אוֹת ג'

ג GIMEL — Numerical Value: 3 | 9 source entries [Translator's Note] Gimel is the smallest section in the work — relatively few key terms in Rebbe Nachman's teachings begin with this letter. The standout entry is the dreidel teaching, which reveals the four Chanukah letters encoded in a verse of redemption from Psalms. Note that source lines 1–2 are a single entry (the citation was split across two lines in the original). Hebrew Entry English Translation & Explanation Source ג׳אלת ש׳בט נ׳חלתך ה׳ר Roshay Saveivos The first letters of "You redeemed the tribe of Your inheritance, [Mount Sinai]" (ג׳אלת ש׳בט נ׳חלתך ה׳ר) [Psalms 74:2] spell ה׳נ׳ג׳ש׳ — the four letters engraved on the dreidel (spinning top used on Chanukah). These four letters stand for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham — "A great miracle happened there." [Rebbe Nachman taught that the dreidel encodes profound mystical significance. The four letters נ, ג, ה, ש are drawn from a verse of redemption — the miracle of Chanukah is rooted in the original redemption of the tribe of G-d's inheritance. See also below under Heh for a second source of these four letters. Cross-reference: Heh-Nun-Gimel-Shin → same teaching listed again in Section 5.] Sichos HaRan 40 גבורה Gematria Gevurah (גבורה, "Strength / the sefirah of Might" = 216) equals the gematria of יָרָה (yarah, "he shot [an arrow] / he taught") together with the kollel [one additional unit for the word itself]. [Gevurah and yarah — the root of Torah — share a numerical identity. Strength and Torah-teaching arise from the same source. The number 216 also equals the gematria of Aryeh (lion) and of Reish-Yud-Vov (the form of the letter Alef — see Section 1).] Likutay Mooharan 38:7 גולָה Roshay Saveivos Golah (גולה, "exile") — its letters are the first letters of ו׳נשאר ג׳ם ה׳וא ל׳אלקינו: "and the remnant, even He, belongs to our G-d" [Obadiah 1:17]. Even within exile, G-d remains. [Additionally: golah (גולה) with the letter Alef inserted becomes גאולה (geulah) — "redemption." The single letter Alef, representing the Aluf / Master of the world, transforms exile into redemption. This is one of the most celebrated wordplays in all of Kabbalah.] Likutay Mooharan II:76 גילדנא Tziroof Gildena (גילדנא, Yiddish/Aramaic: "golden") — its letters contain both the Divine Name אג"ל (Agla — acronym of א׳תה ג׳בור ל׳עולם א׳דני, "You are mighty forever, my L-rd") and the Name אדני (Adonai) in their complete forms. [A striking teaching: the Yiddish word for "golden" contains two complete Divine Names within it — revealing the hidden holiness embedded in the everyday language of the Jewish people.] Likutay Mooharan 5:5 גלמי Roshay Saveivos Golmi (גלמי, "my unformed substance / embryo" [Psalms 139:16]) — its letters are the first letters of י׳י מ׳לך ג׳אות ל׳בש: "Hashem reigns, He is clothed in majesty" [Psalms 93:1]. The unformed embryo already carries within it the King clothed in majesty. Likutay Mooharan II:5; 15 גם Gematria Gam (גם, "also / even") embodies the aspect of challah — for challah is the measure of 43 eggs (מ"ג ביצים), and Gimel-Mem = 3+40 = 43. The word "also" encodes the measure of the sacred dough-offering. Likutay Mooharan 55:8 גס רוח Notarikon Gas Ruach (גס רוח, "arrogance / coarseness of spirit") is the direct opposite of the Divine Name ס"ג [63 — the Name יוד הי ואו הי]. Arrogance is the inversion of the Name of Binah — Understanding and humility. [ס"ג = 63 is associated with the sefirah of Binah, the supernal Mother, source of true understanding. Arrogance — the filling of oneself with one's own importance — is the precise inversion of the openness of Binah.] Likutay Mooharan 135 גרון Gematria Gayrohn (גרון, "throat" = 259) equals the gematria of Elokim three times (86 × 3 = 258, + 1 kollel = 259). The throat — vessel of all speech and song — corresponds to the threefold Name of judgment. [The throat is where judgment (din) and speech meet. Through the throat, the harsh energy of Elokim × 3 is channeled into prayer, song, and Torah — transforming judgment into blessing. Cross-reference: Elokim × 3 → Gayrohn, in Section 1.] Likutay Mooharan 46 גרים Roshay Saveivos Gairim (גרים, "converts / strangers") — its letters are the first letters of ר׳עם ג׳בורותיו מ׳י י׳תבונן: "the thunder of His mighty deeds — who can understand?" [Job 26:14]. The mystery of converts is as awesome and unfathomable as the thunder of G-d's power. [The soul of a convert chose to enter the covenant of Israel from among the nations — a mystery as deep as the divine thunder. Rebbe Nachman had a special affinity for the subject of converts and their spiritual stature.] Likutay Mooharan II:8; 4 [Translator's Summary — Section 3, Gimel — 9 source entries fully covered] The letter Gimel yields a compact but potent set of teachings. The dreidel teaching — four letters of Chanukah encoded in a verse of redemption — is among Rebbe Nachman's most beloved Chanukah teachings. The wordplay of golah (exile) becoming geulah (redemption) through the insertion of one Alef is among the most famous in all of Kabbalah. And the identification of arrogance (gas ruach) as the inversion of the Divine Name Samech-Gimel is a cornerstone of Rebbe Nachman's teaching on humility.