Boaz and Jachin, the pillars of the Temple. In Hebrew, from my understanding, Boaz is literally "in Strength" and Jachin is "God will Establish". Boaz was a great grandfather to David, Solomon's father, and his story is elaborated in the romance of Ruth. Thus, Boaz may be especially associated with spiritual strength, and strength of virtue or the strength to be virtuous. The allusions to Beauty and Strength, Severity and Mercy, Feminine and Masciline, Black and White, active and passive, and other dualistic ideals for the pillars are elaborated on in the Zohar and Sefir Yetzirah, and I believe that is where most esoteric traditions find the foundation for this Knowledge in regard to the Pillars.
The matter of which sphere is associated with which column and where these columns are located seems a confusing issue. From Kings I and II and Chronicles it may be deduced that the Temple entrance was in the east, the left or south column was Boaz and the column on the right or the north was Jachin. Josephus states that the left or south pillar was Boaz as one entered the temple, travelling from east to west. Mackey (1921) contradicts this and states that Jachin was on the right or south when facing east. Form what I can gather, most Grand Jurisdictions consider Boaz to have the terrestrial sphere and it is located on the left when one passes through the columns or faces the Junior Warden.
It's interesting that in Kings and Chronicles, the spheres are not really mentioned. Some scholars state that the columns had bowls or braziers that held burning oil or oil lamps for illumination, others that they had Egyptian "eggs", and others that they had plain round globes consisiting of two bowls one inverted and resting upon the other thus forming a hollow sphere, some contest that they were adorned in any such manner. In the tradition of the Persians and Egyptians, some think that the columns were hollow and contained holy scripture and other spiritualistic artifacts as was customary. If they were cast as one piece they must have been hollow if for no other reason than to decrease weight and allow the metal to cool. It would seem that the terrestial and celestial spheres are a more modern Prestonian interpretation commonly found in more recent Masonic lore.
I find it interesting that the dualistic philosophy of the Laws of Nature seems to have come about around the same time roughly 3500 years ago or so in both China and Persia. I wonder if one philosphical school had any influence upon the other? Maybe both schools together are themselves the pillars. I suspect that humans have been taking note of such phenomena long before the documented history. I suppose the ancient Chinese philosophy probably predates what was going in Mesopotomia by several hundred years. Two pillars of spiritualistic philosophy, the Western Tradition and the Eastern Tradition?
And here is a link to some more information and in depth research:
http://www.solomonstemple.comRegarding the placement of the pillars in Masonic history, I do not know for sure which side is right or wrong with these crazy pillars, only what is in the ritual I am familiar with, American Ritual. I think we all have the pillars the same way. Let me tell you about the symbolism in the ring, as it is all put together quite carefully, and I spent a fair time working this stuff out. The design came to me while serving my lodge as Senior Deacon, and I have to say, as far as art goes, it represents what I've learned from the experience of giving the middle chamber lecture a number of times over the 6 months or so I served.
First, to be sure, I just went and checked the cypher book of our CA ritual. My perception is this: When you are a candidate standing seeking entry to the lodge, the pillar on the left is Boaz (Strength), and the pillar on the right is Jachin (To Establish). The SD tells you about them, with his back to the altar, and describes the left and right from the candidate's view. The Boaz side, or left, signifies strength and the world of the passions. Jachin on the right represents the more spiritual, or intellectual world, which can still function when the body is frail. The Left side is supposed to be the weaker side of man, the evil side, which I then took to meaning the physical aspect of our existence would be our weaker side as humans, or more likely, our achilles heel or downfall. For me, the assumption is that Boaz, while indeed the frailer side of man, is truly our strength, because without human soul and physical action, the beauty of sex, love and life wouldn't exist, we would only live in a world of ideas. Strangely enough, the Boaz side also alludes to the Yin side, or feminine, but I haven't got too much to say about that, except women have been my downfall pretty darn often, but I wouldn't give any of it up for the world. The Jachin is the responsible, wise side, the "right" or "correct" side, a world of ideals. In the bridging or balance of the two pillars, beauty and love, humanity are created, which also then alludes to the beauty of life, cut down, yet living one, from the ultimate sacrifice of the third degree. The 3rd degree symbol is right there on the top of the ring. Interesting also that these same fellowcraft symbols are visible in the interplay of the square and compass, Boaz the square and Jachin the compass, and the balance, or beauty, is to be found in the precise middle, as you reach the third degree. Which would be to say, the perfect blending of the two worlds leads to enlightenment, etc.
So, visually, I thought of the ring as a symbolic "gateway" into the world of Masonry:
The candidate journeys through the center circle from the bottom of the square and compass, with the B on the left and the J on the right, and the words "BE SILENT - TACE" above the doorway.
As he enters, on the side that has the terrestrial pillar, it says above: DARE - AUDE (in the physical world) and then, of course, on the right side is the Jachin/celestial pillar, with VIDE, or KNOW/SEE (Alluding to Faith in God).
His place, his flesh, in the center in the center of the ring, balanced to create life and love. And the all seeing eye blazes down upon him from the stone in the center.
In this way, the secret of the third degree is hidden in the symbols of the second degree, and we learn to "dare" to take action in the physical world and "watch" and learn in the mental world, knowing our faith.
If the ring is worn flat side outwards, the public only sees the Latin for "silence", but you see either AUDE or VIDE, depending on which side finger it is worn. When it is on the right hand and you look down at your ring, you see "KNOW" and if it is on the left hand, you see "DARE" which in turn... takes us back to the pillars, as it corresponds with the message for that side of your body, Boaz being left meaning "Dare" and Jachin being right, meaning "know" with your spiritual intellect. If the ring is worn inwards towards oneself, then the wearer gets the reminder of silence, and the public sees "dare" on your left side and know on your right, which also corresponds to the pillars. And, the point of the triangle points at them as a warning to be careful.
(I, of course, always wear my ring outward like a past master because I like to brag about being a Mason!)
That's the story of the VIDE AUDE TACE ring, thanks for listening.