What is the key to the transformation from darkness and constraint to light and freedom?

Just one Hebrew letter: the aleph. That’s the difference in the Hebrew spelling between golah (“exile”) and geula (“redemption”).

What does the aleph represent? The number one. The Alufo shel Olam, “the Master and Creator of the world.”

But the letter does not have to be added. Our Creator is in everything and every place; the aleph is already present in exile, but is in a concealed state, waiting for us to reveal it.

The aleph each of us finds and reveals in ourselves, our lives and in our portion of the world relates to our own unique mission in healing the world, guided and encouraged by the Torah and its mitzvot.

Sources: Several places in Chassidic thought, including Sichot, Parshat Acharei Kedoshim, 13 Iyar, 5751.