The Letter "Tav"
24) The Zohar goes on to say that the letter ת "Tav" entered to beseech GOD to accept her as the instrument of creation. Each of the letters considered its power of קדושה "Kedushah" sufficient to prevail over the "Klippoth". The plea of the letter ת "Tav" before GOD, in which she presented herself as the one most suited to bring the world to perfection was substantiated by her dominion over אמת "Emeth" (Truth): "the signet" of the ring of "the king".
To be specific, it is known that the life sustenance of the "Citra Acharah" is what the "Kedushah" gives to her. Which consists of a circumscribed minute "Shine". This is dramatized by what is said in "Proverbs" (5:5) to the effect that "Her feet descend unto death" as well as in "Psalm" 103:19: "The kingdom of GOD has dominion over all" (even in the nethermost places of the "Klippoth").
This means that the "Citra Acharah", through which it is nourished, is indicated in the "foot" of the letter ק "Koof" that is, drawn down below the line or level of the other letters, indicating the limited amount of light that "Malchut" furnishe to the "Citra Acharah"; which explains why, in all of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet there is not to be found a foot or a line extended below the line on which the other letters rest, as it is only the ק "Koof" that belongs to the letters of "Malchut", that extends below the line of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
25) However, when the letter ת "Tav" proceeded to approach GOD the left foot of the ת "TAV" began to be drawn below the line.
The Creator, saw that the seizure of the "Tav" by the "Citra Acharah" would cause her to draw more light than is her due. Therefore, GOD prevented the ת "Tav" from descending below the line; and thus returned her foot and curled it up upon the left side, to make it terminate on a level with the line of קדושה "Kedushah" (holiness). It is for this reason that the left foot of the ת "Tav" thickened; for, that portion which was drawn outside the line became "united with the foot itself". Hence, the "Kedushah" doubled herself upon that spot and this is why no light of the letter ת "Tav" can reach the "Klippoth".
On the contrary, the letter ת "Tav" was established to be the "seal" of the "Ring of TheKing". She stands guard over the "Klippoth" to prevent their predominance over the "Kedushah", so that קליפות The "Klippoth" cannot be nourished through ת "Tav". Moreover, whoever touches the ת "Tav" cannot survive.
26) This is in consonance with chapter three, verse twenty-four of "GENESIS":
"AND HE PLACED AT THE EAST OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN CHERUBIMS AND A FLAMING SWORD WHICH TURNED EVERY WAY TO KEEP THE WAY OF THE TREE OF LIFE".
However, the minute light required to sustain the life of the "Klippoth" was deposited with the letter ק "Koof". The reason why the ק "Koof" has but a restricted supply of light for the "Klippoth" is because קוף "Koof" is situated above the three letters ר "Reish", ש "Shin" and ת "Tav"; and is therefore farther removed from the "Klippoth", the "Citra Acharah".
As a result, life issued from the ק "Koof" to the "Klippoth" is limited so as to be able to merely keep the "Citra Acharah" from extinction.
27) It is the nature of the monkey to compare himself with man. The monkey is always inclined to imitate man, trying to draw man after his perverted nature, thereby forging the name of GOD. Therefore, in Hebrew, the monkey bears the nomenclature קוף "Koof".
In the same vein, the Zohar points out that the "Citra Acharah" is called "Odom Bleyaal" (the Worthless Man); since he impersonates "Partzufei haKedushah"(the holy Man). This is dramatized in the verse: "The ONE over against the OTHER".
All of this explains why the ת "Tav" submitted Her plea, thus:
"SINCE I AM THE SEAL OF THY SIGNET RING, I AM STANDING AT THE TERMINATING POINT OF EACH "Partzuf" AND DO NOT ALLOW THE "KLIPPOTH" TO DRAW NIGH AND GET NOURISHMENT FROM THE "KEDUSHAH" AND FALSIFY THY NAME. THERE IS THEREFORE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE WORLD TO BE CREATED WITH ME BECAUSE, THROUGH ME, IT WILL BE MADE POSSIBLE FOR MAN TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE "CITRA ACHARAH" AND THE "KEDUSHAH" AND THUS MAN CAN BE ASSURED OF REACHING HIS GOAL OF PERFECTION AND THIS IS WHY THE WORDS OF THE ת "TAV" WERE CONVEYED AS FOLLOWS: THOU ART CALLED אמת "EMET" (TRUTH). THEREFORE, IT IS FITTING FOR THE KING TO START WITH THE LETTER "TAV", WHICH TERMINATES THE WORD אמת "EMET" AND THUS CREATE THE WORLD WITH ME".
What she said to GOD is that "since your name is "EMET" (Truth), which indicates that it is impossible for one to cleave to you; unless he has acquired the attribute "EMET" (Truth), it follows, then, that it is fitting for the King to begin with the letter ת "TAV" of "EMET" (Truth), and thus create the world with me". It is because of this attribute of the "Tav", that, in order to cleave to you, the world will have to be far removed from the "Citra Achara".
It is only then that man will be vouchsafed his "Gmar haTikkun", that is for man to reach his ultimate degree of "perfection".
28) The query "TO WHOM IS GOD CLOSE"? is posed in the Zohar with regard to the words "GOD is near to all those who call upon Him". The answer is "TO ALL THOSE WHO CALL UPON ME IN אמת (TRUTH)".
The Zohar questions again: "Is there, then, anyone who would call spuriously"? Rabbi Abba said: "Yes, it is the one who calls and knows not Whom he calls".
"How do you know this"?
Because it is written "to all that call upon Him in "EMET" (Truth)". The Zohar questions: "What is the meaning of the word "EMET"? The answe is: "It is the Seal of the Signet Ring of the King, which is the PERFECTION of All.
In conclusion, GOD answered her that she is not fit to be used for the creation of the world. In the main, it is because, potentially, Her stature is possessed of rigid JUDGMENTS more than the world can suffer; so that even "TSADDIKIM G'MOORIM" (Perfect Righteous) those that have even merited Her Seal and that have fulfilled the Torah from "Aleph through Tav" (A to Z) are still punished because of the severity of her power, that is, they are punished because of having failed to deter the wicked ones from their wicked ways, as stated in Tractate "Shabbat", page 55. In addition to that, she is also the seal of "moveth" (death), that is, the "Tav" likewise terminates the word "moveth" תומ (death), and due to her power, death sprung into existence in the world and man is subjected to death just because the serpent forged the signatured of the "Tav" and made "Odom hoRishon" (the first man) to sin through the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, as stated in The Zohar Tikkunim 22.
It is therefore impossible for the world to survive through her, that is, by the dominating power of the "Tav", which is all ןיד "Din" (Judgment).
29) This will explain why it is that when the letters of the alphabet were revealed, they appeared in their proper order, א "Aleph", ב "Beth", ג "Gimel", right down to the letter ת "Tav", the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. However, when each one of the letters returned to ask GOD to create the world with it, it was in reverse order, beginning with the letter ת "Tav", and then the ש "Shin", the letter ר "Reish" and downward until the turn of the א "Aleph" was reached.