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The Temple of Solomon the King
??????????? {Libe? LVIII}
THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON
THE KING
A.'. a.'.
Publication in Class B.
Imprimatur:
N. Fra A.'. A.'.
{Chart approximated}
Z____B___________________B_______________B_________________B___________B_____?
3 VI.3 3 3 3 3 3
3Mys-3 V 3 IV. 3 III. 3 II. 3 I. 3
3itc 3 English of Col.IV.3 The Heavens 3English of Col.II3HebrewNames3 Key 3
3# of3 3 of Assiah 3 3 of Numbers3Scale3
3Seph3 3 3 3and Letters3 3
E____E___________________E_______________E_________________E___________E_____4
3 Z3 3 3Nothing. 3
HB:Nun-final HB:Yod HB:Aleph 3? 3
3 043 3 3No Limit. 3 HB:Peh-final HB:Vau HB:Samekh
HB:Nun-final HB:Yod HB:Aleph 3C 0 3
3 @3 3 3Limitless L.V.X. 3HB:Resh HB:Vau HB:Aleph
HB:Peh-final HB:Vau HB:Samekh HB:Nun-final HB:Yod HB:Aleph 3Y 3
3 1 3S. of Primum Mobile3 HB:Mem-final HB:Yod HB:Lamed HB:Gemel HB:Lamed HB:Gemel HB:Heh
HB:Taw HB:Yod HB:Shin HB:Aleph HB:Resh 3Crown. 3 HB:Resh HB:Taw HB:Koph 3 1 3
3 3 3S. of the Zodiac 3 HB:Taw HB:Vau HB:Lamed HB:Samekh HB:Mem 3Wisdom. 3
HB:Heh HB:Mem HB:Koph HB:Chet 3 2 3
3 6 3S. of Saturn 3 HB:Yod HB:Aleph HB:Taw HB:Bet HB:Shin 3Understanding. 3
HB:Heh HB:Nun HB:Yod HB:Bet 3 3 3
3 10 3S. of Jupiter 3 HB:Qof HB:Dalet HB:Tzaddi 3Mercy. 3
HB:Dalet HB:Samekh HB:Chet 3 4 3
3 15 3S. of Mars 3 HB:Mem-final HB:Yod HB:Dalet HB:Aleph HB:Mem 3Strength. 3Heh HB:Resh HB:Vau HB:Bet HB:Gemel 3 5 3
3 21 3S. of Sol 3 HB:Shin HB:Mem HB:Shin 3Beauty. 3
HB:Taw HB:Resh HB:Aleph HB:Peh HB:Taw 3 6 3
3 28 3S. of Venus 3 HB:Heh HB:Gemel HB:Vau HB:Nun 3Victory. 3
HB:Chet HB:Tzaddi HB:Nun 3 7 3
3 36 3S. of Mercury 3 HB:Bet HB:Koph HB:Vau HB:Koph 3Splendour. 3
HB:Dalet HB:Vau HB:Heh 3 8 3
3 45 3S. of Luna 3 HB:Heh HB:Nun HB:Bet HB:Lamed 3Foundation. 3
HB:Dalet HB:Vau HB:Samekh HB:Yod 3 9 3
3 55 3S. of the Elements 3 HB:Taw HB:Vau HB:Dalet HB:Vau HB:Samekh HB:Yod
HB:Mem-final HB:Lamed HB:Chet 3Kingdom. 3 HB:Taw HB:Vau HB:Koph HB:Lamed HB:Mem 3 10 366 3Air 3 HB:Chet HB:Vau HB:Resh 3Ox. 3
HB:Peh-final HB:Lamed HB:Aleph 311 3
3 78 3Mercury 3(Planets follow3House. 3
HB:Taw HB:Yod HB:Bet 3 12 3
3 91 3Luna 3Sephiroth 3Camel. 3
HB:Lamed HB:Mem HB:Gemel 3 13 3
3105 3Venus 3corresponding.)3Door. 3
HB:Taw HB:Lamed HB:Dalet 3 14 3
3120 3Aries 3 HB:Heh HB:Lamed HB:Tet 3Window. 3
HB:Heh HB:Heh 3 153
3136 3Taurus 3 HB:Resh HB:Vau HB:Shin 3Nail. 3
HB:Vau HB:Vau 3 163
3153 3Gemini 3 HB:Mem-final HB:Yod HB:Mem HB:Vau HB:Aleph HB:Taw 3Sword.
3 HB:Nun-final HB:Yod HB:Zain 3 173
3171 3Cancer 3 HB:Nun-final HB:Tet HB:Resh HB:Samekh 3Fence. 3
HB:Taw HB:Yod HB:Chet 3 183
3190 3Leo 3 HB:Heh HB:Yod HB:Resh HB:Aleph 3Serpent. 3
HB:Taw HB:Yod HB:Tet 3 193
3210 3Virgo 3 HB:Heh HB:Lamed HB:Vau HB:Taw HB:Bet 3Hand. 3
HB:Dalet HB:Vau HB:Yod 3 203
3231 3Jupiter 3 3Palm. 3
HB:Peh-final HB:Koph 3 21 3
3253 3Libra 3 HB:Mem-final HB:Yod HB:Nun HB:Zain HB:Aleph HB:Mem 3Ox Goad.
