The Letter Tzadi: Its Negative Aspect

The 'completeness' in every area, which the letter Tzadi expresses, is noticeable and prominent in its environment, like a complete vessel standing out among many broken pieces. Therefore, many words starting with Tzadi express something sprouting and standing out distinctly from its surroundings, such as: plant, tower, rock, scream, all starting with Tzadi. The doubling of the letter expresses the glimmering aspect repeating, appearing, disappearing, and reappearing, of the same object or sound. Examples include: tzitz (the golden piece on the High Priest's head), tzitzit (fringes on the corner of a garment), and also: peeking, glimmering (the 'egg' derived from this term, and the glimmer referring to appearing and disappearing again), sparkling, chirping, tweeting (all having a sharp, recurring sound).

On the other hand, gathering to a single point, to the center, a kind of unification of everything around into one completeness, is called: contraction, gathering, reduction, shrinking, fasting (contracting and subduing the body), narrow, distress.

Cutting (Chet) the whole (Tzadi) is called: division. Thus: partition, separation, barrier, and also arrow, as it cuts through the air in its flight.

While breaching (Peh) the whole (Tzadi) is called: breakage, splitting, division, explosion. As explained in the section dealing with the letter Peh, the letter Peh expresses opening. Hence, the combination of Tzadi and Peh creates a word signifying opening and disassembling the whole. The third letter in the root letters creates the difference between breach (root P.R.Tz.) into the closed whole, and splitting (root P.Tz.L.) into branches, or cracking (root P.Tz.Ch.) into parts, opening (root P.Tz.H., like the opening of the mouth against its natural closure), or injuring (root P.Tz.A.). And when it comes to disassembling the whole with great force into many pieces, there is a doubling of the meaning of the letter Tzadi, resulting in: P.Tz.Tz.

It is worth mentioning here that this complex and profound unity in Lashon HaKodesh (the holy tongue) is unparalleled in any other language.

The Negative Aspect of the Letter Tzadi

On the negative side, the letter Tzadi expresses distress and narrowness, and the hypocrite pretending to be a righteous person, as explained in the Midrash "Otiot d'Rabbi Akiva":

"Why does the Tzadi have two heads? Because this is Yeshu (and included in him and his image are all false messiahs and all wicked ones pretending to be righteous throughout the generations) who took two heads, one of Israel [true belief] and one of Edom [Esau, idolatry], and went and misled the people. When Israel saw this, they stood against him and captured him, etc. What did they expound? 'If your brother, the son of your mother, entices you.' Son of your mother [brother from the mother, since his mother was Jewish] and not son of your father [for his father was a gentile]".

The Midrash Dialogue of the Letters mentions: "Afterwards Tzadi entered and stood before Hashem and said, Master of the Universe! Would you like to create the world with me? In me, Your righteousness is stated for the future, as it says 'Your righteousness is like mighty mountains', 'You are righteous, Hashem, and Your judgments are correct', 'For Hashem loves righteousness'. Hashem replied and said to him: No. Because in you many troubles will befall Israel, as it says 'You have shown me many troubles', 'It is a time of trouble for Jacob', 'For it will come like a rushing river'. As stated above in several places, this deep Midrash explains the essence of each letter and its ability to act positively or negatively according to human actions. From the reason given for each letter requesting the world to be created through it, one can learn its positive essence, and from the reason why Hashem rejects it, one learns its negative potential.

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In summary, the letter Tzadi is the root of control (as in hunting), and symbolizes completeness (as in righteousness).

On the positive side, a person can use the enlightenment of the letter Tzadi to control negative inclinations, particularly those trying to lead him to fail in the sanctity of the covenant, thereby achieving the status of a Tzadik and kingship.

On the negative side, the letter Tzadi expresses the ability to unjustly control others and harass them, the distress and suffering that befall a person and overwhelm him while he is powerless against them, and the hypocrite who tries to appear righteous externally while behaving in the opposite manner.

