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Tet Advanced Information

The letter Tet is the ninth letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of nine. The pictograph for Tet looks like a snake coiled inside a basket, whereas the classical Hebrew script is constructed of two preceding letters, Vav and Zayin, also joined and somewhat resembling a snake:

 

1. The Mystery of Tet
   Tet is a paradoxical letter in that it reveals both good (tov) and evil. The form of the letter is "inverted," suggesting hidden goodness, like that of a woman who is pregnant with child. However, sometimes the potential for goodness (tahorah) is perverted, and impurity or filth (tumah) results.
   
   Tet is the least frequently occurring letter in the Scriptures (Yod is the most popular). The letter first appears in Genesis 1:4:
   
    
   
   "And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."
   
   But note even here that there is a sort of paradox. God saw that the light was good, but God separated the light from the darkness, thereby making a distinction.
   
   
   
2. Tet and the Mystery of Evil
   God is the source of all that is good in the universe:
   
   
   
   "Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts for He is good..." (Jer. 33:11).
   
   Yet even though God is categorically good, since He is the ultimate reality and Creator of all, He is the One who ultimately controls the affairs of humankind, both the good and the calamitous:
   
   
   
   "I form (yotzer) the light, and create darkness (choshekh); I make peace (shalom) and create evil (or calamity) (ra). I the LORD do all these things (Isaiah 45:7).
   
   How the LORD uses evil in the universe for His own good purposes is a mystery, but we are assured that all that God created was good (Genesis 1:31) and that His steadfast love endures forever:
   
   
   
   "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" (Psalm 118:1)
   
   Note: The Jewish blessing HaTov v'HaMativ affirms that God is good and does good, and is usually recited upon hearing good news; whereas the blessing Dayan HaEmet is usually recited upon hearing bad or tragic news.
   
   
   
3. The Gematria of Tet
   The letter Tet has the value of 9 (some Hebrew words that have this value include
   (ach), meaning brother, and (beged), meaning garment). Using the "reduced" form of gematria, the word (emet - truth) also has the value of 9:
   
   
   
   
   
4. Tet represents the two possibilities of man
   The parts of Tet (Vav and Zayin) are the same as the parts for Chet, but the difference appears in the Vav, or that aspect of the letter that represents man. As we will see below, the letter Tet can picture either the man that is in rebellion before the LORD or the man that is surrendered to Him:
   
   
   
   
   When a man (Vav) is bowed down before the Crowned Man (Zayin), taking upon himself His yoke (Chet), then his soul is subject to the discipline of the LORD, and the ninefold fruit of the Spirit will grow in his life (Galatians 5:22-23). This man will die to himself and all that is outside the yoke of Christ (Luke 9:23).
   
   On the other hand, if the soul refuses to bow down and instead rebels, the inner life will take on the characteristics of the serpent (nachash), satan. If that man chooses to live for himself, relying on his own inner sense of autonomy, he will share the fate of satan and "eat dust," or the stuff of the flesh.
   
   This principle can be seen in the story of Moses and his staff (Exodus 4:2-4). The staff represented the scepter of Moses' human authority which God asked to be "thrown down" in obedience to Him. When he did so, the carnal staff was transformed to become the spiritual staff of the LORD, even though it still contained the principle of the serpent within it (i.e., the carnal principle of his life). Later Moses sinned by using this staff in a carnal way by striking the rock twice, indicating that he attempted to retake his own autonomy instead of yielding to the will of the LORD.
   
   In short, how the Tet will be represented depends upon our personal decision to give our lives to the Messiah and be yoked together with Him. Will we choose to surrender our lives, offering ourselves as living sacrifices, or will we inwardly rebel and live in the selfish pride that marks the devil?
   
   
   
   "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life..." (Deut 30:19).
   
    
5. Crowned Letters
   In some Torah Scrolls, eight Hebrew letters are given special adornment by attaching three "tagin" or crownlets to them.  Collectively these letters are sometimes called "sha'atnezgets" letters (for Shin, Ayin, Tet, Nun, Zayin, Gimmel, and Tsade).
   
   Midrash ascribes the origin of the tagin as part of mattan Torah - the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The Talmud describes Moses wondering about why God was seen affixing these embellishments to certain letters of the Torah:
   
   "When Moses went up to God, he found God sitting and putting little crowns on the top of the letters of the Law. He said to God, 'Who is it that forces You to put crowns to the letters of the Law [which You have already written]? He replied, 'A man is to appear on earth after many generations, Akiba b. Joseph by name, who will expound for each top of every letter of the Law heaps and heaps of rulings'...." Talmud (Menachot 29b)
   
   
   
   Some people have wondered if these crownlets are the "tittles" referred to by Jesus in Matthew 5:18, although it is unclear that the tagin were in use at that time. It is more likely that the "tittle" refers to the "kots" or "thorn" that projects from a letter.

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The letter Yod is the 10th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 10. The pictograph for Yod looks like an arm or hand, whereas the classical Hebrew script is constructed of a single tag upward, a kotz downward, and a middle portion. Yod is the most frequently occurring letter in the Scriptures as well as the smallest of the letters.
 

1. The Mystery of Yod
   Suspended in mid-air, Yod is the smallest of the Hebrew letters, the "atom" of the consonants, and the form from which all of the other letters begin and end:
    

   The first dot with which the scribes first start writing a letter, or the last dot that gives a letter its final form -- is a yod. (Likutei Maharan)
    

   In the Jewish mystical tradition, Yod represents a mere dot, a divine point of energy. Since Yod is used to form all the other letters, and since God uses the letters as the building blocks of creation, Yod indicates God's omnipresence.
   
   In fact, the word יוֹד (yod) itself depicts something of the geometry of creation. It begins with the Yod itself, as a dot, and then moves downward, from the divine toward the created order to form Vav (the "hook" of creation). Finally it moves outward in the horizontal realm as Dalet (the "doorway" of creation). This can better be seen with the following illustration:
   
   
   
   
   Since Yeshua upholds the world by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3), and Yod is part of every Hebrew letter (and therefore every word), Yod is considered the starting point of the presence of God in all things - the "spark" of the Spirit in everything.
   
   
   

2. Yod and Humility
   The letter Yod, being the smallest of the letters, is also a picture of humility. For example, when Jacob was renamed from Ya'akov to Yisrael, all that remained of his former name was the letter Yod.
   
   
   
   Yod can also be seen as a mark of humility in the text that says Moses was "the most humble man" upon the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3):
   
   
   
   The Jewish scribes say that an extra Yod is inserted in the word ana (meaning humble or meek) to emphasize the humility of Moses.
   
   Israel is likewise called the "smallest of the nations" (Deuteronomy 7:7) and is consider a type of Yod before the great nations of the earth:
   
   
   
   "for you are the smallest of the peoples."
   
