The Secret of the Letter Dalet – When the Poor is Lifted

The numerical value of the letter Dalet is four, representing the receiving poor one. Unlike the three sides of a triangle, where each line is connected to all others functioning as a giver and transmitter from one point to the other (which is why the numerical value of Gimel is three), in the four sides of the square formed by the gematria of the letter Dalet, one side remains unconnected to the opposite side, resembling in this way a lonely poor one.

Its numerical value, four, also expresses the poverty of the physical world, being limited to the four directions - east, west, north, and south, as opposed to the infinite realms of the spiritual dimension.

This poverty is hinted at both in the numerical value of the letter Dalet, four, and in its two lines, the horizontal and vertical, expressing this limited expansion to the four corners of the world.

On the other hand, only through the attempts of this material and limited world can a person ascend to spiritual heights that he cannot achieve later after being in the afterlife. As is advised by the wisest of men in the Book of Ecclesiastes: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom in the grave, where you are going.” And so testified the dybbuks (spirits of deceased that entered into people) after they defiled their mouths as spirits and were asked by those standing there, how could they be capable of this after they have passed and are in the world of truth, aware of the severity of the matter? They replied that only by being in a body in this world could they rectify their character, for the material body serves as a tool for shaping the soul, which upon coming to this world is considered a spiritual raw material. And since in this world, they accustomed themselves to be angry and foul-mouthed, and thus left this world without fixing their character traits, so they remain forever.

It follows that the two aspects of this world – its limitation on one hand, in the aspect of poverty, and on the other hand its ability to elevate a person to spiritual heights in the aspect of elevation – are hinted at in the letter Dalet.

The Letter Dalet According to the Secret

According to the secret, in the order of the four worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, the fourth world is the world of action, where the physical universe is found, poor relative to the three higher worlds: Atzilut, Beriah, and Yetzirah. These worlds are described in Kabbalah as descending evolution from the high world of Atzilut to the world of action, with each world receiving from the illumination of the world above it and influencing the world that evolves from it. Only the fourth poor world, low and last in comparison to them, is considered merely a recipient.

In the structure of the sefirot, the letter Dalet corresponds to the last sefirah, Malchut, which is poor, having nothing of its own. Besides, it corresponds to the fourth sefirah, Chesed, as explained above.

In the introduction to the holy Zohar, it is explained that one who has the proper intent with the letter Dalet in the word "Echad" in the verse “Hear, O Israel: Hashem is our God, Hashem is one,” and at that moment regards Hashem as reigning over the four directions of the world and above and below, thus merits to influence high and esteemed abundance to that sefirah and that world that the letter Dalet represents (the poor Malchut, and this low world in the fourth world of action). The Zohar explains that this is hinted at in the way of the secret in the verse:

“Let the waters [spiritual abundance descending and rejuvenating] gather below the heavens [heavens are the source of descending abundance] to one place [to a specific place in the word one, which is the letter Dalet within it] and let the dry land appear [then shall the letter dry and poor by nature reveal its glory, as it has nothing on its own. Meaning that it causes the elevation and uplifting of the world, from the aspect of poverty].”

Therefore, the letter Dalet of the word "Echad" is written as a large letter. After a person brings down the abundance to the world in the verse of Shema Yisrael, when he continues with contemplation and intent to recite: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever,” he activates that abundance in the world to do good, as the verse says afterward “And God called the dry land Earth.” By saying this, the Creator gives fertility power to the dry soil to be an Earth, to grow trees, branches, and fruits.

Additionally, the Zohar explains in depth the wondrous and very deep secrets hidden within the verses.

The Letter Dalet – One of the Seven Double Letters

The letter Dalet is one of the seven double letters, BGDKP'RT, meaning it has a soft letter and a hardened letter (as explained above with the letter Bet). The soft letter is from the side of Chesed and expresses the soft and pleasant, while the hardened letter is from the side of Gevurah and expresses the hard and strong.

