An Enigma from the Teachings of the Gra of Vilna
We will begin to shed some light on the subject by introducing a baffling teaching from the great luminary, the Gaon of Vilna, zy”a. He addresses a passuk from the Haftarah of “Nachamu” (Yeshayah 40, 4):
"כָָּל גֶֶּיא ָהלְִגְ נְוה, ָעְקִבְלים ָסִִכָרְהְוישׁוֹר ִמְלֹב קָעֶהָה יָהְולוּ ְפָָּשִׁיה ָעְבִגְְור ַהל ָכְושֵֵׂא ִנָָּי ְבוֹד ה'"
Every valley will be raised, and every mountain and hill will be lowered; the crooked will become straight, and the mountain ridges will become a valley. The glory of Hashem will be revealed.
According to the Gra, the navi was referring to the letter א', which is formed by a “yud,” a “vav” (that is actually two “vav”s), and a “yud.” These four letters are not aligned properly; they are supposed to stand upright in a single line like all of the other letters. Hence, the navi prophesied that in the future, they will be aligned properly:
ִנָָּשֵֵׂא"ייא "כָָּל גֶֶּ—every valley will be raised—refers to the “yud” on the lower left side of the “aleph”; it will be raised to stand level with the other letters.
ְפָָּלוּ"שִׁיה ָעְבִגְְור ַהל ָכְו"—and every mountain and hill will be lowered—refers to the “yud” on the upper right side of the “aleph”; in the future, it will be lowered to stand in line, level with the other letters.
ֹבקָעֶהָה יָהְו"ִישׁוֹר"מְל—the crooked will become straight—refers to the diagonal “vav” in the middle of the “aleph”; it will stand up straight.
ָה"עְקִבְלים ָסִִכָרְהְו"—indicates that the “vav” will be split in two, i.e., the word "לבקעה" alludes to splitting.
ְבוֹד ה'"כָּה ָלְִגְנְו"—and the “kavod” of Hashem will be revealed. The gematria of כבו"ד equals 32, the numerical value of the four letters that form the “aleph,” יוו"י (10+6+6+10).
Undoubtedly, the words of the Gra are enigmatic. What does it mean that currently, in Olam HaZeh, all the letters that comprise an “aleph” are crooked and not aligned properly? Furthermore, this prompts the navi Yeshayah to announce in his prophecy of consolation—"נחמו נחמו עמי" – that they will be straightened out and aligned properly in the future. We will endeavor to explain these enigmas.
