We have been taught that wherever the name Solomon occurs in the Song of Songs, it refers to “the King to whom peace belongs”, while the term “king”, simply, refers to the Female. The lower is contained in the upper, and the mnemonic is that the lower is heir to the upper, so that both are as one, together constituting beth (=bayith, house), as it is written, “With wisdom a house (bayith) is builded” (Prov. 24, 3). Now it is written: The king Solomon made him a palanquin of the trees of Lebanon (S. S. 3, 9). The “palanquin” is the maintenance of the lower world through the agency of the upper world.
Before God created the world, His name was enclosed within Him, and therefore He and His name enclosed within Him were not one. Nor could this unity be effected until He created the world. Having, therefore, decided to do so, He traced and built, but the aim was not attained until He enfolded Himself in a covering of a supernal radiance of thought and created therefrom a world.
He produced from the light of that supernal radiance mighty cedars of the upper world, and placed His chariot on twenty-two graven letters which were carved into ten utterances and infixed there. Hence it is written, “from the trees of Lebanon”, and it is also written, “the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted” (Ps. 104, 16).
It says in our text, “King Solomon made for himself.” The words “for himself’ indicate that He made it for His own behoof, for His own advantage, to display His glory, to show that He is one and His name one, as it is written, “and they shall know that it is thou alone whose name is the Lord” (Ps. 58, 19).
Through the blows of His light various realms were made intelligible. He glanced at this side above, He glanced to the right, He turned to the left and descended below, and so to all four cardinal points. Thus His kingdom spread above and below and in all four directions, since a certain supernal stream flowed downwards
and formed a great sea, as it says, “all the rivers flow into the sea and the sea is not full” (Eccl. 1, 7), for it gathers the Whole and draws it into its midst, as it is written, “I am the rose of Sharon” (S. S. 2, 1), Sharon being the basin of the great sea which draws to itself all the waters of the World and absorbs them. Thus the one discharges and the other collects, and one shines through the other in a specified manner. Of this relationship it is written, “By wisdom is the house built”; hence the beth (=2) of Bereshith, implying that the upper house is built in wisdom and the lower one also. The upper house, which is the greater, makes the world habitable, and is called Elohim; the lower one is called simply “king”.
It is written, “The king shall rejoice in Elohim” (Ps. 63, 12): to wit, when the supernal Geburah (Force) bestirs itself to embrace him and draw him to himself, so that all should be one. Again, the words may be taken to refer to the gladness of the stream which issues in one hidden and secret path and enters as two which are one, thus rendering the world complete and whole.
Or again, “The king shall rejoice in Elohim”, i.e. the lower world rejoices in the upper recondite world which sent forth life to all, which was called the life of the king. This is the foundation of the house. This house built the house of the world, and built a world. This is what is meant by “in the beginning God created”: “in the beginning”, to wit, in Wisdom.
When it collected the whole into itself, it became the great sea, a sea of which the waters were congealed, those waters which had flowed in from the upper source, as we indicate by the verse, “From the womb of Whom (Mi) came forth the ice” (Job. 38, 29), its waters congealing in it in order to draw in others.
This ice was a frozen sea the waters of which did not flow until the force of the South reached it and drew it to itself. Then the waters which were congealed in the side of the North were relaxed and commenced to flow; for it was on the side of the North that the waters were frozen, and on the side of the South that they thawed and began to flow, in order to water all the “beasts of the field”, as it is written, “they give water to all the beasts of the field” (Ps. 104, 11). These are called hare bather (mountains of separation), and all are watered when the side of the South begins to approach and to make the water flow. Through the streaming of this supernal energy all were in gladness.
When it so pleased the thought of the Most Mysterious, a river flowed forth therefrom, and when one joined the other by a path which cannot be traced either above or below, herein was the beginning of all, and Beth (= second), which is plain “king”, was completed from this beginning, and one was like the other.
With this energy God created the heavens, a hidden point the waters of which flow forth without, and produced therefrom a voice which is called the voice of the Shofar. Hence it says, “God created the heavens”, to wit, the voice of the Shofar. The heavens control the life of the supernal King upon the earth (as indicated by the catchword, “the son of Jesse is alive upon the earth”, since life depends upon the son of Jesse). It is through Vau that life flows to it, and it controls all and the earth is fed therefrom; hence it is written, “and (v-) the earth”, the vau being added to control the sustenance of the earth.
The word eth refers to something in the upper world, to wit, the power of the totality of the twenty-two letters, which Elohim produced and gave to the heavens (as it says, “with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his espousals”); hence, “the (eth) heavens”, to associate and combine one with the other, so as to be established together by the “life of the king”, that the heavens should be fed therefrom. The words “and (ve-eth) the earth” indicate the union of male and female, which were traced with individual letters, and the “life of the king” which flowed from the heavens, the heavens pouring them forth to maintain the earth and all its denizens.
In this way the so-called supernal Elohim made a heaven and earth for permanency, and produced them together by the supernal energy, the starting-point of all. The supernal essence then descended to a lower grade, and this latter made a heaven and earth below.
The whole process is symbolised by the letter beth. There are two Worlds and they created worlds, one an upper world and one a lower world, one corresponding to the other; one created heaven and earth and the other created heaven and earth. In this way the letter beth signifies two further worlds; one produced two worlds and the other produced two worlds; and all through the energy of the supernal reshith.
When the upper descended into the lower, it was filled from the channel of a certain grade which rested on it, corresponding to that hidden, secret and recondite path above, the difference being that one is a narrow path and the other a way. The one below is a way, like “the way of the righteous which is as a shining light” (Prov. 4, 18), whereas the one above is a narrow path, like. “the track which the vulture knoweth not” (Job 28, 7). The mnemonic for the whole is the verse, “who maketh a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters” (Is. 43, 16); and similarly it is written, “Thy way is in the sea and thy path is in great waters”. When the upper world was filled and became pregnant, it brought forth two children together, a male and a female, these being heaven and earth after the supernal pattern.
