NOW THE EARTH HAD BEEN VOID AND WITHOUT FORM. The word hoithah (was), being a pluperfect, implies that the earth had been previously. There was snow in the midst of water, from the action of which was produced a slime. Then a mighty fire beat upon it and produced in it a refuse. So it was transformed and became Tohu (chaos), the abode of slime, the nest of refuse, and also Bohu (formlessness), the finer part which was sifted from the Tohu and rested on it. The word “darkness” in the text alludes to this mighty fire. This darkness covered the Tohu, namely the refuse, and was buoyed up by it.
The “spirit of God” is a holy spirit that proceeded from Elohim Hayyim (living God), and this “was hovering over the face of the waters”. When this wind blew, a certain film detached itself from the refuse, like the film which remains on the top of boiling broth when the froth has been skimmed off two or three times.
When Tohu had thus been sifted and purified, there issued from it “a great and strong wind rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks”, like that which Elijah saw (I Kings 19, 11, 12). Similarly Bohu was sifted and purified, and there issued from it earthquake, as with Elijah. Then what we call “darkness” was sifted, and there was contained in it fire, just as to Elijah there appeared “after the earthquake fire”. When what we call “spirit” was sifted, there was contained in it a still, small voice.
Tohu is a place which has no colour and no form, and the esoteric principle of “form” does not apply to it. It seems for a moment to have a form, but when looked at again it has no form. Everything has a “vestment” except this.
Bohu, on the other hand, has shape and form, namely, stones immersed in the chasm of Tohu, but sometimes emerging from the chasm in which they are sunk, and drawing therefrom sustenance for the world. Through the form of their vestment they draw sustenance from above to below, and ascend from below above, and therefore they are hollow and strong.
These are suspended in the expanse; that is to say, sometimes they are suspended in the expanse when they rise out of the chasm, and sometimes they are hidden, to wit, on the “day of cloud”, when they draw waters from the abyss to supply therewith Tohu, for then there is joy that Tohu was spread in the universe.
“Darkness” is a black fire, strong in colour. There is a red fire, strong in visibility; a yellow fire, strong in shape; and a white fire, the colour which includes all. “Darkness” is the strongest of all fires, and this it was which took hold of Tohu. “Darkness” is fire, but fire is not darkness, save when it takes hold of Tohu. The symbol for this is, “his eyes were dim so that he could not see, and he called Esau, etc.” (Gen. 27, 1). Here, too, “the countenance of the evil one was darkened” because it countenanced the evil one. Hence this fire is called “darkness” because it rested upon Tohu and took hold of it; this is the inner meaning of the words “and darkness on the face of the abyss”.
“Spirit” is the voice which rests on Bohu, and grasps it and guides it as required. This is symbolised in the words “The voice of the Lord is on the waters” (Ps. 29, 3); and so, too, “the spirit of the Lord was hovering over the face of the waters”. By “face of the waters” is meant stones sunk in the abyss, so called because waters issue from them. Thus each was provided as befitted.
We now understand what happened to Elijah: “there was a strong wind breaking the mountains, but the Lord was not in the wind”, because this name was not in it, since Shaddai presides over it through the mystic nature of Tohu. “After the wind there was a quaking, but the Lord was not in the quaking”, since over it presides the name of Zebaoth, through the mystic nature of Bohu (which is called “quaking” (ra’ash), because it quakes continually.
“After the quaking there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire”, because over it presides the name Elohim from the side of darkness. “And after the fire there was a small still voice”; and here at last was found the name Tetragrammaton. There are in this verse four clauses corresponding to the four so-called “sections of the body” and “limbs” which, being four, are resolvable into twelve. Here, too, is the graven name of twelve letters which was transmitted to Elijah in the cave.
וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תוֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְגו', הָיְתָה (ל"ט ב) דַיְיקָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא, תַּלְגָא גּוֹ מַיָיא. נַפְקָא מִנָּהּ זוּהֲמָא בְּהַהוּא חֵילָא דְּתַלְגָא בְּמַיָּיא, וְאַקִּישׁ בָּהּ אֶשָׁא תַּקִּיפָא וְהֲוָה בָּהּ פְּסוֹלֶת, וְאִתְעֲדִיאַת וְאִתְעֲבִידַת תֹּה"וּ מֵאֲתַר (נ"א מדורא) דְּזוּהֲמָא. קִינָא דִפְסוֹלֶת. וָבֹה"וּ בְּרִירוּ דְּאִתְבְּרִיר מִגּוֹ פְּסוֹלֶת וְאִתְיַישַׁב בָּהּ חשֶׁךְ, רָזָא דְּאֶשָׁא תַּקִּיפָא. וְהַהוּא חשֶׁ"ךְ דְחָפֵי (חפי) עַל גַּבֵּי הַהוּא תֹּה"וּ עַל גַּבֵּי הַהוּא פְּסוֹלֶת וְאִתְתַּקָּנַת מִינֵיהּ.
NOW THE EARTH HAD BEEN VOID AND WITHOUT FORM. The word hoithah (was), being a pluperfect, implies that the earth had been previously. There was snow in the midst of water, from the action of which was produced a slime. Then a mighty fire beat upon it and produced in it a refuse. So it was transformed and became Tohu (chaos), the abode of slime, the nest of refuse, and also Bohu (formlessness), the finer part which was sifted from the Tohu and rested on it. The word “darkness” in the text alludes to this mighty fire. This darkness covered the Tohu, namely the refuse, and was buoyed up by it.
וְרוּחַ אֱלהִים, רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא דְּנָפִיק מֵאֱלהִים חַיִּים וְדָא מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. בָּתַר דְּהַאי רוּחַ נָשִׁיב אִבְרִיר דְּקִיקוּ חַד מִגּוֹ הַהוּא פְּסוֹלֶת כְּטִיסָא דְּזוּהֲמָא. כַּד אִבְרִיר וְאַצְנִיף וְאַצְרִיף זִמְנָא וּתְרֵין עַד דְּיִשְׁתָּאַר הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ זוּהֲמָא כְּלָל,
The “spirit of God” is a holy spirit that proceeded from Elohim Hayyim (living God), and this “was hovering over the face of the waters”. When this wind blew, a certain film detached itself from the refuse, like the film which remains on the top of boiling broth when the froth has been skimmed off two or three times.
כַּד הַאי תֹּהוּ אִבְרִיר וְאַצְרִיף נָפַק מִינֵיהּ (מלכים א י״ט:י״א) רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים (צו ל' ע"א) הַהוּא דְּחָמָא אֵלִיָּהוּ. אִבְרִיר בְּהוּ וְאַצְרִיף וְנָפַק מִנֵיהּ רַעַשׁ דִּכְתִיב, (מלכים א י״ט:י״א) וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ. וְאִבְרִיר חשֶׁךְ וְאַכְלִיל בְּרָזָא דִילֵיהּ אֵשׁ דִּכְתִיב וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ. אִבְרִיר רוּחַ וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּרָזָא דִילֵיהּ (יתרו פ"א ב ותיקון ל"ח) קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה.
When Tohu had thus been sifted and purified, there issued from it “a great and strong wind rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks”, like that which Elijah saw (I Kings 19, 11, 12). Similarly Bohu was sifted and purified, and there issued from it earthquake, as with Elijah. Then what we call “darkness” was sifted, and there was contained in it fire, just as to Elijah there appeared “after the earthquake fire”. When what we call “spirit” was sifted, there was contained in it a still, small voice.
תֹּה"וּ אֲתַר דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ גּוָֹון וְלֹא דִּיּוֹקְנָא וְלָא אִתְכְּלִיל בְּרָזָא דְּדִיּוֹקְנָא. הַשְׁתָּא אִיהוּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא כַּד מִסְתַּכְּלָן בֵּיהּ לֵית לֵיהּ דִּיּוֹקְנָא כְּלָל. לְכֹלָּא אִית לְבוּשָׁא לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בַּר הַאי. (דאתחזי ביה וליתיה כלל ולא הוי).
