Design and Sefirah

The chirik is a single dot beneath a letter and refers to the Sefirah of Netzach1—victory.

Gematria

The chirik has a numerical value of ten.

Meaning

The letters of chirik, חרק, read backwards, spell kerach, קרח,2 which means “ice.” The nature of water is to flow. Water also symbolizes the benefactor giving to the beneficiary. When water becomes frozen, however, it cannot flow, or give. A giver may often become great in his own eyes. This egotism freezes him, impeding his spiritual ascent. Yet the fact that he has become stuck assists him in realizing that he’s not truly in charge; rather G‑d is the primordial Mover. The egotist is thus nullified before G‑d.

This manner of nullification is alluded to in the description of the Chariot of Ezekiel, as it states:3 “It resembled awesome ice spread out over their heads.” Chassidus tells us that this ice represents one’s nullification before G‑d.

One who reaches this level of service to G‑d has been victo­rious over his animal soul, representative of the Sefirah of Netzach.