   
   
3. The "Kots of a Yod"
   Because of its humility, Yod is adorned with a small ascending prong (tag) that points to God. The "kotz of a Yod" is the small serif at the bottom of the "face" of the Yod's head and is the smallest of all markings made in the Hebrew text.  This most likely refers to the "tittle" Yeshua spoke of in Matthew 5:18 and Luke 16:17. In the Jewish scribal arts known as Soferut, a Torah Scroll is invalid (possul) if it lacks even this serif of the Yod (Menachot 29a):
   
   
   
   Even though it is small, Yod is vital, since without the "kotz of a Yod" the entire Torah is to be considered invalid. God delights in using the small, the weak, and the insignificant to demonstrate His glory and power. If you are brought low or of little stature in this world, you can trust that your life is important to God. Since every letter of the Torah is important, and no two letters are the same (or can be "touching" or "malformed") you can trust that your life is significant in the Great Torah of the universe -- that is, in God's great plan that works "all things together for good to those who love Him."
   
   
   
4. The Three Parts of Yod
   The letter Yod is said to be composed of three parts: the upper prong (tag), a lower line curved downward, and a middle section. The upper tag points toward God, the lower line points toward earth, and the middle section holds the parts together in unity. Therefore, since it is three parts in one, Yod is not unlike the letter Aleph in alluding to divinity and picture Yeshua as our humble Mediator before the Father.
   
   
   
   
   Note also that the gematria of the word "Aleph" equals the Sacred Name , which also begins with the letter Yod.
   
   
   
5. Yod and Spirituality
   Yod means "arm" or "hand," and its form suggests a hand that is reaching toward heaven. In addition, the letter somewhat resembles a man in prayer:
   
   
   
   Here the tag suggests a crown that is given to one who is humbled before the LORD in prayer, and the bent shape suggests submission.
   
   Interestingly, the gematria of the word "Yod" is 20 (י+וֹ+ד), the same value for the Hebrew root for vision, chazah (חָזָה).
   
   
   
6. The Meaning of Yod as Ten
   The word יוֹד (yod) means "arm" or "hand" and the numeric value is ten. Now ten is a number marking shelemut, or completion and order, as evidenced by the following:
    
   • The base 10 number system is universal. Just as Yod is part of all of the previous letters of the alphabet (as a component), so Yod is part of all of the numbers. It is said by the sages the Yod does not mean 10 because we have ten toes and fingers but we have ten toes and fingers because Yod means 10.
   • There were ten things created on the first day and ten things created at the end of the sixth day of creation.
   • There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, suggesting that the godlessness of those generations was made complete.
   • There were ten generations from Noah to Abraham, suggesting that the godliness of those generations was made complete.
   • According to midrash, there were ten trials given to Abraham to demonstrate his merit as the father of the nations.
   • There were ten plagues issued during the Exodus of Egypt.
   • God gave us Ten Commandments.
   • The "tenth part" shall be holy for the LORD (Leviticus 27:32).
   • There are ten days of Awe - from Tishri 1 to Tishri 10, culminating in Yom Kippur, which occurs on the 10th day of Tishri.
   • Ten men are required for a minyan, or complete quorum needed for Jewish corporate prayer.
   • (Jewish mysticism) There are ten forces of the "Tree of Life," called Sefirot, that depict the metaphysical working of God in the universe.
     
     
      
7. Yod and the Olam Habah
   The Talmud states that God used the letter Hey to create the present world (olam hazeh) and Yod to create the world to come (olam habah). The sages derive this idea from the Name yah (יָהּ) found in Isaiah 26:4:
   
   
   
   How did they come up with this?  Well, they consider b'yah in the text as meaning "with Yod-Hey" instead of referring to the Name Yah.
   
   
   
   
8. Some Textual Oddities
   An undersized Yod appears in Deuteronomy 32:17:
   
   
   
   "You neglected the Rock who begat you." The LORD is made "small" when we turn away from Him through neglect.
   
   
   On the other hand, an oversized Yod appears in Numbers 14:17:
   
   
   
   "Let the power of my LORD be great." Here Moses' intercession for the people of Israel is made, and the sages say that the oversized Yod is meant to recall the ten trials of Abraham and the merit he obtained on account of his faith.
   
   
   Finally, a Yod is missing in Exodus 32:19:
   
    
   
   "...Moses cast the tables from his hands." Here the spelling in the text (ketiv) is miyado, meaning "from his hand" (singular), but the text is read (Qere) as miyadav, meaning "from his hands" (plural). Why is this singular spelling used yet the text read as plural?
   
   According to midrash, when Moses brought the Tablets of the Law down from Mount Sinai, he was able to carry them in one hand (as the text says in Exodus 32:15) since they were made supernaturally light as the "Living Torah" of the LORD. However, once the Tablets came into proximity with the Golden Calf, the "script flew off and ascended to heaven" to testify of the idol worship (Targum Yonasan) and tablets turned into normal, profane stone which Moses could no longer bear.
   
   
   
9. Yod and the Divine Name
   Yod is the first letter of the Divine Name YHVH (יהוה) and the name of the Savior of the world, Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ), thus indicating its preeminence. It is also the first letter for the four names given to the Jewish people:
    
   • יַעֲקב - Ya'akov (or Jacob)
   • יִשְׂרָאֵל - Yisrael (Israel)
   • יְהוּדִים - Yehudim (Jews)
   • יְשֻׁרוּן - Yeshurun (Jeshurun)
      

   As the first letter (ot, or sign) of God's Name, Yod shows that He is Spirit, He is One, and that from Him derive all other things by the power of His Word.
   
   
    

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The letter Kaf is the 11th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 20. The pictograph for Kaf looks like a palm of a hand, whereas the classical Hebrew script is constructed of a bent line that appears somewhat like a crown on the head of a prostrating king. Kaf is the first of the “double letters” in Hebrew, having both a “medial” form and an ending form (sofit).

1. The Mystery of Kaf
   In Jewish Mysticism, the two letters of the word “kaf” are the initial letters of the two Hebrew words: koach (“potential”) and poel (“actual”), suggesting that Kaf enables the latent power of the spiritual (the potential) to be made actual in the physical:
   
   
   
   The literal meaning of Kaf is “palm” which is considered the location where potential of the Yod (hand) is actualized (interestingly, the gematria for the word Yod is the same for the letter Kaf). For this reason we bless children with palms facing them and we envision God as having His palms over us, for this image suggests the calling forth of the latent power of the spirit within for manifestation in the physical world.
   
   Also for this reason Chassidut considers reciting the Modeh Ani blessing with both palms together in the morning an act of soliciting the power of God to be made manifest in our daily lives.
   
   
   
   
   Note: The Chamsa Hand (from chamesh, five, and therefore not directly related to Kaf) is a Jewish amulet symbolizing the Creator’s protective hand that was thought to protect from the “evil eye” (einhoreh). The Chamsa is generally regarded as a superstitious article not associated with Jewish mysticism that is sometimes called the “hand of Miriam.”
   
