#80 - OPENING with the FOUNDATION

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the Torah of kindness is on her tongue" (Proverbs 31:26). This verse, part of the Aishet Chayil paragraph, the last 22 verses of Mishlei/Proverbs, each beginning in order of the 22 letters of the Alef Beit, is part of the description of the Jewish woman of valor, the Shabbat, or the Torah.

Few verses can better describe the life of Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaCohen Kagan, popularly known as the Chofetz Chaim, whose Yahrzeit was this past Erev Shabbat, the 24th of Elul. I had actually intended to write this post then, but I did not have sufficient time before Shabbat to write. It is true that when he passed away on this date in 5693/1933, it was on a Sunday, the first day of Selichot for Ashkenazic Jews; and though today is not his Yahrzeit, today is the first day of Selichot, the day of the week in which he passed away.

Besides the Chofetz Chaim's personal example of how to live a Torah life both as a seasoned Torah scholar along with his most fine character traits, he also was a prolific writer. As per the above verse, in terms of WISDOM, he wrote his Mishnah Berurah commentary on the first section of the Shulchan Aruch/Code of Jewish Law called Orach Chaim, which literally means the Path of Life, as this section of laws includes daily living with blessings, prayers, eating, the Shabbat and holidays. In terms of KINDNESS, he wrote a Sefer called Ahavat Chesed, which means the Love of Kindness about the importance of this subject along with compiled Halachot/Jewish laws on this subject. And then in terms of the TONGUE, there is his most famed book after which he is named Chofetz Chaim, which means Desires Life, a compilation of all the laws pertaining to forbidden speech, especially when it comes to derogatory information about our Jewish brethren, along with another book that he wrote called Shemirat HaLashon, which means Guarding of the Tongue, details on the importance of this subject.

In addition to the above main works, he wrote many more books, touching on the above themes and much more, especially as it pertained to the declining level of religious observance among Jews, along with the problem of Jews being conscripted into the Russian army. Few in his day accomplished what he did in terms of strengthening Judaism, but perhaps most importantly, he practiced what he preached.

Now, for those who aren't ready to buy hundreds of dollars worth of books that the Chofetz Chaim wrote, or don't know where to start in terms of learning his teachings,
may I suggest a couple of links here - http://www.chofetzchaimusa.org/inspiration_emailform.html & www.chofetzchaimusa.org
where you can get free E-mails of daily teachings of the Chofetz Chaim and much more,
generously provided by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation.

And speaking of foundation, though this word is used in the context of an organization, the regular meaning of this word as translated in Hebrew is Yesod, which is the Gematria of 80, and this is my 80th Post. In this case, using the word foundation in terms of the Chofetz Chaim very well describes the life of this great saint, as the verse states (Proberbs 10:25) - Tzadik Yesod Olam, "the righteous person is the foundation of the world". Put very simply, Hashem created the world to begin with for the SOLE PURPOSE of being served. In essence, Hashem created the world only for the Jews - though non-Jews who live a righteous life on their own spiritual level are also rewarded with eternity - to serve him at the optimum level as detailed with the 613 Mitzvot/Commandments that were transmitted to us.
Ultimately, it is the Tzadikim/righteous people, who justify Hashem creating the world to begin with, for if it wasn't for these few who are serving Him, there would be no purpose as far as Hashem is concerned for Him to have created the world to begin with.

Another way to prove that the word foundation used in reference to the Chofetz Chaim is not a mere coincidence, but chosen by Hashgacha Peratit/Divine Providence will be proven in a moment here. As we know, the name of the Chofetz Chaim's halachic commentary on the first part of the Shulchan Aruch/Code of Jewish Law termed Orach Chaim "Path of Life" which deals with the laws of prayers and holidays - is called Mishna Berura "Clear Mishna." Anyways, this phrase is the Gematria of 808. Also, as we know that the Chofetz Chaim especially was emphatic about the study of the part of Torah that deals with the laws of Temple offerings, which is included in the fifth order of the Mishnayot called Seder Kodashim, and devised various programs towards this end, the phrase Limud Seder Kodashim - "learning of the order of Kodashim" is also the Gematria of 808. But here is the punchline - the 808th word of Sefer Vayikra/Book of Leviticus, which focuses primarily on the laws of the Cohanim who do the work in the Temple, and hence also named Torat Cohanim, is the word Yesod (Leviticus 4:7)! In this context, the word Yesod does not mean foundation in the regular sense, but it is refering to the base of the altar. What one will also note is that the Gematria of the 808th word of Sefer Vayikra is the Gematria of 80. Both the numbers 80 & 808 have a very strong connection with the number eight obviously, and also, 80=8*10 & 808=8*101, or 808+80=888! Small wonder why this is especially related to the Chofetz Chaim - the phrasing of his title named after his first Sefer, contain words that both begin with the letter Cheit - the Gematria of eight.

