R. Simeon proceeded: ‘In the same way the Torah is situated between two houses, one recondite and on high, and the other more accessible. The one on high is the “Great Voice” referred to in the verse, “a great voice which did not cease” (Deut. 5, 19)’
This Voice is in the recesses and is not heard or revealed, and when it issues from the throat it utters the aspirate without sound and it flows on without ceasing, though it is so tenuous as to be inaudible.
From this issues the Torah, which is the voice of Jacob. The audible voice issues from the inaudible. In due course speech is attached to it, and through the force of that speech it emerges into the open. The voice of Jacob, which is the Torah, is thus attached to two females, to this inner voice which is inaudible, and to this outer voice which is heard.
Strictly speaking, there are two which are inaudible and two which are heard. The two which are not heard are, first, the supernal Wisdom which is located in the Thought and is not disclosed or heard; and secondly the same Wisdom when it issues and discloses itself a little in a whisper which cannot be heard, being then called the “Great Voice”, which is very tenuous and issues in a whisper.
The two which are heard are those which issue from this source-the voice of Jacob and the articulation which accompanies it. This “Great Voice” which cannot be heard is a “house” to the supernal Wisdom (the female is always called “house”), and the articulation we have mentioned is a “house” to the Voice of Jacob, which is the Torah, and therefore the Torah commences with the letter beth, which is, as it were, a “house” to it.’
R. Simeon here drew a parallel between the creation of heaven and earth and of woman. ‘“In the beginning God created”,’ he said, ‘corresponds to “And the Lord God built the side”; “the heavens” corresponds to “and he brought her to the man”; “and the earth” corresponds to “bone from my bone”, since this one assuredly is “the land of the living”.’
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כְּגַוְונָא דָא אוֹרַיְיתָא קָאִים בֵּין תְּרֵי בָּתִּים, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ח׳:י״ד) לִשְׁנֵי בָּתֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו'. חַד סְתִימָא עִלָּאָה. וְחַד אִתְגַּלְיָא יַתִּיר. (סתימא) עִלָּאָה (דא) קוֹל גָּדוֹל דִּכְתִיב, (דברים ה׳:י״ט) קוֹל גָדוֹל וְלא יָסָף.
R. Simeon proceeded: ‘In the same way the Torah is situated between two houses, one recondite and on high, and the other more accessible. The one on high is the “Great Voice” referred to in the verse, “a great voice which did not cease” (Deut. 5, 19)’
וְהַאי קוֹל פְּנִימָאָה אִיהוּ דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע וְלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָא. וְדָא הוּא כַּד נְבִיעַ בֵּי גָרוֹן אַפִּיק (ביה) ה' בְּחֲשַׁאי וּנְבִיעַ תָּדִיר וְלָא פָּסַק. וְאִיהוּ דַּקָּה פְּנִימָאָה דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע לְעָלְמִין.
This Voice is in the recesses and is not heard or revealed, and when it issues from the throat it utters the aspirate without sound and it flows on without ceasing, though it is so tenuous as to be inaudible.
וּמֵהָכָא נָפְקָא אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִיהוּ קוֹל יַעֲקֹב. וְהַאי אִשְׁתְּמַע (ד"א דאשתמע) דְּנָפְקָא (ד"א נפקא) מֵהַהִיא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע. וּלְבָתַר אִתְאַחִיד דִּבּוּר בַּהֲדֵיהּ וְנָפַק לְבַר מֵחֵילֵיהּ וּמִתָּקְפֵּיהּ. וְקוֹל דְּיַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא אָחִיד בֵּין תְּרֵי נִקְבֵי. אָחִיד בְּהַאי פְּנִימָאָה דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע. וְאָחִיד בְּהַאי דִלְבַר דְּאִשְׁתְּמַע.
From this issues the Torah, which is the voice of Jacob. The audible voice issues from the inaudible. In due course speech is attached to it, and through the force of that speech it emerges into the open. The voice of Jacob, which is the Torah, is thus attached to two females, to this inner voice which is inaudible, and to this outer voice which is heard.
תְּרֵין אִנּוּן דְּלָא אִשְׁתָּמְעוּ וּתְרֵין אִנּוּן דְּאִשְׁתָּמְעוּ. תְּרֵין דְּלָא אִשְׁתָּמְעוּ, דָּא הוּא חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה דְּקָיְימָא בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע. לְבָתַר נָפְקָא וְאִתְגַּלְּיָא זְעֵיר בַּחֲשַׁאי דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי קוֹל גָּדוֹל דְּהוּא דַּק וְנָפִיק בַּחֲשַׁאי.
Strictly speaking, there are two which are inaudible and two which are heard. The two which are not heard are, first, the supernal Wisdom which is located in the Thought and is not disclosed or heard; and secondly the same Wisdom when it issues and discloses itself a little in a whisper which cannot be heard, being then called the “Great Voice”, which is very tenuous and issues in a whisper.
תְּרֵין אִנּוּן דְּאִשְׁתָּמְעוּ, אִנּוּן דְּנָפְקֵי מֵהָכָא קוֹל דְּיַעֲקֹב וְדִבּוּר דְּאִתְאֲחִיד בַּהֲדֵיהּ. הַאי קוֹל גָּדוֹל דְּאִיהוּ בַּחֲשַׁאי וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע. אִיהִי בַּיִ"ת לַחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה. וְכָל נוּקְבָא בַּיִ"ת אִקְרֵי. וְהַאי דִּבּוּר בַּתְרָאָה אִיהוּ בַּיִת לַקּוֹל דְּיַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא. וְעַל דָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא שַׁרְיָא בְּבֵי"ת. בֵּי"ת רֵאשִׁית.
The two which are heard are those which issue from this source-the voice of Jacob and the articulation which accompanies it. This “Great Voice” which cannot be heard is a “house” to the supernal Wisdom (the female is always called “house”), and the articulation we have mentioned is a “house” to the Voice of Jacob, which is the Torah, and therefore the Torah commences with the letter beth, which is, as it were, a “house” to it.’
פַּתַח וְאָמַר בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע. אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב וַיְבִיאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם. וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְעֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי. וַדַּאי הַאי אִיהִי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים.
R. Simeon here drew a parallel between the creation of heaven and earth and of woman. ‘“In the beginning God created”,’ he said, ‘corresponds to “And the Lord God built the side”; “the heavens” corresponds to “and he brought her to the man”; “and the earth” corresponds to “bone from my bone”, since this one assuredly is “the land of the living”.’