AN EGYPTIAN CATECHISM OF THE 30º DEGREE

by R.W.Bro. LEON ZELDIS

            These two documents were found among the papers of the late Bro. Elie A. Cohen, a Mason born in Greece, long-time resident of Alexandria in Egypt, who thereafter emigrated to Israel and was the founder of Lodge La Fraternidad Nº 62, the first Spanish-speaking lodge under the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel.

            The first document is a small 12-page booklet, 10x11 cm, typewritten in French, containing a catechism of the 30º Degree.

            The original text, verbatim, is as follows. The writer was not sure about the use of accents, or perhaps his typewriter could not print them, so they are ignored for the most part. There are also a few lexical errors:

A:.L:.G:.D:.G:.A:.D:.L'U:.

Rite Ecossais Anc:. et Acc:.

SUPREME CONSEIL

D'Egypte et ses Dependences

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INSTRUCTION RITUELIQUE

30:. DEGRE

CAIRE

Subl:. Areop:. ISMAIL Nº 4

INSTRUCTION RITUELIQUE

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30:. DEGRE

D.- Etes-vous Macon? [sic]

R.- Mes FF:. me reconnaissent pour tel.

D.- Etes vous Maitre?

R.- L'acacia m'est connu.

D.- Etes-vous Maitre Secret? (4)

R.- Je m'en glorifie.

D.- Etes-vous Grand Elu Sublime Maçon? (14^th)

R.- J'ai travaillé a me perfectionner.

D.- Etes-vous Chev:. Rose Croix? (18^th)

R.- J'ai ce bonheur.

D.- Etes-vous Chev:. Kadosh? (30^th)

R.- Je le suis. Son nom fut autre le meme pourtant.

D.- Quel age avez-vous?

R.- Un siecle ou plus.

D.- Quelle est la signification du mot Kadosh?

R.- Séparé ou saint; nec plus ultra ou le plus parfait.

D.- Quel est le but que poursuivent les Chev:. Kadosh?

R.- Combattre a outrance et sans cesse toute injustice et toute oppression d'ou qu'elles viennent.

D.- Quel nom porte l'atelier ou travaillent les Chev:. Kadosh?

R.- Un aéropage [sic].

D.- Comment se nomme le lieu ou ils se réunissent?

R.- Un camp. [sic]

D.- Pourquoi se réunissent-ils dans un champ?

R.- Pour etre toujours prets a se rendre en ordre au combat.

D.- Donnez-moi le mot de passe.

R.- Celui qui interroge fait le signe et dit: LOK LA AHCEB (Tout evolue en soi-meme), et l'interrogé répond: L.O.K.H.S.A.R.A.P. (Tout est expliqué).

D.- Quel est l'ordre du grade?

R.- Tenir la glaive dans la main gauche, la main droite sur le coeur, les doits écartés.

D.- Comment se fait le signe?

R.- Etant a l'ordre, laisser tomber la main droite sur la cuise [sic] droite, en fléchissant le genou.

D.- Donnez-moi le mot sacré?

R.- M…………….B……………….A……………

D.- Quelle en est la signification?

R.- Qui, d'entre les forts, est semblable a toi, Adonai!

D.- Donnez-moi l'attouchement?

On le donne et celui qui l'a reçu dit: Il est juste.

D.- Qu'avez-vous remarqué en penetrant dans la C:.

R.- Une échelle mystérieuse, echelle double don’t j'ai du gravir la premiere partie et descendre la seconde.

D.- Que signifie cette echelle et qu'indiquent les mots emblematiques inscrits sur le deux montants et sur chacun des echelons?

R.- Que les principaux travaux de Kadosh doivent etre: la recherche de la Vérité, la pratique de l'amour, de la justice, de la bonté, de la Douceur et aussi de la Prudence qui mene a la sagesse.

D.- Quelle est la caractéristique du 30º grade?

R.- L'amour de la vérité, l'amour de l'humanité.

D.- Quel est l'embleme du 30º grade?

R.- Le poignard qui signifie que le Kadosh est un executeur de la doctrine maç:. dans ces conséquences les plus absolues.

D.- A quelle oeuvre doit se consacrer le Chev:. Kadosh?

R.- Le Kadosh qui a franchi les portes de la Mort et est entré dans le sanctuaire de la vie, doit combattre toutes les tyrannies, tous les abus, toutes les ignorances; il est la soldat toujours debout de la pensée libre, de la justice et du droit.

