78

Michael Sternbach

78 = 26 × 3

26 being the numerical value of yod-he-vau-he.

So 78 could symbolize the four elements expressed on three levels.
 

Huck

Michael Sternbach said:
78 = 26 × 3

26 being the numerical value of yod-he-vau-he.

So 78 could symbolize the four elements expressed on three levels.
Click to expand...

The earlier standard-deck (according John of Rheinfelden 1377) had 4x13 = 52 cards. That's 2x26. Master Ingold (1432) expressed the opinion, that this was cause of the 52 weeks of the year.

Actually the "78" depended on the number of trumps, which was chosen once. There are doubts, if this (the 78 cards and the 22 special cards) were arranged at the begin of the Trionfi card development.

The first, from which we know with security about the game structure 4x14 + 22 = 78, had been Matteo Maria Boiardo in his Tarocchi poem, possibly made for the wedding of Lucrezia d'Este in January 1487.
Boiardo was elder cousin of Pico of Mirandola, who had just published his rather revolutionary work about Kabbala (December 1486, one month earlier). Pico might have had a favor for the 22. Boiardo, who also had learned Hebrew language, might have been inspired by his action.
Anyway, Boiardo had a rather special deck in mind, which differed from the common Tarocchi motifs. He used as suits the 4 stoic passions: Fear, Jealousy, Hope, Love. The special cards start with a Fool on a donkey, but more or less, that's the only card, which really reminds the standard sequence.
 

Yygdrasilian

Calculo cum Zephyrum

“Wisdom”
73x8 =584 = 1 Earth:Venus conjunction
73x5 = 365 ≈ 1 Earth Year
73x40 = 1 Earth:Venus Pentagram = 5x (6x6x6)°
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3gVW0b69...AAATw/oMlZsBdvLao/s1600/cypher+pythagoras.jpg

“Wondrous Ways”
32 = 22+10
32 = Maximal number of divisions of a plane with 6 circles
22 = Maximal number of divisions of a plane with 5 circles
10 = 1+2+3+4
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1QjvQXFXPec/VeqjQNaPxJI/AAAAAAAAAUE/2eFAB6OETkM/s1600/32-22-10.jpg

“n+1 dimensions”
1:2:3:4
0+1+2+3+4 = 10
0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10 = 55
55 = 10th Triangle Number
220 = 55 x 4
0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10
0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10
0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10
0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10
220 = 10th Tetrahedral Number
73 = 4th Star Number
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2Ln0xyuLuU/Veqw0bT7S9I/AAAAAAAAAUs/MeMvjmVvjgo/s1600/73-55-220.jpg

“Silhouettes & Solids”
127 = 7th Centered Hexagon
343 = 7th Cube
231 = 7th Octahedron
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v4t9dD1DtMg/VeqzcfH2l_I/AAAAAAAAAU8/4VYiouwBsXo/s1600/127-73.jpg
73 = 4th Star Number
220 = 10th Tetrahedral Number
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planar_projection
127/73 ≈ √3 = space-diagonal of unit Cube
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_diagonal
7² + 7² = 98
10 ≈ √98

“Harmonics”
10+4
10+4
10+4
10+4
56 = 6th Tetrahedral Number
22/56 ≈ π/8
96 = 0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+1+2+3
96 = 6th Octagonal Number
40 = 4th Octagonal Number
21 = 3rd Octagonal Number
231 = 0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rzKA6A78vOY/Veq3AS6PtaI/AAAAAAAAAVM/ULlsjwSeCGQ/s1600/231-96-40.jpg
22/56 ≈ π/8
22 = Partitions of VIII
56 = Partitions of XI
11/8 < ♋/♉ < √2 < XVII/XII
√2 = equal-tempered Tritone
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritone#Size_in_different_tuning_systems
√2 = face diagonal of unit square

“Recursion”
231 = 7th Octahedron
231 = 0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21
78 = 0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12
1+2=2+1
231 = 3rd 78-agonal Number

231 + (4+4+4+4) + (10+10+10+10) = 78
231 = Partitions of 16
231/2 = 1 Mercury:Earth synodic period
231 x11 = 22:7 Mercury-Earth conjunctions
360°/11 ≈ 32.7°
231+96 = 327

22:7 Mercury-Earth conjunctions = 127 x 20 days
22/7 ≈ π

“Caveat”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F-K-n9fhz4
 

Huck

Whatever you wanted to say ...

231 + (4+4+4+4) + (10+10+10+10) = 78
Click to expand...

I feel rather sure, that 231 + (4+4+4+4) + (10+10+10+10) = 287

And for ...

22/56 ≈ π/8
Click to expand...

... you should note, that ...

22/7 ≈ π
22/14 ≈ π/2
22/21 ≈ π/3
22/28 ≈ π/4
22/35 ≈ π/5
22/42 ≈ π/6
22/49 ≈ π/7
...
22/63 ≈ π/9
etc.
 

