Midrasch zu Schemuel I 2:2

With¹The prefix bet in the first word of the Torah can be translated as “with,” “in,”, “by means of,” etc. the beginning (Gen. 1:1). This is what Scripture means when it says: The Lord with wisdom²“Beginning” and “wisdom” are synonyms for “Torah” in rabbinic literature. See Schechter, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, p. 129. founded the earth (Prov. 3:19). That is, when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to create this world, He consulted the Torah³Seven things were created two thousand years before the creation of heaven and earth, and the Torah was one of them. before embarking upon the work of creation, as it is said: Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine (ibid. 8:14). How was the Torah written? It was written with letters of black fire on a surface of white fire, as is said: His locks are curled and black as a raven (Song 5:11). What is meant by His locks are curled?⁴The word taltalim (“curls”) is read as tille tillim (“heaps upon heaps”). Each letter in the Torah has numerous strokes upon it which, according to tradition, represent heaps upon heaps of laws. Cf. Leviticus Rabbah 19:2, Song of Songs Rabbah 5:11–12. It means that each crowned stroke on the letters of the Torah contains heaps and heaps of law. For example, it is written in the Torah: Profane not My Holy Name (Lev. 22:2); but if you should change the het in the word yehallelu (“profane”) into a heh, the word would read “praise,” and you would thereby destroy the world. Conversely, where it is written Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord (Ps. 150:6), if you should alter the heh in the word tehallel (“praise”) into a het, the word would read “profane,” and you would thereby destroy the world.

Again, in the verse There is none holy as the Lord (I Sam. 2:2), if you alter the preposition kaf (“as”) to read bet (“in”), you would thereby destroy the world.

R. Shimi b. Ukba, and some say Mar Ukba, frequented the house of R. Simon b. Pazi., who was accustomed to arrange Agadah before R. Joshua b. Levi, and asked R. Simon b. Pazi: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 103, 1.) Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me (praise) His Holy name." "Come and see,"' said R. Simon b. Pazi to him, "how the custom of the Holy One, praised be He! differs from the custom of frail man! The custom of frail man is to form a shape on the wall but he can put into it neither breath nor soul, nor entrails nor bowels, but the Holy One, praised be He! is not so. He forms a shape within a shape (creates a body within a body) and puts into it breath, soul, entrails and bowels, and it is this that Hannah means when she said (I Sam. 2, 2.) There is none holy like the Lord; for there is none besides Thee, and there is not any rock like our Lord. What is meant by Ein Tzur Keloheinu? It means that there is no shaper like our Lord." And what does it mean by For there is none besides Thee? R. Juda b. Menassya said: "Do not read Ein Biltecha (none besides Thee), but read Ein Lebalathecha (nothing could wear you out), for the nature of the Holy One, praised be He! is not like the nature of frail man. The works of frail man wear out their maker, but the Holy One, praised be He! is not so. He wears out his work." "You did not quite understand my question," said R. Shimi b. Ukba to R. Simon b. Pazi, "what I Intended to ask was this: Five times did David say Bless the Lord, O my soul; in reference to what was it said?" "He said it," [replied R. Simon b. Pazi] "in reference to the Holy One, praised be He! and in reference to the soul, for just as the Holy One, praised be He! filleth the entire world, so does the soul fill the entire body; just as the Holy One, praised be He! seeth, but cannot be seen, so does the soul see, but cannot be seen; just as the Holy One, praised be He! feedeth the entire world, so does the soul feed the entire body; just as the Holy One, praised be He! is pure, so is the soul pure; and just as the Holy One, praised be He! dwelleth in a place secret from all, so does the soul dwell in a secret place; therefore, let that (the soul) which possesses these five attributes come and praise Him, to whom these five attributes belong."