An Exploration of the Sephiroth in Masonic Symbolism

Fr. Ernest R. Spradling, Vll0

A very senior Freemason once lamented about the younger

generation of Brothers, who were exploring the mystical in
Freemasonry, it being only a social club. I really don't agree with that
sentiment, and given what I have experienced over the years, I know
fully that our gentle Craft is imbued with mystical spirituality that has
accumulated since the first Lodge was founded. After all, everything in
this Fraternity is, in a larger sense, a microcosm of the life led on this
plane: if spirituality is found in all THE LORD's Creation, why would there
not be some form of the spiritual in the workings of the Fraternity?
I have experienced occasional "glimmers" of the Light, through
various gradations in the Craft, when the conditions were right; this set
me on this study of various mystical "trailblazers" that have been
evident, and not-so-evident, in the Craft's symbolism. Being ever
mindful of the admonition in the 32"d Degree of the Scottish Rite
(Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A.):
"To know how to classify shells, flowers, and insects is not
wisdom any more than it is wisdom to know the titles of books"
I must state for the record that, as Heinlein's protagonist put it in
the novel, "Stranger in a Strange Land", "I am onJy an egg", I do not
profess to have the knowledge of the Adepts, despite the occasional
"glimmers" I've experienced over the years. A lot of this probably is old
ground for some readers. However, as a civil engineer by training, and a
traffic engineer by experience, at least I have some idea what a
roadmap is and what trailblazer signs look like; they should be given
heed.
Before we delve into what Freemasonry has as
part of its symbolism, a little background information
is in order, so we will better be able to see the
symbolism behind the signs. One of the key, and I
must say the most well-known, Kabalistic symbolic
expressions is the Tree of life, which is composed of
ten Sephiroth, or "Spheres", arranged in a particular
pattern. This presentation does not discuss the origin
of the Tree of Life, other than to posit a theory that it
may be hard-wired into our genetic make-up. This
figure represents the most common form, which is a
two-dimensional projection of what, if projected in this physical world,
should be a three-dimensional model.

The ten Sephiroth are given names, which .·

correspond to various emanations, through
which Ain Soph {the Infinite} reveals Himself
and continuously creates both the physical
realm and the chain of higher physical realms.
In the two-dimensional model, the emanations
are arranged as shown in this figure :

Between the ten Sephiroth in the Tree of

Life are found twenty-two paths. Manly P. Hall
posited that the ten Sephiroth and the twenty-
two paths was analogous to the thirty-two
degrees of Scottish Rite Freemasonry.
Interesting enough; however, before
continuing it may be fitting to take a short
detour and introduce another symbol that
should be mentioned : an old friend, the
Pythagorean Tetractys.

The Tetractys was a very important symbol •

in Pythagorean worship. It is a triangular form,
of ten dots, arranged as shown in the figure on • •
the right. The Kabbalists substitute Yods, or • • •
arrange the Tetragramm aton, in place of the
dots. Known as the Lesser Tetractys, it • • • •
prominently figures in the Scottish Rite Craft Lodges, as well as in the
"higher" grades of that system. In addition to the traditional
explanation that it embodied the Four Elements, it is often considered
another representation of the Tree of Life . We'll touch on this again,
later; but back to the Sephiroth.
As one can see, the more one delves, the more complex it becomes,
with the several esoteric societies and authors heaping more
expressions in an effort to understand the Divine emanations, including
the assignment of certain archangels and planets to each Sephira,
depending on the interpretations of th e writer. Brother Timothy Hogan
proposed a rather intriguing arrangement of the attributes of both the
ten Sephitoh and the twent y-two paths. For our purposes, we can use a
few much simpler models, to explore how they are represented in the
forms of Freemasonry as w e practice th em today.
 The first of these models is the correlation of
the Tree of Life with the human body. The next two
figures show a couple of interpretations of the
theory, one being a human, sitting in a lotus
position, in an attitude of meditation, and the other
standing erect. Note that there is a line of
Sephiroth along the spine (Kether, Da'ath,
Tiphareth, Yesod, and Malkuth). More on that later.