In the book of Yetzirah, it is written about the letter Dalet: “The letter Dalet was established, and a crown was tied to it, and Mars was created in the universe, day 3 in the year, and the right ear in the soul.” And as explained at the beginning there, it established the letter Dalet in wisdom. That is to say, that the root of human wisdom is embedded in the letter Dalet. Because wisdom is what draws and elevates a person above all living creatures and differentiates him from them in his ability to speak and in his ways of thinking. Conversely, the fool, lacking wisdom, descends, deteriorates, and degenerates. Moreover, a person who uses human wisdom harmfully can damage himself and all creation with a magnitude and scope that no animal can reach. Such a person is called a 'fool.' And as the language of the book of Yetzirah states: “Instead of wisdom, folly.”

Explanations of Words Containing the Letter Dalet

Since the essence of the letter Dalet is protrusion and emergence outward, its duplication creates the word Dad. Therefore, the one who hops lifting both feet is called Madda. The limb protruding and standing out from the side of a person is called a Yad (hand). And the one who throws a stone afar is called Mayadah.

A person who separates and distances himself from a group of people and sits by himself, first performed through the letter Bet, the letter of division. Since now he is outside of society, like protruding and sticking out (Dad), he sits Badad (alone). Also, the word “Nevdal” (separated) and the word “Levad” (alone) feature the letters “Bad” (from the analogy of tree branches, separated from the tree) adjacent. However, the loner is extreme in his alienation from society, thus the letter Dalet is doubled within it.

There is indeed another letter expressing outward protraction and emergence, but with a sharp and prickly protrusion, which is the letter Qof. In the Torah, it is written: “Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you.” The difference between a thorn and a thistle: Thorn, from the word 'end', is the piercing tip, as it is all end (and is therefore different from a surface, which has several ends, and thus is blunted). But the thistle is a plant called so because it is Dal (Dalet) and Rash (Resh), as it has no benefit. The duplication of 'Dar' indicates its complete emptiness, for in its growth in the field, not only does it not benefit, but it also requires labor to clear it for the preparation of the field for sowing.

The state of the poor is better than that of the wretched, of whom it is said “for the needy there is none.” The former is merely sparse, but has something - while the latter is completely destitute. (And likewise: this one has an additional Yud upon him, and this one lacks it, as discussed above). Therefore, descending from a low degree to an even lower degree is called declining, descending from the state of Dalet to the state of Resh.

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In the letter Dalet lies the power of going out beyond the average regularity. Both upwards in the aspect of elevation and downwards in the aspect of poverty. This power in the letter Dalet, to draw from here and to decline from there, acts both in wisdom and in all spiritual matter, such as dealing with urges, and in sustenance and all material matters, such as health, living conditions, and beauty.

The Letter Dalet in a Person's Name

From what has been said, it emerges that when the letter Dalet is present in a person’s name, especially if it is at the beginning of the name, he receives through the three spiritual abundance channels that flow in it (in its form, its number, and its pronunciation) the ability to elevate above average, in both spirituality and materiality. Furthermore, he gains wisdom and organizational ability, authority, and adherence to goals. Such a person tends towards optimism easily and is filled with joy.

It follows that if he chooses to direct his wisdom and his ability to step out from the normal and average towards performing uplifting and good deeds according to the teachings of his Creator, and works on refining his character traits with determination, through a constant aspiration to rise without resting in a normal and average spiritual level (and indeed does so gradually, step by step under the guidance of a Torah scholar), he ascends to greatness, both spiritual and material, and is ever immersed in inner and outer joy of life.

However, on the other hand, he may be tempted to negative deeds and employ his wisdom for descending below the normal and average. He is also capable of easily falling into feelings of inferiority and repressed severe emotions, executing as a result bizarre, illogical, and incomprehensible actions. For if he does not use the power within him and does not direct it to rising to heights and engage in positive activities of good deeds, Torah study, and character improvement, the instability of his soul’s upward and downward fluctuations might take him out of this world. For as mentioned, every spiritual root in every letter can activate positive actions or give rise to negative actions. The power of choice is given to a person, and he determines how it will function and what each root will grow.

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