The ten numbers are the essential form of all that is; the number ten is the basis of the world plan. Through them intelligence perceives the world’s existence and the divine action. These numbers are called the Sefirot. Their names are: Kether, Crown, the ideal principle of all entities, and which in itself embraces all other beings; all life; Chochma, Wisdom, the principle of all life. Binah Intelligence, the principle of everything that has understanding , Chesed Goodness, the model of all grace; Geburah, Power, the principle of the distribution of reward or punishment; Tiferet, Glory, the principle toward which converges that is beautiful and perfect; Nisah, Victory, to which conforms the permanent and the lasting; Hod, Honor the principle of all that flows down to inferior beings; Malchut, Kingdom, the link which transmits all things from the superior to the inferior, and which helps the inferior to assimilate itself to the superior.
At this point the question naturally arises: “Of what personal or selfish benefit is the propagation of error to the inhabitants of the Dark Satellite?” The answer is simply this, it furnishes them with the means of prolonging their external existence while on earth. It also supplies them with an additional lease of life in the world to come, as will be made manifest from the hermetic laws of death as given below.
According to these laws, death is now what is known as physical dissolution, but is a failure on the part of the human being to polarize the atoms which constitute the Soul and thus realize immortality. It is falling from the human to the animal plane, where conscious existence may be prolonged indefinitely.
The Laws of Death (Hermes Trismegistus)
1. As it is below, so it is above; as on the earth, so in the sky.
2. There are two states of being: one is mortal; the other Immortal.
3. That which is mortal is dissolvable, and dissolvable bodies pass away like a mist in the morning. 4. An Immortal body is an essence which is eternal and incorruptible.
5. But the twain, the mortal and the Immortal, cannot exist together forever, but each returneth to the place from whence it came.
6. The mortal body is sensible, but the Immortal is reasonable,
7. The former contains nothing that is perfect, the latter nothing that is imperfect; for the one is the essence of the Spirit, the other the essence of matter, and man, the microcosm, holds the balance of the twain.
8. And there is a fierce warfare for the victory, between the upper and lower, as they both desire to obtain the body as their prize; for the state of man is envied by the lower and glorified as a noble state by the higher.
9. Now as the man inclines toward the lower Nature which is mortal, he thereby aids the lower imperfect powers to oppose the higher which is Immortal, and must suffer the pains of slavery for his disobedience to the workman his maker. But if he inclines to the higher, then he is truly wise and blest.