For an explanation of the methodology of this series, see the introduction.
"This is the teaching which Moshe set before the children of Israel." (Deut. 4:44)
Peshat (basic meaning):
Rashi:"And this is the teaching"
This one which he is about to set down after this chapter.
Remez (hinted meaning):
There is no Baal HaTurim on this verse.
Makot 24a:
Moses revealed to us 611 mitzvahs — after we heard the first 2 commandments directly from G‑d — as hinted by the gematria of Torah, 611.
Derash (interpretive meaning):
Tzeror HaMor:
"Teaching" refers to the 10 Commandments which Moses repeats. Perhaps it also refers to the commandment concerning the cities of refuge, as Moses does not repeat the 10 Commandments until verse 6 in the next chapter.
Sod (esoteric, mystical meaning):
Zohar Acharei 73:
Come and see: It is written, "And this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Israel." "Before the children of Israel" he set it but not before the other nations, so for this reason, speak to the children of Israel. "You shall say to the children of Israel" (Lev. 20:2) and it is so in all places. May they rest, the fathers of the world, Hillel and Shamai, who spoke so to Onkelos, but they did not reveal Torah topics to him until he was circumcised.
The first subject of the Torah we give to children is the Alphabet.
Come and see: The first subject of the Torah we give to children is the Alphabet. This is a matter that mankind cannot comprehend, nor can it rise in their minds, not to mention saying it with their mouths. Even supernal angels and the most sublime can not comprehend it, as these matters are the mysteries of the Holy Name. There are 14,050,000 worlds dependent upon the stroke of the Aleph and 72 Holy Names are engraved in the impressed letters in them. The high and low beings; heaven, earth and the seat of glory of the King are hanging from one side to the other side of the expansion of the Aleph. They sustain all the worlds and are the supports of the upper and lower beings within the secret of wisdom.
Concealed paths, and deep rivers, ten sayings, all come out from the lower tip underneath the Aleph. From here on begins Aleph to spread to the Beit. One can not keep track of the wisdom that is engraved here.
For this reason, the Torah is the sustenance of everything and the Faith of all to bind the bond of Faith, one with another properly. He who is circumcised is bound with that bond of Faith, but he who is not circumcised is not bound with it, as it is written, "No stranger shall eat of the holy thing" (Lev. 22:10)
BeRahamim LeHayyim:
Twenty years ago I was at a local Hebrew bookstore with my best friend at the time — a non-Jew — and I bought a cool "beach ball" that had the Hebrew alphabet —- aleph-beit! on it — something novel for 1991. When asked what was written, I said, "Just the Hebrew letters". To which he parodied me "Just the Hebrew letters?"
Point made, exactly. For he as a mystic could sense the immense power of the symbols even though he knew not what they meant specifically.
G‑d looked into the Torah, the blueprint of Creation, and decided how to arrange the world, a blueprint based on "Just the Hebrew letters."
Adam was given the job of Sacred Namer...
Adam was given the job of Sacred Namer, with the extreme envy of all the Holy angels, he gazed at all the animals, saw their essence, and named them, with names based on "Just the Hebrew letters."
The first set of tablets of the 10 Commandments were inscribed with the finger of G‑d, with 620 letters, gematria of Keter/crown, the original "Keter Torah", tablets filled up with "Just the Hebrew letters."
Bezalel who dwelt in the Shadow of G‑d, as a young bar mitzvah youth permuted the letters to make the vessels of the Holy Tabernacle, vessels designed with "Just the Hebrew letters."
600,000 Hebrew letters in the Torah, when we include the white spaces, black fire on white fire. fire filled with "Just the Hebrew letters."
And the last bit of prophecy left in Israel occurs when our dear parents decide for whatever reason to name us, giving us Hebrew names composed of "Just the Hebrew letters."
One cannot keep track of the wisdom that is engraved here.
Enuf said about "Just the Hebrew letters."
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