ב סתומה מכל צדBet, the World's House

bet setumah mi-kol tzadIn Gamatria ↗

A house open on one side, and the world inside.

Why does the Torah begin with bet? Because bet begins berakhah, blessing, and the beginning (reshit) is wisdom, which is a blessing: Solomon was blessed and given wisdom. The letter's shape teaches more. Bet is closed on three sides and open in front, so it is a house (bayit) for the world. God is the place of the world, but the world is not His place. Proverbs gives the proof: by wisdom a house is built. The next section compares bet to a person, closed all round and open in front, with a tail joined to alef, without which the world would not stand.

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