The earth is fed from the waters of the heaven which are poured into it. These upper waters, however, are male, whereas the lower are female, and the lower are fed from the male and the lower waters call to the upper, like a female that receives the male, and pour out water to meet the water of the male to produce seed. Thus the female is fed from the male, as it is written, “and the earth”, with the addition of van, as we have explained.
Letters were imprinted on the fabric of the Whole, on the upper and on the lower fabric. Afterwards the letters were distinguished and inscribed in the Scripture-beth in Bereshith bara, and aleph in Elohim eth. Beth is female, aleph male. As beth created, so aleph produced letters. “The heavens” are the totality of twenty-two letters. The letter he produced the heavens to give them life and to water them and the earth.
The letter vau produced the earth to give it food and to provide for it its requirements. The word ve-eth (and) signifies that vau took eth, which embraces the twenty two letters, and the earth absorbed them, as it is written, “all the rivers go to the sea”, and was thus fed. Thus the heavens and the earth are united and the earth is fed.
When the flaming fire goes forth and the Left is awakened, smoke also goes up, as it says, “Now mount Sinai was altogether on smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire” (Ex. 19, 18); because when fire descends, smoke and fire are intermingled, and so the whole is on the side of the left. This is the inner meaning of the verse, “Yea, my hand hath laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens” (Is. 48, 13), i.e. by the power of the Right above; for the heavens are male and the male comes from the side of the right, and the female from the side of the left.
It says: Lift up your eyes on high and see, Who hath created these (Is. 40, 26). This is the limit of inquiry. For Wisdom was completed from ayin (nothing), which is no subject of inquiry, since it is too deeply hidden and recondite to be comprehended. From the point at which its light begins to extend it is the subject of inquiry, although it is still more recondite than anything beneath, and it is called the interrogative pronoun, “Who?”
Hence, “Who (Mi) created these”, and also, “From the womb of Whom (Mi) came forth the ice”; as much as to say, that about which we can inquire but find no answer.
We have analysed the word Bereshith into the letter beth and the word reshith. Is reshith a creative utterance, or are we to say that Bereshith is the creative utterance? The truth is that so long as its energy had not emerged and spread and everything was still latent in it, it was Bereshith, and that was a creative utterance. But when being emerged and spread from it, it was called reshith, and that became a creative utterance. Similarly, the interrogative Mi created eleh (these); but subsequently when it extended and completed itself, it became Yam (sea), and created a lower world after the pattern of the upper, the two being represented by the letter beth (= 2).
It is written: While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance (S. S. 1, 12). This describes how the King delights himself in the company of the lower king, in their affectionate companionship in the celestial Eden, in that hidden and concealed path which is filled from him and issues in certain specified streams. “My spikenard gave its fragrance”: this is the lower king, who created a lower world after the pattern of the upper. So there goes up a goodly fragrance to direct and to perform, and it acquires power and shines with supernal light.
The world was created in two fashions, with the right and with the left, in six supernal days. Six days were created to illumine, as it says, “for into six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth”, and they trod out paths and made sixty openings into the great abyss, to conduct the waters of the streams into the abyss. Hence the Rabbinic dictum that “the openings (under the altar) were from the six days of creation”, and they brought peace to the world.
AND THE EARTH WAS VOID AND WITHOUT FORM. This describes the original state-as it were, the dregs of ink clinging to the point of the pen-in which there was no subsistence, until the world was graven with forty-two letters, all of which are the ornamentation of the Holy Name.
When they are joined, letters ascend and descend, and form crowns for themselves in all four quarters of the world, so that the world is established through them and they through it. A mould was formed for them like the seal of a ring; when they went in and issued, and the world was created, and when they were joined together in the seal, the world was established.
They struck against the great serpent, and penetrated under the chasms of the dust fifteen hundred cubits. Afterwards the great deep arose in darkness, and darkness covered all, until light emerged and cleft the darkness and came forth and shone, as it is written, “He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death” (Job 12, 22).
The waters were weighed in a balance. Fifteen hundred times three fingers flowed into the balance, half for preservation and half to go below. At first one side of the balance rose and the other fell. When, however, the lower side was raised by the hand, the balance was even and did not incline to left or right; hence it is written, “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?” (Is. 40, 12).
At first all the powers of the earth were latent and not productive, and the waters were frozen in it and did not flow. They only spread abroad when a light from above was shed upon the earth, for when this struck it with its rays its powers were released. So it says, “And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.” This is the supernal primordial light which was already existing;
from this came forth all powers and forces, and through this the earth was firmly established and subsequently brought forth its products. When this light shone on what was below, its radiance spread from one end of the world to the other; but when it observed the sinners of the world, it hid itself away, and issued only by secret paths which cannot be discovered.
תָּנִינָן כָּל שְׁלמֹה דְּאִתְּמָר בְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים בְּמַלְכָּא דִשְׁלָמָא דִילֵיהּ. בְּמֶלֶךְ (ס"א בנוקבי מלכא) סְתָם בְּנוּקְבָא. מִלָּה (נ"א מלך) תַּתָּאָה בְּעִלָּאָה. וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה דִּירָתָא תַּתָּאָה לְעִלָּאָה תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כְּחַד. וְהַיְנוּ בַּיִ"ת דִּכְתִיב, (האזינו רצא א) (משלי כ״ד:ג׳) בְּחָכְמָה יִבְנְה בַּיִת. וּכְתִיב (שיר השירים ג׳:ט׳) אַפִּרְיוֹן עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלמֹה מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן. אַפִּרְיוֹן דָּא תִּקּוּנָא דְעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה מֵעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה.
We have been taught that wherever the name Solomon occurs in the Song of Songs, it refers to “the King to whom peace belongs”, while the term “king”, simply, refers to the Female. The lower is contained in the upper, and the mnemonic is that the lower is heir to the upper, so that both are as one, together constituting beth (=bayith, house), as it is written, “With wisdom a house (bayith) is builded” (Prov. 24, 3). Now it is written: The king Solomon made him a palanquin of the trees of Lebanon (S. S. 3, 9). The “palanquin” is the maintenance of the lower world through the agency of the upper world.
