Card of the Day

Today’s card: Five of Pentacles (Robin Wood Tarot)

Initial impressions: Saw the snow. Remembered the negative meanings of the card.

Keywords and phrases: Loss, out in the cold, ostracism, no one to turn to  / Hope, survival skills, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps

UPG: NA

What’s happening in the picture: Outside a stained glass window, a light snow is falling on two raggedly dressed people. One handles against the wall on the wet pavement, the other, a bandaged soldier missing a leg, hobbles away on a crutch.

Symbols/images that stand out: snow, black pavement, army green fabric wrapped around his head, eye injury, even whole leg is bandaged, ragged cape is tartan

What emotion is expressed: There’s still hope.

Greeting card message: Stand tall and be true to yourself. Hard times, come again no more.

Personal experience at the end of the day: Was feeling the opposite of out in the cold until the end of the day

Events and situations: Luckily finished errands at one place. People let me go ahead in line. First couple of restaurants were closed for cleaning— because Pesach starts Saturday night. We spent the afternoon at 9Beach enjoying the lovely weather.

People: Arlan, couple at supermarket, waiters, characters on the bus, KK, FF

Lessons learned: KK and FF didn’t banter about my chat. I excised anything that might be wrong or embarrassing, i.e., anything personal or potentially interesting from it, and also failed to consider whether KK would know the Hebrew greeting for Pesach.

New insights: Your card of the day may reflect just a moment at the end of the day. It may not be the theme of the whole day.

*Questions from Biddy Tarot

Card of the Day

Today’s card: Ace of Pentacles (Robin Wood Tarot)

Date: Tuesday 23 March 2021

Initial impressions: Path toward the empty pedestal reminds me that I have to vote this morning. What new material circumstances might unfold today?

Keywords and phrases: Gift of material world filled with spirit, an opportunity, possibility of wealth if you work for it / Ingratitude, lack of planning

UPG: Shekhinah-Asherah

What’s happening in the picture: a path through a park leads to an empty pedestal. Full trees cast shade on the path and flowers. Mist obscures hills in the distance.

Symbols/images that stand out:

• empty pedestal
• path toward the pedestal
• huge gold and silver pentacle with ivy leaves
• greenery and shade

What emotion is expressed: hope and optimism

Greeting card message: Welcome to your new life!

Personal experience at the end of the day:

Events and situations: Voted. Did some of my Passover shopping. Reviewed the haggadah briefly and made a list of other things needed. Cleaned, cleaned, cleaned. Met a new neighbor.

People: An Israeli helped me find the room where I voted. I couldn’t make sense of the number “twenty eight two” (meaning the second room 28). Made plans with Arlan and Marilyn.

Lessons learned: Once I get started on something, I won’t stop.

New insights: Maybe I do have a future?

*Questions from Biddy Tarot

Card of the Day

 Today’s card: King of Cups (Robin Wood Deck)

Date: Monday 22 March 2021

Initial impressions: trying to stay above the confusing, rushing emotions

Keywords and phrases: Emotionally stable, not controlled by emotions, calm leadership / Manipulative, volatile

UPG: Holy Mother Leah

What’s happening in the picture: A crowned man sits calmly but precariously on a rock that sticks up amidst ocean waves. A dolphin arches out of the water behind him.

Symbols/images that stand out:

• today his silly shoes stand out and the placement of his feet make it appear that he is not firmly seated on the lava rock. 
• his seat is not very high above the waves. He’s going to get splashed. 
• dolphins usually give me a feeling of joy, but this dolphin seems to be traveling to some other tarot card, unnoticed by the King, and uninterested in the King. 
• the “leaves” that form the back of his throne look more like part of a clumsily made costume than part of the rock. 
• the clouds decorating the hem of his robe add to the sense of imbalance. Why is the element of air at the bottom of his robe, so close to the ocean? It’s as if he is repressing his thoughts as well as his feelings. 
• the lava rock once bubbled up hot from the earth, now it has cooled and solidified. It’s old inspiration that no longer inspires.

