Genesis 5:32 reads:
And Noah was 500 years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
This verse could be considered the direct continuation of Genesis 5:29 where Lamech declares: “Now he called his name Noah, saying, ‘This one shall give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed.’” For the name נח, Noah, means ‘to rest, to lie, to rest satisfied, to comfort’ as a verb; and ‘quiet, rest, comfort’ as a noun. Its gematria at 58 equals that of חן, chen, meaning ‘grace, favor, loveliness, or precious,’ derived by reversing the two letters. Many Qabalists will readily recognize letters ח (cheth) and ן (nun final), as the two-lettered notariqon for חכמה נסתרה, Chokmah Nesethrah, ‘Hidden or Secret Wisdom’.
‘Rest’ implied in verse 29 is that of our consciousness having gone through all the stages of “our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground…” The ‘work’ is the inner aspiration enumerated through the lineage in Genesis 5 beginning with Seth. ‘Hands’ has nothing to do with our two physical appendages, but is an esoteric implication concerning Hebrew letter Yod, meaning ‘hand’ and its assignation to the Virgo region of our physiology (see the definitions and explanations of LAC VIRGINIS and CHYLUS in the Glossary). The ‘ground’ is our physical body from which we are ‘arising’.
From here on our consciousness is at rest from most of the Great Work, and it is here that meditation is the predominant activity for infusing the Virgin’s Milk into the bloodstream, changing our entire physiology at the cellular level. The genuine alchemists refer to this stage as ‘Woman’s Work and Child’s Play’. We are both literally and figuratively ‘arising’ from our body/ground consciousness, and preparing ourselves to live the life of the Middle Pillar and Adeptship.
Number 500 points directly to the final form of Hebrew letter ך, kaph, meaning ‘grasping hand’. Its root comes from a word implying ‘a curve’ like the ‘palm of a hand’ according to Paul F. Case, but I could not find that root word-form myself. Hebrew letter Kaph (כ) means ‘Grasping hand’ of course. Its implication is that of comprehension of ideas or concepts. The final form of Kaph (ך), however, implies much more; realization and apprehension, which is beyond mere understanding. It is that, indeed, but it is also knowing at the cellular level of our physical awareness, a total grasp.
Five hundred also presents us with a few multiples, such as: (2×250), (4×125), (5×100), (10×50) and (20×25). One pair, (10×50), will suffice for the purpose here. Number 10 points directly to the Tree of Life, but it is also the number of Hebrew letter Yod (י), ‘hand’ again. Also summing to 10 is אגו, ‘ego’. Not the separative ‘ego’ of generic humanity, who believes it originates from the lower self behind personality. This is The Central Ego of ALL humanity that is implied, which resides within each of us, but is misinterpreted as personal and separate from all others. This is the Chokmah Nesethrah, the ‘Hidden or Secret Wisdom’ behind the name נח, Noah.
Number 50 catapults us to even greater heights. Firstly, it is the number of חבלי, cheveli, ‘pangs, trials, pains,’ “…from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground…” Then, 50 is the number of Hebrew letter Nun (נ), meaning ‘fish’. Moreover, 50 is also the number of דג גדול, dag gedul, ‘big fish’. This is the Great Fish, “an emblem of all pains and sorrows” from Jonah 1:17.
Finally, for purposes here, 50 is the gematria of אדמא, adamah, ‘red earth,’ or terra adamica of alchemical literature; and of האדם, ha-adam, ‘the man,’ the definite article ‘the’ implies ‘an enlightened one’. The ‘earthly man’ taking up the Great Work ascending the ‘Tree of Life’ evolves enlightened (10×50).
Now, to pull all of the above together would call for pages of type and bring to fore many tangential ideas with supporting gematria, an otherwise no easy task. I believe it would prove overwhelming to the casual reader. However, there is help with understanding for the sincere aspirant with a reference. Many zealous Qabalists would already have a copy of Paul Foster Case’s The Book of Tokens. A Literal Qabalist most certainly would have this text. For others, it may be available in libraries or metaphysical bookstores. Wherever or however one may come across this text, would you please turn to the three-page “Meditation on Nun,” read it slowly, and continue on with the four-page “Comment on Nun” behind that. Re-read all of it until you feel a ‘grasp’. That Meditation and Commentary, together with all that has been presented with this genealogy generally, and with Noah specifically, will go far beyond what only could have been outlined here.
However, with regard to Chokmah Nesethrah, the ‘Hidden or Secret Wisdom’ in this discipline or any other spiritual discipline we may favor depends entirely upon the seeker. We either get it, or not. If we persist, it comes eventually and naturally. If we can perceive the spirit of the message behind these two descendancies from Adam, we are well on our way up into the Middle Pillar towards Tiphareth and beyond. Perseverance and meditation is the path. No short cuts.
James Investigates 