Re: Mysterious Aloe (slighly off-topic)

[Guest guest]

> I'm also no biblical

> scholar but it seems to me that I recall having heard

> the phrase '...embalmed with myrrh and aloes...' and I

> do not think that they were talking about aloe vera.

> And somehow, even though the Egyptians wrapped their

> mummies with regard to preservation and eternal life,

> I somehow think that they would not have used aloe

> jelly to heal a person already three months dead, and

> *would* have been more interested in using oud since

> it has such an enduring, strong fragrance, along with

> the myrrh, cinnamon, frankincense and other powerful

> aromatics they used in their embalming practices.

Just BTW, aloe vera has incredible anti-septic properties. I once

went for chelation and an outlawed procedure with something called

Calcium EAP (for MS) with a radical bio-chemist. As some know,

chelation involves a series of relatively lengthy infusions. During

my time at this clinic I sat for hours in a room with dozens and

dozens of cancer patients who swore up and down they'd been given

numbered days and were saved only by Joe's radical technique: IV aloe

vera. Patient after patient told me their stomach tumor disappeared

or their prostate cancer was in total remission. The aloe vera had to

be applied with precision and care and was, as I heard it, at its

full dose, a massive, cathartic, uncomfortable full-body

purification. The procedure was so effective dozens of patients went

to the local cancer clinic to beg them to take it on. The clinic said

no because there was no way to insure the procedure. The FDA

subsequently raided Joe's clinic and home, confiscated everything,

and shut him down. This was in Tampa Florida. FDA couldn't let

something so cheap and effective into the market; it would ruin what

is, horribly, a huge industry in this country, one which securely

grows the GNP, like oil spills and all the other needed remediation.

[Guest guest]

> I'm also no biblical

> scholar but it seems to me that I recall having heard

> the phrase '...embalmed with myrrh and aloes...' and I

> do not think that they were talking about aloe vera.

> And somehow, even though the Egyptians wrapped their

> mummies with regard to preservation and eternal life,

> I somehow think that they would not have used aloe

> jelly to heal a person already three months dead, and

> *would* have been more interested in using oud since

> it has such an enduring, strong fragrance, along with

> the myrrh, cinnamon, frankincense and other powerful

> aromatics they used in their embalming practices.

Just BTW, aloe vera has incredible anti-septic properties. I once

went for chelation and an outlawed procedure with something called

Calcium EAP (for MS) with a radical bio-chemist. As some know,

chelation involves a series of relatively lengthy infusions. During

my time at this clinic I sat for hours in a room with dozens and

dozens of cancer patients who swore up and down they'd been given

numbered days and were saved only by Joe's radical technique: IV aloe

vera. Patient after patient told me their stomach tumor disappeared

or their prostate cancer was in total remission. The aloe vera had to

be applied with precision and care and was, as I heard it, at its

full dose, a massive, cathartic, uncomfortable full-body

purification. The procedure was so effective dozens of patients went

to the local cancer clinic to beg them to take it on. The clinic said

no because there was no way to insure the procedure. The FDA

subsequently raided Joe's clinic and home, confiscated everything,

and shut him down. This was in Tampa Florida. FDA couldn't let

something so cheap and effective into the market; it would ruin what

is, horribly, a huge industry in this country, one which securely

grows the GNP, like oil spills and all the other needed remediation.

[Guest guest]

> I'm also no biblical

> scholar but it seems to me that I recall having heard

> the phrase '...embalmed with myrrh and aloes...' and I

> do not think that they were talking about aloe vera.

> And somehow, even though the Egyptians wrapped their

> mummies with regard to preservation and eternal life,

> I somehow think that they would not have used aloe

> jelly to heal a person already three months dead, and

> *would* have been more interested in using oud since

> it has such an enduring, strong fragrance, along with

> the myrrh, cinnamon, frankincense and other powerful

> aromatics they used in their embalming practices.

Just BTW, aloe vera has incredible anti-septic properties. I once

went for chelation and an outlawed procedure with something called

Calcium EAP (for MS) with a radical bio-chemist. As some know,

chelation involves a series of relatively lengthy infusions. During

my time at this clinic I sat for hours in a room with dozens and

dozens of cancer patients who swore up and down they'd been given

numbered days and were saved only by Joe's radical technique: IV aloe

vera. Patient after patient told me their stomach tumor disappeared

or their prostate cancer was in total remission. The aloe vera had to

be applied with precision and care and was, as I heard it, at its

full dose, a massive, cathartic, uncomfortable full-body

purification. The procedure was so effective dozens of patients went

to the local cancer clinic to beg them to take it on. The clinic said

no because there was no way to insure the procedure. The FDA

subsequently raided Joe's clinic and home, confiscated everything,

and shut him down. This was in Tampa Florida. FDA couldn't let

something so cheap and effective into the market; it would ruin what

is, horribly, a huge industry in this country, one which securely

grows the GNP, like oil spills and all the other needed remediation.

[Guest guest]

> So anyhow I'm going to learn to play this piece, this

> 'Aloe' by Dowland. I may never learn what he

> meant by 'Aloe' but I think I'll learn it anyway.

> Maybe I'll play it while heating agarwood chips on a

> mica plate, or else I'll anoint myself with oud oil

> before sitting down to play...

>

>

> Alfred

>

>

> musingly in San Francisco

Now if you can get someone to film you doing this and put it on

u-tube...the rest of us could watch and listen while burning our own

aloe.....

Ambrosia

http://www.perfumebynature.com.au

[Guest guest]

> So anyhow I'm going to learn to play this piece, this

> 'Aloe' by Dowland. I may never learn what he

> meant by 'Aloe' but I think I'll learn it anyway.

> Maybe I'll play it while heating agarwood chips on a

> mica plate, or else I'll anoint myself with oud oil

> before sitting down to play...

>

>

> Alfred

>

>

> musingly in San Francisco

Now if you can get someone to film you doing this and put it on

u-tube...the rest of us could watch and listen while burning our own

aloe.....

Ambrosia

http://www.perfumebynature.com.au

[Guest guest]

> So anyhow I'm going to learn to play this piece, this

> 'Aloe' by Dowland. I may never learn what he

> meant by 'Aloe' but I think I'll learn it anyway.

> Maybe I'll play it while heating agarwood chips on a

> mica plate, or else I'll anoint myself with oud oil

> before sitting down to play...

