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The Tarot of the Bohemians (Papus) · 66 of 134 · tr. A.P. Morton

Page 38

THE JUDGEMENT. THE JUDGEMENT. 20. ר 20th Hebrew letter (Resh). ORIGIN OF THE SYMBOLISM OF THE TWENTIETH CARD OF THE TAROT. The hieroglyphic meaning of the Resh is the head of man , and it is therefore associated with the idea of all that possesses in itself an original, determined movement. It is the sign of motion itself, good or bad, and expresses the renewal of things with regard to their innate power of Motion. The Resh is a double letter, and responds astronomically to Saturn. TWENTIETH CARD OF THE TAROT. The Judgment . An angel with fiery wings, surrounded by a radiant halo, sounds the trumpet of the last judgment. The instrument is decorated with a cross. A tomb opens in the earth, and a man, woman, and child issue from it; their hands are joined in sign of adoration. How can the reawakening of nature under the influence of the Word be better expressed? We must admire the way in which the symbol answers to the corresponding Hebrew hieroglyphic. 1. Return to the divine World. The Spirit finally regains possession of itself-- ORIGINAL DETERMINED MOTION. 2. Life renews itself by its own motion-- VEGETABLE LIFE. RESPIRATION. 3. The material world progresses one degree in its ascension towards God-- THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 20. ר The Judgment . AFFINITIES SIGNIFICATIONS Hieroglyphic Primitive: The Head of Man Astronomy: Saturn Day: Saturday Hebrew letter: Resh (double) ORIGINAL AND DETERMINED MOTION __________ RESPIRATION Vegetable Life OBSERVATIONS THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

The symbolism relies on human forms ('Head of Man', 'man, woman, and child') and an angelic figure to express divine concepts.

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Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

The passage details the 'Affinities' linking the card to astronomy (Saturn), day (Saturday), and Hebrew letter (Resh), exemplifying the Hermetic axiom of correspondence.

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Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The imagery includes a 'radiant halo' and 'fiery wings', representing the luminous quality of the divine presence.

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Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

The card is named 'Judgement', depicts an angel sounding the trumpet of the last judgment, and shows figures rising from a tomb.

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Letters Of Creationcosmology

The twenty-two Hebrew letters as the building blocks through which God creates and sustains all existence.

The text centers on the Hebrew letter Resh as a hieroglyphic meaning and building block of symbolism for the Tarot card, emphasizing its creative and expressive power.

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Logoscosmology

The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world.

The passage explicitly mentions the 'reawakening of nature under the influence of the Word', aligning with the concept of Logos as a divine ordering principle.

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Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology

The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.

The text links the 'Head of Man' (microcosm) to the 'Vegetable Kingdom' and 'Astronomy' (macrocosm), showing reflection between levels.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

The text focuses on the number 20 (20th letter, 20th card) as a key to understanding the symbolism and its astronomical associations.

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Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The text describes 'Return to the divine World' and the Spirit regaining possession of itself, indicating a journey back to origin.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

The passage states 'The material world progresses one degree in its ascension towards God', describing an upward movement of being.

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Vibrationcosmology

The Hermetic doctrine that nothing rests — matter, energy, mind, and spirit are a single continuum differing only in rate of vibration, from the grossest matter to the least material spirit. Distinct from cosmic_sympathy (affinity resonating BETWEEN separate things) in being a claim about what constitutes any one thing in the first place, and from magical_equilibrium (Lévi's operational balancing technique, which presupposes some vibration doctrine rather than stating this general principle).

The concept of 'Motion' as the sign of Resh and the renewal of things suggests a dynamic, vibrating quality to existence.

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Related passages · 9 parallels
neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 426
Section 10 10. We have shown the inevitability of certain convictions as to the scheme of things: There exists a Principle which transcends Being; this is The One, whose nature we have sought to establish in so far as such matters lend them…”
Shared concept: Logos — The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world. (derived)
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28.) "In Paradise the substance of the divine world penetrated the substance belonging to time, comparable to the power of the sun penetrating a fruit growing on a tree, and endowing it with such qualities as render it lovely to the sight a…”
Shared concept: Logos — The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world. (derived)
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And we press upwards to those beams which in the Holy Scripture shine upon us; wherefrom we gain the light which leads us unto 55 the Divine praises 64 64 πρὸς τοὺς θεαρχικοὺς ὕμνους. Either (1) “leads us to declare the Divine praises”; or…”
Shared concept: Return To Source — The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Mystical Theology|Chapter I-b
They are useful and necessary up to a point, but the Truth lies beyond them and is to be apprehended to a supernatural manner by what later writers call “infused” contemplation. The sum of the whole matter is that God is incomprehensible.…”
Shared concept: Return To Source — The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 46 (part 11)
They say that what is called collectively Monads by Leibnitz -- roughly viewed, and leaving every subdivision out of calculation, for the present** -- may be separated into three distinct Hosts, which, counted from the highest planes, are,…”
Shared concept: Microcosm Macrocosm — The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror. (derived)
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And in all the other Divine enlightenments which the occult Tradition of our inspired teachers hath, by mystic Interpretation, accordant with the Scriptures, bestowed upon us, we also have been initiated: apprehending these things in the pr…”
Shared concept: Divine Light — The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation. (derived)
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Shared concept: Eschatological Judgment — Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration. (derived)
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jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXXVIII
XXXVII-XLIV. The First Parable . XXXVIII. The Coming Judgement of the Wicked . CHAPTER XXXVIII 1. The First Parable. When the congregation of the righteous shall appear, And sinners shall be judged for their sins, And shall be driven from t…”
Shared concept: Eschatological Judgment — Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration. (derived)