Unlocking the Mysteries of the Letter Lamed in Jewish Tradition

The letter Lamed is named for its shape, which resembles a goad used in cattle herding, and its meaning is learning. This physical tool for guiding cattle is called a "melamed," and the essence of the letter is about learning in general. Learning directs one's energies toward the right purpose. Just as an ox, with its enormous strength, is directed by the melamed to plow, learning channels all a person's strengths toward the correct goal.

The use of the letter Lamed is an indication or direction. Every direction instructs the listener on what action to take: go home, go to the field, exit, enter. The physical direction of a person comes through their mental understanding, and thus it's interesting to note that in Assyrian script, the letter Lamed is constructed from a "Kaf," on which the letter "Vav" rides. "Kaf" is the physical power to make changes in material, and "Vav" is the power of knowledge. Knowledge directs a person's strength toward the correct actions.

The Talmud in Tractate Shabbat describes the proximity of the letter "Kaf" to "Lamed": "Hashem ties a crown for you in the World to Come." Here, the letter Lamed serves as a direction. The "World to Come" begins with an "Ayin," and is not symbolized by Lamed, but the closeness of "Kaf" to Lamed signifies that a person should direct their strength toward the correct goal, and this will ultimately lead them to the World to Come.

It is explained that the placement of the letter "Vav" above the letter "Kaf" expresses the domination of the power of knowledge over a person's strengths. However, there is something unique here; the letter "Vav" extends above the highest line of all letters. This is because learning and using the strengths of the letter Lamed lead to spiritual growth and elevation, and as the Zohar calls it, the letter Lamed is a "tower floating in the air." Through the power of knowledge, one rises beyond their framework and lifts off the ground. From this, we also understand the number of the letter Lamed, as the number thirty signifies growth spiritually, multiplying the number three by ten.

The first word in the Torah that begins with the letter Lamed is "lailah" (night). Night is a time when it is difficult for a person to navigate, to know where to turn, but precisely because of this, at night, a person must use their mental power to act. To operate at night, a person observes, checks, and thinks, mainly through intellectual power, and only then does he walk or act. Also, on a spiritual level, the Sages said (Eruvin 65): "Night was created only for learning." During this time, when working in the field is difficult, a person enriches themselves and enhances their knowledge, thus learning how to lead their life.

Lamed seeks purpose, and to understand the essence of something, we ask "Why?" The "Mem" means essence, and together with "Lamed," it forms the question "Why?"

Lamed is pronounced by the tongue. The tongue is the "manager" of the mouth: it moves food from place to place until it is swallowed; in speech, it guides the words; and there is a special mechanism deep within it responsible for the regulation between eating and breathing, which is why words associated with mouth actions often use the letter Lamed. Thus, in many words describing the act of eating, we find the letter Lamed, such as in words like 'swallow,' 'gobble,' 'throat,' 'jaws,' 'lick,' 'taste,' 'and lap' ("and drink and lap," Obadiah 1:16), and in the language of the Sages, also "gulp" and "chew."

Similarly, the letter Lamed appears in words describing the act of speech, such as 'language,' 'talk,' 'whisper,' and 'slander' (insinuating slanderous speech). When combined with "Ayin," where it represents distortion, words expressing distorted speech arise, like 'stammer,' 'foreign,' 'insult,' and 'mock' ("and they mocked," Chronicles II, 36:16, meaning they spoke disparagingly).

The letter Lamed, expressing lack of progress, is found in words meaning mixing since mixing creates a state where the situation cannot be clearly grasped. This is seen in words like 'knead,' 'blend,' 'mix,' and 'confusion' ("It is a blend," Leviticus 18:23, and also "a cataract in his eye," Leviticus 21:20).

This meaning of hindering progress is an expression of negation and absolute cancellation. Thus, the letter Lamed acts as a general negation, as in words like 'no,' 'without,' 'impossible,' 'except,' 'decay' (a thing that is ceasing), 'wilt' (plants drying and perishing), 'vanity' (something without reality and tangibility), 'limit' (denying growth), 'tired' (without strength), and 'clothe' (covering and hiding shame).