>

>

> Alfred

>

>

> musingly in San Francisco

Now if you can get someone to film you doing this and put it on

u-tube...the rest of us could watch and listen while burning our own

aloe.....

Ambrosia

http://www.perfumebynature.com.au

[Guest guest]

Adam Gottschalk wrote:

>

>

>> I'm also no biblical

>> scholar but it seems to me that I recall having heard

>> the phrase '...embalmed with myrrh and aloes...' and I

>> do not think that they were talking about aloe vera.

>> And somehow, even though the Egyptians wrapped their

>> mummies with regard to preservation and eternal life,

>> I somehow think that they would not have used aloe

>> jelly to heal a person already three months dead, and

>> *would* have been more interested in using oud since

>> it has such an enduring, strong fragrance, along with

>> the myrrh, cinnamon, frankincense and other powerful

>> aromatics they used in their embalming practices.

>

> Just BTW, aloe vera has incredible anti-septic properties. I once

> went for chelation and an outlawed procedure with something called

> Calcium EAP (for MS) with a radical bio-chemist. As some know,

> chelation involves a series of relatively lengthy infusions. During

> my time at this clinic I sat for hours in a room with dozens and

> dozens of cancer patients who swore up and down they'd been given

> numbered days and were saved only by Joe's radical technique: IV aloe

> vera. Patient after patient told me their stomach tumor disappeared

> or their prostate cancer was in total remission. The aloe vera had to

> be applied with precision and care and was, as I heard it, at its

> full dose, a massive, cathartic, uncomfortable full-body

> purification. The procedure was so effective dozens of patients went

> to the local cancer clinic to beg them to take it on. The clinic said

> no because there was no way to insure the procedure. The FDA

> subsequently raided Joe's clinic and home, confiscated everything,

> and shut him down. This was in Tampa Florida. FDA couldn't let

> something so cheap and effective into the market; it would ruin what

> is, horribly, a huge industry in this country, one which securely

> grows the GNP, like oil spills and all the other needed remediation.

Forgive me for being slightly pedantic here (the curse of being a health

proffesional!), but Aloe Vera isn't at all antiseptic. It's a marvelous

skin healer-on unbroken skin.

It breeds bugs beautifully in fact, which is why it's a bit of a problem

in skin care products cos you have to use large amounts of preservative

with it.

I've seen some pretty nasty scarring from wounds that were dressed with

aloe vera withut being cleaned properly first.

It's absolutely fantastic for burns, and I think it can also be used for

stomach ulcers (?). You can certainly drink the juice for all sorts of

things.

It is best used fresh fromthe plant. And you need to make sure you peel

it well and only use the clear gel from inside the leaves as the green

juice from the skin can be irritating.

Ambrosia

[Guest guest]

Adam Gottschalk wrote:

>

>

>> I'm also no biblical

>> scholar but it seems to me that I recall having heard

>> the phrase '...embalmed with myrrh and aloes...' and I

>> do not think that they were talking about aloe vera.

>> And somehow, even though the Egyptians wrapped their

>> mummies with regard to preservation and eternal life,

>> I somehow think that they would not have used aloe

>> jelly to heal a person already three months dead, and

>> *would* have been more interested in using oud since

>> it has such an enduring, strong fragrance, along with

>> the myrrh, cinnamon, frankincense and other powerful

>> aromatics they used in their embalming practices.

>

> Just BTW, aloe vera has incredible anti-septic properties. I once

> went for chelation and an outlawed procedure with something called

> Calcium EAP (for MS) with a radical bio-chemist. As some know,

> chelation involves a series of relatively lengthy infusions. During

> my time at this clinic I sat for hours in a room with dozens and

> dozens of cancer patients who swore up and down they'd been given

> numbered days and were saved only by Joe's radical technique: IV aloe

> vera. Patient after patient told me their stomach tumor disappeared

> or their prostate cancer was in total remission. The aloe vera had to

> be applied with precision and care and was, as I heard it, at its

> full dose, a massive, cathartic, uncomfortable full-body

> purification. The procedure was so effective dozens of patients went

> to the local cancer clinic to beg them to take it on. The clinic said

> no because there was no way to insure the procedure. The FDA

> subsequently raided Joe's clinic and home, confiscated everything,

> and shut him down. This was in Tampa Florida. FDA couldn't let

> something so cheap and effective into the market; it would ruin what

> is, horribly, a huge industry in this country, one which securely

> grows the GNP, like oil spills and all the other needed remediation.

Forgive me for being slightly pedantic here (the curse of being a health

proffesional!), but Aloe Vera isn't at all antiseptic. It's a marvelous

skin healer-on unbroken skin.

It breeds bugs beautifully in fact, which is why it's a bit of a problem

in skin care products cos you have to use large amounts of preservative

with it.

I've seen some pretty nasty scarring from wounds that were dressed with

aloe vera withut being cleaned properly first.

It's absolutely fantastic for burns, and I think it can also be used for

stomach ulcers (?). You can certainly drink the juice for all sorts of

things.

It is best used fresh fromthe plant. And you need to make sure you peel

it well and only use the clear gel from inside the leaves as the green

juice from the skin can be irritating.

Ambrosia

[Guest guest]

Adam Gottschalk wrote:

>

>

>> I'm also no biblical

>> scholar but it seems to me that I recall having heard

>> the phrase '...embalmed with myrrh and aloes...' and I

>> do not think that they were talking about aloe vera.

>> And somehow, even though the Egyptians wrapped their

>> mummies with regard to preservation and eternal life,

>> I somehow think that they would not have used aloe

>> jelly to heal a person already three months dead, and

>> *would* have been more interested in using oud since

>> it has such an enduring, strong fragrance, along with

>> the myrrh, cinnamon, frankincense and other powerful

>> aromatics they used in their embalming practices.

>

> Just BTW, aloe vera has incredible anti-septic properties. I once

> went for chelation and an outlawed procedure with something called

> Calcium EAP (for MS) with a radical bio-chemist. As some know,

> chelation involves a series of relatively lengthy infusions. During

> my time at this clinic I sat for hours in a room with dozens and

> dozens of cancer patients who swore up and down they'd been given

> numbered days and were saved only by Joe's radical technique: IV aloe

> vera. Patient after patient told me their stomach tumor disappeared

> or their prostate cancer was in total remission. The aloe vera had to

> be applied with precision and care and was, as I heard it, at its

> full dose, a massive, cathartic, uncomfortable full-body

> purification. The procedure was so effective dozens of patients went

> to the local cancer clinic to beg them to take it on. The clinic said

> no because there was no way to insure the procedure. The FDA

> subsequently raided Joe's clinic and home, confiscated everything,

> and shut him down. This was in Tampa Florida. FDA couldn't let

> something so cheap and effective into the market; it would ruin what

> is, horribly, a huge industry in this country, one which securely

> grows the GNP, like oil spills and all the other needed remediation.

