Volume of The Sacred Law
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Instruction board read by the Q:.H:. Ex VM Juan Carlos Rodríguez S.
THE VOLUME OF THE SACRED LAW carved by V.H. Arturo Mark
Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel
Translation of the original in Hebrew by V.M. Valentín Heines
In every Masonic Lodge, the Volume of the Sacred Law is placed on the Altar and on
the Square and the Compass. The Holy Book is one of the 'Great Lights' of the
Masonry, which has illuminated and continues to illuminate generations. It opens when they begin
the Work is closed when they finish in each Meeting.
A lodge cannot work or carry out initiations of profanes without the presence of the
Sacred Book opened on the Altar. The history of the Tanakh (Bible of the Hebrews or the
The Old Testament in Freemasonry and its symbolism are very extensive topics.
as to address them within the framework of this article. Therefore, I will try to present to
broadly outlines its connection with the Order. The patriarchal theory adopts the thesis that
Masonry dates back to biblical ancestors: Abraham, Enos, Lehem, Noah.
Moses and King Solomon. But among those who supported that theory, there was no agreement on a
consensus about what was the approximate period in ancient history in the
that began Freemasonry. The supporters of this version are based on the
legends included in the Gothic Constitutions, and rituals from the same era, which
it suggests its veracity. Although the Bible does not mention anything regarding the
Masonry, ritualists, men of letters, Gothic monks and others accept this relationship.
For the honor that figures such as Dr. Anderson, Peterson, Mitchel deserve and
Oliver, more than for its validity, this patriarchal theory still deserves the respect of the
investigators, although the most serious and profound among them dismiss it and do not
they recommend. I mention it only to rule out the connection that has always existed between the
Judaism and Freemasonry.
But without any connection to any religious connotation in particular, there is a common
agreement that Freemasonry is based on three basic principles of faith, that
are common to all monotheistic religions: 1.- The belief in a creative force
superior, infinite, eternal and benefactor, that dominates the Universe and to which the Freemasons
they are called 'The Grand Architect of the Universe,' 'The Great Geometer of the Universe' or
The Most High. 2.- The G A D U; with its power of Creation and Inspiration, has presented us
The Life Plan so that it serves us during our earthly stay. 3.- Faith in
the immortality of the soul. If symbolic masonry had not spread beyond
England may still have been under the influence of the Church
Anglican. But with its expansion to Scotland and Ireland, it encountered other Churches, the
Protestant and Catholic, and it became even more complicated when it spread to the continent.
European, Asia, and Africa.
The Bible is not a single book, but a compendium of books that were written at
a thousand years long and reflect the essence of Jewish thought. The issue of the
the relationship between the Bible and Freemasonry lies in the fact that Freemasonry,
which we are its followers, was created by Christians, it was spread by them
And at the same time, it adhered to the Hebrew doctrine, both secular and religious. While one faction
from Freemasonry advocated for the purity of the ritual based on the construction of the Temple
from King Solomon, the other aimed to preserve the symbols and doctrines.
In reality, Freemasonry recognizes the doctrines of the Old Testament and the
monotheism, but the majority of Freemasons in the world are English-speaking Christians.
English to whom the New Testament adapts better. From this arises the paradox of
that although the Grand Lodge of England could not allow its Lodges to be
dedicated to Saint John, retains the New Testament as a Sacred Book and locates it
at the desk of the Venerable Master. It happens that when Jewish masons enter into
A lodge of a Christian country is found with the New Testament, to which
they do not recognize; and that when Christian Freemasons participate in meetings in Israel, they see
about the Ara the Old Testament. Things got more complicated when Freemasonry
it spread among followers of other beliefs that are neither Jewish nor Christian. This is how it was created
the term 'Holy Book' or 'Volume of the Sacred Law', which can be the Tanakh (The
24 books of the Old Testament) of the Hebrews, the New Testament of the
Christians, the Quran of the Muslims, the Zend-Avesta of the Persians, the Tripitaka (The
three baskets) of the Buddhists, the Rig Veda and other Vedas of the Brahmanic Hindus, the
Tao-Te-King of the Taoist Chinese, the Bhagavad-Gita of Hindus, the Book of Mormon
or the entire holy book for a monotheistic faith. With this, the term "Holy Book" or
"V:.D:.L:.S:.L:." was created as a commitment and the light that emanates from it receives the
meaning of one's own faith and religion.
The Gothic Constitutions refer to the Bible (Hebrew) as the source of the legends.
accepted in the Masonic tradition, but ancient copies of those Constitutions
were based more on the Polychronic texts, books of general knowledge and that were the
precursors of our modern encyclopedias.
The methodical use of the Tanakh in Lodge began around 1730, when it was recognized as
one of the artifacts of the Temple. Then the Tanakh along with the Compass and the Square
they were called the 'Columns' of the Lodge. The first reference of the Tanakh as the 'Great'
Light", dated 1745 in France. In the year 1760 it was first named as
the 'Great Lights' to the Bible, the Square and the Compass, in the Grand Lodge of the
Ancient of England and in 1762 also in the Grand Lodge of the Moderns (which is the
first Grand Lodge). Finally, in the year 1929 representatives of the Grand Lodge of
England, Scotland, and Ireland decided to give official status to this tradition in 1938.
it was established that Bible and V:..D:. L:. S:. L:. are synonyms. The Grand Orient of France is
stands out as an example of a Masonic entity that lost its regular recognition due to
lack of faith: on September 15, 1877, all the Grand Lodges of the British Isles
and the USA severed relations with that Grand Lodge for having canceled the
landmark that requires the inclusion of the Holy Book and faith in God.
