the point and the temple were firmly established together, then Bereshith combined the supernal Beginning with Wisdom. Afterwards the character of that temple was changed, and it was called “house” (bayith). The combination of this with the supernal point which is called rosh gives Bereshith, which is the name used so long as the house was uninhabited. When, however, it was sown with seed to make it habitable, it was called Elohim, hidden and mysterious. The Zohar was hidden and withdrawn so long as the building was within and yet to bring forth, and the house was extended only so far as to find room for the holy seed. Before it had conceived and had extended sufficiently to be habitable, it was not called Elohim, but all was still included in the term Bereshith. After it had acquired the name of Elohim, it brought forth offspring from the seed that had been implanted in it. What is this seed? It consists of the graven letters, the secret source of the Torah, which issued from the first point.
That point sowed in the palace certain three vowel-points, holem, shureq, and hireq, which combined with one another and formed one entity, to wit, the Voice which issued through their union. When this Voice issued, there issued with it its mate which comprises all the letters; hence it is written Eth hashammaim (the heavens), to wit, the Voice and its mate. This Voice, indicated by the word “heaven”, is the second Ehyeh of the sacred name, the Zohar which includes all letters and colours, in this manner.
Up to this point the words “The Lord our God the Lord” (Tetragrammaton Elohenu Tetragrammaton) represent three grades corresponding to this deep mystery of Bereshith bara Elohim. Bereshith represents the primordial mystery. Bara represents the mysterious source from which the whole expanded. Elohim represents the force which sustains all below. The words eth hashammaim indicate that the two latter are on no account to be separated, and are male and female together.
The word eth consists of the letters aleph and tau, which include between them all the letters, as being the first and last of the alphabet. Afterwards he was added, so that all the letters should be attached to he, and this gave the name attah (Thou); hence we read “and Thou (ve-attah) keepest all of them alive” (Neh. 9, 6). Eth again alludes to Adonai (Lord), who is so called. Hashammaim is Tetragrammaton in its higher signification.
The next word, ve-eth, indicates the firm union of male and female; it also alludes to the appellation ve-Tetragrammaton (and the Lord), both explanations coming to the same thing. Ha-aretz (the earth) designates an Elohim corresponding to the higher form, to bring forth fruit and produce. This name is here found in three applications, and thence the same name branches out to various sides. Up to this point only extend the allusions to the Most Mysterious who carves out and builds and vivifies in mysterious ways, through the esoteric explanation of one verse.
From this point onwards bara shith, “he created six”, from the end of heaven to the end thereof, six sides which extend from the supernal mystic essence, through the expansion of creative force from a primal point. Here has been inscribed the mystery of the name of forty-two letters.
(דניאל י״ב:ג׳) וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכּוֹכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. זֹהַר סְתִימָא דִסְתִימִין, בָּטַשׁ אֲוִירָא דִילֵיהּ (דמטי ולא מטי) (נ"א ואנהיר) בְּהַאי נְקוּדָה (ס"א נהורא) וּכְדֵין אִתְפַּשַׁט הַאי רֵאשִׁית וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ הֵיכָלָא לִיקָרֵיהּ וּלְתוּשְׁבַּחְתֵּיהּ (יקרא להיכליה ולתושבחתא). (נ"א וליקריה ולהיכליה ולתושבחתיה). תַּמָּן זָרַע זַרְעָא דְקוּדְשָׁא לְאוֹלָדָא לְתוֹעַלְתָּא דְעָלְמָא, וְרָזָא דָא (ישעיהו ו׳:י״ג) זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ מַצַּבְתָּהּ.
זֹהַר דְּזָרַע זַרְעָא לִיקָרֵיהּ, כְּהַאי זַרְעָא דְמֶשִׁי דְאַרְגְּוָון טָב דְּאִתְחֲפֵי לְגוֹ וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ הֵיכָלָא דְאִיהוּ תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דִילֵיהּ וְתוֹעַלְתָּא דְּכֹלָּא. בְּהַאי רֵאשִׁית בְּרָא הַהוּא סְתִימָא דְּלָא אִתְיְידַע לְהֵיכָלָא דָא. הֵיכָלָא דָא אִקְרֵי אֱלהִים, וְרָזָא דָא בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלהִים.