Forgive me for being slightly pedantic here (the curse of being a health

proffesional!), but Aloe Vera isn't at all antiseptic. It's a marvelous

skin healer-on unbroken skin.

It breeds bugs beautifully in fact, which is why it's a bit of a problem

in skin care products cos you have to use large amounts of preservative

with it.

I've seen some pretty nasty scarring from wounds that were dressed with

aloe vera withut being cleaned properly first.

It's absolutely fantastic for burns, and I think it can also be used for

stomach ulcers (?). You can certainly drink the juice for all sorts of

things.

It is best used fresh fromthe plant. And you need to make sure you peel

it well and only use the clear gel from inside the leaves as the green

juice from the skin can be irritating.

Ambrosia

[Guest guest]

>

> Just musings...

>

> So anyhow I'm going to learn to play this piece, this

> 'Aloe' by Dowland. I may never learn what he

> meant by 'Aloe' but I think I'll learn it

> anyway.

> Maybe I'll play it while heating agarwood chips on a

> mica plate, or else I'll anoint myself with oud oil

> before sitting down to play...

>

>

> Alfred

>

Hello Alfred

I was wondering how you were getting on with your lute playing....

Are you studying with anyone...

Alan Shacklock our guitarist is trained as a Lute player and also a qualified

teacher of the instrument. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in England.

It is truly a beautiful instrument and a wonderful sound... very romantic. I

personally like the viole....melancholy and so georgeous.

I think you must be right about the aloes.. ie agarwood or oud.. Is there any

clues in the lyrics of the period that might give you an answer

with every good wish, Janita

JHNP

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

[Guest guest]

On Aug 13, 2008, at 1:32 PM, Ambrosia wrote:

> Forgive me for being slightly pedantic here (the curse of being a

> health

> proffesional!), but Aloe Vera isn't at all antiseptic. It's a

> marvelous

> skin healer-on unbroken skin.

> It breeds bugs beautifully in fact, which is why it's a bit of a

> problem

> in skin care products cos you have to use large amounts of

> preservative

> with it.

> I've seen some pretty nasty scarring from wounds that were dressed

> with

> aloe vera withut being cleaned properly first.

I must disagree fervently. I am a person who has always gotten a lot

of cuts. I used to use hydrogen peroxide. Now I use only 99% aloe-

vera gel and I all my open wounds heal in record time.

[Guest guest]

--- Ambrosia <ambrosia6@...> wrote:

>

> > So anyhow I'm going to learn to play this piece,

> this

> > 'Aloe' by Dowland. I may never learn what he

> > meant by 'Aloe' but I think I'll learn it anyway.

> > Maybe I'll play it while heating agarwood chips on

> a

> > mica plate, or else I'll anoint myself with oud

> oil

> > before sitting down to play...

> >

> >

> > Alfred

> >

> >

> > musingly in San Francisco

Ambrosia responded:

> Now if you can get someone to film you doing this

> and put it on

> u-tube...the rest of us could watch and listen while

> burning our own

> aloe.....

I'll definitely video myself once I'm up to speed on

the 'Aloe' piece and let the list know where to

view/listen!

:-)

Alfred

[Guest guest]

> >

> >> I'm also no biblical

> >> scholar but it seems to me that I recall having heard

> >> the phrase '...embalmed with myrrh and aloes...'

Sorry, I guess that I missed this post...

Yes, in 19:39, it says that Jesus' body was treated with Myrrh

and Aloes.

He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus

at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about

seventy-five pounds.

Here are the other references that Myrrh and Aloes are used together:

Psalm 45:8

All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from

palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.

Proverbs 7:17

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

Song of 4:14

nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense

tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices.

Since I am working on a line of Biblical Perfumes, I may be able to

respond adequately to this issue.

I do not beleive that the Aloes of the Old Testament refers to Aloe

Vera, but to aloeswood, or Agarwwod, or Oud. My grandfather, who did

his doctoral thesis on medicinal plants of the Bible, also agrees with

me on this point.

I will mention, that not everyone does agree however.

But, if one looks at the context of those references above, (all of

them), it would be a difficult position to take that throwing together

an element that has so little perfume value, like aloe vera, with

these other *very* fragrant elements, seems incongruous, and would

lend support to my position.

Additionally, other people think that Aloes is Lignaloes, or: Bursera

glabrifolia. (or Copal, I think)

But for the New Testament, Some people *do* think that Aloes, as

translated in the New Testament *is* Aloe Vera, or at least a

succulent plant. But again, I can't reconcile the fragrance

inconsistencies, that to me, all of these four mentions have to do

with fragrance, and not medicine. So, I still hold to my thoughts

that Aloes equates to Oud.

Kiler

[Guest guest]

> It's absolutely fantastic for burns, and I think it can also be

used for

> stomach ulcers (?). You can certainly drink the juice for all sorts

of

> things.

> It is best used fresh fromthe plant. And you need to make sure you

peel

> it well and only use the clear gel from inside the leaves as the

green

> juice from the skin can be irritating.

>

> Ambrosia

Aloe vera gel is soothing for sunburns, but please don't use it for

other burns as it is water based and dries causing the skin to shrink

which only increases the pain and the body's ability to heal (I speak

from personal experience, unfortunately). What worked for me was a

propolis balm that I had gotten in Israel. Since I don't speak

Hebrew and my husband doesn't know the english translation of the

ingredients, I'll probably never know what's in there. But I can say

for sure that propolis is a very effective anti-microbial and the

balm base prevented my burn from drying out.

As for oud . . . perhaps the early instruments were made from

aloeswood.

