Restoring the blueprint of creation

According to Jewish tradition, when God wanted to create the earth, he had a problem. There was no blueprint.

According to Cabbala, Jewish mystical teachings, God used the Torah, the first five books in the Hebrew Bible, as the blueprint for creation.

Earlier this week, Rabbi Moshe Druin came to Ogden to the Congregation Brith Sholem to help restore God's blueprint.

The Torah is written in traditional Hebrew.

"The Hebrew letters are more than just form for ways of communication," Rabbi Druin said, "like English or French or any other language, but rather the Hebrew letters have wonder and magic associated with them."

He said the names of the letters, their pronunciation and shapes have meaning. Each letter also has a numerical value associated with it.

"These letters, these are God letters," Rabbi Druin said. "They were given down by God, and ultimately they have a lot of power associated with them."

Consequently, if one letter is missing, all of creation would be compromised. He used the example of computer code — if one letter or number of the code is off, the entire program would not work as the creator intended.

Rabbi Druin intends to ensure the Torah is kosher — fit to be used in a ritual way. The origin of the word started with kosher animals and extended into meaning doing things in the proper way, based on Jewish principles.

There are 613 commandments in the Torah, and one of them tells adherents that the Torah must be made of materials that are edible. Rabbi Druin said the scroll must be made from a kosher animal hide; an animal that is kosher has split hooves and chews its cud, such as a cow, deer or sheep. The Brith Sholem scroll is made from cowhide.

"Traditionally, the reason why cow skin was predominantly used was the size and strength and durability of it," Rabbi Druin said.

Though the materials are edible, taste is an issue. The rabbi has sampled it before.

"Once years ago I did, and it tastes terrible," Rabbi Druin said.

Also, the ink must be manufactured in a kosher way out of kosher ingredients — copper sulfate, herbs, ashes of different plants and others.

"It even has honey, which actually makes the letters shine," Rabbi Druin said.