The word NUN in Aramaic means FISH, in Hebrew it means KINGDOM, and HEIR TO THE THRONE. Being the fourteenth letter of the Aleph-Beit, NUN is associated with David, whose name has the numerical value of fourteen. David is represented in the painting by the symbol of the moon, the harp and the crown. The moon controls the tides, the waters flowing from MEM at the right side of the painting. These waters, representing the hidden world, the unconscious, are the natural environment of the fish. The son of David, heir to his throne, is the Messiah. His symbol is the sun, shining in a darkness which does not allow the Light to penetrate it. The fish rising out of the water also represents the Messiah, who brings into consciousness, reveals, the hidden world of Divine Emanation to us in this world of physical reality. The smallest circle represents Moses, the first king of Israel. Like a fish, he was drawn out of the water by Pharaoh's daughter. His task was to lead the children of Israel out of the captivity of Egypt. This was not only an historical event, but a symbol of liberation from the captivity of sin and ignorance. During their long sojourn in the desert, the people of Israel were afflicted by poisonous snakes. Those who became ill from the snake bites were cured by looking upon the brazen serpent which was lifted up for them by Moses. This episode is recalled by the image of the brazen serpent on the stick in the desert. The Ten Commandments given by God to Moses (the tablets above the basket), are the basis of the revelation of God's Kingdom, entrusted to the "congregation of Israel" in general, and the King of Israel in particular. The large number of fish in the painting refers to both the Aramaic meaning of "fertility", and to the wondrous way in which God invites His people to share in the work of the Messiah, revealing His hidden Kingdom to all nations. The "fifty gates of understanding" is a fundamental concept in Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. The numerical value of NUN is fifty, so this letter also teaches us about the many "gates" or ways to enter into God's Kingdom. The letter has two forms: at the beginning or middle of a word the bent form is used, at the end of the word the upright form. The word "faithful" begins and ends with the letter NUN, and both forms represent God's faithful servant. The bent over form is the humble servant, aware of his/her emptiness and need for God's support, serving God in total submission and trust, never resenting his/her own poverty or "littleness". In fact, the humblest of His servants finds the greatest favour in God' eyes. The upright form at the end of a word reaches below the base line of the letters. This "straight, unbounded faithful one" is able to bring God's light even to the darkness, the cloud of glory transforming even the darkness into light. This refers to the coming of the Messiah "with the clouds of heaven". The faithful servant is "on fire", continually reaching upwards, receiving and expressing insights and understanding. This description fits the great teachers, and especially the Messiah. The coming of the Messiah is described in the Scriptures by Isaiah thus: "...the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God, like waters cover the sea." This is pictured by the veil of waters emerging from MEM and covering the whole of the lower part of the painting.