|
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.
- 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.
- 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."
- 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."
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
|
(av) is the word for Father, the One who creates the universe.
(rosh), which means head or chief:
(Bet-El), the habitation of God Almighty.
(ben elohim). Interestingly, if we combine the name for father 
(ben), we have the word 
(even) meaning stone. Even Ma'asu is the "Rejected Stone" and pictures the LORD Yeshua as the One rejected by Israel during His first advent.
(bara), and the word for son is 
(bar). If we separate the letters within the word for bara, we will have: 
(bar Aleph), which points to the Son of the Father (Aleph). Thus we have:
(dalut) in Hebrew means impoverished. Gimmel thus represents the free choice to run after the teaching of Torah by practicing acts of chesed (lovingkindness).
(gamal) means to deal out to, to give, or wean. The word 
(g'mul) means either recompense or benefit, indicating that the nature of the giving can lead to either blessing or judgment for the one who gives. In other words, how one chooses to "run" the race in Olam Hazeh will determine the outcome of his or her life in Olam Habah. Hence gemilut chasidim is the practice of kindness toward others.
, the verb to be, thus indicating that our giving affects the nature of our existence in the realm of the spirit. 
(go'el) is the name for the kinsmen Redeemer (Lev. 25:26; Num. 5:8; 35:19, 21-7; Deut. 19:6, 12; Jos. 20:5, 9; Ruth 3:9, 12; 4:14; 2 Sam. 14:11; Isa. 49:7). 
(gadol) and 
(gibbor), the great and mighty One who brings about true 
(ge'ulah) or redemption.
(dalah) which means to draw out or impoverish, and the word 
(pardes), an acronym formed from:
- P'shat (literal meaning based on historical intent of author)
- Remez (hint, allusion, analogy, allegory)
- D'rash (application, exposition)
- Sod (mystery, "deep" meaning)
(da'at), means the "door on the eye" using the ancient pictographs.
- Otiyot (letters). The 22 medial and 5 final forms of the Hebrew consonants.
- Nikudot (vowel marks). The vowel marks added to the text.
- Tagin (crowns). The crowned letters for the so-called Sha'atnezgets letters: Shin, 'Ayin, Tet, Nun, Zayin, Gimmel and Tzade.
- Ta'amim. Cantillation (or trope) marks used for chanting the Torah.
(yehudah) contains every letter of the Sacred Name 
except for the letter Dalet, suggesting that the door to the LORD would come through Judah. 
(dat), which means the "door of the cross" using the ancient pictographs. The Father (Aleph) sent His Son (Bet) and by means of the Holy Spirit (Gimmel) who makes appeal to the poor and needy to receive the grace of the LORD God of Israel. As Yeshua said, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20).
(Abram) was renamed to 
(Abraham) and 
(Sarai) was renamed to 
(Sarah). 
(ish), a man, becomes 
(ha-ish), the man.
) it implies the connection between spiritual and earthly matters. 
(et), it alludes to the creative connection between all of the letters. Vav is therefore the connecting force of the God, the divine "hook" that binds together heaven and earth.
(or chozer), or returning light. The Besht (Baal Shem Tov) said that just as a woman of valor is the crown of her husband, so Zayin, the 7th letter, is the crown of Vav.
(binah), meaning understanding. 
(mazon), meaning "food." But how is food or nourishment related to the sword? 
(z'man) into units of sevens: 
(machaira), a "short sword" that was sharpened on both edges of the blade. The two edges represent the two main parts of the Scriptures (the old and new testaments).
(chayim - life) and 
(chayah - living) both begin with this letter. True life comes from 
(chasidut - devotion). Chet (8) is also the number of grace, 
(chen) and the number of wisdom 
(chokhmah). 
(chavurah). 
(ahavah - love). It is also the value for 
(echad - one). Putting these ideas together, we can see that love unifies us in true fellowship, just as the Mashiach Yeshua taught us:
(chai) is short for chayim (life), and the letter Chet can be seen to resemble a doorway where the blood of the lamb was daubed during the first Passover (Exodus 12:7):
), the covenant of circumcision, occurs on the 8th day of a boy’s life, marking the beginning of of his life
(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.
(beged), meaning garment). Using the "reduced" form of gematria, the word 
(emet - truth) also has the value of 9:
(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. 
(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.”
- 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. 
(Judah), indicating a connection between "learning," YHVH, and the tribe of Judah (see Genesis 49:10).
![Proverbs 9:6[7h] (BHS)](http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/Aleph-Bet/Mem/isaiah9-7closedmem.gif)
![Proverbs 9:6[7h] (BHS)](http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/Aleph-Bet/Mem/isa9-6.gif)
![Proverbs 9:7[8h] (BHS)](http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/Aleph-Bet/Mem/isa9-7.gif)
and the reward for faithfulness. Moses is seen as the paradigmatic humble servant of the LORD.
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.
(seder) of creation, and is revealed in both the seasons and in the rhythm of the Jewish 
, to the Greek letter Omicron, which eventually became the Latin letter “O.”
means “eye,” “to see,” and by extension, to understand and obey (see 
(Pi), which eventually became the Latin letter “P.”
) 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.
) 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 (
(Sampi), which eventually became the Latin letter “Z.”
) 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: 
) -- 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.
