Prince of the Tabernacle

Sixth Class – Twenty-Fourth Grade –

Sixth Council of Kadosh
1. General considerations
 Prince of the Tabernacle

• Twenty-Fourth Degree of the Ancient and

Accepted Scottish Rite
• Sixth Degree of the Council of Kadosh Knights
• Sixth of the Historical and Philosophical
Degrees
• Sixth of the Definitely Templar Degrees
• Sixth Degree of the Sixth Class or Series
 The origins of the degree of Prince of the Tabernacle…
• …they are probably somewhat more recent than those of
other degrees of the Scottish Rite.
• Scottish tradition says that this was one of the eight
degrees that Frederick of Prussia added in 1786 to the Rite
of Perfection, thus forming the current scale of thirty-three
degrees.
• Historical research seems to indicate, however, that the
above belongs only to Legend.
• In the Northern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of the
United States, this degree is currently called “Knight of
Forest.”
• In other Rituals, this degree appears with the name “Knight
of the Red Eagle” .
 The degree of Prince of the Tabernacle…

• It is usually conferred by communication, which

has transformed it into something almost totally
nominal.
• This degree presents a profound esotericism, with
cabalistic roots, that totally exceeds the little
importance given to it in practice.
• Towards the end of the 19th century, in the United
States, Rituals of this degree were written that
were very well elaborated and even with a certain
literary elevation, which, it is fair to recognize, is
not always found in Masonic Rituals.
 In the hierarchy of grades
• The 24th is closely connected to
the one that precedes it.
• In such a way that some
consider that the 23rd is really
the Antechamber of the 24th.
• In turn, the 24th has been
worked as the antechamber of
the Knight Kadosh, which
indicates its importance.
• Although, as we said, it is
generally conferred by
communication, there have
been exceptions.
• For example, around 1950 the
Supreme Council of Spain
conferred it by Initiation, in a
great session.
 In the hierarchy of grades
• Some claim that this degree
presents analogies with the 3rd of
the modern versions of the Order
of the Temple.
• The truth is that the 23rd, 24th and
25th form a ternary of degrees
centered on the Tabernacle, and
with defined Templar resonances.
• Others say that, in the 23rd, the
Knight is initiated as a “Levita” and
in the 24th as a “Priest” .
• This does not make much sense,
as it would be a limited religious
application and, therefore, not
valid for Freemasonry.
 In the hierarchy of grades
• The 24th appears to be an THE
interpolation, because, in
TABERNACLE
Exodus chap. 25, 26, 27, 28 // Hebrews cap. 9

reality, the Tabernacle was a MANASSE

EFRAIN
BENIAMIN

kind of preamble to Solomon's

WEST OX
S

Temple, which had symbolically K

m
been completed in the 14th O-

degree.
• However, when the complete
Ritual of this degree is studied,

NEPHTALINORTHERN EAGLETO BE
we see that, in its Legend, the Or

Tabernacle constitutes only a

z
C#

part, and that the apparent

anachronisms are the product
of a limited understanding of
what the degree is as a whole.

THIS LION
ISHACH ZABULON
AR IUDA
 The Prince of the Tabernacle and
Martinism

• The references made in this

degree about the “Book of
Nature” are similar to those
that can be found in Martinism
in general, and in the works of
LC of Saint Martin in
particular.
• In fact, the examination of the
symbolic five pages of this
“book” constitutes a
fundamental part of the
instruction of this grade.
 Saturn
• In the “Conclave” given
in the 19th degree, the
Prince of the
Tabernacle
corresponds to Saturn.
• This would imply a
relative “darkness” of
the degree, associated
with lead and a
primordial god, who in
Greek mythology was
included in the category
of the Titans.
 The
• Just as the 23rd represented
entry into the mysteries
Lesser
Mysteries, the 24th
corresponds to entry into the
Greater Mysteries.
• Therefore, while the
Instruction and Ritual of the
23rd were limited almost
exclusively to the Hebrew
Mysteries, in the 24th the
Ancient Mysteries of all
peoples (Egyptians, Greeks,
etc.) will be studied.

Sunrise at Stonehenge
 The
• Albert Pike, following tradition,
mysteries
indicates in the Ritual of this
degree that the Ancient
Mysteries were characterized
by using symbolism as a
teaching method.
• And that, after a brilliant
beginning, these Ancient
Mysteries degenerated and
declined, which implied the
loss of much of what was
taught in them.
 The
For all this, in this degree the
mysteries
stories of ancient mythological
heroes are told, such as
Osiris, Dionysus, etc.
And discussions are held
about the existential themes of
man: life, death, destiny, the
meaning of everything.
 The
• In some Rituals it is said
that “in this degreemysteries
Perfection is reached in the
Ancient Mysteries . ”
• Although we could discuss
at length what the
aforementioned “perfection”
is about, the truth is that it
is intended to show a state
of being in which ancient
wisdom has reached its
pinnacle and the maximum
of its possibilities.
The
astronomy
As in the previous one,
astronomical allegories are
important in this Degree.
The exoteric
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…
• Discuss the different
notions that exoteric
religions have
developed about
immortality.
• Fight superstition,
falsehood, despotism
and tyranny.
• Defend law, justice and
human rights.
• Criticize and combat
religious intolerance.
• Work for fraternity and
the well-being of
humanity.
• Examine the ways
through which,
exoterically, human
beings acquire
knowledge.
• Study the exoteric
history of the ancient
priesthood, its
achievements, virtues,
basenesses and
defects, as well as the
truths and errors
included in its
teachings.
 The esoteric
objectives of
the degree
are…
• Discuss the esoteric
meaning of immortality.
• Examine the ways
through which,
esoterically, human
beings acquire
knowledge.
• Preserve and expand
the initiatory teachings.
• Study the esoteric
symbolism contained
in the architecture of
the Temples of all
religions.
• Study the esoteric
history of the ancient
priesthood, the value
of its teachings, how
much of it remains
valid today, and how
much should be
discarded.
 2. The Temple
Exodus 25:8,9

A hypothetical representation of
the Mosaic Tabernacle
 The
temple
• It is made up of two Chambers.
• The first is the Vestibule , and it is in that place where
the Brothers place the decorations of the degree.
• The second is the Temple itself, and the Rituals state
that “its decoration varies in the three points of the
Reception.”
• However, the Initiation Rituals that we have been able to
consult do not divide the Reception into three parts, so
we conclude that we are, once again, facing an aspect
of the Rite that has been lost.
• In this work, we have sought to reconstruct such ternary
division, basing ourselves on rituals and various
sources.
 The Lobby
• It is decorated like a Master's
Lodge.
• In the image, a painting of the
Master's degree, in modern
style (2006).
• The Vestibule communicates
directly with the Temple.
• In this Chamber the Brothers
put on their ceremonial
ornaments, which must be
done with formality and a
clear awareness of their
symbolic meaning.
 The Lobby
• Others indicate that the
Vestibule should be
adorned “with images of
the various tools of
Freemasonry . ”
• This seems very
appropriate, because it
presents the 24th as an
“exaltation” of Symbolic
Freemasonry and, at the
same time, as a “going
beyond” it.
 The Lobby
In the center of the
Hall, instead of the
Book, there should be
a Scroll of Parchment.
And in the east, instead of
the letter G, there will be
the Yod. All this seems to
refer to a “primordial”
instance, in which the
degree manifests the
symbols that were used
prior to Modern
Freemasonry.
 The
•
temple
It is supposed to be an extension of the
Chamber called the Sanctuary in the
23rd degree, although as its decoration
varies at the various points of the
Initiation, this statement is not really
correct.
• It can be circular in shape, the Rituals
indicating that this is achieved “by
means of curtains” .
• The pavement is made up of white, black
and red mosaics.
• The upholstery can be blue or red, or red
and black, according to the different
Rituals.
• In the last two colors mentioned, as well
as in the mosaic flooring, the Martinist
influence can be seen.
 East
• It is separated from the rest of
the Temple by white cloths,
which fall from the ceiling,
and a purple curtain.
• In front of him is the Master's
table, triangular in shape, and
on it a censer and a container
containing myrrh, incense
and other perfumes.
• “Advance towards the East,
the place of Light and the
cradle of the Mysteries”
(Blanchard, 2002).
The star

