He thereupon discoursed on the verse: “And God created the great sea-monsters,” etc. (Gen. 1, 21). He said: ‘The name Elohim is usually applied to the place of judgement, but here it is applied to the most high place from which judgements issue, for although it is intrinsically a place of Mercy, yet judgements issue from it and depend upon it.
The “great sea-monsters” are the “Patriarchs”, which are watered first and spread their roots throughout all. “And every living creature” (lit. living soul): this is the soul which the supernal Earth brought forth from the “living creature” (hayah), which is the highest of all, to wit, the soul of the first man which formed in its midst. “That moveth”: this is the “living creature” (hayah) that moves about on all sides above and below. “Which the waters brought forth abundantly”, namely the waters of that supernal stream which issues from Eden and waters the Tree there that it may spread its roots and provide food for all.
“And every winged fowl after its kind”: these are the holy angels whose function it is to sanctify the name of their Master every day, or to perform the messages of their Master in this world.’ Said R. Judah: ‘This is really too much for one so young to know, and I foresee that he will be removed to a place of eminence.’
R. Isaac said: ‘The “living creature that moveth” is the Hayah that is supreme above all, there being also another which is called by Scripture “earth”. The expression here, “and let fowl multiply in the earth”, means in the earth and not in the water, because the original stream flows on undivided up to that place which is called “earth” but from there, as it says, “it separates”, etc. (Gen. 2, 10); and the “fowl” mentioned are watered from this “earth”.’ They then rose and went on their way, and R. Judah said: ‘Let us take this youth into our company, and let each of us give some exposition of the Torah.’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (בראשית א׳:כ״א) וַיִבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדוֹלִים וְגוֹ'. וַיִבְרָא אֱלֹהִים, כָּל אֲתַר דְּדִינָא אֱלֹהִים אִקְרֵי. וְהַהוּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה אֲתַר דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ, הָכִי קָרֵי לֵיהּ הָכָא. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּרַחֲמֵי הוּא, מִנֵיהּ נָפְקוּ דִּינִין, וּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָין.
He thereupon discoursed on the verse: “And God created the great sea-monsters,” etc. (Gen. 1, 21). He said: ‘The name Elohim is usually applied to the place of judgement, but here it is applied to the most high place from which judgements issue, for although it is intrinsically a place of Mercy, yet judgements issue from it and depend upon it.
אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדוֹלִים, אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן. דְּאִינּוּן מִתְשַׁקְיָין בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּמִשְׁתָּרְשִׁין עַל כֹּלָּא. וְאֵת כָּל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת, וְאֵת כָּל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה, דָּא נֶפֶשׁ, דְּהַהִיא אֶרֶץ עִלָּאָה אַפִּיקַת מֵהַהִיא חַיָּה עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא, דִּכְתִּיב תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה. וְדָא אִיהִי נֶפֶשׁ דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה, דְּמָשִׁיךְ בְּגַוִיהּ. הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת: דָּא הִיא חַיָּה דְּרַחֲשָׁא בְּכָל טוּרִין (ס"א סטרין), לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם, דְּהַהוּא נָהָר עִלָּאָה נָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן, וְאַשְׁקֵי לְהַאי אִילָנָא, לְאִשְׁתָּרְשָׁא בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹי עַל כֹּלָּא, וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בֵּיהּ מְזוֹנָא לְכֹלָּא.
The “great sea-monsters” are the “Patriarchs”, which are watered first and spread their roots throughout all. “And every living creature” (lit. living soul): this is the soul which the supernal Earth brought forth from the “living creature” (hayah), which is the highest of all, to wit, the soul of the first man which formed in its midst. “That moveth”: this is the “living creature” (hayah) that moves about on all sides above and below. “Which the waters brought forth abundantly”, namely the waters of that supernal stream which issues from Eden and waters the Tree there that it may spread its roots and provide food for all.
דָּבָר אַחֵר הַחַיָּה הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת, דָּא הוּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (תהילים קי״ח:י״ז) לֹא אָמוּת כִּי אֶחְיֶה וְגוֹ'. וְאֵת כָּל עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ, אִלֵּין כָּל אִינּוּן מַלְאֲכִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי לְקַדְּשָׁא שְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ (ישעיהו ו׳:ב׳) שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם לְאֶחָד. וּמִנְּהוֹן טָאסִין בְּעָלְמָא לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, ודַּאי כָּל כַּךְ לְהַאי רַבְיָא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי, אֲבָל אֲנָא חָמֵי בֵּיהּ דְּלַאֲתַר עִלָּאָה יִסְתְּלַק.
“And every winged fowl after its kind”: these are the holy angels whose function it is to sanctify the name of their Master every day, or to perform the messages of their Master in this world.’ Said R. Judah: ‘This is really too much for one so young to know, and I foresee that he will be removed to a place of eminence.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וַדַּאי. הַחַיָּה (הרומשת) דָּא הִיא חַיָּה עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא, דְּהָא אָחֳרָא אֶרֶץ קַרְיֵיהּ קְרָא. הָכָא דִּכְתִּיב וְהָעוֹף יִרֶב בָּאָרֶץ, בָּאָרֶץ ודַּאי, וְלָא בַּמַיִם. דְּהָא הַהוּא נָהָר, נָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְאַשְׁקֵי, בְּלָא פֵּירוּדָא, עַד הַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ, וּמִתַּמָּן כְּתִיב וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְגוֹ'. וְהָעוֹף, וְהַהוּא עוֹף בְּהַאי אֶרֶץ תַּלְיָין וְאִתְשַּׁקְיָין, וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב וְהָעוֹף יִרֶב בָּאָרֶץ. קָמוּ וְאָזְלוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, נִשְׁתַּתֵּף לְהַאי רַבְיָא עִמָּנָא, וְכָל חַד וְחַד לֵימָא מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.
R. Isaac said: ‘The “living creature that moveth” is the Hayah that is supreme above all, there being also another which is called by Scripture “earth”. The expression here, “and let fowl multiply in the earth”, means in the earth and not in the water, because the original stream flows on undivided up to that place which is called “earth” but from there, as it says, “it separates”, etc. (Gen. 2, 10); and the “fowl” mentioned are watered from this “earth”.’ They then rose and went on their way, and R. Judah said: ‘Let us take this youth into our company, and let each of us give some exposition of the Torah.’