Maggie

[Guest guest]

I agree that most biblical scholars think the reference to Aloes in

the bible is Aquilaria agallocha, though others disagree, especially

in regard to the New Testament. One source gives this info on the

biblical context;

Aloes - The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon

Strong's Number: 0174

Original Word: ~ylha

Word Origin: of foreign origin

Translated Word: 'ahaliym

Definition: aloes, aloe tree, aloe tree, aloe (perfume)

Aloe-The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon

Strong's Number: 250

Original Word: ajlovh

Word Origin: of foreign origin

Translated Word:'ahaliym

Definition: aloe, aloes

It makes sense from the point of view that few indeed would consider

the sap from aloes as a fragrant ingredient. I am curious as to know

why Oude is called Aloeswood, is there a link in smell or healing

abilities, for from what I can gather from my limited research there

is no relation between Aloes and Oude in botanical terms? Folk names

for plants has always fascinated me, for there is always some curious

reason as to why it is called as such, although it may not at first be

apparent. Take Kiggelaria africana, called Wild Peach according to

most sources because its young leaves looks like peach leaves, though

this was never very convincing to me. One day I was carving a staff

from one of its branches and I was hit by the scent of the wood –

exactly like fresh peach! (Yes, I am infusing and tincturing the

shavings.)

But back to Aloes, when I first heard about Aloeswood my mind

immediately leaped to some of the indigenous Aloes here in South

Africa that does indeed attain tree-like dimensions of up to 20m tall.

Of course I was most disappointed to find out that they were not the

source of Aloeswood/Oude. Just as I was disappointed to hear that

Rosewood was not derived from old rosebushes. Never the less, it did

not stop me from experimenting with tinctures that originated from my

deluded perceptions. I had indeed made tinctures from the dried wood

of old rosebushes, which has a beautiful sweet woody scent. My

delusions also led me to Aloe scent experiments.

Aloe Ferox is widely used here as a traditional medicine and you can

buy the Aloe lumps in any chemist or even in some supermarkets. These

so called Aloe lumps are derived from harvested leaves that are packed

in a circle around a plastic-lined hollow in the ground to allow the

dark bitter sap to tap naturally from between the green peel and white

jelly of the leaf in an age old method. This bitter substance is

slowly boiled and reduced, so that it hardens to a crystal when

cooled. Traditionally the bitters are used for its laxative,

anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities. Nowadays the rest of the

leaf is then taken back to the factory and processed into juice and

jelly which is used in a wide variety of creams, lotions, health and

beauty products. The affordability of the beauty range together with

the wonderful anti-aging qualities of the aloe have made this into a

rapidly expanding industry.

I thought to investigate it from a fragrant perspective. When I smell

Aloe Ferox crystals I am immediately transported to the Inyanga's

Mutti shops I used to frequent. For me personally it is the smell of

Africa I know. It is not an easy scent to describe but one way I can

think of is like opening a wooden chest in which many herbs and barks

had been stored, a slightly musty note, yet not. It has a peculiar top

note that some say is onion-like, others like rhubarb. Perhaps not a

scent that would appeal to the Western nose but if you know Africa it

fills you with ancient nostalgia and for me it captures the scent of

the hidden Africa more than other substance I know. I have made

tinctures from it as well as a tincture combined with Somalian Myrrh.

The two combines beautifully and made me wonder whether perhaps indeed

that combination could not have been used in Ancient times. What do we

really know of what scents appealed to the ancient peoples and what

it's fragrances evoked in them? Just as we can only guess as to

symbols and myths actually evoked in the ancient consciousness.

I have also made a tincture from dried Aloe flowers which has a sweet

balsamic woody scent.

[Guest guest]

>

> Additionally, other people think that Aloes is Lignaloes,

> or: Bursera

> glabrifolia. (or Copal, I think)

>

> But for the New Testament, Some people *do* think that

> Aloes, as

> translated in the New Testament *is* Aloe Vera, or at least

> a

> succulent plant. But again, I can't reconcile the

> fragrance

> inconsistencies, that to me, all of these four mentions

> have to do

> with fragrance, and not medicine. So, I still hold to my

> thoughts

> that Aloes equates to Oud.

>

> Kiler

Hi , fragrant friends...

It is very interesting..... aloes vs aloe vera..... I am wondering if perhaps

the other scented unguents were captured with aloe veras sticky wet fluid and

used that way? a lateral thought that just came to me as I was preparing to

write.

In the book by Ivan Day 'Perfumery with Herbs'the names Aloes are mentioned as

also Lignum Aloes, Oriental Lignaloes, Xylaloes, Eaglewood, Columback Wood, Agar

Wood, Lignum Rhodium,(Aquilaria agallacha - Roxb)

N.O. Thymeliaceae

Refers to its mention in the Bible and eastern traditions and its odour uses etc

and description and then goes on to say it shouldn't be confused with the dried

juice of Aloe Vera which is also known as aloes.

Interesting...

Janita

Janita Haan Natural Perfume

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

[Guest guest]

> I am curious as to know

> why Oude is called Aloeswood, is there a link in smell or healing

> abilities, for from what I can gather from my limited research there

Here's a useful reference from: http://www.balashon.com/2008/03/

aloe.html

Sunday, March 16, 2008

aloe

My previous post discussed cinnamon / kinamon - a word dating back to

biblical times. In Mishlei 7:17, we find kinamon listed with two

other spices:

מֹר ×ֲהָלִי×, וְקִנָּמוֹן

The JPS translates this as " myrrh, aloes and cinnamon " . We've already

discussed mor / myrrh. Let's take a look now at ahal / aloe.

Just as with myrrh and cinnamon, aloe is said to derive from the

Hebrew ahal ×הל:

O.E. aluwan (pl.) " fragrant resin of an E. Indian tree, " a Biblical

usage, from L. aloe, from Gk. aloe, translating Heb. ahalim (pl.,

perhaps ult. from a Dravidian language). The Gk. word probably was

chosen for resemblance of sound to the Heb., since the Gk. and L.

words originally referred to a genus of plants with bitter juice,

used as a purgative drug, a sense which appeared in Eng. 1398. The

word was then mis-applied to the American agave plant in 1682.

However, what exactly were the ahalim (and ahalot)? This seems to be

a matter of dispute.

In addition to the verse in Mishlei, we find the word ahal three

other times. In Tehilim 45:9, we have מֹר-וַ×ֲהָלוֹת

קְצִיעוֹת - " myrrh and aloes and cassia " , and in Shir

HaShirim 4:14 there is מֹר, וַ×ֲהָלוֹת, ×¢Ö´×,

כָּל-רָ×ש×Öµ×™ ×‘Ö°×©×‚Ö¸×žÖ´×™× - " myrrh and aloes - all

the choice perfumes. " The fact that ahal is grouped together here

with mor each time, and that all are talking about fragrant trees,

leads to a general consensus that these verses are referring to a

certain type of tree.

