The Isometric Sephiroth

The
Forgotten Correspondences

Contents

Introduction

Hypothesis

Evidence

Argument

Traditional
Tree with primary attributes

Isometric
Tree with the six directions

The
Isometric Tree

The
Sephiroth and the pathways

The
Three Mothers

The
Seven Doubles

The
Twelve Simples

Isometric
Tree with all attributes

Table
of Correspondences

Notes

Introduction

Let me state first of all that I am approaching this primarily from a
professional interest in the informative and educational use of graphics, visual
communication and geometry. I have no particular religion, dogma or belief
system to either support or defend.

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Hypothesis

That the Kabbalistic Tree of Life (Etz Hayim) is a simple isometric
projection

That the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation) describes this isometric tree
in a complete and cohesive manner

That the Tree of Life accurately describes a three dimensional object.

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Evidence

Ten Sefirot out of nothing... they are ten extending beyond
limit: depth of beginning1, depth of end2, depth of
good3, depth of evil4, depth above5 and depth
below6, depth of east7 and depth of west8,
depth of north9 and depth of south10... Sefer
Yetzirah, Saadia, 1:2

Ten Sefirot out of nothing.

One: Spirit-wind of the
Living Elohim...

Two: Spirit from Spirit engraved and hewed: He cut
the four dimensions of Heaven: the east, the west, the north and the south,
and there is a wind for each direction.

Three: water of
spirit...

Four: fire from water...

Five: He sealed the height,
turning upwards...

Six: He sealed the depth and He turned below...

Seven: he sealed the east and turned forwards...

Eight: He
sealed the west and turned backwards...

Nine: He sealed the south and
turned to His right...

Ten: He sealed the north and turned to His
left...

These are the ten Sefirot out of nothing, One: Spirit of the
Living Elohim; two: wind of the spirit; three: water of the wind; four: fire
from the water, height and depth, east and west, north and south.
Sefer Yetzirah, Saadia, ch 4

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Argument

Traditional Tree with primary attributes

↑

Isometric Tree with the six directions

↑

The Isometric Tree

Isometric Tree with Sephiroth and
pathways

Also
available as a PDF file

↑

The Three Mothers

Three mothers: Alef, Mem, Shin: their basis is a scale of
innocence and a scale of guilt and a tongue ordained to balance between the
two. Sefer Yetzirah, Saadia, 1:3

Three mothers:... a great mystery, concealed, marvelous and
magnificent whence emerge fire, wind [air, spirit, breath] and water
Sefer Yetzirah, Saadia, 2:2

Three mothers: Alef, Mem, Shin are fire, wind [air] and
water... Fire ascends and water descends and wind balances between the
two.Sefer Yetzirah, GRA, 3:2

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The Seven Doubles

Seven doubles:... six sides in the six directions, and the Holy
Palace ruling in the center Sefer Yetzirah, Saadia, 2:3

Seven Doubles:...Up and Down, East and West, North and South,
And the Holy Palace precisely in the center and it supports them all.
Sefer Yetzirah, GRA, 2:3

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The Twelve Simples

Twelve simples:... the extremity of the northeast, the
extremity of the eastern height, the extremity of the eastern depth, the
extremity of the northwest, the extremity of the northern height, the
extremity of the northern depth, the extremity of the southwest, the extremity
of the western height, the extremity of the western depth, the extremity of
the southeast, the extremity of the southern height, the extremity of the
southern depth. Sefer Yetzirah, Saadia, 2:4