D.- Qu'est le 30º degré au point de vue initiatique?

R.- Le 30º degré est une sorte de synthese des grades qui le précédent; il termine l'instruction Maçon complétant l'explication de tous les symboles de notre Ordre pour en éclairer la doctrine.

D.- Quelle est sa situation dans notre hiérarchie?

R.- Notre hiérarchie comporte trois periodes principales:

1e. Les trois degres symboliques nous mettent dans le chemin de la connaissance;

2e. Ceux allant du 4º au 20º completent cette connaissance et nous conduisent a sa juste interprétation, a sa compréhention;

3e. Le 30º degré représente plus particulierement le periode de realisation, par la recherche et l'emploi des moyens propres a l'obtenir.

D.- Comment comprenez-vous cette realization? [sic]

R.- Le Kadosh, qui a parcouru en entier le chemin des connaissances humaines, doit aider ses Frere [sic] des grades inferieure a accomplir le meme parcours. Il doit repandre les enseignements qu'il a reçus, afin qu'une pleine lumiere éclaire la route; il doit donner l'example de toutes les vertus, dans le but d'inspirer a tous le desir de les acquérir; il doit pratiquer la fraternité dans toutes les bienfaits; il est le soutien du faible, le vengeur de l'injustice, l'apotre de la perfection indéfinie de l'humasnité.

D.- Dites-nous ce qu'est la hiérarchie des grades de la Maçonnerie?

R.- En maçonnerie, la hiérarchie n'est que la mise en ordre des facultés développees par chaque grade. Ell ne confere aucun privilege; elle ne donne aucun droit de commandement; elle impose seulement un nouveau devoir a ceux qui sont hiérachisés; celui d'employer toute l'influence qu'ils tiennent de leur situation a elever les autres hommes au niveau superieur qu'ils ont atteint eux-memes. L'autorité du

Kadosh est donc purement morale.

D.- Pouvez-vous resumer l'enseignement Maçon:.?

R.- Trois mots, correspondant aux principales periodes de l'instruction donnée dans notre Ordre, resument cet enseignement:

                        SAVOIR

                        COMPRENDRE

                        AGIR

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            The translation of the above text appears in the Appendix at the end of this paper. The catechism is obviously of French inspiration. The ISMAIL Areopagus functioned in Cairo in the 1920's. Of interest is the change in the response about the meaning of the sacred word, using the words "strong ones" instead of "gods".

            Of particular interest is the second document, hand-written in a mixture of Hebrew and French on three letterhead pages of the Awad, Dounie & Katinke Company of engineers and contractors, located at Mamilla Road, P.O. B. 112, Jerusalem. The firm had telephone number 940 and a telegraphic address: BUILDCONT.

            The document is dated 30/9/1931 and it is written in two parallel ones; the left one is a Hebrew translation of the same questions which appear in the first document, while the answers with an explanation of some terms that may be obscure are in the right column.

            The writer repeats the error of writing Aeropage instead of the correct Areopage.

            One of the words is written Begohal-kol, also in Hebrew script. Another mistake is the translation of "glaive" (sword) as "hanit" i.e. spear or lance, instead of the correct Hebrew word "herev". He also translates "poignard" (dagger) as "hanit". Facing the problem of how to translate "hiérarchie" he gives up and leaves the word in French. The same happens with "initiatique". Both "privilege" and "droit" are translated as "right".

            Interestingly, at the end of the page, the source mentioned is Areopage Memphis Nº 6 of Cairo, and the year 1924. The questions, however, are the same as in the first document of Areopage Ismail Nº 4, so both Areopages evidently operated under the same Grand Oriemt.

            Several facts can be learned from these documents. First, that a Kadosh Areopagus operated in Jerusalem at that time, probably working in French, although Hebrew is a possibility that cannot be dismissed out of hand.

            The author was probably Brother Baruch Katinke, a Jerusalem resident, known as having been Worshipful Master of Mount Sinai Lodge Nº 293, founded on 20 January 1928 under the National Grand Lodge of Egypt, which later (19 January 1933) became Lodge Mitzpah Nº 1383 under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, finally receiving Nº 6 upon the foundation of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel in 1953. Katinke was also a founder on 30 January 1935 (and Master in 1936-37) of Lodge Sharon Nº 1387, under the Grand Lodge of Scotland.               

APPENDIX

English translation of the catechism

T:.T:.G:.O:.T:.G:.A:.O:.T:.U:.