Klein, in his CEDEL, explains that this is the agarwood tree - also

known as lignum aloes (thanks Mike G for the lookup):

aloe, n. -- L. aloe [there is long sign over the " e " ], fr. Gk.

[unaspirated alpha, lambda, omicron with an acute accent, eta],

'aloe', prob. borrowed fr. Heb. ahalim, ahaloth (pl.), wihc are

perhaps borrowed fr. OI. agaruh, aguruh [the " h " has a dot under it

in both words], 'aloewood', these latter being prob. of Dravidian

origin. Cp. agalloch.

agalloch, n. aloewood. -- ModL., agallochum, fr. Gk. agallochon,

agalochon [i'm transliterating the Greek here], 'aloe, aloewood',

which is prob. a loan word from OI. aguruh [again, a dot under the

" h " ], 'aloewood'. Cp. eaglewood. Cp. also aloe.

eaglewood, n., agalloch. -- Loan translation of F. bois d'aigle, fr.

Port. aguilla, 'aloewood', fr. Gk. agallochon, 'aloe, aloewood'; see

agalloch. French bois d'aigle arose from a confusion of Port. aguila,

'aloewood', with Port. aguia, 'eagle'. See eagle.

This book writes that the related Indian name " gharu wood " derives

from " the Sanskrit word connoting the wood's heaviness " . An opposite,

but related, opinion is mentioned in this article by Wilfred H.

Schoff. However, it discusses the resin instead of the wood:

Why now the name agar or agur by which this Eastern resin is

generally known in India? The Sanskrit lexicographers give a+guru,

'not heavy'

The root - whether it gave the name meaning " heavy " or " not heavy " -

is also the source of the word " guru " :

from Hindi guru " teacher, priest, " from Skt. guru-s " one to be

honored, teacher, " lit. " heavy, weighty, " from PIE base *gru- (see

grave (adj.))

It's not clear to me if the gelatin like material " agar agar " is

related to agar. On the one hand, the origin of the word(s) is Malay,

but Malay borrowed many words from Sanskrit, so there could be a

connection.

The remaining verse - Bamidbar 24:6 - isn't as clear. Here we have

Bilaam blessing Israel:

×›Ö¼Ö·×Ö²×”Ö¸×œÖ´×™× × Ö¸×˜Ö·×¢ ×”', ×›Ö¼Ö·×ֲרָזִי×

עֲלֵי-מָיִ×

" Like aloes planted by the Lord / Like cedars beside the water " .

" Aloe " is a fair translation for ahal here as well. And indeed some

point out that the parallel to cedars in the second half of the verse

should be a tree as well, and therefore the agarwood tree is

appropriate (Feliks here). Others (Immanuel Low, as quoted in Feliks

and here) point out that unlike the imported spices mentioned in the

other three verses, Bilaam was not likely to find agarwood trees in

the steppes of Moav. (Of course those who claim that this verse is

also talking about agarwood would point out that cedars were not in

that exact area as well. They also don't grow " beside the water " , so

there is clearly poetic imagery here.)

So if ahal isn't referring to agarwood trees - what other aloes could

we be talking about?

We find two other plants (not trees) called ahal. One is what most of

us think of as aloe - " aloe vera " . It is now spelled in Hebrew

×לוי - alvay - and it appears in that spelling in Yerushalmi

Shviit 35b. According to Klein, this seems to have been borrowed from

Greek or Latin back into Hebrew.

The other is the iceplant - which is what Low (and Kaddari) claim

Bilaam is referring to. It is mentioned in the Talmud (Shabbat 50b

and 90a, although Rashi and Jastrow on 110b say in that case it means

aloe vera), where Steinsaltz points out that it contains a

significant amount of soda (the Targum on Iyov 9:30 translates lye -

בור bor as ××”×œ× ahala) , and was used for soap. They come up in

large numbers after the rains, covering the Arava. So according to

this theory, Bilaam was comparing the tents (ohalim ×והלי×) of

Israel to the ahalim covering the plain.

So how did two (or three) such different plants come to share the

same name? In 1922, Schoff (linked above) offered a possible

explanation. He rejects the Sanskrit etymology of the word ahal. I

have some doubts about that, considering how universal that

understanding is today. However, he does mention that:

The word 'aloe' seems to be derived from an Arabic root, lawaya, to

bend or twist, and could refer to any product obtained by bending or

doubling back a growing branch, or otherwise injuring it whereby an

excrescence would be produced charged with accumulated and hardened sap.

This makes sense in regards to the medicinal aloe. So perhaps there

were two similar words - one Semitic, one from Sanskrit. Both ended

up as ahal (in Hebrew) or aloe (in English - eventually). While I

have no concrete proof of this, it would certainly help explain some

of the confusion found in both biblical and post-biblical sources -

let alone the confusion about " aloe " on the internet today...

2. http://schwmarc.club.fr/aloebook.html

The Aloe Vera plant named and described by Linne, and the Aloe

barbadensis plant described by , as well as Lamarck's Aloe

vulgaris are all one and the same plant. Today, the official

botanical classification has retained the name of Aloe barbadensis,

while the name Aloe Vera has become the popularly used name.

Plumridge

[Guest guest]

> I am curious as to know

> why Oude is called Aloeswood, is there a link in smell or healing

> abilities, for from what I can gather from my limited research there

Here's a useful reference from: http://www.balashon.com/2008/03/

aloe.html

Sunday, March 16, 2008

aloe

My previous post discussed cinnamon / kinamon - a word dating back to

biblical times. In Mishlei 7:17, we find kinamon listed with two

other spices:

מֹר ×ֲהָלִי×, וְקִנָּמוֹן

The JPS translates this as " myrrh, aloes and cinnamon " . We've already

discussed mor / myrrh. Let's take a look now at ahal / aloe.

Just as with myrrh and cinnamon, aloe is said to derive from the

Hebrew ahal ×הל:

O.E. aluwan (pl.) " fragrant resin of an E. Indian tree, " a Biblical

usage, from L. aloe, from Gk. aloe, translating Heb. ahalim (pl.,

perhaps ult. from a Dravidian language). The Gk. word probably was

chosen for resemblance of sound to the Heb., since the Gk. and L.

words originally referred to a genus of plants with bitter juice,

used as a purgative drug, a sense which appeared in Eng. 1398. The

word was then mis-applied to the American agave plant in 1682.