What emotion is expressed: hanging on tight while trying to look calm— he is grasping his goblet so tightly, that he has broken the stem off of it.

Greeting card message: Feel your feelings. Don’t miss the scenery. Start swimming.

Personal experience at the end of the day: Made it through the day without tipping over, but also without making my life even a little bit better.

Events and situations: Running errands, wondering about some of the women I interacted with briefly when making purchases, not finishing my meal and getting a second drink instead, looking down on aspects of the culture around me

People: Nice Russian lady at the restaurant, large man shouting loudly from street at friends on the patio of the restaurant, new Arab lady working at the makolet

Lessons learned: My comfort zone isn’t very comfortable and it’s time to get up and move on.

New insights: There’s a lack of stability in this king; he is not a version of The Emperor.

**Questions from Biddy Tarot

Arieli's Three of Coins

Month: Tevet (Days of Rain)

Numerology: The number three signifies a blossoming, the creation of something from the suit's energy. It represents the synthesis of a thesis and an antithesis, embodying harmony, flow, and abundance. In Pythagorean philosophy, the number three (triad) symbolizes restored energy and unity. On the Tree of Life, the third sefirah is Binah, Understanding.

Arieli’s card: A man in a turban and white robe stands confidently behind a kiosk nestled within a desert oasis. With one coin in his hand, he carefully weighs two others on his scales. The kiosk boasts an assortment of objects, including books, a large scroll, a dreidel, jewelry, and small bottles.

Arieli assigns these meanings to the Three of Coins. Upright: Engage in estimation, evaluation, weighing, and measuring. Exercise judgment with accuracy, honesty, and fairness in business. Approach matters calculatedly and attentively. Reversed: Beware of suspicion and lack of faith in people.

Arieli’s description of the card: "A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just measure shalt thou have." [Dvarim, Deuteronomy 25:13-15]

In this card, a merchant diligently examines and weighs his coins. The Torah strictly forbids deception in commerce and mandates the use of accurate weights. Consequently, coins, whose value depends on the gold content, should undergo careful evaluation. The Three of Coins pertains to our critical perception and can symbolize individuals specializing in work that demands professionalism and precision.

The RWS Three of Pentacles: Within a cathedral, an artisan stands atop a bench, reaching towards an arch with one hand while holding a tool in the other. A tonsured monk gazes up at him, while another man, wearing a peculiar cowl made of polka-dot material, extends a manuscript.

Traditional interpretations of this card include: Mastery of one's craft, recognition, receiving patronage, creativity, collaboration, artistry, skillfulness, and excellence. Reversed, it may indicate carelessness or unskilled work.

Comparison between the cards: While the merchant stands alone at his stall, the artisan receives instructions from two individuals of higher status.

Relationship with Major Arcana: The third sefirah on the Tree of Life is Binah, representing understanding as well as receptivity and resistance. It corresponds to the left temple of the head, which, when balanced with Chokhmah, the right temple, can foster insight. "Understand with wisdom. Be wise with understanding." (Sefer Yetzirah 1:4)

Arieli connects the third sefirah to his third Major Arcana card, HaShekhinah, the High Priestess. Within the Lurianic partzufim (faces) of the third sefirah are Imma (Mother) and Tevunah (Comprehension).

Tarot has a couple of bizarre twists on mathematics. In one system, the digits of a card are added to reduce it to a single number. In the other system, a card's number is reduced by ten. Consequently, each of the following cards holds a value of three:

3=3 Arieli’s Shekhinah (RWS Empress)
12=1+2=3 Arieli’s Justice (RWS Hanged Man)
13=13-10=3 Arieli’s Hanged Man (RWS Death)
21=2+1=3 Arieli’s Judgment Day (RWS World)

In Arieli’s Three of Coins, both the merchant and the figure in HaShekhinah are within structures, emphasizing the importance of foundations and stability. The presence of scales in both the Three of Coins and the Justice card signifies the significance of fairness and balanced judgment. On the Day of Judgment, an honest merchant can expect favorable assessment.

