspondences with every department of thought." Meditation willserve as the best method for making the connection between these prime ideas and their correspondences. As theMystical Qabalah (1984) says, "Thus into the ten pigeon holes of our metaphysical card‐index system we can sortour ideas of the whole manifested universe."
The Cabalah Primer (1984) lists the following definitions for the Ten Sephiroth:
- Kether: Unity; the Monad; Universal Essence individualized.
- Chokmah: Duality, the Duad; Reality and its reflection; Wisdom expressed as ultimatebenevolence.
- Binah: The Trinity; the Holy Ghost; the Triad; "Binah is the supernal mother."
- Chesed: Love; "Chesed is the great comforter."
- Geburah: Justice; the law of cause and effect; karma.
- Tiphareth: Abode of the soul; "represents the Christ force."
- Netzach: Triumph over constraints of the physical; euphoria.
- Hod: Mental aspect of being; abstraction.
- Yesod: "Seat of the kundalini;" source of psychological forces; the id or unconscious.
- Malkuth: The physical world; "doorway to the higher realms;" Malkuth has a "direct affinitywith the Crown."
Before we go on to the descriptions of the Sephiroth, let's return to the idea of the Four Worlds of theQabalah. In the Mystical Qabalah (1984), Dion Fortune writes, "A Sephirah cannot be understood on a single plane;it has a fourfold nature. The Qabalists express this by saying that there are four worlds." The four worlds of thecabalists are: Atziluth, the Archetypical World; Briah, the Creative World; Yetzirah, the Formative World; andAssiah, the Active World. These correspond, respectively, to the letters of the name YHVH. In relation to thesefour worlds, Fortune continues: "The Ten Holy Sephiroth are held to have each its own point of contact with eachof the four worlds of the Qabalists. In the Atziluthic world they manifest through the Ten Holy Names of God; inother words, the Great Unmanifest, shadowed forth through the Three Negative Veils of Existence which hangbehind the Crown, declares Itself in manifestation as ten different aspects which are represented by the differentnames used to denote the Deity in the Jewish Scriptures…" This explains the point of contact between theSephiroth and Atziluth. Note that the Three Veils of Negative Existence referred to in the above quote are: AYN,"Void," the number 0; AYN SVP, "no limit," the number 00; and AYN SVP AVR, "Limitless Light," the number000. (From Magick In Theory And Practice (1991))
Of the next cabalistic world, Fortune writes, "In the Briatic world the Divine Emanations are held tomanifest through the Ten Mighty Archangels, whose names play such an important part in ceremonial magic; it isthe worn and effaced remnants of these Words of Power that are the 'barbarous names of evocation' of medievalmagic, 'not one letter of which may be changed.'"
Concerning the next two Worlds we read again in the Mystical Qabalah (1984), "In the Yetziratic World theDivine Emanations manifest, not through a single being, but through different types of beings, which are calledAngelic Hosts or Choirs… The Assiatic World is not, strictly speaking, the World of Matter when viewed fromthe Sephirothic viewpoint, but rather the Lower Astral and Etheric Planes which, together, form the backgroundof matter. Upon the physical plane the Divine Emanations manifest through what may not inaptly be called theTen Mundane Chakras, likening these centres of manifestation to the centres that exist in the human body, anexact analogy. These Chakras are the Primum Mobile or First Swirlings, the Sphere of the Zodiac, the sevenplanets, and the Elements taken together, ten in all."
In keeping with Fortune's ideas regarding the Four Worlds, the following lectures on the Ten Sephirothinclude, for each Sephirah: The name of the Mundane Chakra or Assiatic Sphere, called the "Sphere" for short;the name of the Angelic Host; the name of the Mighty Archangel; and the Divine Name. Numerical values followeach of these names. These names and numbers can be used in experiments for contacting the Beings behindthem. To gain an understanding of the names, study the above descriptions of the letters these names contain andput the concepts together in your mind. Then, let your imagination be your guide.
