The Aleph and the Tav: An Introduction to the Torah

The Aleph and the Tav: An Introduction to the Torah

The Torah is the first five books of the Bible, and is considered to be the most sacred text in Judaism. While the Torah is well-known for its stories and teachings, there is a lesser-known aspect of the text that is often overlooked by Jews – the Aleph and the Tav.

The Aleph and the Tav are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, respectively. Together, they form a phrase that is often translated as “Behold the Hands, Behold the Nails.” This phrase is significant because it points to the coming of the Messiah, who would be both the Son of God and the Son of Man.

The Aleph and the Tav in the Torah

The Aleph and the Tav appear together in several places in the Torah, often at the beginning of a new section or book. For example, the first word of the Torah, “In the beginning,” begins with the letter Aleph, while the last word of the Torah, “in the sight of all Israel,” ends with the letter Tav.

These two letters are also used to form the word “emet,” which means “truth” in Hebrew. This word is significant because it is used in the Torah to describe God’s character and His word. For example, in Psalm 119:160, it says, “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

The Aleph and the Tav Point to the Messiah

The Aleph and the Tav in the Torah can be seen as a pointer to the coming of the Messiah. In Hebrew, the word for “son” is “ben,” which begins with the letter Bet. When the letters Aleph and Tav are placed around the letter Bet, it forms the word “ab,” which means “father.”

This word is significant because it points to the relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son. In John 3:16, it says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This verse shows that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He came to earth to save us from our sins.

The Aleph and the Tav also point to the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. In Hebrew, the word for “nail” is “tav,” which is the same letter as the Tav in the Aleph and the Tav. This word is significant because it points to the nails that were used to crucify Jesus on the cross.

In John 20:25, it says, “So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.'” This verse shows that the nail marks in Jesus’ hands were a sign of His sacrificial death, and that He had truly risen from the dead.

The Aleph and the Tav in the Torah are often overlooked by Jews, but they are a powerful symbol of the coming of the Messiah. These two letters point to the Son of God, who came to earth to die for our sins and rise again. By understanding the significance of the Aleph and the Tav, we can see that the Torah leads us to the conclusion that Jesus is the Messiah and the Savior of the world.

The Flight to Faith

As the airplane took off, my friend settled into his seat, hoping for a pleasant flight. He was thrilled when an Orthodox Jewish man took the seat next to him. My friend saw this as an opportunity to share his faith and hoped to engage in a meaningful conversation. 

After exchanging greetings, my friend seized the moment and asked the Jewish man about the two letters at the beginning of the Torah – the Aleph and the Tav. He asked if it was true that most Jews overlooked them on purpose.

The Jewish man paused for a moment before responding. “Yes, it’s true. We skip over those letters at the front of the Torah and don’t read them. I don’t know why we skip over them, but that’s what we do.”

My friend then asked about the meaning of the letters, and the Jewish man confirmed that they represented “the Hands and the Nails.” My friend saw this as an opportunity to explain the significance of these letters.

“I know why those letters are there at the very beginning, and what they mean,” my friend said. “They are the very first prophecy and signpost pointing to the Messiah.”

The Jewish man was intrigued and asked my friend to explain further. My friend began to share the significance of the Aleph and the Tav in the Torah, and how they pointed to the coming of the Messiah.

He explained how the Aleph and the Tav together formed the phrase “Behold the Hands, Behold the Nails,” which pointed to the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. He also explained how the next letters in Hebrew that follow – Behold the Son – pointed to Jesus as the Son of God who came to earth to die for our sins.

The Jewish man listened intently, his interest growing with each word. He asked questions, and my friend answered them as best he could, sharing the gospel message and the truth about Jesus as the Messiah.

As the flight continued, the two men talked about many things, but the conversation always came back to the Aleph and the Tav and their significance in the Torah. By the time the plane landed, the Orthodox Jewish man had become a baby Christian, believing in Jesus as the Messiah.

As they parted ways, my friend knew that he had been a witness to the power of the gospel and the truth of the Scriptures. He left the plane with a sense of awe and gratitude, knowing that God had used him to share His love and grace with someone who had been searching for truth.

And the Jewish man left the plane with a newfound faith, his heart filled with hope and joy, knowing that he had found the truth he had been seeking for so long.

(True story)