Nach Daily

Tehilim Perek 123

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s NachDaily will discuss Tehilim Chapter123 in the Shir Hama’alos.

The general theme of this perek deals with Am Yisrael’s humiliation and disgrace in exile.

The author compares our relationship with God to that of servant and master. Just as the eyes of the male servants look towards their master, our eyes look towards Hashem. Similarly, as a maidservant looks towards her mistress for mercy, we await Hashem’s mercy.

The Alshich asks why it was necessary to give both male and female metaphors for the same idea.

He explains that the male servant is an allusion to the body, while the female maidservant alludes to the soul. Both yearn to be redeemed. The passuk uses the singular word, “shifcha, maidservant,” for the soul because on the level of the neshama we’re considered one and united.

The author ends the prayer with a plea for God to show chein, mercy, to His nation, which has suffered so much throughout its exile. Additionally, each of us feels personal suffering through the process of life itself.

Verse 3 is a well known passuk:

חָנֵּנוּ יְהוָה חָנֵּנוּ כִּי־רַב שָׂבַעְנוּ בוּז׃

Show us favor, Hashem, show us favor! We have had more than enough of contempt.

Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch explains a beautiful idea on this passuk.

It’s precisely because we were ridiculed and humiliated throughout Galus that we turned our attention to working on Torah and Mitzvos. As through much of our history we didn’t have the fame and fortune of other nations, we put our energies into spirituality, prayer and learning Hashem’s Torah. This forced us to become more refined and elevated as a people.

Even in our lowly state we have always been able to cultivate an awareness of the Divine and God’s presence.

May we merit bringing God into all areas of life, for Him to shine His chein upon us by bringing the ultimate redeemer, Mashiach.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 122

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today wel discuss Tehilim chapter 122, continuing with the Shir Hama’alos verses.

This chapter is very relevant to today’s times, as we want Hashem to protect Eretz Yisrael and keep us safe.

It opens with the words, Shir Hama’alos l’Dovid. The Radak says that it’s possible that only the Shir Hama’alos that say, “L’Dovid” were written by him, while the others weren’t.

In this chapter Dovid speaks optimistically by expressing our desire to return to Eretz Yisrael, settle the land, and rebuild the Beis Hamikdash. When Yerushalayim is rebuilt, all the tribes will gather to acknowledge God and the Mashiach.

The perek ends by requesting peace for Yerushalayim. All its residents and buildings should be safe and no-one should be harmed in any way. Peace will prevail and all will understand that God is good.

The perek opens with the words

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שָׂ֭מַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִ֣ים לִ֑י בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה נֵלֵֽךְ׃

A Song of Ascents of Dovid. I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the House of God.

Why was Dovid so happy?

The Gemarah in Makos 10A explains that he heard people asking when he would die so that his son Shlomo could build the Beis Hamikdash. Dovid was happy that the people yearned for the Beis Hamikdash.

If that was Dovid’s reaction, shouldn’t we be happy? After 2,000 years we now have 6 and half million Jews back in Eretz Yisrael!

Yerushalayim is once again built up with beautiful stones. Isn’t the very fact that we’ve returned to the land enough to sing and dance? We see that Hashem has not forsaken His nation after this long Galus, Exile.

We’re living in amazing times. Watching the steps of the Geulah take place should be a great source of encouragement for us, strengthening our Emunah.

The last Gemarah in Makos explains that when the Tana’aim saw a fox running in the ruins of the Beis Hamikdash they began to cry, but Rebbe Akiva laughed. He reminded them of the passuk foretelling that foxes will come from its ruins.

He understood that if the prophecy that the Beis Hamikdash would be destroyed was fulfilled, then certainly the prediction that it would be rebuilt is also true.

The same can be said for us. Now that we see that Hashem has returned us to Eretz Yisrael to rebuild the ancient ruins, that Jews from the 4 corners of the world have returned to our homeland, we can believe that soon there will be no more war on His holy mountain, and Yerushalayim will once more be called the City of Peace.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 121

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 121, one of the more famous perakim.

This chapter starts differently than the rest of the Shir Hamalos songs. It begins with Shir Lama’alos instead of Shir Hama’alos. Rashi explains that this is to teach us of the great advantage that Tzaddikim will have in the future as they sit under the Eitz Hachaim in Gan Eden. They will be in the highest places, under the Kisey HaKavod, the Heavenly Throne.

