Knowledge Message for March 17, 2014 inspired from The Study of the Hebrew Letters
We’ve washed the temple clean
We’ve learned not to place in it the obscene
We’ve heard words spoken by the wise
We realize that the war is inside
Use the Blessed letters, let them resonate over time
these are the tools for the renewing of your mind
Learn and study the letters each day
building upon a firm foundation that will not be burned away.
Written on the forth stone is the Alef & Tav. The beginning and the End of the Alef Beth.
The portion below was taken from the Talmuld and was written by children learning the letters and Torah.
Shabbos 104a
Alef Bet [means] 'learn wisdom
Gimel Dalet [means] 'show kindness to the Poor
He, Vav [means] 'that is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He
Zayin, Chet, Tet, Yod, K(h)af, Lamed: [this sequence teaches,] and if thou doest thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, will sustain [Zan] thee, be gracious [Hen] unto thee, show goodness [meTib] to thee, give thee a heritage [Yerushah], and bind a crown[Kether] on thee in the world to come.
The open Mem and the closed Mem [denote] open teaching [Ma'amar] and closed [esoteric] teaching.
The bent Nun and the straight Nun: the faithful [Ne'eman] if bent [humble], [will ultimately be] the faithful, straightened.
Samech, Ayin: support [Semak] the poor ['aniyyim]. Another interpretation: devise ['aseh] mnemonics [Simanin] in the Torah and [thus] acquire [memorize] it.
The bent Peh and the straight Peh [intimate] an open mouth [peh], a closed mouth.
A bent Tsadeh and a straight Tsadeh: the righteous [zaddik] is bent [in this world]; the righteous is straightened [in the next world]
Qof [stands for] Kadosh [holy]; Resh [for] Rasha’ [wicked]
: why is the face of the Kuf averted from, the Resh? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I cannot look at the wicked. And why is the crown of the Kuf turned toward the Resh? The Holy One, blessed be He, saith: If he repents, I will bind a crown on him like Mine. And why is the foot of the Kuf suspended? [To show] that if he repents, he can enter and be brought in [to God's favor] through this [opening]. This supports Resh Lakish, for Resh Lakish said: What is meant by, Surely he scorneth the scorners, But he giveth grace unto the lowly? If one comes to defile himself, he is given an opening; if one comes to cleanse himself, he is helped.
Shin [stands for] SHeker [falsehood]; Tav [for] emeTH [truth]