Position on the Tree of Life

A corresponds to Path 11, the first path of the Tree of Life, connecting Keter (Crown) to Chokmah (Wisdom). This path is traditionally associated with the element of Air, the primordial breath that initiates creation. As the initial letter of the alphabet, A embodies the principle of beginning, the unmanifest becoming manifest.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

In the schema of Liber 777, the Hebrew letter Aleph (transliterated as A) is attributed to the element of Air. This element is not a planet but a fundamental force, representing intellect, communication, and the subtle medium of life. The astrological sign of Aquarius is sometimes linked to Air, but the direct correspondence for Path 11 is the element itself.

Historical context

The letter A has a rich lineage. Its earliest known ancestor is the Phoenician letter aleph, a pictograph of an ox’s head, which the Greeks adapted as alpha, turning the symbol sideways and eventually into the familiar A shape. In the Greek alphabet, alpha was the first letter, and its name gave rise to the term ‘alphabet’. The Romans adopted it for Latin, and through them it entered all Western European scripts.

In Qabalistic tradition, Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, valued at 1. It is considered the ‘breath’ of God, the silent letter that precedes all speech. The Fool card (0) of the Tarot is attributed to Aleph, symbolizing the pure potential of spirit before manifestation. In the Sepher Yetzirah, Aleph is one of the three ‘mother letters’, governing the element of Air and the seasons of the year.

Liber 777, compiled by Aleister Crowley, systematizes these correspondences. In Column LI (English equivalents of Hebrew letters), the entry for Path 11 is simply ‘A’. This places the English letter in direct alignment with the Qabalistic and elemental attributes of Aleph.

Closing

In the table of Liber 777 at scale step 11 (Path 11), the cell for the English equivalent of Column LI contains the single letter ‘A’. This simple character encapsulates the entire complex of meanings: the first emanation, the airy intellect, and the silent beginning of all language.