There are different levels in Gan Eden. I heard from Rav Tzvi Aryeh Rosenfeld, z’tzl, that no two neshamos, souls, can be on the same level at the same time. Therefore, when one soul is elevated, the one above it rises to a higher level, and so on. There is constant movement in the upper worlds. As all Jewish souls are connected, they affect one another, and are constantly moving.

This perek is called Shira Lama’alos, Song of Ascents, as Tzaddkim ascend to higher and higher levels in Gan Eden.

An Artscroll commentary notes that obviously a person who serves Hashem with deeper sincerity and true desire will merit a higher place in Gan Eiden.

The author of this chapter wonders where his help would come from if not for God. As Hashem neither sleeps nor slumbers, He is the true Shomer Yisrael, Guardian of the Jewish nation. God is better than any security system, and has protected our survival throughout our 2,000 years of Galus. The author ends by affirming that Hashem protects for now and forever.

שִׁיר לַמַּעֲלוֹת אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִים מֵאַיִן יָבֹא עֶזְרִי׃

A Song for Ascents. I turn my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?

This question can be read as a statement. Mei’ayin yavo ezri, from the place of ayin, nothingness, comes my help. Salvation comes from the trait of humility, when you make yourself feel like ayin, nothingness, Hashem will answer you.

On a deeper level, mei’ayin yavo ezri can mean from the place of Ayin, Nothingness, an illusion to the highest places in Shamayim called “Ayin lo rasa, the eye has never seen.”

We don’t always know from where our help will come, but we have Emunah. Hashem can send us what we need from the highest place called Ayin, something that’s hidden from the human eye.

When we humble ourselves, we connect to that place of Ayin and can receive the greatest salvation and gifts from God.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 120

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 120. This is a short chapter, containing only 7 pessukim.

We’re now back to our regular Tehilim class. For those interested, all archives can be found on Soundcloud or Itunes. Just search for NachDaily, and you’ll be able to find all the old classes. We’re now heading towards the last stretch of Tehilim, with 30 chapters left.

The next 15 perakim are known as the Shir Hama’alos, Songs of Ascent. The Mishna in Sukkah, Perek 5 Mishna 4, teaches that these 15 chapters correspond to the 15 steps leading from the men’s section to the women’s area in the Beis Hamikdash. They were either sung when the Leviim stood on the steps, or each chapter was sung, one per step, as the Leviim ascended them.

The Shai Lemora adds that the tune of these Tehilim would start off in a low, baritone type of voice and gradually rise to a higher pitch by the end of the song. Hence the name, Songs of Ascent, alluding to the way in which they were sung.

Lastly, the Radak explains that these 15 psalms represent the 15 stages towards the process of the final redemption.

In this chapter, Dovid describes how Hashem answered his tefilos when he called out in pain. He asks Hashem to help him to use his power of speech only for good, never for harm ordeceit. What does God gain from people who use their power of speech to be cynical and take down others? Slander kills just like arrows do!

Dovid expresses grief over the possibility of being influenced by “bad” neighbors, who used their speech in damaging ways.

Dovid ends with a remarkable statement. “Ani shalom, I am peace.” One of the reasons that this is so special is because he was ridiculed and shamed throughout his life.

In his youth, his father, Yishai, didn’t show him to Shmuel Hanavi along with his other sons as a candidate to possibly be anointed as the next king. Dovid was relentlessly persecuted by his own father in-law Shaul, and his son Avshalom tried to kill him as well! But even after all this. Dovid was the embodiment of shalom, peace. He didn’t harbor resentment towards anyone.

Dovid was a warrior. He killed thousands of people in his lifetime, yet he considered himself a man of peace and not war.

Perhaps this gives us a glimpse into why Mashiach will come from Dovid. Mashiach will restore peace and end war throughout the world. As Yeshaya Hanavi says, “There will be no more war on My holy mountain.” Yerushalyim will be called the City of Peace. “Lo yisa goy el goy cherev, v’lo yilmedu od milchama, no nation will lift up a sword against another, and war will cease to exist.

May we merit the revelation of Mashiach ben Dovid as individuals in a nation of Shalom.