The RWS Hanged Man represents a state of suspension, reflecting the anticipation and readiness for guidance portrayed by the artisan in the Three of Pentacles. The thematic connection between the Three of Pentacles and the Death card is transformation and change. The divine qualities of The Empress and The World cards mirror the sacred work and creativity showcased by the artisan within the cathedral.

Magical uses according to Tyson: the Three of Coins can be used to aid in job searching, facilitate successful business dealings, or ensure favorable outcomes in transactions.

Arieli's Three of Candles

Month: Nisan (Days of Sun)

Numerology: The number three indicates a flowering, something created from the energy of the suit. It is the synthesis of the one’s thesis and the two’s antithesis. In Pythagorean philosophy, the number three (triad) represents energy and unity restored. According to Joanna Powell Colbert, threes means harmony, flow, and abundance. The third sefirah on the Tree of Life is Binah, Understanding.

Arieli’s card: Three small boys sit under at table while holding burning candles. The table is partly covered by a small tablecloth and several items, including a magnifying glass, are on the table. The boys have found a small loaf of bread that they can put it into one of the empty shoeboxes on the floor near them. This image represents the ritual of Bedikat Chametz, which is performed after dark on the 14th of Nisan. The ritual and its blessing are described in most haggadot. While using a candle, one final check of the home is made for chametz after a month of cleaning; a feather is used to sweep any remaining chametz into bags. A few pieces of chametz have been placed around the home to be found, so that the blessing said before the ritual will not be said in vain.

Arieli assigns these meanings to the Three of Candles:
Upright: examination, careful search, taking inventory, children, group activities, games
Reversed: finding something we do not want or were afraid to find

Arieli’s description of the card: "Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee, in all thy borders," (Shemot, Exodus 13: 7).

Under a table, little boys hold candles while searching for chametz (leavening). This ritual takes place on the eve [before the] first night of Pesach, when we must remove all leavening from our homes and eat only matzah, unleavened bread. The responsibility for cleaning lies with the adults, but ritual pieces of bread are left for children to find and dispose of. We search for chametz by candlelight so we can see all the hidden places.

The RWS Three of Wands: A man looks away from us, over a cliff, toward ships in the harbor. His stately cloak covers armor and he reaches out to hold one of the three staves that are planted in the ground around him.

Traditionally, this card signifies: Progress, enterprise, well-established strength, waiting for a return on your investments, trade and commerce, knowing how to protect yourself, end of struggles, looking to the future, putting the past behind you, commitment to a new goal. Reversed, it may suggest: Lack of foresight, not seeing big picture, the possibility of war.

Comparison between the cards: Both cards suggest taking stock and looking to the future.

Relationship with Major Arcana: The third sefirah on the Tree of Life is Binah, Understanding. It is the place of receptivity and resistance. It is associated with the left temple of the head, which, if balanced with Chokhmah, the right temple, can bring insight. “Understand with wisdom. Be wise with understanding.” (Sefer Yetzirah 1:4)

Arieli’s connects the third sefirah to HaShekhinah, his High Priestess card. The Lurianic partzufim (faces) of the third sefirah are Imma and Tevunah, Mother and Comprehension.

Tarot has a couple of bizarre twists on mathematics. In one system, you add the digits of a card to reduce it to a single number. In the other system, you reduce a card’s number by ten. Thus, each of the following cards has a value of three:

3=3 Arieli’s Shekhinah (RWS Empress)
12=1+2=3 Arieli’s Justice (RWS Hanged Man)
13=13-10=3 Arieli’s Hanged Man (RWS Death)
21=2+1=3 Arieli’s Judgment Day (RWS World)

Both Arieli’s Three of Candles and his High Priestess card are about hidden things that we’d like to discover and explore. The Hanged Man might parallel the pause between your home being free of chametz and the time the festivities of Passover begin. Bedikat Chametz is a moment of judgment: have we successfully cleaned out the old?

