276 is the mystic number assigned to the 23rd Path of the Tree of Life, the path connecting Chokmah to Tiphereth. In the system of Liber 777, this number is derived from the sum of the integers from 1 to 23, a triangular number (T₂₃ = 276). It represents the completion and synthesis of the 22 paths of the Sepher Yetzirah plus the initial unity of Kether, embodying the principle of balanced return and the full circuit of the divine alphabet.

Position on the Tree of Life

As the mystic number of Path 23, 276 corresponds to the letter Samekh, the 15th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This path is traditionally associated with the zodiacal sign of Sagittarius, the Archer, and symbolizes the arrow of aspiration piercing the veil of illusion. The number 276 thus encodes the journey of the soul through the Abyss, guided by the archer's aim toward the supernal light.

Astrological and Planetary Correspondence

Samekh (Path 23) is ruled by Sagittarius, a mutable fire sign. The number 276, as its mystic number, reflects the expansive, questing nature of this sign—the search for higher truth and the synthesis of wisdom (Chokmah) with beauty and harmony (Tiphereth). In the 777 system, this path is also linked to the 23rd path of the Sepher Yetzirah, which describes it as the "Intelligence of Stability" or the "Faithful Intelligence," further reinforcing the theme of steadfast pursuit.

Historical Context

The concept of mystic numbers in Kabbalah originates from the Sefer Yetzirah and later medieval texts like the Bahir and the Zohar, where each Sephirah and path is assigned a number based on its position in the sequence of emanations. The triangular number formula (n(n+1)/2) was used by early Kabbalists to derive these values, with 276 being the 23rd triangular number. In the Renaissance, Christian Kabbalists like Johannes Reuchlin and Athanasius Kircher systematized these correspondences, and they were later adopted by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Aleister Crowley's Liber 777 (1909) codified these assignments into a comprehensive table, where 276 appears as the mystic number for Path 23, linking it to the Hebrew letter Samekh, the zodiacal sign Sagittarius, and the Tarot trump "Temperance" (Art in Crowley's Thoth deck). The number 276 also appears in classical numerology as a symbol of completion and the end of a cycle, echoing the path's role as a bridge between the lower and higher realms.

In the table of Liber 777, 276 is the mystic number assigned to the 23rd Path, serving as a numerical key to the correspondences of Samekh, Sagittarius, and the Tarot trump Art. It stands as a testament to the path's function as a channel of spiritual ascent and the integration of opposites.