Letter Beis;

Hebrew Root: Beis is the Bayis house. Torah starts with a Beis because the world is a house/Bayis for hashem.

English Word; Body is also called a house/Bayis because it houses the soul. Build, because Hashem built the world.

Letter Gimmel;

Hebrew Root: Gimmel means to be Gomel

English Word: Give

Letter Daled

Hebrew root: Dal v’ani

English Word: Destitute, starts with a D, daled.

Letter Tes

Hebrew root: Tov, good

English connection: Tov and truth go hand and hand. Truth you spell with Tes. Also Tes in numerically 9 which is a true number. Any number times its 9 if you add up the sum you get 9.

Letter Chuf

Hebrew root: Kaf yad, Kafuf to bend, Kesser

English: Create, because your hands create. Crown is a Kesser. And the King where’s a Crown. Which both words have the chuf sound.

Letter Lamed;

Hebrew Root: lomed, limod

English: To Learn starts with a Lamed

Letter Mem;

Hebrew Root: Mayim water.

English Word: Movement. Because water is in flow and moves. Starts with a Mem

Letter Nun;

Hebrew Root: Nun stands for Ne’amna trustworthy, loyalty and humility. The shape of the letter is like a person sitting on their knees with their head slightly leaning forward. In a position of subjugation, bowing and prayer.

English Word: Nothing, a person who is humble and in prayer stance consideres themselves like a Nothing.

Letter Samech:

Hebrew Root: Somech, Sovev Surround. Something that’s closed on all sides like a fence. The letter itself is also closed in all sides similar to a circle.

English Word: Surrounds. Circle. Although circle isn’t spelled with am “S” is still makes the same sound. Support also means to be Somech.

Letter Ayin:

Hebrew root: Ayin/Eyes. The letter is also shaped like two eyes on a head.

English Word: Eyes. Eyes starts with an Ayin.

Letter Reish:

Hebrew root: Rosh head or leader.

English word: Role model, Rule

Letter Shin

Hebrew root: Shinuy to change. And Shamayim

English Word: Sky. The Shamayim means the Sky. Which is represented by the Shin.

Letter TAV

Hebrew root: Tachlis purpose, Torah. Gemera Shabbos 104 calls it the os ha’emes.

English Word: Truth, Because the truth is the Tachlis are synonymous with each other. That’s the ultimate Truth. Truth, starts with a Tuff .

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Suf/Tuf

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily will discuss the letter SUF.

This is actually a mini-siyum, because with this we’ll have finished all 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis, the holy letters with which the world was created. As we’ve seen, the secrets of the letters contain the deepest mysteries of the Torah, but what we’ve learned is literally just the tip of the iceberg, to give you a taste of the sweetness of the letters so that your Neshama can feel drawn to God. This completion of the Aleph Beis is certainly a reason to be happy.

After this, Nach Daily will be going back to the regular scheduled Tehilim class, moving on to Tehilim, perek 120. Join us and sign up a friend, as over the last few years we’ve been moving our way through the entire TANACH, one perek at time.

Just a quick note to prevent confusion: depending on your

custom you’ll pronounce this letter as Taf with a hard consonant, or Suf like an “S” sound.

The letter Suf represents the Tachlis, final purpose of a person’s life and Torah. The connection here is simple: the Torah is what teaches and guides a person to the purpose of the world.

The first time that the letter Suf appears at the beginning of a word in the Torah is during the creation. “V’ha’aretz haysa Tohu vavohu, And the land was astonishingly empty.” [Artscroll] The word Tohu is a difficult word to translate. Rashi explains that a person is baffled and astounded about what its purpose is. One stares at it and wonders, “What’s the point and purpose of what I’m looking at?” This is all contained in the letter Suf, which signifies a person pondering the purpose and meaning of life.

Additionally, the Suf/Tuf in the word Tohu shows that specifically in the darkness one can come close to Hashem. When life looks bleak and you think there’s no hope left, Hashem is with you even in the Tohu. There’s a purpose and meaning to it all.

In the end there will be “Techiyas Hameisim, Revival of the Dead,” represented by the Suf which is Hashem’s Tachlis, ultimate purpose of creating this world. As it says in the famous prophecy of Yechezkel 37:12, “I will lift them up out of the graves and return them to Eretz Yisrael.”

