Ches represents the soul of life, Chayim and Chein, going beyond nature and beChira, free choice.
The first time that Ches is seen in the Torah is during creation. “v’Choshech al p’ney tahom,’ and darkness was on the face of the deep.” Because the world was created with Choshech, darkness, it’s very difficult to see Hashem. We need to use our free choice to see through or beyond the darkness. The power of free choice comes from the Ches contained in the word Choshech.
“Olam hazeh domeh l’layla, this word is compared to the night time.” The word for darkness also contains the letter Ches, which is the ability to transcend the darkness!
Because Ches represents many strong spiritual movements essential for life, it will be found beginning words that deal with strong activity and movement: Cham, heat; Chituch, cutting; Charitsut, diligence; Chozek, strength; Chod and Chanit, both meaning spear; Chetz, arrow, and Cherev, sword. The letter also represents strong movement.
Many strong human emotions also begin with Ches: Chas, compassion; Chessed, kindness; Chemlah, desire; Chanina, grace; Chibah, affection. It can be said that these feeling come from the heat and movement of the soul. Ches therefore also represents the neshama, soul, found within physicality.
It should be noted that there are many other feelings which contain a Ches in them, but don’t begin with it: simCha, happiness; s’Chok, laughter, and anaCha, sighing or groaning. Ches is the spiritual force for movement, and feelings are naturally always changing and moving.
This is a bit difficult to explain without a picture, but the letter Ches looks like two legs supporting the rest of a body. The reason for this is that people who are Chai, alive, can usually stand by themselves, in contrast to the dead.
The letter is actually formed with two Zayins connecting each other. We explained previously that the Zayin, shaped like a hammer, represents kli Zayin, weapons of war. The double Zayin in the Ches represents the two wars, physical and spiritual, that we battle throughout our lives. Our physical desires need to conquered and subjugated, and our minds need to be tilted towards truth and spirituality. Again, we see how the letter Ches points towards using our free choice to attain true Chaim, life.
Chet means sin. In modern Hebrew we say that an archer is maCh’tie, misses the target. One who sins is missing the point of this world.
On the other hand, Chet can mean Chituy, disinfection. We can use the power of free choice contained in the letter Ches to disinfect ourselves and become tahor, pure and clean.
Numerically, Ches is 8. 7 represents the spirituality found in nature, while 8 represents that which is found beyond nature and the limitations of this world. Many times, in the Torah, we find 8 pointing towards this. For example: the 8th day for a bris, 8 tzitzis, Shemini Ateres, the 8th day after 7 days of Sukkos, and eight days of Chanukah. They all represent the concepts of going beyond this world and are connected to the Ches, which points towards free choice and the spiritual dimension beyond this world.
The word chein, charm, is spelled Ches nun. Rebbe Nachman explains that it stands for Chochmas Nistar, hidden mystical wisdom. When we say that someone has chein, it means an inner Godly charm, spiritually infused with God’s grace.