   
   
2. The Meaning of Kaf
   The word Kaf means “palm” of a hand and also what might be contained within the palm of the hand. The word “spoon” in Hebrew is the word Kaf, which is a natural extension of the palm as a container. The gematria for the letter Kaf is 20, the same value for the word Yod (hand), and twice the value of the letter Yod. Kaf comes from a root word (shoresh) kafah meaning to bend or bow down, suggesting the concave shape of the body or the shape of a crown on a king’s head.
   
   
    
3. Kaf and Kavvanah
   Kaf begins the word (kavvanah) which means spiritual focus and concentration (the root for this word means “to aim”). Kavvanah is a key concept in Jewish spirituality that suggests that you should rid your mind of all that is distracting and aim to envision yourself as standing directly before the divine Presence.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Kaf and Crowns
   
   
   
   The word (keter) means “a crown” (from katar, to crown). In the Jewish tradition, there are four crowns that are given to the Jewish people:
   
   
   •  - Keter Torah, the Crown of Torah (and also the crown used to adorn the Torah scroll in the synagogue)
   • - Keter Kehuna, the Crown of the Priesthood.
   • - Keter Malkhut, the Crown of the Kingdom.
   • - Keter shem tov, the crown of a good name. According to the sages, a good name is the best crown of all (Avot 4:17), since it is foundational to all the other crowns. And as Kohelet says, tov shem mishemen tov, “A good name is better than oil.”
      

   According to the sages, the Crown of Torah was given at Sinai when all Israel said, na’aseh v’nishma, “we will do and we will obey” in response to the giving of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:7). After the Golden Calf incident, however, the crowns of the priesthood and kingdom were said to have been taken away from the Israelites (though, of course, the Levites were later commissioned as priests and the Davidic line selected as kings). What remains for the regular Jew, then, is to wear the crown of Torah and the crown of a good name.
   
   Now the gematria for is 620, which the sages say is the number of the commandments of the Torah (613) plus the seven days of creation. By this they infer that the very world itself was created so that the Torah would be accepted and thereby ethical purpose given to the world (Minchah Beluah).
   
   In the New Testament at least five other crowns are identified:
    

   •  - Keter HaChayim, the crown of life (James 1:12), awarded for enduring the trials and tribulations of the olam hazeh.
   • - Keter HaTzedakah - the crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8), given to those who anticipate the coming of our Lord by living righteous lives before Him.
   • - Keter Olam - An incorruptible crown (1 Cor. 9:25), a picture of eternal life (chayei olam).
   • - Keter HaTiferet - the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4), given to those who faithfully shepherd God’s people.
   • - Keter HaKotzim - Crown of thorns (Matt 27:29, Mark 15:17, John 19:5). This is the crown that only Yeshua is worthy to wear as our great High Priest who offered Himself up for our sins.
     
     The Lord Jesus is the One who possesses all the crowns of Israel and the Church. As Melekh HaYehudim He wears the Crown of the Kingdom; as Kohen HaGadol He wears the Crown of the Priesthood, as Devar Elohim He wears the Crown of Torah; as Ben Elyon He wears the Crown of the Good Name; as Sar HaChayim He wears the Crown of Life; as the Tzaddik after the order of Melkhi-Tzedek, He wears the Crown of Righteousness, as HaRo’eh HaTov, He wears the Incorruptible Crown, as Adon HaKavod He wears the Crown of Glory, and so on. Indeed, crown Him with many crowns!
     
     
     
     
     
     
5. Kaf and Resembling King Messiah
   Grammatically, when prefixed to a word Kaf means “like” or “as.” For example, we prefix Kaf to melekh (king) to obtain k’melekh, like a king. Now the letter Kaf resembles the letter Bet, which we understand to be a picture of the Messiah Jesus. When we “prefix” ourselves to the Lord Jesus, we will be conformed to His image and resemble Him, just as Kaf resembles the Bet. And since Kaf pictures the palms of the hands, we will moreover resemble Jesus in our work and our sacrifice for others.
   
   Furthermore, when following a word Kaf indicates “possession.” For example, we append Kaf to melekh to obtain melekha, your king. Now since Kaf depicts a crown of a prostrated person, we can see that when we follow Jesus by “bending” (kafaf) our wills in submission to Him, we will be given the reward of the crown of righteousness (keter haTzedakah), since our works will follow His.
   
   
    
6. “Palms” and Scripture
   In Isaiah 49:16, the LORD poignantly declares that He has engraved Jerusalem upon the palms of His hands, thus illustrating His abiding concern for Zion:
   
   
   
   
   Moreover, we are told to lift up our heart with our hands to God in Heaven:
   
   
   
   
   The psalmist cries to stretch out his hands to God’s mitzvot which he loves and to meditate upon God’s chukim (statutes):
   
   
   
   
   
7. Textual Oddity
   There is an undersized Kaf found in Genesis 23:3
   
   
   
   The sages say that this shows we should show restraint in our grieving and mourning since the righteous man understands that the soul is immortal and therefore the loss of relationship with the other is not permanent.
   
   

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The letter Lamed is the 12th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 30. The pictograph for Lamed looks like a shepherd's staff or goad, whereas the classical Hebrew script is constructed of a Kaf with a Vav standing upon it:

1. The Uniqueness of Lamed
   The letter Lamed is unique in the Hebrew alphabet since it is the tallest letter (it is the only letter that rises above the baseline) and, as the 12th letter, it is considered the central letter (or "heart") of the Hebrew alphabet:
   
   
   
   Since Lamed towers over the other letters from its central position, it is said to represent melekh hamelakhim, the King of Kings. This idea is supported by the idea that the preceding letter stands for kisei hakavod, "the throne of Glory," and the following letter stands for malkhut, "kingdom." The sages also point out that the three central letters can spell the word melekh, King.
   
   
   
2. The Meaning of Lamed
   The original meaning of Lamed probably was "to prick, sting, incite, goad," as a shepherd might prod cattle to perform some action. Hence the ancient pictograph was that of a staff or goad, representing authority.
   
   The Hebrew name of the letter itself, lamed, comes from the root lamad meaning to learn or teach, which first occurs in Deuteronomy 4:1
   
   
   
   "And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you..."
   
   From this we can see that the first business of learning is mishnei Torah, the repetition (or inculcation) of the Torah. Indeed, since Lamed is the tallest of the Hebrew letters, it draws our attention to the source of all learning, namely the Torah itself.
   
   
   
3. Lamed and Heart Knowledge
   Rabbi Akiva (50-135) is said to have noted that the spelling of Lamed can be seen as an acronym for the phrase lev meivin da'at, meaning "a heart that understands knowledge":
   
   
   
   In other words, the goal of learning and teaching (lamed) is heart knowledge. Moreover, since it is the only letter allowed to ascend above the other letters in the sacred writings, Lamed represents the prominence of learning and understanding to the Jewish heart.
   
