Class of letter

Mother

One of Sefer Yetzirah's three classes of letter. 3 of the twenty-two belong to it.

5 correspondences · 4 with an ancient or scriptural source · 0 with no source located

All the tables The classes of letter table

The oldest attribution here is Letter class of Aleph, first attested 100 CE.

Letter class of

  • Aleph

    Canonical
    Who says so
    Sefer Yetzirah's counting (2nd–6th century CE (contested))
    Earliest verified attestation
    100 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Attested
    Evidence
    The source states it

    Westcott's Sefer Yetzirah names Aleph among the Mothers.

    Evidence

    1. Rabbi Akiva (traditional attribution); older versions attributed to Abraham, Sefer Yetzirah, 2nd–6th century CE (contested) — 2:1

      Sacred primary · originates · Westcott translation, 3rd edition, 1911 (first published 1887)

      The Three Mothers are Aleph, Mem and Shin, they are Air, Water and Fire

      The printed membership list for the mother letters.

      Read the source

  • Mem

    Canonical
    Who says so
    Sefer Yetzirah's counting (2nd–6th century CE (contested))
    Earliest verified attestation
    100 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Attested
    Evidence
    The source states it

    Westcott's Sefer Yetzirah names Mem among the Mothers.

    Evidence

    1. Rabbi Akiva (traditional attribution); older versions attributed to Abraham, Sefer Yetzirah, 2nd–6th century CE (contested) — 2:1

      Sacred primary · originates · Westcott translation, 3rd edition, 1911 (first published 1887)

      The Three Mothers are Aleph, Mem and Shin, they are Air, Water and Fire

      The printed membership list for the mother letters.

      Read the source

  • Path 11 · Aleph

    Canonical
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    100 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    Established by Sefer Yetzirah 1:2 in every recension.

    Evidence

    1. Rabbi Akiva (traditional attribution); older versions attributed to Abraham, Sefer Yetzirah, 2nd–6th century CE (contested) — 1:2

      · Westcott translation, 3rd edition, 1911 (first published 1887)

      Ten are the ineffable Sephiroth. Twenty-two are the Letters, the Foundation of all things; there are Three Mothers, Seven Double and Twelve Simple letters.

      The single most-cited passage in Sefer Yetzirah. Every claim about a letter's class (mother/double/simple) traces back here.

      Read the source

  • Shin

    Canonical
    Who says so
    Sefer Yetzirah's counting (2nd–6th century CE (contested))
    Earliest verified attestation
    100 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Attested
    Evidence
    The source states it

    Westcott's Sefer Yetzirah names Shin among the Mothers.

    Evidence

    1. Rabbi Akiva (traditional attribution); older versions attributed to Abraham, Sefer Yetzirah, 2nd–6th century CE (contested) — 2:1

      Sacred primary · originates · Westcott translation, 3rd edition, 1911 (first published 1887)

      The Three Mothers are Aleph, Mem and Shin, they are Air, Water and Fire

      The printed membership list for the mother letters.

      Read the source

Counts of

  • 3

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Sefer Yetzirah's counting (2nd–6th century CE (contested))
    Earliest verified attestation
    100 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Attested
    Evidence
    The source states it

    Sefer Yetzirah divides the twenty-two letters three, seven and twelve.

    Evidence

    1. Rabbi Akiva (traditional attribution); older versions attributed to Abraham, Sefer Yetzirah, 2nd–6th century CE (contested) — 1:2

      Sacred primary · originates · Westcott translation, 3rd edition, 1911 (first published 1887)

      Ten are the ineffable Sephiroth. Twenty-two are the Letters, the Foundation of all things; there are Three Mothers, Seven Double and Twelve Simple letters.

      The division.

      Read the source

    2. Rabbi Akiva (traditional attribution); older versions attributed to Abraham, Sefer Yetzirah, 2nd–6th century CE (contested) — 2:1

      Sacred primary · originates · Westcott translation, 3rd edition, 1911 (first published 1887)

      The Three Mothers are Aleph, Mem and Shin, they are Air, Water and Fire

      The members of the class.

      Read the source