Design and Sefirah
The cholam is a dot that rests above a letter.1 It refers to the Sefirah of Tiferes2—beauty or mercy. In general, a dot represents Malchus, the last of the ten Sefiros. Malchus (which literally means kingship) in fact represents “bittul” or self-nullification—considering oneself as a mere dot or speck on the face of the earth. Through the act of self-nullification, the dot is elevated to the degree of Tiferes.
Gematria
The numerical equivalent of the cholam is either ten or sixteen (depending upon whether it’s a single dot on top of a letter, or atop a vav).
Meaning
Cholam means “strength.”3 In addition, when transposed, the letters of cholam, חלם,make up the words מלח, melach (salt), and מחל machal (forgiveness).4 Salt was used as a preservative and placed on every sacrifice in the Holy Temple to demonstrate that the merit of the sacrifice in procuring forgiveness for the sin remains forever, as it states:5 “ברית מלח—an everlasting covenant of salt.” The strength of salt is that it withstands the changes of time. Furthermore, when a person personifies strength, he has the perpetual power to forgive.
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