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The Letter "Beth"

194) The ב "Beth" then entered and said: "O Lord of the world, may it please Thee to put me first in the creation of the world, since I represent the benedictions (Berachoth) offered to Thee on high and below"; for the "Beth" designates blessing.

The Holy One, said to her: Assuredly, with thee I will create the world. And thou shalt form the beginning in the creation of the world.

In order to amplify the above, it must be said that the letter ב "Beth" represents "Chochmoch", that is, the Sephirah "Chessed" of "Chochmoh", which means "Nekoodch d'Heichole", A Dot or a Point in a Palace". The "Nekoodoh", that is the Point is the light of Wisdom, and the Palace is the light of Mercy, which actually means that the light of Mercy is the Palace for the light of "Chochmoh". This is the blessing that is dramatized in Malachi: 3, thus:

"V'HAREEKEISE LOCHEM BROCHO AD B'LEE DYE." ("AND POUR YOU A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT".)

The quality of the light of mercy in no way becomes reduced nor does its essence undergo any change while the light of mercy moves on its way down, passing through and evolving through the degrees. The light does not at all assume any coarseness because of all the curtains of all the worlds through which path the light passes through.

 

195) This is precisely what the ב "Beth" pointed out. "May it please Thee to put me first in the creation of the world, since I represent the benedictions offered to Thee on high and below".

In other words, since the light, which is my "Berochoh" (Blessing) is equal above and below, as there is no distinction or difference between the upper realms and the ones below, and no barrier or coarseness could effect aught of a defect in the process of my illumination, my dimension of light is therefore fit for use in GOD'S work of creation; for there will not be any seizure of my light by the "Klippoth", whose nature it is to invade and get hold of a place where there is prevalent a defect or shortcoming. Consequently, since my light does not suffer any defect, the "Citra Acharah" cannot have any hold on me.

 

196) The Creator said to the ב "Beth": "Assuredly, with thee I will create the world, and thou shalt form the beginning in the creation of the world".

In other words, GOD agreed to the plea of the ב "Beth" because her dimension of light is truly fit for use in the creation of the world. This is corrobotated in Psalms: (89:3)

"KEE OMARTEE OLAM CHESSED YEEBONEH." ("FOR I HAVE SAID, MERCY SHALL BE BUILT UP FOR EVER.")

The Hebrew word "Yebonah" carries a two fold interpretation:

  1. Building.

  2. Understanding.

For GOD established the ב "Beth" to be as a criterion with which to discriminate between those that are united with the "Kedushah" (Holiness) and those that forsake GOD and rather become united with the "Citra Acharah".

The Prophet testifies to this effect:

"AND PROVE ME NOW HEREWITH, SAID THE LORD OF HOSTS, IF I WILL NOT OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT." (Malachi, 3:10).

 

197) However, at the time when man is drawn after the "Citra Acharah", the "Klippoth" (the strange god), man then lacks the capacity to bring about the blessing of light since the "Citra Acharah" was rendered castrated by GOD and cannot therefore yield the fruits of light.

This is why the Prophet Malachi continues terminating with the words: "THEN SHALL YE RETURN, AND DISCERN BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED, BETWEEN HIM THAT SERVETH GOD AND HIM THAT SERVETH HIM NOT."

All this shows that the world was built by means of the light of mercy.

 

198) It is stated in the Zohar: "Sheiroose L'Mivre Almoh", which means "To begin the creation of the world"; that is to say: the Creator did not reveal the light of the blessing in order to bring about the perfection of the world. It is rather a light which would serve only for a good beginning and that would suffice no eventually bring the world to perfect completion.

The reason why the light of mercy does not suffice to bring perfection is because it serves as but the body of the Sephiroth made up of the six Sephiroth: "CHA.G.T" and "N.H.Y", that is, it is a light which is short of the great light of the head of the Sephiroth: the light of "Chochmoh", "Binah" and "Daas". The light of mercy in and of itself is therefore incapacitated from bringing to birth "Neshomot", Souls, which are capable of being fruitful and multiplying. As a rule, no "Partzuf" can be considered mature in that it could bring about spiritual fruit; unless the "Partzuf" is also possessed of the supernal light of the head of the Sephiroth: the first three Sephiroth - "Kether", "Chochmoh" and "Binah". Lacking the light of the head of the Sephiroth means lacking completion and perfection.

 

199) GOD saw fit to use the letter ב "Beth" and the "Brochoh" (Blessing) in the creation of the world as the ב "Beth" is to serve as the initial framework of the structure of a holy "Partzuf".

In other words, the light of mercy, symbolized by the letter ב "Beth", is the initial miniature light, which is never to be absent from the fundamental framework or structure of a "Partzuf".

However, the light which affords completion to a "Partzuf" is brought about by the first three Sephiroth, that is, the light which stems from the head of the Sephiroth is necessary in order for a "Partzuf" to bring forth offspring, which is the ultimate goal of the holy "Partzufim". This means that the light of "Meichin" must fill the void of every "Partzuf".

However, these lights of "Meichin" are not considered as the essential construction of a "Partzuf", being rather an additional light which comes and goes to every "Partzuf" of the "Kedushah". It may be likened to the ebb and flow of the tide.

The coming in of the great light to a "Partzuf" is entirely effected by the good deeds of those who serve GOD.

As aforementioned, the light of mercy that fills "V.K", the six sides of the body of the Sephiroth, can never be absent from the "Partzuf".

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