Envy [Avarice] is a compound term in the lexicon of transcendental morality, denoting the twin impulses of resentful longing for another's advantages (Envy) and the insatiable greed for material wealth or possessions (Avarice). The pairing reflects a core spiritual malady: the perception of lack that drives one to covet what belongs to others, and the hoarding impulse that mistakes accumulation for security. In Latin, invidia (envy) derives from invidere—"to look maliciously upon"—while avaritia (avarice) stems from aveo, "to crave." Together, they represent the shadow of desire distorted by separation.

Position on the Tree of Life

Envy [Avarice] is assigned to Path 32, the thirty-second and final path of the Tree of Life, which connects Malkuth (the Kingdom) to Yesod (the Foundation). This path is traditionally associated with the letter Tau (ת), meaning "cross" or "mark," and corresponds to the element Saturn. As the lowest path on the Tree, it governs the threshold between the material world and the astral realm. Here, Envy and Avarice manifest as the spiritual pitfalls of excessive attachment to physical reality—the refusal to release the illusion of scarcity that binds the soul to the Earth. In the system of Liber 777, this entry stands in direct opposition to the virtue of Scepticism (assigned to Malkuth itself), which tempers blind desire with critical discernment.

Astrological and Planetary Correspondence

Path 32 is ruled by Saturn (Shabbathai), the planet of limitation, time, and karmic consequence. Saturn's influence brings structure and contraction, but also the potential for melancholy, greed, and envy when its energy is unbalanced. The astrological correspondence reinforces the nature of Envy [Avarice] as a binding force—a fixation on what one lacks rather than gratitude for what one has. In alchemical terms, this is the nigredo stage of spiritual putrefaction, where the base metals of desire must be dissolved before transmutation can occur.

Historical Context

The pairing of Envy and Avarice as a single moral category has deep roots in Western esoteric and religious traditions. In Christian theology, they are two of the Seven Deadly Sins, first codified by Pope Gregory I in the 6th century and later popularized by Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy. Dante places the envious in Purgatory with their eyes sewn shut—a punishment for their refusal to see others' blessings—while the avaricious are forced to lie face-down, weighed down by their earthly attachments. In the Hermetic tradition, these sins are seen as obstacles to the Great Work, the alchemical process of spiritual refinement. The Emerald Tablet's principle "As above, so below" implies that inner poverty of spirit cannot be remedied by outer accumulation; Envy and Avarice are thus symptoms of a soul out of alignment with the divine order.

In the Qabalistic framework of Liber 777, the assignment of Envy [Avarice] to Path 32 reflects the Zoharic teaching that the Qliphoth (shells of impurity) cling most tightly to the lowest sephiroth. Here, the sin is not merely a moral failing but a cosmic error—a misidentification of the self with the material world. The 19th-century occultist Éliphas Lévi wrote that "to desire is to affirm the absence of what one desires," a paradox that lies at the heart of this correspondence: the very act of coveting reinforces the illusion of separation from the divine source.

In the Table of 777

At Path 32, the cell for Transcendental Morality lists Envy [Avarice] as the negative expression of the path's energy. It is the shadow of the virtue Scepticism (Malkuth), which teaches the aspirant to question appearances and recognize the transience of material gain. In practice, this entry serves as a warning to the magician: the path from Malkuth to Yesod requires the surrender of possessiveness and the cultivation of inner contentment. Without this purification, the seeker remains trapped in the cycle of craving and resentment, unable to ascend the Tree.