3 HB:Dalet HB:Mem HB:Lamed 3 223
3276 3Water 3 HB:Mem-final HB:Yod HB:Mem 3Water. 3
HB:Mem-final HB:Yod HB:Mem 323 3
3300 3Scorpio 3 HB:Bet HB:Resh HB:Qof HB:Ayin 3Fish. 3
HB:Nun-final HB:Vau HB:Nun 3 243
3325 3Sagittarius 3 HB:Taw HB:Shin HB:Qof 3Prop. 3
HB:Koph-final HB:Mem HB:Samekh 3 253
3351 3Capricornus 3 HB:Yod HB:Dalet HB:Gemel 3Eye. 3
HB:Nun-final HB:Yod HB:Ayin 3 263
3378 3Mars 3 3Mouth. 3
HB:Heh HB:Peh 3 27 3
3406 3Aquarius 3 HB:Yod HB:Lamed HB:Dalet 3Fish-hook. 3
HB:Yod HB:Dalet HB:Tzaddi 3 283
3435 3Pisces 3 HB:Mem-final HB:Yod HB:Gemel HB:Dalet 3Back of Head. 3
HB:Peh-final HB:Vau HB:Qof 3 293
3465 3Sol 3 3Head. 3
HB:Shin HB:Yod HB:Resh 3 30 3
3496 3Fire 3 HB:Shin HB:Aleph 3Tooth. 3
HB:Nun-final HB:Yod HB:Shin 331 3
3528 3Saturn 3 3Tau(as Egyptian).3
HB:Vau HB:Taw 3 32 3
3 3Earth 3 HB:Tzaddi-final HB:Resh HB:Aleph 3 --- 3
HB:Vau HB:Taw 332bis3
3 3Spirit 3 HB:Taw HB:Aleph 3 --- 3
HB:Nun-final HB:Yod HB:Shin 331bis3
@____A___________________A_______________A_________________A___________A_____Y
{Chart approximated}
Z______B____________________B________B_______B_________________B_______B_____?
3 XV. 3 XIV. 3 XIII. 3 XII. 3 XI. 3 X. 3 3
?3Secret3 The Four Ws 3Parts of3Secret 3The Elements and 3Letters3 3
3Names 3 3the Soul3Numbers3 Senses. 3of the 3 3
3the 4 3 3 3corres-3 3 Name. 3 3
3Worlds3 3 3spond'g3 3 3 3
C______E____________________E________E_______E_________________E_______E_____4
3 HB:Heh HB:Mem 3Yetrirah, Formative 3 HB:Taw HB:Vau HB:Resh 3 45 3Air
Air, Smell 3 HB:Vau 3 11 3
3 HB:Gemel HB:Samekh 3Briah, Creative 3 HB:Heh HB:Mem HB:Shin HB:Nun 3 63
3Water Water, Taste 3 HB:Heh 3 23 3
3 HB:Bet HB:Ayin 3Atziluth, Archetypal3 HB:Heh HB:Yod HB:Chet 3 72 3Dee
Fire, Sight 3 HB:Yod 3 31 3
3 HB:Nun-final HB:Bet 3Assiah, Material 3 HB:Shin HB:Peh HB:Nun 3 52 3Spirit
Earth, Touch 3 h 332bis3
3 3 3 HB:Heh HB:Dalet HB:Yod HB:Chet HB:Yod 3 3< Spirit,
Hearing3 HB:Shin 331bis3
C______A_________________B__E________A______BA_______B_________A_______E_____4
3 XVI. 3 3 IX. 3 VIII. 3 VII. 3 3
3 The Planets and their 3 3Numbers printed3Value of3Hebrew Letters & 3 3
3 Numbers. 3 3on Tarot Trumps3Col.VII.3English Equiv. 3 3
3 3 3 3 3Symbols used in 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 this Article. 3 3
C________________________E__E_______________E________E_________________E_____4
3 Mercury 8 3123 0 3 1 3 A HB:Aleph
311 3
3 Moon 9 3133 I 3 2 3 B HB:Bet
3 12 3
3 Venus 7 3143 II 3 3 3 G HB:Gemel
3 13 3
3 Jupiter 4 3213 III 3 4 3 D HB:Dalet
3 14 3
3 Mars 5 3273 IV 3 5 3 H HB:Heh
3 153
3 Sun 6 3303 V 3 6 3 V HB:Vau
3 163
3 Saturn 3 3323 VI 3 7 3 Z HB:Zain
3 173
C_______________B________E__4 VII 3 8 3 Ch HB:Chet 3
183
3 XVIII. 3 XVII. 3 3 XI 3 9 3 T HB:Tet 3
193
3English of Col.3Parts of3 3 IX 3 10 3 I HB:Yod 3
203
3 XVII. 3the Soul3 3 X 320, 500 3 K HB:Koph , HB:Koph-final
3 21 3
C_______________E________E__4 VIII 3 30 3 L HB:Lamed 3
223
3The Self 3 HB:Heh HB:Dalet HB:Yod HB:Chet HB:Yod 3 13 XII 340, 600 3 M
HB:Mem , HB:Mem-final 323 3
3The Life Force 3 HB:Heh HB:Yod HB:Chet 3 23 XIII 350, 700 3 N
HB:Nun , HB:Nun-final 3 243
3The Intuition 3 HB:Heh HB:Mem HB:Shin HB:Nun 3 33 XIV 3 60 3 S
HB:Samekh 3 253
3 ?3 Z3 43 XV 3 70 3 O HB:Ayin 3
263
3 33 33 53 XVI 380, 800 3 P HB:Peh , HB:Peh-final
?3 27 3
3The Intellect C3 HB:Chet HB:Yod HB:Resh 43 63 XVII 390, 900 3 Tz
HB:Tzaddi , HB:Tzaddi-final 3 283
3 33 33 73 XVIII 3 100 3 Q HB:Qof 3
293
3 33 33 83 XIX 3 200 3 R HB:Resh 3
30 3
3 Y3 @3 93 XX 3 300 3 Sh HB:Shin 331
3
3The Animal Soul3 HB:Shin HB:Peh HB:Nun 3103 XXI 3 400 3 Th HB:Taw
3 32 3
3 3 3 400 3 HB:Taw
332bis3
3 3 3 300 3 HB:Shin
331bis3
@___________________________A_______________A________A_________________A_____Y
{WEH NOTE: In the above, col XVIII. head has been corrected and col. XVII.,
item 2 has been corrected --- all typo's in original. Note additionally that
col. XVIII., item 1, "The Self" is not the separate self, but the Universal
Self, not distinct in traditional Qabalah from the single divinity.}}
THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE
KING ___ (Continued)
GREAT as were Frater P.'s accomplishments in the ancient sciences of the East,
swiftly and securely as he had passed in a bare year the arduous road which so
many fail to traverse in a lifetime, satisfied as himself was ___ in a sense
___ with his own progress, it was yet not by these paths that he was destined
to reach the Sublime Threshold of the Mystic Temple. For thought it is
written, "To the persevering mortal the blessed immortals are swift," yet,
were it otherwise, no mortal however persevering could attain the immortal
shore. As it is written in the Fifteenth Chapter of St Luke's Gospel, "And
when he was yet afar off, his Father saw him and ran." Had it not been so,
the weary Prodigal, exhausted by his early debauches (astral visions and
magic) and his later mental toil (yoga) would never have had the strength to
reach the House of his Father.
