Mystery
The Meaning Of The Number Nine By Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David (Greg Killian) http://www.betemunah.org/nine.html
The ninth letter in the Hebrew alefbet is tet - ט. The letter tet - ט has the numerical value of nine. The least common letter in the Torah is a Tet. Tet ט, represents the 9th sefirah, yesod - יסוד (meaning foundation).
According to the Kabbalist, the B’nei Yissachar, when the four is multiplied by the number nine (the value of the “tet” itself), the total is thirty-six.
The word in the Torah used to describe the Hidden or Primordial Light is tov meaning beneficial or good.
This demonstrates that the letter nine and the tet - ט represent beneficence.
Tov is like the pain of child birth. No one believes that it is good. But everyone believes that it was beneficial because through that pain we receive a new life.
The tet - ט represents hidden, inverted beneficence.
The Talmud teaches that one who sees the letter tet - ט in a dream, it is a beneficial sign.
The fact that we see the number nine associated with the creation of Adam (man) suggests more than just a passing relationship.
Mispar katan[8] is a form of gematria that pursues the "root" of an idea by reducing a gematria to a number less than ten. This form of gematria is called small values; with all tens and hundreds reduced to 1 - 9 by summing the digits.
Consider that the summing the digits of the numbers represented by the Hebrew letters of the name “Adam” (אדם), results in the number nine. Nine is called the mispar katan (literally, "small number") of Adam, which alludes to the essential quality of man:
א = 1
ד = 4
ם = 40
--------
Total: 9
The Gemara[9] teaches us that whoever prays on the eve of Shabbat and recites vayechulu, it is as if he is a partner with HaShem in the act of creation. It is noteworthy that the word vayechulu in mispar katan equals nine. Shabbat in mispar katan equals nine, and the word emet, truth, in mispar katan equals nine. Thus, one who recites vayechulu is testifying to the truth that HaShem created Adam and the world in six days and that HaShem rested on Shabbat.
Unbelievably, we find that any number times nine equals nine (18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63 etc), in mispar katan. The reason being that the pasuk says
Mishlei (Proverbs) 12:19 The lip of truth (Emet) shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Emet, truth, lasts for ever. Therefore every multiple of nine remains a nine. Truth always remains the same and can never be altered. Similarly, HaShem is true from beginning to end.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Meaning Of The Number Three
The number three is used in the Torah to mediate between two opposing or contradictory values. The third value mediates, reconciles, and connects the two. Three is the number of truth.
Time is divided into three portions: The past, the present, and the future. The position in time that is most expressive of the non-physical is the present, because it is so fleeting and instantaneous. The function of that time, the present, is its service as connector. The number three expresses connection.
According to Jewish law, once something is done three times it is considered a permanent thing. This is called a “chazakah[1]“. Once we have done something three times, we have connected to it and connected it to this world.
The number three represents permanence. That’s why we do things in threes, since it adds strength to our acts. For example: The Amida is repeated three times. There are three people standing when a sefer Torah is read. The minimum number of verses read a a single reader is three. The minimum number of readers is three,
In The Hebrew Alefbet
This mediating or connecting aspect can be readily seen in the numerical value of the Hebrew letters when divided into groups of three:
From the above chart we can see that the average of the values of א and ג is ב. Thus we can see that the third mediates between the two. This same pattern holds true for the entire alefbet, as can be seen from the above chart.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One is Our God[2]
who is in the heavens and on earth.
The number one represents unity and completeness. The Hebrew representation for the number one is the Hebrew letter alef - א. What is an alef?
If it were only a random arrangement of pen strokes designed to prompt the reader to say the sound “ah,”[3] this question would be irrelevant. However, every aspect of the alef’s construction has been Divinely designed to teach us something. Contrast this with a child learning to read English for the first time. He is never taught why a capital “A” looks like a teepee and a small “a” looks like a soap bubble stuck to a wall.
But Hebrew is different. The design of an alef is actually made up of three different letters: the letter yud or dot above; a yud or dot below; and a diagonal vav, or line suspended in between.
The yud above represents HaShem, Who is above (or beyond) our comprehension. In comparison to His true essence, our understanding is a mere dot.
The yud below represents a Yid or Yehudim, Jewish people who dwell here on earth. The only way that we can grasp HaShem’s wisdom, to the extent that a person is capable, is by being humble. When we realize that we are but a dot or a speck compared to the All-Mighty and All-Powerful G-d, we become a vessel to receive His Divine wisdom.
The diagonal vav represents a Jew’s faithfulness,[4] which unites him with HaShem.
There is another teaching[5] that posits that the suspended vav represents the Torah. Since the Torah is what unites a Jew and HaShem, the alef represents this unity between mankind and HaShem. This is the design, or form, of the alef.
We can see that every stroke of the alef (and every other letter as well) has a special purpose, and that there is much more to learning the alef-beit than just mastering its sounds.
The alef has three different meanings. One is אלוף, aluf, which means a master or a chief. The second is אולפנה, ulfana,a school of learning[6] or teacher. The third meaning is reached by reading the letters of the word backwards, פלא, pela (pronounced peleh), wondrous.
The Maharal[7] indicates that one:
1. Conveys “completeness”. Since one is not divisible, it has no parts and is intrinsically whole.
2. One may imply “unique”.
3. One may be used to describe that something is “foremost”, to which all else is mere adjunct.
The Gemara teaches us that the alef is interpreted, by our Sages, as an injunction to study Torah.