And noting the date of the Chofetz Chaim's passing - 24 Elul - the date as "Yom Chaf Dalet (the number)" - "Day 24" is the same Gematria as Yesod - 80. As it pertained to this year, the Yahrzeit fell out on the sixth day of the week, and as the seven Sephirot/spiritual emanations of action correspond with the seven days of the week - which are Chesed/Kindness, Gevurah/Severity, Tiferet/Beauty, Netzach/Eternity, Hod/Splendor, Yesod/Foundation & Malchut/Kingship; hence, Yesod corresponds to the sixth day of the week. This is also to note that this is the last Yom Shishi/sixth day of the week of this year 5770. To note, the 24th and final book of the Tanach/Bible, which is Divrei HaYomim/Chronicles, begins with the name of Adam, who was created on the sixth day of Creation. And the number 24 is three times the number eight, and as mentioned above, the word Yesod=80 is the 808th word of Sefer Vayikra, so when adding these two numbers: 808+80=888, it yields a number which is a triple eight. Truly amazing!

Relating the Sephira of Yesod to this very Hebrew year 5770, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, a Kabbalistic writer of the 1500s, points out that the 10 Days of Repentence which are the first 10 days of the Jewish year, correspond to the 10 Sephirot that begin with the intellectual aspects - Keter/Crown, Chachma/Wisdom, and Binah/Understanding.
Following in this order, Yesod is the NINTH of the Sephirot. Accordingly, this Hebrew year 5770 is spelled with the letters Hei-Tav-Shin-Ayin that also reads "THE NINE" or when rearranging the letters putting the Hei at the end of this number instead of the front that can also read in the feminine gender - Tisha "NINE". Looking back in this year, we can see how the events that took place, including the evil summit of Abu-Mazen, Netanyahu, & Obama attempting to tear more Jewish land away from Israel to give it to the blood thirsty Moslem Arabs as late as last Thursday, on 23 Elul, EXACTLY NINE YEARS from 9/11 on the Hebrew calendar, are making up the FOUNDATION of the "birthpangs of Moshiach" that are supposed to happen right before his coming, just as a woman at the end of her NINE months of pregnancy receives her birthpangs right before giving birth. I think it would be a sin to fail to mention that as a result of the upcoming summit this past week, it caused in Israel for five Jews to be murdered and two Jews to be injured, thanks to Netanyahu whose past actions have caused much bloodshed and agony to Jews in Israel, and the Hamas, the Arab group which carried out the attacks, who are too impatient for so called peace treaties and just want war.

And speaking of war, it is 77 years from when the Chofetz Chaim passed away. As I mentioned in my 77th Post (Aug. '10), his last book, called Sefer Mitzvot HaKoton, "The Concise Book of Commandments" was a compilation of the Mitzvot that are able to be performed today in absence of the Holy Temple. This includes the 77 Mitzvot Aseh, Positive or Active Commandments. The last of these is to wipe out the memory of Amalek, which is basically fighting this evil nation who was the first to attack out following the Exodus, until no trace of this clan is left.


RETURNING TO THE FOUNDATION

Yesterday, on the last Shabbat of this year 5770, I received the Levite Aliyah of the combined Parshiyot of Nitzavim-Vayeilech. This particular section (Deutronomy
30:1-6) focuses on the theme of Teshuva. While the Mitzva of Teshuva is actually derived much earlier from Parshat Naso in the Book of Numbers, in that context, it is learned out from the verse that mentions confession of sins. However, confession alone is just a preliminary step to actually repenting, which is not repeating the sin that one committed earlier.

In the more meaningful sense of the word Teshuva, it means returning, that is, returning to the path that Hashem wants us to travel on. The same letters of the word Teshuva spell the word as in the first verse of this section - Vahasheyvota -"You will return". As is often soon, a Jew who has not been brought up in an observant Jewish home who is now learning about his Jewish heritage is said to be "returning to his roots." Yes, his roots, his foundation, from which he comes from. A tradition stemming from over 3,700 years to the time of our first Jewish ancestor Abraham. He himself worshipped the sun and the moon when a youngster until he came to his senses that they couldn't be gods because they didn't always stick around.

