Hebrew alphabet
(Revision as of 06:26, 20 Feb 2007)
This section deals with the attributions of each letter of the Hebrew alphabet (alef-beit) as used in Kabbalah and associated divinatory systems (Gematria, Tarot). The content and character of these attributions can be assumed to be derived solely from Chassidut (mystical Judaism) unless otherwise noted.
"Each of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet possesses three distinct creative powers..."
The line above comes from The Alef-Beit, a modern scholarly work by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh (http://www.galeinai.net/) and is fundamental to understanding the nature of the letters as mnemonic, mathematic, and metaphoric glyphs revealing the fundamental structure, manifestation, and character of reality. Many such "triplets" can be derived, a few of which are:
- past, present, future
- energy, life, light
- form, name, number
It is the latter triplet that will form the matrix upon which each letter will be described in this section as they are the most directly useful in magick and divinitory systems.
Form - Describes the physical structures associated with the letter.
Name - Describes the living manifestations associated with the letter.
Number - Defines the numerical character traits associated with the letter.
The greater part of the ancient wisdom captured by the alef-beit system uses allegory and metaphor to encapsulate "compressed" knowledge that prefigures the understanding of modern science, so the great and surprising beauty of the system is still emerging as we begin to apprehend empirically the knowledge that has been hidden in plain sight. Where such parallels are available and useful, they will be noted in the text.
Links
Click on a link to access the information for each letter.
Letter | Letter | |||
א | Alef (Aleph) | ל | Lamed | |
ב | Beit (Beth) | ם מ | Mem | |
ג | Gimel | ן נ | Nun | |
ד | Dalet (Daleth) | ס | Samech (Samekh) | |
ה | Hei (Heh) | ע | Ayin | |
ו | Vav (Vau) | ף פ | Pei (Peh) | |
ז | Zayin | ץ צ | Tzadik (Tzaddi) | |
ח | Chet (Cheth) | ק | Kuf (Qoph) | |
ט | Tet (Teth) | ר | Reish (Resh) | |
י | Yud (Yod) | ש | Shin | |
ך כ | Kaf (Kaph) | ת | Tav (Tau) |
References
Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh (1995), The Alef-Beit: Jewish Thought Revealed through the Hebrew Letters, Jason Aronson, ISBN 1-56821-413-8