The letter Tuf resembles the Ches, which represents Chai Olam Habah, life in the Next World. Therefore, the Tachlis, purpose of man, is to attain true life in the World to Come.

The letter Suf is spelled Suf vav, and not Suf Pei Sofit. The spelling of Suff vav means a sign, character, or a road marker, like arrows leading to a final destination. The true way to attain our mission in this world is to think about the purpose and meaning of life. Thinking about the end goal guides a person like a road sign to the ultimate destination. As the expression goes, “sof ma’aseh b’machshava techila, last in action but first in thought.”

The Gemarah in Shabbos 104A says the Suf is the letter of Emes, Truth. Why isn’t the Aleph the letter of truth? After all, the word Emes begins with an Aleph! We often only see the truth of something at the end of a process. During the initial stages we don’t necessarily see how it’s going to turn out, but in the end the truth will be obvious.

While we don’t see Hashem clearly in this world, may we merit witnessing the true Tachlis when “be’al l’maves netzach, when all death will end forever” with the revelation of Mashiach ben Dovid who will usher in a new world order. At that time, all will see the truth of Hashem, Am Yisrael and His Torah.

I hope that you enjoyed this mini-series of the Hebrew Aleph Beis. Stay tuned to our next episode of Nach Daily. We’ll be resuming Tehilim with Perek 120.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter SHIN

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily will discuss the letter SHIN.

The Shin represents the power of Shinuy, change in the creation and Shlita, control. Generally speaking, in order to change something you need to be in control of it. Shin is the force able to impact something by changing its form, bringing it to the desired outcome.

The word Shinayim, teeth, comes from the Shin. When eating food, our teeth change its form so that the body can process and digest it. In fact, the tops of the letter Shin even look like teeth!

On a deeper level, the Shin has the power to elevate. When we eat, the food becomes absorbed and digested into our bodies. It thus becomes a part of us, being elevated to the level of a human. As the expression goes, “You are what you eat!”

Shin also applies to spirituality. A person’s desire to go from level to level, to reach higher and change for the better, comes from the word Shinuy, to change.

The power of change and transition, like all traits, can be used for good or bad. Words like Shalom, peace, and Shelemos, perfection, as well as Sh’vira, breaking, Sheker, lies, and Satan, evil, begin with Shin.

The first time that the Shin appears in the Torah is when it says “Es haShamayim v’es ha’aretz, Hashem created the heavens and earth.” The Gemarah in Chagiga 12a explains that Shamayim stands for Aish, fire, and Mayim, water. We know that part of the Shamayim is comprised of water, and that the atmosphere holds an electromagnetic field which allows lightning to be created. Both water and fire bring about change. In this context it can be said that Shamayim, sky, in some way rules over us by bringing about changes in the atmosphere. This all points towards the meaning of the letter Shin which controls, manipulates and changes.

Numerically, the Shin is 300, representing the 3 strands of a cord that is not easily broken. The sequence of the letters Kuf, Reish, Shin signifies that first a person becomes Kadosh, holy, then he can become the Rosh, head, allowing him to lead Klal YiSrael.

Alternatively, the Zohar explains, “Hakodosh Baruch, v’Oraysa V’Yisrael chad Hu, Hashem, the Torah and Am Yisrael are considered One.”

Kuf: haKadosh Baruch-hu, Reish: oRaysa, the Torah, and Shin: YiSrael, the Jewish nation. These 3 aspects are unified through the Shin.

The Shin is formed with 3 Vavs pointing upwards. The Vav is the os hachibur, letter of connection, pointing towards the Shin’s ability to tie together several aspects into a singular thread. Hashem, the Torah and Am Yisrael all become joined together through the 3 Vavs in the Shin.

I hope that you enjoyed this class. It would be a Sin not to! It’s going to be Tough moving onto the Suff, finishing the last letter of the Aleph Beis.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter REISH

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. In today’s Nach Daily we’ll discuss the letter REISH.

The Reish represents the Rosh, leadership, head of something, the ability to rule and influence. Rochev denotes expansiveness and the ability to take over.

The sequence of letters of Tzaddik, Kuf, and Reish explains that one who becomes a Tzaddik and attains a higher level of Kedusha, merits to be the Rosh, at the top or a leader.

