Today, we will continue with our exploration of the meaning of the letters that form the word, torah. Today we examine the spiritual meaning of the vav.
RECAP:
Above are the 4 Hebrew consonants that create the word, torah. The modern Hebrew letters lay directly beneath the Paleo Hebrew Letters that give the impression of a halo above.
Torah is spelled with the, tav (t), vav (v), reish (r), hei (h).
THE VAV FUNCTIONS AS A CONSONANT AND A VOWEL:
The vav represents a consonant and the sound of 2 vowels in Hebrew, the ‘o’ as in doe, and the ‘u’ as in blue. The vav in torah has the ‘o’ sound. That little dot above the vav is our indication that the vav is pronounced with the ‘o’ sound as well. That little dot is called a nikkud.
The 2nd letter in Torah, is the vav (V). In this instance, in the word ‘torah’, the vav carries the ‘O’ sound.
The Hebrew letter vav takes the shape of the tent peg or hook. In it’s Ancient Paleo Hebrew form, it resembles our letter Y. Although, I believe it is more accurate to say, that our letter ‘Y’, took the form of the Ancient Hebrew Letter vav.
If you were to visually, connect the two upper stems of the Y with a straight horizontal line, you would create a very nice picture of an ancient tent peg!
Symbolic Meaning of the vav
Vav is the word, ‘AND’ in Hebrew. The vav is a symbol of connection, a nail used to join something together. The vav means continuation; to add, to secure. The vav connects Divinity to Humanity, and our connection to God and each other.
The vav is a symbol of conjunction, completeness and timelessness. As you learn more about each Hebrew letter, you will see that the vav unites opposing concepts, people and ideas.
The Assignment of the vav Reflected in the aleph
Take another look at the word Adam. We discussed this word in great detail in the blog entitled; The Undiscovered Adam and the Unexplained Man, Part 2.
You will recall, the Aleph, the first letter in Adam is made of a vav (the slanted bar in the center with two yod’s on either side). Both yod’s are connected to the vav. One yod reaches upward toward the Heavens, and the other reaches downward towards the earth.
In the picture of the aleph, you see the work of the vav, connecting Heaven and Earth, the spiritual realm to the physical realm.
- The vav connects the upper heavens to the lower heavens, connecting Heaven to Earth. In the aleph, we can see that the vav connects the spiritual realm to the physical realm.
Vav is the 6th letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet…
…and carries the Gematria of 6, (numerical equivalency of 6). Man’s connection to the number 6 is very important in the Hebrew. (See the list below)
- God ceased His work of creation on the 6th day
- Man was created on the 6th day.
- When the Children of Israel left Egypt, they were six hundred thousand in number (Ex 12:37)
- Christ hung on the cross for 6 hours (Mark 15:25, Luke 23:44)
- The 600 thousand letters in the torah equivalent to the 600K children of Israel leaving Egypt. A letter of torah for each person delivered out of bondage.
The above examples reveal physical completion, redemption and transformation.
Many Infallible Proofs of the Significance of vav
- The absence or presence of the vav determines the meaning of the verse. Ref Ex 18:1, Jether becomes Jethro when a vav is added at the end of his name, creating the ‘o’ sound.
- Absence of the vav can signify a lack of virtue, character faults, etc.
- The Addition of the vav can indicate pleasing character traits, indicate virtue and overcoming personal trials/tests.
- There are 5 times in scripture when Jacob’s name is spelled with an extra vav. (Lev 26:42, Jer 30:18, 33:25-26, 46:27, 51:19) In each instance, Israel/Jacob is being redeemed.
- In the Hebrew Bible (written in All Hebrew Letters) at the very center of the torah, called the belly (gachon), there is an enlarged vav. Lev 11:42. Appropriately enough, the word found in the very center of the torah is the word, gachon, (which means belly). The vav, which translates to our ‘o’ in English, is the letter in the center of the torah. Let me repeat that another way: At the belly of the torah, is the word gachon, which means belly and the ‘o’ in gachon marks the center of torah.
- i.e. the first half and the last half of the torah is connected by a vav!
tav – vav- reish – hei
Torah begins with the tav, covenant. The 2nd letter, vav stands for connection.
The covenant which is connected to man by the nail. The man who bears the nail, He is the One that connects Heaven to Earth, the spiritual realm to the physical realm.
The vav is the symbol of the man that connects Heaven to Earth, whether that be Christ, by Himself… or Christ in you, the Hope of Glory!
Every believer, has the power to bring God’s Glory down into the Earth Realm. The vav is the symbol of mankind’s power to draw what we need from the Heavens and deposit it into the Earth. That’s torah.
Amen.
God Bless You,
Posts Included in This Series:
In order to access more teachings of this kind on the Hebrew Letters:
- Because Mother’s Untangle the World
- The Undiscovered Adam and the Unexplained Man, Part 2
- If God Told You A Secret, Could You Keep It?
- Make A Window In The Ark
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