Egipcios Kier - 71 Avarice

Card 71 depicts a man carefully recording his possessions. Before him stand jars of grain and shelves holding additional stores of food or wealth. He wears an elaborate necklace, suggesting that he is already prosperous. Yet the title of the card is Avarice, inviting us to ask when prudent stewardship becomes endless accumulation.

The lower portion of the cartouche contains a large jar adorned with uraeus serpents. It resembles the canopic jars used to preserve the organs of the dead. Whether or not that association was intended, the image quietly reminds us that wealth cannot outlast mortality. Eventually every account is closed.

Above the scene appear the Hebrew letter Tet (ט), several magical symbols, and what Kaplan interprets as either a waning moon or the wounded Eye of Horus. Even abundance is subject to loss.

Kaplan associates the card with greed, possessiveness, and the inability to share. Reversed, he suggests obstacles, setbacks, and frustrated ambition.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira pairs Avarice with the traditional Eight of Pentacles, a correspondence that initially surprised me. The Eight of Pentacles honors patient craftsmanship and the satisfaction of honest work. Avarice asks a different question: What is all that work for?

Labor can become an act of service, creativity, and provision for those we love. But it can also become an endless pursuit of more. The difference lies not in the work itself, but in the heart of the worker.

The man on this card may simply be taking inventory. Or he may already have more than enough and be unable to recognize it. Avarice reminds us that contentment is not measured by what we possess, but by knowing when enough is enough.

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.

Robin Wood Tarot Card of The Day

Robin Wood's Three of Pentacles shows an artisan at work, his gray beard indicating experience and skill, his smile suggesting pleasure in accomplishment. He wields a chisel and a bell-shaped mallet.

I'm not familiar with the tools of his craft, so although I've learned that the bell-shaped mallet really is an appropriate tool for his work, I still sometimes wonder if he is using the "right tool for the right job."

This figure is reminiscent of B'tzalel (בְּצַלְאֵל) from Tanakh, (for whom the art academy in Jerusalem is named). B'tzalel was chosen to create the wilderness tabernacle because he understood how to combine the letters through which the universe was created. He was filled "with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship." (Shmot 31:3)

This artisan is completing the details on stone wings that surmount a sanctuary. It's clear that other people are also engaged in completing this project. Firstly, the knot-work on the arch below his right arm is incomplete; perhaps, as Robin Wood suggests, it is an exercise for his apprentice. Secondly, behind the stone wings is a colorful tapestry with fringes like rays of the sun. I imagine a workshop of the "women who wove for the Temple" happily bringing their work and raising it up in the Temple.

The light from below that reflects off his sleeves suggests that he is in the spotlight. People are admiring his achievements. He is dressed finely, suggesting that he is presenting the progress of the work to a patron or the leaders of the community. I love the "feather in his cap," which reminds me of Yankee Doodle. The cap is green, showing that his mind is fertile.

The adjective "alive" or the masculine, singular, present tense of the verb "to live" (חי) seems to be embroidered on his red sleeve cuff. Creative expression is one of the blessings of being alive; it is how we make meaning. All the Pentacles are reminders of the miracle of life. You don't have to be Michelangelo to make each day holy; living can be an art. In the Eight of Pentacles, this artisan was the apprentice; with maturity, he has become a master in the Three of Pentacles.

I love the dark brown belt that Robin Wood drew around his waist. I can almost feel it's texture, and to me, it implies grounding. He's not just dreaming; he's practical in his creativity. His right ear reflects the shape of a cursive Śin (ש), suggesting that he is listening to divine guidance.

This card is about creativity and collaboration. It can indicate learning and being off to a good start. Reversed, it may indicate carelessness, lack of skill, or a failure to participate in tikun olam, the recreation of the world.

For me, today, it represents the joy of being gainfully employed and having really nice co-workers. It's also a reminder that even though my job may not be an exalted one, it has real value.

Contemplative Tarot - the Three of Earth, the Ten of Earth, and the Two of Fire

This week's cards are the Three of Earth, the Ten of Earth, and the Two of Fire from the Gaian Tarot. 

I invite you to use these cards to inspire your contemplative practice and I hope you will share some of your reflections in the comments.

Force and Source of Life, help us to live fully. 

May we be mindful of the loved ones beside us, 
the generations following us,
and the friends we meet on the way. 

May we rejoice in our work,
let endings birth new beginnings,
and embrace unexpected joy each day.

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