Aleph bet

(1) When God began to create heaven and earth— (2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water— (3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. (5) God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.

(1) With ten utterances the world was created.

(26) And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.” (27) And God created man in God's image, in the image of God, God created him; male and female God created them.

(19) And the LORD God formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name. (20) And the man gave names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to all the wild beasts; but for Adam no fitting helper was found. (21) So the LORD God cast a deep sleep upon the man; and, while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that spot.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Bezalel was called by that name on account of his wisdom...

Moses said to Bezalel: Perhaps you were in God’s shadow [betzel El], and you knew precisely what He said. You intuited God’s commands just as He stated them, as if you were there. Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Bezalel knew how to join the letters with which heaven and earth were created. From where do we derive this? It is written here in praise of Bezalel: “And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (Exodus 31:3); and it is written there with regard to creation of heaven and earth: “The Lord, by wisdom, founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens” (Proverbs 3:19), and it is written: “By His knowledge the depths were broken up and the skies drop down the dew” (Proverbs 3:20).

Construction of the Tabernacle in the desert was an act that ‎paralleled the creation of heaven and earth and corresponded to ‎all known aspects of the order in which G’d created the universe, ‎‎(B’rachot 55). Seeing that this was so, Betzalel, the chief ‎architect of the project was granted the wisdom to understand ‎how the letters of the aleph bet were to be used in carrying ‎out all the details of the task entrusted to him.Nowadays, this ‎ability of Betzalel at the time of his building the Tabernacle, has ‎been granted to the righteous Torah scholars of varying degrees, ‎who are able to reveal insights into the Torah that have not ‎previously been revealed. By doing so, they become partners of ‎G’d in His creation of the universe. Betzalel also imposed ‎restrictions on himself in his use of the gift G’d gave him, so as ‎not to preempt the Torah scholars throughout the ages and to ‎thereby prevent them from revealing new insights. This is what is ‎meant by the word ‎והותר‎, “there was an overabundance,” i.e. ‎there was enough holy spirit that had been provided to enable ‎Betzalel and his assistants to build the Tabernacle, but instead of ‎exhausting it at the time, Betzalel, in his modesty, was content to ‎leave a surfeit of it to be used by Torah scholars, who in a way are ‎also Torah “architects,” to delight their audiences with their ‎insights in their respective generations.‎

(2) What were Akiva's beginnings? It is said: Up to the age of forty, he had not yet studied a thing. One time, while standing by the mouth of a well in Lydda, he inquired, "Who hollowed out this stone?" and was told, "Akiva, haven't you read that 'water wears away stone' (Job 14:19)? - it was water falling upon it constantly, day after day." At that, Rabbi Akiva asked himself: Is my mind harder than this stone? I will go and study at least one section of Torah.

He and his son went and sat among the teachers of young children (nurselings). He said: “Rabbi, teach me Torah!” Rabbi Akiva held on to one side of the slate and his son to the other. He wrote Aleph-Bet and learned it. He wrote Aleph-Tav and learned it. [he wrote] the instructions of the Priests and learned it. He kept on learning until he learned the entire Torah. He went and sat before Rabbi Eliezer and before Rabbi Yehoshua. He said: “Rabbis, open up for me a taste (the reasoning) of Mishna!” As soon as they told him a single law, he sat down with himself and said: “this aleph, why is it written? This bet, why is it written? Why is this thing said?” He returned and asked them, and halted them with words.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: I will make an analogy - to what is this similar? To a mason who would hew mountains. Once, he took his chisel in his hand and went and sat on the mountain and was chipping off small pebbles. People came and said to him: "what are you doing?" He said: "Behold, I am uprooting it and sending it into the Jordan!" They said to him: "You can't uproot the entire mountain!" He kept on hewing [the rock] until he came to a large boulder. He went underneath it, separated it, uprooted it, and sent it into the Jordan. He said to it: "That is not your place, but rather this is!" Thus Rabbi Akiva did to Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua.

