אות - מג

Regarding a person's name — the name is a very great matter, and he spoke much about this. He also spoke with us about the verses that are customarily said before "Yih-yu leratzon" — [concluding prayers from verses] which begin and end with the letters of one's name. And he said that he knows how to explain all the names of those who stood around him — where each is hinted to. And especially regarding Rabbi Shimon[88] he spoke at length. Shimon is a permutation of the letters of "Avon Mash" [=a sin washed] — and he did not wish to explain the matter and said that this permutation is precisely all the matter and aspect of Rabbi Shimon. This Rabbi Shimon was one of his important disciples. And he said: Do not make the mistake, if I tell you where you are hinted to, that another person with the same name also has that reference. Do not say so. And from the general import of his words we understood that every single person, according to his matter and his level and his aspect, has some permutation and hint [in his name]. And he knows all this well with precision. He said that permutations of letters are very great. And he said that his Torah teaching is great — but in the place where he must make use of permutations of letters, he is all the greater.[89]