| KETHER (1) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 1 Meaning of Title: Crown Spelled: KThR=620 |
| Divine Name: Eheieh (AHYH=21) |
| Archangel: Metatron ( MTTRVN=314) |
| Angelic Host: Chai‐oth Ha Kah‐desh (ChYVTh HQDSh) |
| Sphere: Primum Mobile (First Swirlings) |
If the Radiant Darkness of the Number 0 is the cause, then Kether, Number 1, is the effect. Kethercontains the universal plan, the intelligible concept of unity that keeps everything together. Kether is also calledMacroprosopus, who is symbolized by a lidless eye from which emanates a ray of light. The Egyptian Eye ofHorus has a certain similarity to the eye of Macroprosopus. The light that emanates from this eye is the DivineLight of the Ain Soph Aur, which constantly maintains and renews the universe. Without this endless source ofLight, nothing could exist.
We can also think of Kether as the central axis around which the opposing forces of the cosmos arecounterbalanced. Charles Ponce writes in his book Kabbalah (1973) that Kether is a "monad of pure energy"containing the power of unified opposites. Ponce tells us that opposites become unified through a three‐foldpattern relationship. The first stage of this pattern is mutual ignorance, the second is conflict, and the third isharmony.
| CHOKMAH (2) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 2 Meaning of Title: Wisdom Spelled: ChKMH=73 |
| Divine Name: Jah (YH=15) |
| Archangel: Ratziel (RTzAL=331) |
| Angelic Host: Auphanim (AVPhNYM=187) |
| Sphere: The Zodiac |
We read in Kabbalah (1973) that Chokmah is the "father of fathers" who contains the whole of creation inseed form. Chokmah represents the "will to create," the desire to implement the "plan" of Kether. In order to"express" the divine will ourselves, the author tells us, we must be able to "let go." Such an ability to let go mightbe described as "willingness."
In Magick In Theory And Practice (1991) we find an interesting note on the nature of Chokmah, which isalso called the Dyad, or Duality. Here we read, "Unity transcends consciousness. It is above all division. The Fatherof Thought—the Word—is called Chaos—the dyad." A more familiar name for Chokmah, then, might be FatherChaos. His power, the Word, expresses the divine will by causing division to appear in the form of consciousness.Without this apparent division there could be no conscious beings, hence no one to perceive the world, noperception of manifestation; Creation springs from the Word.
| BINAH (3) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 3 Meaning of Title: Understanding Spelled: BYNH=67 |
| Divine Name: Jehovah Elohim (YHVH ALHYM=112) |
| Archangel: Tzaphkiel (TzPhKYAL=311) |
| Angelic Host: Aralim (ARALYM=282) |
| Sphere: Saturn |
In the A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999), Llewellyn George notes with regard to Saturn, "He that filleth withpride will suffer a fall, for Saturn will bring him to his knees, humble his nature, and by means of restrictions,limitations, and adversities, will cause the individual to ponder, study, and seek to find the source of woe, that inthe future it may be overcome." This quote makes clear the reason for Binah's position at the head of the Pillar ofSeverity. The Supernal Mother might be likened to the ancient Sumerian goddess of the Underworld, Tiamat,who corresponds to the biblical Leviathon, or to Hel in the Norse pantheon. The day corresponding to Saturn isSaturday. The metal of Saturn is Lead. In connection to the human body or microcosm, Llewellyn tells us, "Saturngoverns the knees, teeth, spleen and bones, and these parts are most readily afflicted when any inharmonyprevails. As his influence is cold and dry, heat and moisture are the antidotes."