דְּעַד לָא בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא הֲוָה סָתִים שְׁמֵיהּ בֵּיהּ וְלָא (נ"א הוה) הוּא שְׁמֵיהּ סָתִים בְּגַוֵּיהּ חָד וְלָא קַיְימָא מִלָּה (והוא הוה בלחודוי) עַד דְּסָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָא (דמחשבה לקיימא כלא במטון דסמיטרא) לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא וְהֲוָה רָשִׁים וּבָנֵי וְלָא קַיְימָא, עַד דְּאִתְעַטַּף בְּעִטּוּפָא חַד דְּזִיהֲרָא (עלאה דמחשבה) וּבָרָא עָלְמָא (נ"א ימינא דעלמא קדמאה) (נ"א שמים).
Before God created the world, His name was enclosed within Him, and therefore He and His name enclosed within Him were not one. Nor could this unity be effected until He created the world. Having, therefore, decided to do so, He traced and built, but the aim was not attained until He enfolded Himself in a covering of a supernal radiance of thought and created therefrom a world.
וְאַפִּיק (אילנין) אֲרָזִין עִלָּאִין רַבְרְבִין מֵהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא (נ"א וזיוא רבא) זִיהֲרָא עִלָּאָה (נ"א חד דזהר ימינא עלאה), וְשַׁוֵּי רְתִיכוּ עַל תְּרֵין וְעֶשְׂרִין אַתְוָון רְשִׁימִין אִתְגְלִיפוּ בְּעֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן וְאִתְיַישְׁבוּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן. וּכְתִיב, (ויצא קסב ב) (תהילים ק״ד:ט״ז) אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָטָע (דהא מאלין עביד ההוא אפריון).
He produced from the light of that supernal radiance mighty cedars of the upper world, and placed His chariot on twenty-two graven letters which were carved into ten utterances and infixed there. Hence it is written, “from the trees of Lebanon”, and it is also written, “the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted” (Ps. 104, 16).
עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלמֹה, לוֹ לְגַרְמֵיהּ, לוֹ לְתִקּוּנֵיהּ, לוֹ לְאַחְזָאָה יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה. לוֹ לְאוֹדָעָא דְאִיהוּ חַד וּשְׁמֵיהּ חַד כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (זכריה י״ד:ט׳) (יהיה יהו"ה אחד ושמו אחד וכתיב) (תהילים פ״ג:י״ט) וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה שִׁמְךָ יְיָ לְבַדֶּךָ.
It says in our text, “King Solomon made for himself.” The words “for himself’ indicate that He made it for His own behoof, for His own advantage, to display His glory, to show that He is one and His name one, as it is written, “and they shall know that it is thou alone whose name is the Lord” (Ps. 58, 19).
בְּמָטוּן דְּקָלְפוֹי. קַסְטוֹרִין יְדִיעָא. נָטִיף לְסִטְרָא דָא לְעֵילָא. נָטִיף לְיָמִינָא. סְטָא לִשְׂמָאלָא. נָחִית לְתַתָּא. וְכֵן לְאַרְבַּע זָוְיָין. מַלְכוּ אִתְפְּרַשׁ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא וּלְאַרְבַּע זָוְיָין לְמֶהוֵי חַד. נַהֲרָא עִלָּאָה
Through the blows of His light various realms were made intelligible. He glanced at this side above, He glanced to the right, He turned to the left and descended below, and so to all four cardinal points. Thus His kingdom spread above and below and in all four directions, since a certain supernal stream flowed downwards
נָחִית לְתַתָּא. וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ יַמָּא רַבָּא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (קהלת א׳:ז׳) כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינְנּוּ מָלֵא. דְּהָא הוּא כָּנִישׁ כֹּלָּא וְשָׁאִיב לֵיהּ בְּגַוִּיהּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שיר השירים ב׳:א׳) אֲנִי חֲבַצֶּלֶת הַשָּׁרוֹן שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים. וְאֵין שָׁרוֹן אֶלָא אֲתַר יַמָּא רַבָּא דְּשָׁאִיב כָּל מֵימִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאַפִּיק וְשָׁאִיב וְנָהִיר (ועאלין ביה. בגיני כך דא אפיק ודא שאיב, נהיר) דָּא בְּדָא בְּאוֹרְחִין יְדִיעָן (נחלייא כפן עלויה). וּכְדֵין עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, (משלי כ״ד:ג׳) בְּחָכְמָה יִבְנֶה בַּיִת. וְעַל דָּא בֵּית בְּרֵאשִׁית. (נ"א ועל דא בית דעלמא מלך סתם) (בית עלאה אתבני בחכמה. וכן תתאה אוף הכי). אֲבָל בֵּיתָא עִלָּאָה רַבְרְבָא יִשּׁוּבָא דְעָלְמָא. מֶלֶךְ סְתָם בֵּיתָא תַּתָּאָה.
and formed a great sea, as it says, “all the rivers flow into the sea and the sea is not full” (Eccl. 1, 7), for it gathers the Whole and draws it into its midst, as it is written, “I am the rose of Sharon” (S. S. 2, 1), Sharon being the basin of the great sea which draws to itself all the waters of the World and absorbs them. Thus the one discharges and the other collects, and one shines through the other in a specified manner. Of this relationship it is written, “By wisdom is the house built”; hence the beth (=2) of Bereshith, implying that the upper house is built in wisdom and the lower one also. The upper house, which is the greater, makes the world habitable, and is called Elohim; the lower one is called simply “king”.
(תהילים ס״ג:י״ב) וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יִשְׂמַח בֵּאלהִים, (כד אתער גבורה) עִלָּאָה לְאַחְדָא בֵּיהּ תְּחוֹת רֵישֵׁיהּ וּלְקָרְבָא לֵיהּ בְּחֶדְוָה לְמֶהוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד. וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יִשְׂמַח בֵּאלהִים חֲדוּ נְהוֹרָא דְּאַפִּיק (נ"א בנהורא) (דנהרא) דְּנָפִיק בְּחַד שְׁבִילָא טָמִיר וְגָנִיז וְעֲיִּיל בֵּיהּ (ב', תרין) דְּאִנּוּן חַד וְעַל דָּא עָלְמָא אִשְׁתַּכְלַל בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים.