   Note: According to Jewish mysticism, the numerical value of the phrase lev meivin da'at is the same as the phrase "the heart of Eve," suggesting that the woman's heart is essential for a complete understanding of reality.
   
   
   
4. The "Goad" of Lamed
   Learning in the Jewish tradition is not an end in itself, but should spur us on to action. For example, in Pirkei Avot 1:7 it is written:
   
   
   
   "Study is not the ultimate goal, rather the deeds."
   
   
   Likewise in Pirkei Avot 4:6 the Jewish sages write:
   
   
   
   "Rabbi Yismael bar Rabbi Yose said, 'One who studies [Torah] in order to teach is given the means to study and to teach; and one who studies [Torah] in order to do is given the means to study and to teach, and to guard and to do.'"
   
   In other words, a true talmid (student or learner) is not one who is entirely bookish and without deeds of righteousness that accompany his or her learning. This is echoed in the famous words of Simon the Just, who said that the world stands upon three things: upon Torah, upon worship and upon loving deeds:
   
   
   
   "Upon three things the world does stand: upon the Torah and upon worship and upon acts of lovingkindness."
   
   In light of this, we can see how the word Lamed is connected with malmad, a goad or spur to action. Like a wise shepherd, learning will both spur us on to good deeds and control our animal instincts.
   
   
   
5. The Gematria of Lamed
   The letter Lamed itself represents the number 30, but its constituent parts, Vav and Kaf, yield the number 26, which is the number of , YHVH:
   
   
   
   Since Lamed is central and raised above all the other letters, it represents YHVH, or the King of Kings. Moreover the number 30 is the same value as (Judah), indicating a connection between "learning," YHVH, and the tribe of Judah (see Genesis 49:10).
   
   
   
6. Prefixive Lamed
   When Lamed appears as a prefix to a word in Hebrew, it often denotes the grammatical object which we translate with "to" or "for." For example, melekh means king, but l'melekh means "to a king" or "for a king." In other words, Lamed designates the direction or goal of action as well as the goad of that action.
   
   
   
   
   Learning (talmud) is then a means to an end, not the end itself. But what is the end to which it leads? Is it not the love of the LORD Himself and His salvation? Is not a relationship with the LORD God of Israel the final goal of talmud Torah? As Jesus Himself said, "You search the Scriptures (i.e., Torah) because you think that in them you have eternal life; but it is they that bear witness of Me" (John 5:39).  In other words, studying and learning Torah is meant to ultimately reveal the love and grace of the Mashiach, Yeshua, the true Teacher and King of Kings.
   
   
   
   
7. Special Tag on Lamed
   In Genesis 27:30 there is an unusual tag added to the normal Lamed:
   
   
   
   This reads, "As soon as Isaac finished blessing Jacob..." (the flourish on the Lamed occurs in the word killah). The sages suggest that this extra embellishment on the Lamed points to the blessing that God had just given to Jacob, as if it were descending upon him from heaven.
   
   
   
8. Lamed, Israel, and "Am Segulah"
   The word Yisrael (Israel) begins with the smallest letter (Yod) and ends with the largest letter (Lamed), suggesting Israel's dependence upon the LORD. In fact, in Exodus 19:5 the scribes write a deliberately oversized Lamed and a deliberately undersized Yod right next to one another:
   
   
   
   This reads, "And you shall be to me a treasure among all the peoples." The sages teach that Israel is am segulah, a treasured people, when they keep the covenant of the LORD by acknowledging His greatness and Israel's smallness. That is, God is the great Lamed, Teacher, King of Kings, whereas Israel is the small Yod, the small hand extended upward to heaven in praise and in worship. When the relationship between the LORD and us is like this, we too will be a treasured possession to the LORD.
   
   
   
9. Oversized Lamed
   In Deuteronomy 29:26 there is an oversized Lamed:
   
   
   
   This reads, "and He cast them into another land..." The Jewish sages note that this oversized Lamed suggests that Israel's ejection from the land (and the subsequent Diaspora) would be used by the LORD to greatly teach them as a people about the greatness of the LORD. And in these last days, we behold the manifold wisdom of the LORD as He gathers Israel back to the land of promise in anticipation of His soon coming as Israel's true King of Kings!
   
   

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The letter Mem is the 13th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 40. The pictograph for Mem looks like a wave of water, whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a Kaf with a Vav beside it:



Note that the gematria for these components equals the value for the Divine Name.

Mem is the second of the “double letters” in Hebrew, having both a “medial” form (pesucha) and an ending form (stumah).

1. The Mystery of Mem
   In Jewish Mysticism, Mem is the letter of "water" (mayim), symbolizing the “spring” of the Torah. Just as the waters of an underground spring rise upward from an unknown source to reveal themselves, so does the spring of wisdom rise up from the mysterious Source that is God. This flowing stream of the inner wisdom can be expressed through the gift of man’s speech:
   
   
   
   “The words a man speaks are deep waters, A flowing stream, a fountain of wisdom.” (Proverbs 18:4)
   
   
   
2. The Meaning of Mem
   Traditionally, Mem has several related meanings: "waters," "people," "nations," "languages," and "tongues.” The name of the letter probably signifies water itself, and its most ancient forms bore a resemblance to waves of water. As such, Mem represents the sea of Torah, the ocean of Talmud, knowledge, wisdom, etc.
   
   
    
3. Open and Closed Mem
   As mentioned above, Mem has two forms: an open form and a closed form. The open form (pesucha) is said to represent the revealed truth of God (as demonstrated by Moses), whereas the closed form (stumah) is said to represent the concealed truth of God (as demonstrated by the Mashiach, the revealer of mysteries).
   
   
   
   “Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” (Matt 13:10-11).
   
   
   
4. The Messiah and the Closed Mem
   In Isaiah 9:7, a closed Mem appears where an open Mem normally should appear. In the phrase lemarbeh hamisrah, “his rule will be increased,” the Mem in lemarbeh is a final (closed) Mem:
   
   
   
   The Jewish sages have said that this passage was originally about righteous King Hezekiah, a type of Mashiach (Messiah). However, since he failed to offer shirah (a song of praise) to the LORD on account of the destruction of Sennacherib’s army, the open Mem was “closed off,” and the advancement of the royal rule from Judah blocked until the coming of the true Mashiach. Now the closed Mem represents the era of Mashiach, when He shall reign upon the earth and there shall be no end to His healing peace.
   