| CHESED (4) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Key Scale#:4 Meaning of Title: Mercy Spelled: ChSD=72 | ||
| Divine Name: El (AL=31) | ||
| Archangel: Tzadkiel (TzDQYAL=235) | ||
| Angelic Host: Chasmalim (ChShMLYM=388) | ||
| Sphere: Jupiter | ||
Llewellyn's A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999) notes with regard to the planet of "greater fortune" that:"Jupiter rules promotion, growth, joviality, reasoning, calculation, and philosophy." Jupiter is also said to be"moist, warm, sanguine, temperate, social, expansive, masculine, and moderate." The metal of Jupiter is Tin; theday, Thursday. On the subject of Chesed, the Mystical Qabalah (1984) states, "Between the Three Supernals and thenext pair of balancing Sephiroth upon the Tree there is a great gulf fixed which is called by Mystics the Abyss.The next six Sephiroth, Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, constitute what Qabalists callMicroprosopus, the Lesser Countenance, Adam Kadmon, the King. The Queen, the Bride of the King, is Malkuth,the Physical Plane. We have, then, the Father (Kether), the King, and the Bride, and in this configuration of theTree there is profound symbolism and great practical importance in both philosophy and magic." (The Abyss ofwhich the author writes is called Da"ath, which means Knowledge. This invisible Sephirah, sometimes called theEleventh, connects the Tree of Life to the other biblical Tree whose fruit was forbidden to Adam and Eve.)In connection to the last quote above, a noteworthy passage in Magick In Theory And Practice (1991) tellsus, "The formula of Tetragrammaton is the most important for the practical magician. Here Yod=2, He=3, Vau=4to 9, He final=10." Note that in this division of the Sephiroth, Chokmah is the Father instead of Kether.
| GEBURAH (5) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 5 Meaning of Title: Severity Spelled: GBVRH=216 |
| Divine Name: Elohim Gibor (ALHYM GBVR=292) |
| Archangel: Khamael (KMAL=91) |
| Angelic Host: Seraphim (SRPhYM=630) |
| Sphere: Mars |
In the A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999) we read, "Mars is significant of energy, the form that energyassumes depending on its position, aspects, and location in the horoscope. Manifests as hot, dry, and masculineand has much to do with the ambitions, desires and animal nature." Elsewhere in the same volume we find that"Mars rules volition, work, conquest and the desires." The energy of Mars can be either constructive, destructive,or both. The day of Mars is Tuesday; the metal, Iron.
Geburah provides the opposing balance to Chesed on the Tree of Life. The Pillar of Severity takes itsname from Geburah, just as the Pillar of Mercy is named for Chesed. These two Sephiroth thus represent thestrongest opposite forces on the Tree of Life, and the polarized dynamic between them causes the Sephiroth intheir respective pillars to revolve around the axis of Kether. Geburah is the first Sephiroth that contains the ideaof movement and timing, and it thus corresponds to machinery of all kinds. The metallic attribution, Iron,suggests the weapons of war sacred to Mars as well as the steel so essential to modern industry.The pentagram, symbol of the five elements and of Witchcraft, corresponds to Geburah. The hand withits five fingers outspread also corresponds to this Sephirah, and the imprint of such a hand is said to be a potentcharm against the evil eye.
| TIPHARETH (6) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 6 Meaning of Title: Beauty Spelled: ThPhARTh=1081 |
| Divine Name: Jehovah Eloah va‐Daath (YHVH ALVH VDOTH=548) |
| Archangel: Raphael (RPhAL=311) |
| Angelic Host: Malachim (MLKYM=140) |
| Sphere: Sun |
According to the A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999), "The Sun rules the hope, courage, magnanimity and theaspirations. Represents rulership, honor." This book also says, "The Sun by nature is hot, dry, masculine and lifegiving.It has much to do with health and the vital principle. It has dominion over the individual progress andsocial success. It rules positions of rank and title, and high office generally." The day of the Sun is Sunday; themetal, Gold. As the Sephiroth of the Sun, Tiphareth has a special connection to the letter Resh.
Tiphareth occupies the central position on the Tree of Life. The other Sephiroth located below the Abyssrevolve around this Sephirah, just as the planets revolve around the sun. Tiphareth also has a direct connection toKether through the path of Gimel, making it the closest of all the lower Sephirah to the source of divine light. Forthis reason, Tiphareth represents the Christ‐force or Son of God. In the microcosm, the Soul resides in Tiphareth."
