Lamed (ל) is derived from the root meaning "to learn" or "to teach." It's shape, which resembles a shepherd's staff, indicates guidance and direction in learning. The shepherd's staff is also associated with a journey.
The height of the letter is associated with spiritual elevation through knowledge. Reaching upward with a Yod (י) at the top signifies the heart's aspiration to connect with divine insight.
Lamed (ל) is the tallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, symbolizing royalty.
.Lamed is significant in Kabbalah, representing the heart (לב, lev). In Kabbalah, the heart symbolizes the center of emotions and spiritual connection. The concept of the "point in the heart" is significant in Kabbalah representing a spiritual awakening or a desire for a deeper connection with the divine. The "point in the heart" is considered the beginning of one's spiritual journey, leading to the discovery of life's meaning and purpose.
The לב, lev (heart) is also associated with love and unity, emphasizing the importance of connecting heart-to-heart with others to achieve spiritual fulfillment. This connection is seen as essential for transcending the material world and attaining spiritual enlightenment.
Sheep and Love Come Together In a Major Bible Story
Themes of a shepherd/sheep and love run all through the Bible. One of the most important moments in the bible links a Lamb and Love to together. It is the very first time the word love is used in the Bible. In the famous story of the "Binding of Isaac," known in Hebrew as the Akedah, Abraham's son Isaac asks his father, where the sacrifice is. Abraham tells Isaac that God will provide the Lamb.
Genesis 22.1-2 -- After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, ...
Exploring Lamed/12 in the Bible
Lamed has a gematria value of 30 as well as an integer value of 12. Genesis 12 and Exodus 12 each have a relationship to the meaning of the letter Lamed. Both chapters open with the start of a journey by people in need of guidance and direction.
Sheep in Need of a Shepherd.
Genesis 12:1-3 --
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Exodus (Shemot) chapter 12 is about the start of the Israelites Exodus journey, beginning with the story of the first Passover and the Korban Lamb.
Authority Over Sheep:
The Lamed symbolizes authority, particularly that of a shepherd over sheep, emphasizing guidance and protection.
Psalm 119
Like all the Hebrew letters, Psalm 119 has verses dedicated to Lamed.
Psalm 119 is structured as an acrostic poem with 176 verses divided into 22 stanzas, each corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. 30 being Lamed's gematria value, the verses related to Lamed begin with the 30th verse. Psalm 119:30-39 relate to our path/journey and the need for guidance.
30 I chose the way of faith; Your judgments I have set [before me].
31 I clung to Your testimonies; O Lord; put me not to shame.
32 [In] the way of Your commandments I shall run, for You will broaden my understanding.
33 Instruct me, O Lord, [in] the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it at every step.
34 Enable me to understand and I shall keep Your Torah, and I shall keep it wholeheartedly.
35 Lead me in the path of Your commandments for I desired it.
36 Extend my heart to Your testimonies and not to monetary gain.
37 Turn away my eyes from seeing vanity; with Your ways sustain me.
38 Fulfill for Your servant Your word that is for Your fear.
39 Remove my disgrace, which I feared, for Your judgments are good.
Other Meaningful Associations to 12
The most obvious is Jacob's 12 sons -- the future Tribes of Israel. (Di’nah is the 13th child, the only daughter.)
Jewish Mysticism
There is an amazing Jewish story about a Rabbi who wrote one of the greatest works in Judaism which became the seminal text in Jewish Mysticism called The Zohar.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son Elazar lived in a cave for 12 years + 12 months, a total of thirteen years. Initially, they spent twelve years there, studying Torah and surviving on carobs and water. After being informed by the prophet Elijah that it was safe to leave, they emerged but quickly returned to the cave for an additional twelve months after expressing disdain for the people working the land. They finally left the cave again with a changed perspective on life and the importance of worldly engagement.
To this day, Chassidic Jews celebrate a holiday called Lag B'Omer in remembrance of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who at the time was thought to possibly be the Messiah.
Astrology
Many cultures and religions view the stars as a manifestation of the divine. This perspective suggests that the vastness of the universe reflects a higher power or intelligence. In various traditions, the positions of celestial bodies are believed to influence human affairs and destinies. This became the constellations we know as the Zodiac and the practice we know as Astology.
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| The Mazalot (מַזָּלוֹת) - The Jewish Zodiac |
Philosophers find a sense of wonder and awe in the cosmos, which can evoke feelings of spirituality. The study of the universe can inspire a sense of connection to something larger than ourselves, prompting existential questions about our place in the cosmos.
The Jewish Zodiac
The 12 tribes bear a relation to the Jewish zodiac, known as "mazalot." The 12 aligns the twelve Hebrew months with twelve constellations, each connected to a tribe of Israel and specific spiritual attributes. Here are the correlations:
- Nissan (Aries): Yehudah, symbolizing leadership and renewal. (The month of Passover)
- Iyar (Taurus): Issachar, representing strength and truth.
- Sivan (Gemini): Zebulun, associated with communication and travel.
- Tammuz (Cancer): Reuben, linked to vision and introspection.
- Av (Leo): Shimon, reflecting courage and transformation.
- Elul (Virgo): Gad, emphasizing action and service.
- Tishrei (Libra): Ephraim, symbolizing balance and justice. (Yom Kippur)
- Cheshvan (Scorpio): Menashe, associated with resilience and healing.
- Kislev (Sagittarius): Benjamin, representing faith and aspiration.