זֹהַר דְּמִנֵּיהּ כֻּלְהוּ מַאֲמָרוֹת אִתְבְּרִיאוּ בְּרָזָא דְאִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דִנְקוּדָה דְּזֹהַר סָתִים דָּא. אִי בְּהַאי כְּתִיב בָּרָא, לֵית תְּוָוהָא דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית א׳:כ״ז) וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ,
זֹהַר רָזָא דָא בְּרֵאשִׁית קַדְמָאָה דְכֹלָא שְׁמֵיהּ אהיה שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא גְלִיפָא בְּסִטְרוֹי (נ"א נהיר ונ"א בגלפא נהיר) אֱלהִים. גְּלִיפָא בְּעִיטְרָא (נ"א בגלופא דעיטרא) אֲשֶׁ"ר הֵיכָלָא טָמִיר וְגָנִיז, שְׁרִיאוּתָא דְרָזָא דְרֵאשִׁית. אֲשֶׁ"ר רֹא"שׁ דְּנָפִיק מֵרֵאשִׁית.
וְכַד אִתְתַּקַּן לְבָתַר נְקוּדָה וְהֵיכָלָא (בסדרא) (כסדרא) כְּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין בְּרֵאשִׁית כָּלִיל (ראשית) רֵאשִׁיתָא עִלָּאָה בְּחָכְמְתָא. לְבָתַר אִתְחַלַּף גַּוָּון הַהוּא הֵיכָלָא וְאִקְרֵי בַּיִת. (נ"א ומיניה אתחדש היכלא) נְקוּדָה עִלָּאָה אִקְרֵי רֹא"שׁ. כָּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא בְּרָזָא בְּרֵאשִׁית, כַּד אִיהוּ כֹּלָּא כְּחֲדָא בִּכְלָלָא חָדָא עַד לָא הֲוֵי יִשּׁוּבָא בְּבֵיתָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִזְדְּרַע לְתִקּוּנָא דְּיִשּׁוּבָא כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי אֱלהִים טְמִירָא סְתִימָא:
זֹהַר סָתִים וְגָנִיז כַּד בְּנִין (ס"א עד דבנין) בְּגַוֵּיהּ לְאוֹלָדָא וּבֵיתָא קַיָּימָא בִּפְשִׁיטוּ דְתִקּוּנָא דְּאִנּוּן זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ. וְעַד לָא אִתְעֲדִיאַת וְלָא אִתְפַּשַּׁט פְּשִׁיטוּ דְיִשּׁוּבָא לָא אִקְרֵי אֱלהִים, אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא בִּכְלָלָא בְּרֵאשִׁית, לְבָתַר דְּאִתְתַּקַּן בִּשְׁמָא (בלק ר"ב) דְּאֱלהִים אַפִּיק אִנּוּן תּוֹלָדִין מֵהַהוּא זַרְעָא דְאִזְדְּרַע בֵּיהּ. מַאן הַהוּא זַרְעָא, אִנּוּן אַתְוָון גְּלִיפָן רָזָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּנָפְקוּ מֵהַהִיא נְקוּדָה.
the point and the temple were firmly established together, then Bereshith combined the supernal Beginning with Wisdom. Afterwards the character of that temple was changed, and it was called “house” (bayith). The combination of this with the supernal point which is called rosh gives Bereshith, which is the name used so long as the house was uninhabited. When, however, it was sown with seed to make it habitable, it was called Elohim, hidden and mysterious. The Zohar was hidden and withdrawn so long as the building was within and yet to bring forth, and the house was extended only so far as to find room for the holy seed. Before it had conceived and had extended sufficiently to be habitable, it was not called Elohim, but all was still included in the term Bereshith. After it had acquired the name of Elohim, it brought forth offspring from the seed that had been implanted in it. What is this seed? It consists of the graven letters, the secret source of the Torah, which issued from the first point.
הַהִיא נְקוּדָה זָרַע בְּגוֹ הַהוּא הֵיכָלָא רָזָא (נ"א זרעא) דִתְלַת נְקוּדִין חֹלָ"ם, שׁוּרֻ"ק, חִירִ"ק. וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ דָּא בְּדָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ רָזָא חָדָא. קוֹ"ל דְּנָפִיק בְּחִבּוּרָא חָדָא. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָפַק, נַפְקַת בַּת זוּגֵיהּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּכָלִיל כָּל אַתְוָון. דִּכְתִיב אֶ"ת הַשָּׁמַיִ"ם, קוֹל וּבַת זוּגוֹ. הַאי קוֹל דְּאִיהוּ שָׁמַיִם אִיהוּ אֶהֱיֶ"ה בַּתְרָאָה. זֹהַר דְּכָלִיל כָּל אַתְוָון וּגְוָונִין, כְּגַוְונָא (נ"א זרעא) דָא.
