וּמַרְאֵה֙ כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה כְּאֵ֥שׁ אֹכֶ֖לֶת בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

“The presence of Hashem appeared to the Israel as a consuming fire on the top of the mountain.”

Exodus 24:17

210 cm tall x 100 cm wide x 47cm deep

African Walnut, Natural Polished Lacquer Finish

2020

The aleph is the first letter in the Hebrew aleph-bet. It makes almost no sound by itself. It is the first letter in the word Adam and Ish– meaning man, as well as Ani, Ata, and Anchnu– I, You and We.

Aron, cabinet, is spelled with an aleph. When a cabinet is used to hold a torah scroll it is known as a holy ark, aron kodesh. God reveals himself like with a garment. The creation of the world is compared to a vessel, the ark to a garment, and the torah to water.

The hebrew word for fire, aish, also starts with an aleph. The doors of the ark are decorated in carved fire, which guards the way.

וְהָאֵ֨שׁ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ תּֽוּקַד־בּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה וּבִעֵ֨ר עָלֶ֧יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן עֵצִ֖ים בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָרַ֤ךְ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ הָֽעֹלָ֔ה וְהִקְטִ֥יר עָלֶ֖יהָ חֶלְבֵ֥י הַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃ אֵ֗שׁ תָּמִ֛יד תּוּקַ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה

The fire on the altar shall be kept burning, not to go out: every morning the priest shall feed wood to it, lay out the burnt offering on it, and turn into smoke the fat parts of the offerings of well-being. A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out.

Leviticus 6:5-6