I'm reading in the Zohar on Shir Hashirim 64 that there are thirty-two sets of the alphabet advanced until Israel stood at Mount Sinai. Basically, all the first and final letters of the names of main people for the generations were paired: אדם (Adam), Adam , begun with א (alef), concluded with מ (mem). Afterward, once the alphabet was completed with שת (Shet), Seth (Genesis 5:3), the letters returned. אנוש (Enosh), Enosh (Genesis 5:6)—א (alef) as before. נ (Nun), which succeeds מ (mem), abandoned after Adam . ש (Shin)—beginning of the letters of שת (shin tav), taking letters from this one and that one.
I found this footnote in the Pritzker edition but there's no citation or quote or reference or anything:
From the birth of Enosh’s son Kenan (Genesis 5:9) through the birth of the patriarch Israel’s twelve sons, a perfect path of linguistic progression ensued. Cordovero writes that in the generations between Kenan and Terah (Abraham’s father), one can find thirty-two pairings of letters representing progression and regression through the alphabet, the process culminating at Mount Sinai when all letters have been represented.
Does anyone have this list?
