Kabbalah 201.5: (Heh) The Emperor opens the window

The Hebrew Letter “Heh” is the Fifth Letter of the Alef Bet, and the first of the Simples. The Name of this Letter would be spelled [Heh Alef], and is an Ancient Word meaning “Window”, “Behold!” or “Lo!” The original pictograph was of a window.

Heh is very important, grammatically and symbolically. It is attached to Nouns and Adjectives as the definite article (“the” in English). It is also attached to the ends of nouns of location to mean “towards”. It can also be attached to the beginning of a sentence to turn it into a question. When it has this function, a dot known as the “Mapiq” is added, and it is preceded by a vowel sign of “ah”. This form of Heh is unstressed, to distinguish it from Heh used as a feminine form. The sound of Heh is a “voiceless glottal fricative”, identical to the English “H”.

Heh also occurs twice in God’s Name (YHVH). It is used as a way of inserting a meaning having to do with God. Prime examples of this are Abram, who becomes Abraham (medial “Heh”), and his wife Sarai, who becomes Sarah (final “Heh”). Heh is on the Fifth Pathway of the Tree of Life, Numbered Fifteen in the Sefer Yetzirah. This Pathway connects Chokhmah to Chesed (“Mercy”). Note that this places the Emperor directly below the Magician.

The “Fifteenth Path” reads:

The Fifteenth Path is Named the Constituting Intelligence (Sekhel MeTzuchtzach מצוחצח שכל), so called because it constitutes the essence of the Veil which is ordered in the arrangement of the system, and the Masters have spoken of these contemplations; it is that darkness spoken of in scripture, "and thick darkness a swaddling band for it."

The quote from Job 39:9 is a referent to God creating the clouds and caring for them like children. This relates to the Emperor Tarot Card, often connected with fatherhood. From the most Ancient Times, Hebrew Fathers have always been very close to their children. Sadly, this healthy attitude has often been lost in our Modern Western Culture.

The stern Emperor is typically depicted on his rams-head decorated throne, in front of a mountainous backdrop. As the First of the Simples, it is associated with Aries.

In Chapter Five of the Sefer Yetzirah, this is described as follows:

The Holy One crowned, combined, and formed Heh, predominant in Speech, and produced Aries in the Universe, Nisan in the Year, and the right foot in the human body.

Let’s review this writer’s comments from that same article:

“Nisan is the first month of the Jewish Zodiac, although the Jewish Year begins in Tishri. Humans are different from other animals by their Speech, their ability to communicate their inner thoughts to others. The Jewish Holiday of this month is Pesach. The tribe of this month is Judah, the royal leader, Tribe of David, from which Jewish monarchs descend. The Pesach sacrifice was a lamb, relating to the Zodiac Sign Aries.”

The Emperor, in readings, conveys an Idea of paternity, and parenthood in general. There is also an indication of a Time to build one’s foundations.

In Nova Thought, we might postulate “Sub-Principles”. Aries might thus be viewed as a Manifestion of “Flame of Flame”; being a Fire Sign, ruled by Mars. Mars is, of course, connected with the Fifth Sefirah, Geburah, This would link it with the Number Three (although the Emperor has Roman Numeral IV), the Manipura Chakra, and the Three Flame Runes, Nauthiz, Kaunaz and Tiwaz. As a Cardinal sign, there is also a relationship between Aries and the Road.

An Affirmation for Heh might be:

I am now able to look, as through a window, into a Higher Reality. This allows me to lay the Foundations of an amazing Future!