When God wanted to bear the universe, all the letters appeared and stood in front of him for an audition. This letter said:”Within me you will bear the universe”, and that letter said:”Through me you should create the universe”. The letter Alef א אלף stood aside and kept quiet.
Until God called him and told him:”Alef, Alef, why are you so quiet and say nothing ?”
The Alef replied and said:”Good Lord ((Ribono shell Olam ריבונו של עולם)) I don’t have any power to stand in front of you and say something”.
“Why?”, asked God.
And the letter Alef answered: “Since all the letters have bigger value (( ב = 2, ג = 3, ד = 4)) and I count only a little value. The letter Beit ב counts in two, the letter Gimmel ג counts in three, the letter Dalet ד counts in four, the letter Heh ה counts in five, and I count only in one“.
God replied and told him:”Alef, don’t be afraid, for you are the head of all letters like a champion. You are one, and I am one, and the Torah is one: and within you I intend to give the Torah as a present to Israel, my people, and with you I want to open the ten commandments that say: Anochi Hashem Elohecha ‘אנכי ה’ אלהיך’ I am the Lord your God (Exodus 20:2). Anochi, is the head to all commandments, and Alef is the head of all letters.
According to Midrash of Rabbi Akiva’s Letters, Krakow addition, pages 2 – 4.
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