The Letter Dalet: Elevation and Poverty

An emergence or protrusion outside the midline. Ascending upwards in the sense of deliyah (elevation) or descending downwards in the sense of poverty

The letter Dalet expresses the possibility of stepping outside the natural, usual, and average framework, either upwards or downwards. Therefore, it expresses the 'dal' (poor in material or spiritual possessions) and the 'dalui' – someone who has risen. On one hand, Dalet is from the expression "I have become impoverished, and Hashem saves me." On the other hand, it derives from "I will exalt You, Hashem, for You have lifted me." Thus, it appears like a lever raising upwards or lowering downwards.

In other words, after the one and absolute Creator (A') created a creation (B') consisting of parts (B') that give to one another (G') and thus the world is built, the letter Dalet provides each individual with the ability to change their natural state and initial fortune, to rise above or descend below, using the spiritual choice given to them.

The letter Dalet first appears in the Bible at the beginning of a word in the verse: "Let the earth grow vegetation." The nature of the grasses is to rise and grow quickly when heavily watered, and to wither and wilt quickly in the absence of water. They symbolize, in Psalms, the wicked who flourish quickly but fall suddenly (while "the righteous shall flourish like a palm," as explained there, grows slowly but with strength and stability). And this is the characteristic of the letter Dalet, to lift like a lever upwards and to lower downwards. Deliyah versus poverty.

The Shape and Pronunciation of the Letter Dalet

Dalet from the word delet (door). A door intended to open and move out of its frame within the wall, inwards or outwards. This is the essence of the letter Dalet – stepping outside the usual framework.

The door of the house is called a door because it is located where the wall of the house is missing and 'poor' due to the opening.

Indeed, the letter Dalet is shaped like a door revolving on its axis and open wide. The roof of the letter Dalet is the lintel – always wider than the door, while the leg of the Dalet represents the door open wide so that only its narrow side is visible.

And as mentioned, because the letter Dalet also expresses the elevation and raising upwards, and descending downwards, the shape of the letter Dalet resembles a lever lifting upwards and lowering downwards.

From another aspect, the letter Dalet hinting at the impoverished, as discussed in the Talmud: "Gimel Dalet – provide for the poor," shows in its shape the physical and emotional state of this person and teaches how to act towards him. Since the letter Dalet, like the impoverished, stands wobbly on one leg and turns its face shyly away from the benefactor in the letter Gimel. Therefore, the wide side of the letter Dalet is turned away from the letter Gimel. However, truly, the impoverished doesn't intend to reject kindness. The protrusion of the ear at the top of the letter Dalet, which points towards the benefactor, indicates that the impoverished is listening with great attention to the benefactor approaching him. Although he is ashamed to ask and even shows signs of refusal, deep down he is yearning for help. The benefactor must understand what is happening in the soul of the impoverished person and find ways to give to him in a manner that will not embarrass him.

The letter Dalet also teaches the impoverished how to behave. Despite his shame, he should not overly resist one who comes to give. That is why the leg of the Dalet tilts towards the Gimel. As the Talmud says: "Why is the leg of the Dalet extended towards the Gimel? So it can provide for itself." Meaning, it should present itself to be given to.

Furthermore, the shape of the letter Dalet teaches the benefactor how to welcome the impoverished when he knocks on his door. At that moment, the impoverished is full of fears and doesn't know how the wealthy person inside will treat him, behind the closed door. Therefore, the door represented by the letter Dalet appears wide open, to indicate to the wealthy to open the door to the impoverished not with a narrow gap, begrudgingly because of his presence, but wide open and with a cheerful countenance as one greets a welcomed guest, opening the door wide so only the narrow side is visible.

From another aspect, as the letter Dalet also expresses lifting and raising upwards, the shape of the letter Dalet resembles a crane lifting from the ground upwards.

It is remarkable that poverty and elevation meld and are hinted at in the same letter. For indeed, it is poverty that enables full elevation. Like the one drawing a bucket from the depths of a well. And as King David says in his gratitude to Hashem, after being pursued by the King of Israel and then crowned himself as king over Israel: "I will exalt You, Hashem, for You have lifted me" – You have raised me and brought me out of my impoverished state.

Indeed, when a person's livelihood or health dwindles (Dalet), they pause from their habitual race and examine what the Creator desires from them that He has lowered them to such a state, and by doing so, they correct their ways. Then they discover that their poverty and material hardships, whether monetary or physical, have raised them to spiritual heights. Indeed, in the letter Dalet lies the message for the reason of suffering and troubles in this world: poverty and descent on one side, the material side, are meant for elevation and lifting on the more important side. Therefore, the shape of the letter Dalet is like a seesaw where one side is longer, to show its importance. Thus, the wisest of men advises in Proverbs: "The discipline of Hashem, my son, do not despise; and do not be weary of His reproof. For whom Hashem loves, He reproves, as a father the son He favors." For lowering a person below average in livelihood, health, or any other important area is intended for one of two purposes, or both together: one, to cleanse them of spiritual blemishes created by their sins; and two, to elevate them by removing them from the race of their routine life, to have them contemplate their actions against the purpose for which they were created, and conduct a soul-searching with themselves. And when it comes to bodily suffering and illnesses, they also have the power to elevate the person to a degree where they disdain the worldly desires they've chased all their days, and begin to understand what is primary and what is secondary in life. Hence, the descent and poverty are meant for elevation and uplifting.

The Righteous Suffers

However, it should be noted that there is a righteous person who suffers because of the sins of the generation to atone for them. The explanation is, since all of Israel is considered as one soul with many parts woven together (as the Ramak has elaborated on this). Therefore, when a severe decree is issued against many of the people, it is possible for the single righteous person to suffer instead of the many, since the righteous, elevated by his Torah and good deeds, is considered equivalent to many. And this is no injustice towards him, for his reward is great and immense as many are saved thanks to him and they are left with the opportunity to remain in the world and repent. And even he, the righteous, upon reaching the world of truth, thanks his God for having granted him these sufferings. As an example, note the letter of response from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal) to his revered teacher Rabbi Benjamin the Kohen, who sent a request to his great disciple: "...Therefore I wish to turn to your esteemed honor: point out my flaws! What is the reason for all these dreadful afflictions? From head to toe, I am not whole". And Ramchal answers him with what was revealed to him by a heavenly guide: "...And because you asked about your reproofs, which Hashem gave to your esteemed Torah in His love for you. By my life! For truly such a thing was spoken to me by an angel, that they are only for the sin of the generation and its rectification. And this matter at length and in clarity: thus divided our sages..." Rabbi Benjamin was one of the spiritual giants and Kabbalists of his generation, and is revered by the "Yad Malachi" as: "The great rabbi renowned among all the people, an elder who works wonders, holy," etc.

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