14 is the numerical value assigned to the fourteenth path on the Tree of Life in the Qabalistic Key Scale. The number itself derives from the Hebrew letter Daleth (ד), whose gematria is 4, but the path number 14 reflects its position as the fourth of the twenty-two connecting paths (counting from Kether). The word Daleth means "door," and the path is traditionally called the "Illuminating Intelligence" in the Sepher Yetzirah, a gate through which the divine light flows from Chokmah to Binah.

Position on the Tree of Life

Path 14 connects the second sephirah, Chokmah (Wisdom), to the third sephirah, Binah (Understanding). It is the first path on the left-hand pillar of severity, yet its Venusian nature tempers that severity with love and harmony. As a horizontal path on the Tree, it bridges the supernal triad, making it a channel for the initial differentiation of wisdom into understanding.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

The number 14 is linked to the planet Venus (Nogah in Hebrew). This correspondence governs the path's qualities of beauty, desire, and creative union. In the zodiac, Venus rules Taurus and Libra, but the path itself is not tied to a specific sign—rather, it embodies the planetary essence of love, art, and the alchemical marriage of opposites.

Historical context

The number 14 appears in the Key Scale of Liber 777 as the entry for Path 14. This table, compiled by Aleister Crowley and later expanded by others, systematizes the correspondences of the Qabalah. The 14th path is also the subject of the fourteenth chapter of the Sepher Yetzirah, where it is described as the "Illuminating Intelligence" because it "illuminates the hidden powers of the mind." In the Western esoteric tradition, this path is associated with the Tarot trump The Empress (Atu III), who embodies Venusian fertility and the generative principle. The number 14 itself recurs in other systems: in the Enochian system, it corresponds to the 14th Aethyr (Uti), and in the Greek alphabet, the letter Nu (ν) has a value of 50, but the Qabalistic Key Scale fixes 14 as the unique identifier for this specific path.

In Liber 777, the number 14 appears as the key scale entry for Path 14, linking it to Venus, the Empress, the color green, the perfume rose, and the magical formula of love and beauty. It stands as a numeric anchor for the entire column of correspondences that radiate from this path.