Kabalah and Tarot
by Jean-Michel David
(Kabbalah - Qabalah - Cabala)
It has now been well over two centuries in which implied
connections between Tarot and the Kabalah has been made
in writing - and perhaps longer than that if one considers
the plausible Hebrew letter influence on the very design
of Tarot’s Atouts (Major Arcana).
What I will do here is, rather than review the ways in
which the two fields have been variously connected, is
present a brief introduction and overview of some of the
central and more directly relevant Kabalistic considerations,
and these will only be introduced - nothing more. As volumes
already exist on even such a short text as the Sefer
Yetzirah alone, no-one should expect any comprehensive
details on two A4 pages.
‘Kabalah’ is a Hebrew term which
now encompasses a number of disparate elements. On the
one hand, it includes various expositions which are exegetical
mystical treatises arising out of Midrashic and Talmudic
considerations - never mind what this may specifically
mean for now. On the other hand are three specific elements
of broader significance, each of which also escapes the
confines of more traditional Jewish foundations. In a similar
way that a scientific discovery or model of the universe
transcends the limitations of the culture in which the
discovery or structured model is formed, so too that most
famous of Kabalistic consideration transcends Jewish spiritual
reflection, and has done so for centuries: the Tree
of Life provides a model of understanding adapted
by many outside Jewish constraints precisely because of
its apparent accuracy and usefulness.
Likewise considerations on letters of the Hebrew
alphabet both remains within and escapes Judaism.
After all, our own alphabet is closely related, and both
descend from an early proto-Hebrew ‘Phoenician’.
With regards to Tarot considerations, it may be mentioned
that other alphabets, such as the Greek, Roman and even
Runic, have also been connected in various ways with
the Atouts. What strikes one immediately, however, is
that only the Hebrew (of these more ‘modern’ alphabets)
precisely has the number of letters as there are Atouts¹.
The third element, apart from the already mentioned Tree
of Life and the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, are the
principal texts which characterise more traditional Kabalah.
Here, I will include only those three which seem to reflect
the major Kabalistic trends and, I should add, spiritual
impulses. They consist of the Sefer Yetzirah,
the Bahir, and the Zohar. In some ways, each also
reflects principal differences and considerations: the Sefer
Yetzirah focusses on the letters. As a very short
text - in seed-form, in a way - it is probably worthwhile
being read, if not studied in detail, by all with interests
in Kabalah.
The Bahir focusses on what is termed Merkabah or ‘Chariot’ mysticism.
It provides guidance on the work of ascending from the
Earth realm to higher spiritual dimensions. This work is
central within the body of Kabalistic texts for the development
of the faculty of intuition. Without the personal transformational
work actually undertaken, there is little sense in engaging
in what is otherwise mere superficial reading.
The Zohar provides a more picturesque description
as to what one encounters - and forms, in my opinion, part
of what is referred to as the Hekhalot group of
texts. This last group, properly speaking, speaks of the
chambers and the discoveries of the Halls one enters as
one rises on the various planes reached.
The three texts give, in that order given, a structured
form of preparation, of ascent, and of discovery: a structured
sequence of initiatic transformation.
Let us now return to the Tree of Life, and merely
note that the chambers of the Hekhalot literature,
which one reaches by ascention as per Merkabah methods,
are clearly depicted in the glyph of Etz ha’ Hayim -
the Tree of Life.
Various versions exist and will present only three from
a large number - and omit the most commonly encountered
in books focussing on Tarot (the Kircher version). It should
be noted that each representation is that: a representation.
As, analogically, varieties of vases exist, each being
a vase, it is likewise the case that varieties of depictions
of the Tree of Life exist, and one needs to maintain
the fluidity of mind to penetrate behind the shell of depiction.
The circular version (above) is one of the forms employed
in the school associated with the RAB’D (Rabbi Abraham
Ben David), also closely connected with the Bahir.
This is quite illuminating, in that it points that one expands (as
well as possibly expends) and ‘travels’ outwards
from centre to periphery in ever-more encompassing spheres
of de-limiting girdles of manifestation. Note I write ‘spheres’,
not ‘circles’.
Click to enlarge image
The second image (above) shows the Tree as having clearly
its roots in the realm of the Divine - a tree ‘inverted’,
and similarly structured to human beings as opposed to
the botanical realm of flora. Adam Kadmon may
also be represented by an enfolding rose, but one needs
to remember to fully invert and render inside-out the depiction.
The third derives also from early depictions and dates
from late mediaeval times (below) - and forms the basis
for the numerous later and more commonly utilised forms.
Click to enlarge image
The last set I developed out of considerations and reflections
on connections which appeared to emerge between the Tree
of Life and platonic solids. Strictly, I have three related
versions, each reflecting a ‘timed’ element
- the ‘frontal’ view (immediately below) is
one which I refer to as ‘After the Fall’, and
the three-dimensional representation (below), which more
clearly shows platonic solids, is from the ‘Before
the Fall’ set.
JMD's Tree: After the Fall
JMD, Tree of Life Before the Fall
Each of the spheres which essentially form the Tree is
as a hall, a veritable Temple, and each, as it descends
towards the lowest sphere, permits greatest incarnation
towards physical manifestation.
The Sefer Yetzirah is quite clear that there
are precisely ten Sefirot or emanations. ‘Ten’,
as it states, ‘and not nine, then and not eleven’.
On some depictions, however, an eleventh can be
seen, called Da’at (Knowledge). This is,
at least according to some, the seed, fruit and whole Tree
of Knowledge: Etz ha’ Da’at.
