letter | Name | Meaning | Sound | Type | Value | Elemental/Astrological correspondences | Kabbalistic Intelligence |
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Aleph | an ox | A | Mother | 1 | Air/spirit | Scintillating |
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Beth | a house | B,V | double | 2 | Mercury | Transparent |
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Gimel | camel | G,Gh | double | 3 | The Moon | Uniting |
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Daleth | a door | D,Dh | double | 4 | Venus | Illuminating |
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Heh | a window | H | single | 5 | Aries | Constituting |
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Vau | a nail | O,U,V | single | 6 | Taurus | Triumphant |
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Zayin | a sword | Z | single | 7 | Gemini | Disposing |
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Cheth | fence | Ch | single | 8 | Cancer | House of influence |
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Teth | a serpent | T | single | 9 | Leo | Secret |
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Yod | a fist | I,Y | single | 10 | Virgo | Will |
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Kaph | an open hand | K,Kh | double | 20 | Jupiter | Rewarding |
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Lamed | a whip | L | single | 30 | Libra | Faithful |
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Mem | water | M | mother | 40 | Primal Water | Stable |
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Nun | a fish | N | single | 50 | Scorpio | Imaginitive |
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Samekh | a prop | S | single | 60 | Sagittarius | Temptation |
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Ayin | eye | As,Ngh | single | 70 | Capricorn | Renewing |
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Peh | a mouth | P,Ph | double | 80 | Mars | Exciting |
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Tzaddi | a fish hook | Tz | single | 90 | Aquarius | Natural |
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Qoph | an ear | Q | single | 100 | Pisces | Corporeal |
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Resh | back of a head | R | double | 200 | Sun | Collective |
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Shin | fire | S,Sh | mother | 300 | Primal Fire | Perpetual |
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Tav | cross | T,Th | double | 400 | Saturn | Administrative |
What are Mothers, Doubles, and single letters?
The ancient Hebrew alphabet contained three sets of letters: Mother letters, from which all of the remaining letters were descended. The mother letters are associated with the elements whose sounds they resemble: aleph/air, mem/water, shin/fire. The seven double letters are those which have two pronunciations (and thus, a dual nature); these correspond to the seven planets and the seven alchemical metals. The twelve remaining letters are derived from the seven doubles, have singular pronunciations, and correspond to the twelve signs of the zodiac. The three sets of letters are the basis for the three horizontal, seven vertical, and twelve diagonal paths of the kabbalistic tree of life.
{ 1 comment }
The traditional attribution of the zodiac signs to the twelve single letters are not correct. It was reversed to veil it. Thus the letter Heh is associated with Libra, not Aries, and so forth. Compare shape and meaning of ancient hebrew letters to see.
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