The RWS Empress and the Three of Wands both suggest abundance. The Hanged Man represents the pause in which the figure in the Three of Wands waits for his ships to return. Death also wears armor, but unlike the Three of Wands, a cloak does not conceal it. The figure in the Three of Wands seems to have the world before him.

Magical uses according to Tyson: to establish authority over others; to solidify a dominant position.

Arieli's Three of Swords

Month: Tishrei (Days of Rain)

Numerology: The number three indicates a flowering, something created from the energy of the suit. It is the synthesis of the one’s thesis and the two’s antithesis. In Pythagorean philosophy, the number three (triad) represents energy and unity restored. According to Joanna Powell Colbert, threes means harmony, flow, and abundance. The third sefirah on the Tree of Life is Binah, Understanding.

Arieli’s Three of Swords: shows a partially constructed sukkah. A table with tools upon it sits in the center of the structure and, oddly, branches already cover the roof of the incomplete sukkah. A man wields a sword, rather than the saw that lies on the table, to remove a branch from a tree. The ground is littered with discarded twigs. Men are required to dwell in a sukkah for all seven days of the Sukkot festival, to recall that the Israelites dwelt in temporary shelters after the exodus from Egypt; both men and women are required to participate in the mitzvah of waving of the lulav during the festival of Sukkot.

Arieli assigns these meanings to the Three of Swords:
Upright: construction, repairs, renovations
Reversed: an incomplete state, not a permanent solution

Arieli’s description of the card: In this card, swords are used as tools to construct a sukkah, a temporary structure with a roof through which stars are visible. Here a Jew finishes building the first two walls of a sukkah and begins to take branches form a tree to build a third wall. The building of a sukkah begins immediately after Yom Kippur. [Arileli cites tractate Sukkah page 4, which includes discussion of the regulations for building a kosher sukkah.]

The RWS Three of Swords: Clouds and rain are the backdrop for a large, red heart pierced by three swords. Pamela Coleman Smith adapted this image from a 15th century deck known as the Sola Busca Tarot.

Traditionally, this card signifies: loss, alienation, betrayal, mental anguish, being obsessed with old pain, failure, misfortune, suffering, and “all that the design signifies naturally, being too simple and obvious to call for specific enumeration.” Reversed, it may suggest: forgiveness or gaining insights through written or spoken words.

Comparison between the cards: The RWS Three of Swords is straightforward in its symbolism, but the image of a heart pierced by three swords is tired and cliché from overuse. Arieli’s image of an inexperienced builder using the wrong tool to jury rig a temporary dwelling is awkward, but that awkwardness may be part of the card’s significance.

Relationship with Major Arcana: The third sefirah on the Tree of Life is Binah, Understanding. It is the place of receptivity and resistance. Binah is associated with the left temple of the head, which, if balanced with Chokhmah, the right temple, can bring insight. “Understand with wisdom. Be wise with understanding.” (Sefer Yetzirah 1:4)

Arieli’s connects the third sefirah to HaShekhinah, his High Priestess card. The Lurianic partzufim (faces) of the third sefirah are Imma and Tevunah, Mother and Comprehension.

Tarot has a couple of bizarre twists on mathematics. In one system, you add the digits of a card to reduce it to a single number. In the other system, you reduce a card’s number by ten. Each of the following cards has a value of three:

3=3 Arieli’s Shekhinah (RWS Empress)
12=1+2=3 Arieli’s Justice (RWS Hanged Man)
13=13-10=3 Arieli’s Hanged Man (RWS Death)
21=2+1=3 Arieli’s Judgment Day (RWS World)

Visually, there is a resonance between Arieli’s Three of Swords and his High Priestess card, HaShekhinah; a clumsy human attempt to mirror the work of a celestial architect, to make a mishkan (dwelling place) for the Shekhinah. The tree in Hanged Man is also bare and sad looking, like that in the Three of Swords.

The RWS Three of Swords resonates emotionally with The Hanged Man and Death. The Empress and The World seem much more positive.

Magical uses according to Tyson: to cause unhappiness, sorrow, or tears; to make a disruption or separation.