Creating Torah Letters By Yearning for Hashem

הלכות דם א

(Painting by Yitzchak Moully)

The primary means through which Torah is revealed is through kindness, love, desire, and yearning for Hashem.  Through these things one is able to create the vowel points and the forms of the letters of the Torah.  Prior to Kabalas HaTorah the main avodah of the tzaddikim was to desire and long for Hashem.  This was until Avraham Avinu, who was the leader of the faithful and the circumcised, came and achieved what other tzaddikim were unable to.  The notion of yearning and desire correspond to the traits of kindness and love, which are the traits of Avraham Avinu.  

From that point on [once Avraham perfected these traits] many Torah concepts were brought forth into the world, and the rest of the Avos, the Shvatim, and their sons were able to engage in Torah study.  This continued until Moshe Rabbeinu and all the Jews of that generation (who were all tzaddikim) came.  And, with their yearning and desire for Hashem were they able to create the different forms of the letters of the Torah.  Through the work of that particular generation were they able to achieve Kabalas HaTorah.  

Moshe vs. Noach - Who Used the Ark More Effectively?

הלכות נשיאת כפים  ה-ט

(Painting by Wayne Potrafka)

Both the arks (תיבות) of Moshe and Noach drifted upon the face of the water.  The arks of Moshe and Noach drew down the words (תיבות) and letters of the Torah.  The waters of the flood were brought down because of the sins committed against Hashem.  The inhabitants of the world were also guilty of sexual immorality (פגמו בברית) until the point when the words and letters of the Torah could no longer sustain the world.  Even during the time of Noach before the Torah was given to Klal Yisroel the world was sustained by the words and letters of the Torah, because the Torah predates the existence of the world.  It was from the Torah that the world was created as is known. And, even so the world was commanded to fulfill the Seven Noahide Laws, which at the time, the existence of the world was dependent upon them.  The inhabitants of the world transgressed these laws.  Therefore, the words and letters of the Torah could no longer deter the waters of the sea and the depths, and because of this the waters rushed forth until the flood came.

Noach, who was a tzaddik, was saved by the ark, which literally drew down words and letters, that is through the letters and words of Torah that Noach merited to fulfill.  Through this he was worthy of entering the ark, and the ark then had the durability to drift upon the waters.  He and his family and future offspring were saved, and the world was sustained.  

These concepts are also true in regard to Moshe's ark, which saved him by drifting on the face of the water.  This is because in the future he would receive the Torah, which constricts the waters of the great sea... However, Noach wasn't worthy of receiving the letters of the Torah, because he used the תיבה - ark/words of Torah - to save himself and his family alone.  Moshe on the other hand, used the תיבה - ark/ words of Torah - to save all of Klal Yisroel, and gave them the letters and words of the Torah to all of Yisroel and the generations of the world.  

The Light of the Moon Will Be Like the Light of the Sun

קל"ה - הלכות ראש חודש ה:יב

(Painting by Marc Chagall)

The sun and the moon correspond to Moshe and Dovid HaMelech, which in turn relate to glory and kingship, which relate to Torah and prayer respectively.  As is known, the years are counted according to the cycles of the sun, and the months according to the cycles of the moon.  Therefore, on Rosh HaShanah, which is on Rosh Chodesh, the sun and the moon are like one, that is, both are equal in stature.  This relates to the idea that the "light of the moon is like the light of the sun."  This happens once the quality of prayer is increased by turning the Torah that one learns into prayer, and by praying that the Torah be sustained.