begins 'Anawah, humility, it performs the same service for
'Erwah, immorality. Samek said: "O Lord, may it be Thy will to
begin the creation with me, for Thou art called Samek, after me,
the Upholder of all that fall." But God said: "Thou art needed in
the place in which thou art;[11] thou must continue to uphold all
that fall." Nun introduces Ner, "the lamp of the Lord," which is
"the spirit of men," but it also introduces Ner, "the lamp of the
wicked," which will be put out by God. Mem starts Melek, king,
one of the titles of God. As it is the first letter of Mehumah,
confusion, as well, it had no chance of accomplishing its desire.
The claim of Lamed bore its refutation within itself. It advanced
the argument that it was the first letter of Luhot, the celestial
tables for the Ten Commandments; it forgot that the tables were
shivered in pieces by Moses. Kaf was sure of victory Kisseh, the
throne of God, Kabod, His honor, and Keter, His crown, all begin
with it. God had to remind it that He would smite together His
hands, Kaf, in despair over the misfortunes of Israel. Yod at
first sight seemed the appropriate letter for the beginning of
creation, on account of its association with Yah, God, if only
Yezer ha-Ra' the evil inclination, had not happened to begin with
it, too. Tet is identified with Tob, the good. However, the truly
good is not in this world; it belongs to the world to come. Het
is the first letter of Hanun, the Gracious One; but this
advantage is offset by its place in the word for sin, Hattat.
Zain suggests Zakor, remembrance, but it is itself the word for
weapon, the doer of mischief. Waw and He compose the Ineffable
Name of God; they are therefore too exalted to be pressed into
the service of the mundane world. If Dalet Wad stood only for
Dabar, the Divine Word, it would have been used, but it stands
also for Din, justice, and under the rule of law without love the