AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, ONE DAY: evening from the side of darkness and morning from the side of light; and because they are joined together, the Scripture speaks of “one day”. R. Judah said: ‘The reason why it is written “and there was evening and there was morning” for each day is to show that there is no day without night and no night without day, and the two cannot be separated.’
R. Jose said: ‘The day in which the primal light emerged extended into all the other days; hence the word “day” is repeated with all of them.’ R. Eleazar said: ‘We learn this from the fact that the term “morning” is used in connection with all of them, and “morning” proceeds only from the side of the primal light.’ R. Simeon said: ‘The first day accompanies all the others, and all are embraced in it, to show that there is no break between them and they all merge into one another.’
Another explanation of the words “let there be light” is: “let there be an extending of this light downwards, to form the angels, who were created on the first day, and who have permanent existence on the right side.” Further, the word eth in the fourth verse may be taken to indicate that the “unclear mirror” was created along with the “clear mirror”. R. Eleazar says that it points to the creation of all the angels, who proceed from the side of light and who all continue to shine as brightly as at first.
LET THERE BE A FIRMAMENT IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS. R. Judah said: ‘By this the “upper waters” were separated from the “lower waters”, the firmament being an extending of the waters, as has been explained. Similarly, “let it divide”, to wit, the “upper waters” from the “lower waters”.’
R. Isaac said: ‘On the second day was created Gehinnom for sinners; on the second day, too, was created conflict. On the second day the work begun was not finished, and therefore the words “and it was good” are not used in connection with it. Not till the third day was the work of the second finished; hence in the account of that day we find twice the expression “that it was good”, once in reference to its own proper work, and once in reference to that of the second day. On the third day the deficiency of the second day was made good: discord was removed on it, and mercy was extended to the sinners in Gehinnom, the flames of which were moderated. Hence the second day is embraced in and completed by the third.’
While studying one day with R. Simeon, R. Hiya said to him: ‘You say that light was on the first day and darkness on the second, and the waters separated and discord arose on it-why was not the whole work finished on the first day, when the Right still comprised the Left?’ He answered: ‘That is the very reason why there was discord, and hence it was necessary for the third day to intervene and to restore their amity.’
וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד. וַיְהִי עֶרֶב מִסִּטְרָא דְחשֶׁךְ, וַיְהִי בֹקֶר מִסִּטְרָא דְאוֹר, וּמִגּוֹ דְּאִנּוּן מִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי כְּחֲדָא כְּתִיב יוֹם אֶחָד. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר מַאי טַעֲמָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא כְּתִיב וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר. לְמִנְדַע דְּהָא לֵית יוֹם בְּלָא לַיְלָה וְלֵית לַיְלָה בְּלָא יוֹם וְלָא אִבְעוּן לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא.
AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, ONE DAY: evening from the side of darkness and morning from the side of light; and because they are joined together, the Scripture speaks of “one day”. R. Judah said: ‘The reason why it is written “and there was evening and there was morning” for each day is to show that there is no day without night and no night without day, and the two cannot be separated.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַהוּא יוֹם דְּנָפַק אוֹר קַדְמָאָה אִתְפְּשַׁט בְּכֻלְהוּ יוֹמֵי, דִּכְתִיב בְּכֻלְהוּ יוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב בְּכֻלְהוּ בֹּקֶר, וְלָאו בֹּקֶר אֶלָא מִסִּטְרָא דְאוֹר קַדְמָאָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר יוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה אָזִיל עִם כֻּלְהוּ וְכֻלְהוּ בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּלָאו בְּהוּ פִּירוּדָא וְכֹלָּא חַד.
R. Jose said: ‘The day in which the primal light emerged extended into all the other days; hence the word “day” is repeated with all of them.’ R. Eleazar said: ‘We learn this from the fact that the term “morning” is used in connection with all of them, and “morning” proceeds only from the side of the primal light.’ R. Simeon said: ‘The first day accompanies all the others, and all are embraced in it, to show that there is no break between them and they all merge into one another.’