   Interestingly, as Messianic believers, the passage from Isaiah 9:6-7 is a clear reference to the deity of Yeshua as God the Son, the Lion from the tribe of Judah:
   
   
   
   For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:6)
   
   
   
   
   Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isa 9:7)
   
   
   
5. Gematria of Mem
   As indicated above, the letter Mem is composed of two parts: a Vav and a Kaf. The gematria of these parts is 26, the same value for the sacred Name YHVH. In traditional Hebrew gematria, Mem has the value of 40, and is thereby associated with the following:
    
   1. 40 days and nights of flood waters
   2. 40 years in the wilderness
   3. 40 days Moses was upon Mount Sinai
   4. 40 days of Selichot (teshuvah before Rosh Hashanah)
   5. 40 days of fasting by our LORD Yeshua the Mashiach
   6. 40 days from conception to the initial "formation" of the fetus
   7. 40 weeks of gestation until birth
   8. 40 years of age before a man develops insight
      
       
6. Mem represents divine Omniscience
   A Hebrew Name of God is makom, meaning “place.” Note that this Name includes both an open and a closed Mem:
   
   
   
   The sages have taught that God’s Presence is both open and revelatory, yet is also shrouded in deep mystery, closed off to the apprehension of human reason.
   
   
   
7. Mem represents two aspects of God’s rule
   Mem is also said to represent two aspects of God’s rule: malkhut (kingship) and memshalah (dominion), as indicated in Psalm 145:13:
   
   
   
   
   
8. Oversized Mem
   An oversized Mem appears in the word Mishlei in Proverbs 1:1:
   
    
   
   According to some scribal traditions, the Mem is here enlarged because Solomon is said to have fasted 40 days and 40 nights before writing the Proverbs, in order to emulate Moses and to prepare himself for the “open” revelation from the LORD. 
   
   
   
9. Jesus gives the Living Water
   The Lord Jesus is the only One who truly satisfies the inner thirst we have for real life and ultimate satisfaction. Emunah (faith) in Him yields refreshment and healing for those whom He has called as His own:
   
   
   
   

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The letter Nun is the 14th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 50. The pictograph for Nun looks something like a seed, whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a bent Vav with a crown like a Zayin:



Nun is the third of the "double letters" in Hebrew, having both a "medial" form (kefufah) and an ending form (peshuta).

1. The Mystery of Nun
   According to the Chaz'l (sages), Nun is said to represent both faithfulness and the reward for faithfulness. Moses is seen as the paradigmatic humble servant of the LORD.
   
   The word "Nun" itself is spelled Nun-Vav-(final)Nun and looks as follows:
   
   
   
   
   Rashi said that this orthography suggests that the one who is humble before God will stand upright in the final day. In the olam hazeh (present life), this means that the tzaddik (righteous man) will simultaneously affirm: "I am nothing but dust," and "the world itself was made for my sake." Humble yourself in the sight of the LORD, and He shall lift you up (James 4:10).
   
   
   
2. Jesus and the Letter Nun
   In Aramaic (the language of the Talmud), the word Nun means "fish," a symbol of activity and life. The first mention of the word is in Exodus 33:11, in reference to Joshua, the "son of Nun."  Joshua, the one who succeeded Moses and was able to enter the Promised Land, was the "Son of Life" - a clear picture of Yeshua our Mashiach.
   
   Notice that the form of the Nun represents a bent Vav (suggesting a humbled man) crowned with glory (the three tagin on the head of the letter).  From the Messianic point of view, we see that Yeshua came as a man (Vav), was honored by His absolute humility while upon earth (as indicated by the crown of thorns), and is now exalted as the Righteous One who wears the Golden Crown of God upon His head forever and ever (Rev 14:14).
   
   
    
3. The Symbol of the Fish and Jesus
   The symbol of the fish has early roots in Christianity as an emblem of the Mashiach Yeshua.  The word for fish in Greek is "ixthus," which some believe was used as an acronym for the Greek phrase Yesous Christos Theou Uios Soter, or "Jesus Christ the Son of God Savior":
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Inverted Nun and the "Seven" Books of Moses
   The Torah includes a textual oddity that warrants a close look from believers in the Mashiach Yeshua. An inverted Nun (Nun Hafuchah) appears both before and after Numbers 10:35-36:
   
   
   
   And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, "Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you." And when it rested, he said, "Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel." (Numbers 10:35-6)

In the Talmud (Shabbat 115b, 116a) it is stated that any part of the Torah with 85 or more letters is itself considered a "book," and therefore, according to some of the Jewish sages, this passage of Scripture actually demarcates a separate book of the Torah! If so, instead of the five books of Moses, we would have seven:

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers (1:1-10:34)
5. Numbers (10:35-36)
6. Numbers (10:37-ff)
7. Deuteronomy
 

Before Moses would lead the Israelites to a new station in the wilderness, he would order the ark to be moved by the Levites and then would chant "Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you!" When the Shechinah rested, Moses would stop the procession of the camp and chant, "Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel."

However, on account of the "Sin of the Spies," Israel was refused entry into the Promised Land, and the "story" of what follows after Numbers 10:35-36 - namely, the outbreak of fiery judgment and the subsequent exile - was sadly written as history instead. What should have been written is that the LORD (as symbolized by the presence of the ark) entered the land with the redeemed Israelites on account of their faith in His promises. According to these sages, this part of the Torah is "yet to be written" and will be altered when the Messiah comes.

Why don't the Nun's face each other? According to the Talmud (Yoma 54a), the two Nuns picture the two keruvim (cherubs) which hovered over the Ark of the Covenant. When the Jewish people pleased God, the cherubs would face one another; if, however, they were disobedient, these angelic creatures would turn away from one another in the direction of the Holy Temple. Sin causes a rip in the fabric of spiritual reality, causing the angels of God (symbols of the Divine Presence) to turn away....

From a Messianic perspective, it is fascinating to see that what immediately preceeds this "book" is the story of Yitro (Jethro), Moses' Gentile father-in-law, who was offered to partake of the blessings of Israel. This is a perhaps a picture of the so-called "Church age" - i.e., the time when God would offer His salvation to the nations of the world (as represented by Jethro) just before a time of purging of national Israel. In other words, we can read this parenthetical "book" as a time of special dispensation for the nations of the world to turn to the "Son of Life" and be saved.

 

5. Gematria of Nun
   According to Jewish gematria, Nun represents the number 50 - a number representing freedom and fullness of life.
    
   • 50 days from the Exodus to the giving of the Torah (50 days for the count of the Omer)
   • 50 years for a Jubilee Year (yovel)
   • 50 references to Exodus in the Torah
   • 50 years of age before one has wisdom
     
      
6. Nun represents Mashiach ben David
   Nun is the fourteenth letter of the alphabet, which equals "David," the forefather of the Kingdom of Israel. The heir to David is Mashiach ben David, of whom is said: "As long as the duration of the sun his name shall rule":
   
   
   
   May his name be eternal; while the sun lasts, may his name endure; let men invoke his blessedness upon themselves; let all nations count him happy. Psalm 72:17
   
   The sages interpret the verb yinon in this verse to refer to the Messiah, and may be literally read as "may His Name Nun (propagate)."
   