But let us here descend from top to bottom, moving, when
there are two emanations on the same apparent level, Hebrew
fashion from right to left. Above the
Tree is Ain Sof, the limitless, that which is
without containment, and hence pre-Sefirotic.
As soon as we begin any form of containment, we may begin
to form some description - but only begin, for no such
description itself limits that which we seek to describe:
Keter (Crown), Hockmah (Sophia/Wisdom)
and Binah (Intelligence/Understanding) from a
triune group and reflect the highest world of archetypes (or
Atzilut). One may also easily see on the Tree where the
densest bodies of the spiritual hierarchies descend, and
where our own highest bodies are located. In the case of
these three Sefirot (I will not describe these
for each of the ten) may be ‘located’ the Seraphim,
Cherubim and Thrones, and our highest self of Spirit-Being,
Life-Spirit and Spirit-Self.
Next is Da’at, in which is also located
the future organ of ‘birth’: Abra K’adabra:
as I speak so I create. It is here too that may be located
one’s central Ego, or inner ‘I’.
Here too may we reflect on that earlier initiatic maxim: Gnothi
Seauton (Know thy self).
The next triune reflects the world of creation
(Beriah) and consists of Gedulah/Hesed (greatness/lovingkindness-covenant), Geburah/Pahad (power/awe)
and Tifaret/Rahamin (beauty/compassion-mercy).
The triune of formation (Yetzirah)
reveals Netzah (radiant eternal victory), Hod (reverberation)
and Yesod (foundation).
Finally, the descent enters the world of action
or manifestation (Assiah) with the single
sefirah Malkut (kingdom) - which really provides
the underpinning energy matrix out of which the four elements
may further be delineated.
There is no way that what I have written thus far should
be taken without question - and various versions of the
four worlds has been used to delineate or even expand the
Tree, which itself has already been shown in differing
ways.
On the Tree of Life are at times placed the
letters of the Hebrew alphabet, suggesting specific connections
from sefirah to sefirah. However, the Sefer Yetzirah,
again, states clearly that the letters are positioned in
a circle or circles, forming 231 ‘gates’ -
think of these as gate-posts, in between which is the wind
movement of sound proper, each post being a letter. As
there are 22 letters, it follows that there are precisely
231 different pairs of letters which can be formed. 231
is also what is sometimes referred to as the ‘theosophic’ extension
of 21 (or triangular number of base 21). Simply described,
231 results when the numbers one through to 21 are added
together, and possibly why only 21 of the 22 Atouts are
numbered.
So what have we so far? in the first place we have the
pattern, or rather patterns, of the Tree of Life;
in a second we have the letters of the Hebrew alphabet;
and in a third we have some important texts, characteristically
represented by the three earlier mentioned.
As can be seen, order out of the vast literature may
begin to be discerned, but let us expand one important
consideration on the second aspect delineated thus far:
the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
We divide our own alphabet into vowels and consonants
- with a sense for the differences these carry. There are
also alternative and more detailed ways to divide an alphabet,
especially its consonants, which is what is usually also
here done. The Hebrew is divided into three groups: the
letters of the first group simply has to be remembered,
and are referred to as the mother letters, consisting of
the mathematically significantly placed first, thirteenth,
and twenty-first letters (Alef, Mem, Shin).
Seven of the remaining letters have dual sounds: a plosive
and a fricative form (eg, ‘B’, and ‘V’,
which in Hebrew is the same letter, and which even in Spanish
is not differentiated to the same extent as it is in English).
These seven are therefore referred to as double letters,
and its plosive form written with a dot (‘dagesh’)
which indicates its plosivity.
The remaining twelve letters are designated ‘simple’ letters.
Whatever the reason for the single letters (perhaps the
mothers were removed from an otherwise too large group
in order for precisely twelve to remain), what results
are groups that may now easily be connected, in straighforward
sequential order, to the twelve signs of the zodiac (wheel
of Life).
The seven double letters likewise become importantly
linked and connected to the seven earliest known planets
- the word ‘planet’ here used in its etymologically
correct sense, rather than its more modern astronomical
sense, and thus includes the Sun and Moon, as
well as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
The three remaining and highly important Mother letters
are connected with the three points on the horizon which
mark the Sun’s rise at solstices and equinoxes, and
corresponds with the elements of Air, Water and Fire.
Here, then, are not only the basics, but the tools by
which others have made correlations, in various ways, with
Tarot. It is often by returning to some of the basic considerations
as found (especially in the three texts earlier mentioned)
that later correlations become understood, and may be either
accepted or rejected with increased discernment of spirit.
The Zohar states: ‘Come and see how powerful
is the force of the Torah and how superior it
is to anything else. For whoever is occupied with the Torah
does not fear the higher or lower beings, nor fear evil
incidents in the work, because he is attached to the Tree
of Life, which is the Torah, and daily eats from it.
[…]
For the Torah teaches man to walk the path of
truth’.
The Bahir brilliantly indicates that ‘people
want to see the king, but do not know where to find his
house (Bayit). First they ask “Where is
the king’s house?” Only then can they ask “Where
is the king?”’.
The Sefer Yezirah opens with ‘Yah, the
Lord of Hosts, engraved all with thirty-two wonderous paths
of wisdom, and with three tools: with symbol (text: Sepher),
with number (Sephar), and with voice (communication; Sippur)’
... and on this we close.
[Cf also J-M. David's Fourhares.com site for further pages on the Kabalah]
Select bibliography:
- A. Kaplan Sefer Yetzirah, Weiser, 1997
- A. Kaplan The Bahir, Weiser, 1979
- G. Scholem Zohar, Schocken Books, 1949
footnote:
1. It should be acknowledged that early Greek similarly had twenty-two letters, as did Latin in Mediaeval times.
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