| NETZACH (7) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 7 Meaning of Title: Victory Spelled: NTzCh=148 |
| Divine Name: Jehovah Tzabaoth (YHVH TzBAVTh) |
| Archangel: Haniel (HANYAL=97) |
| Angelic Host: Elohim (ALHYM=86) |
| Sphere: Venus |
In the A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999) we find that "Venus, the 'lesser fortune,' rules the sense of touch andhas much to do with the disposition. She inclines to all that appertains to the higher attributes of the mind: music,poetry, painting, drama, and all refined amusements and adornment." We also read here, "Venus rulesconjugality, love, music, coquetry, entertainment and sociability." The metal of Venus is Copper; the day, Friday.The position of Netzach on the Tree of Life below Chesed reveals the nature of the relationship betweenthe "greater" and "lesser" fortunes. Netzach sits at the bottom of the Pillar of Mercy, and is thus the first Spherein which the divine mercy manifests itself. The Victory referred to in the Sephirah's title is a kind of triumph overthe physical plane. Love, the arts, and social graces can serve to free the individual from the constraints ofphysical reality, at least temporarily. Netzach also represents the emotional aspect of the microcosm, often called"heart." In musical terms then, Netzach and Tiphareth could be called "heart and soul."
| HOD (8) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Key Scale#: 8 Meaning of Title: Splendour Spelled: HVD=15 | ||
| Divine Name: Elohim Tzabaoth (ALHYM TzBAVTh=585) | ||
| Archangel: Micheal (MYKAL=101) | ||
| Angelic Host: Beni Elohim (BNY ALHYM=138) | ||
| Sphere: Mercury | ||
In regards to this planetary sphere we read in the A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999), "Mercury is related to orrules the mind, objective sight, perception and expression and has dominion over communications, travel, barter,and trade." The same book also tells us, "Among the ancients, Mercury was known as Thoth, Hermes, and theMessenger of the Gods. The planet was usually portrayed as a youth, flying with wings at his heels, bearing acaduceus made of olive wood about which were twined two serpents, the rod being surmounted with a pair ofwings." The day of Mercury is Wednesday; the metal, Quicksilver.
The name Hod has the same numerical value as the divine name, Jah, both of these names being equal to15. This equivalence reveals a subtle but important relationship between Hod and Chokmah. Hod is the mentalaspect of the microcosm, providing the opposite polarity to the emotional Netzach. This Number has a somewhatcold‐blooded reputation, possibly due to its position beneath the severe Sephirah, Geburah. All the technicalaspects of magick fall under this sphere, including cabalistic systems such as the one outlined in this course. AsChokmah represents the Word, so Hod symbolizes the Mind that can comprehend and use that Word.
| YESOD (9) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 9 Meaning of Title: Foundation Spelled: YSVD=80 |
| Divine Name: Shaddai El Chai (ShDY AL ChY=363) |
| Archangel: Gabriel (GBRYAL=246) |
| Angelic Host: Kerubim (KRBYM=272) |
| Sphere: Moon |
We read in the A To Z Horoscope Maker (1999) "The Moon exerts considerable influence over the generalor ordinary and common affairs of daily life." The Moon makes a complete transit of the Zodiac in roughly 28days. The lunar effect relates to the Moon's gravitational or magnetic attraction for water, the results of which canbe seen in the ebb and flow of the tides. In the book mentioned above, author Llewellyn George writes, "Inrelation to this idea of the lunar rulership of water, a remarkable simile represents itself in that seven‐tenths of theearth is covered by water while the human body is also seven tenths fluid. The fluid chemicals of the body aremuch more finely composed and much more tenuous than the salty waters of the sea, hence they are infinitelymore susceptible to lunar influence."
The fluids of the body may be likened to the "shadow" of Jungian psychology, an aspect of the psychethat often seems to act erratically or as if it had a will of its own. The id or unconscious could also be compared tothe bodily fluids that may be so easily influenced by lunar forces. The metal of the Moon is Silver; the day,Monday.
