The Letter 'M': The Difference Between Transition and Arrival

A closed 'M', which is the final 'M', hints at life in this world after the resurrection of the dead, under the complete kingdom of Hashem. Then, it will be fulfilled: "He will swallow up death forever; Hashem will wipe away tears from all faces." As the final letters hint at and belong to the time of redemption, as previously explained. Since Hashem's kingdom now is not complete, because there are deniers in the world, the 'M' of His kingdom presently appears as cracked, in the mystery of the open 'M'. Similarly, since human life today is not eternal, as everyone is subject to death, the cracked 'M' expresses death. But in the future, it will be closed, indicating Hashem's complete kingdom, when "the earth will be full of knowledge of Hashem as the waters cover the sea", and the perfect eternal life of humans.

In the Talmud, it is explained that the letter 'M' hints at the deep secret teachings of the Torah. Sometimes they need to be covered and sealed from people's eyes and not revealed, and sometimes they need to be publicized and revealed. Thus the language of the Talmud:

"Open 'M', closed 'M', open statement, closed statement".

The explanation is that the 'M', hinting at water, which is the Torah compared to water, teaches in its two forms that there are times when hidden Torah knowledge needs to be flowed through the opening at the bottom of the open 'M', to bring it down and publicize it. This is when the listener or the people are thirsty for Torah. And there are times to seal the opening and hide the secrets of the Torah, in the manner of the closed 'M' whose opening is shut and all its treasures are kept inside. This is when the listener's heart, or the people's heart, is coarse in Torah matters, and does not appreciate its greatness and specialness, thus despising the secrets heard. In such a way, the Sages said, "If he did not merit, it becomes a deadly poison", and it is better that he does not know it.

Furthermore, it was explained that the open 'M' is like giving birth to the closed 'M', which hints at an embryo that cannot give birth at this time and is formed in the mystery of the 'M'. For further explanation according to the secret, see below.

Open and Closed 'M' According to the Secret

According to the secret, the closed 'M', sealed entirely like a square without an opening, symbolizes the attribute of Gvura, the measure of judgment which seeks to delay the flow of abundance into the world. The open 'M', however, symbolizes the attribute of Tiferet, which harmonizes kindness within judgments and is therefore slightly open, allowing some flow of abundance in measure. It is not like the attribute of Chesed that seeks to pour out without limit, both to the good and to the evil.

Therefore, the small lower opening of the 'M' creates the form of a 'Vav' standing alone, connected only at its top. Since the sixth letter, 'Vav', corresponds to the sixth Sefira, which is Tiferet.

In this light, we can understand why in the verse about King Hezekiah, who was not made the Messiah and whose redemption was delayed due to the argument of the attribute of judgment that he did not sing praise when miracles were performed for him, a closed 'M' appears in the middle of a word (!). Here are the words of the verse and the Sages in the Talmud:

"Lemarbe Hamisrah Ul'shalom Ein Ketz Al Kiseh David V'al Mamlechto." "Rabbi Tanchum taught, Bar Kappara expounded in Tzipori: Why is every 'M' in the middle of a word open, while this one is closed? Hashem sought to make Hezekiah the Messiah, and Sennacherib Gog and Magog. The attribute of judgment argued before Hashem: Master of the Universe! What of David, the king of Israel, who recited so many songs and praises before You, You did not make him the Messiah. But Hezekiah, for whom You performed all these miracles, and he did not sing before You, would You make him the Messiah? Therefore, it was sealed." That is to say, therefore the 'M' was sealed, hinting at the attribute of judgment signified by the closed 'M', which affected Hezekiah here.

See further the words of the Radbaz in his book "Magen David" about the only 'M' written open at the end of a word in the verse in the book of Nehemiah: "In the walls of Jerusalem that are breached [instead of: they are broken]". His wonderful words about the complex and deep connection between the above-mentioned 'M', the only one closed within a word in the Bible, and the only open 'M' at the end of a word in the Bible. This is from the wonders of our holy Torah.

Angel and King

The explanation of the word "Angel", a messenger. As in: "And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah." However, generally the word "angel" in the Torah refers to the spiritual messenger of Hashem. For example: "The angel of Hashem said to her," "And the angel of Hashem called to him from heaven," "And the angel of Hashem appeared to him" and so on.

The mission of the messenger is to convey an object or message from one place to another. Therefore, the first two letters in the word angel are the source letter – 'M', and the destination letter – 'L'. Mfrom here Lto there. The letter – A' represents the sender, the one Hashem. While the 'K' is the letter of giving shape. It comes as a final 'Kaf' ('Kaf') specifically, to express the final, completed result, and the descent of the mission below. After all, through the messenger the result was executed.

For the same reason, a person whose role is to act and reach goals on behalf of the people and for them, is called: "King". However, lacking the letter A', since he is not like an angel named for the essence of his mission by Hashem.

The Letter 'M' versus the Letter 'L'

As stated, the letter M' serves to express the source from which a person or object comes: Mfrom a certain city, Mfrom a certain factory, Mfrom a certain person. It answers the question: Mfrom where, Mwhere from. Meanwhile, the L' expresses the aspiration to reach a place or achievement: Lto a certain city, Lto know a certain book, and so on. It answers the question Lwhere to, Lto which destination you aspire to arrive.

Thus, both the 'L' and the 'M' consist of the letters 'Kaf' and 'Vav'. However, in 'L', the letter 'Vav' stands on the letter 'Kaf', while in 'M', the letter 'Vav' is adjacent to the 'Kaf' and connected at the top. In a final 'M', even the bottom of the 'Vav' is connected to the 'Kaf'.

In the letter 'L', the 'Vav' of knowledge and connection stands atop the 'Kaf' of form, appearing as a person gazing afar, planning with understanding where to go, and what is the shape of his path and route. Thus, it becomes the tallest letter, the letter of learning and aspiration to reach a goal.

In contrast, in the letter 'M', the 'Vav' of knowledge stands adjacent to the 'Kaf' of form. In this world, the main starting point from which everyone comes is the drop from which one is formed in the mother's womb. As the Mishnah in Avot states: "Know Mfrom where you came, and Lwhere you are going, and before whom you are destined to give account and reckoning. From where you came, Ma putrid drop. Where you are going, to a place of dust, worms and maggots. And before whom you are destined to give account and reckoning, before the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He." A person is formed in forty days in the mystery of the letter 'M', which consists of the letters 'Kaf' of form and 'Vav' of connection between partners and the amalgamation of two drops. Thus, the letter 'M' also expresses the source and beginning of a person's life. In contrast, being here in this world, a person contemplates with the power of the letter 'L' on the piercing question "Where are you going?"

And why does the letter 'L' precede the 'M', since initially, a person leaves their place (M), and only then arrives at (L) his desired destination? Because the letter 'L' does not express arrival, but the desire, the aspiration to reach a goal. And this is what a person does before leaving his place, in the manner of "the end of an action is first in thought".

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