The Kabbalah Unveiled — S. L. MacGregor Mathers (from Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin) (1887)

I 5 . 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 letter or letters 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.

16. For example the shape of the Hebrew letter Alepli, A (see Plate I.), is said to symbolize a Van , V, between a Yocl, I, and a Dalcth , D ; and thus the letter itself represents the word IYD, Yod. Similarly the shape of the letter He, H, represents a Daletli , D, with a Yod , I, written at the lower left-hand corner, &c.

17. 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

KABBALAH.

+ 2 + 5 = 837 = by Gematria ThTh ZL, Tat 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.

18. In Deuteronomy vi. 4, &c., is the prayer known as the “ Shema Yisrael.” It begins, “ ShMO IShRAL IHVH ALHINV IHVH AChD; Shemaa Yisrael, Tetragrammaton Elohino Tetragrammaton Aclmd : “ Hear, O Israel, Tetragrammaton your God is Tetragrammaton Unity.” In this verse the terminal letter O in ShMO, and the D in AChD are written much larger than the other letters of the text. The qabalistical symbology contained in this circumstance is thus explained : The letter 0, being of the value of 70, shows that the law may be explained in seventy different ways, and the D = 4= the four cardinal points and the letters of the Holy Name. The first word, ShMO, has the numerical value of 410, the number of years of the duration of the first temple, &c. &c. There are many other points worthy of consideration in this prayer, but time will not permit me to dwell on them.

19. Other examples of deficient and redundant spelling, peculiarities of accent and pointing, &c., will be found in various places in the ensuing work.

20. It is to be further noted with regard to the first word in the Bible, BRAShITh, Berashith, that the first three letters, BRA, are the initial letters of the names of the three persons of the Trinity : BN, Ben , the Son ; RYCH, Buach, 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, Avar , cursing. Again, the letters of Berashith , taking their numerical powers, express the number of years between the Creation and the birth of Christ, thus : *B = 2,000, R = 200, *A =

* See note to the numerical values in the Table of the Hebrew Alphabet, &c., Plate I.

INTRODUCTION .