However, what exactly were the ahalim (and ahalot)? This seems to be

a matter of dispute.

In addition to the verse in Mishlei, we find the word ahal three

other times. In Tehilim 45:9, we have מֹר-וַ×ֲהָלוֹת

קְצִיעוֹת - " myrrh and aloes and cassia " , and in Shir

HaShirim 4:14 there is מֹר, וַ×ֲהָלוֹת, ×¢Ö´×,

כָּל-רָ×ש×Öµ×™ ×‘Ö°×©×‚Ö¸×žÖ´×™× - " myrrh and aloes - all

the choice perfumes. " The fact that ahal is grouped together here

with mor each time, and that all are talking about fragrant trees,

leads to a general consensus that these verses are referring to a

certain type of tree.

Klein, in his CEDEL, explains that this is the agarwood tree - also

known as lignum aloes (thanks Mike G for the lookup):

aloe, n. -- L. aloe [there is long sign over the " e " ], fr. Gk.

[unaspirated alpha, lambda, omicron with an acute accent, eta],

'aloe', prob. borrowed fr. Heb. ahalim, ahaloth (pl.), wihc are

perhaps borrowed fr. OI. agaruh, aguruh [the " h " has a dot under it

in both words], 'aloewood', these latter being prob. of Dravidian

origin. Cp. agalloch.

agalloch, n. aloewood. -- ModL., agallochum, fr. Gk. agallochon,

agalochon [i'm transliterating the Greek here], 'aloe, aloewood',

which is prob. a loan word from OI. aguruh [again, a dot under the

" h " ], 'aloewood'. Cp. eaglewood. Cp. also aloe.

eaglewood, n., agalloch. -- Loan translation of F. bois d'aigle, fr.

Port. aguilla, 'aloewood', fr. Gk. agallochon, 'aloe, aloewood'; see

agalloch. French bois d'aigle arose from a confusion of Port. aguila,

'aloewood', with Port. aguia, 'eagle'. See eagle.

This book writes that the related Indian name " gharu wood " derives

from " the Sanskrit word connoting the wood's heaviness " . An opposite,

but related, opinion is mentioned in this article by Wilfred H.

Schoff. However, it discusses the resin instead of the wood:

Why now the name agar or agur by which this Eastern resin is

generally known in India? The Sanskrit lexicographers give a+guru,

'not heavy'

The root - whether it gave the name meaning " heavy " or " not heavy " -

is also the source of the word " guru " :

from Hindi guru " teacher, priest, " from Skt. guru-s " one to be

honored, teacher, " lit. " heavy, weighty, " from PIE base *gru- (see

grave (adj.))

It's not clear to me if the gelatin like material " agar agar " is

related to agar. On the one hand, the origin of the word(s) is Malay,

but Malay borrowed many words from Sanskrit, so there could be a

connection.

The remaining verse - Bamidbar 24:6 - isn't as clear. Here we have

Bilaam blessing Israel:

×›Ö¼Ö·×Ö²×”Ö¸×œÖ´×™× × Ö¸×˜Ö·×¢ ×”', ×›Ö¼Ö·×ֲרָזִי×

עֲלֵי-מָיִ×

" Like aloes planted by the Lord / Like cedars beside the water " .

" Aloe " is a fair translation for ahal here as well. And indeed some

point out that the parallel to cedars in the second half of the verse

should be a tree as well, and therefore the agarwood tree is

appropriate (Feliks here). Others (Immanuel Low, as quoted in Feliks

and here) point out that unlike the imported spices mentioned in the

other three verses, Bilaam was not likely to find agarwood trees in

the steppes of Moav. (Of course those who claim that this verse is

also talking about agarwood would point out that cedars were not in

that exact area as well. They also don't grow " beside the water " , so

there is clearly poetic imagery here.)

So if ahal isn't referring to agarwood trees - what other aloes could

we be talking about?

We find two other plants (not trees) called ahal. One is what most of

us think of as aloe - " aloe vera " . It is now spelled in Hebrew

×לוי - alvay - and it appears in that spelling in Yerushalmi

Shviit 35b. According to Klein, this seems to have been borrowed from

Greek or Latin back into Hebrew.

The other is the iceplant - which is what Low (and Kaddari) claim

Bilaam is referring to. It is mentioned in the Talmud (Shabbat 50b

and 90a, although Rashi and Jastrow on 110b say in that case it means

aloe vera), where Steinsaltz points out that it contains a

significant amount of soda (the Targum on Iyov 9:30 translates lye -

בור bor as ××”×œ× ahala) , and was used for soap. They come up in

large numbers after the rains, covering the Arava. So according to

this theory, Bilaam was comparing the tents (ohalim ×והלי×) of

Israel to the ahalim covering the plain.

So how did two (or three) such different plants come to share the

same name? In 1922, Schoff (linked above) offered a possible

explanation. He rejects the Sanskrit etymology of the word ahal. I

have some doubts about that, considering how universal that

understanding is today. However, he does mention that:

The word 'aloe' seems to be derived from an Arabic root, lawaya, to

bend or twist, and could refer to any product obtained by bending or

doubling back a growing branch, or otherwise injuring it whereby an

excrescence would be produced charged with accumulated and hardened sap.

This makes sense in regards to the medicinal aloe. So perhaps there

were two similar words - one Semitic, one from Sanskrit. Both ended

up as ahal (in Hebrew) or aloe (in English - eventually). While I

have no concrete proof of this, it would certainly help explain some

of the confusion found in both biblical and post-biblical sources -

let alone the confusion about " aloe " on the internet today...

2. http://schwmarc.club.fr/aloebook.html

The Aloe Vera plant named and described by Linne, and the Aloe

barbadensis plant described by , as well as Lamarck's Aloe

vulgaris are all one and the same plant. Today, the official

botanical classification has retained the name of Aloe barbadensis,

while the name Aloe Vera has become the popularly used name.

Plumridge

[Guest guest]

--- mmahboubian1 wrote:

> As for oud . . . perhaps the early instruments were

> made from

> aloeswood.

>

> Maggie

What an elegant idea!!!

I have a friend who asked me for a tiny piece of

ambergris to dissolve in the alcohol for the varnish

he was making to apply to a classical guitar he was

making. The finished guitar doesn't seem to smell

that different, but it's kind of a decadent and fun

idea.

