Parashat B'reishit: The Seal of Truth

Another submission by my prolific friend, Moshe-Mordechai:

 

Dear friend,

 

my favorite Portion of the week: B'reishit.

 

Hebrew words are built from Roots plus additional Letters. The Root Letters give the essence of a thing. If William Shakespeare would have written in Hebrew he could never have written: What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet. (Romeo and Juliet act II, sc. ii).

 

Often when the Root Letters are put in a different order the word means the opposite. Example: To the extent that we lie (sheker) to someone we disconnect (connection: kesher) from that person.

 

Many a poet and author in general has written his name via an acrostic or similar construction into the beginning or the end of the products of their pens. The last Letter of each of the first three Words of the Hebrew Bible form the word Truth (emet). Truth is the Seal of G^d, the Sages teach us. If you rearrange these three Letters you get you guys (atem). G^d wrote the Torah - not you guys.

Have a great winter!

Moshe-Mordechai van Zuiden