Crowning the East, in

place of the triangle is
placed a large Flaming
Star, with the Greek
letters alpha and omega
inscribed in capitals.
The 49 lights
 In the center of the Temple
there must be a chandelier
with seven arms, and each one
 of such arms contain
seven lights, which gives a total
of 7 times 7 (49) lights.
 The Pedestal
• The Pedestal of the
Candelabra is inscribed with
the words: Wisdom –
Knowledge – Intelligence, or
Crown – Wisdom –
Intelligence, which obviously
correspond to the first three
Sephiroth of the Kabbalah.
 The Central Altar
• The candelabrum is
placed on a cubic-
shaped Altar.
• On which are also the
Golden Book of the
Chamber of Kadosh,
the square, the
compass and the
jewel of the degree.
 The Altars
• To the left and right are the
Altar of Perfumes and the
Altar of Sacrifices.
• Theurgical symbols are
represented in them, which
allude to fire and the “beings”
and concepts linked to it.
 The Zodiac
Some Rituals prescribe 12 columns, marked with
the
symbols of
the
corresponding signs of the Zodiac.
 strange statues
• Some Rituals of the Rite of
Memphis prescribe two very
strange statues for the Temple,
totally far removed from
conventional Hebrew worship.
• A statue of Jehovah, equipped
with a gold scepter with
diamonds.
• A silver female statue, with a
snake-shaped staff.
• This way of representing the
 masculine-feminine duality is
very interesting, but totally
incoherent with a degree that
refers to the “Tabernacle”.
• In any case, this reference to a
Father-Mother binomial
deserves to be considered from
a symbolic point of view.
HARMONIES OF NATURE
3. Officers, titles and decorations
RINCE OF THE TABERNACLE
TWENTY-FOURTH DEGREE
 The Assembly is
called…
Hierarchy , which refers
to a high degree in the
Mysteries.
Or Corte , in Rituals of
a more exoteric nature.
Although we would
prefer a term such as
Assembly of the Great
Mysteries , or
something similar.
 In the 24th grade…
• The Master receives different
names, according to the Rituals:
Very Powerful Master, Great
Commander, Commander in Chief,
Very Powerful Chief Prince, Very
Powerful Leader, etc.
• Although, again, perhaps the most
symbolic and expressive title would
be that of Hierophant.
• Many Rituals say that it represents
Moses.
• This is somewhat controversial,
because the figure of Moses
presents some unacceptable
elements from the Masonic point of
view, such as his radical intolerance.
• However…
 Moses
• In reality, there is no historical data to substantiate the real existence of
Moses, since all references to him are much later, when Judaism had
already been formed.
• At the time when the Rituals were written, it was believed that the
supposed historical Moses had been initiated into the Egyptian
Mysteries, and that he had introduced into Judaism part of the
knowledge acquired therein, which is reflected in the symbolic structure
of the Tabernacle. .
• Therefore, in the intention of the creators of the degree, “Moses” was
not the absolutist figure who subdues those who oppose the “law”, but
rather the Initiate in the Mysteries, who, in addition, achieves the
liberation of a people. , and in this sense we must consider it.
• In any case, in a part of the Ritual, as we present it, reference is made
to a certain “infidelity” of Moses towards the teachings of the Ancient
Mysteries, so, although he is not the dogmatic and monolithic leader of
the stories biblical, their participation in the construction of the
intolerance characteristic of monotheistic religions is also recognized.
mysteries
 n
and in
a
 The watchers
• Contrary to the custom of working
with two Watchers, in this grade
there are three, who carry the title of
“Mighty Ones” .
• They are placed, respectively, to the
South, West and North, and
represent Aaron , Beseleel and
Aooliab .
• Although the same can be said
about such personalities as about
Moses.
• Esoterically, the concept is that the
Lodge is governed by a cross-
shaped quaternary which, together
with the circle established by the
shape of the Temple, constitutes the
symbol shown below, known as the
"solar cross" .
 The watchers
Each of them uses a mallet.
A censer is placed on the
table of the first.
On the second one, a
sword.
And on the third, a glass for
ablutions. They all wear the
complete attire, described
in the 23rd degree.
 The three books
• There are three books in this Chamber, which are placed
on the tables of the Watchers: the Book of Coming Out
into the Light of Day (the so-called “Book of the Dead”,
Egyptian), on the table of the first, the Song of the Dead.
Song of Solomon, attributed to Solomon, on that of the
second, and the Book of Thoth (the Tarot) on that of the
third.
Nicolás be la Carrera

Love 11 rotis “
bel ;
Sing the Songs A
 The officers…
• In addition to the Master and the three Watchers, in this
degree there are:
• two Messengers,
• the prayer,
• the Secretary,
• The treasurer,
• the expert,
• the Assistant Expert,
• the Grand Master of Ceremonies and
• the Great Captain of the Guards.
• With the exception of the Messengers, the oldest Rituals
make each Officer correspond with various biblical
characters, although they have no real importance in the
Masonic Legends.
 The officers…
Official It represents Location in the Temple

Speaker Eliasaph, son of Lael, of the To West

house of Gershom
Secretary Eliazaphan, son of Uzziel, of To the south
the house of Kohath
Treasurer Zuriel, son of Abibael, of the To the north
house of Merani
Expert To the right of the Master
Aholiab (considered to be
Hiram Abiff's ancestor)
Assistant Expert Beseleel To the right of the Speaker

Grand Master of Caleb, son of Jephunneh In front of the Master

Ceremonies
Great Captain of the Guards Joshua, son of Nun
On the right side of the
Tabernacle, facing the East
 The royalty
• The Rituals prescribe that all members of the
24th degree wear a blue silk tunic, with the
collar trimmed with golden rays, imitating a halo
( "a glory" ) , the rest of the tunic being dotted
with gold stars.
• They all wear, on their heads, a closed crown,
surrounded by stars and culminated by a Delta
with the vertex facing downwards.
• All this has been lost today, which has
determined a profound symbolic
impoverishment of the degree.
The Apron, the Cord and the Jewel
Oil by Robert H. White, 32°
 The Apron
• It has two parts: the sash or belt and
the apron itself.
• The sash is made of light green
Moroccan leather, with gold fringes,
all trimmed with gold lace.
• The jewel of the previous degree (a
silver censer) and the jewel of this
degree, which we will see later, are
suspended from the belt.
• The apron is made of white
lambskin, lined with red stitching
and edged with bright green.
• In the center a representation of an
Arab tent is painted, in gold, which
corresponds to the curtains of the
Tabernacle.
• The flap is blue, and has a myrtle
painted in violet.
The Cord
• It is a scarlet band, placed
from left to right.
• It has a winged balloon, a
beetle and a shiny butterfly
embroidered in gold.
• Usually, these are taken as
a symbol of immortality, but
there may be deeper
interpretations.
• The gloves are white.
 The jewel

In the United States today, it is a letter A in Phoenician characters. People say that
is related to the Flaming Star, since all the exterior angles of this
They have the shape of the aforementioned letter. The A is, quite clearly, a symbol of the
Principle, of the Primordial Creative Power, from which the Universe emanates.
 2dd.

