The Letter 'R' – Leadership and the Trait of Anger

Following the explanation of the sequence of letters from Aleph to Yud, as discussed in the letter Yud, let us now consider from the letter Yud to the letter Resh:

The person who withstands the trials of this world, as hinted in the order of the first nine letters, merits the life of the world to come indicated by the letter Yud, and on the great day before the resurrection of the dead, as the scales of justice (Kaf) tip in his favor, he will be granted abundant blessings represented by the closed Kaf, royalty (Lamed), a vision of the future (Lamed), and an ascent (Mem) to a higher level, represented by nullification (Nun) and the merging of the soul (Nun) with the infinite light. This is the surrounding light (Samech) that envelops (Samech) with love, and he feels it as a recompense resting upon his mother. He then delights in the depth (Ayin) of the mysteries of the Creator and the secrets of His Torah, as it is written, "No eye has seen, O God, but You." From there he rises, and a new doorway (Peh) opens for him to ascend from rank to rank, until he is called a righteous one (Tzadik), a foundation of the world, and then reaches the pinnacle, becoming holy (Kuf). At that point, he receives his reward and becomes a leader (Resh).

The Significance of the Ten Letters in the Series of Tens

Aside from the continuous meaning of the letters from Aleph to Tav in several paths, the letters also combine into a continuous meaning in the series of tens by themselves:

When a spiritual person (Yud) gives form (Kaf) and shapes his soul to be a vessel for divine delight by (Lamed) studying Torah, he thus uncovers (Mem) its secrets, and it instills life and freshness in him as water (Mem) revives and refreshes, and he becomes humble and faithful (Nun), protected and sheltered (Samech) from all sorrow and harm, perceives (Ayin) hidden things, and attains the level of might (Peh) and breakthroughs (Peh) in new and lofty paths in his spiritual work, until he is called a righteous one (Tzadik), a foundation of the world, and ascends to the summit, becoming holy (Kuf). Then he receives his reward and becomes a leader (Resh).

In summary, the letter Resh symbolizes expansion upwards and elevation until a person becomes a leader – or it represents descent downwards, until he becomes poor. The letter Resh contains the potential for active leadership, with wisdom and measured speech, artistic creativity in every field, to the point of bringing peace between estranged opponents as distant as east from west. On the other hand, he might adopt an arrogant and condescending manner, become inflamed and angry without restraint, and thus the path to impoverishment and falling from all ranks is short.

The Letter Resh in a Person's Name

Therefore, when the letter Resh appears in a person's name, especially at the beginning, he receives through its three spiritual channels (its form, its numeric value, and its pronunciation) a heavenly gift to be a leader, provided he rectifies himself with appropriate character traits according to the will of his Creator. For he has received wisdom suitable for unique creativity in any field, from proper management and artistic talent to understanding the depth of Torah. On one hand, he can be balanced in speech, act greatly with the power of his prayer, and instill a vibration of reverence in the eyes of all who view his personality, which has managed to correct its traits and subdue his impulses until reaching the summit of appropriate holiness. On the other hand, this person, able to reach leadership, might fall remarkably due to his trait of anger if he does not labor to correct it – harsh speech, quarrels, and disagreements he might incite. If he chooses this path, the vibrating letter, Resh, will also transmit a tremor in the eyes of his environment, but it will be a tremor of fear and rejection, causing his relatives to distance themselves from him and his business partners to prefer others over him, until he becomes poor. For there is a great principle to know in matters of wealth: the primary success in a person's economic affairs does not depend on his talents but on his character traits. A person whose speech is not conciliatory with others and is repelled in their eyes will not succeed in his business even if he is very wise and talented.

However, in order to properly utilize his forces and channel them for good, he must engage in daily Torah study, which guides a person on how to live correctly, akin to the instructions of the creator who knows better than anyone else the best way to use his creation for maximal benefit. He should learn from a God-fearing scholar and strive to study for its own sake by contemplating his purpose in this world to fulfill the will of the King of the world who sanctified us through His commandments. As a person ascends more and reaches leadership, he should strive more to labor in Torah and study it for its own sake, bowing his heart before his Creator and acting humbly with those under his charge, both in his household and with others entrusted to him. For the king of Israel, elevated above all the people, is required more than anyone else always to have a Torah scroll with him. As Rambam writes: "When the king sits on his royal throne, he writes for himself a Torah scroll more than the one left to him by his fathers. He reviews it from the Temple copy, based on the decision of the seventy-one courts, etc. He goes to war, and it is with him. He enters, and it is with him. He sits in judgment, and it is with him. He reclines, and it is opposite him, as it is said: 'And it shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life.' And the king must bow his heart before his Creator more than simple people. Therefore, when he bows in his prayer, he does not raise himself until the end of the prayer. And from this, every leader and head in Israel must learn for himself, as he rises and is exalted, so he must attach and bind himself more to the holy Torah's study and behave with the humility appropriate. Only when necessary to instill fear for the public or his household's benefit should he do so for the sake of heaven and moderately, without feeling arrogance and without exaggeration. Anyone who trains himself to study the Torah for its own sake, merits many virtues listed in the chapter 'Acquisition of Torah' at the end of Pirkei Avot, including meriting kingship and governance.

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