As alluded to in the title of this presentation,

there are manifiestations of the Sephiroth
throughtout Masonic Ritual, if only one has eyes to
see.
Let us start with the Craft Lodge, where we are
first introduced to two Pillars, then three. The first
two pillars are our old friends, Boaz and Jachin,
which we are taught represent Establishment and
Strength. These are the constructive and destructive
attributes, which we are admonished in the Scottish
Rite 32nd Degree {Southern Jurisdiction), ever to
hold and maintain in equilibrium . They are also
representative of the Worshipful Master in the East
and the Senior Warden In the West. The third
column is Beauty, which in this diagram is placed
between Wisdom and Strength and represented in
the Craft Lodge by the Junior Warden. This third
column furnishes the fulcrum (the "Middle Pillar")
by which Equilibrium may be maintained between
the constructive and destructive forces. When we
consider the Middle Pillar, we will find that it
follows the Sephiroth Kether, Daath, Tiphareth,
Yesod, and Malkuth. As an aside, in some English esoteric circles, it is
interesting to note that what we know as the Substitute Word is the
name given to the Middle Pillar.

Tracing the paths between Wisdom (Chokmah),

Strength (Geburah), and Beauty (Tiphareth) , we
will see another old friend from the Craft Lodge,
the triangle surrounding the Altar of Obligation.
This symbol is left unexplained, not only in the Craft
Lodge, but also in the Scottish Rite Consistory.
These should be reminders of what we are supposed to be undertaking
within the Craft Lodge.

Most of the traditional work in contemplating the Sephiroth is

carried out using the two-dimensional model that is seen, in varying
forms, throughout the literature on the subject. However, we live in a
four-dimensional world, with the three spatial dimensions and the
dimension of time. If Bernard Perona were to be believed, the reason
we only sense four dimensions is due to the fall from the higher spiritual
planes from whence we came, to eke out our existence in the material
world to which our spirits have become attached, until we can learn
again how to reach the higher planes and be reintegrated with our
Creator. Of course, among the sources from whom Perona cribbed the
material for his writings, he took ran with this particular idea from
Pasqually, who wrote on the concept.
Fratre Steve Burkle wrote some interesting papers on the Sephiroth
from a three-dimensional perspective, wherein he referred extensively
to the works of Robert Wang, of Golden Dawn fame. I mention Burkle's
presentations, because his graphical
I AM
representations of Wang's work are worth MACROCOSM

sharing. ExlStenee

ATZILUTH
According to the Kabbalists, the V/Olld ol Emanation

Sephiroth are emanated through four AdamKadmon

worlds: the World of Elements, of BERIAH

Vlorkl ol Creation
Formation, of Creation, and of Emanation. Seven Heavens

These are sometimes graphically Archange s

presented as four versions of the YETZIRAH

V/Olld ol Formation
Sephiroth, stacked on atop the other, Paradise

which is sometimes referred to as "Jacob's Ange's

Ladder". The figure on the right is the ASSIAH

'l'/Olld ol Acbon
traditional two-dimensional model of Physcel Unlvorse

Jacob's Ladder. Another author colored t\ature

the four levels as blue, purple, scarlet, and

white, which should be familiar to Royal
Arch Masons of American and Scottish
origin . IAM

Wang interpreted the Jacob's Ladder as a three-dimensional model,

with the four worlds interlaced. The next figure shows Wang's
interpretation, with essentially forming a "double cube" rotating around
the Middle Pillar. Visualizing the Emanations
as a three-dimensional manifestation should
make their understanding easier.

One thing not touched upon is how the

paths are followed through the various
Sephiroth. That would be a good topic
suitable for its own presentation; however,
in both models of the Jacob's ladder, one could begin to see a
representation of a double helix when tracing pathways. Although DNA
was only recently (re?}discovered, the similarity shouldn't be
discounted, if one lends credence to the concept that what is
manifested in the Spiritual Realm (" As Above" ) would also be
manifested in the Material Realm ("So Below" ).

Now that the concept of a three-dimensional model has been

presented, we will go back to more symbolism in a Masonic context.
But, before we do, there are a couple of other items worth mentioning.