Curiously the last one

letter of to should not
surprise Principle ,
and
Royalty of the Supreme Council of States
United States, Northern Jurisdiction, 19th
century
While there are some stylistic changes (for example, the way
triangular apron), is quite similar to the current
The royalty of
the degree, as
contained in
“Clausen's
Commentaries.
”
The Prince of the Tabernacle, Brazil,
19th century. Note that a golden
sphere stands out on the apron,
which has disappeared from the
current regalia.
In the description that accompanies
this figure, red is indicated as “the
color of fire.”
Also note a subtle detail that reveals a
deep esoteric understanding on the
part of the anonymous author of the
figure: the shadow that the Prince
projects is a compass.
Regalia of the Knight of the Red Eagle, who occupies the place
of the Prince of the Tabernacle in some variants of
Memphis-Mizraim
 Regalia of the 24th Degree, Rite of Memphis, current era

The ancient Rituals of

this Rite prescribed: “red
tunic, white band
embroidered in gold, a
large star, poppy-colored
collar, white apron with
poppy-colored lining.”
Banner of the 24th
Degree, used by the
Supreme Council of the
United States, Northern
Jurisdiction.
4. Symbology
 Among the main symbols of
This grade is found…
• The touches of Apprentice, Companion and Master
• The five pointed star
• The letter aleph
• The heart and the terrestrial globe
• The beetle
• The winged balloon
• The butterfly
• The four colors
• The myrtle
• The materials of the Tabernacle
• The macroprosop and the microprosop by Eliphas Levi
The shield of the Prince of the Tabernacle
The touches
In Freemasonry, touching
between two Brothers involves a
form of non-verbal
communication.
During which the Brothers make
themselves known in their
Masonic condition, degree and
Rite.
The Prince of the Tabernacle, by
his very condition, is supposed
to perfectly handle such touches
and handshakes, and fully
understand their esoteric
symbolism.
 The letter "A

This is actually the Hebrew letter aleph , equivalent to the Greek alpha ,
which symbolizes the masculine principle from which the Universe emanated,
being the
Beth or beta the feminine principle.
 “The first thing that is taught to children, the
Aleph Beth, surpasses understanding and
mind of man…One thousand four hundred and
five
worlds suspend from a point of the aleph,
and seventy-two sacred names outline
its full spelling…while the
mystery of Wisdom and the paths
hidden and the deep rivers and the ten
Words, they are all born from the lower point of
the aleph From this point the aleph
begins to spread to the beth…”
Zohar
 Aleph
• “The first of all is aleph,
the beginning and the
end of all degrees, that in
which all the degrees are
printed and which is
always called 'one'...The
point at the top of the
aleph symbolizes the
supernal thought hidden,
in which the extension of
the supernal firmament is
potentially contained.”
(Zohar)
 According to Reuclin, there are two alephs: a dark one, which
symbolizes
the unmanifested supernal thought, and another luminous one, which
translates said thought into reality. “As is its darkness, so is its
light.”
 Aleph
• The alef is formed by two
yod , one in the upper right
part, and the other in the
lower left, joined by a
diagonal vav .
• This represents the upper
and lower waters with the
firmament between them,
as taught by Isaac Luria.
Let's note that, if the letter A is inverted, we can imagine the figure of a bull
with his horns. Bull (or ox) is precisely the meaning of the aleph , which is
the ox that drives the cart where the other letters are deposited.
And let us remember that the sacred Egyptian bull was called Apis .
Grand Lodge of Spain

from Castile
The Seven-Light Candelabra, fire and the 22-letter Hebrew alphabet, in a
Kabbalistic image of great beauty.
Note the aleph at the apex, coronation and source of the entire alphabet.

• • • b O j ; I heard . r I i
Ii

M,
 The heart and the terrestrial
globe

It obviously
represents the
unity, tolerance
and brotherhood
of humanity.
 The beetle
Several species of dung beetles, primarily Scarabaeus sacer , enjoyed sacred status among the
Egyptians.
Its hieroglyphic name is transliterated as ḫpr (or xpr), and translates as "convert" or "transform." The
derived term ḫpru (or xprw) is translated as "form", "transformation", "event", "way of being" or "the self-
created", depending on the context.
The scarab was associated with Jepri, the self-created, the god associated with the rising Sun. In the past
it was believed that the beetle was only male and that it reproduced by depositing semen in a ball of
dung. The beetle's supposed self-reproduction makes it similar to Jepri, which created itself from nothing.
On the other hand, the ball of dung rolled by the dung beetle resembles the Sun.
The Egyptians believed that Jepri renewed the Sun each day after it disappeared over the horizon, taking
it through the underground world, Duat, after sunset, to renew it again the next day. Some royal tombs of
the New Kingdom display a triple image of the Sun god, with the scarab as a symbol of the morning Sun.
The image of the scarab, associated with ideas of transformation, renewal and resurrection, is ubiquitous
in ancient Egyptian religious and funerary art. The scarab had great importance in the Egyptian funerary
cult. It was generally carved in green stone and placed on the chest of the deceased, to protect the heart
and replace it during mummification. The purpose of the "heart beetle" was to ensure that the heart would
not testify against the deceased at the judgment of the dead. Another possibility is that suggested by the
transformation words of the Sarcophagus Texts, which state that the soul of the deceased can transform
(xpr) into a human, a god, or a bird and reappear in the world of the living. It could not have gone
unnoticed that the chrysalises, whose wings and legs are enclosed at this stage of development,
resemble mummies. It has even been specified that the beetle begins to make its ball in an underground
compartment that is reached by a vertical axis and a horizontal step, curiously reminiscent of the
mastabas of the Old Kingdom .
Jepri, represented
as a beetle on the
wall
from tomb KV6,
from the Valley of
the Kings.
 The butterfly
In a similar way to the beetle, it is a symbol of transformation and transmutation,
as evidenced in this image.
 The four colors
There are four symbolic
colors in this grade: red,
white, blue and purple.
Red symbolizes the
Desire and Blood of the
Universal Being, which
animate and vivify
everything.
The white is the
Kabbalistic Splendor of
the Great Elder,
The blue the depth of
Being,
And purple the exaltation
of Thought.
 The four colors
From a more obvious
reading,
red symbolizes fire, blue
the air or sky, purple the
oceans (because the
color purple was initially
obtained from a marine
mollusk), and white the
earth, which
encompasses and
receives everything, like
white which comprises in
yes all colors.
 The four colors

Some Rituals say that…

White symbolizes Infinity

Blue symbolizes Wisdom

Purple the Power

 The myrtle
• Myrtle has been cultivated
since ancient times for its
flowers and aromatic leaves
and was considered the symbol
of love and beauty. The
Olympic champions were
honored with myrtle crowns.
• The symbolic use of myrtle, a
shrub linked to the “sensual”
warns us of any ascetic
interpretation that may be given
to this degree .
 The materials of the
Tabernacle
• According to some
Rituals, they were gold,
silver, bronze, stone and
wood.
• Five elements,
reminiscent of the
quaternary and the fifth
central point.
• Or to the five elements
of ancient Chinese
cosmologies.
 The
formed from one word

Fa
Macroprosopus
Macroprosopus is a
Kabbalistic term,

Greek compound,
meaning “Vast or great
• It is a title of Kether, the
Crown, the highest Sephira. It is the
name of the Universe, called Arikh-
Anpin, the totality of that of which
the Microprosopus, or Zauir-Anpin,
“the lesser Face,” is the part and
antithesis.
The Macroprosop or
Great Face and the
Microprosop or small
face (reflection of the
first), according to
Eliphas Levi.
The
Macroprosopus
and the
Microprosopus, as
they appear in the
symbols of the Rite
5. Signs, touches and words
 The Sign of Order
• The open right hand is placed over the eyes, as if to
protect itself from a very bright light, and at the same
time the left hand is placed
over the heart.
• Clearly, this alludes to the
reaction to a very shocking
experience, such as an
encounter with some
archetype of the collective
unconscious.