In the final verse of this Aliyah, it states "Hashem your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your children." It's mentioned in Halacha that the words in this verse Et Levavcha V'Et Levav - "Your heart and the heart" begin with the letters that spells the name of this month Elul. Kabbalistically, in terms of the human body, it is the Sephira of Binah/understanding that corresponds to the heart, and both the words Elul & Binah have the same Gematria of 67. Also to note, the verse starts mentioning about "circumcising" the heart. Accordingly, again as it relates to the human body, the Sephira of Yesod corresponds to the sexual organ.

This last Shabbat of the year which fell out on 25 Elul this year, also marks the date of the creation of the world (according to the view of Rabbi Eliezer). It's stated in the Talmud that seven things were created before the creation of the world,
one of them being the concept of Teshuva. Without this basic concept, the world would not be able to last spiritually with constant sinning with no way of getting back in track with what counts in life, the purpose of the world to begin with, and so it was crucial that this was created ahead of time to assure that despite what would happen later in world history, that there would be hope for things to be done right sooner or later.

Counting the number of words in the Aliyah that I received yesterday, there are 95 words. Now, the beginning word of this post in Hebrew for the verse "She opens her mouth...", in the original text, the actual first word(s) as translated in English is "her mouth" which is Piha. This word consisting of Pei-Yud-Hei, it is the Gematria of NINETY-FIVE, the same number of words of the Aliyah that I received. And as the Aishet Chayil paragraph from which this verse is taken is recited on Shabbat night at the table right preceding Kiddush, sanctification of the Shabbat over wine; we being the Kabbalat Shabbat prayers, welcoming the Shabbat with several psalms, beginning with PSALM NINETY-FIVE, OPENING OUR MOUTHS declaring our praise to Hashem - Lechu Neranena L'Hashem "Come, let us chant praise to Hashem...". There is in fact a Shabbat queen, known as Shabbat HaMalka, representing the Shabbat day, and Malka/queen is also the Gematria of NINETY-FIVE.

And as the verse begins with the Hebrew word Piha, the Gematria of NINETY-FIVE, as related to the Chofetz Chaim, while there seems to be a discrepancy as to what year he was born 5598 or 5599/1838 or 1839, at the time of his passing, he was either NINETY FIVE years old, or he was in his NINETY-FIFTH year. Indeed he made the most use of his some 95 years living on this planet. But what distinguished him from all other rabbis before him or after him is that he is the one who wrote the book of the compilation of the laws of forbidden speech, as is hinted in this word Piha - "her mouth", for it was about the laws pertaining to what is permitted or forbidden to be spoken by the MOUTH that the Chofetz Chaim wrote this book which he named it after the title of which he became hence known for afterwards. And as the verse states, after which this title comes from "Who is the one who WANTS LIFE, who loves (days) years to see good. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit" (Psalms 34:13-14). Hence, since the Chofetz Chaim practiced what he preached, Hashem so to speak didn't have a choice but to fulfill what it says in the Psalms. Indeed, he reached a ripe old age when he was able to "see good", to see Nachas/spiritual fulfillment and pleasure, not only from his chidren, but also from his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

One of the objectives of the Chofetz Chaim in writing his numerous works as hinted to his main works in the verse beginning this blog, was to have his Jewish brethren return to their roots, especially in light of the Enlightment movement, which is basically the Reform movement of today, which attempted to water down Judaism by teaching Bible stories to Jewish children, mocking authentic Jewish tradition. He didn't seek to merely criticize. He realized that lots of troubles were happening to the Jewish people, even as he himself had to deal running away from his hometown of Radin with his Yeshiva in the midst of World War I. He sincerely wished the best for Jews to be spiritually prepared for the word of eternity, despite the difficult challenges that faced Jews in anti-Semitic Europe.

Among these challenges involved the concept of the Mikva/ritualarium which is crucial for menstraunt women to use following nearly two weeks after their period before resuming relations with their husbands. Even in the times of the Chofetz Chaim, there seemed to be some Jews who were either ignorant of the laws of family purity, or thought of these laws as something old fashioned or not applicable in those days considering more modern modes of water sanity. He wrote much on this subject, noting the terrible punishment befalling those who fail to keep these laws while describing the tremendous reward for those who keep these laws. Today, the ritualarium usually consists of warm water with modern, clean facilities, but in those days in Europe, this would have been a big luxury, considering the poor financial stability of most Jews in Europe. In any case, this is a topic as it relates to Yesod, denoting spiritual purity, and as hinted in this Aliyah as read yesterday with the word circumcising, Taharat Mishpacha/family purity is indeed a spiritual foundation stone for the holiness of the Jewish family and the Jewish people.

