THE BEGINNING IS WISDOM

A Freemason explores the symbolic connections between the fraternal order and the Jewish tradition of Kabbalah mysticism in this debut nonfiction work.

“To me, Masonry and Kabbalah go together like peanut butter and jelly,” writes computer scientist Cardilla—a Past Master of the Freemasons’ Confidence Lodge #110 in Soquel, California, and a decorated member of the Societas Philologi Masonic philosophical society—in the book’s opening lines. Many authors have tried to connect the two belief systems, he notes, but have failed, in part due to the fact that many attempt to equate Kabbalah with “alchemy and magic.” The author also fears that many 21st-century Masons have disengaged themselves from the order’s rich symbolism as the society has shifted “away from a philosophical focus to a social one.” With this work, he aims to clear misconceptions about both schools of thought, as well as help fellow Freemasons to value their organization’s rich symbolic history more highly by appreciating Masonic imagery and philosophy through the lens of Kabbalistic thought. He eschews the notion of presenting the “real meaning” of Masonic symbols, instead emphasizing that they should be approached on a personal level that illuminates the observer’s own life. For example, he notes that both Kabbalah and Freemasonry use the sun and moon to represent male/female dichotomies and the human quest for enlightenment. By focusing on both the two traditions’ iconography and philosophy, the book effectively relates how people often “rely on others, at first to reflect light,” but also that the journey they’re on eventually brings “us into the light ourselves.” Cardilla displays a firm knowledge of Masonic ideology, as well as the Zohar (Kabbalah’s foundational work), to present a learned exploration of two oft-misunderstood ideologies, and he informatively accompanies it with a network of endnotes and bibliographic citations. Moreover, despite the notorious reputation of both Masonry and Kabbalah for esoterism, the book’s prose style is welcoming to lay readers, and its emphasis on accessibility is strengthened by dozens of photos and illustrations, some credited to the author.

A nuanced and deeply researched case for the entwined nature of two complex belief systems.