It is written, “The king shall rejoice in Elohim” (Ps. 63, 12): to wit, when the supernal Geburah (Force) bestirs itself to embrace him and draw him to himself, so that all should be one. Again, the words may be taken to refer to the gladness of the stream which issues in one hidden and secret path and enters as two which are one, thus rendering the world complete and whole.
וְהַמֶּלֶךָ יִשְׂמַח בֵּאלהִים עָלְמָא (נ"א נהרא עלאה) תַּתָּאָה חָדֵי בְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה (נ"א סתימא ההוא דשדר) עֲמִיקָא (חדו דנגיד ונפיק באן אתר חדי. באלהים. ביה חדי. ביה שדר) חַיִּים לְכֹלָּא. חַיֵּי מַלְכָּא אִקְרוּן. דָּא עִקָּרָא דְּבֵיתָא. בֵּיתָא דָּא בָּנֵי בֵּיתָא דְעָלְמָא. וּבָנֵי עָלְמָא. וְדָא הוּא בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלהִים ב' רֵאשִׁית. רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה כַּד כָּנִישׁ כֹּלָּא לְגַוֵּיהּ וְאִתְעֲבִיד יַמָּא רַבָּא לְשָׁאֲבָא כֹּלָּא.
Or again, “The king shall rejoice in Elohim”, i.e. the lower world rejoices in the upper recondite world which sent forth life to all, which was called the life of the king. This is the foundation of the house. This house built the house of the world, and built a world. This is what is meant by “in the beginning God created”: “in the beginning”, to wit, in Wisdom.
יַמָּא דְּקָאפוּ מֵימוֹי. שָׁאִיב כָּל מֵימִין דְּעָלְמָא. וְכָנִישׁ לוֹן לְגַוֵיהּ. וּמַיִין אָזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין וְאִשְׁתָּאֲבָן בֵּיהּ. וְדָא נָפִיק מִגּוֹ עִלָּאָה. וְסִימָנֵיהּ דְּרָזָא דָא (איוב ל״ח:כ״ט) מִבֶּטֶן מִי יָצָא הַקָּרַח דְּמֵימוֹי גְלִידִין בֵּיהּ לְשָׁאֲבָא אָחֳרָנִין.
When it collected the whole into itself, it became the great sea, a sea of which the waters were congealed, those waters which had flowed in from the upper source, as we indicate by the verse, “From the womb of Whom (Mi) came forth the ice” (Job. 38, 29), its waters congealing in it in order to draw in others.
הַאי קָרַח (לקמן נב א) יַמָּא דְקָפָא לָא נַגְדִין מֵימוֹי. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְתוּקְפָּא דְדָרוֹם מָטֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ וּמַקְרִיב לֵיהּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ. כְּדֵין מַיָא דְּהֲווּ גְלִידִין בְּסִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן מִשְׁתָּרָן וְנָגְדִין. דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְצָפוֹן גְּלִידֵי מַיָּא וּמִסִּטְרָא דְדָרוֹם מִשְׁתְּרָן. וְנָגְדִין לְאַשְׁקָאָה כָּל אִנּוּן חֵיוַת בְּרָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (תהילים ק״ד:י״א) יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי וְגו' וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן הָרֵי בָתֶר טוּרִין דְּפִירוּדָא. דְּכֻלְהוּ מִשְׁתַּקְיָין כַּד סִטְרָא דְדָרוֹם שָׁארֵי לְקָרְבָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ. וּכְדֵין מַיָּא נָגְדִין. וּבְחֵילָא דָא עִלָּאָה דְּנָגִיד כֹּלָּא הֲווּ בִּרְבוּ בְּחֵדוּ.
This ice was a frozen sea the waters of which did not flow until the force of the South reached it and drew it to itself. Then the waters which were congealed in the side of the North were relaxed and commenced to flow; for it was on the side of the North that the waters were frozen, and on the side of the South that they thawed and began to flow, in order to water all the “beasts of the field”, as it is written, “they give water to all the beasts of the field” (Ps. 104, 11). These are called hare bather (mountains of separation), and all are watered when the side of the South begins to approach and to make the water flow. Through the streaming of this supernal energy all were in gladness.
כַּד מַחֲשָׁבָה סָלִיק בִּרְעוּ (דחדוה) מִטְמִירָא דְכָל טְמִירִין. מָטֵי (ואתנגיד) מִגַּוִּיהּ חַד נָהָר. (כתרא טמירא) וְכַד מִתְקָרְבִין דָּא בְּדָא בְּחַד שְׁבִיל דְּלָא יְדִיעַ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא וְהָכָא הוּא רֵאשִׁיתָא דְּכֹלָּא. וּב' מֶלֶךְ סְתָם מֵהַאי רִאשִׁיתָא אִשְׁתַּכְלַל וְדָמֵי דָא לְדָא.
When it so pleased the thought of the Most Mysterious, a river flowed forth therefrom, and when one joined the other by a path which cannot be traced either above or below, herein was the beginning of all, and Beth (= second), which is plain “king”, was completed from this beginning, and one was like the other.