↑

Isometric Tree with all attributes

Also
available as a PDF file

↑

Table of Correspondences

#

Type

Hebrew

Character

Saadia

GRA

Westcott

#

Attribute

Foundation

The Universe, The Dragon

The Year, The Wheel

The Soul, The Heart

Attribute

Foundation

The Universe, The Dragon

The Year, The Wheel

The Soul, The Heart

Attribute

1

Sephiroth

1

Beginning

Beginning

Beginning

1

2

2

End

End

End

2

3

3

Good

Good

Good

3

4

4

Evil

Evil

Evil

4

5

5

Above

Above

Above

5

6

6

Below

Below

Below

6

7

7

East

East

East

7

8

8

West

West

West

8

9

9

South

South

South

9

10

10

North

North

North

10

11

Three Mothers

א

Alef

Air / Balance

Air

Spring / Autumn

Chest

Air

Air

Spring / Autumn

Chest

Air

11

12

מ

Mem

Water / Descend

Earth

Winter

Belly

Water

Earth

Winter

Belly

Water

12

13

ש

Shin

Fire / Ascend

Heaven

Summer

Head

Fire

Heaven

Summer

Head

Fire

13

14

Seven Doubles

ב

Bet / Vayt

Above

Saturn

Saturday

Mouth

Above

Moon

Sunday

Right eye

Above

14

15

ג

Gimel / Ghimel

Below

Jupiter

Sunday

Right eye

Below

Mars

Monday

Right ear

Below

15

16

ד

Dalet / Dhalet

East

Mars

Monday

Left eye

East

Sun

Tuesday

Right nostril

East

16

17

כ

Kaf / Khaf

West

Sun

Tuesday

Right nostril

West

Venus

Wednesday

Left eye

West

17

18

פ

Peh / Feh

North

Venus

Wednesday

Left nostril

North

Mercury

Thursday

Left ear

North

18

19

ר

Resh / Rhesh

South

Mercury

Thursday

Right ear

South

Saturn

Friday

Left nostril

South

19

20

ת

Tav / Thav

Middle

Moon

Friday

Left ear

Middle

Jupiter

Saturday

Mouth

Middle

20

21

Twelve Simples

ה

He

North East

Sight

Aries

Nissan

Liver

East Height

Speech

Aries

Nissan

Right foot

North East

21

22

ו

Vav

East Height

Hearing

Taurus

Iyyar

Gall-bladder

East North

Thought

Taurus

Iyyar

Right kidney

South East

22

23

ז

Zayin

East Depth

Smell

Gemini

Sivan

Spleen

East Depth

Motion

Gemini

Sivan

Left foot

East Height

23

24

ח

Het

North West

Speech

Cancer

Tammuz

Intestine

South Height

Sight

Cancer

Tammuz

Right hand

East Depth

24

25

ט

Tet

North Height

Eating

Leo

Ab

Right kidney

South East

Hearing

Leo

Ab

Left kidney

North Height

25

26

י

Yod

North Depth

Coition

Virgo

Elul

Left kidney

South Depth

Action

Virgo

Elul

Left hand

North Below

26

27

ל

Lamed

South West

Action

Libra

Tishri

Intestines

West Height

Coition

Libra

Tishri

Gall bladder

South West

27

28

נ

Nun

West Height

Walking

Scorpio

Marheshevan

Stomach

West South

Smell

Scorpio

Marheshevan

Intestine

North West

28

29

ס

Samech

West Depth

Anger

Sagitarius

Kislev

Right hand

West Depth

Sleep

Sagitarius

Kislev

Kivah

West Height

29

30

ע

Ayin

South East

Laughter

Capricorn

Tevet

Left hand

North Height

Anger

Capricorn

Tevet

Liver

West Depth

30

31

צ

Tsadeh

South Height

Thought

Aquarius

Shivat

Right foot

North West

Taste

Aquarius

Shivat

Korkeban

South Above

31

32

ק

Qof

South Depth

Sleep

Pisces

Adar

Left foot

North Depth

Laughter

Pisces

Adar

Spleen

South Below

32

#

Type

Hebrew

Character

Saadia

GRA

Westcott

#

Attribute

Foundation

The Universe, The Dragon

The Year, The Wheel

The Soul, The Heart

Attribute

Foundation

The Universe, The Dragon

The Year, The Wheel

The Soul, The Heart

Attribute

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Notes

Key to the pathways

Solid: Three Mothers

Dashed: Seven Doubles

Dotted: Twelve Simples

Links

Sepher Yetzirah Saadia
version (HTML)

Sepher Yetzirah
GRA version (PDF)

Sepher
Yetzirah GRA version (HTML)

Contact

Feedback is very welcome to: [email-masked]

Last updated

14th March 2005

This document is a working draft and is subject to change.

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