   Regarding the Mashiach Yeshua, one day all Israel will sing the final verses of Psalm 72 before Him and to the glory of the Father:

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious Name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen! (Psalm 72:18-19)

7. Crowned Letters
   In some Torah Scrolls, eight Hebrew letters are given special adornment by attaching three "tagin" or crownlets to them.  Collectively these letters are sometimes called "sha'atnezgets" letters (for Shin, Ayin, Tet, Nun, Zayin, Gimmel, and Tsade).
   
   Midrash ascribes the origin of the tagin as part of mattan Torah - the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The Talmud describes Moses wondering about why God was affixing these embellishments to certain letters of the Torah:
   
   "When Moses went up to God, he found God sitting and putting little crowns on the top of the letters of the Law. He said to God, 'Who is it that forces You to put crowns to the letters of the Law [which You have already written]? He replied, 'A man is to appear on earth after many generations, Akiba b. Joseph by name, who will expound for each top of every letter of the Law heaps and heaps of rulings'...." Talmud (Menachot 29b)
   
   
   
   Some people have wondered if these crownlets are the "tittles" referred to by Jesus in Matthew 5:18, although it is unclear that the tagin were in use at that time. It is more likely that the "tittle" refers to the "kots" or "thorn" that projects from a letter.
   
   
   

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The letter Samekh is the 15th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 60. The pictograph for Samekh looks something like a shield, whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a circular shape with a squared left corner:




According to Jewish midrash, the Ten Commandments were written by the “finger of God”
(Ex. 31:18) upon two “tablets of stone” made of blue sapphire as a symbol of the heavens and God's throne. According to rabbinic tradition they were perfect cubes, with the letters bored fully through the stone (Ex. 32:15). This was a miracle, since the inner part of the Samekh “floated” in place.

1. The Meaning of Samekh
   The root of the word Samekh means “to lean upon,” “to uphold,” or “to support.” The root is also found in the Jewish concept of semikhah, the laying on of hands upon the head of a sacrificial victim in a blood ritual of the Jewish Temple, which was also a means of consecrating the priesthood (Lev 8; Exodus 29, etc.). Biblical references to the root occur in Lev 16:21, Deut 34:9, Ezekiel 24:2, and elsewhere. In ancient times, Samekh may have represented a shield. Today, the Jewish Rabbinical ordination ceremony is called a semikhah.
   
   
   
   Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting.  Aaron and his sons shall lay (samakh) their hands on the head of the bull. Exodus 29:10
   
   
   
2. The Mystery of Samekh
   According to the Chaz’l (sages), Samekh is said to represent the endless and ever-ascending spiral of God’s glory in the universe. This cycle is hinted at in the divine (seder) of creation, and is revealed in both the seasons and in the rhythm of the Jewish mo’deim (festivals).
   
   
   
   Samekh is also the letter for Sukkah, indicating that God’s omnipresence is our support and shelter. God is active in His support for creation (Hebrews 1:3), and we are passive in relying our trusting in His provision and care for our lives.
   
   
   
3. Samekh and the Priestly Blessing
   The letter Samekh represents the number 60, and some of the Jewish sages have noted that this is the same number of letters found in the Birkat Kohanim - the “Priestly Blessing” found in Numbers 6:23-27.
   
   
   
   Also of note is the fact that the Priestly Blessing’s 60 letters are used to form 15 words - the same ordinal number that represents the letter Samekh. Notice that the Gematria for the word “Samekh” is 120 (Samekh+Mem+Kaf), which represents the double portion of blessing given in both the former covenant and the newer covenant of Yeshua.
   
   
   
4. The Gematria of Samekh
   The letter Samekh is represented as Yod - Hey in the Hebrew numbering system, which is also one of the Sacred Names of God.
   
   
   
   
   
5. The Miracle of Samekh
   The letter Nun, which immediately precedes the letter Samekh in the alphabet, suggests someone who is “bent,” or someone who humbles himself in brokenness and submission to the LORD God.  Putting these two letters together, we have the Hebrew word nes, miracle.
   
   
   
   
   A person of faith is a walking miracle! The LORD gives support to the fallen and broken ones who put their trust in Him. Indeed, this is directly illustrated in Psalm 145, an acrostic Psalm that begins it’s verse about Samekh as follows:

The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

6. Enlarged Samekh
   There is a textual oddity that STA”M soferim (scribes) preserve in Ecclesiastes 12:13, where the Samekh is enlarged:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

In light of the all-encompassing presence of God in the world (as represented by the letter Samekh), our primary response should be one of reverent awe and obedience.

 

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The letter Ayin is the 16th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 70. The pictograph for Ayin looks something like an eye, whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a Yod (with a descending line) and embedded Zayin.



From the Canaanite pictograph, the letter morphed into the Phoenician /ketav Ivri , to the Greek letter Omicron, which eventually became the Latin letter “O.”

1. The Meaning of Ayin
   The word Ayin means “eye,” “to see,” and by extension, to understand and obey (see Jer. 5:21, Isa. 6:10, Matt. 13:15, etc.). Ayin further represents the primeval light, that is, the spiritual light of God mentioned in Gen. 1:3 (in distinction to celestial lights mentioned in Gen. 1:14-18). According to Jewish midrash, this divine light is far greater than the light that emanates from the sun and stars. Though concealed in the Torah, the spiritual eye can behold the presence of this radiance, but only by means of inner eye given by the Ruach HaKodesh.
   
    
2. Allegories of Ayin
   Ayin is sometimes described as having two eyes that connect to a common “optic nerve” that leads to the brain. The two eyes represent choice or the actions of the will (i.e., the heart). We can choose whether to use the good eye or the evil eye to perceive things; we can choose to see the glass as half full rather than half empty.
   
   Ayin (like the letter Aleph) is a silent letter. It is said that Ayin “sees” but does not speak, and therefore represents the attitude of humility (or anavah). Anavah begins with an Ayin, as does the word for service (avodah) and yoke (ol). On the other hand, Ayin can represent idolatry (avodah zara) as well as slavery (avedut), both of which are born out of the heart of envy.
   
   When the eye is evil (ayin ra), it becomes a slave to the purposes of sin and the yetzer hara (the evil impulse). As Rashi said, “The heart and the eyes are the spies of the body: they lead a person to transgress; the eyes see, the heart covets, and the body transgresses (Bamidbar 15.39).
   
   
   
   A person is said to be olam katan, a minature world. The eye reflects the world outside and reveals the world inside. A person’s outlook reveals their inner character. This is part of what Jesus meant when He said, “The eye is the light of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matt. 6:22-23).
   
   According to the Talmud (Shabbat 104a), the good eye of Ayin looks toward Samekh in the alphabet and stands for the acronym semokh (“support”) anaiyim (“the poor”). That is, the ayin tovah (“good eye”) will manifest itself in benevolence and charity toward others. On the other hand, the ayin hara (“evil eye”) will look to the letter Pey (mouth), considering how it might consume for itself in greed and envy.
   