Shabbath 104a The Rabbis told R. Joshua b. Levi: Children have come to the Beth Hamidrash and said things the like of which was not said even in the days of Joshua the son of Nun. [Thus:] alef Beth [means] ‘learn wisdom [alef Binah];
The meaning of alef is also found חָכְמָה וַאֲאַלֶּפְךָ, I shall teach you wisdom (Job 33:33).
That the first letter calls for Torah study and simultaneously symbolizes the primacy of HaShem is no coincidence. This, too, is an expression of the principle that HaShem, Torah, and Israel are one: Jews are charged with the study of the Torah that represents the wisdom of HaShem.
The transformation of alef into elef (thousand) applies to all areas of human endeavor inn which persistence and effort are rewarded, but, since the symbolism of the alef-beit has such profound spiritual overtones, the alef-elef relationship must be given particular application to Torah study. Success in Torah understanding and the accumulation of Torah knowledge requires constant review and continuous application, even if a difficult concept must be analyzed a thousand times.[8]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Meaning Of The Sign
Ot, signs, are used for a variety of purposes. The moon, for example, is used as an ominous sign to the Jews when it is eclipsed, because Jews reckon time by the moon. The Midrash provides some insight into the celestial signs.
226 'owth, ot - אות; prob. from 225 (in the sense of appearing); a single (lit. or fig.), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.:- mark, miracle, (en-) sign, token.
Rashi says the following about ‘signs’:
2 [If there will arise among you a prophet...] and he gives you a sign Hebrew אוֹת , [meaning a sign] in the heavens, as it is stated in the case of Gideon [who said to the angel]: “then show me a sign (אוֹת) ” (Shoftim [Judges] 6:17), and then it says [further], “let it be dry only upon the fleece [and upon all the ground let there be dew]” (Shoftim [Judges] 6:39).
Thus we learn that anytime we see an ot, a sign, we are looking at a reference to the celestial object.
The Hebrew word for sign, ot - אות, gives us significamnt insight into HaShem’s plans. Ot - אות, Has a vav between an alef and a tav. The vav (ו) is the Hebrew letter that is often used for the prefix ‘and’. It is the letter of connection. The alef (א) is the first letter of the Hebrew alefbet. The tav (ת) is the last letter of the Hebrew alefbet. Thus the Hebrew word ‘ot – אות’, sign, carries the connotaion of something that connect the beginning and the end.
Because the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that the peoples of the world would treat them as divinities. Said the Lord: ‘If they are two, opposed to each other,[6] and yet the peoples of the world treat them as divinities, how much more would they do so if there were but one!’ R. Berekiah said in R. Simon's name: Both were created in order to give light, as it says, AND LET THEM BE FOR LIGHTS, etc. AND LET THEM BE FOR SIGNS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EMET - Truth
Truth may possibly be the most important topic we can find for discussion in this world today.
What is truth?
Is there any such thing as absolute truth or is it just relative to your own reality?
To the Greek way of thinking truth is found in our relationship between our thinking and the reality of the world around us. Because it focuses on me the definition of truth changes depending on my view point. A redwood tree when viewed from the ground looks very large and tall but when viewed from an airplane it looks almost flat. Thus in the Greek worlds way of thinking there is no absolute, only different views of the same thing. The same tree, or reality, can appear different when viewed under different conditions. Either we are looking from the ground or from above but truth appears to change when viewpoint changes.
G-d is then seen as being different based on how you view him with your culture and personal point of view. There is no absolute truth in this world view. Thus what you believe becomes very important only as it defines a religion. All religious views are relevant under this way of thinking. The ideal view of truth, in this way of living, would be tolerance or coexistence. I will live my life as I see it best and you should live yours the same way is the key to love and truth in this world view. To tell you that your truth is not true is not a loving way of being in this system of belief. The prevailing world view of Judaism and Christianity today is that both are intolerant.
But that is far from what the Hebrew way of thinking would understand about what is truth. As we look at this view we will see that for Jesus and the Apostles the Hebrew way of understanding is the same as that of Christianity.
Hebrew World view
Looking at the Hebrew word for truth we can see how G-d becomes the center of the meaning of truth. EMET is the Hebrew word for truth. It is spelled from right to left with the letters Aleph - Mem - Tav. Aleph is the first letter of the Alphbet and represents the breath of G-d or our awareness of Him. Truth, then, begins with our awareness of G-d. The middle letter Mem in Hebrew was originally the symbol for water 「水」,「一口泉水」, and is also understood to represent the Messiah. From this letter under the Hebrew way of thinking we see divine wisdom from the fountain of life itself which is G-d, the creator and king of the heavens and the earth is the center of truth. Mem is the middle letter of the Alphbet while the final letter of EMET is Tav which is the last letter of the Alephbet. Tav is seen at the expression of simple faith to the Hebrew. This letter corresponds to the kingdom as given to us in Torah or Scriptures.
One of the things we can notice right away is that the baseline of this word is stable and represents the stability we will find in life with a life that is submitted to G-d and His wisdom.
The Opposite of Truth is the LIE
The Hebrew word for "falsehood" is [שקר, sheker].
Shin ( ש ) , Kuf (ק), , Reish (ר)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------