Yygdrasilian

The Joy of Painting

Huck said:
I feel rather sure, that 231 + (4+4+4+4) + (10+10+10+10) = 287
Click to expand...
As-
231 = 0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21
I thought one might see-
231 + (4+4+4+4) + (10+10+10+10) = 78
-as a mildly cryptic means of portraying-
22 + (4+4+4+4) + (10+10+10+10)

But, since you mention it-
287 = 14th Pentagonal Number

Huck said:
... you should note, that ...
22/7 ≈ π
22/14 ≈ π/2
22/21 ≈ π/3
22/28 ≈ π/4
22/35 ≈ π/5
22/42 ≈ π/6
22/49 ≈ π/7
...
22/63 ≈ π/9
etc.
Click to expand...
I found the ratio-
22/56 ≈ π/8
-of interest with respect to the Octagonal Numbers-
96 = 0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+1+2+3
40 = 10+10+10+10
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rzKA6A78vOY/Veq3AS6PtaI/AAAAAAAAAVM/ULlsjwSeCGQ/s1600/231-96-40.jpg

-which, in turn, may have something to with the ‘Silver Ratio’-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_ratio
-similar to how a Pentagon is related to the ‘Golden Ratio’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram#Golden_ratio


Of course, whether these sorts of calculations were a factor in the design or standardization of Tarot is anybody’s guess. I’m merely putting these patterns out there to illustrate how, intended or not, the numerical architecture of the deck possesses certain symmetrical and recursive properties otherwise hidden from view. Perhaps it is through the harmony between these figurations of number that Tarot has become such an effective tool for both gambling and divination. Or perhaps, for all their Pythogorean or Kabbalistic implications, these correlations are just ‘happy accidents’.
 

Richard

It is interesting to consider the Hebrew words which have the numerical value 78. This is from Bill Heidrick's Hebrew Gematria. (When I copied and pasted the list, Windows had changed the Hebrew words to their transliterated spelling.)

AyinVauBet --- to bubble up; to boil up.
VauAyinBet --- prayer, petition.
HayLamedYodLamedGimel --- circuit, district.
HayLamedMemGimel --- benefit, punishment.
HayAyinGimel --- to low (sound of cattle); call, cry; pr.n. "Lowing" (moooo...).
MemYodKafChet --- (638 w/f); wise; a wise man, a magician.
LamedYodLamedChet --- flute, pipe; unconsecrated, open, common, profane; desecration; exclamation (of aversion).
MemLamedChet --- (638 w/f); to be strong; to be at ease or rest, to sleep, to dream; to be white; a dram.
LamedMemChet --- to be mild, tender; to toil, tire; to carry.
KafNunChet --- (558 w/f); to taste; to teach, train; to dedicate.
LamedTetLamedTet --- to hurl down.
SamekhVauBetYod --- pr.n. "Trodden" or "Threshing-floor". --- ancient name of the city of Jerusalem (when it was a Jebusite city).
NunVauBetKaf --- (728 w/f); pr.n. "Fortress".
MemChetLamed --- (638 w/f); to feed on, consume; to fight or war; war, seige; food, meal, feast; bread, loaf.
LamedVauBetMem --- a flood, deluge.
HayLamedGimelMem --- roll or volume.
ChetLamedMem --- to well up or flow
--- to wear out or decay; to be worn away, to vanish
--- to salt, season with salt
--- worn out clothes or rags
--- salt; to take or eat salt; to eat the salt of someone, be a friend or dependant; to take salt with one, to feed at someone's table.
--- a seaman or mariner
ChetKafNun --- to be in front or before the eyes.
--- straight ahead, right on.
--- the front; over against.
YodChetSamekh --- offscouring, sweepings.
HayGimelAyin --- a round loaf, a cake.
DaletDaletAyin --- to bind or combine; to set fast or determine.
BetVauAyin --- to cover or envelop.
AlephZainAyin --- pr. n. "Strength".
 

Aeon418

An important word that Heidrick doesn't mention is Mezla (Heb: MZLA = 78). This is said to be the influence of Kether that descends via the path of Gimel and infuses the entire Tree of Life.

Gimel = The Priestess, who is said to have the Torah resting in her lap. TORA = TARO.
 

Richard

Aeon418 said:
An important word that Heidrick doesn't mention is Mezla (Heb: MZLA = 78). This is said to be the influence of Kether that descends via the path of Gimel and infuses the entire Tree of Life.

Gimel = The Priestess, who is said to have the Torah resting in her lap. TORA = TARO.
Click to expand...

Excellent! Thanks for that information.
 

Adrian Goldwetter

79

Hi hermit-IX.

You pose an interesting question:
>> is there anything special about the number 78. why are there 78 cards? <<

Did you know that GOLD has got the Atomic Number 79 in the periodic table of elements and that this is a NATURAL occurrence?

http://periodic.lanl.gov/79.shtml

An Alchemist would see that as proof that all the 78 (and the cards probably too) others before are somehow contained in GOLD. BUT that GOLD does not belong into that group because it is somekind of "otherworldly" > it belongs to the "GODS" in principle when it occurs naturally.

There are other concepts that play into that which have no lobby around here - but I might speak about them anyway - not here though because here were so many nice and revealing calculations concerning numbers and HEBREW letters made that I'm a bit dizzy right now :)

I just wanted to mention that because from what I know alchemy has a great part in the historical appearance of the cards and can be considered as ONE layer of meaning.
And if you want to go deeper into that I'd suggest that you widen your concepts somehow.

Have a nice ride

Adrian
 
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