This verse beginning with "She opens her mouth..." also begins with the letter Pei, which is the Gematria of 80, as it relates to the Gematria of Yesod, as well as the number of this 80th Post. The word for this letter - spelled Pei Aleph, is cognate of the word Peh - spelled Pei Hei, which in turn has the same Gematria as Milah, the sexual organ, which is 85.

The common factor between the mouth and the sexual organ is the concept of desire and animalistic drives. While an animal doesn't speak the way that humans speak, they have plenty of desire between eating and mating. Human beings, besides these drives, also have a mouth that can speak volumes of valuable information, but the moment that a single dangerous word is said, it can cause murder to thousands. In fact, the Chofetz Chaim points out that besides the terrible sin of saying derogatory things about other Jews, it's the fact that there is not even tangible enjoyment from this that is what is called a Chillul Hashem/Desecration of Hashem's name.

Though eating non-Kosher food or eating gluttonously and doing the wild thing beyond the permitted sexual limitations are also sins, at least there is a logical reason for these sins to be committed, for after all, we human beings have base desires, but we just need to learn to control them. However, when it comes to speech, it is intellectual for the most part, and quite often, wanting to feel cool with the rest of the gang seems to be the game for many in looking down on others. They forget, or sometimes want to forget, that had they been the ones whom they are talking about now, maybe they would not like being talked about. Indeed, if people were to always think along the lines of what it would be like if they were to be the victim of gossip or mockery, there would be far less terrorism in this world.


THE MAN OF REPENTANCE

It's interesting to note that the Chofetz Chaim, in compiling the Halachot for his Sefer Chofetz Chaim on the laws of forbidden speech, also quotes from the Sefer Sha'arei Teshuva "Gates of Repentance" written by Rabbeinu Yonah/Jonah of Geronda of some 700 years ago, though not a Halachic work, but rather more of a book of moral and ethical instruction, or known as Mussar in Hebrew.

It's interesting to note what prompted Rabbeinu Yonah to write this work. It seems that in his earlier years, there was a ban against the writings of the Rambam/Maimonides due to claims of heresy, of which he took part. At one point, the anti-Semites of the day burned many crates of the Talmud, to which Rabbi Yonah attributed as punishment for the opposition to the Rambam's works. Wishing to repent for this, he decided to travel to Israel where the Rambam is buried to seek his forgiveness at his gravesite. On the way, he met up with a Jewish community who needed guidance with religious observance, as a result of which, he remained in that community to the end of his life, never making it to Israel. In lieu of this, he composed his work Sha'arei Teshuva. In addition he also composed Igeret HaTeshuva
"Letter of Repentance", composed of 70 pointers to being a better Jew, and Yesod HaTeshuva "Foundation of Repentance", a relatively short composition meant to be read especially on the day before Rosh HaShana and the 10 Days of Repentance.

Seeing a correlationship of the number 70 between the 70 Tikkunim of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, making up the holiest part of the Zohar called Tikkunei HaZohar, based on the first word of the Torah - Bereishit, and the 70 pointers of Rabbeinu Yonah in his Igeret HaTeshuva, I thought of an acronym for the letters of this Hebrew year 5770 read backwards as Ayin Sha'arei Teshuva (Hei) - Ayin=70 Gates of Repentence. As for the remaining letter Hei of the Hebrew year, it is this very letter (along with the letter Koof) that has a slit in the midst of it, denoting an escape passage for a sinner wishing to repent. Also, as noted in Kabbala, the spiritual accomplishment of Teshuva as it relates to Hashem's name of YKVK is Tashuv Hei - returning the Hei; because when one sins G-d forbid, he separates the last Hei from the first three letters of the Name. However, when one repents, which is returning to Hashem, he is "returning the Hei" to its proper place.

GATES OF REPENTANCE - The first paragraph of this Sefer quotes from two different parts of the Levite Aliyah that I had yesterday, "You shall return to Hashem your
G-d, and listen to His voice, according to all that He commands you today - you and your children - with all your heart and soul". And, "Hashem your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your children, to love Hashem your G-d".

LETTER OF REPENTANCE - The 70th and final pointer of this Sefer is to strengthen one's trust in Hashem. Especially in the face of the weak leader of what is called the State of Israel, we need to beef up our trust in Hashem more than ever, and if Hashem sees that at least we are doing our part, then at the end, Netanyahu's dreams of Abu Mazen being a "partner of peace" as he called him as late as last Thursday will go down the tubes when giving away land will not work out at the end.

