One of the questions I am often asked is, “Do you have a favorite letter?” The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet (or 27, if you count the five letters that take a different form when they appear at the end of a word) feel in some ways like children. How can one have a favorite? But even with children the Torah reports to us certain leanings at certain times (“Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game; and Rebekah loved Jacob.” Genesis 25:28). Similarly, different letters bring unique joy, new connection, and insight at different times. Past “favorites” have included the Bet, the Gimmel, and the Chet. My current leanings are toward the letter Peh, and I’ll explain why. [These Hebrew letters spelled out, by the way, are all valid Scrabble words, FYI.]

The Torah is written in a special script called Ashurit. Even as script styles vary from community to community, as well as across time periods, they all fall under the umbrella script of Ashurit. An Ashurit “Peh” is very special. When you look at it—if you are looking at the black letter drawn—you see a Peh. And when you look at it—if you are looking at the negative space of the white parchment—you see a Bet (ב), the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Tradition tells us that the Torah is black fire on white fire. At the most basic level, this represents the black letters on the white parchment. The black words are the revealed Torah, and the space in between and around the letters are interpretations; secrets; the Torah’s inner soul. I wrote earlier about black fire on white fire. The white fire, the inner soul of the Peh, is another letter, the Bet. What does this mean? I’m not sure. But, like an M.C. Esher painting, it definitely forces a shift in perception.