One little point St Luke unaccountably omitted. When a man is as hungry
and weary as was the Prodigal, he is apt to see phantoms. He is apt to clasp
shadows to him and cry: "Father!" And, the devil being subtle, capable of
disguising himself as an angel of light, it behoves the Prodigal to have some
test of truth.
Some great mystics have laid down the law, "Accept no messenger of God,"
banish all, until at last the Father himself comes forth. A counsel of
perfection. The Father does send messengers, as we learn in St Mark xii.; and
if we stone them, we may perhaps in our blindness stone the son himself when
he is sent.
So that is no vain counsel of "St John" (1 John iv. 1), "Try the spirits,
whether they be of God," no mistake when "St Paul" claims the discernment of
Spirits to be a principal point of the armour of salvation (1 Cor. xii. 10).
? Now how should Frat. or another test the truth of any message
purporting to come from the Most High? On the astral plane, its phantoms are
easily governed by the Pentagram, the Elemental Weapons, the Robes, the God-
forms, and such childish toys. We set phantoms to chase phantoms. We make
our Scin-Laeca pure and hard and glittering, all glorious within, like the
veritable daughter of the King; yet she is but the King's daughter, the
Nephesch adorned: she is not the King himself, the Holy Ruach or mind of man.
And as we have seen in our chapter on Yoga, this mind is a very aspen; and as
we may see in the last chapter of Captain Fuller's "Star in the West," this
mind is a very cockpit of contradiction.
What then is the standard of truth? What tests shall we apply to
revelation, when our tests of experience are found wanting? If I must doubt
my eyes that have served me (well, on the whole) for so many years, must I not
much more doubt my spiritual vision, my vision just open like a babe's, my
vision untested by comparison and uncriticized by reason?
Fortunately, there is one science that can aid us, a science that, properly
understood by the initiated mind, is as absolute as mathematics, more self-
supporting than philosophy, a science of the spirit itself, whose teacher is
god, whose method is simple as the divine Light, and subtle as the divine
Fire, Whose results are limpid as the divine Water, all-embracing as the
divine Air, and solid as the divine Earth. Truth is the source, and Economy
the course, of that marvellous stream that pours its living waters into the
Ocean of apodeictic certainty, the Truth that is infinite in its infinity as
the primal Truth with which it is identical is infinite in its Unity.
Need we say that we speak of the Holy Qabalah? O science secret, subtle,
and sublime, who shall name thee without veneration, without prostration of
soul, spirit, and body before thy divine Author, without exaltation of soul,
spirit, and body as by His favour they bathe in His lustral and illimitable
Light?
It must first here be spoken of the Exoteric Qabalah to be found in books,
a shell of that perfect fruit of the Tree of Life. Next we will deal with the
esoteric teachings of it, as Frater P. was able to understand them. And of
these we shall give examples, showing the falsity and absurdity of the
uninitiated path, the pure truth and reasonableness of the hidden Way.
For the student unacquainted with the rudiments of the Qabalah we recommend
the study of S. L. Mathers' "Introduction"1 to his translation of the three
principal books of the Zohar,2 and Westcott's "Introduction to the Study of
the Qabalah." We venture to append a few quotations from the former
document, which will show the elementary principles of calculation. Dr
Westcott's little book is principally valuable for its able defence of the
Qabalah as against exotericism and literalism.
The literal Qabalah ... is divided into three parts: GMTRIA, Gematria;
NVTRIQVN, Notariqon; and ThMVRH, Temura.
Gematria is a metathesis of the Greek word
gamma rho alpha mu mu alpha tau epsilon iota alpha . It is based on the relative
numerical values of words. Words of similar numerical values are considered
to be explanatory of each other, and this theory is extended to phrases. Thus
the letter Shin, Sh, is 300, and is equivalent to the number obtained by
adding up the numerical values of the letters of the words RVCh ALHIM, Ruach
Elohim, the spirit of Elohim; and it is there fore a symbol of the spirit of
Elohim. For % = 200, V = 6, Ch = 8, A = 1, L = 30, H = 5, I = 10, M = 40;
total = 300. Similarly, the words AChD, Achad, Unity, One, and AHBH, Ahebah,
?love, each = 13; for , Ch = 8, D = 4, total = 13; and A = 1, H = 5, B = 2,
H = 5, total = 13. Again, the name of the angel MTTRVN, Metatron or
Methraton, and the name of the Deity, ShDI, Shaddai, each make 314;3 so the
one is taken as symbolical of the other. The angel Metatron is said to have
been the conductor of the children of Israel through the wilderness, of whom
God says, "My name is in him." With regard to Gematria of phases (Gen. xlix.
10), IBA ShILH, Yeba Shiloh, "Sjhiloh shall come" = 358, which is the
numeration of the word MShICh, Messiah. Thus also the passage, Gen. xviii. 2,
VHNH ShLShH, Vehenna Shalisha, "And lo, three men," equals in numerical value
ALV MIKAL GBRIAL VRPAL, Elo Mikhale Gabriel Ve-Raphael, "These are Mikhael,
Gabriel and Raphael"; for each phrase = 701. I think these instance will
suffice to make clear the nature of Gematria.