   
   
3. The Gematria of Ayin
   The letter Ayin can be represented as the number 16 (from its ordinal position within the Alphabet), as 17 (from its component values of Yod (10) and Zayin (7)); as 70 (from its number within the alphabet), as 130 (from its plenary spelling: Ayin (70), Yod (10), and Nun (50)), and so on. The value 130 is thought to be suggestive of the ladder (selum) of Sinai, both words which equal 130, which suggests that the spiritual eye sees the Torah as the means of approaching God.
   
   Of particular interest, however, is the number 70, since it occurs frequently within Scripture and Jewish tradition. In Scripture we read that 70 souls went into Egypt, 70 elders of Israel saw the God of Israel on Mt. Sinai, 70 sacrifices made for the nations (during the festival of Sukkot), and Israel was subject to 70 years of exile in Babylon. In Jewish tradition, there are 70 members of the Sanhedrin, 70 words of Kaddish, 70 “faces of Torah,” 70 Names of God, and 70 birth pangs until the coming of the Mashiach.
   
   
    
4. The Eye(s) of the LORD
   In the Scriptures, God’s intimate knowledge of our lives is sometimes referred to as the “Eye of the Lord.” Adonai’s eyes are in every place, observing both the good and evil (Prov. 15:3). [This is sometimes referred to as hashgachah.] The LORD’s eyes focus throughout the whole earth to defend the righteous (2 Chr. 16:9) and to sustain and deliver those who are hoping in His chesed (faithful mercy).

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

6. Enlarged Ayin
   The Ayin of the first word of the Shema is enlarged, perhaps as a reminder that we should both hear (obey) and see (understand) that the LORD God of Israel is the One true God to whom we owe our lives.
   
    
7. Crowned Letters
   In some Torah Scrolls, eight Hebrew letters are given special adornment by attaching three "tagin" or crownlets to them.  Collectively these letters are sometimes called "sha'atnezgets" letters (for Shin, Ayin, Tet, Nun, Zayin, Gimmel, and Tsade).
   
   Midrash ascribes the origin of the tagin as part of mattan Torah - the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The Talmud describes Moses wondering about why God was affixing these embellishments to certain letters of the Torah:
   
   "When Moses went up to God, he found God sitting and putting little crowns on the top of the letters of the Law. He said to God, 'Who is it that forces You to put crowns to the letters of the Law [which You have already written]? He replied, 'A man is to appear on earth after many generations, Akiba b. Joseph by name, who will expound for each top of every letter of the Law heaps and heaps of rulings'...." Talmud (Menachot 29b)
   
   
   
   Some people have wondered if these crownlets are the "tittles" referred to by Jesus in Matthew 5:18, although it is unclear that the tagin were in use at that time. It is more likely that the "tittle" refers to the "kots" or "thorn" that projects from a letter.
   
   

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The letter Pey is the 17th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 80. The pictograph for Pey looks something like a mouth, whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a Kaf with an inverted Vav (or an ascending Yod):



Notice the “hidden Bet” within the letter Pey. This morphology (shape) of the letter is required when a sofer (Torah scribe) writes Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls), tefillin (phylacteries), or mezuzot (mezuzahs). More about the components of the letter Pey follows below.

From the Canaanite pictograph, the letter morphed into the Phoenician/ketav Ivri, to the Greek letter (Pi), which eventually became the Latin letter “P.”

1. The Meaning of Pey
   The word Peh () means “mouth” and by extension, “word,” “expression,” “vocalization,” “speech,” and “breath.”  In the order of the Hebrew alphabet, Pey follows the letter ‘Ayin, suggesting the priority of the eyes (i.e., understanding, awareness) before verbal expression (negatively, reversing this order results in “blind consumption” or mindless chatter). The chokhmah (wise one) is swift to observe and then to offer an opinion about something.  ‘Ayin gives insight, but it is the peh (mouth) that gives insight expression.
   
    
2. The Mystery of Pey
   Many kabbalists claim that the letter Pey is composed of two other letters: Kaf and Yod. Since one of the meanings of Kaf is “container” (i.e., spoon), it is suggested that the letter Pey is a picture of the divine spark (Yod) of God within the soul (Kaf, understood as a container for the soul).
   
   Since peh (mouth) follows ‘ayin (eye), certain Jewish mystics have maintained that though the ‘ayin is the gateway to reality, the mouth is what brings reality into being. This is alluded to within the Scriptures, especially when God’s creative activity (YHVH’s Word) is considered. In fact, the Onkelos (a well-respected ancient Aramaic targum (translation) that dates back to the first century) rendered the phrase, nefesh chaiyah (“a living soul”) as ruach memalla’ (“a speaking spirit”) in Genesis 2:7. God’s speech creates reality, and since man is made b’tzelem Elohim (in the image of God), the sages reasoned that it was the power of speech and rationality that distinguished mankind from the lower animals that the LORD God created.
   
   Since speech is related to memory, the sages have reasoned that the Hebrew word zachor (“remember”) implies the vocalization of what was remembered. Thus the tradition of reciting Kiddush on Shabbat (based on Exodus 20:8) is explained, as is the custom of “remembering Amalek” by public recitation during the Torah reading liturgy.
   
    
3. The Hidden Bet in Pey
   The inner space of the letter Pey reveals the letter Bet.  Since the first word of Scripture (bereshit) begins with an enlarged letter Bet (representing the house of creation), it is inferred that the invisible letter Pey (surrounding the Bet) represents the Word of God that created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1; John 1:1-3). In other words, the very first letter of the Scriptures is a picture that the ‘Word’ of God is the agency behind the entire universe (Psalm 33:6).
   
   A drash on the hidden Bet suggests that since Pey means mouth and Bet means home, what is spoken within the home is likewise spoken outside the home. In other words, our private conversation within our homes will reflect itself in our public life. Conversely, what we speak in public will also affect the quality of our life at home.
   
    
4. The Gematria of Pey
   The letter Pey represents the (ordinal) number 17 and the mispar (standard number) 80. The number 80 is the same value found in the words yesod (foundation) and gevurah (strength). This is also the age of Moses when he was called to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt, and seems to be indicative of a sign of strength in human life
   (Psalm 90:10).
   
    
5. The Two Forms of Pey
   The letter Pey has both a medial form () and a sofit form (). The medial form is said to be “bent” in humility, suggestive of a “closed mouth.” The sofit form, however, is said to be “open” and “upright.” The midrash is that we must be silent and humble before we straighten ourselves to speak. If the mouth cannot bring forth praise and the truth of Torah, it should remained closed (Prov. 10:19).
   
