According to the Kabbalistic "Gimatria" system, each letter of the Hebrew Alphabet represents a number. These are divided in three groups: The ones (1-9; letter Aleph through Tes); the tens (10-90; letter Yud through Tzaddik); and the hundreds (100-400; letter Kuf through Tav).

The "father" and origin of all ones is the first letter - the Aleph=1. The "firstborn son" of Aleph is the Beis=2.

Continuing to the second group, the "father" of the tens is the letter Yud = 10, while the "firstborn" of the Yud is the letter Chaf =20.

Finally, the "father" of the hundreds is the letter Kuf = 100 and the "firstborn" of the Kuf is the letter Reish =200.

Indeed, the three letters "Beis" "Chaf" and "Reish" spell the Hebrew word "Bechor," meaning "firstborn."

The "fathers" of the three groups of letters represent G-d, the "father" of all existence. Indeed, the three "fatherly" letters, "Aleph," "Yud" and "Kuf" equal 111, the numerical value of the Hebrew word "Aleph" (1+30+80=111). "Aleph" meaning 'master', represents the One G-d, Master of the universe.

Now, the "firstborn," the "Beis," "Chaf" and "Reish" represent G-d's many creations and "children," from the celestial galaxies to a speck of dust,

The numerical value of these three "offspring" letters, "Beis," "Chaf" and "Reish, is 222, reflecting the divided components of creation.

But this division is only superficial, for in truth, all existence is part of G-d. Judaism recognizes no duality in creation. The oneness of G-d, the cosmic "Aleph," pervades all existence, filling each centimeter of space and each millisecond in time with its spiritual energy, that vibrates in every blade of grass, every human heart and every grazing animal. This oneness is concealed and veiled, allowing fthe perception of a divided world of "222." But in truth, the entire cosmos is really one giant Aleph.

The G-dliness and spirituality of the "Aleph" constitutes the essence of each and every fragment of the universe. Each and every letter is a continuum of the Aleph.

Despite our external perception of different and contrasting forces, impulses and moods, some of them seemingly evil and impure, the essence of our personality is our Divine soul. To achieve inner contentment and peace of mind we must connect all of life's endeavors to our spiritual core.

Egyptian culture detached the secondary "Beis," "Chaf" and "Reish" from the initial "Aleph," "Yud" and "Kuf." The Egyptians divorced the "222" from the "111," worshiping the individual forces of nature as separate and independent from G-d's essence.

When one views the world as a fragmented universe produced by myriad forces of nature, anything goes, resulting in the oppression of innocent people, as the Egyptians enslaved Israel.

The Egyptian firstborn were the chief oppressors of Israel, killing their children and taking pleasure in their suffering. The Egyptians deemed their firstborn as deities in their own right, allowing them to treat others as they wished. The quintessential "bechor" of Egypt was, Pharaoh, the chief killer of Israel, himself a firstborn. Instead of realizing that the "Bechor" should serve a higher truth, that 222 ought to be an extension of 111, they ignored the 111 and turned the 222 into an independent deity.

G-d thus smote the firstborn of Egypt and saved the Jewish "Bechor," both literally and conceptually. The Exodus shattered the pagan perception of a dual universe detached from One G-d, and demonstrated the fundamental Jewish principle that the world of 222 is a mirror of a singular creator. G-d thus told Moses: "Sanctify every Bechor," i.e. take the duality of life and sanctify it. Reveal the Divine harmony and oneness within your fragmented world, and the multiple moods of your heart. The ultimate purpose of all existence is to take the "two's" and transform them into "one's." "E Pluribus Unum," "Out of many, one."

If the prototype of the Egyptian "bechor" was Pharaoh, the quintessential Jewish "bechor" will be Moshiach, who will unite all people and all our divided universe to reflect the harmony of its singular creator. "Pluribus" and "Unum" will then be united forever.