- Tevet (Capricorn): Dan, linked to judgment and discipline.
- Shvat (Aquarius): Asher, symbolizing abundance and blessing.
- Adar (Pisces): Naftali, reflecting joy and hidden potential.
The expression "Mazel Tov" is derived from the Mazalot (מַזָּלוֹת), the name of the Jewish Zodiac. The word "mazalot" (מַזָּלוֹת) originates from the Hebrew term "mazal" (מַזָּל), which means "constellation" or "astrological sign." This term is derived from the root נ-ז-ל, meaning "to flow down," reflecting the ancient belief that the constellations influence human destiny by "flowing" their effects down to Earth. The plural form "mazalot" refers to the constellations collectively, often associated with the zodiac signs in Jewish tradition.
For more on this here is a link to a blog post that I wrote called "Luck for Thanksgiving."
In the Wars of the Jews (4, 5) by Flavius Josephus, he also mentions that the 12 shewbreads in the Temple represented the zodiac.
Twelve in the New Testament
The inspiration to write this post about the twelfth letter, Lamed, was triggered when a young pastor wanted my input.
This pastor was preparing to do a teaching on verses from the book of Luke. In the passages he was curious about the number 12 which appears two times near one another but in connection with two different incidents. There seemed to be a deeper meaning for that so the pastor said to me, "Tell me about the number 12 in the Old Testament."
Here are the verses the pastor was referring to:
Luke 8:40-44 --
40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.
41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus' feet, he implored him to come to his house,
42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.
43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.
44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.
Again, the pastor was looking for an understanding of the number 12 because it appears twice. He was not asking me for the meaning of the verses. But as I dove into the meaning of 12 from a Jewish perspective and considered the verses he was referring to, an understanding emerged which I hadn't heard before.
I haven't studied out "12" in the Gospels but I do know that after feeding 5000 on just 5 loaves there were 12 baskets of bread left over. Yeshua says something intriguing to me that I see as a clue to this riddle about the number 12.
Yeshua Himself asks them plainly in Mark 8:19-21:
“When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”
“And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
Clearly Jesus expects His apostles and us by extension to make an [obvious] conclusion about these numbers.
Rolling All Of This Into To Luke 8:40-44
In the broadest sense, Twelve symbolizes God’s people. Twelve tribes, twelve patriarchs, and finally the twelve apostles, the patriarchs of the New Israel gathering up the remnants of a feast that will be the new covenant meal of God’s new people, the celebration of their deliverance, the new food for the journey to the true promised land, heaven.
The woman with blood for 12 years reached for the "fringe on his garment represents." The tseet-tseet or TSIT-sis) are the strings, or fringes, tied to each of the four corners of a tallit, or prayer shawl. They are widely considered a reminder, not unlike a string around one's finger, to think of God at all times.
The Tassels were worn by the Jews then and now on the four corners of their garments as reminders of "all the commandments of Yahweh," in accordance with the law set out in Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12.
The woman with blood was reaching out for a new relationship with the Messiah and a new understanding of the Commandments. She was seeking a healing through the power of Jesus who was doing the will of his Father. Jesus was her only hope. He was the hope of Israel.
It is written in the New Testament that Jesus came to "perfect our faith." The woman with blood had perfect faith, so she was instantly healed.
CONCLUSION:
The 12 is symbolic of the old and new covenant! The blood is symbolic of the old temple system of sacrifices that is dying like the "daughter," who represents Jerusalem. The woman's blood ceases like the blood of the animal sacrifices that will cease and no longer make Atonement going forward.
Jairus is symbolic of the ruling class in the Temple who will lose his power when the temple is destroyed. This story foreshadows the destruction of the Temple and the "Good News" to come.
The New Jerusalem
In the Old Testament, the phrase "Daughter of Zion" is a reference to Jerusalem. In Luke 8.42, the only daughter of 12 years is dying. In the New Jerusalem, the woman with blood for 12 years won't need blood sacrifices to be healed.
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| The Hebrew Mazalot |
Job 38:31-33 -- Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion? Can you bring out Mazzaroth* in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?
* A Mazzaroth is a particular "sign" on the Mazalot, the Hebrew Zodiac. Mazalot is the plural.
This whole story of the bible was in the Mazalot (the Constellations) from the beginning. Elohim knows the end from beginning and the Lord has been our Shepherd on this long journey from In the Beginning (Bereshit).
According to Kabbalah, each month is aligned with a letter of the aleph-bet. Kabbalah teaches us that "G‑d created that month with the spiritual energy of that letter." The Jewish mystics associated the month of Tishrei with the Hebrew letter Lamed.
The zodiac of Tishrei is Libra, those famous scales. It reminds us about the ever-so-valuable balance—the balance we must all find between heady spirituality and physical reality.
Tishrei is famously known as a time of deep introspection and connection to Adonai. The shape of Lamed, soaring into the air, also has a horizontal line going across, a line is a reminder that we can transform our life and soul. Tishrei is the month of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The New Millennium
In Revelation 21 (12 backwards) the heavenly city is described with multiple references to the number 12, including 12 gates, 12 angels, and 12 foundations, echoing the 12 tribes and 12 apostles.
The 144,000 Sealed in Revelation 7:4-8, are based on 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. After Revelation the New Millennium begins. The New Millennium is 1000 years. (12 x 12) x 1000 = 144,000.
I will close with this from the Book of John:
