Creation and the Hebrew Alphabet: A Story
As I was reading a book on Jewish folkloric tales, I came across a story called The Aleph-Bet and immediately fell in love with it. It is short, cute and extremely imaginative.
I modified the original by including the Hebrew alphabet and words instead of their transliterations for visual effect. I think that even those who don’t know Hebrew will be able to follow the story and get its message.
The Aleph-Bet
When God was about to create the world, all twenty-two letters of the Aleph-Bet leapt off the flaming crown of God and crowded around the Heavenly Throne, pleading, “Create the world through me!”
First the 
(tav), the last letter of the aleph-bet, came forward. “I am the first letter of 
(Torah),” it said. “Create the world through me, for later on I will give Israel all its laws and stories.”
“No,” replied God, “for in future days you will serve as a sign – mayt ** – to be placed upon the foreheads of the dead.”
So the departed from the Heavenly Throne, its head bowed in shame.
Next the 
(shin) stepped forward. “Lord of the World, create the world through me. Doesn’t Your own name, 
(Shaddai), begin with me?”
But God again refused. “The words 
(lie) and 
(falsehood) begin with you. Depart!”
And so the , like its sister , backed away from God’s presence.
And so it was with one letter after another. 
(resh) argued that it began another of God’s names, 
(Merciful), but God reminded that it also began the words 
(evil) and 
(wicked). 
(qof) pointed out that it was the first letter in 
(holiness), but God retorted that it also began 
(curse). 
(tsadeh)’s plea for 
(righteous) was offset by 
(troubles); 
(pe)’s for 
(Redeemer) by 
(sin). 
(aiyn), although it began 
(humility), also began 
(immorality). 
(samek)’s hopes rose for a moment when God agreed that it did indeed uphold – 
– the fallen, but it had to submit to God’s order that it continue its important task of upholding the fallen rather than creating the world.
(nun) boldly marched forward to claim that it began the word 
(lamp), which would light the spirits of humankind, but God answered that the same would also serve as the lamp of the wicked, whose light God would ultimately have to put out. 
(mem) claimed another of God’s names, 
(king), but it was soon chastened by being reminded that it also began the word 
(confusion), a disastrous thing for a new world. 
(lamed) pointed out its revered place at the head of 
(tablets), the Ten Commandments, but it forgot—until God reminded it that Moses would shatter the two tablets on seeing the Golden Calf.
(kaf) strutted up to the Throne confident of its triumph. “Surely You cannot refuse me,” it boasted. “I begin 
(throne) and 
(honor) and 
(crown). You must begin the world with me!”
But its confidence was short-lived, for God proclaimed that in future years the Ruler of the Universe would clap one palm against another – 
– in despair over the sorrows and misdeeds of Israel.
Then all the other letters were ready to concede victory to little 
(yod), for did not this letter begin the Awesome Name, the Tetragrammaton? But God gently reminded them all that also started the words 
(the evil inclination), so it would never do to begin the world with .
Then 
(tet) presented itself, arguing that 
(good) seemed a fitting note on which to begin a new creation. But God scolded , saying, “Not in the lower world but only in the World to Come will true goodness be found.” And so was forced to withdraw its claim.
(khet) pleaded for itself, saying, “I too begin one of Your names, 
(Gracious One),” but it blushed deeply when it remembered that it also began the word 
(sin). As for 
(zayin), it bragged that it began 
(remember), but God retorted that it also began the word zayin (weapon) **, the origin of human woes. 
(vav) and 
(he) came forward together to press their case, both being letters of the Sacred Name, but God dismissed them immediately, for they were too exalted to serve the lower world.
(dalet) pointed out that it began the word 
(the Divine Word), but it was reminded that it also began 
(judgment), too harsh a note on which to bring a frail world into being. 
(gimel) rushed up with its claim of 
(great), but God rebuked it, pointing out that it also started 
(punishment).
That left only 
(aleph) and 
(bet). humbly stepped forward and said, “O Source of Blessing, all the inhabitants of this new world will praise You daily through me, saying, 
, “Blessed be the Maker of All.” And God immediately granted ’s request, creating the world through it: “
– In the beginning…”
Only modest little had not spoken until now. Because of its humility. God rewarded it by later giving it the place of honor at the head of the Ten Commandments: “
– I am Adonai your God.”
A Few Thoughts
Although it is ridiculous to think that the Hebrew alphabet wanted to help out God with creation, it somehow succeeded to communicate to me its emphasis on God’s majesty and goodness as Creator.
I also thought it was very telling in this story that although bet got to be the first letter that starts the Hebrew Bible (and therefore creation), aleph gets a prominent place at the beginning of God’s covenant with His people. It marks the creation of a people. This, of course, relies on the Jewish ordering of the ten commandments (or the ten words) which makes more sense to me.
In the sprit of this story, it is also interesting to notice that (aleph)’s humility not only placed it at the beginning of the ten commandments, but it was also given the privilege to start every word of the name God chose to make himself known to his people:
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
God said to Moses, “
(I AM WHO I AM).” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘
(I AM) has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:13-14)
** I don’t know what is meant by the sign “mayt” (
?), does anybody? I also couldn’t figure out the Hebrew spelling of the word for “weapon” (zayin), so, if anybody knows, please let me know.
Bibliography
Frankel, Ellen. The Classic Tales: 4,000 Years of Jewish Lore. Jason Aronson Inc., 1989, 5-7.
Sources: Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:2; 2 Alephbet of Rabbi Akiva 50-55; Midrash HaGadol Sefer Bereshit 1, 10-11; Zohar (Schechter) I, 2b-3a; Ginzberg I, 5-8; V, 6-7, n. 10-12.
Related Posts:
Tags: Hebrew, Jewish Lore
