Tang-soo explains it correctly in post # 672.
In Hebrew, G-d's name appears as יהוה – reading [phonetically] from right to left: Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay. Transliterating into [left-to-right] English: YHVH.
The ordinal numbers corresponding to the Hebrew letters are 10 5 6 5. Ordinal just means first, second, . . . tenth, . . . [in alphabetical sequence].
So the Rabbi discovered G-d's "signature" sequence imprinted in every cell of the human body.
Jews are forbidden (warned against) uttering G-d's name. Hence the embedded hyphen in written English text.
When praying, Jews say Adonai or HaShem [the Name] instead.
Only the High Priest of Yisroael was permitted to utter the actual Name – on Yom Kippur, in the Holy of Holies [deepest sacred space in the Synagogue] at a key point in the Service.
Aaron was such a High Priest, who died in flames when he ignored G-d's warning not to approach the curtain covering the Ark holding the Torah. Yearning to be closer to G-d, he got too close.
Simchas Torah marks the festive occasion when the entire Torah has been read during the year, and is rewound to the beginning.
Anthropomorphically, the Torah is so joyful about this completion, it wants to dance, but it has no legs. So Jews hold several of them and celebrate by dancing around all night, passing a Torah to each other, until exhausted.
On Rosh Hashana – the start of the Jewish New Year – the weekly Torah portion [Parshah] read aloud in Synagogue is Bereshith. This is the start of the [rewound] Torah.
The first word of the first Parshah in the Torah is [also] Bereshith – In the Beginning . . .
The first letter of that word is Bet – the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet ["Aleph-Bet"], בּ .
A common question: Why does the Torah not start with the first letter of the alphabet, א [Aleph] ?
Answer: the right-hand side of Bet is closed not open. This means that we cannot see, understand, or explain anything that happened before the Beginning.
Also, Orthodox belief holds that the Torah preceded creation.
When deciding to create the Universe, G-d first studied the [pre-existing!] Torah carefully, and selected the precise 44 syllables to utter [in the correct sequence, tone, & emphasis, of course] to light up the infinite void.
Aleph would proceed before Beth; Aleph is not a pronounced 'letter' thus signifying the greater unknown G*d: ain soph - NO THING.
***When deciding to create the Universe, G-d first studied the [pre-existing!] Torah carefully, and selected the precise 44 syllables to utter [in the correct sequence, tone, & emphasis, of course] to light up the infinite void***
The Light shone in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.
And there was light.
WWG1WGA
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Re Torah:
Very interesting. I love learning the nuances of the Jewish traditions. I especially love “In the beginning...” info.
Perhaps John was alluding to that when he also began his gospel with those words. Christ was the start of the rewound Torah, the New Year, the beginning and end, the Word/Torah made flesh.
Thank you for spurring my ruminations.