The first time that the letter Reish appears at the beginning of a word is the first word in the Torah, beReishis, in the beginning. Hashem is the Rosh, Head of the world.

The Reish can also mean the head of something in a negative sense. It can be read as Rush, spelled reish, shin. “Rush v’ani, destitute and poor.” We can use our free choice to become leaders in a proper way of Kedusha, or use it to become extremely needy and dependent on other people as in the word, Reykanos, empty-headedness. This is all implied from the letter Reish.

Rasha, an evil person, is also rooted in the letter Reish. A person can go either way, to become the “Rosh u’manhig, true leader,” or become a “Rasha, a base, evil person” who is Reik, empty of Mitzvos.

The Reish also represents the Yetzer Hara, Evil Inclination. One of the reasons given as to why the Daled in the verse “Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokenu, Hashem echaD, Hashem is One” is written larger than those before it, is so as not to confuse the Daled with the Reish, which would cause the word to be read as “acher, another” implying that there’s more than one Hashem. The Yetzer Hara tries to split our awareness of God by intimating that there’s more than one Cause and Source to our lives. The Reish can thus represent the Yetzer Hara, who can fool a person into becoming an evil Rasha.

Kabbalistically, the letter Reish corresponds to the Sefira of Chochma, Wisdom. This is the Rosh, Head of all of the 10 Sefiros because wisdom begins in our minds. As the passuk says, “Reishis chochma yiras Hashem, the beginning of wisdom is to fear God.”

The shape of the Reish is like that of a poor person bending over, but if you continue to draw its rounded top, you get a Chuf, which represents the most elevated of all the Sefiros: Kesser, Crown. This teaches us that we can elevate our Rosh, head and mind, to the level of Kesser. A crown can rest on our heads like that of a king. Furthermore, Reish is numerically 200, which is 10 times Chuf (Kesser) 20, to demonstrate that the crown rests on a person’s skull.

Reish represents the Rosh, head, but it doesn’t signify with what the head is filled! It means the head itself. We can fill our minds with great lofty things, with Torah, Tefilah, Mitzvos and Kedusha, or with Rishas, evil, cynicism, jealousy, spite and malice. We can be absent minded, empty headed and fatalistic, or inspired, motivated, and energized by life. It’s really all a matter of what’s going on in our minds.

Truthfully, there’s no better way to get ahead in life, to make it to the top, than to use our minds in a productive manner. This is the way to become a true Rosh, leader and Role model.

Stay tuned for the next episode of Nach Daily as we move ahead to Shin.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter KUF

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily will discuss the letter KUF.

Kuf represents a heKuf, border, a passageway, a point of integration and Kedusha, holiness. As the eye of a needle is called the Kof Hamchat, this all points towards transitioning and moving to another, higher plane.

Kuf comes after the latter Tzaddik because Kedusha, holiness, comes only after one has reached the level of a Tzaddik. After we have worked on ourselves, and even refrained from some things that are permissible, we can begin to receive and experience the higher level of Kedusha represented by the letter Kuf, transitioning from one level to another.

This transitioning of levels can also work in the negative. As the passuk says, “lo t’hey Kadesha m’bnos Yisrael, there shouldn’t be a harlot from among the daughters of Israel. We find here that a zona, harlot,is called a Kadesha, which means that this particular woman descended to a lower level by separating herself in a lowly manner. Both the word for Kedusha, holiness, and Kadesha, a harlot, share the same etymology. They both stem from the letter Kuf, a point of integration or moving from level to level in either direction, for good or bad.

The first time that the letter Kuf is used in the beginning of a word in the Torah is when it says, “VayiKra Elokim la’or yom, v’lachoshech Kara lyla, God called the light day and the darkness night.” The act of giving something a name is what causes it to transition and become something of permanence. When Hashem called the light, “Day, the name became official. When He called the darkness, “Night, the night also became a thing of permanence. It transitioned from a non-fact to a fact. This points towards the meaning of the letter Kuf, which is a transitional letter by definition as it’s the force of moving from one point to another.

Kof means a monkey. The connection here is that it appears to look as if humans came from monkeys. Monkeys would then be like an intermediate or transition from humans. Please don’t get me wrong—we did not evolve from monkeys! Conceptually, however, monkeys appear to look like humans and Kof, from the letter Kuf, looks like a transitional point between humans and animals.

