Three, the number of Binah, is the Great Sea of Understanding, the formless womb from which all form emerges. In the Hebrew alphabet, it is associated with the letter Gimel, meaning 'camel,' a symbol of carrying and bearing. Its value, 3, signifies the third Sephirah, the first of the passive Pillar of Severity, and the completion of the Supernal Triad.

Position on the Tree of Life

Three is the numeration of the third Sephirah, Binah, which sits at the top of the Pillar of Severity on the Tree of Life. It is the passive, receptive counterpart to Chokmah's active force, and together with Keter, they form the Supernal Triangle. This path is not a path but a Sephirah, a static sphere of emanation.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

In the system of Liber 777, the number 3 corresponds to the planet Saturn. Saturn's astrological symbolism of limitation, time, structure, and the crystallization of form aligns perfectly with Binah's nature as the Great Sea that receives and contains the outpouring of Chokmah, giving it boundaries and definition.

Historical context

The number 3 has been a symbol of completeness and divine order across many traditions. In Pythagorean thought, it was the first true number, representing the triad of beginning, middle, and end. In Christian theology, it is the number of the Trinity. In Jewish mysticism, the three Supernal Sephiroth—Keter, Chokmah, and Binah—form the first triangle of the Tree of Life, the source of all subsequent emanation. The number 3 also appears in the three pillars of the Tree: Mercy, Severity, and Mildness. In the Sepher Yetzirah, the three 'mother letters' (Aleph, Mem, Shin) correspond to the three elements of Air, Water, and Fire, further emphasizing the foundational and creative power of this number.

In the table of Liber 777, the number 3 appears as the numeration of the third Sephirah, Binah, on the scale of the Tree of Life. It is the value assigned to this sphere of Understanding, the passive, receptive principle that gives form to the creative force of Chokmah.