(ובחילא דא) בָּרָא אֱלהִים אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם, (סתמא נקודה סתימא דנגדין מימוי ונפקין ברא) (נ"א בתר דנפקין בדא) (ונ"א נהרא דנפיק בה"א עלאה) (ונ"א נהורא דנגיד ואפיק בדא) וְאַפִּיק קוֹל מִגַּוִּיהּ. וְדָא אִקְרֵי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר. וְהַיְינוּ בָּרָא אֱלהִים אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם (ואיהו) דְּאִיהוּ קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר (נ"א ואיהו השופר). וְשָׁמַיִם שַׁלִּיטִין בְּחַיֵּי הַמֶּלֶךְ עִלָּאָה עַל אַרְעָא. וְסִימָנִיךְ בֶּן יִשַּׁי חַ"י עַל הָאֲדָמָה. דְּחַיִּים תַּלְיָין בְּבֶן יִשַּׁי. (ובוא"ו נגדין ליה). וּבְהוּ שַׁלִּיט בְּכֹלָּא. וְאַרְעָא מִינֵּיהּ אִתְזְנַת. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ. וָא"ו דְּאִתּוֹסַף לְשַׁלְטָאָה בִּמְזוֹנֵי עַל אַרְעָא.
With this energy God created the heavens, a hidden point the waters of which flow forth without, and produced therefrom a voice which is called the voice of the Shofar. Hence it says, “God created the heavens”, to wit, the voice of the Shofar. The heavens control the life of the supernal King upon the earth (as indicated by the catchword, “the son of Jesse is alive upon the earth”, since life depends upon the son of Jesse). It is through Vau that life flows to it, and it controls all and the earth is fed therefrom; hence it is written, “and (v-) the earth”, the vau being added to control the sustenance of the earth.
אֶ"ת לְעֵילָא וְהוּא חֵילָא דִּכְלָלָא דְּעֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון דְאַפִּיק אֶ"ת א' ת' אֱלהִים דָּא וְיָהִיב לַשָּׁמַיִם כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שיר השירים ג׳:י״א) בָּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ בְּיוֹם חֲתוּנָתוֹ. וְהַיְינוּ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם לְאַכְלָלָא דָא בְּדָא וּלְחַבְּרָא לוֹן דָּא בְּדָא לְאִתְקַיְּימָא כְּחֲדָא בְּאִנּוּן חַיֵּי מַלְכָּא מֶלֶךְ סְתָם לְאִתְזְנָא מִינֵיהּ שָׁמַיִם. וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ חִבּוּרָא דִּדְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא דְּאִתְגְּלִיפוּ בְּאַתְוָן רְשִׁימִין. וְחַיֵּי מַלְכָּא דְּאִתְנְגִידוּ מִן שְׁמַיָא דְּשָׁמַיִם נַגְדִין לוֹן לְקַיְּימָא אַרְעָא וְכָל אֻכְלוֹסִין דִּילָהּ.
The word eth refers to something in the upper world, to wit, the power of the totality of the twenty-two letters, which Elohim produced and gave to the heavens (as it says, “with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his espousals”); hence, “the (eth) heavens”, to associate and combine one with the other, so as to be established together by the “life of the king”, that the heavens should be fed therefrom. The words “and (ve-eth) the earth” indicate the union of male and female, which were traced with individual letters, and the “life of the king” which flowed from the heavens, the heavens pouring them forth to maintain the earth and all its denizens.
וְרָזָא דְּאֱלֹהִים עִלָּאָה עֲבַד שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לְקִיּוּמָא. וְאַפִּיק לוֹן כְּחֲדָא בְּחֵילָא דִלְעֵילָא רֵאשִׁיתָא דְּכֹלָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָא רָזָא עִלָּאָה נָחִית לְתַתָּא. וְהַאי בַּתְרָאָה עָבִיד שָׁמַיִם וְאָרֶץ לְתַתָּא.
In this way the so-called supernal Elohim made a heaven and earth for permanency, and produced them together by the supernal energy, the starting-point of all. The supernal essence then descended to a lower grade, and this latter made a heaven and earth below.
וְרָזָא דְכֹלָּא ב' תְּרֵין עָלְמִין נִינְהוּ וּבְרָאוּ עָלְמִין. דָּא עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה וְדָא עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה. דָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְדָא. דָּא בְּרָא שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ. וְדָא בְּרָא שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ. וְעַל דָּא ב' תְּרֵין עָלְמִין נִינְהוּ. דָּא אַפִּיק תְּרֵין עָלְמִין. וְדָא אַפִּיק תְּרֵין עָלְמִין, וְכֹלָּא בְּחֵילָא דְרֵאשִׁית עִלָּאָה.
The whole process is symbolised by the letter beth. There are two Worlds and they created worlds, one an upper world and one a lower world, one corresponding to the other; one created heaven and earth and the other created heaven and earth. In this way the letter beth signifies two further worlds; one produced two worlds and the other produced two worlds; and all through the energy of the supernal reshith.
נָחִית עִלָּאָה בְּתַתָּאָה וְאִתְמַלְיָיא בְּאֹרַח דְּחַד דַּרְגָּא דְּשָׁרֵי עֲלָהּ. כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא שְׁבִיל סָתִים וְטָמִיר וְגָנִיז לְעֵילָא. בַּר דְּחַד שְׁבִיל דַּקִּיק. וְחַד אֹרַח. הַהוּא דִלְתַתָּא אֹרַח כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (משלי ד׳:י״ח) וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נוֹגַהּ. וְהַהוּא דִלְעֵילָא שְׁבִיל דַּקִיק כְּדִכְתִיב, (איוב כ״ח:ז׳) נָתִיב לא יְדָעוֹ עָיִט. וְרָזָא דְּכֹלָּא (ישעיהו מ״ג:ט״ז) הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ וּבְמַיִם עַזִּים נְתִיבָה. וּכְתִיב, (תהילים ע״ז:כ׳) בַּיָּם דַּרְכֶּךָ וּשְׁבִילְךָ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים. עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה כַּד אִתְמַלְיָיא וְאִתְעַבְּרָא כְּנוּקְבָא דְּמִתְעַבְּרָא מִן דְּכוּרָא אַפִּיקַת תְּרֵין בְּנִין כְּחַד, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, וְאִנּוּן שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה.