Notariqon is derived from the Latin word notarius, a shorthand writer. Of
Notariqon there are two forms. In the first every letter of a word is taken
from the initial or abbreviation of another word, so that from the letters of
a word a sentence may be formed. Thus every letter of the word BRAShITH,
Berashith, the first word in Genesis, is made the initial of a word, and we
obtain BRAShITh RAH ALHIM ShIQBLV IShRAL ThVRH, Berashith Rahi Elohim
Sheyequebelo Israel Torah; "In the beginning Elohim saw that Israel would
accept the law." In this connection I may give six very interesting specimens
of Notariqon formed from this same word BRAShITh by Solomon Meir Ben Moses, a
Jewish Qabalist, who embraced the Christian faith in 1665, and took the name
of Prosper Rugere. These have all a Christian tendency, and by their
means Prosper converted another Jew, who had previously been bitterly opposed
1 WEH NOTE: Plagiarized entire from Ginsburg's "The Kabbalah".
2 WEH NOTE: Better: His purported translation of three of the
more obscure books of the Zohar.
3 WEH NOTE: This observation led Mathers to miss-identify a
picture of Moses as Metatron in his edition (not translation, the
MSS were in English!) of "The Greater Key of Solomon."
to Christianity. The first is, BN RVCh AB ShLVShThM IChD ThMIM, Ben, Ruach,
Ab, Shaloshethem Yechad Thaubodo: "The Son, the Spirit, the Father, ye shall
equally worship Their Trinity." The third is BKVRI RAShVNI AShR ShMV IShVO
ThOBVDV, Bekori Rashuni Asher Shamo Yeshuah Thaubodo: "Ye shall worship My
first-born, My first, Whose name is Jesus." The fourth is, BBVA RBN AShR ShMV
IShVO ThOBVDV, Beboa Rabban Asher Shamo Yeshuah Thaubodo: "When the Master
shall come Whose Name is Jesus ye shall worship." The fifth is, BThVLH RAVIH
ABChR ShthLD ISh VO THAShRVH, Bethulh Raviah Abachar Shethaled Yeshuah
Thashroah: "I will choose a virgin worthy to bring forth Jesus, and ye shall
call her belssed." The sixth is, BOVGTh RTzPIM ASThThR ShGVPI IShVO ThAKLV,
Beaugoth Ratzephim Asattar Shgopi Yeshuah Thakelo: "I will hid myself in cake
(baked with) coals, for ye shall eat Jesus, My Body."
The Qabalistical importance of these sentences as bearing upon the
doctrines of Christianity can hardly be overrated.
The second form of the Notariqon is the exact reverse of the first. By
this the initials or finals, or both, or the medials, of a sentence, are taken
to form a word or words. Thus the Qabalah is called ChKMH NSThRH, Chokhmah
Nesthrah, "the secret wisdom"; and if we take the initials of these two words
Ch and N, we form by the second king of Notariqon the word ChN, Chen,
"gracce." Similarly, from the initials and finals of the words MI IOLH LNV
HShMIMH, Mi Iaulah Leno Ha-Shamayimah, "Who shall go up for us to heaven?"
(Deut. xxx. 120, are formed MILH, Milah, "circumcision," and IHVH, the
Tetragrammaton, implying that God hath ordained circumcision as the way to
heaven.
Temura is permutation.4 According to certain rules, one letter is
?substituted for another letteeceding or following it in the alphabet, and
thus from one word another word of totally different orthography may be
formed. Thus the alphabet is bent exactly in half, in the middle, and one
half is put over the other; and then by changing alternately the first letter
or the first two letters at the beginning of the second line, twenty-two
commutations are produced. These are called the "Table of the Combinations of
TzIRVP," Tzirup. For example's sake, I will give the method called ALBTh,
Albath, thus: ---
11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
K I T Ch Z V H D G B A
M N S O P Tz Q R Sh Th L
Each method takes its name from he first two pairs composing it, the system
of pairs of letters being the groundwork of the the whole, as either
letter in a pair is substituted for the other letter. Thus, by Albath, from
RVCh, Ruach, is formed DTzO, Detzau. The names of the other twenty-one
methods are: ABGTh, AGDTh, ADBG, AHBD, AVBH, AZBY, AChBZ, ATBCh, AIBT, AKBI,
ALBK, AMBL, ANBM, ASBN, AOBS, APBO, ATzBP, AQSTz, ARBQ, AShBR, AND AThBSh. To
these must be added the modes ABGD and ALBM. Then comes the "Rational Table
of Tziruph," another set of twenty-two combination. There are also three
"Tables of the commutations," known respectively as the Right, the Averse, and
the Irregular. To make any of these, a square, containing 484 squares, should
be made,and the letters written in. For the "Right Table" write the alphabet
across from right to left; in the second row of squares do the same, but begin
with B and end with A; in the third begin with G and end with B; and so on.
For the "Averse Table" write the alphabet from right to left backwards,
beginning with Th and ending with A; in the second row begin with Sh and end
with Th, &c. The "Irregular Table" would take too long to describe. Besides
all these, there is the method called ThShRQ, Thashraq, which is simply
writing a word backwards. There is one more very important form called the
"Qabalah of the Nine Chambers" or AIQ BKR, Aiq Bekar. It is thus formed:
4 WEH NOTE: Strictly speaking, no. Temura is substitution code,
with 24 principal tables. Crowley tended to use simple
permutation of the letters in some instances, calling it Temura.
Z___________________B____________________B____________________?