Yesod shares its lunar correspondence with the letter Gimel. Thus Yesod symbolizes the macrocosmicMoon, and Gimel the microcosmic moon. Yesod also has the same numerical value as the letter Peh. (See theHebrew Letters section.)
| MALKUTH (10) |
|---|
| Key Scale#: 10 Meaning of Title: Kingdom Spelled: MLKVTh=496 |
| Divine Name: Adonai Melekh (ADNY MLK=155) |
| Archangel: Sandalphon (SNDLPhVN=280) |
| Angelic Host: Ashim (AShYM=351) |
| Sphere: the Four Elements (Fire, Water, Air, and Earth) |
Malkuth, the Kingdom, contains the complete Tree of Life within itself, and is the gateway to all theplanes beyond the physical. It is also a miniature image of the Four Worlds, as these correspond to the fourelements of Malkuth's sphere. The number 10 is contained in the idea of 4, since 1+2+3+4=10. On the subject ofMalkuth, we find in the Mystical Qabalah (1984), "The conformation of the Tree falls naturally into three functionaltriangles, but…Malkuth participates in no such triangle but stands apart, and it is said by the Qabalists that itreceives the influences or emanations of all the other Sephiroth. But although Malkuth is the only Sephirah thatdoes not participate in a triangle, it is also the only Sephirah that is represented as parti‐colored instead of a unit,for it is divided into four quarters, which are assigned to the four elements of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire." Thefunctional triangles mentioned here will be explained in the following section, which concerns the Tree of Life.
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
The Tree Of Life
"The Tree of Life is essentially a scheme of relationships, stresses, and reflections."
—Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah
In the Mystical Qabalah (1984), author Dion Fortune tells us, "…meditations upon the Tree form a mostpractical and exact system of mystical development; and one that is peculiarly valuable in that it is equilibrated,for the different aspects of manifestation are, as it were, dissected out and dealt with in turn, nothing beingneglected. By the time we have trodden all the Paths of the Tree we shall have learnt the lessons of Death and theDevil, as well as of the Angel and the High Priest." At the end of this quote, Fortune is alluding to the trumps ofthe tarot, which are often equated with the Hebrew letters according to various systems. Meditations on the Tarottrumps can serve as an excellent method for studying the Paths. The following arrangement for the Tarot trumpsas they correspond to the letters appears in 777 (1909):
| Aleph: The Fool | Lamed: Justice |
| Beth: The Magus | Mem: The Hanged Man |
| Gimel: The High Priestess | Nun: Death |
| Daleth: The Empress | Samekh: Temperance |
| Heh: The Emperor | Ayin: The Devil |
| Vau: The Hierophant | Peh: The House of God (Tower) |
| Zain: The Lovers | Tzaddi: The Star |
| Cheth: The Chariot | Qoph: The Moon |
| Teth: Strength | Resh: The Sun |
| Yod: The Hermit | Shin: The Angel or Last Judgement |
| Kaph: The Wheel of Fortune | Tau: The Universe |
As for the small cards of the Tarot, the numbered cards in each suit can be referred to the respectiveSephirah of the same number (i.e., Kether represents the four Aces, Chokmah the four Deuces, etc.). The Knightsbelong to Chokmah, the Princes to Tiphareth, the Queens to Binah, and the Pages or Princesses to Malkuth. Thesuits in the Tarot correspond to the four cabalistic Worlds: Wands are Atziluth, Cups are Briah, Swords areYetzirah, and Coins are Assiah.
As mentioned earlier, the Tree of Life contains three Pillars. The central Pillar is called the Pillar ofMildness and contains the Numbers 1, 6, 9, and 10, in descending order. On the left side of the Tree, the Pillar ofSeverity is comprised of the Numbers 3, 5, and 8, in descending order. The Pillar of Mercy sits on the right side ofthe Tree and contains the Numbers 2, 4, and 7, in descending order.
The Tree can also be divided into three triangles. These are: the Supernal Triangle, composed of Kether,Chokmah, and Binah; the Moral Triangle, made up of Chesed, Geburah, and Tiphareth; and the MundaneTriangle, containing Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. When the Tree is divided according to the Four Worlds idea: theSupernal Triangle corresponds to Atziluth; the Moral Triangle to Briah; the Mundane Triangle to Yetzirah; andMalkuth to Assiah.