When the upper descended into the lower, it was filled from the channel of a certain grade which rested on it, corresponding to that hidden, secret and recondite path above, the difference being that one is a narrow path and the other a way. The one below is a way, like “the way of the righteous which is as a shining light” (Prov. 4, 18), whereas the one above is a narrow path, like. “the track which the vulture knoweth not” (Job 28, 7). The mnemonic for the whole is the verse, “who maketh a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters” (Is. 43, 16); and similarly it is written, “Thy way is in the sea and thy path is in great waters”. When the upper world was filled and became pregnant, it brought forth two children together, a male and a female, these being heaven and earth after the supernal pattern.
מִמֵּימוֹי דִשְׁמַיָא אִתְּזַן אַרְעָא וּמֵימוֹי אִשְׁתַּדָּן בְּגַוָּוהּ, אֶלָּא דְעִלָּאֵי דְּכַר וְתַתָּאֵי נוּקְבָא. וְתַתָּאֵי מִן דְּכוּרָא אִתְּזְנָן. וּמַיִין תַּתָּאִין קָרָאן לְעִלָּאִין כְּנוּקְבָא דִּפְתִיחָא לִדְכוּרָא וְשָׁדַת מַיָא לָקֳבֵל מַיָא דִדְכוּרָא לְמֶעְבַּד זַרְעָא. וְנוּקְבָא מִן דְּכוּרָא אִתְּזְנַת. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וי"ו כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר.
The earth is fed from the waters of the heaven which are poured into it. These upper waters, however, are male, whereas the lower are female, and the lower are fed from the male and the lower waters call to the upper, like a female that receives the male, and pour out water to meet the water of the male to produce seed. Thus the female is fed from the male, as it is written, “and the earth”, with the addition of van, as we have explained.
כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו מ׳:כ״ו) שְׂאוּ מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּרְאוּ מִי בָּרָא אֵלֶּה וְגו'. אַתְוָון אִתְחָקְקוּ בְּעוֹבָדָא דְּכֹלָּא. בְּעוֹבָדָא דְעִלָּאָה וּבְעוֹבָדָא דְתַתָּאָה. לְבָתַר אִתְרְשִׁימוּ אַתְוָון וְאִתְחָקְקוּ בַּקְּרָא. ב' בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא. א' אֱלהִים אֶת. ב' רֵאשִׁית בָּרָא וַדַּאי. כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר בי"ת בָּרָא וַדַּאי בְּחֵילָא עִלָּאָה (בתקיפו דרזא דאנון אתוון). ב' נוּקְבָא. א' דְּכַר. כְּמָה דְּב' בָּרָא וַדַּאי בְּחֵילָא דִלְעֵילָא. הָכִי א' אַפִּיק אַתְוָון הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּלָלָא דְּעֶשְׂרִין וּתַרְתִין אַתְוָון. ה' אַפִּיק שָׁמַיִם לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ חַיִּין (נ"א ולאשקאה) וּלְאַשְׁרָשָׁא לֵיהּ.
Letters were imprinted on the fabric of the Whole, on the upper and on the lower fabric. Afterwards the letters were distinguished and inscribed in the Scripture-beth in Bereshith bara, and aleph in Elohim eth. Beth is female, aleph male. As beth created, so aleph produced letters. “The heavens” are the totality of twenty-two letters. The letter he produced the heavens to give them life and to water them and the earth.
וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ. ו' אַפִּיק הָאָרֶץ לְמֵיהַב לָהּ מְזוֹנָא וּלְאַתְקָנָא לָהּ וּלְמֵיהַב לָהּ סִפּוּקָא דְּאִתְחַזֵּי לָהּ. וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, דְּנָטִיל וָא"ו אֶ"ת כְּלָלָא דְּעֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון וּמִתְּזָן אַרְעָא. וְאַרְעָא כָּלִיל לוֹן לְגַוָּוהּ כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (קהלת א׳:ז׳) כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם. וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ. דְּכָנִישׁ כֹּלָּא לְגַוָּוהּ וְקַבְּלִית לוֹן הָאָרֶץ נָטְלָא הָאָרֶץ. וְאֶ"ת דָּא שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ כְּחֲדָא. אֶ"ת הַשָּׁמַיִם רָזָא דְשָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ כְּחֲדָא (הארץ נטלית ו).
The letter vau produced the earth to give it food and to provide for it its requirements. The word ve-eth (and) signifies that vau took eth, which embraces the twenty two letters, and the earth absorbed them, as it is written, “all the rivers go to the sea”, and was thus fed. Thus the heavens and the earth are united and the earth is fed.
וְקַבִּילַת לוֹן לְאִתְּזָנָא. מָטוּן מִלָּה בְּקוּלְפוֹי שְׁכִיחֵי. קוּסְטְרָא דְּקוּטְרָא בְּאַרְעָא שְׁכִיחַ. כַּד אֶשָׁא דִמְלַהֲטָא נָגִיד וְאִתְעַר מִשְּׂמָאלָא אָחִיד בָּהּ וְסַלְקָא תְּנָנָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שמות י״ט:י״ח) וְהַר סִינַי עָשַׁן כֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנִי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו ה' בָּאֵשׁ. דָּא אֶשָׁא וְדָא תְּנָנָא. וּכְתִיב, (שמות י״ט:י״ח) וְאֶת הָהָר עָשֵׁן. מִגּוֹ דְאֶשָׁא כַּד נָחִית אֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא תְּנָנָא בְּאֶשָׁא. וּכְדֵין בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא קַיְימָא כֹּלָּא. וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא (ישעיהו מ״ח:י״ג) אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אָרֶץ. וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמָיִם. בְּחֵילָא דְּיָמִינָא לְעֵילָא. כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא אִתְעֲבִידוּ שְׁמַיָא דְּאִיהוּ דְכַר. וּדְכַר מִסִּטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא קָא אָתֵי וְנוּקְבָא מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא. (לעיל א ע"ב).
