The Kabbalah features prominently in a number of Scottish Rite Degrees.
Have you studied it? Or are you interested in learning more about it someday?
Are there some good books or other resources you would recommend to someone interested in doing so?
Has the symbolism of the Kabbalah led you to any conclusions about Freemasonry that you can share?
Let’s discuss it…
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I have studied the Kabbalah at the Kabbalah Center in Beverly Hills, and can say there is without doubt a commonality to Freemasonry, particularly with the Tree of Life. Tradition holds that the Kabbalah was handed down from Seth, who knew the heavenly wisdom. The Tree of Life diagram, which was illustrated much later, perhaps first in the Sepher Yetzirah (3000 BCE), has three pillars; the pillar of Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, which represent the three phases of a man’s attributes. Also there are in it, three triads with three points (3x3). The essence of the triangle is that it always represent a trinity that brings two opposing forces together to form balance, harmony, and equilibrium.
The path on the Tree of Life starts from the worldly affairs of Malkuth to the tenth sefirot: kingdom or Crown of God, called Keter. To travel, if you will, from Malkuth to Keter, there are Nine Arches to pass through. For those in the York Right, will know about this, and I’ll leave it at that. In Blue Lodge we start out searching for something, but don’t know what it is at first. But if anyone has concluded, it’s the truth as represented by “the word.” Since the truth has not been found, a substitution was given along with a clue to the location; in the Sanctum Sanctorum; in the center. On the tree of Life, the hidden sphere is called Da’at, which is represented by the Hebrew letter Shin. It will always remain hidden to profane eyes, or those who seek for personal gain. Just to briefly mention, the letter Shin has three flames symbols, as can be interpreted as the three greater (divine) lights. These flames symbol represent Shekinah, the Holy Spirit, blossoming in the heart (center) of one who is awakening to self as an embodiment of the Logos; the living Word and Light that is the presence of the Divine within each of us. To read more about the Tree of Life and the York Right, I would recommend, first joining if you haven’t already, then read “Cryptic Masonry Education Course,” written by Robert G. Davis.
I will make mention to one more thing since the Scottish rite was also mentioned, and it will also conclude the above mentioned York Rite. In 1763, A French Mason named Martinez de Pasqually inherited a patent allowing him to add additional orders or degrees in Masonry via Charles Stuart, King of Scotland, England and Ireland. Martinez, along with Louis-Claude de Saint Martin and Jean-Baptiste Willermoz developed the Cohen (High Priest) Degrees, which ended with the seventh degree called the Rose Croix. The hand sign given by a Cohen priest forms the Hebrew letter Shin (think about the hand sign Spock gave from Star Trek, the actor who play Spock was Leonard Cohen, and would have known this was a Cohen sign). The five points on the Cohen sign of the hand refers to the five letters of the Tetragrammaton, and has been also called the Lions Paw, which is representing the five points of fellowship, mentioned in the Masonic Edinburgh Manuscript of 1696.
Anyone who reads this post and has gone through both York Rite and Scottish Rite, I would recommend a book titled “Freemasonry and Catholicism,” written by Max Heindel, in 1919. This explains the original Son of a Widow (Cain) and the degree allegory carried on from Masonry, specifically were the York Rite ends, with Hiram. Rosicrucian (rose croix) also picks up in the age of enlightenment, alongside of Masonry, marked by a sign given in the heavens. For those into Astrology/Astronomy look at the fiery triplicate of 1604 and the supernova written by Johannes Kepler, “De Stell Nova,” 1606 and “Harmonices Mundi,” 1619. In general, this is the Supernova (the rose) of 1604 in the constellation Serpent-bearer (Ophiuchus), Consecutive Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions zodiac diagram & Cygnus (the Cross).
I have studied Kabbalah, in the context of the Western Mystical Tradition. I have found it useful as a matrix through which to ‘decode’ some mystical practices. Beyond that, and really how I most value the Kabbalah, is as a model for the emergence of consciousness from the divine. A path, to be taken toward ‘enlightenment’ (for lack of a better word). It’s not the only system out there, and some of the others are just as valuable, but the application of ‘Christian Kabbalah’ in the renascence to western mysticism make it integral to much of what you encounter in the western stream. I do feel it’s important to understand it is a model, a map drawn by mystics toward the Light, and like the very wise man said, “the map ain’t the road”. That said, the Kabbalah is a very good map, in my opinion.
I would add, that many people I have met, who espouse the Kabbalah, have read secondary and tertiary texts only, and I recommend at least a general familiarity with Sepher Yetzerah and the Zohar, written by Jewish writers. Then you can move into the secondary texts, interpreted by someone on the same path as yourself.