“The archetypal experience”

 The Sign of the Cord
• Being in Order, the right
hand is placed on the
left shoulder, and then it
is brought diagonally to
the right side.
• A similar sign had
already appeared in
previous degrees, such
as the 6th and 15th.
 The Great Sign
• Both open hands are placed above the head, joining the thumbs and index
fingers at the ends, as if to form a triangle.
• This sign can be found in the oldest French Rituals of the degree of Secret
Master, as part of the Opening Ritual.
• Note that whoever performs the Great Sign is indicating that the archetype that
moved him by motivating the Sign of Order is not outside himself, but is part of
his own being.
• Pictured is the sign as it appears in a current Dutch Ritual of the Secret Master.
 In the Rite of Memphis
• A “Sign of Admiration” is practiced, consisting of:
• tilt head forward,
• place your right hand on your chest,
• raise your eyes to the sky,
• Cover your eyes with your left hand.
• Again, the idea is to present shock, the reaction
to the encounter with an archetype, to a deeply
transformative experience (remember what was
said regarding the scarab symbol).
 The touch
• It is the same as that of the
previous grade, that is,
• It is performed by taking each
other's left elbow with the right
hand, arching the arm as if to
form a circle (the Ouroboros ).
• In some representations the
Ouroboros has a light and a
dark half: the two Brothers who
touch each other represent
these two halves.
• United in this way, they
exchange Yod – Hé – Vau –
Hé.
 The Touch – Another variant
• In some Rituals a different
touch is indicated:
• hold each other's hands, the
right with the right and the
left with the left.
• This forms an X, or four Vs,
which is related to the
symbolic alphabet of the
grade.
• In some Rituals, this touch is
called the “Sign of Fidelity” .
 Some variants
• There are, as always, some variants in the signs.
• Bazot (1828) mentions a sign consisting of placing the right
hand under the left armpit, and then letting it fall to the right
thigh.
• It is a shape similar to the Sign of the Cord, although it seems
to present a military feature.
• In this case, the touch is identical to that of the Master degree,
without interlacing the thumbs.
• Dalchó (1804) indicates raising both eyes to the sky, covering
them with the right hand and at the same time placing the left
hand on the stomach, tilting the head towards the left
shoulder.
• This sign eloquently indicates the reference to an experience
that has caused a deep shock in the Initiate.
 138 PRINCE OP THE TABERNACLE.

and with the same blood I sprinkle thy garments, (sprinkling them) and do sanctify thee and them. Thine ear is
hereafter to be ever open to the cry of distress, the prayer of want, the moan of suffering, the supplication of the
penitent and the call of duty. Thy hand is henceforth to he opened wide in charity and ready to labor in every
good work. And your feet are to stand firmly wherever duty places thee, however they give gerous the post; nor
ever to slide upon the slippery paths of temptation. Arise my brother Eleazar. (Dog didate rises and the Thrice
Puissant invests him with the following signs, grip and words, and with the in signia and jewel.)

The Sign of Place the right hand open over the eyes, so if to protect them from a strong light, the left hand on the breast, then raise the right hand to

Recognition, the left shoulder, and bring it down diagonally to (he right side. This is called the sign of the scarf.

according to
Blanchard (2002).

SION op RECOONITION.
 TNITIATION. 139

QRAND SION.

Place both hands open upon the head, join the two thumbs and the two forefingers by their extremities so as to form a triangle.
N. B. — Tiie token, battery and word, arc the same as in the preceding ing degree.

The Great Sign, Grand Sin, Prince

or the Tabernacle.
MrARCI : — Six equal steps and one longer, total seven steps.
according to Thrice Puissant —Brethren, behola a new Prince of the Tabernacle, to be instructed and prepared to
fulfill all his duties as a Prince of well doers in this Taber nacle of clay, that he may be raised on the great
Blanchard (2002). day of account, a shining monument of God's glory in the tabernacle, not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens. (Thrice Puissant summarizes his station and if there is a business, closes the Hierachy.)
Note that it is done
differently than
indicated in a previous
image. This agrees
with Dalchó (1804),
who states that the
index fingers of both
hands should be
brought into contact,
and the remaining
fingers should be
closed.
 The Password
• As in the 23rd, it is Uriel , the name of the Angel of Fire,
“who presides over the incense.”
• According to the Legends, Uriel instructed Enoch,
explaining to him the secrets regarding the length of the
year and the duration of the seasons.
• According to theurgy, Uriel's site is the Sun. The Book
of Enoch represents him as very bright and luminous.

URIEL, (HEB. -AMN OURIEL, ignis Do mini,

NAME OF TANGE DU FEU, WHO PRESIDES OVER
l'encensoir.) . - ■ ■
 The Password
• According to Pike, Uriel is Aurai-
Al , the “Light of Al.”
• That is, the Light that emanates
from the Ungenerated Being,
from the Impersonal Principle.
• Light that consists of the First
Manifestation, in which Chaos
abandons its Silence and
expresses itself as the Word.
• Light that radiates from the point
at the center of the circle and in
doing so defines the boundary
(the circumference) of the circle.
• Light which is, therefore, the
germ of space .
 The answer
• The Password is answered by saying “Tabernacle of
Revealed Truths” .
• That is, Temple of the Ancient Mysteries, Sanctuary of the
Ancient Gods.
• In the image below, the word Tabernacle , in Hebrew
characters.
 The Holy Word
It is Yod – Hé – Vau – Hé, the same as in the 23rd, pronounced letter by
letter, alternately, between two Brothers.
According to tradition these four
letters are used in the phrase
“Hayah hoveh yi'yeh.” “He Was,
He Is and He Will Be.”
In Kabbala the letters (Otiot) of
the Tetragrammaton are related to
the quality of the Vessels (Kelim).
 The Holy Word
The tip of the Yod (Kutzo Shel Yod) is the Ein
Sof. That is, the force that operates in the
Thought of Creation, which is to delight its
creatures, called the Kli (vessel) of Keter.
The Yod is Hochma, that is, Behina Aleph, which
is the real in the potential that is contained in the
emanation (Hitpashut) of the Ein Sof.
The first Hei is Bina, that is, Behina Bet, which is
the way in which the potential becomes real, that
is, the Light (Ohr) of Hochma.
The Vav is Zeir Anpin or HGT – NHY, that is, the
emanation of the Light of Hassadim (Mercy) that
arrives through Bina, that is, the Behina Gimel,
the force for the fulfillment of the operation.
The last Hei is Malchut, that is, Behina Dalet. It is
the manifestation of the complete act in the
vessel (Kli) of reception that has intensified to
extend further bestowal.
 Other words
• Bazot (1828) indicates as
a variant the word
Omega , considered a
Sacred Word (in that
case, Iod-Hé-Vau-Hé is
the Word of Pass).
• This is interesting,
because Omega
contrasts with the A leph
( Alpha ) of the jewel and,
together, the Alpha
Omega covers the entire
extent of the Ouroboros.
 Other words
• We also find in some Rituals the
terms Darak-Adoni , Adoni-Alohim
and Jabel .
• According to Pike, Darak-Adoni
means path, way, reason for being,
cult, religion.
• This should not be understood as a
reference to any specific religion or
church, but rather to what in the
18th and 19th centuries was
considered the “Primordial Religion”
or “Original Religion”, an imagined
naturalistic cult, free of superstitions
and priestly impostures, that human
beings would have practiced in the
mythological Golden Age.
 Adoni-Alohim
• Pike interprets it as “The Lord
from whom the Elohim were
emanated . ”
• This word, therefore, clearly
refers to theurgic concepts
and seems to reveal an
influence of Martínez
Pasquales and the order of
the Elus Cohen, for whom the
concept of Unity as an
inexhaustible source of beings
that are permanently
emanated from it was one of
the fundamental ideas on
which the edifice of their
magical practices was built.