If the Tetractys, introduced earlier, is

considered to be a diferent representation of
the Sephiroth, and the Jacob's ladder is
considered to be a representation of its layout
through the four worlds, then the Greater
Tetractys should be considered a
representation of the Sephiroth through the
four worlds. In it can be found four copies of
the Lesser Tetractys. This symbol is introduced, without explanation, in
the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite (S.J.). Sometimes it is composed of
seven points, sometimes eight, sometimes eleven (abracadabra!).

In looking for three-dimensional models Hod Ge-ur.oh Bon.h ..... HoUvnah - 'lezah

in the physical world, one doesn't have to

look very far. The Sephiroth are manifiested
throughout the emblems and trappings of the
degrees beyond the Craft. The Menorah is
found in Jewish Houses of Worship, as well as
in most, if not all, Jewish households. Among
Kabalists, is a physical representation of the
Sephiroth. Once that explanation is
understood, several Scottish Rite degrees of
the Lodge of Perfection (read "completion" },
and the walk-on part it makes in several of
the Capitular and Cryptic grades, make more sense; at least it did, to
me. Unfortunately, no effort is made to explain the meaning of this sign
and its symbolism in the grades, no more than the Platonic Solids are
explained after their introduction in the English Royal Arch ritual. But, I
digress.
Other allusions to the Sephiroth include the long journey and the
passing of the Veils in the Royal Arch degree. Hogan's treatise provides
some useful clues. Another useful reference would be Wilmshurst,
although he was more interested in presenting what the four Craft
Grades meant to him,rather than how they correlate to the Tree of Life .
Of course, the burning questions now become: why does the Tree
of Life find itself displayed in so many ways in the various Masonic
systems? What is its importance, despite it never being explained in the
Ritual, but simply left to the Neophyte to conclude for himself? Maybe
there is an esoteric purpose to the Ritual that isn't explained, or more
probably, understood. After all, they are still part of the furniture (as in
essential parts) of the Lodge, even though no one gets it. How is the
knowledge they allude to imparted, despite the hobbling of our
ceremonies?
The latter question should be answered by acts of psychic
transmission during the ceremonies. Greer discusses this aspect, albeit
fleetingly, in his book on adopting Western Lodge systems in magical
Lodges. In this case, the transmission should take place at various stages
of the ceremony, and could begin as simply as the obligator laying his
hand on the hand of the Aspirant during the giving of the Obligation.
And it continues in other ways through the various ceremonies.
One representation of the Tree of Life may be
interpreted as being through the Five Points of
Fellowship. On the right is an old woodcut taken from
Duncan's Ritual, showing the Five Points, with which
all of us should already be familiar. However, closer
examination of the woodcut strongly suggests a
traditional arrangement of the Sephiroth, w ith the
feet, knees, breasts, and heads form ing the Middle
Pillar. This should allude to a transmission, or imparting, or imprinting,
of the knowledge of the Emanations from the Master to the initiate,
provided that all present are aware of what is really going on, with the
hope that the Master is att uned to the purpose of the Five Points, and
the Aspirant is capable of receiving it, on a spiritual level - although
some may catch on quickly, others may take a while
to reach the intended result, and still others will
never get it.

But, what is the point of this effort to transmit

this great secret that is hiding in plain sight? Part of
the practice of High Magic is to invoke and bring to ":::;
this plane some physical manifestation of the
spiritual energies of the Godhead, for whatever is the
intended purpose.
Taking this concept further, another representation may be found in
the Royal Arch grip, with which all of us should be familiar. It is given by
three times three, in the presence of three, under a Living Arch and over
a Triangle (the formula varies by Royal Arch jurisdiction, but it is
essentially the same).
On the right is another woodcut from Duncan. It
shows the Royal Arch Grip after the Living Arch is
raised. Note that there are four triangles manifiested
in the grip: the feet should be Yesod, Hod, and Nezah;
the lower hands Tiphareth, Geburah, and Chesed; the
three Companions' heads would be Binah, Chokmah,
and Kether, which also should be represented by the
Three Principals. Malkuth is the ground on which the
three Companions are standing.