The word for marriage is called Kedushin because in marriage a woman and man integrate and join with each other to become a new entity. Kuf is the point of integration.

The shape of the letter Kuf has two openings representing the ability to go up or down levels. It should be noted, however, that the bottom opening of the Kuf gets smaller, as if bent inwards. This is to teach us that a person who received Kedusha is guarded from falling all the way down, receiving extra Divine protection.

It also can be said that the shape of the Kuf looks like a face with a long beard. As Chazal say, “Hadras panim zaken, The beauty of a face is the beard,” which points towards Kedusha.

Numerically, Kuf is 100, which represents the peak of spiritual perfection that one can attain. The 10 of the letter Yud represents the spiritual perfection of Olam Habah which was created with it. The Kuf, however, represents haKadosh Barichu Himself! As the passuk says in Vayikra: “Kadosh Ani Hashem, I am God who is Holy!” Kedusha is the highest level of being, totally separate from everything. God describes Himself as Kadosh, lifted and exalted above all, even Olam Habah which is represented by the Yud/10. Kuf is 100 because it represents God, who is beyond Olam Habah. Ultimately, no one can ever see God because He is unfathomable, truly incomprehensible to the human mind.

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Tzaddik

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s we’ll discuss the letter TZADDIK.

The letter Tzaddik represents Tzidkus, righteousness, Tzaddikim, and Tzida, trapping something. The Tzaddik is the ability to capture something and rule over it in a positive way. This can take the form of trapping animals and properly training them. Esav was “tzayid b’peav, he was able entrap someone with his words.”

The root of the word Tzaddik refers to the righteous person who in a sense is able to trap the Yetzer Hara in order to rule over it. Tzaddi represents trapping and the Kuf at the end of it represents the Yezter Hara. This will hopefully be explained in the class pertaining to the letter Kuf.

The first time that the letter Tzaddik appears in the beginning of a word in the Torah is during the creation of man. It says “b’Tzalmeinu, in Our image,” because the perfection of man lies in being alike to his Creator as much as possible. We can thus understand that the Tzaddik points towards shelaimus ha’adom, the perfection of man: to become a Tzaddik!

Nowhere in the Torah are we commanded to kill our Yezter Hara, but we must use it for its intended purpose by ruling over it to serve Hashem. In the Shema we are told, “v’ahavta es Hashem Elohecha b’chol levav’cha, You should love Hashem with all your hearts.” Chazal explain that the plural use of “hearts” is to teach “b’shney yitzarecha, both the Yetzer Hatov v’Yetzer Hara, our good and evil inclinations.”

There are two forms of this letter. A Tzaddik Kafufa, a regular bent Tzaddik, and a Tzaddik Peshuta AKA Tzaddik Sofit. Currently the Tzaddik is filled with humility, but when Mashiach comes the Tzaddik will become Peshuta, straightened out and stand upright, and all will see his true worth.

The letter Tzaddik is formed with a Nun Kafufa, bent Nun, and a Yud. In a previous class we discussed that the Nun represents Ne’emanus, faithfulness, and aNava, humility. Those born naturally humble who didn’t really work on themselves for that trait are not called Tzaddikim. Only a person who works hard in avodos Hashem, serving Hashem and learning Torah is called a Tzaddik. Therefore the letter is also formed with a Yud, which represents attaching yourself to Hashem. Only after you attach yourself to God can you be called a Tzaddik.

It also should be pointed out that the bent Nun in the formation of the Tzaddik is very bent over. A true Tzaddik is extremely humble in front of Hashem as it says regarding Moshe that he was “aNav mikol adom, humbler than all men.”

Numerically, the Tzaddik is 90. Its lower counterpart letter is TES, which is 9. Tes represents the force of good that comes back to you. The connection here is obvious: the Tzaddik will receive good in the world to come. As the passuk in Yeshaya 3:10 says, “Imru l’Tzaddik ki Tov say to the Tzaddik he’s good.” Tzaddikim and goodness go hand in hand. A smart person contemplates this world and recognizes that all good will be received in the next world, represented by the relationship between the Tzaddik and its partner letter Tes.

May we merit attaching ourselves to true Tzaddikim and ultimately become such ourselves through the power of the letter Tzaddik.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.