FOUNDATION OF REPENTANCE - This is a short work outlining the daily life of one who wishes to truly repent, and to assure that he will not return to the town of Sinland anymore.


CONNECTION BETWEEN 70 & 80

Psalm 90 is a good reminder of our purpose in this world. "You bring people to the brink, and You exclaim "Return O mankind!" "Our years are 70, but with strength - they are 80 years". As I mentioned earlier, the name of the letter Pei=80 connotes the mouth; and accordingly, the name of the letter Ayin=70 means eye. Indeed, as we SEE what goes on in this world, we live in a limited period of time - an average lifespan of 70 years. However, we can maximize our time in this world, making our life fruitful and productive. Indeed, the name of the very first Mitzva of the Torah - Pru Urvu - "Be fruitful and multiply" - beginning with the letter Pei - creating the next generation is the ultimate accomplishment, especially if done with the right spiritual ways, because after all, without having children, there would be no more people living after so many years. At times, we may live much longer to be able to accomplish ever so much with Hashem giving us the extra strength; but sometimes, the extra strength is given to us within a letter lifetime span. And the ultimate vehicle that accomplishes what needs to be done - even when we do plenty of actions helping other people - is the MOUTH, because it is speech that communicates to the world what needs to be done, exemplified best with the greatest Mitzva of the Torah that is performed with the mouth - learning and teaching Torah.

To note, this Psalm 90 thru Psalm 100 was composed by none other than Moses himself, later to be incorporated into the Book of Psalms, as this psalm begins Tefila L'Moshe/Prayer of Moses. Noting that he mentions one with strength can live for 80 years, the Torah notes that when he first approached Pharoah to redeem the Jews from his Egyptian land, that Moses was 80 years old at the time. Actually, if you do the math, and noting based on the Midrash that it took a year from when Moses attempted to have Pharaoh to let the Jews go, and then the Jews were in the desert for 40 years when at the end, Moses lived to be 120 years old, Moses would actually have had to been 79 years old. Hence, the way the verse needs to be interpreted about Moses' age, he was in his 80th year at the end that he first approached Pharaoh.

In any case, the question can be asked, why did the Torah have to bother mentioning Moses' age at this time of his life, especially when we find out at the end how long he lived anyways?

As I mentioned in my 77th post, the Torah mentions Abraham's age of 75 when he moved to Israel. Even though we find out later on how long he lived, it can be pretty much agreed upon that Abraham moving to Israel was a turning point in his life, both personally and for the future for his descendants. However, in Moses' case, approaching Pharaoh in order to help the Jews wasn't something that he did personally for himself to grow spiritually? Or was it? The truth is that this was the beginning of Moses' leadership career that actually spanned 41 years. At first, even as he reluctantly agreed to man the reins of leadership following a long conversation between himself and Hashem at the burning bush, he wanted his brother Aaron to be his spokesperson to be the one to speak to Pharaoh. In time, Moses had enough self confidence to show himself to be the leader that he was capable of being.
And yes, he took the first steps at this point to allow for the Jews to be redeemed from Egypt, following which the Jews received the Torah a mere seven weeks later, the raison d'etre for the Jews' existance, and the world's existance for that matter.

Noting the number 80 in connection to Moshe Rabbeinu, there is a strong connection of the number 80 to another Moshe - known as the Rambam/Maimonides, an acronym for Rabbeinu Moshe Ben Maimon. There is a phrase that goes "From Moshe (Moses) until Moshe (Rambam), there was none who arose (in greatness) like Moshe (Rambam)". I have already mentioned in previous posts this year about the Hidden Codes of the Torah where the phrase "Sefer Rambam" (Book of the Rambam) is spelled equidistantly every 5770th letter - the only such spelling in the entire Chumash, which is the very number of this year 5770! Just when you thought I was finished talking about this once and for all - there is another special thing to be mentioned here about the Rambam's magnum opus - the Mishneh Torah, which is also referred to as "the Rambam" even though he wrote other scholarly works.

Having written about Yesod-foundation in this post, the OPENING word of the Rambam's Mishneh Torah (after the introduction and all) of the actual laws is the very word Yesod! As it begins - Yesod HaYesodot "The FOUNDATION of foundations and the pillar of wisdoms..." writing of the existance of an All-Encompassing Being which of course is Hashem. This is also, by the way, the very first of the Ten Commandments. In any case, these beginning words of the Rambam is the beginning of the first of 83 Halachic sections of his monumental work, which is called Yesodei HaTorah "Foundations of the Torah". Indeed, as the title of this 80th post, "OPENING with the FOUNDATION".