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלהִים יְהִי אוֹר, יְהִי (ד"א ל"גאור) אִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דְהַאי אוֹר לְתַתָּא, וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה אִית לוֹן קִיּוּמָא לְאִתְקַיְימָא לִסְטַר יָמִינָא. וַיַּרְא אֱלהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב. אֶת לְאִתְכְּלָלָא אִסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא עִם אִסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּנָהֲרָא דְּאִתְּמָר (ד"א ביה) כִּי טוֹב. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אֶת לְאִתְכְּלָלָא (ד"א לאכללא) וּלְאַסְגָּאָה כֻּלְהוּ מַלְאָכִין דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְּאוֹר דָּא, וְכֻלְהוֹן נָהֲרִין כְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים:
Another explanation of the words “let there be light” is: “let there be an extending of this light downwards, to form the angels, who were created on the first day, and who have permanent existence on the right side.” Further, the word eth in the fourth verse may be taken to indicate that the “unclear mirror” was created along with the “clear mirror”. R. Eleazar says that it points to the creation of all the angels, who proceed from the side of light and who all continue to shine as brightly as at first.
יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּהַאי אִתְפְּרָשׁוּ (בראשית לב ב, יז ב) מַיִּין עִלָּאִין מִמַּיִין תַּתָּאִין. רָקִיעַ פְּשִׁיטוּתָא דְּמַיִּין וְהָא אִתְּמָר. וִיהִי מַבְדִיל בֵּין מַיִּין עִלָּאִין לְתַתָּאִין:
LET THERE BE A FIRMAMENT IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS. R. Judah said: ‘By this the “upper waters” were separated from the “lower waters”, the firmament being an extending of the waters, as has been explained. Similarly, “let it divide”, to wit, the “upper waters” from the “lower waters”.’
וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָרָקִיעַ. בִּסְגִיאוּ עִלָּאָה. וַיְהִי רָקִיעַ לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא וַיַּעַשׂ, דְּאַסְגֵּי לֵיהּ בִּרְבוּ סַגְיָא.
AND GOD MADE THE FIRMAMENT: the word made indicates that God exercised upon it particular care, and invested it with great power.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּשֵּׁנִי אִתְבְּרֵי גֵּיהִנֹּם לְחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, בַּשֵּׁנִי אִתְבְּרֵי מַחְלוֹקֶת. בַּשֵּׁנִי לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בֵּיהּ עֲבִידְתָּא, וּבְּגִין כָּךְ לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ כִּי טוֹב, עַד דְּאֲתָא יוֹם תְּלִיתָאָה וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בֵּיהּ עֲבִידְתָּא, בְּגִין כָּךְ כִּי טוֹב תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי, חַד עַל אַשְׁלָמוּת עֲבִידְתָּא דְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי, וְחַד לְגַרְמֵיהּ. בְּיוֹם תְּלִיתָאֵי אִתְתַּקַּן יוֹם שֵׁנִי וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ בֵּיהּ מַחְלוֹקֶת. וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ רַחֲמֵי עַל חַיָּיבֵי גֵּיהִנֹּם. בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה מִשְׁתַּכְּכִין שְׁבִיבִין דְּגֵיהִנֹּם. בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ יוֹם שֵׁנִי וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בֵּיהּ.
R. Isaac said: ‘On the second day was created Gehinnom for sinners; on the second day, too, was created conflict. On the second day the work begun was not finished, and therefore the words “and it was good” are not used in connection with it. Not till the third day was the work of the second finished; hence in the account of that day we find twice the expression “that it was good”, once in reference to its own proper work, and once in reference to that of the second day. On the third day the deficiency of the second day was made good: discord was removed on it, and mercy was extended to the sinners in Gehinnom, the flames of which were moderated. Hence the second day is embraced in and completed by the third.’
רַבִּי חִיָּיא הֲוָה יָתִיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לֵיהּ הַאי אוֹר בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן וְחשֶׁךְ בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי וְאִתְפְּרָשׁוּ מַיָא וּמַחְלוֹקֶת הֲוָה בֵּיהּ, אַמַּאי לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן דְּהַאי יָמִינָא כָּלִיל לִשְׂמָאלָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ עַל דָּא הֲוָה מַחְלוֹקֶת, וּתְלִיתָאָה בָּעֵי לְמֵיעַל בֵּינַיְיהוּ לְאַכְרָעָא וּלְאַסְגָּאָה בְּהוּ שְׁלָם:
While studying one day with R. Simeon, R. Hiya said to him: ‘You say that light was on the first day and darkness on the second, and the waters separated and discord arose on it-why was not the whole work finished on the first day, when the Right still comprised the Left?’ He answered: ‘That is the very reason why there was discord, and hence it was necessary for the third day to intervene and to restore their amity.’