Thank you for sharing that. I found it very interesting. I happen to like salvia (it's a beautiful plant), olives, and almonds. I wonder if there is a connection there...LOL
I don't want to push off topic, but I have a question; Would you be willing to explain what "Yud" is for those who may not know? ( I may be confusing this with Yod), If so, please excuse me. I'm having a brain fart at the moment. I'm sure Bro. Winter could also add some light to the subject. If need be, I'll wait for the appropriate time to address this.
Sorry Brothers, I only just saw this today. I wasn't following this thread.
Yud, yod, yood, are all the same. They are just different spellings. Using English letters to write out Hebrew words is sometimes a guess since Hebrew has no vowels, only consonants. So there are sometimes multiple spellings in English for Hebrew words.
Yod is very important in Masonic teachings. If you remember, the yod adorns the 14th degree ring. Pike discusses the yod in Morals & Dogma and how in English Lodges, the letter G incorrectly replaces the yod in Lodges, both above the WM in the East and within the S&C. The letter yod is the first letter of the name of Deity and also stands in itself for the name. The yod is seen as the perfect symbol.
I could go on at some length about the mystical aspects of the Hebrew letter yod. It has a very powerful place in Jewish mysticism. But I will leave you with a story told to me by the rabbis long ago. The Hebrew letter yod, which is also the number 10 (all Hebrew letters are numbers. Look up "Gematria") is the perfect symbol of brotherly love. In ancient times the number ten was displayed as two hands clasped, 5+5=10, to show that true perfection and unity is achieved by reaching out your hand to your fellow human with love.
I am sure I did not do that story justice, but you get the idea.