The Fear of Number Thirteen

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky · Down to Earth Series · 9 pages

A nine-page compilation opened by an abstract and train of thoughts, and closing with a list of further reading. It takes its opening heading — “Superstition is the sewer of dogmatic creeds and blind faith” — from the article of that name held separately in this series, which supplies the general argument about superstition that this file applies to one number.

The abstract states the conclusion first: that number thirteen is but a veil over the Self-existent Unmanifested Deity. The text opens on the observed fact rather than the doctrine, noting dozens of educated and highly intellectual persons who would as soon think of committing suicide as of starting a business on a Friday, dining at a table where thirteen sit down, or beginning a long journey on a Monday — with Napoleon turning pale at the sight of three candles lit on a table. The esoteric reading then follows in stages. Thirteen is treated as a veil for Svayambhuva, the fourteenth Manu: as Manu Svayambhuva, the Self-Existent, is the synthesis of the Prajapatis, so Adam-Kadmon or Heavenly Man is the synthesis of the Sephiroth. The recurring arrangement is noted — always a group of seven or thirteen, and always six surrounding the seventh. A figure is offered for the relation of twelve to thirteen: if the grindstone of a mill be represented by twelve, thirteen is the grain that is to be ground. The conclusion drawn is that the real thirteen is Absolute Unity, restored when the lower septenate is finally destroyed. A closing section on the perfect numbers six, ten and twelve gives hints for students.

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