Seal of a modern version of

the Order of the Elus Cohen
 Jabel
• For Pike it means flow of water,
leader, driver, guide .
• Jabal is “that which is emanated or
produced . ”
• From which he concludes that
Jabel or Yabel implies flow,
emanation .
• This word, therefore, is the
complement of the previous one
and, together, they represent the
Unity, considered as Pleroma and
inexhaustible source of emanation,
and that which is emanated from it,
thought of as a continuous flow of
matter and energy .

“Emanación”, work by
Ángeles Castells,
contemporary
 Battery
• As in the previous grade, there
are 7 strokes, for 6 + 1.
• The march plays the rhythm
and number of the drums.
• Other Rituals give 7 blows by
1,2,3,1, which indicate: the
monad, the duality, the ternary
and the return to the monad, in
the fourth point.
• And others, finally, give it more
rhythmically, for 2, 2, 2 and 1.
• But everyone agrees that it is 7
strokes.
 Age
• In general, the age is not fixed,
but it seems coherent to use an
expression like “I am the age of
the Hierophant” , so that it
alludes to the Initiation into the
Great Mysteries, which is
supposed to be achieved in this
degree.
 Recognition Exam
• Q: Are you Prince of the Tabernacle?
• A.: See in me your Brother and the last of the enlightened men.
• Q: How is Enlightenment achieved?
• A.: Studying the Book that has the Sovereign and Immutable Laws inscribed.
• Q: How is that Book written?
• A.: It is written in luminous and ineffable characters.
• Q: Where is it located?
• A.: That Book is the Universe, perpetually open before our eyes.
• Q: What other name do you know him by?
• A.: They also call it “The Book of Nature” .
• Q: What should we do to read it?
• A.: Clarify and illuminate our Reason, and submit all statements to the
judgment of Experience.
 A full examination of signs
• When a Brother requests admission to this degree, a very complete
examination can be taken, which summarizes several of the signs, touches
and words.
• In this case, the Visitor approaches the door of the Temple with his right hand
open over his eyes and his left hand over his chest.
• The Expert or Sentinel repeats the movement, saying Uriel .
• The Visitor makes the Sign of the Cord, saying Tabernacle of Revealed
Truths .
• Next, the Visitor makes the Great Sign and says Yod , then alternately
pronouncing He-Vau-He with the Expert.
• Then they both give each other the Touch, and again pronounce Yod - He -
Vau - He in syllables, and then sing it in full, both at the same time.
• Finally, the Recognition Exam that we describe in the previous image is
carried out.
6. Ritual
 The
opening
The Watchers ensure
that “the Tabernacle is
kept on all four sides . ”
That is, that the
quaternity is established,
that a certain degree of
completeness has been
reached, that the Cubic
Stone has been formed.
 The opening
And the Ritual can be
opened when it is
verified that “all the
Brothers of the circle are
Princes of the
Tabernacle . ”
Note how the theme of
squaring the circle, of
evident mandalic nature,
is taken up in this
degree.
 The Initiation
• The Initiation Ritual is very complex and
includes three clearly differentiated parts:
• 1. The supposed Initiation of Moses in the
Egyptian Mysteries.
• 2. An incident that occurred during the
dedication of Solomon's Temple.
• 3. The reunion of the Templars with the
Ancient Mysteries.
 The Initiation consists of 27 phases,
grouped into three parts
• Part One: Moses and the Egyptian Mysteries
• YO. The purification.
• II. The fall of the Mysteries.
• III. Moses presides over the Lodge.
• IV. Moses and the conflict with the Truth.
• V. The First Oath.
• SAW. The exam.
• VII. The Zodiac.
• VIII. In the center of the circle (intonation of the
Word).
• IX. The first Consecration.
 The Initiation consists of 27 phases,
grouped into three parts
• Part Two: Adonhiram at the Dedication of Solomon's
Temple
• x. Beginning of the ritual drama.
• XI. The empty chair.
• XII. The characters: guests, priests and Building
Superintendents.
• XIII. The discussion.
• XIV. The vision of Adonhiram.
• XV. The elevation of Adonhiram.
• XVI. The fire.
• XVII. The invocation.
• XVIII. The Second Consecration.
 The Initiation consists of 27 phases,
grouped into three parts
• Part Three: The Templar and the Final Consecration
• XIX. The Templar.
• XX. The Muslim Knight.
• XXI. Water.
• XXII. The fire.
• XXIII. The Third Oath.
• XXIV. The Superior Ternary.
• XXV. The Final Consecration.
• XXVI. The earth.
• XXVII. The air.
• (this is followed by the Table Ceremony)
 The first part
• Figuratively, it takes
place in an Egyptian
Temple, where Moses
goes to be initiated into
the Mysteries.
• The decoration of the
Chamber should be in
keeping with the
Egyptian context,
although this may be
very difficult to achieve in
practice.
 YO. The purification
• The Candidate wears a
simple white tunic, without
any other type of Masonic
adornment.
• It is explained to him that
he is representing a human
being in his essence,
stripped of all clothing,
customs or social
conditioning.
Oh, Isis and Osiris , grant the spirit of
Wisdom to the new couple! ...”
The Magic Flute, Act II
II. The Fall of the
Mysteries
• It is explained to the Candidate
that Moses, by establishing the
cult of an intolerant “one true
God” was not faithful to the
teaching received in the
Mysteries, in which it was
explained that the various gods,
religions and mythologies, both
monotheistic and polytheistic,
they were masks for the
Unknowable.
• And it is demonstrated, then,
how even the most sublime
Mysteries can degenerate and
transform into instruments of
political and/or religious
domination.
 III. In a
dramatic way…
• The Candidate takes a seat
to the East and,
representing Moses,
presides over the Lodge for
a few moments.
• The decoration of the
Chamber is not modified,
since the Hebrew
Tabernacle is considered to
be the continuation of
Egyptian symbolism.
• One member represents
Eleazar, who succeeded
Aaron in the priestly duties
of the Tabernacle.
 IV. The
• conflict
The Candidate reads a
paragraph in which Moses
explains the Egyptian teaching
to Eleazar, but then adds that,
for political reasons, he must
modify it to the cult of the “one
true God.”
• Eleazar accepts it, but
expresses his conscientious
objections.
• And the Candidate is told that
the first lesson of this degree is
that the Truth must be sought,
and that it must never be
distorted for political
convenience.
 V. The FirstThe
SAW.
Oath
exam
• The Master places his sword
horizontally on the Central Altar, and
the Candidate his hand on the blade,
while they all form the steel vault.
• The First Oath then takes place, in
which the Candidate promises:
• Never express religious intolerance.
• Never falsify the truth for political
and/or religious reasons.
• Always be faithful to the dictates of
your conscience.
• The penalty is perpetual disgrace and
disgrace, and being “divided before
oneself.”
• Once the Oath has been fulfilled, the
Master taps the scepter seven times
on the blade of the sword.