One of Queen I's harpsichords was referred

to as 'having been perfumed', and when she wasn't in

residence at the palace where it was kept it was a

popular tourist attraction, even in her own time.

Perfumed musical instruments!!

Alfred

fragrantly in San Francisco

[Guest guest]

--- mmahboubian1 wrote:

> As for oud . . . perhaps the early instruments were

> made from

> aloeswood.

>

> Maggie

What an elegant idea!!!

I have a friend who asked me for a tiny piece of

ambergris to dissolve in the alcohol for the varnish

he was making to apply to a classical guitar he was

making. The finished guitar doesn't seem to smell

that different, but it's kind of a decadent and fun

idea.

One of Queen I's harpsichords was referred

to as 'having been perfumed', and when she wasn't in

residence at the palace where it was kept it was a

popular tourist attraction, even in her own time.

Perfumed musical instruments!!

Alfred

fragrantly in San Francisco

[Guest guest]

Hi

Thanks for the info. There however, still appears to be a lot of

confusion and different opinions in regard to what the Aloes in the

biblical texts are, as well as in regard to what the actual origin of

the words are. What is clear is that Aloes have been used for both

healing and Talismanic purposes since ancient times, and in many

cultures. Often in biblical texts what appears simple straight forward

sentences or words are also starting points for Hitbonenut (meditation

or contemplation) which serves as vehicles for different states of

consciousness and are references to Kabbalah symbology. I have always

associated Aloe with Binah of which one of the titles are " the bitter

sea " , or the source of the manifesting creation - Elohim, or Aima the

Mother. Some sources says that the word Aloe comes from the comes from

the Arabic word Alloeh, which means " shining bitter substance. " If

this indeed the case it would indeed relate to Binah which is often

thought of as " shinning darkness " . Binah is also feminine in nature,

which is an attribute also given to Aloes in esoteric lore. So I

wonder, that perhaps the reason there exists so much confusion in

regard as to ahal & #1488; & #1492; & #1500;: is that it actually refers to perhaps

more than

an actual plant, but is rather refering to it in a talismanic way.

Aloes are also often associated with protection In many parts of

South Africa Aloe arborescens is planted around kraals (domestic stock

enclosures) as a living fence. The amaZulu use the dried crushed

leaves as a protection against storms. This reminds me of the Mother

protecting her children, which can often be seen as wrathful when

looked at through limited perception. A very popular folk remedy here

for children bitting their nails, used to be painting Aloe juice on

the nails. Children often saw this as a punishment, however what the

bitter taste actually did was to bring an awareness of the unconscious

habit, and so cure them of the habit. This reminds me very much of how

the so called bitter aspects of life brings us awareness of our

unconscious habits, thus the purifying fire. It further reminds me of

the teaching from Gevurah that " it is the self-restraint that human

beings exercise upon themselves in order to draw near to God and unite

with God. " In the unconscious state " self-restraint " is seen as a

punishment and not as the blessing it is. This would also make sense

in relation to the quote from Numbers.

In Numbers 24:6- Aloe comes up in the third oracle of Balaam. Balaam

has been summonsed by Balak to curse the Israelites, although the

cursing cannot happen because the Spirit of the Lord keeps preventing

the movement, and instead of cursing Balaam speaks a blessing. Balaam

speaks four Blessings and on the third one he mentions Aloe.

" How fair are your tents, O , your encampments, O Israel! Like

palm groves that stretch far away, like gardens beside a river, like

ALOES that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.

Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall have abundant

water. "

It ends up that Balaam through his curses cannot actually curse but

blesses, yet after all of this is a curious mention of the Israelites

committing fornication with the women of Moab. One wonders if this is

the actual curse? Because after this a great plague falls on the camp.

This becomes evident later in Numbers 31:16, " these women here, on

Balaams advise, made the Israelites act treacherously against the Lord

in the affair of Peor, so that the plague came down among the

congregation of the Lord. "

Proverbs 7:17 we also find a connection:

" For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice and I

saw among the simple ones, I observed among the youths, a young man

without sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the

road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of

night and darkness. Then a woman comes toward him, decked out like a

prostitute, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward; her feet do not

stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner

she lies in wait. She seizes him and kisses him, and with impudent

face she says to him; I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid

my vows; so now I have come out to meet you to seek you eagerly, and I

have found you! I have decked my couch with coverings, colored spreads

of Egyptian linen; I have perfumed my bed with Myrrh, Aloes and

Cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us

delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not at home, He will

not be home until the Full Moon "

Here Aloe is used as a way to entice the young man into committing

adultery. Now right before this phrase in Proverbs is a curious

mention which advises how to guard against the mingling with

adulterous affairs, " My child, keep my words and store up my

commandments with you; keep my commandments and live, keep my

teachings as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers, write

them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, " you are my sister, "

and call insight your intimate friend, that they may keep you from the

loose woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words. " What happens

when one is not guarded against these affairs? This is where there is

a breach in Kavvanah, a breach in the covenant. In Genesis the flood

is a result of this mingling and in Numbers a vast plague is a result.

This " shinning bitter substance " can well allude to the Feminine

divine in her bright and dark aspects. Just as Aloe as mentioned in

the Bible have this duality attached to it. This relation can also be

seen in the poetry by Ramprasad, the great Hindu lover of Kali

The Total Madness of Her Love

Mother dwells at the center of my being,

forever delighfully at play.

Whatever conditions of consciousness may arise,

I hear through them the music of her life-giving names,

Om Tara, Om Kali.

Closing my eyes, I perceive the radiant Black Mother

as indivisible, naked awareness,

dancing fiercely or gently on my heart lotus.

She wears a garland of snow-white skulls,

bright emblem of freedom from birth and death.

Gazing upon her resplendent nakedness,

all concepts and conventions vanish.

Those who judge by mundane standards call me mad.

Timid and limited persons can think what they wish.

My only longing is to express

the total madness of her love.

This poet child of the Wisdom Goddess

cries out with abandon;

" The Queen of the Universe

resides within the flower of my secret heart.

Mother! Mother! Mother!

I seek refuge at your beautiful feet,

delicate and fragrant as the dark blue lotus.