(1) Hallelujah.Happy is the man who fears the LORD,who is ardently devoted to His commandments. (2) His descendants will be mighty in the land,a blessed generation of upright men. (3) Wealth and riches are in his house,and his beneficence lasts forever. (4) A light shines^-a for the upright in the darkness;he is gracious, compassionate, and beneficent. (5) All goes well with the man who lends generously,who conducts his affairs with equity. (6) He shall never be shaken;the beneficent man will be remembered forever. (7) He is not afraid of evil tidings;his heart is firm, he trusts in the LORD. (8) His heart is resolute, he is unafraid;in the end he will see the fall of his foes. (9) He gives freely to the poor;his beneficence lasts forever;his horn is exalted in honor. (10) The wicked man shall see it and be vexed;he shall gnash his teeth; his courage shall fail.The desire of the wicked shall come to nothing.

(1) Whoever finds a valorous wife— far greater than that of pearls is her value.

(2) The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks no gain.

(3) She repays him good and not evil all the days of her life.

(4) She seeks wool and linen, and works them willingly with her hands.

(5) She is like the merchant ships; from afar, she brings her food.

(6) She rises while it is still night and gives food to her household, and tasks to her maids.

(7) She considers a field and buys it; from the fruit of her hand, she plants a vineyard.

(8) She girds herself with might and strengthens her arms.

(9) She senses that her business is good, [so] her lamp is not extinguished at night.

(10) She puts her hand to the spindle, and her palms support the distaff.

(11) Her palm she spreads out to the poor and her hands she extends to the needy.

(12) She has no fear for her household because of snow, for her entire household is clothed with scarlet [wool].

(13) Bedspreads, she makes herself fine linen and purple [wool] are her clothing.

(14) Well-known at the gates is her husband as he sits among the elders of the land.

(15) Garments she makes and sells them, and belts, she provides for the merchants.

(16) Strength and splendor are her clothing, and smilingly [she awaits her] last day.

(17) Her mouth she opens with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

(18) She anticipates the ways of her household, and the bread of idleness, she does not eat.

(19) Her children rise16 and make her fortunate; her husband—and he praises her:

(20) Many daughters have attained valor but you surpassed them all.

(21) Favor is deceptive and beauty is vain; a God-fearing woman— —she should be praised.

(22) Give her the fruit of her hand, and let her deeds praise her in the gates.

(1) Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house; may they continue to praise You, Selah. Fortunate is the people whose lot is thus; fortunate is the people for whom Adonoy is their God. A praise by David! I will exalt You, my God, the King, and bless Your Name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You and extol Your Name forever and ever. Adonoy is great and highly extolled, and His greatness is unfathomable. One generation to another will praise Your works, and Your mighty acts they will declare. The splendor of Your glorious majesty, and the words of Your wonders I will speak. Of Your awesome might, they will speak, and Your greatness I will recount. Mention of Your bountifulness they will express, and in Your righteousness joyfully exult. Adonoy is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and great in kindliness. Adonoy is good to all, His mercy encompasses all His works. All Your works will thank You, Adonoy, and Your pious ones will bless You. Of the honor of Your kingship, they will speak, and Your might they will declare. To reveal to men His mighty acts, and the glorious splendor of His kingship. Your kingship is the kingship for all times, and Your dominion is in every generation. Adonoy supports all the fallen, and straightens all the bent. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at its proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living being. Adonoy is just in all His ways and benevolent in all His deeds. Adonoy is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. The will of those who fear Him, He fulfills; He hears their cry and delivers them. Adonoy watches over all those who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked. Praise of Adonoy, my mouth will declare and all flesh will bless His holy Name forever and ever. And we will bless God from now forever. Praise God.

(2) The Half-Kaddish is recited by the Chazzan

(3) Exalted and sanctified be His great Name

(4) in the world which He created according to His will and may He rule His kingdom. In your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire House of Israel, speedily and in the near future— and say Amein.

(5) May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.

(6) Blessed and praised, glorified, and exalted and uplifted, honored and elevated and extolled be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;

(7) above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above) all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations which we utter in the world—and say Amein.

(16) This is what יהוה has commanded: Each household shall gather as much as it requires to eat—an omer to a person for as many of you as there are; each household shall fetch according to those in its tent.”