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Friday, April 11, 2003


The Name Game

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‘Too many examples of bad naming confront us every day.’

Isidore Kozminsky

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Reading Isidore Kozminsky’s publication ‘Numbers-their meaning and their magic’; first published in 1912- provides a challenging and lucid introduction to the meaning of numbers and related Kabala. In 10 concise chapters Kozminsky’ dwells on the numerology of odd and even numbers, the Kabala of Pythagoras, the prophecies of numbers, arithmetical divination, and so on.
In her brief introduction Kozminsky urges the reader to pay great energy to ‘A close and proper study of the Bible, one of the greatest gifts of the ancient masters to the world’.

Kozminsky was a renowned scholar of history, archeology, numismatics, astrology and occultism. She published books on numerology, astrology, and precious stones, among others.

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From Isidore Kozminsky -NUMBERS- their meaning and magic-

CHAPTER II – Numerical value of the Letters

‘To every Hebrew letter a number was allotted, and by virtue of this transposition many wonderful things could be done by the scholars of old who made remarkable prognostications from this procedure solely. Careful study will convince the searcher of the amount of wisdom which can be obtained by the knowledge of the mystic property of numbers. It is related that that remarkable, though now much abused, man, Count Cagliostro, won huge sums at the Paris gaming tables by his skill in this branch of Kabalistic art. Three distinct times he told the Baroness de la Motte the winning numbers in the Paris lotteries, but declined to tell her a fourth time on the grounds that he had already given her her enough information to make three fortunes with.
It is an old custom of the Jews to change the name of a person sick unto death in the hope that by this act better conditions will be brought about for the material welfare of the sufferer, the old Rabbinical philosophy agreeing that the four things necessary to annul destiny’s evil decree were prayer, charity, CHANGE of NAME, and change of actions. Dr. S. L. Macgregor Mathers (Comte de Glenstrae) has erected the following table of Hebrew letter values, with their English equivalents :-

Aleph -------------- equals A ----------------------------- equals 1
Beth --------------- equals Bh. B ----------------------- equals 2
Gimel ------------- equals Gh. G ----------------------- equals 3
Daleth ------------- equals Dh. D ----------------------- equals 4
He ------------------ equals H.E -------------------------- equals 5
Vau ---------------- equals V.U -------------------------- equals 6
Zain ---------------- equals Z ------------------------------ equals 7
Cheth -------------- equals Ch (guttural) -------------- equals 8
Teth ---------------- equals T ------------------------------ equals 9
Yod ----------------- equals I.Y --------------------------- equals 10
Kaph --------------- equals Kh. K ----------------------- equals 20
Lamed ------------- equals L ----------------------------- equals 30
Mem --------------- equals M ----------------------------- equals 40
Nun ----------------- equals N ----------------------------- equals 50
Samekh ----------- equals S ----------------------------- equals 60
Ayin ---------------- equals Ngh (guttural) ------------ equals 70
Pe ------------------ equals Ph.P ------------------------- equals 80
Tzaddi ------------ equals Tz ----------------------------- equals 90
Qoph -------------- equals Qh.Q ------------------------- equals 100
Resh -------------- equals Rh. R ------------------------- equals 200
Shin --------------- equals Sh.S -------------------------- equals 300
Tau ---------------- equals Th. T -------------------------- equals 400

-The finals are- Final Kaph 500, Final Mem 600, Final Nun 700, Final Pe 800, Final Tzaddi 900. It will be found, however, more expedient to employ the following condensed table for all ordinary purposes-

A equals 1
I equals 1
J equals 1
Q equals 1
Y equals 1

B equals 2
C equals 2
K equals 2
R equals 2

G equals 3
L equals 3
S equals 3

D equals 4
M equals 4
T equals 4

E equals 5
N equals 5
X equals 5
N equals 5

U equals 6
V equals 6
W equals 6

O equals 7
Z equals 7

F equals 8
H equals 8 or 5
P equals 8

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The values described above in Kozminsky’s book can be considered as the basic guide for a Kabalistic searchlight to the meaning of names. To generate an adstruction of some depth I selected three candidates, these are:

George Bush
Donald Rumsfeld
Tony Blair

When determining the values for the individual letters of each candidate’s name we arrive at:

George equals 25 equals 2 plus 5 equals 7
Bush equals 17 equals 1 plus 7 equals 8
==
15

Donald equals 24 equals 2 plus 4 equals 6
Rumsfeld equals 35 equals 3 plus 5 equals 8
==
14

Tony equals 17 equals 1 plus 7 equals 8
Blair equals 17 equals 1 plus 7 equals 8
==
16


In chapter 1 of her book Isidore Kozminsky describes the respondent numbers as follows:

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THE NUMBER FIFTEEN –George Bush-

Fifteen equals 1 + 5 equals 6- of this number Kozminsky explains:

‘The man between Virtue and Vice is shown as a handsome long-haired youth, with his arms crossed on his breast, and a look of indecision on his face.’

