"Rabbi Chananya spake, and said: Before creation began, the alphabetical letters were in reversed order; thus the two first words in the Book of Genesis, Berashith, bara, begin with B; the next two, Alhim, ath, with A. Why did it not commence with A, the first letter?
The reason of this inversion is as follows: For two thousand years before the creation of the world the letters were concealed and hidden, being objects of divine pleasure and delight.
"When the Divine Being, however, willed to create the world, all the letters appeared before His presence in their reverse order.
The first ascended and said: `Lord of the Universe! let it please Thee to create the world by me, as I am the final letter of the word Emeth - (truth), which is graven on Thy signet ring. Thou Thyself art called Emeth, and therefore it will become Thee, the great King, to begin and create the world by me: Said the Holy One (blessed by He): `Thou, oh, Tav, are indeed worthy, but I cannot create the world by thee; for thou art destined to be not only the characteristic emblem borne by faithful students of the law, from beginning to end, but also the associate of Maveth (death), of which thou art the final letter.
Therefore the creation of the world cannot, must not, be through thee.'
"After Tav had disappeared, Sh ascended and said: `I pray Thee, Lord of the Universe, as bearing Thy great name Shaddai (almighty), to create the world by me, by the holy name that becometh Thee only.' Said the Holy One: `Thou art truly, o Shin, worthy, pure and true; but letters that go to form lying and falsehood will associate themselves with thee. viz.: Koph (Q) and Resh (R), and with thee will make up SheQeR (a lie), Falsehood, in order that it may be received and credited, come first with the appearance of truth (Sh), which thou representest, and for this reason I will not create the world by thee.' So Shin departed and Q and R, having heard these words, dared not present themselves before the divine presence.
" T Z then went before Him, saying: `Because I mark the Zaddikim (the righteous), and Thou Thyself hearest me in Thy name, Zaddik (righteous), and also it is written, The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, it will become Thee to create the world by me.' Then said the Holy One: `Zaddi, Zaddi, thou art truly righteous, but thou must keep thyself concealed, and thy occult meaning must not be made known or b:,:;ome revealed; and therefore thou must not be used in the creation of the world. Thy original form was a rod, symbol of the male principle, surmounted by Yod, a letter of the holy Name, and also of the Holy Covenant, and emblem of the male principle. (By this, reference is made to the first man, who was androgynous, with faces turning one to the right, the other to the left, as symbolized in the figure of Zaddi in the Hebrew alphabet). But the time will come that thou shall be divided, and thy faces shall then be turned to each other.'
"Zaddi then departed, and P ascended and said: `1 am the beginning of the salvation (Peragna) and deliverance (Peduth) thou will execute in the world. It will be fitting to create it by me."Thou art worthy,' replied the Holy One, `but thou also givest rise to Evil (Peshang), and in thy form resemblest those animals who walk with drooping heads, like wicked men who go about with bowed heads and extended hands. I will not, therefore, create the world by thee.'
" T o the letter Ayin, the initial of the word Avon (iniquity), though it claimed the origination of Anaya (Modesty), the Holy One said: `I shall not create the world by thee.' And forthwith Ayin departed.
"S then went and pleaded: `1 am near (Samech) to the fallen ones, as it is written: The Lord upholdeth (soumekh) all them that fall. Thou must return, Samech, to thy place,' was the reply of the Holy One, and must not leave it; for if thou dost, what will become of the fallen, who will need and look to thee for aid and support?' Samech forthwith returned, and was followed by N, who said: `Oh thou Holy One! that Thou mayest be venerated in praises (Nura tehillim), and also because the praise of the righteous will be a Nava (delight), let it please Thee to create the world by me.' To whom He replied: `Nun, return thou to thy place with the fallen (Nephelim), for whose sake Samech hath gone back to her place, and lean for support upon her.'
From the CGDSOM
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