    
6. The Midrash of Moses’ Mouth
   According to midrash (Shemot Rabbah 1:31), as a very young lad Moses was once seen throwing Pharaoh’s gold crown down to the ground.  Upon learning of this apparent act of insolence, Pharaoh devised a test to see if the child understood the implications of his actions. He therefore commanded that a platter with a piece of gold and a glowing piece of coal be brought before Moses and ordered the little boy to choose one. If Moses chose the gold, it would imply that he understood its value, and therefore he would be killed. On the other hand, if Moses chose the burning coal, he would be spared since he was unable to differentiate between gold and a glowing piece of coal.
   
   Moses began to reach out for the gold when an angel pushed his hand aside and he grabbed the coal instead. Moses then immediately put his hand in his mouth, but that burned his lips and tongue so badly that he had a permanent speech impediment as a consequence.
   
   Later, when God commissioned Moses to speak to the children of Israel, he protested to the LORD that he was kevad peh - “heavy of mouth” and kevad lashon, “heavy of tongue,” and therefore unable to speak on behalf of the LORD (Ex. 4:10). God reminded him that He was the Creator of the mouth: "Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?" (Ex. 4:11). The LORD was then angry with Moses for his reluctance and decreed that "because of your words" he would not be permitted to be a kohen (priest), but his brother Aaron would.
   
   Another midrash says that at age 80, Moses was given a “new mouth” to teach the people with, and yet another says that it was a sign to the Israelites in Egypt that Moses, the stutterer, could speak the divine Name perfectly when he stood before the people as God’s mediator.
   
    

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The letter Tsade (or Tzadi) is the 18th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of 90. The pictograph for Tsade looks something like a man on his side (representing need), whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a (bent) Nun with an an ascending Yod:



Hebrew speakers may also call this letter Tzaddik ("righteous person"), though this pronunciation probably originated from fast recitation of the Aleph-Bet (i.e., "Tzade, Qoph" -> "tsadiq").

From the Canaanite pictograph, the letter morphed into the Phoenician/ketav Ivri, to the (archaic) Greek letter (Sampi), which eventually became the Latin letter “Z.”

1. The Meaning of Tsade
   Tzadi () got its name from the shape of a "fishing hook" or perhaps a bird trap, which is related to the root tzod (), meaning "to hunt, catch, capture." Notice that the letter itself is formed from a bent Nun and a Vav.  The Nun represents a humble and faithful servant (the crowned Vav) that is bent in submission. The Yod represents a hand lifted to heaven, or the Spirit of God. The tzaddik - the righteous person -- is therefore revealed in the letter form as a faithful servant with his arms raised before the LORD in humility. As such, some of the sages have said that the letter Tsade represents the tzaddikim (righteous ones) that are the yesod (foundation) of the earth:

When the storm passes through, the wicked are swept away,
but the righteous are an everlasting foundation. (Prov 10:25)

Since God alone is perfectly righteous and upright (tzaddik v’yashar - Deut 32:4), and His righteousness is the only true foundation of the universe, the tzaddik is said to reflect the divine image (b’tzselem elohim) when he or she lives in humility and dependence upon Him for the ability to live in trusting obedience to His will.

Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith. (Hab 2:4)

Other words that suggest a connection between obedience and righteousness are tzedek (righteous) and tzedakah (righteous deeds, righteousness).  Just as the melakhim (angels) are God’s messengers in heaven, so the tzaddikim are said to be  God’s messengers upon the earth.

2. The Primordial Letter
   The noted kabbalistic Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572) maintained that God created the world by an act of tzimtzum () -- a voluntary withdrawal or contraction -- in order to “make room” for His creation. Since tzimtzum begins with the letter Tsade, Luria reasoned that the first creative act was this voluntary humbling of God as He made room for the other forms of life He was to create.
   
   
   
   The concept of tzimtzum is somewhat paradoxical, since, on the one hand, if God did not restrict Himself, then nothing could exist - everything would be overwhelmed by God's totality; and on the other hand, God continuously sustains the created universe (immanence).
   
   From the perspective of the tzaddik, tzimtzum means “making yourself less in order to make others more,” another allusion to the humility that is embedded within the the righteous person.
   
   
3. The Mate of Aleph
   Connected with the tzimtzum idea of Rabbi Luria is the view that Tsade is the “mate” of the letter Aleph. This is seen somewhat in the letter forms themselves, and suggests that God and His redeemed creation (His tzaddikim) would be joined together in love.  Since Aleph represents the Creator, and Tsade represents the reflection of His image, an allusion to kallat Mashiach - the Bride of Messiah - can be seen.
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Gematria of Tsade
   The ordinal value for Tsade is 18, with a numerical value of 90. 18 is the number of chai, life, and 90 is significant in Jewish tradition as the fulness of life, as Pirkei Avot 5:21 relates:
    

   ... At five years old a person should study the Scriptures, at ten years the Mishnah, at thirteen the commandments, at fifteen the Talmud, at eighteen the bridechamber, at twenty for one's life pursuit, at thirty for authority, at forty for discernment, at fifty for counsel, at sixty to be an elder, at seventy for gray hairs, at eighty for special strength (Psalm 90:10), at ninety for decrepitude...

   Sarah was also 90 years old when she became pregnant with Yitzchak (Isaac).  Moreover, the gematria for hatzaddikim (the righteous ones) and the phrase ha’or ki tov (the light was good) is the same (259). The word Tzadi () itself has the value of 104, which is the same as the word le’lamed meaning “to teach.”
    

5. The Two Forms of Tsade
   The bent form of Tsade represents righteous humility, but also is a picture of the suffering Tzaddik, which is also a picture of the LORD Yeshua (as Kiddushin 406 states, “suffering atones for sins”).
   
   
   
   The sofit form of the letter represents the elevated Tzaddik, standing up with arms lifted upward in victory and praise.
   
   
   
6. Crowned Letters
   In some Torah Scrolls, eight Hebrew letters are given special adornment by attaching three "tagin" or crownlets to them.  Collectively these letters are sometimes called "sha'atnezgets" letters (for Shin, Ayin, Tet, Nun, Zayin, Gimmel, and Tsade).
   
   Midrash ascribes the origin of the tagin as part of mattan Torah - the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The Talmud describes Moses wondering about why God was affixing these embellishments to certain letters of the Torah:
   
   "When Moses went up to God, he found God sitting and putting little crowns on the top of the letters of the Law. He said to God, 'Who is it that forces You to put crowns to the letters of the Law [which You have already written]? He replied, 'A man is to appear on earth after many generations, Akiba b. Joseph by name, who will expound for each top of every letter of the Law heaps and heaps of rulings'...." Talmud (Menachot 29b)
   
   
   
   Some people have wondered if these crownlets are the "tittles" referred to by Jesus in Matthew 5:18, although it is unclear that the tagin were in use at that time. It is more likely that the "tittle" refers to the "kots" or "thorn" that projects from a letter.
   
   

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Hebrew for Christians
Copyright © John J. Parsons
All rights reserved.