My only exposure to the Kabbalah was learning that Madonna studied it. I think that says a lot of my educational roots, lol.
I have studied the Kabbalah at the Kabbalah Center in Beverly Hills, and can say there is without doubt a commonality to Freemasonry, particularly with the Tree of Life. Tradition holds that the Kabbalah was handed down from Seth, who knew the heavenly wisdom. The Tree of Life diagram, which was illustrated much later, perhaps first in the Sepher Yetzirah (3000 BCE), has three pillars; the pillar of Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, which represent the three phases of a man’s attributes. Also there are in it, three triads with three points (3x3). The essence of the triangle is that it always represent a trinity that brings two opposing forces together to form balance, harmony, and equilibrium.
The path on the Tree of Life starts from the worldly affairs of Malkuth to the tenth sefirot: kingdom or Crown of God, called Keter. To travel, if you will, from Malkuth to Keter, there are Nine Arches to pass through. For those in the York Right, will know about this, and I’ll leave it at that. In Blue Lodge we start out searching for something, but don’t know what it is at first. But if anyone has concluded, it’s the truth as represented by “the word.” Since the truth has not been found, a substitution was given along with a clue to the location; in the Sanctum Sanctorum; in the center. On the tree of Life, the hidden sphere is called Da’at, which is represented by the Hebrew letter Shin. It will always remain hidden to profane eyes, or those who seek for personal gain. Just to briefly mention, the letter Shin has three flames symbols, as can be interpreted as the three greater (divine) lights. These flames symbol represent Shekinah, the Holy Spirit, blossoming in the heart (center) of one who is awakening to self as an embodiment of the Logos; the living Word and Light that is the presence of the Divine within each of us. To read more about the Tree of Life and the York Right, I would recommend, first joining if you haven’t already, then read “Cryptic Masonry Education Course,” written by Robert G. Davis.
I will make mention to one more thing since the Scottish rite was also mentioned, and it will also conclude the above mentioned York Rite. In 1763, A French Mason named Martinez de Pasqually inherited a patent allowing him to add additional orders or degrees in Masonry via Charles Stuart, King of Scotland, England and Ireland. Martinez, along with Louis-Claude de Saint Martin and Jean-Baptiste Willermoz developed the Cohen (High Priest) Degrees, which ended with the seventh degree called the Rose Croix. The hand sign given by a Cohen priest forms the Hebrew letter Shin (think about the hand sign Spock gave from Star Trek, the actor who play Spock was Leonard Cohen, and would have known this was a Cohen sign). The five points on the Cohen sign of the hand refers to the five letters of the Tetragrammaton, and has been also called the Lions Paw, which is representing the five points of fellowship, mentioned in the Masonic Edinburgh Manuscript of 1696.
Anyone who reads this post and has gone through both York Rite and Scottish Rite, I would recommend a book titled “Freemasonry and Catholicism,” written by Max Heindel, in 1919. This explains the original Son of a Widow (Cain) and the degree allegory carried on from Masonry, specifically were the York Rite ends, with Hiram. Rosicrucian (rose croix) also picks up in the age of enlightenment, alongside of Masonry, marked by a sign given in the heavens. For those into Astrology/Astronomy look at the fiery triplicate of 1604 and the supernova written by Johannes Kepler, “De Stell Nova,” 1606 and “Harmonices Mundi,” 1619. In general, this is the Supernova (the rose) of 1604 in the constellation Serpent-bearer (Ophiuchus), Consecutive Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions zodiac diagram & Cygnus (the Cross).
I have studied Kabbalah, in the context of the Western Mystical Tradition. I have found it useful as a matrix through which to ‘decode’ some mystical practices. Beyond that, and really how I most value the Kabbalah, is as a model for the emergence of consciousness from the divine. A path, to be taken toward ‘enlightenment’ (for lack of a better word). It’s not the only system out there, and some of the others are just as valuable, but the application of ‘Christian Kabbalah’ in the renascence to western mysticism make it integral to much of what you encounter in the western stream. I do feel it’s important to understand it is a model, a map drawn by mystics toward the Light, and like the very wise man said, “the map ain’t the road”. That said, the Kabbalah is a very good map, in my opinion.
I would add, that many people I have met, who espouse the Kabbalah, have read secondary and tertiary texts only, and I recommend at least a general familiarity with Sepher Yetzerah and the Zohar, written by Jewish writers. Then you can move into the secondary texts, interpreted by someone on the same path as yourself.
Take the Narrow path, straight up the center!!!