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite

SUPREME COUNCIL of Egypt and its dependencies

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RITUAL INSTRUCTION

30^TH DEGREE

CAIRO

Sublime Areopagus ISMAIL Nº 4

RITUAL INSTRUCTION

30º Degree

Q.   Are you a Mason?

A.   My Brothers recognize me as such.

Q.   Are you a Master [Mason]?

A.   The acacia is known to me.

Q.   Are you a Secret Master? (4º)

A.   I am proud to be.

Q.   Are you a Sublime Grand Elu Mason? (14^º)

A.   I have worked improving myself.

Q.   Are you a Rose-Croix Knight? (18º)

A.   I have that happiness.

Q.   Are you a Kadosh Knight? (30º)

A.   I am. His name was another, yet the same.

Q.  What is your age?

A.   A century or more.

Q.   What is the meaning of the word Kadosh?

A.   Separated or saint; nec plus ultra or the most perfect.

Q.   What is the objective pursued by the Kadosh Knight?

A.   To combat resolutely and without pause all injustice and all oppression from whatever source.

Q.   What is the name of the workshop where Kadosh Knights work?

A.   An Areopagus.

Q.   How is it called the place where they assemble?

A.   A camp.

Q.   Why do they assemble in a camp?

A.   To be always ready stand in order for combat.

Q.   Give me the password.

A.   The one who asks makes the sign and says: LOK LA AHCES (Everything evolves in itself), and the questioned answers: L.O.K.H.S.A.R.A.P. (Everything is

explained).

Q.   What is the order of the degree?

A.   To hold the sword in the left hand, the right hand over the heart, the fingers spread.

Q.   How is the sign made?

A.   Being at order, let the right hand drop over the right hip, bending the knee.

Q.   Give me the sacred word.

A.   M………………..B……………………….A……………………..

Q.   What does it mean?

A.   Who, among the strong ones, is comparable to you, Adonai?

Q.   Give me the grip.

It is given and the one who receives it says: it is correct.

Q.   What did you notice when entering the C:.?

A.   A mysterious ladder, a double ladder of which I had to climb the first part and descend the second.

Q.   What is the meaning of this ladder and what is indicated by the words inscribed on the two risers and on each of the steps?

A.   That the principal works of [a] Kadosh must be: the search for Truth, the practice of love, of justice, of kindness, of mildness and also of Prudence which leads to wisdom.

Q.   What is the characteristic of the 30º degree?

A.   The love of truth, the love of humanity.

Q.   What is the emblem of the 30º degree?

A.   The dagger which signifies that the Kadosh is an executor of the Masonic teaching to its ultimate consequences.

Q.   To what task must the Kadosh Knight consecrate himself?

A.   The Kadosh who has crossed the doors of Death and has entered into the sanctuary of life must fight against all tyrannies, all abuses, all ignorance; he is the soldier always standing for freedom of thought, justice and right.

Q.  What is the 30º degree from the initiatory point of view?

A.   The 30º degree is a sort of synthesis of the preceding degrees; it concludes the Masonic instruction completing the explanation of all symbols of our Order to make clear the doctrine.

Q.   What is its place within our hierarchy?

A.   Our hierarchy comprises three main periods:

1^st. The three symbolic degrees place us on the road to knowledge.

2^nd. Those going from the 4º to the 20º complete this knowledge and lead us to their correct interpretation, to their comprehension.

3^rd. The 30º degree represents more specifically the period of realization, by research and the use of appropriate means to obtain it.

Q.   How do you understand this realization?

A.   The Kadosh, who has traveled the entire road of human knowledge, must help his Brothers of lower degrees to accomplish the same route. He must spread the teachings that he received, in order that full light illuminates the road; he must give an example of all virtues, in order to inspire in all the desire to acquire them; he must practice fraternity in all its amplitude to display its benefits; he is the support of the feeble, the apostle of humanity's unlimited perfection.

Q.   Tell us, what is the hierarchy of degrees of Freemasonry?

A.   In Masonry, the hierarchy consists solely of putting in order the faculties developed by each degree. It does not confer any privilege; it does not give any right to command; it only imposes a new duty on those who advance in hierarchy: that of employing all their influence by their situation to raise the other men to the higher level which they themselves have achieved. Therefore, the authority of the Kadosh is purely moral.

Q.   Can you summarize the Masonic teaching?

A.   Three words corresponding to the main periods of the instruction given in our Order summarize this teaching:

            KNOW

            UNDERSTAND

            ACT

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