We already referred to this section\u2019s subject at the very beginning of the previous one in passing, but we\u2019ll now expand upon it in the context of traditional non-Kabbalistic sources, earlier Kabbalists, and Ramchal\u2019s own works.<\/p>\n
Since, as Ramchal indicates here, the supernal Lights must enter into the mystical realm of letters before they can <\/strong>(actually) bring about <\/strong>(physical) actions <\/strong>(Petach<\/em> 18), we\u2019d first need to explore the significance of the Hebrew letters before going on to explain the other subjects brought up in this section.<\/p>\n Yet (as Ramchal points out there), we\u2019re taught that “the Heavens were fashioned through God\u2019s word<\/em>” (Psalms 33:6) and we\u2019re told elsewhere that \u201cthe world was created through ten utterances<\/em>\u201d (Pirkei<\/em> Avot<\/em> 5:1), so it seems that the word is the basic unit. But since, as Ramchal explains, speech only exists in<\/strong> (the context of) letters<\/strong>, we\u2019d obviously have to start off with letters. The truth is that we\u2019re likewise taught that the heavens and earth were in fact created by the letters of the Aleph-Bet <\/em>at bottom (Berachot<\/em> 55a), so there\u2019s actually no contradiction [1].<\/p>\n Several early works stressed the significance of the letters, including Otiyot d\u2019Rebbe Akiva<\/em>, the\u00a0Aleph-Bet<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0Ben-Sirah<\/em>, Sefer<\/em> Yetzirah<\/em>, the Heichalot<\/em>\u00a0writings, Pirkei d\u2019Rabbi Eliezer<\/em>, Sefer Temunah,\u00a0Shiur Koma, Sefer haYashar<\/em>, Sefer<\/em> Raziel<\/em> HaMalach<\/em>,\u00a0Sefer Bahir<\/em>, and others. And the Zohar even made the point that the letters written in the Torah are reflections of the \u201cheavenly letters\u201d (2:228; cf. 3:220). So we\u2019ll explore some of the statements made in Sefer<\/em> Yetzirah<\/em>, Sefer Bahir<\/em>, Pardes Rimonim<\/em>, Eitz Chaim<\/em>, and the Zohar, specifically before we touch on Ramchal\u2019s own.<\/p>\n Note:<\/p>\n [1]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Also see Menachot<\/em> 29b which speaks of this world having been created with the letter\u00a0he<\/em>\u00a0and The World to Come having been created with the letter\u00a0yod<\/em>.<\/p>\n (c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n ———————————————————-<\/p>\n AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> at a discount.<\/p>\n You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here<\/a> at a discount as well.<\/p>\n Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We already referred to this section\u2019s subject at the very beginning of the previous one in passing, but we\u2019ll now expand upon it in the context of traditional non-Kabbalistic sources, earlier Kabbalists, and Ramchal\u2019s own works. Since, as Ramchal indicates … Continue reading