And as the word Yesod, the opening word of Rambam's work being the Gematria of 80,
there is an intrinsic connection between this and Moshe Rabbeinu's age of being in his 80th year at the time that he first appeared to Pharaoh, attempting various times
to have the Egyptian king consent to the Jews leaving his land. When Moses had recently turned 80 years old, right before the final plague of the death of the firstborn to strike Egypt, Hashem tells Moshe that the purpose of Him not allowing Pharaoh not listening to Moshe was in order that - Revot Moftei B'Eretz Mitzrayim -
"My wonders should increase in the land of Egypt". The first letters of the Hebrew words of this phrase spells the Rambam's acronym. In the Hidden Codes of the Torah, there are various hints to the Rambam in the immediate section of the Torah following this very phrase, including the mention of the Rambam's birthday which is the 14th of Nissan, the very date on which the Jews were supposed to bring the Pascal sacrifice, as mentioned in this section.


IN CONCLUSION

G-d willing, I will be writing one last post before the end of this year 5770, but concluding this post with the concept of SEVENTY, in reference to the SEVENTY year lifespan of mankind, the Ba'al HaTurim at the end of Parshat Nitzavim that we read yesterday points out that where it says U'Vacharta B'Chayim "You shall make your choice WITH LIFE" where B'Chayim is the Gematria of SEVENTY; that is choosing the real life - spiritual life with the SEVENTY facets/interpretations of the Torah, and as it also says Sod Hashem L'Reiav "The SECRET of Hashem is for those who fear Him", where Sod is the Gematria of SEVENTY, which is the very verse that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai quotes right before beginning the SEVENTY Tikkunim of the Zohar, which are the ultimate SECRETS of the Torah for those who have chosen to live the righteous path, the ones who are the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

Indeed, there is a similarity between the word Sod/secret=70, and Yesod/foundation=80, as the righteous ones, like the concept of the Pei=80 years denoting the sense of accomplishment, are the very reason of the creation of the world, as the beginning of the fifth chapter of Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers, which was learned yesterday on Shabbat - 25 Elul, the date of the creation of the world, states Ba'Asarah Ma'amarot Nivra Ha'Olam "With 10 statements was the world created" which began with the word Bereishit and the 10th and final one being Na'aseh Adam "Let us make mankind".

It is the letter Yud=10, the smallest letter of the Alef Beit, which represents the Tzadik/righteous person, of which few exists in this universe, but is the VERY REASON OF THE WORLD'S CREATION; and hence is the Yesod/foundation, the letter Yud preceding the word Sod/secret, for it is they for whom and to whom the secret is revealed. It is they who have kept the Torah and Mitzvot that are represented by another set of 10 statements - Aseret HaDibrot, loosely translated as the "Ten Commandments". Making the best out of this world, the world of action, they both learned and observed the commandments. A human being has two hands, each having five fingers, just as the two Tablets containing the "Ten Commandments" have five statements on each side of the tablet. And as the Jews declared accepting the Torah upon themselves Na'aseh V'Nishma "We will do and we will hear".

To note, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, whose name Shimon has the same letters as the word V'Nishma - "we will hear", who was indeed the Tzadik Yesod Olam who changed people's lives until today both spiritually and physically, had 10 choice disciples to whom he revealed the secret, each one of them representing another one of the 10 Sephirot. To find out what corresponding Sephira did each one of the ten disciples of Rabbi Shimon represent, and what is in store for us in wake of the conclusion of this year into this coming new Jewish year of 5771, stay tuned in a couple of days to the final post of this year 5770, G-d willing - at www.gematriot.blogspot.com, which is all about Gematriot - Revealing Torah SECRETS.

P.S. Speaking of the number NINE in this post, I got married exactly NINE months ago
during this year of 5770 "THE NINE", on 26 Kislev - 2nd day of Chanuka, which also fell out on a Sunday. And as it pertains to my beloved wife and Aishet Chayil/woman of valor, Yesod/foundation=80 when multiplied five times representing the five books of the Chumash - the FOUNDATION of the Torah, the sum total is 400, the Gematria of my wife's name Yael Miriam!

26 Elul, 5770 - First Day of Selichot (according to the Ashkenazic rite)