3 300 30 3 3 200 20 2 3 100 10 1 3
3 Sh L G 3 R K B 3 Q I A 3
C___________________E____________________E____________________4
3 600 60 6 3 500 50 5 3 400 40 4 3
3 M final S V 3 K final N H 3 Th M D 3
C___________________E____________________E____________________4
3 900 90 9 3 800 80 8 3 700 70 7 3
3Tz final Tz T 3 P final P Ch 3 N final O Z 3
@___________________A____________________A____________________Y
I have put the numeration of each letter above to show the affinity between
the letters in each chamber. ?sometimes this is used as a cipher, by taking
the portions of the figure to show the letters they contain, putting one point
for the first letter, two for the second, &c. Thus the right angle,
containing AIQ, will answer for the letter Q if it have three dots or points
within it. Again a square will answer for H, H, or K final, according to
whether it has one, two, or three points respectively placed within it. so
also with regard to the other letters. But there are many other ways of
?employing the Qabalah of tine Chambers, which I have not space to
describe. I will merely mention as an example, that by the mode of Temura
called AThBsH, Athbash, it is found that in Jeremiah xxv. 26, the word
ShShK, Sheshakh, symbolises BBL, Babel.
Besides all these rules,there are certain meanings hidden in the shape of
the letters of the Hebrew alphabet; in the form of a particular letter at the
end of a word being different from that which it generally bears when it is a
final letter, or in a letter being written in the middle of a word in a
character generally used only at the end; in any letters or letter being
written in a size smaller or larger than the rest of the manuscript, or in a
letter being written upside down; in the variations found in the spelling of
certain words, which have a letter more in some places than they have in
others; in peculiarities observed in the position of any of the points or
accents, and in certain expressions supposed to be elliptic or redundant.
For example the shape of the Hebrew letter Aleph, A, is said to symbolize a
Vau, V, between a Yod, I, and a Daleth, D; and thus the letter itself
represents the word IVD, Yod. Similarly the shape of the letter He, H,
represents a Daleth, D, with a Yod, I, written at the lower left-hand corner,
&c.
In Isaiah ix. 6, 7, the word LMRBH, Lemarbah, "for multiplying," is written
with the character for M final in the middle of the word, instead of with the
ordinary initial and medial M. The consequence of this is that the total
numerical value of the word, instead of being 30 + 40 + 200 + 2 + 5 = 277, is
30 + 600 + 200 + 2 + 5 = 837 = by Gematria ThTh ZL, Tet Zal, the profuse
Giver. Thus by writing the M final instead of the ordinary character, the
word is made to bear a different qabalistical meaning.
. . . . . . . . .
It is to be further noted with regard to the first word in the Bible,
BRAShITH, that the first three letters, BRA, are the initial letters of the
names of the three persons of the Trinity: BN, Ben the Son; RVCh, Ruach, the
Spirit; and AB, Ab the Father. Furthermore the first letter of the Bible is
B, which is the initial letter of BRKH, Berakhah, blessing; and not A, which
is that of ARR, Arar, cursing. Again, the letters of Berashith, taking their
numerical powers, express the number of the years between the Creation and the
birth of Christ, thus: B = 2,000, R = 200, A - 1,000, Sh = 300, I = 10, and Th
= 400; total = 3910 years, being the time in round numbers. Picus de
Mirandola gives the following working out of BRAShITh, Berashith: --- By
joining the third letter, A, to the first, B, AB, Ab = Father, is obtained.
If to the first letter B, doubled, the second letter, R, be added, it makes
BBR, Bebar - in or through the Son. If all the letters be read except the
first, it makes RAShITh, Rashith = the beginning. If the fourth letter, Sh,
the first B and the last Th be connected, it makes ShBTh, Shebeth = the end or
rest. If the first three letters be taken, they make BRA, Bera =
created. If, omitting the first, the three following be taken, they make
RASh, Rash = head. If the fourth and the last be joined, they give ShTh,
Sheth = foundation. Again if the second letter be put before the first, it
makes RB, Rab = great. If after the third be placed the fifth and the fourth,
it gives AISh, Aish = man. If to the two first be joined the two last, they
give BRITh, Berith = covenant. And if the first be added to the last, it
gives ThB, Theb, which is sometimes used for TVB, Thob = good.
. . . . . . . . .
? There are three qabalistical veils of the negative existence, and in
themselves they formulate the hidden ideas of the Sephiroth not yet called
into being, and they are concentrated in Kether, which in this sense is the
Malkuth of hidden ideas of the Sephiroth. I will explain this. The first
veil of the negative existence is the AIN, Ain, Negativity. This word
consists of three letters, which thus shadow forth the first three Sephiroth
or numbers. The second veil is the AIN SVP, the limitless. This title
consists of six letters, and shadows forth the idea of the first six Sephiroth
or numbers. The third veil is the AIN SVP AVR, Ain Soph Aur, the Limitless
Light. This again consists of nine letters, and suymbolises the first nine
Sephiroth, but of course in their hidden idea only. But when we reach the
number nine we cannot progress farther without returning to the unity, or the
number one, for the number ten is but a repetition of unity freshly derived
from the negative, as is evident from a glance at its ordinary representation
in Arabic numerals, where the circle O represents the Negative and the I the
Unity. Thus, then, the limitless ocean of negative light does not proceed
from a centre, for it is centreless, but it concentrates a centre, which is
the number one of of the Sephiroth, Kether, the Crown, the First Sephira;
which therefore may be said to be the Malkuth or the number ten of the hidden
Sephiroth. Thus "Kether is in Malkuth and Malkuth is in Kether." Or as an
alchemical author of great repute (Thomas Vaughan, better known as Eugenius
Philalethes) says, apparently quoting from Proclus; "That the heaven is in the
earth, but after an earthly manner; and that the earth is in the heaven, but
after a heavenly manner." But inasmuch as negative existence is the subject
incapable of definition, as I have before shown, it is rather considered by
the Qabalists as depending back from the number of unity than as a separate
consideration therefrom; therefore they frequently apply the same terms and
epithets indiscriminately to either. Such epithets are "The concealed of the
Concealed," "The Ancient of the Ancient Ones," the "Most Holy Ancient One,"
etc.
I must now explain the real meaning of the terms Sephira and Sephiroth.
The first is singular, the second is plural. The best rendering of the word
is "numerical emanation." There are ten Sephiroth, which are the most
abstract forms of the ten numbers of the decimal scale --- "i.e.", the numbers
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Therefore, as in the higher mathematics we
reason of numbers in their abstract sense, so in the Qabalah we reason of the
Deity by the abstract forms of the numbers in other words, by the SPIRVTh,
Sephiroth. it was from this ancient Oriental theory that Pythagoras derived
his numerical symbolic ideas.
