Site: "The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters"

kwaw

I agree with JMD that by traditional they mean standard or common set of attributions, and the standardised set of attributions they have used belong to the conventions of the English esoteric or Golden Dawn 'tradition'.

I doubt very much they are refering to font.

Kwaw
 

firecatpickles

So what do you think about the "traditional" Kabbalistic significance of the Hebrew letter "aleph"? The way it is described in the link, it lends itself well to an interpretation of the Magician, yet there are parts that seem Fool-like.
 

kwaw

kilts_knave said:
So what do you think about the "traditional" Kabbalistic significance of the Hebrew letter "aleph"? The way it is described in the link, it lends itself well to an interpretation of the Magician, yet there are parts that seem Fool-like.

And probably other cards as well, I think the symbolism is multivalent enough to allow for any number of possible variations.

Kwaw
 

jmd

I agree with kwaw on this!

Perhaps there are some letters that do have a 'better' fit to some cards than to others, but their respective exegesis and symbolic import are sufficiently broad for various plausible correlations to be suggested. After all, those who argue for (as an example) the Fool and its association with Alef, Shin, or Tav (the three most common attributions) present plausible reasons for so doing.
 

ravenest

jmd said:
I do not remain convinced that mere more modern letter-form is what is intended by the statement "In the Quest Tarot I've included the traditional Hebrew letters on the Major [...]". If such was the case, it is at best misleading, and at worse deceptive - though I suspect that the intent was more along the lines of "[...] included the Hebrew letters in the manner in which the GD overlays them."

Another example of inaccurate communication. The statement CAN only mean one thing, that the letters are included on the card. If he is talking about attributions TO the letters, are they printed on the majors? (Asisde from the obvious ones of majors to letters.) Maybe what he means is; I have included the letters on the cards TO WHICH they are traditionally attributed? (in his opinion).

I guess it doesnt matter to most, just the statement alone is enough for validity for the majority of card buyers? (but not to fuss-pots like us ;) )
 

jmd

I agree with you, ravenest, of this being an example of inaccurate communication.

By including images of the Hebrew letters on the trumps and the comment made, the Quest tarot is giving the impression that those allocations are somehow 'traditional' - which does a great disservice to both tarot and to Kabbalah.

It would be different if the claim had been more accurate - something like 'Hebrew letters have been included according to the specific manner preferred by the GD' - which would leave the other manner in which to make attributions open, or indeed render the non-parity between the two open.
 

firecatpickles

jmd said:
...leave the other manner in which to make attributions open, or indeed render the non-parity between the two open.
I think this is an important statement, as it sometimes is a matter of taste or intrapersonal relation how one identifies with which letter symbolizes which archetype. Part of the breadth and scope of an interpretation of tarot along a Kabbalistic framework that is "...

jmd said:
...sufficiently broad for various plausible correlations to be suggested...
 

Dave's Angel

Serendipity or what!

Well, well, well.

Thankyou K_K for posting this. Only yesterday I was thinking of this site, absolute yonks ago someone here posted a link to it and I was hunting high and low trying to find it again. I could see the page layout in my mind but couldn't recall the name of the site for the life of me.

Then I log on here in desperation, intending to find the link again, and this thread is at the very top of the page, served up to me on a plate.

"I love it when a plan comes together." :)
 

Musica2420

I am so glad that there is information on this because I have a couple of tarot books featuring Hebrews related to the Major Arcana..Im really interested in learning not only about the letters, but why these specific letters were chosen in association with its particular card..