“Divided before
himself”
• The Candidate is then
taken to the Hall,
where he is presented
with the various tools
and emblems of
Symbolic
Freemasonry, whose
meaning he must
explain.
SAW. The
exam
 VII. The
Zodiac
• The Candidate enters
the Sanctuary again,
and is made to
slowly walk around
the circle of the 12
columns, which
present the symbols
of the zodiacal signs
brightly illuminated.
VIII. In the center
of the circle
Everyone standing,
with the Candidate in
the center of the
circle, slowly
pronounces the four
letters of the
tetragram: Yod
Hey
Wow
Hey
 IX. The first
consecration
• The Candidate is then
consecrated, by seven touches
of the sword upon his head.
• He is described as “Son of
Hiram” , superior to all the
struggles, miseries and rivalries
that come from sectarianism
and religious intolerance.
 The second part
• The second part of the Initiation
symbolically takes place during the
Dedication of Solomon's Temple, so in the
decoration of the Temple there should be
images alluding to it.
• Here the Candidate represents Adonhiram.
• The ceremony is a kind of theatrical
performance, which figuratively takes
place on the day of the aforementioned
ceremony.
 x. The ritual drama
• Solomon invites princes
and priests of various
peoples and religions to
the celebrations for the
Dedication of the
Temple.
• The usual characters of
the Lodges of Perfection
are present, such as
Johaben, Stolkin and
Zerbal.
 XI. The empty
• chair
Two chairs are placed in
the East, one for Solomon
and the other for Hiram of
Tyre.
• In Martinist style, there is a
third chair that remains
empty.
• Questioned, Solomon
responds that that chair
belonged to the late Hiram
Abiff.
 XII. Characters
• A long and varied series of characters enters
the Temple:
• Achish, King of Gath,
• Shishak, Pharaoh of Egypt,
• Nabu, King of Babylon, and Ninus, prince of
the same kingdom,
• Rezon, King of Damascus,
• Agron, a Greek nobleman,
• Hadad, a philosopher from Edom,
• and, finally, Hiram, King of Tyre.
 The priests
• And then five priests
appear:
• Zadok, High Priest of
Israel,
• Phrenes, Priest of Egypt,
• Arbaces, of Phoenicia,
• Menon, a Brahman of
India, and
• Azra, a Persian priest.
 Building
Superintendents
• After the ritual entry of the
Ark of the Covenant,
Solomon proclaims that the
five Intendants of the
Buildings will replace, in
rotation, Hiram Abiff.
• But, surprisingly,
Adonhiram, one of the most
important Mayors, is not
present.
 XIII. The discussion
• A discussion then arises among all the priests present, about who or
what God is and what his true name is.
• Each one presents the attributes of the God or Gods of his own religion,
and exhibits arguments to justify that this is the only true one.
• The last to speak is Phrenes, the Egyptian priest, who says that all the
beliefs expressed are nothing more than deviations from the ancient,
pure and original Egyptian teaching.
• But the philosopher Hadad replies, who wonders if any of the gods
mentioned were really present at the ceremony.
• After which he makes a fiery defense of atheism.
• Those present consider this a blasphemy, and call for Hadad's death.
• Solomon refuses (it is highly doubtful that the biblical Solomon would
have actually done so), and places Hadad in Zerbal's custody, similar to
the Intimate Secretary Ritual.
 XIV. Adonhiram's Vision
• When the discussion threatens to turn violent, Adonhiram enters,
somewhat confused.
• He says that he had a vision of a wonderful Temple, superior even
to that of Solomon, and that he felt the instinctive impulse to go
there.
• But on the way he met a widow and her hungry children,
• with a herd of cattle moaning with thirst, because their owners, in
the rush to attend the religious ceremony, had forgotten to give them
water,
• with a perplexed and disconcerted worker because he did not
understand the instructions they had given him,
• and with a little boy who had gotten lost.
• And he had to stop to give food to the widow, water to the cattle,
knowledge to the worker and a home to the child.
• so he could not arrive in time for the Dedication ceremony of
Solomon's Temple.
 XV. Adonhiram
• Adonhiram asks Solomon for forgiveness
for not having been at the ceremony.
• But Solomon does not answer, and all the
priests bow their heads, as if ashamed.
• Until the philosopher Hadad steps forward
and says: “While Adonhiram behaved like
a true man, we pretended to know what
no one really knows.”
 XVI. The fire
• Solomon descends from the
East, takes Adonhiram by the
arm, and leads him to the
Altar, where he lights the fire.
• And he says: “This Fire, as a
symbol of the Sublime, is
worth more than all our
vanities, titles and
meaningless words.”
• To which everyone responds:
“Uriel!”
 The Ancient
Mysteries
• It is then decided that
Adonhiram will be consecrated
following the tradition of the
Ancient Mysteries, which
transcend the diversity of
religions and their endless
fights.
• So now, the Presiding Officer
stops representing Solomon
and is titled simply “Master.”
t
h
XVIII. The Second Consecration
The Candidate takes the Second
Oath, focused again on religious
tolerance, and whose penalty is
being consumed by fire.
He then receives a Second
Consecration, in which he is
invested as an Initiate in the
Ancient Mysteries, and an active
participant in the secret
ceremonies that transcend and
sublimate the Rites of all sects and
religions.
Zio
n
 XIX. In the
• Ritual…
This is represented by allowing the Candidate to find the
open door and walk through it without ceremony.
• He is instructed to pretend to be surprised and frightened at
finding himself in an unknown Chamber, while a distant voice
threatens him with death, and to try to back away and
retreat.
• But upon doing so he finds the door to the Temple closed.
• He then retraces his steps and examines the Egyptian
symbolism that decorates the Chamber.
• After that, he imitates the gesture of the Templar of Legend,
falling to his knees as a sign of shock and admiration.
The sacred lake was a very important part of the Egyptian temples. It symbolized the place
where at the beginning of time the first piece of solid matter had emerged, that is, the earth.
Thus, the sacred lake was the manifestation of the waters of the primordial ocean, the Nun.
Sacred festivals were celebrated there and, for example, the city of Abydos was the
protagonist of certain mysterious festivals, which in this case concerned the god Osiris.
They were also used to collect water for rituals and for priests to perform the necessary
ritual ablutions before serving the deity. Later, a special purification room (the uabet) was
created in the temples, with the same function.
Although they were generally rectangular, there are known cases in which these lakes had
curvilinear shapes, such as in the temple of Mut in Karnak.

