GIMEL

From the Aleph-Beis, we learnt the Aleph and the Bet. We now turn to the third letter of the Alepf-Beis: the Gimel ג

The Gimel has the sound of “g” as in “dog”.

We already recognise the last letter as the Lamed. The middle letter of the word is the mem.

It has the gematria of 3.

It is connected with the word גמל – gamol – which means to nourish until completely ripe and is connected with the word – gamal – which means camel.

There is a direct link between “gamol” and “gamal”.

Parents show their child a great form of chessed in their task of nurturing and raising their child to become independent and good people. The task of parents is to make their child a “camel”.

A camel is an animal that can go through the desert independently for a long time. It symbolises the weaned child. The child which can go independently through the desert of life.

In addition, the camel itself is also the symbol of chessed by being able to carry and take others through the desert, i.e. to show others chessed where they need help.

This can be done in many ways for example by giving clothing to others who need it – the chessed that G-d gave to Adam and Eve by clothing them, or for example by burying people in a respectful way – the chessed that G-d gave to Moses.

The first three letters of the Aleph-Beis are the aleph, the bet and the gimel. The aleph represents G-d, who makes for us a house/tent – the creation. The moment we recognise and acknowledge G-d in that multitude in creation, we will, like Abraham, stand in the entrance of our tent to show poor (literally physical or spiritual) people chessed by giving them the help and/or knowledge they need.

We are now familiar with the:

ב י ת א ל פ ג (ף)

and with the:

ִ ּ ֶ ָ ַ ֵ ֹ

[ i, dagesh, e, aa, a, ee, o ]

and can now read the following words, among others:

Psalms 119:18

גַּל־עֵינַ֥י וְאַבִּ֑יטָה נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃

Open ( uncover) my eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of Your teaching.

Ezekiel 16:28

וַתִּבְנִי־לָ֖ךְ גֶּ֑ב וַתַּעֲשִׂי־לָ֥ךְ רָמָ֖ה בְּכָל־רְחֽוֹב׃

you built yourself an eminence and made yourself a mound in every square.