The arrangement of the Paths connecting the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life has already been covered inthe section regarding the Hebrew Letters. A picture of this arrangement has also been provided in theaccompanying diagram of the Tree. Mediation on the position of the Paths and their relation to the Sephiroth theyconnect will give you a better idea of what all of the symbols represent.
The Tree of Life can be applied to any subject as a system of classification. For example, Dr. Kraig in hisbook Modern Magick (1992) gives us the following system of cabalistic psychology:
| Kether: Transcendental Self | Tiphareth: Imagination |
| Chokmah: True Will | Netzach: Desire |
| Binah: Fate | Hod: Reason |
| Chesed: Memory | Yesod: Unconscious |
| Geburah: Volition | Malkuth: Physical self |
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
Discussion
The Book Of The Law (2002), channeled by Rose Kelly and written down by Aleister Crowley inside one ofthe Great Pyramids of Egypt in the year 1904, is the subject of much debate among occultists. Crowley claimedthat the Secret Chiefs, discarnate adepts from beyond the Abyss, sent him the book. The prophecies contained inthis document, also called Liber AL Vel Legis, have at least partly come true since the time of its writing. Occultistsseem firmly divided into two camps: those who accept The Book Of The Law as real communication from higherintelligences, and those who chose to ignore it as without worth. Much of this debate would seem to stem fromCrowley's own personality, which alienated and disillusioned many. In this respect, Crowley can be comparedwith the false Messiah, Zevi, whose story was mentioned briefly in the History section of this course. Thequestions in many minds might be: "Why would the Secret Chiefs choose such an arrogant bastard to be aProphet of the New Aeon?" and "Why should we believe that Crowley didn't write Liber AL Vel Legis himself,without angelic intervention?" Perhaps there is no answer to the first question. However, the worth of Liber ALshould not be judged by Crowley's character alone, especially since, as he claims himself, the work mightultimately belong to someone (or something) else. In the spirit of objectivity, I have taken the liberty of examiningThe Book Of The Law by cabalistic methods in order to ascertain whether or not it might have a Divine or angelicorigin, as Crowley claimed it did. Such an examination, I believed, might provide an answer to the question ofwhether or not The Book Of The Law has a divine or superhuman origin. Much to my surprise, I did discover anapparently consistent cabalistic system encoded into the supposedly channeled work. The Gematria equationscontained in this book would have been difficult, if not impossible, for an ordinary person to have invented andencrypted into it. Though these equations are too numerous to be listed here in their entirety, a few will bementioned along with the system I have discovered so that the curious can pursue further investigations forthemselves. Here I reveal, for the first time in print, the English QBLH system encrypted into The Book Of The Law:
| A, E, O=1 | M=12 |
| B=2 | N=13 |
| C=3 | P, Q= 14 |
| D=4 | R=15 |
| F=5 | S=16 |
| G=6 | T=17 |
| H=7 | U, V=18 |
| I=8 (or 1) | W=19 |
| J=9 | X=20 |
| K=10 | Y=21 |
| L=11 | Z=22 |
Note that the 26 letters of the English alphabet fit into 22 numerical values under this scheme, and cantherefore be easily equated with the 22 Hebrew letters as well as the 22 Tarot Trumps. Also note that the word"key" adds to 32, the same as the number of Paths on the Key Scale. By this system the words "love," "law,""Nu" (a name for the Egyptian sky goddess), "not," "joy," and "Aum," among others, all add to 31. Rememberthat 31 is also the number of the divine name El or AL in the Hebrew Qabalah. The signature mottoes of the Bookread, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" and "Love is the Law, Love under Will." The words"true will" and "under will" both add to 93, and so do the words "love" and "lust" when added together. Notethat, counting the final forms, the Hebrew letters can be divided according to their numerical values into ninegroups of three letters each. The word "Splendour" also adds to 93 in this English QBLH system, which brings tomind the Zohar or Book of Splendour. The name of one Egyptian deity who ostensibly dictated the book inquestion, "Ra Hoor Khuit," adds to 93 as well if we allow the letter "i" to equal 1. This numerical detail iscontained in the verse AL;II, 15: "…with the just I am eight, and one in eight…" The words "star" and "light"both add to 49 if "I"=1, but if "I"=8 then "light"=56, and so does "Nuit." This would seem to confirm the verse,AL;I,24: "I am Nuit, and my word is six and fifty." Nuit tells her devotees in verse I,51: "Also, take your will andfill of love as ye will, when, where, and with whom ye will! But always unto me." The words "unto me" add to62, 2 times 31, which is also the value of "lust." In verse I,53, Nuit reaffirms this idea: "But ecstasy be thine andjoy of earth: ever to me! To me!" The words "to me" add to 31. These are only a few of the numericalcorrespondences to be found in the Book Of The Law, and I find it difficult to believe that Aleister Crowley oranyone else could have invented all of them. However, as with the Zohar, the question of "who done it?" mightin the end be irrelevant. Liber AL Vel Legis contains a consistent cabalistic system that can be reconciled with theGematria of the Hebrew Qabalah. Does this system of Gematria prove the reality of angelic intervention? Doesmagick work regardless of the "truth?" Or have the Magi been fooling us with smoke and mirrors for millenia?You decide.