Among the Sephiroth, jointly and severally, we find the development of the
persons and attributes of God. Of these some are male and some female. Now,
for some reason or other best known to themselves, the translators of the
Bible have carefully crowded out of existence and smothered up every reference
to the fact that the Deity is both masculine and feminine. They have
translated a feminine plural by a masculine singular in the case of the word
Elohim. They have, however, left an inadvertent admission of their knowledge
that it was plural in Genesis iv, 26: "And Elohim said: Let Us make man."
Again (v. 27), who could Adam be made in the image of Elohim, male and female,
unless the Elohim were male and female also? The word Elohim is a plural
formed from the feminine singular ALH, Eloh, by adding IM to word. But
inasmuch as IM is usually a termination of the masculine plural and is here
added to a feminine noun, it gives to the word Elohim the sense of a female
potency united to a masculine idea, and thereby capable of producing an
offspring. How, we hear much of the Father and the Son, but we hear nothing
of the Mother in the ordinary religions of the day. But in the Qabalah we
?find that the Ancient ofs conforms Himself simultaneously into the Father
and the Mother, and thus begets the son. Now, this Mother is Elohim. Again,
we are usually told that the Holy Spirit is masculine. But the word RVCh,
Ruach, Spirit, is feminine, as appears from the following passage of the
Sepher Yetzirah: "AChTh RVCh ALHIM ChIIM, Achath (feminine, not Achad,
masculine) Ruach Elohim Chimm: One is She the Spirit of the Elohim of Life."
Now, we find that before he Deity conformed Himself thus --- "i.e.", as male
and female --- that the worlds of the universe could not subsist, or, in the
words of Genesis, "The earth was formless and void." These prior worlds are
considered to be symbolised by the "kings who reigned in Edom before there
reigned a king in Israel," and they are therefore spoken of in the Qabalah as
the "Edomite kings." This will be found fully explained in various parts of
this work.
we now come to the consideration of the first Sephira, or the Number One,
the Monad of Pythagoras. In this number are the other nine hidden. It is
indivisible, it is also incapable of multiplication; divide 1 by itself
and it still remains 1, multiply 1 by itself and it is still 1 and unchanged.
Thus it is a fitting representative of the unchangeable Father of all. Now
this number of unity has a twofold nature, and thus forms, as it were, the
link between the negative and the positive. In its unchangeable one-ness it
is scarcely a number; but in its property of capability of addition it may be
called the first number of a numerical series. Now, the zero, 0, is incapable
even of addition, just as also is negative existence. How, then, if 1 can
neither be multiplied nor divided, is another 1 to be obtained to add to it;
in other words how is the number 2 to be found? By reflection of itself. For
thought 0 be incapable of definition, 1 is definable. And the effect of a
definition is to form an Eidolon, duplicate, or image, of the thing defined.
Thus, then, we obtain a duad composed of 1 and its reflection. Now also we
have the commencement of a vibration established, for the number 1 vibrates
alternately from changelessness to definition, and back to changelessness
again. Thus, then, it is the father of all numbers, and a fitting type of the
Father of all things.
The name of the first Sephira is KThR, Kether, the Crown. The Divine Name
attributed to it is the Name of the Father given in Exod. iii. 4: AHIH,
Eheieh, I am. It signifies Existence.
. . . . . . . . .
The first Sephira contains nine, and produces them in succession thus: ---
The number 2 or the Duad. The name of the second Sephira is ChKMHm,
Chokmah, Wisdom, a masculine active potency reflected from Kether, as I have
before explained. this Sephira is the active and evident Father, to whom the
Mother is united, who is the number 3. This second Sephira is represented by
the Divine Names, IH, Yah, and IHVHY; and the angelic hosts by AVPNIM,
Auphanim, the Wheels (Ezek. i.). It is also called AB, Ab, the Father.
The third Sephira, or triad, is a feminine passive potency, called BINH,
Binah, the Understanding, who is co-equal with Chokmah. For Chokmah, the
number 2, is like two straight lines which can never enclose a space, and
therefore it is powerless till the number 3 forms a triangle. Thus this
Sephira completes and makes evident the supernal Trinity. It is also called
AMA, Ama, Mother, and AIMA, Mima, the great productive Mother, who is
eternally conjoined with AB, the Father, for the maintenance of the universe
in order. There fore is she the most evident form in whom we can know the
Father, and therefore is she worthy of all honour. She is the supernal
Mother, co-equal with Chokmah, and the great feminine form of god, the Elohim,
?in whose image man aoman are created, according to the teaching of the
Qabalah, equal before God. Woman is equal with man, and certainly not
inferior to him, as it has been the persistent endeavour of so-called
Christians to make her. Aima is the woman described in the Apocalypse (chap.
xii.). This third Sephira is also sometimes called the Great Sea. To her are
attribute the Divine names, ALHIM, Elohim, and IHVH ALHIM; and the angelic
order, ARALIM, Aralim, the Thrones. She is the Supernal Mother as
distinguished from Malkuth, the inferior Mother, Bride, and Queen.
The number 4. This union of the second and third Sephiroth produced ChSD,
Chesed, Mercy or Love, also called GDVLH, Gedulah, Greatness or Magnificence;
a masculine potency represented by the Divine Name AL, EL, the Mighty One, and
the angelic name, ChShMLIM, Chashmalim, Scintillating Flames (Ezek. iv. 4).
The number 5. From this emanated the feminine passive potency GBVRH,
Geburah, strength or fortitude; or DIN, Deen, Justice; represented by the
Divine Names, ALHIM GBVR, and ALH, Eloh, and the angelic name ShRPIM, Seraphim
(Isa. vi. 6). This Sephira is also called PChD, Pachad, Fear.
The numbe? 6? An? fro? thes? tw? issue? th? unitin? Sephira? ThPARTh?
