The prophet Isaiah declared: כי ביה הי צור עולמים, For with [His Name] YAH HASHEM is the Rock of the Universe (Isaiah 26:4). In a homiletical interpretation of this verse, the Sages interpret the word עור as derived from יצר, to form. Accordingly, the Talmud explains that God used the letters י and ה which form the Divine Name יה, YAH, to create the universe. With the letter י He created the World to Come, while with the ה He created this world (Menachos 29b).
Rabbi Michael L. Munk, The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet, p. 85.
Rabbi Michael L. Munk, The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet, p. 85.
It's not a typo when Rabbi Munk claims that with the י He created the World to Come. For of a truth, the World to Come was created simultaneous to the creation of this world. The World to Come is simply hidden in this world awaiting its glorious unveiling. And since the World to Come is created simultaneous with this world, which is created with the ה, it's significant that the ה contains within its structure the letters associated with both creations.
Without wanting to re-open the argument about the pictographic power of the Hebrew letters (as opposed to their utilitarian purpose in mundane communication) it's genuinely the case that the letter heh is constructed of a ד and a י forming the ligature ה.
The ligature ה is oddly appropriate to Rabbi Munk's recitation of the Talmud's dictum about the two letters used to create the universe (this world and the World to Come) since the ה is quite literally created by veiling the י (associated with the creation of the World to Come), with the letter representing a "veil" or "door" ד. If you take the letter used to create the World to Come י and "veil" it with the letter representing a "veil" (the dalet) ד you end up with the letter used to create this world ה.
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