Mem

Name: Two identical sounds

Number: 40

Shape: Round with an opening, and a small piece pointing upwards

Middah: Revelation

Picture a baby playing peek-a-boo, their eyes wide with delight as they experience the thrill of, “Now you see it, now you don’t.” It’s incredible how even a young child connects to this pattern of concealed and then revealed.

The letter Mem has a “revealed” form — at the beginning or in the middle of a word, its shape contains an opening. It also has a “concealed” form — the Mem Sofis at the end of a word, which is completely closed.

Life is a cycle of concealment and revelation. There are times in our life where we openly experience Hashem’s goodness, the happy ending, the light at the other end of the tunnel. Yet there are other times when Hashem’s kindness is hidden; we don’t see how it all makes sense. Sometimes we find the lost wallet, other times we miss the plane and have no idea why. In either case, we need to look upwards towards Hashem and see that He is there.

The word for water, “mayim,” begins with an open Mem and ends with a closed one. When Adam was initially placed into the world, he gazed at a desolate expanse. Realizing he had no power on his own, he called out to Hashem and davened for rain. (Rashi, Bereishis 2:5) If we’re experiencing a moment of hester panim and confusion, instead of becoming paralyzed, the Jew’s response is to pray. In its physical form, rain is produced by the evaporation of water, which rises up to form clouds and is eventually released downward. Rain is the ultimate symbol of Hashem showering us with brachah — when we reach out to Him from below.