As my body dissolves into earth

and my mind into space,

may I dissolve into you. "

[Guest guest]

<This " shinning bitter substance " can well allude to the Feminine

divine in her bright and dark aspects. Just as Aloe as mentioned in

the Bible have this duality attached to it. This relation can also be

seen in the poetry by Ramprasad, the great Hindu lover of Kali >

You have touched on some of my favorites images, thanks for sharing

your thoughts on this and the interesting research.

It brings up some good questions. Aloe...Binah, a deep

correspondence . Aloes in Africa is a different type. Are you saying

there is a correlation of aspect and effect in the word " aloes " ?

Katlyn

[Guest guest]

<This " shinning bitter substance " can well allude to the Feminine

divine in her bright and dark aspects. Just as Aloe as mentioned in

the Bible have this duality attached to it. This relation can also be

seen in the poetry by Ramprasad, the great Hindu lover of Kali >

You have touched on some of my favorites images, thanks for sharing

your thoughts on this and the interesting research.

It brings up some good questions. Aloe...Binah, a deep

correspondence . Aloes in Africa is a different type. Are you saying

there is a correlation of aspect and effect in the word " aloes " ?

Katlyn

[Guest guest]

<This " shinning bitter substance " can well allude to the Feminine

divine in her bright and dark aspects. Just as Aloe as mentioned in

the Bible have this duality attached to it. This relation can also be

seen in the poetry by Ramprasad, the great Hindu lover of Kali >

You have touched on some of my favorites images, thanks for sharing

your thoughts on this and the interesting research.

It brings up some good questions. Aloe...Binah, a deep

correspondence . Aloes in Africa is a different type. Are you saying

there is a correlation of aspect and effect in the word " aloes " ?

Katlyn

[Guest guest]

Hi Katlyn

I am going out here on a limb in my speculations and may well be

entering " what came first the chicken or egg " question. I am amazed at

the controversy surrounding Aloe in the Bible. So lets go to the egg.

Where did Aloe originate and what is in a name? According to

speculation and DNA analysis of Aloe vera (A.barbadensis) many say

that Aloe vera originated in North Africa. Today there are apparently

no natural occuring populations. Techniques based on DNA comparison

suggest that A. vera is relatively closely related to Aloe perryi, a

species that is endemic to Yemen. Similar techniques, using

chloroplast DNA sequence comparison and ISSR profiling have also

suggested that A. vera is closely related to Aloe forbesii, Aloe

inermis, Aloe scobinifolia, Aloe sinkatana and Aloe striata. With the

exception of South African species, A. striata, these Aloe species are

native to Socotra (Yemen), Somalia and Sudan. The lack of obvious

natural populations of the species have led some authors to suggest

that A. vera may be of hybrid origin It has been suggested that, like

many Aloes, the species is originally from Southern Africa and that

populations that occur elsewhere are the result of human cultivation.

Now it is also said that the medicinal and Talismanic uses of Aloe

stretch back in time to the origins of mankind and that its uses was

so common that it was not even mentioned in many ancient text because

it was assumed it was common knowledge. So perhaps one can even look

at the migration of humanity to find the origins of Aloe vera. When

human kind migrates they will take with them healing plants that they

know. Aloe is especially hardy when it comes to traveling, and one can

leave it a while before planting into the soil. Aloe also naturally

interbreeds freely and there are indeed many natural hybrids. Hybrids

often grow more rapidly, flower sooner and produce more striking

flowers than the pure species.

So now from what I can see most of the speculation in regard to the

name of Aloe in the bible is where did the word originate. Is it from

Arabic, Semitic, or Sanskrit? My bet would be with the travels of the

plant itself. If it is refering to Aloeswood – oude than look to the

sanskrit. If it is referring to true Aloes then look to Arabic.

Whichever the case one comes back to its properties and thus its

naming. It is speculated that the ancients looked at a plant's natural

characteristics and then reasoned that it can also be applied to human

healing. For example, if a piece of Aloe breaks off it will ooze out

its sap that will close its wound. Aloeswood if wounded will also ooze

out its sap to protect it against infestation and heal the wound. So

it was reasoned that if it can do it for itself, then perhaps it can

do it for humans too. Which is also what one finds in Sympathetic

magic, also known as imitative magic.

Looking at naming and speech itself, it is also speculated that once

words itself was used as a form of magic, of which we still have many

traditions left including the belief that give your true name is to

give someone power over you. Even looking at the etymological origins

of the the english word, " word " itself gives an indication of this.

There are some that speculates that in tracing the etymology of and

history of the word Wyrd, there appears to be a connection between

Wyrd as the powers that determine the future, and the " word " as

spoken, and as written. In Old Saxon Wyrd was spelled " Wurd " . In old

German it was " Wurt " . These words derive from a verb that comes into

Old English as " weorthan " , meaning " to become " , or " turn into " . " War " ,

an Indo-European root word developed into the verb " weorthan " . " War "

was recorded to have the meaning; choose or will to, to speak, and to

wind or turn. Winding and turning are the motions of spinning, the

symbolic employment of the sisters of Wyrd. Through its meaning of " to

speak " " war " developed into " word " . It seems that at an early stage of

conceptualisation " willing " , " speaking " , and " becoming " were in a

sense synonymous. Perhaps once recognised intuitively when language

still reflected the meaningful relationship perceived between things

in the world.

In the bible we find the same correlation. It is said that in Genesis

Adam, the Human One(Adam Kadmon), is called the " name giver, " for he

names all creatures and all that appears in creation, both in the

material dimension and the metaphysical dimension. To name implies to

know and understand, and to know the name of something implies one has

power of that thing. Whereas Eve is in Genesis the Mother of All-Life,

in Hebrew the name Eve (Havvah or Chavah) can refer to speech, and the

Supernal Eve is seen as pure speech in which the living word and

Wisdom of God is expressed. So it is said that Adam name creatures of

creation and Eve speaks the names (Elohim). Which brings us back to

the feminine divine and Binah/Hokmak or Malkut/Tiferet, the union of

word and speech, which it was said became separated when Adam and Eve

separated, thus meaning and actualization of truth which lets face it,

comes through experience (Zoe) which is often bitter but brings

shining knowledge (gnosis). Both the Arabic and Hebrew word Alloeh and

halal/ahal refers to shinning. Aloes are also called 'lily of the

desert', and the 'plant of immortality'. Makes one wonder?

" Gold is just dust when still in the ground, and oud, in its country

of origin, is just another kind of firewood. " Eighth-century Egyptian

poet Muhammad Ibn Idris al-Shafi'I

Sophia