a
•
n
 XXIII. The Third Oath
It is sworn to keep everything
seen and experienced during
the Initiation a secret.
The penalty is “to be stoned to
death, and my body thrown into
the ground, devoid of burial . ”
The comparison that Dalchó
(1804) makes “stoned as Saint
Stephen was” must be rejected,
due to its obvious sectarian
connotation.
On the contrary, this symbolic
stoning represents the death
caused by corruption in the use
of that which for so long wanted
to be elevated ( the stones ).
 XXIV. The Superior Ternary
• Finally the Candidate is led to the center of the
Temple, where the lights burn seven times seven.
• All those present perform the Great Sign, and the
symbolism of the first three Sephiroth is explained
to the Candidate: Kether – Chokmah – Binah.
• After which the Candidate himself joins everyone
by making the Great Sign, consisting, as we
already explained, of a triangle above his head, in
such a way that the Candidate himself is
transformed into the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.
 XXV. The final
• consecration
The Master takes a
cotton ball soaked in oil,
placed on the end of a
trowel, and passes it over
the Candidate's right ear
and thumb.
• And he tells him that, with
that act, he has
separated himself from
intolerance, and has
come closer to
understanding Unity.
 The final
Then, theconsecration
Master takes a
container containing a red
liquid, and with a small brush
touches the Candidate's right
ear, thumb and foot.
He tells him that this liquid is
the Universal Life, which
animates his entire body,
which vivifies both Jakim and
Boaz.
And perform the same act as
before, but on the left side of
the Candidate's body.
 The final
• consecration
The Master takes a sword and touches first the head
and then the shoulders of the Candidate.
• And he tells him that he consecrates it in the name of
the Crown, Wisdom and Intelligence (Kether – Chokmah
– Binah).
 XXVI. The
earth
The Candidate must
kneel on a certain amount
of gravel, dirt and dust.
It is explained to him that
the Earth is the symbol of
the Universal Mother, and
that in it he must see the
Feminine Principle that is
expressed in all of Nature.
 XXVII. The
•
air
And the Master blows lightly on the head of the new Initiate, telling him
that this is the intangible air
from which the columns Jakin
and Boaz were born, and
which is symbolized by the
letter Aleph.
• And a new penalty is added:
that the body be consumed by
fire, and the ashes scattered
by the wind in the four corners
of the Earth.
• That is, being divided and
beaten by the “elements”.
Hall of the Round Table in
Arévalo Castle, Spain

62
The Round go
Ca
Table and the lah
arrangement of
the Knights of
it
m "a ad
s
The three o n i
ñ
x
a "
fiery half H
invited e
”

•
1

•D
u
•
Q
P
..
• t
::
A.: h
““Th e
e
■'
 The Table Ceremony
We must clarify that Knights of the 23rd degree are also
admitted to the Table Ceremony, so its full title is “Table
Ceremony of the Chiefs and Princes of the Tabernacle” .
Is there any vestige here of the dinners held by the Operative
Masons in English taverns ?
The second toast is especially interesting, which is made “To
the
health
choose, by the concordances of seven and three of all
thre Masons and by
the chosen
• Or: “Powerful Brothers of the Wise Hierarchical Lodge, I toast
to the health of all the Masons chosen and to be chosen, by
the chords of seven and three times three, in order to
strengthen our union in an indestructible circle . ”
The hour of life and rest
 Three red spheresd R aoselar i
ch,
s qu e s ce ia b s as y
ci en
a to ed n a l s a unit las e re n li
l g a io d n iv e e s r , sity.
the c • ircu A l g that n
la o s s Rit u surrounds,
d ta e m l b a ié n v r i o
d jo a , and represents
the unity of • the c A ul
u tu n ra q smoke
a p na ar living in
the common time

-las Tr ece L a un
Y D l

ca as hó (1st
of Peace-
¿
to do m lo os se
C ós

ser • es h L u a m an
e os n c ta om b o le
p e ro the
un ent er or

question .a
extensive
and a
;
üranenaomumaam
As we said, the Ritual concludes “provided
for the health of all the Brothers, chosen
and to be chosen, by the unity of 7 and 3” ,
in clear reference to the sefirotic tree.
 Some variants
• The Ritual of the Supreme Council of Italy (1923)
indicates that the degree opens “at the time of the
morning sacrifice” and closes “at the time of the
night sacrifice.”
• This does not seem like a significant
improvement, but rather a continuation of what
was already expressed in the 23rd degree, to
which we refer for the correct meaning of the term
“sacrifice” .
• And others indicate that work is done “from the
first hour in the organization of the Hierarchy until
the last hour of Life . ”
 Some variants
• The Initiation Ritual also has numerous variants.
• For example, the Candidate is sometimes said to represent “one of
the twelve Levites who helped support the Ark carried by elders
when they, lacking physical strength, were about to let it fall into a
muddy field . ”
• Perhaps some esoteric symbolism could be found in this, but the
explanation usually given in the Rituals, that it indicates the need for
young people to renew the institutions, is frankly trivial.
• Others modify the symbolic punishments, indicating for example
“that my body be impaled and unburied.”
• And others add a circumambulation of the Temple in the Closure,
carried out, as far as possible, according to the progress of the
degree.
7. Instruction
 Caleb
• The biblical legend of Caleb is sometimes told in the course of this degree.
• When the Hebrews arrived in the vicinity of Canaan, after having fled from slavery in Egypt,
Moses sent twelve scouts (or spies, meraglim in Hebrew) to Canaan to investigate and explore
(one spy representing each of the twelve tribes). .
• Ten of the spies returned and explained that it would be impossible to take control of that land,
and that giants lived there who would annihilate the Hebrew army. Only two spies, Joshua (from
the tribe of Ephraim) and Caleb (representative of Judah), returned and stated that God would
help them settle the Hebrew nation in Canaan.
• According to the Bible story, because of the testimony of the ten explorers, the Hebrews decided
not to enter Canaan. Because of this disobedience God forced them to wander in the desert for
forty years before allowing them to enter Canaan and conquer it as their home. The only adult
Hebrews who survived those forty years and were able to enter Canaan were Joshua and Caleb,
as a reward for their faith in God.
• Can this have any Masonic value? Obviously not.
• We consider that the Legend should be included in the instruction of the degree, but only as an
example of religious fanaticism, and to what degree of superstition and barbarism human beings
can reach when they are blinded by faith in a belief.
 The Initiate
• “The Initiate is the one who possesses
the lamp, the cloak and the
staff” (Ritual of the 24th
Degree, United States, 19th
century).
• The analogy with The
Hermit, the ninth card of the
Tarot, is obvious.
PRUDENZA - PRUDENCE - PRUDENCE - KLÜGHEIT
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 natural laws
g

“All the phenomena of

nature depend on a
single immutable law,
represented by that
symbolic form, the
cube, associated by
the Hebrews with all
the mysteries of the
divine tetragram.”
 natural laws
• “Listen, study and learn. Interpret
the symbols for yourself. The
perfect cube is hidden in each
raw marble stone. One is the
symbol, another is its meaning.
The Sun and the Moon in our
Lodges are the truth, and the
reflection of the truth in the
doctrine. Allegory, mother of
knowledge, is the substitution of
the impression for the seal, of the
shadow for reality. It is the lie of
the truth, and the truth of the
falsehood.”
 Initiation and
symbolism
• “A symbol is not
something invented, it is
a veiled truth and a
shadow produced to suit
weak eyes. The initiator
is not an impostor, he is
a revealer - that is, in
the original sense of the
word, one who reveals
again. He is the creator
of a new shadow. ”
 The symbolism
• An esoteric consideration of
symbolism as language,
therefore, is very important in
this degree.
• It coincides with the position
of Martínez Pasquales, in the
sense that symbolism was the
first language of man, so it
could also be the last.
• And it is postulated that the
use of symbolism as a
language could pave the way
towards universal
brotherhood, tolerance and
understanding between
nations.
 Light and
shadow
• “Many people turn their
backs to the light
source, and are
amazed when they see
a dark spot on the wall
in front of them. ”
• (the influence of
Platonism and,
specifically, the myth of
the cave, is evident to
this degree)
 The symbolic
duality
• “The Universe is the Book. For
your letters to appear, there
need to be two colors on the
page.”
• “Search and discover. You are
about to be taught by symbols.
Don't forget the universal law of
balance. The ancients, in their
evocations, always raised two
altars, one black and one white,
and the priest, holding the
sword in one hand and the staff
in the other, had to have one
foot bare and the other shod.”
 The symbolic
duality
• “Power and act: this Aristotelian
duality is the key to
understanding many mysteries
of the Universe.”
• “That which is not manifested,
but which presents the fullness
and potential to engender
manifestation, is found in
potential.”
• “The act is the action of
manifesting, expressing,
projecting, giving birth, updating
(always partially) the tacit
fullness of the unmanifested.”
 The Book of Nature
• The Initiate in this degree is
Omraam Mikhal Avanhov

