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TOP | RELIGION | JUDAISM | KABBALAHAlpha and Bet
To: Thelema List (old)
From: Silverado
Subj: Alpha and Bet (9405.alphbet.s)
Date: 49940517
I've been looking at the differences between the first and second letters
lately. . .
The Greek Alpha has its origins in the Phonecian Aleph (of which
the Hebrew is also derivative) which pronounced has little expression.
Indeed it indicates a glottal stop in the word. Fitting, therefore that
the letter begins such a word as AIN, or "nothing." It is an anomaly in
the Phoenecian alphabet as that tradition neglected to include vowels in
their set of monographs, vowels being only for pronunciation. The
written text of the Phoenecian contained only consonants. The pecular
relation of consonants to vowels is this: a vowel can stand alone in it's
pronunciation; but a consonant must be accompanied by a vowel to be
articulated. As the vowel allows the consonant to manifest, the
consonant contextualizes (gives shape to or specifies the use of) the
vowel.
And as Alpha/Aleph is the beginning of the vowel set, the pronounced
Word and the beginning of existence (as AIN, or as the intials A.a.A.:
"AHIH AShR AHIH," "I Am That I Am"), Beta/Bes is the beginning of the
consonantal forms, the written script, and representation of existance.
Beta/Bes is therefore the first letter of the Bible, and is attributed to
the ibis which inspired Hermes to invent the alphabet, and to Theuth who
delivered the invention to the Egyptian King Thamus along with astrology,
mathematics and other sciences.
Alpha is force and Beta is form.
> "_Beta_, the second letter, has challenging, perhaps demonic connotations.
> Numerically 2, the second one, is always seen as the breaker of unity,
> and, in dualistic religions, it became identified with the demonic
> challenger to the unity of God. Often, this challenger is called the
> 'Other One' [reminds me of KThR's qliphot], as in Sweden today,
> acknowledging the challenging aspect of the second that always threatens
> to become the first by rivalling or overthrowing it. In the Mithraic
> religion, the demonic god of wrongdoing, Angra Mainyu, also has the
> epithet, 'the second', a challenge to God and the destroyer of his
> unity. In Christian terms, this negative aspect was personified by
> the Devil. But also, the second brings with it the possibility of
> reunification. Without the second, the monad, complete in itself, is
> devoid of relationships, and therefore there can be no existence. All
> religions which see the universe as having a creator recognize this
> necessity, symbolized here by Beta. Some recognize that this second
> quality is not necessarily in diametrical opposition to the first
> principle."
>
> _Magical Alphabets_, by Nigel Pennick, Samuel Weiser, 1992; p. 49.
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
>
> Pennick shortens this in his appendix to 'demon', and I find this
> quite intriguing. 'Hymenaeus Beta' would thus seem to translate in
> this case to 'Demon-god of Marriage'. Comments?
And as I undersand it, the second, the demiurge is a euphemism
for the Great Magician, the god who arranges the universe into an ordered
system. Who utilizes the Forms to hir own End as the magician uses the
magical weapons to hir own end.
Arranged marriages. . .hmm. . .
Silverado
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