The Tarot, a deck of cards now synonymous with divination and esoteric wisdom, holds a history far more intricate and profound than its modern usage suggests. For centuries, the precise origins and meanings of the Tarot de Marseille, the artistic ancestor of contemporary Tarot decks, have been a subject of intense debate and speculation. A groundbreaking body of research by data scientist and lifelong Torah student Stav Appel offers a compelling resolution to this long-standing mystery. Through meticulous analysis of the Jean Noblet Tarot, one of the oldest preserved versions created in Paris circa 1650, Appel’s work reveals a hidden layer of Judaic symbolism ingeniously concealed within its imagery. This discovery posits that the deck, created during a period of severe religious persecution, originally served as a clandestine tool for Jewish education and the preservation of faith.
The historical context of the Tarot’s development is critical to understanding its hidden purpose. The Tarot de Marseille emerged in northern Italy and southern France during the 15th and 16th centuries, regions that became a refuge for Jewish communities fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. By the mid-17th century, when the Noblet deck was produced, the situation for Jews in France had become perilous. Following King Charles IV's 1394 edict of expulsion, Jewish life was forced to become entirely covert. The Catholic Church's campaign to abolish Judaism was in full force, and any public expression of the faith was forbidden. It was in this climate of suppression and fear that a French artist transformed the traditional 22 picture cards of the Italian Tarot into a new set of enigmatic images with a secret, sacred purpose. The standardization of the number of picture cards to 22, coinciding with the name "tarrochi," arose in these very locations, a fact that now appears far from coincidental.
Stav Appel’s research began with a chance encounter with an old deck of Jean Noblet Tarot cards. He immediately noticed curious and specific details that did not align with common occult interpretations. The Magician card, for instance, depicts the figure holding his arms in a way that perfectly forms the shape of the Hebrew letter aleph (א). The Hermit is shown wearing a Jewish prayer shawl, a clear reference to a core Jewish ritual garment. Most strikingly, beneath the image on the Moon card, three round pieces of matzah are cleverly hidden along the bottom edge. When Appel learned of the deck's origin during the Catholic Church's campaign to eradicate Judaism, these images took on a profound new meaning. They were not random occult symbols but carefully chosen elements of a secret language. Appel argues persuasively that the deck was designed as a tool for clandestine Jewish education, a way to teach the tenets of the faith to a community that was forbidden from studying it openly.
The depth of this hidden curriculum is revealed when the Noblet Tarot is interpreted through a Judaic lens. According to the ongoing project dedicated to deciphering the deck, the cards contain a secret guide to Judaism. A thorough study of the images provides education on all 22 Hebrew letters, the core tenets of the faith, every significant Judaic ritual object, and the foundational stories of the Jewish people. The Moon card, for example, is not merely a card of illusion or emotion but a secret depiction of the Passover holiday, a cornerstone of Jewish ritual and memory. This reinterpretation completely disrupts the current understanding of Tarot history, suggesting that the deck's connection to the occult is a later development, built upon a foundation of concealed sacred wisdom.
The methodology behind this discovery blends traditional Torah study with modern analytical skills. As a data scientist, Stav Appel applies principles of data visualization and pattern recognition to historical and artistic artifacts. His approach involves identifying anomalies and recurring motifs within the cards and cross-referencing them with Jewish texts and traditions. This unique combination of expertise allows him to see connections that have been overlooked for centuries. The project, therefore, not only illuminates the origins of the Tarot but also provides a new lens through which to view European Jewish history, showcasing the ingenuity and perseverance required to maintain a faith under intense pressure.
To share these findings with a wider audience, Appel has developed several innovative platforms. The research has been transformed into an augmented reality (AR) app called "Secrets of the Tarot," which allows users to interact with the cards and uncover the hidden Judaica for themselves. This digital tool brings the 400-year-old secret to life, making the historical and spiritual journey accessible. Furthermore, the project has resulted in the publication of "The Torah in the Tarot," a book that provides a detailed reproduction of the 22 major arcana of the Jean Noblet Tarot. The publication includes Stav Appel’s extensive commentary, presented in a style that draws on rabbinic literary forms, and a foreword by poet Ariana Reines. The accompanying booklet and the back of each card offer a comprehensive guide to understanding the hidden messages. The deck itself has been faithfully reproduced by French artist Florent Giraud of Tarotgraphe, ensuring a historically accurate representation of the original 17th-century artwork and its concealed Judaica.
The significance of this work extends beyond historical curiosity. It reclaims the Tarot as an object of Jewish cultural and spiritual heritage. For centuries, the Tarot has been viewed through a Western esoteric lens, its Jewish roots entirely forgotten. By restoring this lost context, the "Torah in the Tarot" project offers a powerful narrative of resilience and faith. It demonstrates how a community, facing existential threats, used art and symbolism to encode its most sacred teachings, ensuring their survival through generations. This research transforms the Tarot from a simple tool of divination into a testament to the enduring power of cultural identity and the creative lengths to which people will go to preserve it. The project continues to evolve, with ongoing research aimed at further deciphering the deck's secrets and understanding its full implications for the history of both Tarot and European Jewism.
Conclusion
The research presented by Stav Appel fundamentally reshapes our understanding of the Tarot's origins and purpose. By applying a Judaic lens to the Jean Noblet Tarot de Marseille, a rich and hidden world of symbolism is revealed, one that points not to occultism but to a desperate and ingenious effort at clandestine Jewish education during a time of profound persecution. The discovery of Hebrew letters, ritual objects, and holy days concealed within the cards' imagery provides a compelling argument for the deck's original function as a sacred vessel for preserving faith. This work moves the Tarot beyond its modern associations and restores it to its rightful place as a significant artifact of Jewish history, art, and spiritual endurance. The secrets hidden in plain sight for nearly 400 years now serve to illuminate a dark chapter of the past and offer a powerful story of ingenuity, perseverance, and the unyielding strength of belief.