Who Knows the Wisdom of the Secret of the Letters?

Before the exile, the study of the wisdom of the secret of the letters was widespread among the leaders of the people, to the point that even those deemed the wicked of Israel knew many secrets of the letters. As explained in the Zohar in the words of the prophet Isaiah to Ahaz, King of Judah (after prophesying that he would be saved from the King of Israel and the King of Aram who came together to fight him): "Ask for yourself a sign from Hashem your God". In the simple understanding, the prophet tells the king to ask for a sign that will prove to him that he will indeed be saved. However, the Zohar explains that in depth, he tells him: 'Choose for yourself one of the twenty-two letters, whose action you want – as per your understanding of the action of each letter – to perform the miracle that will be a sign for your salvation'. Here is the Zohar's text translated: "Rabbi Elazar began: 'Ask for yourself a sign from Hashem your God'. I observed the difference between the early generations and the later generations. The early generations knew and looked into the higher wisdoms [of the management of the Sefirot and the action of the letters] and knew how to combine the letters given to Moses at Sinai, according to their secret action. Even the wicked among the Israelites knew the inner wisdom of the higher letters, and knew the secret of the large letters in the Torah, and the secret of the small letters".

After detailing the action of the letters in the upper worlds, the Zohar refers to the composition of each letter's name from additional letters: "And the connection of the letters that are connected invisibly in each letter, for example, the letter Aleph, which is a unique letter, connects with it invisibly the letters Lamed and Peh, and together it is called Aleph. And thus, the filling of each letter, in all these, there are secrets revealed to Moses at Sinai. All these secrets are kept among the companions, blessed be they who merited them. This is what Isaiah told Ahaz 'Ask for yourself a letter', a real letter, because they all acted according to the secret combination of the letters".

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In light of this significant principle, that the Holy Tongue is an essential language and not a conventional one, it becomes clear why in the matter of the mitzvah of reading the Shema, one who reads the Shema in any other language fulfills his obligation only if he understands that language. However, one who reads the Shema in the Holy Tongue fulfills his obligation even if he does not speak Hebrew and does not understand the words he says. This is because, in every language, a person's thought infuses the words with meaning, as by themselves they have no substance. Hence, if he does not understand what he says, his speech is like a babbling of sounds without any meaning, and he does not fulfill the mitzvah of reading the Shema. However, the letters of the words in the Holy Tongue have intrinsic essence, and they are the content itself in essence. Therefore, their spiritual activity occurs even without his thought.

In holy writings such as the sections of Tefillin, Mezuzah, and the Torah Scroll, we are meticulous about each letter that it should not be missing, that it should be written properly, and be surrounded by parchment (a clean space) without joining another letter. The Ritva wrote that one who writes the Scroll of Esther in the script of other nations, its letters do not need to be surrounded by parchment. The explanation is that letters of other languages are mere signs, not substantive writing. Therefore, when the sign is understood, even if its form was not written correctly, it does not matter. However, in the holy letters where spiritual lights are hidden and flow within, they need to be in their correct form. For the spiritual flow from the Tefillin to the person who puts them on, and the enlightenment effect of the Mezuzah in the house, and the completeness of the Torah Scroll, occur only when the letters are complete as they should be. To illustrate, it can be compared to what is known in the world of electronic devices, where every little part missing causes them to become nonfunctional. Without it, they cannot operate or transmit and receive anything. Only the correct connection of all their parts and inner components breathes life into them and enables their function.

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In conclusion, it must be emphasized as mentioned earlier that although each letter represents a specific spiritual power operating in our world, this particular power is only a fundamental root that can yield positive or negative outcomes. The choice is given to a person whether to use and activate it for good or evil. This principle is true both in the actions of a person choosing to act with his powers and the powers of nature positively or negatively, and in the activation of the letters composing his name (as explained below in the chapters of the letters and in the special chapter dealing with the person's name). Similarly, each letter on one hand represents Hashem, and the good inclination He created, and all forces of holiness, and the abundance of goodness coming from the side of holiness; and on the other hand, each letter represents the Sam'el and his armies, which are all the forces of the other side, created by Hashem to test man with material challenges in this world, for him to build and shape his inner spiritual world, for his benefit.

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