Encyclopedia Masonica

Corruptly, Ish Soudy. This expression is composed of the two Hebrew words, Ish, and Sod. The first of these words, Ish, means a man, and Sod signifies primarily a couch on which one ret clines. Hence Ish Sodi would mean, first, a man of my couch, one who reclines with me on the same seat, an indication of great familiarity and confidence. Thence followed the secondary meaning given to Sod, of familiar intercourse, consultation, or intimacy. Job (xix, 19) applies it in this sense, when, using Mati, a word synonymous with Ish, he speaks of Mati Sodi in the passage which the common version has translated thus: "all my inward friends abhorred me," but which the marginal interpretation has more correctly rendered, "all the men of my secret." Ish Sodi, therefore, in this Degree, very clearly means a man of my intimate counsel, a man of my choice, one seleeted to share with me a secret task or labor. Such was the position of every Select Master to King Solomon, and in this view those are not wrong who have interpreted Ish Sodi as meaning a Select Master.

The Encyclopedia Masonica exists to preserve the wealth of information that has been generated over the centuries by numerous Masonic authors. As Freemasonry is now Speculative and not Operative, the work of a Mason is now conducted in the quarries of symbolism, literature, history and scholasticism. Freemasonry encourages intellectual exploration and academic achievement in its members and many Masons over the years have taken up this calling. The result has been that an incredible amount of philosophy, symbolic speculation and academic insights have been created. However, as Freemasonry teaches, human knowledge is frail and fragile. It is easily lost in the turnings of the ages and unforeseen catastrophes can result in great setbacks to human knowledge.

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