The Meaning of the First Eighteen Letters in Sequence

Continuing with the explanation of the sequence of letters from Alef to Yud, previously detailed in Yud, we now examine from Yud to the letter Samech:

If one stands firmly in the path of this-worldly trials as implied by the order of the first nine letters, he merits life in the world to come, symbolized by the letter Yud. When the scales (Kaf) of justice tilt in his favor, his body will be rebuilt from a small bone until it regains its original (Kaf) shape, stands up, and enjoys great spiritual and material abundance, hinted at by the letter Kaf, and kingship (Lamed), and great wisdom (Lamed), seeing far and foreseeing the future (Lamed) while bathed in the light that Hashem hid for the righteous. From here, he rises and passes (Mem) to a higher spiritual level, its nature being self-nullification (Nun) and eternal merging (Nun) of the soul (Nun) with the infinite light. This is the surrounding (Samech) and sheltering (Samech) light in love, as a mother cares for her child. He then delights in understanding the depth (Ayin) of the Creator's mysteries and the secrets of His Torah, as in 'a sight no God but You saw'. From here, he further rises and a new (Peh) opening opens for him to ascend from one level to the next, until he is called a Tzadik (Tzadi), the foundation of the world.

The Letter Tzadi in the First Nine Letters of the Tens

Apart from the continuous meaning of the letters presented above, which is the simplest and fundamental interpretation among many, the letters in the tens series also have their separate meaning, serving as guidance for one's life in this world, as a continuation of the guidance up to the letter Yud. While the letters in the single-digit series dealt with general service to Hashem, the tens series is dedicated to the study of Torah itself and the virtues a person attains through proper engagement:

By toiling and utilizing the creative power of his intellect to develop, innovate, and create form (Kaf) in the Torah he learns (Lamed), he unveils its secrets (Mem), and it brings him life and freshness, like water (Mem), and elevates his personality to be humble (Nun) and faithful (Nun), making him protected (Samech) from all distress and harm, and able to see (Ayin) hidden matters, attaining might (Peh) and breaking (Peh) new paths in his spiritual work, earning the title of Tzadik (Tzadi), foundation of the world.

The Letter Tzadi in a Person's Name

Therefore, when the letter Tzadi is found in a person's name, especially if it's at the beginning, he receives through the three spiritual channels that flow through it (in its shape, its numerical value, and how it's pronounced) an extraordinary ability to achieve true righteousness, with complete self-control over all material desires and temptations of the world. He is capable, in an astonishing manner, of capturing negative inclinations as a hunter (Tzadi) captures wild animals and controls them, directing them for positive spiritual use according to the ways of the Creator in His wonderful Torah.

However, on the other hand, this person who is naturally honest and aspires for spirituality might be tempted by external appearances, resulting in internal contradictions. If he feels such a tendency, he should be aware that this stems from the contrast within him, between yearning for pure spiritual life and a strong pull towards worldly desires; and from an internal mixture of a deep desire to enjoy worldly pleasures without limit and to attain complete life in the world to come (for this, the letter Tzadi is similar to the spiritual letter Alef. The two heads of the Tzadi, like the two heads of the Alef, appear as striving for positive spiritual achievement, yet, on the other hand, for negative breach of boundaries).

To avoid this state and to emerge from it, he must decisively detach from any forbidden action according to the directives of his Creator in His Torah and also sever all connections to these acts, to avoid encounters he might fail. He should reflect on the fact that his true desire is to live a life that is correct, upright, and good. Especially he must guard the sanctity of the covenant and strengthen himself in the reality that by realizing his capability for true righteousness, he will enjoy real spiritual pleasure even in this world, and will achieve a high status similar to royalty in several areas.

Indeed, to succeed in this, he must engage in Torah study regularly every day. Because the light within and the wisdom of its words will consistently guide him on the correct path without deviation. He should make a learned and God-fearing rabbi his guide, with whom he'll consult in all doubts and dilemmas, until reaching the deserved completeness.

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