The Hebrew Letter Gimel

The Hebrew Letter featured in this painting is the Gimel.

Gimel.is the 3rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet, has a numerical value of 3, and makes a sound like the G in Give. The Gimel is constructed of a Vav and a Yud. It means CAMEL or REWARD and is associated the phrase Gemilut Hasadim - ACTS OF LOVINGKINDNESS.

The The Bahir, which may be the oldest kabbalistic text, is attributed to R. Nehuniah ben HaKana, a first century kabbalist. In this text, R. Akiva states, the Gimel has "three parts because it BESTOWS, GROWS AND SUSTAINS." The three parts are the head, the tail, and a pipe in the middle through which energy can pass. "The GIMEL draws from above through its head and disperses through its tail” (The Bahir. York Beach: Samuel Weiser. lx, 8).


Gimmel
Daleth, show kindness to the Poor [Gemol Dallim]. Why is the foot of the Gimmel stretched toward the Daleth? Because it is fitting for the benevolent to run after [seek out] the poor. And why is the roof [foot] of the Daleth stretched out toward the Gimmel ? Because he [the poor] must make himself available to him. And why is the face of the Daleth turned away from the Gimmel ? Because he must give him [help] in secret, [As though with averted face] lest he be ashamed of him (Shabbat 104a).

When he [proselyte] went before
Hillel, he accepted him as a proselyte. On the first day, he taught him, Aleph Beit Gimel Dalet [The first four letters of the Hebrew alphabet]; the following day he reversed [them ] to him. ‘But yesterday you did not teach them to me thus,’ he protested. ‘Must you then not rely upon me? [As to what the letters are]. Then rely upon me with respect to the Oral [Torah] too’ (>Shabbat 31a).


Gimel is one of 7 letters which may be adorned with TAGIN, or little crowns, in the Torah, Tefillin or Mezzuzah scroll. These are called the SHAYNAYZ GAYTZ letters letters [
Shin Ayin Tet Nun Zayin Gimel Tsade] Each one of these letters contains a Zayin. A TAG is composed of 3 strokes which themselves look like little Zayins. There is a wonderful story in Talmud, which describes Moses ascending to Heaven to find God occupied in affixing TAGGIN to the letters of Torah (Menachot 29b).

[The writing of the letters] must be kethibah tammah [perfect writing]; thus one must not write the… the Gimel as a Tsade or the Tsade as a Gimel (Shabbat 103b).

Zohar - Then appeared the letter
Dalet as well as the letter
Gimel and put forth similar claims [O Lord of the world, may it please Thee to use me first in the creation of the world...]. The Lord gave them a similar reply, saying: It should suffice you to remain side by side together, since “the poor will not cease from the land” (Deuteronomy 15:11), who will thus need benevolence. For the
Dalet signifies poverty (Dalluth) and the Gimel beneficence [Gemulaa]. Therefore separate not from each other, and let it suffice you that one maintains the other (Zohar. 1984. Tr. Harry Sperling et al. New York: Soncino. 1:3a. p. 12 ).