When the flaming fire goes forth and the Left is awakened, smoke also goes up, as it says, “Now mount Sinai was altogether on smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire” (Ex. 19, 18); because when fire descends, smoke and fire are intermingled, and so the whole is on the side of the left. This is the inner meaning of the verse, “Yea, my hand hath laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens” (Is. 48, 13), i.e. by the power of the Right above; for the heavens are male and the male comes from the side of the right, and the female from the side of the left.
(ישעיהו מ׳:כ״ו) שְׂאוּ מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּרְאוּ מִי בָּרָא אֵלֶּה. עַד הָכָא אִסְתַּלְּקוּ מִלִּין דְּלָא לְשָׁאֲלָא כְּדִלְעֵילָא. דְּחָכְמָה אִשְׁתַּכְלֵיל מֵאַיִן וְלָא קַיְימָא לְשָׁאֲלָא דְּסָתִים וְעָמִיק לֵית דְּיֵקוּם בֵּיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפַּשַּׁט נְהוֹרָא עֲמִיקָא נְהוֹרֵיהּ קַיְימָא בִּשְׁאֵלְתָּא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ סָתִים מִכֹּלָּא דִלְתַתָּא. וְקָרָאן לֵיהּ עַל פּוּם שְׁאֵילְתָּא מִ"י. מִי בָּרָא אֵלֶּה.
It says: Lift up your eyes on high and see, Who hath created these (Is. 40, 26). This is the limit of inquiry. For Wisdom was completed from ayin (nothing), which is no subject of inquiry, since it is too deeply hidden and recondite to be comprehended. From the point at which its light begins to extend it is the subject of inquiry, although it is still more recondite than anything beneath, and it is called the interrogative pronoun, “Who?”
וְהַיְנוּ רָזָא דְּקָאַמְרָן (לקמן פה ע"ב) (איוב ל״ח:כ״ט) מִבֶּטֶן מִי יָצָא הַקָּרַח. מִבֶּטֶן מִי וַדַּאי (יצא הקרח) הַהוּא דְקַיְימָא לִשְׁאֵלְתָּא. וְלֵית לְשָׁאֲלָא מַה לְּעֵילָא מַה לְּתַתָּא. אֶלָּא לְשָׁאֲלָא אֲתַר דְּנַפְקָן לְמִנְדַע. וְלָא לְמִנְדַע לֵיהּ. דְּהָא לָא יָכְלִין. אֶלָא קַיְימָא לִשְׁאֶלְתָּא וְלָא לְמִנְדַע בֵּיהּ.
Hence, “Who (Mi) created these”, and also, “From the womb of Whom (Mi) came forth the ice”; as much as to say, that about which we can inquire but find no answer.
בְּרֵאשִׁית ב' רֵאשִׁית. רֵאשִׁית מַאֲמָר הוּא. אוֹ נִימָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית אִיהוּ מַאֲמָר. אֶלָּא עַד לָא נָפִיק וְאִתְפַּשַּׁט חֵילֵיהּ (לעיל טו ע"ב) וְכֹלָּא סָתִים בֵּיהּ. בְּרֵאשִׁית אִיהוּ וּמַאֲמָר אִיהוּ. כֵּיוָן דְּנָפִיק וְאִתְפְּשַׁט מִנֵּיהּ חֵילִין, רֵאשִׁית אִקְרֵי וְהוּא מַאֲמָר בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. מִ"י שְׁאֵילְתָּא הַהוּא דְּבָרָא אֵלֶּה. לְבָתַר כַּד אִתְפְּשַׁט וְאִשְׁתַּכְלַל אִתְעֲבִיד י"ם וּבָרָא לְתַתָּא. וְכֹלָּא עָבִיד כְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא מַמָּשׁ דִּלְעֵילָא. דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא וְדָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדָא. וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ ב'.
We have analysed the word Bereshith into the letter beth and the word reshith. Is reshith a creative utterance, or are we to say that Bereshith is the creative utterance? The truth is that so long as its energy had not emerged and spread and everything was still latent in it, it was Bereshith, and that was a creative utterance. But when being emerged and spread from it, it was called reshith, and that became a creative utterance. Similarly, the interrogative Mi created eleh (these); but subsequently when it extended and completed itself, it became Yam (sea), and created a lower world after the pattern of the upper, the two being represented by the letter beth (= 2).
כְּתִיב, (שיר השירים א׳:י״ב) עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ. בִּמְסִבּוֹ לְאִתְיַישְׁבָא בְּמַלְכוּ תַּתָּאָה. בְּרָזָא דְּהַהוּא חַבְרוּתָא וְתַפְנוּקָא דְּהַהוּא חֲבִיבוּתָא דִּבְעֵדֶן עִלָּאָה בְּהַהוּא שְׁבִיל דְּסָתִים וְגָנִיז וְלָא אִתְיְדַע וְאִתְמַלְיָיא מִנֵּיהּ וְנַפְקָא בְּנַחֲלִין יְדִיעָן. נִרְדִי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ דָּא מַלְכָּא תַּתָּאָה. דְּבָרָא עָלְמָא לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא וְסָלִיק רֵיחָא טָבָא עִלָּאָה לְשַׁלְטָאָה וּלְמֶעְבַּד וְיָכִיל וְשַׁלִּיט וְנָהִיר בִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה.
It is written: While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance (S. S. 1, 12). This describes how the King delights himself in the company of the lower king, in their affectionate companionship in the celestial Eden, in that hidden and concealed path which is filled from him and issues in certain specified streams. “My spikenard gave its fragrance”: this is the lower king, who created a lower world after the pattern of the upper. So there goes up a goodly fragrance to direct and to perform, and it acquires power and shines with supernal light.
בִּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין אִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, בְּיָמִינָא וּבִשְׂמָאלָא בְּשִׁיתָּא יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין. שִׁיתָּא יוֹמִין אִתְעֲבִידוּ לְאַנְהָרָא כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שמות ל״א:י״ז) כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יְיָ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְאִלֵּין כָּרוּן אָרְחִין וְעֲבָדוּ שִׁיתִין נוּקְבִין לִתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא. וְאִנּוּן שִׁיתִין נוּקְבִין לְאַעֲלָאָה מַיָא דְנַחֲלֵי גוֹ תְּהוֹמָא. וְעַל דָּא (הא תנינן) הַשִּׁיתִין מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית נִבְרְאוּ וְאִנּוּן הֲווּ שְׁלָמָא דְעָלְמָא:
The world was created in two fashions, with the right and with the left, in six supernal days. Six days were created to illumine, as it says, “for into six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth”, and they trod out paths and made sixty openings into the great abyss, to conduct the waters of the streams into the abyss. Hence the Rabbinic dictum that “the openings (under the altar) were from the six days of creation”, and they brought peace to the world.
וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ סוֹסְפִיתָא דְּקָמְרֵי גּוֹ קוֹלְטוֹי דְּהֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא אִתְקַיְימַת. הָיְתָה כְּבָר וּלְבָתַר אִתְקַיְּימַת. בְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון אִתְגְּלִיף עַלְמָא וְאִתְקַיְימַת. וְכֻלְהוּ עִטּוּרָא דִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא.
AND THE EARTH WAS VOID AND WITHOUT FORM. This describes the original state-as it were, the dregs of ink clinging to the point of the pen-in which there was no subsistence, until the world was graven with forty-two letters, all of which are the ornamentation of the Holy Name.
כַּד מִצְטַרְפִין סָלְקִין אַתְוָון לְעֵילָא וְנָחְתִין לְתַתָּא מִתְעַטְּרָן בְּעִטְרִין בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא וְיָכִיל עַלְמָא לְאִתְקַיְימָא. וְאִלֵּין אִתְקַיְימִין בְּעוֹבָדוֹי דְעָלְמָא (נ"א דמלכא). טוּפְסְרָא דְּקִילְטָא בְּהָנֵי שְׁכִיחֵי (כחותמא) דְגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא. עָאלוּ וּנְפָקוּ אֶת וְאֶת וְאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא. עָאלוּ גוֹ חוֹתָמָא וְאִצְטָרְפוּ וְאִתְקְיַּים עָלְמָא.
When they are joined, letters ascend and descend, and form crowns for themselves in all four quarters of the world, so that the world is established through them and they through it. A mould was formed for them like the seal of a ring; when they went in and issued, and the world was created, and when they were joined together in the seal, the world was established.
בְּקוֹלְפֵי דְּחִוְיָא רַבְרְבָא מָחוּ וְעָאלוּ תְּחוֹת נוּקְבֵי דְעַפְרָא אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָה אַמִּין. לְבָתַר תְּהוֹמָא רַבָּא הֲוָה סָלִיק בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא וַחֲשׁוֹכָא חָפֵי כֹּלָּא. עַד דְּנָפַק נְהוֹרָא (לעיל טו א) וּבָקַע בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא וְנָפַק וְאִתְנְהִיר דִּכְתִיב, (איוב י״ב:כ״ב) מְגַלֶּה עֲמוּקוֹת מִנִּי חשֶׁךְ וַיּוֹצֵא לָאוֹר צַלְמָוֶת.
They struck against the great serpent, and penetrated under the chasms of the dust fifteen hundred cubits. Afterwards the great deep arose in darkness, and darkness covered all, until light emerged and cleft the darkness and came forth and shone, as it is written, “He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death” (Job 12, 22).
מַיָא אִתְקַלוּ בְּתִיקְלָא אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָה בְּאֶצְבְּעָאן. תְּלַת נְטִיפוּ גוֹ תִּיקְלָא. פַּלְגוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ לְקִיּוּמָא וּפַלְגוּ דְּעָאלוּ לְתַתָּא. אִלֵּין סָלְקִין וְאִלֵּין נָחֲתִין. כֵּיוָן דִּסְלִיקוּ בִּסְלִיקוּ דְיָדָא. קָאִים תִּיקְלָא בְּאוֹרַח מֵישַׁר וְלָא סָטָא לְיָמִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ׳:י״ב) מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם וְגו'.
The waters were weighed in a balance. Fifteen hundred times three fingers flowed into the balance, half for preservation and half to go below. At first one side of the balance rose and the other fell. When, however, the lower side was raised by the hand, the balance was even and did not incline to left or right; hence it is written, “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?” (Is. 40, 12).
כֹּלָּא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ בְּאַרְעָא סָתִים וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא. וְחֵילָא וְתָקְפָא וּמַיָא גְלִידִין בְּגַוָּוהּ וְלָא נְגִידוּ וְלָא אִתְפַּשְׁטוּ. עַד דְּאַנְהִיר עֲלָהּ נְהוֹרָא דִלְעֵילָא וּנְהוֹרָא מָחַאת בְּקוּלְטוֹי וְאִשְׁתְּרִיאוּ חֵילָהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלהִים יְהִי אוֹר. וַיְהִי אוֹר. דָּא הוּא אוֹר קַדְמָאָה עִלָּאָה דְּהֲוָה מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא.
At first all the powers of the earth were latent and not productive, and the waters were frozen in it and did not flow. They only spread abroad when a light from above was shed upon the earth, for when this struck it with its rays its powers were released. So it says, “And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.” This is the supernal primordial light which was already existing;
וּמֵהָכָא נָפְקוּ כָּל חֵילִין וְתוּקְפִּין. וְאַרְעָא אִתְבַּסְמַת וְאַפִּיקַת חֵילָהָא לְבָתַר. כֵּיוָן דְּנָהִיר (ונחית) הֲוָה אִסְתַּלַּק נְהוֹרֵיהּ מִסְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא עַד סְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא. כַּד אִסְתַּכַּל בְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא אִתְגְּנִיז וְאִתְטְמִיר וְלָא נָפִיק אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִילוֹי סְתִימִין דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָין:
from this came forth all powers and forces, and through this the earth was firmly established and subsequently brought forth its products. When this light shone on what was below, its radiance spread from one end of the world to the other; but when it observed the sinners of the world, it hid itself away, and issued only by secret paths which cannot be discovered.