XXI World and the Fool -- Oswald Wirth: Of Shin and Tau

Rusty Neon

I've never much been caught up in Hebrew-letter assignment dialogue and debates, but this passage from Wirth's _Le Tarot des imagiers du Moyen-Âge_, at p. 252, regarding the XXI World card, caught my interest. I cite this passage for its intrinsic interest, but take no sides on the question.

[The 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Shin, and the 22nd letter is Tau.]

Wirth writes:

"The 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Shin not Tau; however, it is the latter [i.e., Tau] that suits the arcanum bearing the number XXI, for that letter corresponds to the Whole - full and completed - to which logically lead the seven ternaries and three septanaries of the Tarot. The original Tau was either one simple vertical cross + or an oblique X."

Wirth then goes on to assign Shin, the 21st letter, to the Fool card, which is the last major arcana in Wirth's major arcana sequence.
 

jmd

It is again worth noting that Wirth's worthwhile contributions were made within worthy considerations arising within heavily weighed Levi influence.

It is nonetheless a very interesting and important note - and one I must admit to have missed when reading it years ago.
 

Fulgour

Le Fou

Rusty Neon said:
Wirth then goes on to assign Shin, the 21st letter, to the Fool card, which is the last major arcana in Wirth's major arcana sequence.
The idea is the logical-illogical "ending" for an open-ended sequence.
There has always been a desire to find closure for the sake of tidiness,
but the alphabet is a living thing, and it defies philosophical niceties.
Wirth understood this and simply plays along, with a nod and a wink...
 

Fulgour

21 Le Monde and Le Fou, 'Sin and Taw...non?