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
Conclusion
The secrets of the Qabalah were kept hidden for centuries, encrypted into mysterious documents orpassed solemnly from teacher to disciple under strict oaths of silence. Aleister Crowley aroused the ire of many inthe occult world, including his former mentor MacGregor Mathers, by breaking this oath and publishing all of thecabalistic secrets taught by the Golden Dawn at that time. However, Crowley seems to have meant that such anoath could not truly be broken when he wrote in 777 (1909), "An indicible Arcanum is one that cannot berevealed." In other words, a code that refers to invisible forces as the Qabalah does cannot be deciphered by thosewho have not already contacted these forces. The mysterious Intelligences behind the Qabalah, which legend tellsus can confer magickal powers onto the Initiate, will not allow themselves to be wielded by the unworthy. By thesame token, the path of error leads to wisdom. The fool who persists in folly becomes wise, and therefore anyonebrave or foolish enough to use the Qabalah with magickal intent will learn what and what not to do through aprocess of trial and error. Though such error may prove painful at times, none may advance along the mysticalpath without passing through the Ordeals which test the aspirant at every phase of development.
This course in no way is a complete study of the Qabalah, and I wouldn't be surprised if even afterreading all of this that the concepts of the Qabalah still evade you. This is only an introduction to the Qabalah,and we have only looked at the tip of the iceberg. I highly recommend that you read some of the books in theBibliography and search the internet for more information. Daily practice in the spirit of playfulness will makethe Qabalah familiar to you, and diligent study will reveal the Mysteries behind it. A good place to begin wouldbe to look at the list of the Sephiroth and meditate on the meaning of each of them, one at a time, for an entire dayfor 10 days, since there are ten Sephira. Blessed Be!
Introduction To Qabalah (Qblh): Index >>
Bibliography
Barrett, Francis 1967
The Magus. Citadel Press, NJ
Bernstein, Henrietta 1984
Cabalah Primer. DeVorss & Co., CA
Case, Paul Foster 1989
The Book Of Tokens. Builders of the Adytum, CA
Crowley, Aleister.
777 (1909). Samuel Weiser, Maine.
Magick In Theory And Practice (1991). Castle Books, NJ
Liber AL Vel Legis (2002). Ordo Templi Orientis, U.S. Grand Lodge
Fortune, Dion 1984
The Mystical Qabalah. Samuel Weiser, Maine.
George, Llewellyn 1999
A To Z Horoscope Maker. Llewellyn Publications, MN
Godwin, David 2003
Godwin's Cabalistic Encyclopedia. Llewellyn Publications, MN
Kraig, Donald Micheal 1992
Modern Magick. Llewellyn Publications, MN
Ponce, Charles 1973
Kabbalah. Straight Arrow Books, CA
Suares, Carlo 1985
The Qabala Trilogy. Shambhala, Boston & London
Weiner, Herbert 1969
9 & 1/2 Mystics: The Kabbalah Today. Collier Books, NY