E. Levi's 'elements of the qabala in ten lessons'

zero

Although I've been recommended several books on qabala, and have every intention of acquiring them eventually, current geographic and financial restraints in my life have made progress in my studies slower than I'd like.
The only book I've managed too read other than "Genius" ( H. Bloom) and "Back to the sources" (B. Holtz) was an on-line copy of Eliphas Levis' "Elements of the Qabala in Ten Lessons". It's the only book I've read that expounds upon the ideas connected with the twenty two paths of the tree. However, I noticed that he doesn't say anything about the "absolute or fixed ideas" associated with path 31, Shin. What he lists is as follows:

supreme power (2) absolute wisdom (3) infinite intelligence/ understanding (4) goodness/ mercy (5) justice/ harshness (6) beauty (7) victory (8) eternity/ splendour (9) productivity/ foundation (10) reality/ kingdom (11) father (12) mother (13) nature (14) authority (15) religion (16) liberty (17) ownership (18) distribution (19) prudence (20) order (21) force (22) sacrifice (23) death (24) reversibility (25) universal being (26) balance (27) immortality (28) shadow and reflection (29) light (30) recognition (32) synthesis.
What are the ideas associated with path 31?

Jim Eshelman

Remember, Levi gave distorted attributions of the Paths. You can sort through these most of the time if you already have considerable knowledge of the Paths - otherwise, it's a pain.

JNV33

I think this attribution is based on the fool being path 31 (which is the missing path). So path 11 is the Magician/Beth, path 12 is the priestess/gimel etc, which would make Shin path 30. Also, path 18 is Justice and path 21 is Strength.

zero

Concerning the distorted attributions given by Levi; would anyone mind enlightening me as to what the non-distorted ideas associated with the paths are?

Jim Eshelman

@zer said

"Concerning the distorted attributions given by Levi; would anyone mind enlightening me as to what the non-distorted ideas associated with the paths are?"

Levi, in public, attributed the Tarot cards to the Hebrew letters beginning with Atu I = Aleph, II = Beth, etc., all the to the end EXCEPT he stuck The Fool at Shin, between Atus XX and XXI.

The correct pattern is given in many books. (I'm unclear whether you are asking for the whole picture from top to bottom.)

Some of Levi's attributions in various writings are primarily focussed on the Tarot symbolism (and therefore misplaced on the Hebrew letters). Some are based on the Hebrew letters or their closely-related number symbolism (and therefore are misplaced with respect to the Tarot). Some of his attributions, therefore, are too tangled to bother with; others are decipherable using the correct key (and, sometimes, a lot of patience!).