The Letter T: Purpose and Torah

The last letter, T, symbolizes purpose.

On a basic level, the letter T represents the purpose of human actions in daily life and material matters. On a higher level, it signifies the purpose of human life and the Torah truth, guiding a person through life's challenges, leading them to fulfill their great purpose practically. Hence, the letter T symbolizes Torah and truth, and it is the letter of true life.

The letter T first appears in the Bible at the beginning of the word in the verse: "And the earth was without form and void." The explanation of the word "tohu": like a person who wonders, seeking purpose and direction in the desolation before their eyes.

Its Shape

The letter T is written in the shape of the letter Chet, hinting at the *ch* life of a person in this world, with an additional projection like an arrow pointing to the continuation, beyond the letters – to the afterlife. Since the previous letters from A to S hint at the spiritual work path of a person in this world, guiding them how to ascend correctly from step to step, the letter T is the letter of purpose. The letter that hints to a living person (*ch*) in the world, about the purpose of life (T) – to reach the afterlife.

Indeed, in plain terms, the letter T teaches a person that even if they see great difficulties in life until they feel they've reached the bottom with no hope left, they should not lose heart or despair. For exactly where everything ends, new life begins. And precisely from the depths and darkness, the sun will begin to shine anew and one will reach a new beginning and renewal. Just like a seed starts new life only after appearing in the ground as if it has ended its life, but this ending is just a sign for a renewed burst upward, as the single seed buried in the ground will sprout and thrive as a fresh green stalk, containing a plethora of seeds. This is the foot of the letter T, pointing to the continuation.

And this also hints at the resurrection of the dead that will occur at the end of days, when the body decayed in the ground will renew itself and be built anew from a single bone, and the soul will return to this new garment prepared for it, and the person will rise to the afterlife, as stated in the prophecy of the prophet Ezekiel and the book of Daniel (see more on resurrection in my book "Hamehapech").

How It Is Pronounced

The letter T is pronounced: "Tav" (and not "Taf"). In simple terms, the explanation of the word "Tav" is a sign. Tav, from the root "designates," marks the correct and good direction. For the letter T expresses the purpose and signifies with its arrow to the living person (*ch*) in the world, in which way they should choose in order to live true life and reach the purpose of life – the afterlife.

For the secret of a person's success in this world lies in setting their goal and purpose in life, even at the beginning of their journey, as the saying goes, "End of action is in thought first." Thus, they chart a path and mark the course ahead, so as not to stray or be tempted by the desires and temptations of the world, until reaching the coveted destination – the perfection belonging to a human being.

And indeed, only one who contemplates the final destination hinted at in the last letter and aspires to the purpose (T), and examines at every stage the signs and markers of the correct course (both the messages of all the letters) and confidently steps on them step by step, will carry out their mission properly and complete it. When they reach the end of the letters, the foot of the letter T, seen as an arrow, guides them to receive their reward in the afterlife.

However, if one sins and fails, thus missing (*ch*) the goal and purpose for which they came into the world, the foot of the letter T in the wheel of the letters directs them to return to letter A – to the starting point, as stated in Sefer Yetzirah: "Its end is embedded in its beginning," and they return to the world in a reincarnation for a new journey.

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In the Midrash "Otiyot D'Rabbi Akiva," it is explained that the pronunciation of the letter "Tav" derives from "T'ayav," meaning, desire. Because the letter of purpose hints at the nature ingrained in man to always aspire to a goal, to reach something. And due to this pursuit, one may find themselves constantly chasing after the desires of the world, hoping that fulfilling this desire will bring fulfillment, satisfaction, and peace. They chase and pursue, grab and acquire, but do not feel they have reached the purpose because they are not satisfied. As the wisest of men said in the book of Kohelet: "and also, the soul is not filled." And our sages explained in the Midrash Kohelet: "To what is this comparable? To a villager who married a princess. If he brings her everything in the world, they mean nothing to her, as she is a princess. So it is with the soul; even if one brings it all the world's delights, they do not count for it. Why? Because it is from the higher realms."

Their intent is to say that the soul of a person, which comes from the higher realms, yearns for spiritual fulfillment, related to Torah and commandments and good deeds. And as long as it does not receive its nourishment, one feels an emptiness and a hunger for purpose and fulfillment. But living in a material world that conceals the spiritual inner essence, the person misunderstands the reason for their emptiness, thinking that a material matter needed at that moment is the cause of their internal distress. Thus, they chase after it and strive to achieve it, not understanding why, after striving so much and finally achieving it, they still feel empty. Again, they set a material goal, and upon conquering the summit and achieving it, they set another goal, and so on throughout their life. As our sages said: "No person leaves this world with half their desire in their hands. If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he has two hundred, he wants four hundred." In this, our sages taught us deep wisdom that the more one gains from the desires of the world, the hungrier and emptier they become, and their feeling is much worse. For when one has a hundred, they are thirsty for another hundred, thus this is their level of feeling empty. But behold when they already have two hundred, they want another two hundred! Now it seems they lack more than when they only had one hundred, and now feel much greater emptiness. They do not realize they are mistakenly interpreting the internal thirst of their soul, longing for spiritual life. As long as they do not fill themselves with Torah and commandments and good deeds, which are the true nourishment for their soul, they will not gain satisfaction and fulfillment but will continue their pursuit until death meets them, leaving the world with nothing in hand. In contrast, one engaged in Torah and commandments, though always longing to achieve more, does not live with a sense of emptiness like those saying 'I have everything and yet nothing,' but feels that they have adequately filled today, they are content and happy and full of satisfaction, aspiring to fulfill tomorrow as well.

Here is a condensed version of the Midrash:

"Do not read Tav but Ta'ayav. This is the desire of flesh and blood that desires every day in this world for everything. Moreover, their soul yearns for them until they are found [meaning, until they acquire them], and once found, they die and leave the world.

How? Flesh and blood come out naked from their mother's womb, without clothing, without covering, without shoes, without sandals, without a belt, without a cloak, without intelligence, without speech, without strength, without walking feet, without a woman, without children, without a house, without fields, without vineyards, without silver, without gold, without precious stones, without pearls, without pride, without wealth, without honor, without anything. And once they come out of their mother's womb, every day their soul waits and desires to speak. Once they find speech, their soul desires walking feet. Once they find walking feet, they desire wisdom, also for art, for money, for gold, to marry a woman, for wealth, for possessions, for fields, for vineyards, for honor, and for rulership and for all that Hashem created in His world. And once they have found them all, they die and leave the world empty-handed. This is what Rabbi Isaac said, accustomed to saying, "The end of a person – to die, and the end of a beast – to be slaughtered, and all stand for death. Happy is the person who is engaged in Torah [meaning, all toil. Happy is the person who, instead of working to accumulate transient wealth, directs their toil to Torah]. Grows with a good name and departs with a good name. On him it is written: A good name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of birth."

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