Tiphereth, Beauty or Mildness, represented by the Divine Name ALVH VDOTh,
Eloah Va-Daath, and the angelic names, Shinanim, ShNANIM (Ps. lxviii. 18), or
MLKIM, Melakim, kings. Thus by the union of justice and mercy we obtain
beauty or clemency, and the second trinity of the Sephiroth is complete. This
Sephira, or "Path," or "Numeration" --- for by these latter appellations the
emanations are sometimes called --- together with the fourth, fifth, seventh
eighth, and ninth Sephiroth, is spoken of as ZOIR ANPIN, Zaur Anpin, the
Lesser Countenance, Microprosopus, by way of antithesis to Macroprosopus, or
the Vast Countenance, which is one of the names of Kether, the first Sephira.
The six Sephiroth of which Zauir Anpin is composed, are then called His six
members. He is also called MLK, Melekh the King.
The number 7. The seventh Sephira is NTzCh, Netzach, or Firmness and
Victory, corresponding to he Divine Name Jehovah Tzabaoth, IHVH TzBAVTh, the
Lord of Armies, and the angelic names ALHIM, Elohim, gods, and ThRShIShIM,
Tharshishim, the brilliant ones (Dan. x. 6)5.
The number 8. Thence proceeded the feminine passive potency HVD, Hod,
Splendour, answering to the Divine Name ALHIM TzBAVTh, Elohim Tzabaoth, the
God of Armies, and among the angels to BNI ALHIM, Beni Elohim, the sons of the
Gods (Gen. vi. 4).
The number 9. These two produced ISVD, Yesod, the Foundation or Basis,
represented by AL ChI, El Chai, the Mighty Living One, and ShDI, Shaddai; and
among the angels by AShIM, Aishim, the Flames (Ps. civ. 5), yielding the third
Trinity of the Sephiroth.
The number 10. From this ninth Sephira came the tenth and last, thus
completing the decad of the numbers. It is called MLVth, Malkuth, the
Kingdom, and also the Queen, Matrona, the inferior Mother, the Bride of
Microprosopus; and ShKINH, Shekinah, represented by the Divine Name Adonai,
ADNI, and among the angel hosts by the kerubim, KRVBIM. Now, each of these
5 WEH NOTE: Tharshisim. Literally the "ships of Tarshish".
Isaiah, II, 16: "And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon
all delightful imagery." See also Isaiah XXIII, 1. Mathers
copies Ginsburg's "The Kabbalah" with a reference to Daniel X,6 for
this angelic order, but all that is found there is a description
of an angel. The figuration of "Brass" in the description is all
that can be directly found to unite to Netzach --- in as much as
Brass contains Copper, the metal commonly attributed to Netzach.
One could just as well attribute to Hod, Brass being a mixed
metal.
?Sephiroth will be in a certain degree androgynous, for it will be feminine or
receptive with regard to the Sephira which immediately precedes it in the
sephirotic scale, and masculine or transmissive with regard to the Sephira
which immediately follows it. But there is no Sephira anterior to Kether, nor
is there a Sephira which succeeds Malkuth. By these remarks it will be
understood how Chokmah is a feminine noun, though marking a masculine Sephira.
the connecting-link of the Sephiroth is the Ruach, spirit, Mezla, the hidden
influence.
I will how add a few more remarks on the qabalistical meaning of the term
MThQLA, Metheqla, balance. In each of the three trinities or triads of the
Sephiroth is a duad of opposite sexes, and a uniting intelligence which is the
result. In this, the masculine and feminine potencies are regarded as the two
scales of the balance, and the uniting Sephira as the beam that joins them.
Thus, then, the term balance maybe said to symbolise the Triune, Trinity in
Unity, and the Unity represented by the central point of the beam. But,
again, in the Sephiroth there is a triple Trinity, the upper, lower, and
middle. Now, these three are represented thus: the supernal, or highest, by
the Crown, Kether; the middle by the King, and the inferior by the Queen;
which will be the greatest trinity. And the earthy correlatives of these will
be the primum mobile, the sun and the moon. Here we at once find alchemical
symbolism.
. . . . . . . . .
The Sephiroth are futher divided into three pillars --- the right-hand
Pillar of Mercy, consisting of the second, fourth, and seventh emanations; the
left-hand Pillar of Judgment, consisting of the third, fifth, and eighth; and
the middle Pillar of Mildness, consisting of the first, sixth, ninth, and
tenth emanations.
In their totality and unity the ten Sephiroth represent the archetypal man,
ADM QDMVN, Adam Qadmon, the Protogonos. In looking at the Sephiroth
constituting the first triad, it is evident that they represent the intellect;
and hence this triad is called the intellectual world, OVLM MVShKL, Olahm
Mevshekal. The second triad corresponds to the moral world, OVLM MVRGSh,
Olahm Morgash. The third represents power and stability, and is therefore
called the material world, OLVM HMVTHBO, Olahm Ha-Mevethau. These three
aspect are called the faces, ANPIN, Anpin. Thus is the tree of life, OTz
ChIIM, Otz Chaiim, formed; the first triad being placed above, the
second and third below, in such a manner that the three masculine Sephiroth
are on the right, the three feminine on the left, whilst the four uniting
Sephiroth occupy the centre. This is the qabalistical "tree of life," on
which all things depend. There is considerable analogy between this and the
tree Yggdrasil of the Scandinavians. I have already remarked that there is
one trinity which comprises all the Sephiroth, and that it consists of the
crown, the king, and the queen. (In some senses this is the Christian Trinity
of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which in their highest Divine nature are
symbolised by the first three Sephiroth, Kether, Chokmah, and Binah.) It is
the Trinity which created the world; or, in qabalistical language, the
universe was born from the union of the crowned king and queen. But according
to the Qabalah, before the complete form of the heavenly man (the ten
Sephiroth) was produced, there were certain primordial world created, but
these could not subsist, as the equilibrium of balance was not yet perfect,
and they were convulsed by the unbalanced force and destroyed. These
primordial worlds are called the "kings of ancient time" and the "kings of
Edom who reigned before the monarchs of Israel." In this sense, Edom is the
?world of unbalanced fo and Israel is the balanced Sephiroth (Gen. xxxvi.
