The Foundation of Letters

By ritual, and comprised in five locations: the gutturals A, H, Ch, E original: אהחע, the palatals G, I, K, Q, the labials B, V, M, P, the linguals D, T, L, N, T, and the sibilants Z, S, Tz, R, Sh original: גיכק בומף דטלנת זסצרש. These twenty-two foundation letters 15 are joined together with the Sphere in 231 combinations, and the circle revolves forward and backward. And this is the sign for speaking of good or the upright, or of evil or of loss. For this reason, he weighed them and permuted them: Alef with all, and all with Alef; Beth with all, and all with Beth. Thus the matter returns to the 231 gates, and every speech and every creature is found proceeding from their formation; and it is found 16 that the whole of Formation proceeds from one Name. 17 He created from Chaos original: תהו (Tohu) the substance of A, M, Sh original: אמש (the three mother letters) and made Alpha and Omega original: את (the first and last letters) i.e. Alpha-Omega The Greek letters Alpha and Omega, signifying the beginning and the end which shall not change or grow old. And 18 he polished great columns out of the air which cannot be felt. And this is the sign of the letter Alef with all, and all with Alef; Beth with all, and the reverse. 19 Speaking, therefore, or commanding, he made every creature and every word one Name. And the sign is that in one body there are 20 twenty-two wills referring to the 22 letters as divine volitions for speaking. 21 Three mothers: A, M, Sh Alef, Mem, Shin. A-M-Sh, their foundation is the pure hand, the impure hand, and the tongue—the statute of emanation between the two. Three mothers, A-M-Sh, a great and wonderful secret, covered and sealed in 22 six rings of nature, and 23 from these proceed Fire, Water, and Spirit, which 24 are divided into male and female. A, M, Sh are three...