Pathjoins 5–6 is the twenty‑second path on the Tree of Life, linking the sephirah Geburah (Severity) to Tiphereth (Beauty). In the Hebrew alphabet it corresponds to the letter Lamed (ל), meaning ‘ox‑goad’ or ‘learning,’ and its astrological attribution is Libra, the Scales.

Position on the Tree of Life

This path occupies scale step 22, the only horizontal connection on the left side of the Tree. It runs from the fifth sephirah (Geburah, on the Pillar of Severity) to the sixth sephirah (Tiphereth, on the Middle Pillar). As a horizontal path, it mediates between the active, restrictive force of Geburah and the central, harmonizing radiance of Tiphereth.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

The path is governed by the zodiac sign Libra (♎), whose symbol is the balance. In the Hermetic Qabalah, Libra is ruled by Venus, but the path itself carries the quality of equilibrium, justice, and measured judgment. The planetary influence of Venus tempers the severity of Geburah with the beauty of Tiphereth, creating a channel of harmonious adjustment.

Historical context

In the Kabbalistic tradition, the letter Lamed is the tallest of the Hebrew letters, said to reach above the heavens, symbolizing aspiration and the upward striving of the soul. The path connecting Geburah and Tiphereth is therefore one of transcendence through balance: the harsh judgments of Geburah are refined by the compassionate light of Tiphereth, producing the quality of justice. The Golden Dawn attributed the Tarot trump Justice (or Adjustment) to this path, reinforcing the theme of cosmic equilibrium. Medieval Kabbalists such as Moses Cordovero described this path as the “channel of the balance,” where the severity of the left pillar is reconciled with the mercy of the right pillar through the central column. The path also appears in the Zoharic literature as the “gate of the scales,” through which the soul must pass to achieve true harmony.

In Liber 777, this path appears under the column “The Tree of Life” at step 22, with the entry “Pathjoins 5–6.” Its correspondences include the letter Lamed, the zodiac Libra, the Tarot trump Justice, and the number 22. The path serves as a reminder that the most severe forces, when balanced, give rise to beauty and order.