Aleph-Tav and language as the foundation of Creation

Rabbi Rachel Goodman, a friend of Bill Roberts, explains to young Norea: “Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch wrote in Or Torah that the Hebrew letters were created first, before anything else. This is the meaning of the ‘Aleph-Tav’: it is the alphabet from which all creation has sprung! Creation is made of language. We know this because our experiences are shaped by language. Different words may shape our experiences differently. We speak our reality and help to create the worlds we live in, every day. The gift of ruach passes through our lips as we live and breathe, and our words are our participation in the process of Creation. This is why HaShem told Adam to name the animals; because humanity participates in giving the material world its shape. Reality is a combination of physical forms and social meaning. Language provides that social meaning, without which physical forms would have no value. We only know what we can express, and this is why Creation is composed of language.”    

This blog contains excerpts and updates about the developing fiction series Fire of Norea. For a sample, please see Fire of Norea: From Ashes, first excerpt. For more information about the series, please see the introductory blog post Who or What is Fire of Norea? and please follow us on Facebook and Twitter or visit our official site fireofnorea.com. Please leave feedback, as this is a work in progress. Thank you for your interest!