Book excerpt: As a carpenter employs tools to build a home, so G-d utilized twenty-two letters of the Alef-Bais to form the heaven and earth. They are the metaphorical wood, stone and nails, the cornerposts and crossbeams of our earthly and spiritual existence.In Letters of Light, Rabbi Aaron Raskin explores the essence of these holy letters, and how by their very nature they continue to be a source of creation, reflection, prayer and inspiration in our everyday lives. Each letter is examined in terms of its graphic design, its Gematria and its Hebrew meaning. Rabbi Raskin?s insights are themselves guided by the rich foundation of Chassidus and particularly by the illuminations of Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe. The result is an original and insightful examination of how Torah ? indeed the very letter of the law ? can inform every aspect of our lives, both religious and secular.