What of the fourth triangle, comprised of the

Companions' hands? When the Royal Arch Word, and
Grand Omnific Word, are given, the hands are at Ain
Soph Aur, or the Infinite Light. Da'ath is represented
as being in the Middle Pillar, with the Secrets being
deposited in the repository of faithful breasts, which
in this case may include t he connection between the
brain and the spinal column. This is important
because Da'ath represents subconscious
transformation. Now knowing what the Grand
Omnific Word is, in conjunction with the name for the Middle Pillar (the
"Substitute Word"), the candidate receives the complete information
intended to be transmitted through the teachings of Ancient Craft
Masonry, which is The Word. While it only takes one to imprint (teach)
another, it takes several attuned to implement (work) the action.
 As the Scriptures say, if three or more are gathered together in THE
LORD's name, then they THE LORD is with them - provided, of course,
that all of the participants are t ruly in a spi ritual mindset, to allow
reception of the Emanations from The Infinite. With this perspective, it
may be reasonable to say that while the Master Mason may transmit
the roadmap of the Emanations from one Brother to another, it takes
three Companions to ta ke the journey and maintain equilibrium, so the
Middle Pillar is manifested in the Chapter.

So, to where does this lead us? Let us follow an altogether different
direction, although it may be related to this presentation. Signe Dean, in
a June 13, 2017 Science Alert article, wrote that neuroscientists, using
algebraic topology, which is a classic branch of mathematics, along with
a supercomputer, used these tools to peer into the structu re of our
brains in a new way, at least on a theoretical level. According to the
article, they discovered t hat the brain could be full of multi-dimensional
geometrical structures that were operating at a quantum level,
constantly constructing needed connections, and destroying them once
their purposes had been completed. These structures were operating in
as many as 11 different dimensions. This is an interesting number,
because there are 10 Sephiroth, plus Da'ath, which makes 11. Perhaps
the brain is still capable of acting on other dimensions, despite our
inability to perceive at our level? Perhaps science is catching up to
metaphysics? Maybe Bernard Perona was on to something?

These explorations have led me to the conclusion that we are all

striving to reintegrate wit h our Creator, and Freemasonry, while not a
religion with sectarian arguments, is a forum to learn to attune the mind
and spirit to receive THE LORD's many blessings, among like-minded
Brothers and Companions. We are all here to help one another to attain
the ultimate spiritual outcome; unfortunately, most Master Masons and
Royal Arch Masons may not get beyond the superficia l in their spiritual
journeys, and, since enlightenment is experiential, those who do are
unable to express their perceptions that come through this journey.
This presentation is but a roadmap showing my own journey, which
is only starting. But then, elsewhere in "Stranger in a Strange Land"
another charatcer laments humanity's unwillingness to accept simple
Truth when it is in plain sight. More food for t hought. That being said,
this author knows this journey of study is only beginning.
REFERENCES

Burkle, W.S.: The Sephiroth and the Four Worlds in the Three Dimensional
Perspective
Burkle, W.S.: Two Esoteric Concepts Which are Linked by the Tetragrammaton

Covey-Crump, W., M.A., D.D.: The Kabbalah and Freemasonry

Dean, S.: The Human Brain Can Create Structures in Up to 11 Dimensions, 2017

de Hoyos, A.: Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide, 2008, Supreme Council
33° Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction

Duncan, M.: Duncan's Ritual of Freemasonry, 22nd printing

Greer, J.M.: Inside a Magical Lodge, 1998

Hogan, T.: The 32 Secret Paths of Solomon A new Examination of the Qabbalah
in Freemasonry, 2009

Manasseh, C.R.: The Mysticism of the Royal Arch

Nhan Tli Nguy~n Van Tho: Chapter 5, The Kabbalah and the Monistic Theory

Pasqually, M.: Treatise on the Reintegration of Beings

Paternoster, J.: Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia Study Course, SRICF, 2015

Perona, B. : The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life, Volumes 1 and 2, 1990
(1998 Update)

Pike, A. : Morals and Dogma, 1871, 1944 Reprint

Thavma: Chakras, the Middle Pillar, and the Lord's Prayer, 2016
Wescott, W.W.: Sepher Yet zirah, The Book of Formation and the Thirty Two
Paths of Wisdom, 2015 printing

Wilmshurst, W .L.: The Meaning of Masonry, 1981 printing