31.). This important fact, that worlds were created and destroyed prior to
the present creation, is again and again reiterated in the Zohar.
Now the Sephiroth are also called the World of Emanations, or the
Atziluthic World, or the archetypal world, OVLM ATzILUTh, Olahm Atziloth; and
this world gave birth to three other worlds each containing a repetition of
the Sephiroth, but in a descending scale of brightness.
The second world is the Briatic world, OVLM HBRIAH, Olahm Ha-Briah, the
world of creation, also called KVRSIA, Khorsia, the throne. It is an
immediate emanation from the world of Atziloth, whose ten Sephiroth are
reflected herein, and are consequently more limited, though they are still of
the purest nature, and without any admixture of matter.
The third is the Jetziratic world, OVLM HITzIRAH, Olahm Ha-Yetzirah, or
world of formation and of angels, which proceeds from Briah, and, though less
refined in substance, is still without matter. It is in this angelic world
that reside those intelligent and incorporeal beings who are wrapped in a
luminous garment, and who assume a form when they appear unto man.
The fourth is the Asiatic world, OVLM HOShIH, Olahm Ha-Asiah, the world of
action, called also the world of shells, OVLM HQLIPVTh, Olahm Ha-Qliphoth,
which is this world of matter, made up of the grosser elements of the other
three. In it is also the abode of the evil spirits, which are called "the
shells" by the Qabalah, QLIPVTh, Qliphoth, material shells. The devils are
also divided into ten classes, and have suitable habitations. (See Tables in
"777.")
The demons are the grossest and most deficient of all forms. Their ten
degrees answer to the decad of the Sephiroth, but in inverse ratio, as
darkness and impurity increase with the descent of each degree. The two first
are nothing but absence of visible form and organisation. The third is the
abode of darkness. Next follow seven Hells occupied by those demons which
represent incarnate human vices, and those who have given themselves up to
such vices in earth-life. Their prince is Samael, SMAL, the angel of poison
and death.. His wife is the harlot, or woman of whoredom, AShTh ZNVNIM,
Isheth Zennuim; and united they are called the beast, CHIVA, Chioa. Thus the
infernal trinity is completed which is, so to speak,the averse and caricature
of the supernal Creative One. Samael is considered to be identical with
Satan.
The name of the Deity, which we call Jehovah, is in Hebrew ad name of four
letters, IHVH; and the true pronunciation of it is known to very few. I
myself know some score of different mystical pronunciations of it. The true
pronunciation of it is a most secret arcanum, and is a secret of secrets. "He
who can rightly pronounce it, causeth heaven and earth to tremble, for it is
the name which rusheth through the universe." Therefore when a devout Jew
comes upon it in reading the Scripture, he either does not attempt to
pronounce it, but instead makes a short pause, or else he substitutes for it
the name Adonai, ADNI, Lord. The radical meaning of the word is "to be," and
it is thus, like AHIH, Eheieh, a glyph of existence. It is capable of twelve
transpositions, which all convey the meaning of "to be"; it is the only word
that will bear so many transpositions without its meaning being altered. They
are called the "twelve banners of the mighty name," and are said by some to
rule the twelve signs of the Zodiac. These are the twelve banners: --- IHVH,
IHHV, IVHH, HVHI, HVIH, HHIV, VHHI, VIHH, VHIH, HIHV, HIVH, HHVI. There are
three other tetragrammatic names, which are AHIH, Eheieh, existence; ADNI,
Adonai, Lord; and AGLA. This last is not properly speaking, a word, but is a
notariqon of the sentence, AThH GBVR LOVLM ADNI, Steh Gebor Le0Olahm Adonai:
"Thou art might, for ever, O Lord!" A brief explanation of Agla is this; A,
?the one first; A, the last; G, the Trinity in Unity; L, the completion of
the great work.
. . . . . . . . .
But IHVH, the Tetragrammaton, as we shall presently see, contains all the
Sephiroth with the exception of Kether, and specially signifies the Lesser
Countenance, Microprosopus, the King of the qabalistical Sephirotic greatest
Trinity,and the Son in His human incarnation, in the Christian acceptation of
the Trinity. Therefore, as the Son reveals the Father, so does IHVH, Jehovah,
reveal AHIH, Eheieh. And ADNI is the Queen, by whom alone Tetragrammaton
can be grasped, whose exaltation into Binah is found in the Christian
assumption of the Virgin.
The Tetragrammaton IHVH is referred to the Sephiroth, thus: the upper-most
point of the letter Yod, I, is said to refer to Kether; the letter I itself to
Chokmah, the father of Microprosopus; the letter H, or "the supernal He," to
Binah, the supernal Mother; the letter V to the next six Sephiroth, which are
called the six members of Microprosopus (and six is the numerical value of V,
the Hebrew Vau); lastly, the letter H, the "inferior He," to Malkuth, the
tenth Sephira, the bride of Microprosopus.
Advanced students should then go to the fountain head, Knorr von
Rosenroth's "Kabbala denudata," and study for themselves. It should not prove
easy; Frater P., after years of study, confessed: "I cannot get much out of
Rosenroth"; and we may add that only the best minds are likely to obtain more
than an academic knowledge of a system which we suspect von Rosenroth himself
never understood in any deeper sense. As a book of reference to the
hierarchical correspondences of the Qabalah, of course "777" stands alone an
unrivalled.
The graphic Qabalah has been already fully illustrated in this treatise.
See Illustrations 2, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 33, 34, 35, 38,
39, 40, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71, 72, 73, 74,
75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 82.
By far the best and most concise account of the method of the Qabalah is
that by an unknown author, which Mr. Aleister Crowley has printed at the end
of the first volume of his Collected Works, and which we here reprint in full.
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