supposed to learn to read

this symbolic book.
The secrets
• It is not, of course, a book from the book
in the literal sense, but the of the nature
emanation of Being, matter
made up of letters, signs
and words.
“In the infinite book of the secret of Nature, I have been able to
read a little Shakespeare

mn
 f(x)= 1(2)sinx [16L27]

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*

“Philosophy is written in that enormous book that we have continually open.

before our eyes (I speak of the universe), but that cannot be understood if
• we do not first learn to understand the language and know the characters
with which it has been written. It is written in mathematical language, and the
characters are
I triangles, circles and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to
understand a word; Without them one wanders in vain through a dark labyrinth.”
Galileo Galilei
 The Book of Nature
• As in Martinism, this book, REWRITING
despite having a
compendium of universal
THE BOOK
knowledge, is supposed to OF NATURE
have only five pages. CHARLES DARWIN asara E I NE
EVOLUTIONARY THEORY
• Each “page” is dedicated to a
particular concept or form of
knowledge.
 “Since Man is the work of God, the most beautiful and perfect, his image and
the summary of the universal world, therefore called microcosm, and
Consequently, it contains in its most complete composition, in its harmony
very soft, and as in a work worthy of all numbers, measures, weights,
movements, elements and all the other things that compose it, and,
since all things are in him, as in a finished work of
certain condition elevated above the common agreement that
have in all other compounds, that is why all the ancients counted
once with their fingers and they pointed to the numbers with their fingers. It
seems that
With this they wanted to prove that all numbers had been invented,
measures proportions and harmonies in imitation of the joints of the
body; From there it also follows that, adapting to the measures and
proportions of the human body, effect on its compartments,
They will build their temples, buildings, houses, theaters, ships, machines,
everything
class of artificial works and all parts or members of arts and buildings,
such as columns, capitals, bases, frontispieces, arrangement of
pedestals, and all other things of that nature. God himself taught
Noah how to make the ark according to the measurement of the human body, like
Him
He himself manufactured all the machinery in the world according to the
 symmetry of the body
human, which is why we call that one macrocosm and this one microcosm.”
Cornelius Agrippa, Occult Philosophy, 1531,
images taken from a manuscript of 1704.
 The job
• Q: “How long have you worked
in Solomon's Temple?”
• A.: “2185 days to obey, the
same to imitate and as many
to perfect.”
• The answer obviously alludes
to the degrees of Apprentice
(obey), Companion (imitate)
and Master (perfect), but we
cannot understand the
meaning of the “2185 days”.
 Solomon and
• magic
The degree makes numerous references to Solomon, but not
so much as a king or leader of a people, but as a magician
and miracle worker.
• The Wisdom of Solomon , a book considered apocryphal by
many Jews and Christians, probably composed before Christ,
states the following:

“God gave me the true knowledge of things: an

understanding of the structure of the world and the way the
elements work, the beginning and the end of the ages, what
intervenes between them, the cycles of the years and of the
constellations, the thoughts of human beings, the energy of
the spirits, the virtue of our roots... I learned everything,
secret or open.”
 Solomon and
magic
• Islamic tradition relates Solomon to mythological entities
called Djins (geniuses), who would have transmitted hidden
knowledge to him.
 Theurgy and goetia
• The degree is closely related,
therefore, to the magical
practices commonly called
theurgy and goetia .
• Today, of course, we can
only see such practices as
ritual ways of releasing
unconscious contents of the
human mind, and not as true
invocations of celestial or
demonic beings.
 The Kabbalah
• In the same order of ideas,
we can affirm that the
general concept of the
degree is entirely cabalistic.
• The Kabbalah is presented
as the general framework or
model from which the
Universe and the beings that
inhabit it are understood, as
well as the relationships
between them and the
Cosmos, considered as a
harmonious and structured
Whole.
 The intolerance
• An important part of the degree's instruction, at
least in its modern
versions, is dedicated to
criticizing and combating
religious intolerance.
• This must not be forgotten,
because some modern
Rituals have transformed
the degree into a mere
propaganda of
Christianity.
 CLOSING CEREMONIES
PRINCE OF THE TABERNACLE.
Thrice Puiseant — Puissant Warden in the West, what is the hour?
Aaron —Thrice Puissant, it is time for the evening sacrifices.
The hieroglyphic alphabet of Thrice Puissant —If so, it is time to close this Hier archy. Together

the 24th Degree, according to Princes.

All — (Give the Grand Sign.)

Blanchard (2002), entirely Thrice Puissant —Knocks seven; (00 00 00 0.)

Aaron — (Knocks seven; 00 00 00 0.)

based on the letter A. Bezaleel — (Knocks seven; 00 00 00 0.)

Oholiab — (Knocks seven; 00 00 00 0.)
Thrice Puissant — I declare this Hierarchy of Princes of the Tabernacle
closed.
SIGNS HIEROGLYPHIIQUES, PRINCES DU TABERNACLE

The idea is to present the A AAAAAAVVVV^

••edefyAiki
(aleph, alpha) as the Beginning AAA.AAAAyVyy
and Source of all the letters of • •0•qf2Tüa

the alphabet (the particular and

manifestations, the beings
emanating from the One). Hieroglyphics of this degree

ABCDEFGH KLM

MOPQR 5 T UV XY 7
The symbolic alphabet of the degree,
in Dalchó's version (1804)
Painting of the
Prince of the
Tabernacle, in
the work of
Cassard (19th
century)
 FreemsorCaflerticWLcem
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of the
24th
degree,
 In summary: the true understanding of this degree
requires a tolerant and balanced stance towards
religious issues. The idea cannot be sustained
that “there is only one true God” and yet
try to assimilate the knowledge of the wise and
masters of the past. The wealth of polytheism does not
can be sacrificed in pursuit of monotheism
exclusive. On the other hand, the degree combines
ancient and modern, the philosophical wisdom of
past and experimental knowledge of science
modern. The final objective is the reading of the Book of
Nature, all the more valuable because said book
is inextricably linked to the Book of
Man, in which we read ourselves.
To read this book, we need one more step: to delve into
the concepts and symbols of alchemy. We will accomplish this in the 25th
grade:
Knight of the Bronze Serpent.
 Dr. Jorge Norberto
Cornejo
Buenos Aires, Argentina
[email protected]
Prince of the
Tabernacle
Miscellany
“The Double Triangle of
Solomon”, represented by the
two Elders of the Kabbalah:
the Macroprosopus and the
Microprosopus, the light and
its reflection, from
“Transcendental Magic”,
Eliphas Levi, 1896.
Emblem of
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The sign of
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