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The number 15 has its equivalent in the Hebrew letter Samek. It is classed generally as evil. It is, however, a number of occult significance, of magic and mystery, and the understanding of it leads to great spiritual heights. In the Sepher Yetzirah the 15th path is the Path of Darkness. The occult numbers of the number 15 are-

“THE DEVIL”

Eliphas Levi also includes “The Ghost of Mendes’ and the “Baphomet of the Templars.”
The devil is standing on a cube, to which are chained two smaller devils- (one male, another female). In his right hand he holds the candle of Black magic, in his left a ring. He has the Wings of Evil, is horned and long-eared. His face is like a goat, and he has goat’s legs and hoofs.
The number 15 was, in the Middle Ages, associated with the weird and unholy Witches’ Sabbath, and does not represent the highest side of magic. It is a number of eloquence, fatality, marriage, troubles and voluptuousness. It represents the temptation of man, and is compared to the Dweller on the Treshhold introduced into Lord Lytton’s Rosicrucian romance Zanoni. At number 6 (1+5) arises the man between Virtue and Vice. At number 15 Vice opens before him in hideous reality. If his soul be weak, he will be engulfed.

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THE NUMBER FOURTEEN –Donald Rumsfeld-

Fourteen equals 1 plus 4 equals 5- of this number Kozminsky explains:

‘This is a number of fire and struggle, competition and strife, hastiness and anger, and of light, understanding, justice, faith, authority, power, and will.’

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The number fourteen has its equivalent in the Hebrew letter Nun. It is generally not considered prosperous. It is a number of everlasting movement and combination, of sexuality, revolution, motion, energy, indecision, temperance, trial and dangers from the natural forces. It is also a number of ignorance and forgetfulness, and as such is the true number of Incarnation, the soul descending into matter ignorant of its past experience in the flesh. The ancient Greeks held that the soul about to be reborn into matter drank of the waters of Lethe, the waters of forgetfulness, before leaving the “shades” for another pilgrimage on earth. At number 5 (1+4) begins the mystery of the Hierophant with the triple staff (Spirit, Soul, Matter). At number 14 the struggle into matter has commenced; the soul enters the world clothed in its earthly dress. Here begins the work of the magician.
In the Sepher Yetzirah the 14th Path is the Path of Sanctity and Preparation. The Occult Symbols of the number 14 are- Temperance; The Two Ewers; The Mutilated Osiris. Egyptian mythology tells that after Set had slain Osiris he cut the body into 14 parts. Temperance is pictured as a beautiful winged girl with a star on her forehead. She pours liquid froman ewer of gold into an ewer of silver without the loss of a drop.

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THE NUMBER SEVENTEEN –Tony Blair-

Seventeen equals 1 plus 7 equals 8- of this number Kozminsky explains:

‘This is a number of attraction and repulsion, life, terrors, and all kinds of strife, of separation, disruption, destruction, promise and menace.’

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The number seventeen has its equivalent in the Hebrew letter Pe. It is classed as very good. It is a very spiritual number, and is symbolised as

‘THE STAR’

-‘The Burning Star,’ ‘The Star of the Magi.’ Eliphas Levi uses the following beautiful symbol:

‘A naked woman, representing Truth, nature, and Wisdom unveiled, inclines two urns towards the earth, and pours out fire and wire upon it; above her head glitters the Septenary, circling round an 8-pointed star, that of Venus; symbol of peace and love.’ In the Sepher Yetzirah the 17th Path is the Path of the Realisation and reward of the Righteous, for here is there Faith rewarded with the mantle of the Holy Spirit. This number is one of immortality, moral influence of the idea or forms, flow of thought, uncertainty, intuition, expression, clairvoyance, beauty and hope.
In ancient Egypt 17 was considered unholy, because it was on the 17th day of the moon that Osiris was slain. At number 8 (1+7) arises the perfect path of Justice which at number 17 reaches the guiding star of the Magi.

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© Isidore Kozminsky- NUMBERS- their meaning and their magic- Rider and Company 1972

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posted by Walter at 4/11/2003