Three Pillars

30) At the outset, it is in order to give treatment to the depicting of the Hebrew word אמר "Amar". This word is defined thus: UTTERANCE, SPEECH, WORD, SAYING. The Zohar tells us that each one of the three letters of the Hebrew word אמר "Amar", the א "Aleph", the מ "Mem" and the ר "Reish" serve to indicate the evolvement and the transformation of the light from the moment it leaves its source until it becomes crystallized into a word. Even a word spoken by a human, in order to become audible, must become connected with the voice, which is a replica, a copy of the spiritual light, that has three pillars. They are as follows:

The light of "CHESED" (mercy) is the right pillar;

The light of "G'VOOROH" (judgment) is the left pillar;

and the light of "RACHAMIN" (compassion) is the middle pillar, which unites the right and the left pillars. Therefore, the human voice too is a composite of the three elements מים "Mayim" (Water), אש "Esh" (Fire) and רוח "Rooach" (Wind).

Thus, the first letter א "Aleph" of the word אמר "Amar" constitutes the initial letter of the Hebrew word אור "Or" (light), as well as that of אויר "Avir" (Air), and of אש "Esh" (Fire), that is to say: by the light that GOD issued, the world was created. However, wnen the light is let loose from above, it becomes transformed into the three letters of אמר "Amar", which means "word".

The light, as it begins to descend, still retains the quality of the light of the source. However, as the light becomes further removed from the source, then the א "Aleph" (The light) is turned into the Letter מ "Mem", the initial Letter of which indicates מים "Mayim", Water, which is to say that the light becomes transformed, as though congealed into "Water"; not "Water" in the sense of "The Material". It is the Spiritual Light that became coarser, assuming the nomenclature מים "Water", which, in reality, is but a metaphor; for it is still אור (Light). When, the light, that is, the "Water", became removed still farther from its Origin, then it becomes a רקיע "Rokeeah", which means Firmament. The word Firmament is defined as "Firm", "The Vault" or "Arch" of the Sky. This means that from the light, which became solidified and spread so that, at its Terminating Point, it took on, figuratively, a form of a "Word". This final expansion and evolvement of the "Light" turned the Three Letters א "Aleph", מ "Mem" and ר "Reish", that is, the changing condition of the light, into the word אמר "Amar". Consequently, the initial letter of the three words אור "Or", Light; מים "Mayim", Water; רקיע "Rokeeah", Firmament make up אמר "Amar", which carries with it the following signification: UTTERANCE, SPEECH, WORD, SAYING.