Author Description

Great Rabbis and scholars have dedicated their lives to the meanings behind the portions, word combinations and spellings in the Torah. At the root of it all are the letters themselves, and the amazing meanings they individually infuse into the words they create. The sheer elegance of their construction conveys ideas and wisdom. Concepts such as “home,” “charity” and “reaching for G-d” are found within their deceptively simple shapes. Sacred letters and words come alive in the Hebrew Illuminations 2007 wall calendar. This unique calendar features the first eleven letters of the Hebrew alphabet plus illuminations of six significant words, such as Chai and Torah. Adam Rhine’s highly detailed Judaica paintings are heavily influenced by medieval illuminated manuscripts, which the artist combines with modern palettes and aesthetics. Mr. Rhine, a freelance graphic artist, is a member of the American Guild of Judaic Art. Sample caption: The Lord is great and highly extolled, yet inscrutable is His greatness. (Psalm 145:3) Gimel, the third letter, is often thought to resemble a person with a foot extended to the left, running to give charity to the poor. Its value of “three” reminds us of our forefathers; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as G-d’s presence in the holy matrimony between a man and a woman.