That point sowed in the palace certain three vowel-points, holem, shureq, and hireq, which combined with one another and formed one entity, to wit, the Voice which issued through their union. When this Voice issued, there issued with it its mate which comprises all the letters; hence it is written Eth hashammaim (the heavens), to wit, the Voice and its mate. This Voice, indicated by the word “heaven”, is the second Ehyeh of the sacred name, the Zohar which includes all letters and colours, in this manner.
עַד הָכָא יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יהוה, אִלֵּין תְּלָתָא דַרְגִין לָקֳבֵל רָזָא דָא עִלָּאָה בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלהִים. בְּרֵאשִׁית רָזָא קַדְמָאָה. בָּרָא רָזָא סְתִימָא לְאִתְפַּשְׁטָא מִתַּמָּן כֹּלָּא. אֱלהִים רָזָא לְקַיָּימָא כֹּלָּא לְתַתָּא. אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם, דְּלָא לְאַפְרָשָׁא לוֹן דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כְּחֲדָא.
Up to this point the words “The Lord our God the Lord” (Tetragrammaton Elohenu Tetragrammaton) represent three grades corresponding to this deep mystery of Bereshith bara Elohim. Bereshith represents the primordial mystery. Bara represents the mysterious source from which the whole expanded. Elohim represents the force which sustains all below. The words eth hashammaim indicate that the two latter are on no account to be separated, and are male and female together.
אֶ"ת כַּד נָטִיל אַתְוָון כֻּלְהוֹן כְּלָלָא (פקודי רל"ד) דְּכֻלְהוּ אַתְוָון אִנּוּן רֵישָׁא וְסוֹפָא. לְבָתַר אִתּוֹסַף הֵ"א לְאִתְחַבְּרָא כֻּלְהוּ אַתְוָון בְּהֵ"א וְאִתְקְרֵי אַתָּ"ה. וְעַל דָּא (נחמיה ט׳:ו׳) וְאַתָּ"ה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם. (כ"ח א) אֶת רָזָא אדני וְהָכִי אִקְרֵי. הַשָּׁמַיִם דָּא יהו"ה רָזָא עִלָּאָה.
The word eth consists of the letters aleph and tau, which include between them all the letters, as being the first and last of the alphabet. Afterwards he was added, so that all the letters should be attached to he, and this gave the name attah (Thou); hence we read “and Thou (ve-attah) keepest all of them alive” (Neh. 9, 6). Eth again alludes to Adonai (Lord), who is so called. Hashammaim is Tetragrammaton in its higher signification.
וְאֶ"ת תִּקּוּנָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. וְאֶ"ת רָזָא וְיהו"ה, וְכֹלָּא חַד. הָאָרֶץ דָּא אֱלהִים כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה לְמֶעְבַּד פֵּירִין וְאִיבִּין. שְׁמָא דָא כְּלִילָא בִּתְלַת דּוּכְתֵּי, וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְפְּרַשׁ שְׁמָא דָא לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין. עַד הָכָא רָזָא דְּסִתְרָא דְסִתְרִין דְּגָלֵיד וּבָנֵי וְקִיֵּים בְּאֹרַח סָתִים בְּסִתְרָא דְּחַד קְרָא.
The next word, ve-eth, indicates the firm union of male and female; it also alludes to the appellation ve-Tetragrammaton (and the Lord), both explanations coming to the same thing. Ha-aretz (the earth) designates an Elohim corresponding to the higher form, to bring forth fruit and produce. This name is here found in three applications, and thence the same name branches out to various sides. Up to this point only extend the allusions to the Most Mysterious who carves out and builds and vivifies in mysterious ways, through the esoteric explanation of one verse.
מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא שִׁי"ת, מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, שִׁית סִטְרִין דְּמִתְפַּשְׁטָן מֵרָזָא עִלָאָה בְּאִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא (נ"א משלש נקודות) דְּבָרָא מִגּוֹ נְקוּדָה קַדְמָאָה. בָּרָא אִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דְּחַד (נ"א מגו) נְקוּדָה דִלְעֵילָא. וְהָכָא אַגְלִיף רָזָא שְׁמָא דְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון:
From this point onwards bara shith, “he created six”, from the end of heaven to the end thereof, six sides which extend from the supernal mystic essence, through the expansion of creative force from a primal point. Here has been inscribed the mystery of the name of forty-two letters.