Tohu is a place which has no colour and no form, and the esoteric principle of “form” does not apply to it. It seems for a moment to have a form, but when looked at again it has no form. Everything has a “vestment” except this.
בֹּה"וּ לְהַאי אִית לֵיהּ צִיּוּרָא וְדִיּוּקְנָא אַבְנִין מְשַׁקְעִין גּוֹ גְּלִיפָא (נ"א קליפה) דְּתֹהוּ נַפְקֵי גּוֹ גְלִיפָא דִּמְשַׁקְעָן תַּמָּן. וּמִתַּמָּן מַשְׁכֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְעָלְמָא בְּצִיּוּרָא דִלְבוּשָׁא, מַשְׁכֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא וְסָלְקָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא.
Bohu, on the other hand, has shape and form, namely, stones immersed in the chasm of Tohu, but sometimes emerging from the chasm in which they are sunk, and drawing therefrom sustenance for the world. Through the form of their vestment they draw sustenance from above to below, and ascend from below above, and therefore they are hollow and strong.
וְעַל דָּא נְקוּבִין וּמְפוּלָמִין, הַנֵּי תַּלְיָין בַּאֲוִירָא. לְזִמְנִין תַּלְיָין בַּאֲוִירָא דְּסָלְקֵי מִתַּמָּן לְעֵילָא. לְזִמְנִין מִטַּמְרִין בְּיוֹמָא דְּעִיבָּא וּמְפִיקֵי מַיִין מִגּוֹ תְּהוֹמָא לְאִתְזְנָא תֹּה"וּ מִתַּמָּן דְּהָא כְּדֵין חֶדְוָה וּשְׁטוּתָא (נ"א ושעתא) דְקָא (נ"א דלא) אִתְפַּשַׁט תֹּהוּ בְּעָלְמָא.
These are suspended in the expanse; that is to say, sometimes they are suspended in the expanse when they rise out of the chasm, and sometimes they are hidden, to wit, on the “day of cloud”, when they draw waters from the abyss to supply therewith Tohu, for then there is joy that Tohu was spread in the universe.
חשֶׁךָ הוּא אֶשָׁא אוּכְמָא תַּקִּיף בְּגוָֹון. אֶשָׁא סוּמְקָא תַּקִּיף בְּחֵיזוּ. אֶשָׁא יְרוּקָא תַּקִּיף בְּצִיּוּר. (פקודי רמ"ג ותרומה קכ"ח) אֶשָׁא חִיוָורָא גּוָֹון דְּכָלִיל כֹּלָּא. חשֶׁךְ תַּקִּיף בְּכָל אֶשִׁין וְדָא אַתְקִיף לְתֹה"וּ. חשֶׁךְ הוּא אֶשָׁא וְלָאו אִיהוּ אֶשָׁא חֲשׁוֹכָא בַּר כַּד אַתְקִיף לְתֹהוּ, וְרָזָא דָא (בראשית כ״ז:א׳) וַתִּכְהֶינָה עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת וַיִּקְרָא אֶת עֵשָׂו וְגו'. חשֶׁךְ פְּנֵי רָע דְּאַסְבַּר אַנְפִּין לְרַע, וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי חשֶׁךְ דְּשָׁרֵי עֲלֵיהּ לְאִתַּקְפָא לֵיהּ. וְרָזָא דָא וְחשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם.
“Darkness” is a black fire, strong in colour. There is a red fire, strong in visibility; a yellow fire, strong in shape; and a white fire, the colour which includes all. “Darkness” is the strongest of all fires, and this it was which took hold of Tohu. “Darkness” is fire, but fire is not darkness, save when it takes hold of Tohu. The symbol for this is, “his eyes were dim so that he could not see, and he called Esau, etc.” (Gen. 27, 1). Here, too, “the countenance of the evil one was darkened” because it countenanced the evil one. Hence this fire is called “darkness” because it rested upon Tohu and took hold of it; this is the inner meaning of the words “and darkness on the face of the abyss”.
רוּ"חַ הוּא קוֹל דְּשָׁארֵי עַל בֹּהוּ וְאַתְקִיף לֵיהּ וְאַנְהִיג לֵיהּ בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ. וְרָזָא דָא (תהילים כ״ט:ג׳) קוֹל יְיָ עַל הַמָּיִם. וְכֵן רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. אַבְנִין מְשַׁקְעָן גּוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי דְּנַפְקֵי מַיָּיא מִנְהוֹן. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרוּן פְּנִי הַמָּיִם. רוּחַ אַנְהִיג וְאַתְקִיף לְאִנּוּן פָּנִים פְּנֵי תְהוֹם, דָּא כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ וְדָא כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ.
“Spirit” is the voice which rests on Bohu, and grasps it and guides it as required. This is symbolised in the words “The voice of the Lord is on the waters” (Ps. 29, 3); and so, too, “the spirit of the Lord was hovering over the face of the waters”. By “face of the waters” is meant stones sunk in the abyss, so called because waters issue from them. Thus each was provided as befitted.
תֹּה"וּ עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם שד"י. בֹּה"וּ עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם צְבָאוֹ"ת. חשֶׁךְ עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים. רוּחַ עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם ידו"ד.
Tohu is under the aegis of the name Shaddai; Bohu, under that of Zebaoth; Darkness, under that of Elohim; Spirit, under that of Tetragrammaton.
רוּחַ חָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים לא בָּרוּחַ יְיָ וְגו' שְׁמָא דָא לָא הֲוֵי בֵּיהּ, דְּהָא שד"י שָׁלְטָא עֲלֵיהּ בְּרָזָא (דסתרא) דְּתֹהוּ. וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ לֹא בָּרַעַשׁ יְיָ דְּהָא שֵׁם צְבָאוֹת שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּבֹהוּ. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי בֹּהוּ רַעַשׁ דְּלָאו אִיהוּ בְּלָא רַעַשׁ.
We now understand what happened to Elijah: “there was a strong wind breaking the mountains, but the Lord was not in the wind”, because this name was not in it, since Shaddai presides over it through the mystic nature of Tohu. “After the wind there was a quaking, but the Lord was not in the quaking”, since over it presides the name of Zebaoth, through the mystic nature of Bohu (which is called “quaking” (ra’ash), because it quakes continually.
וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ לֹא בָּאֵשׁ יְיָ דְּהָא שְׁמָא דְּאֱלהִים שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּחשֶׁךְ. וְאַחַר הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה הָכָא אִשְׁתְּכַח שֵׁם ידו"ד. אַרְבַּע פִּרְקִין הָכָא דְּאִנּוּן פִּרְקֵי גוּפָא וְאֵבְרִין יְדִיעָן דְּאִנּוּן אַרְבָּעָה וְאִנּוּן תְּרִיסַר וְהָכָא שְׁמָא גְלִיפָא דִּתְרֵיסַר אַתְוָון דְּאִתְמָסַר לְאֵלִיָּהוּ בַּמְעָרָה (מה שנדפס כאן בדפוס מנטובה קרימונה לובלין וכתיב אפריון וכו' עד סתימין דלא אתגליין, לפנינו הוא לקמן בדף כט ע"א ודף ל' ע"ב')
“After the quaking there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire”, because over it presides the name Elohim from the side of darkness. “And after the fire there was a small still voice”; and here at last was found the name Tetragrammaton. There are in this verse four clauses corresponding to the four so-called “sections of the body” and “limbs” which, being four, are resolvable into twelve. Here, too, is the graven name of twelve letters which was transmitted to Elijah in the cave.