Concerning the mystery of the light which kindles and produces the light in the lamp, it was said unto Aaron: “When thou lightest the lamps” (Num. 8, 2); for he emanated from the region of that light. Concerning this, too, it is written: “Let there be light, and there was light” (Gen. 1, 3). Why, it may be asked, was it necessary to repeat the word “light” in this verse? The answer is that the first “light” refers to the primordial light which is of the Right Hand, and is destined for the “end of days”; while the second “light” refers to the Left Hand, which issues from the Right.
The next words, “And God saw the light that it was good” (Gen. 1, 4), refer to the pillar which, standing midway between them, unites both sides, and therefore when the unity of the three, right, left, and middle, was complete, “it was good”, since there could be no completion until the third had appeared to remove the strife between Right and Left, as it is written, “And God separated between the light and between the darkness” (Ibid.).
Since there were five grades which emanated from that primordial light, the word “light” is mentioned five times at the beginning of the account of Creation; all of these grades emanated from the Right Side and were included in it. When they were to be included in the Left Side they were symbolized by “water”; for which reason “water” also is mentioned five times (Gen. 1, 6-8). And when they were completed by the mystery- of the middle, “firmament” is mentioned five times (Ibid.). And these three, light, water, firmament, are the three grades which include in themselves all five grades, and therefore are all mentioned five times.’
Here is a mystery of mysteries; namely, that in these three is the mystery of the human personality portrayed. Here there is first light, then water, then is a firmament formed in the midst of the waters.
Similar is the formation of man at his birth. First he is the “seed” which is light, because it carries light to all the organs of the body. That “seed” which is light sheds itself abroad and becomes “water”, which in its moisture penetrates to all parts of the body; in which body, when it has taken shape, the diffusion of the water is solidified and is called “firmament”. This is indicated by the words: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.” As soon as the body has become clearly defined and purified, the moisture which is left becomes refuse, which leads astray mankind, both male and female.
Having indicated the emergence of the Accuser, the text writes the word meoroth (“lights”, Gen. 1, 16) defectively, the consequence being the quinsy from which children suffer at the waning of the moon.
After that (v. 16) meoroth is written in its full form, both lights being united as one. Where? In that “firmament of heaven”; for when the moon ascends and joins that firmament, then the lights are complete and perfect, without blemish.’
The young man here paused to smile, and then continued: ‘All this that I have said concerning the mystery of man’s formation through the light of that seed, which, being turned into water, spreads out and is formed into a firmament, all of this can be properly understood when referred to what goes on in the body of a female, where the seed is thus developed into the form of man. But if those five grades above mentioned are the form of Man1i.e. the Deity. in what place was this form fashioned and spread out?
We cannot say it was within the Female,1Binah. that is the World-to-come, because no form or likeness was fashioned until the letters had emerged and taken shape; besides which, the World-to-come was the artificer.
Nor can it have been the lower Female1Malkuth. for this was not yet, and when the form of Man emerged, his Female emerged with him, so his form could not have been shaped in her. Where, then, was that seed portrayed and engraved in order to become the form of Man?
Herein is a profound mystery, viz. that the Archetypal Adam took shape and form without the co- operation of the Female, but a second Man was engraved and formed from the seed and energy of the first within a female.
Archetypal Adam took shape and bodily image out of the substance of the Future World without the conjunction of male and female. Certain letters materialized within a measured outline, and the mystery of Adam was formed and shaped in them, these letters having proceeded in a direct line in their proper order from the mystery of primeval light.
Only when the Female came to him with her adornments, and they turned face to face, was a desire conceived whereby within the Female a likeness of Adam was conceived and shaped. This was within the Female, but not so the first Adam, who was formed within the measured outline, as already said.
וְעַל רָזָא דָּא דְּהַאי אוֹר, דְּדָלִיק וְנָהִיר לְהַאי נִר, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּאַהֲרֹן, (במדבר ח׳:ב׳) בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת, בְּגִין דְּהוּא אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַאי אוֹר. אוֹר דָּא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, (בראשית א׳:ג׳) יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר. כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר יְהִי אוֹר, אֲמַאי כְּתִיב וַיְהִי אוֹר, דְּהָא בְּוַיְהִי כֵן סַגְיָא. אֶלָּא, יְהִי אוֹר, דָּא אוֹר קַדְמָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא, וְאִיהוּ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין. וַיְהִי אוֹר, דְּמִימִינָא נָפִק שְׂמָאלָא, וּמֵרָזָא דִּימִינָא נָפִק שְׂמָאלָא, וְעַל דָּא וַיְהִי אוֹר, דָּא שְׂמָאלָא.
Concerning the mystery of the light which kindles and produces the light in the lamp, it was said unto Aaron: “When thou lightest the lamps” (Num. 8, 2); for he emanated from the region of that light. Concerning this, too, it is written: “Let there be light, and there was light” (Gen. 1, 3). Why, it may be asked, was it necessary to repeat the word “light” in this verse? The answer is that the first “light” refers to the primordial light which is of the Right Hand, and is destined for the “end of days”; while the second “light” refers to the Left Hand, which issues from the Right.
מִכָּאן דְּוַיְהִי קַדְמָאָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא הֲוָה. וּבְגִין כַּךְ לָאו אִיהוּ סִימָן בְּרָכָה. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּבֵיהּ (נ"א דמניה) נָפַק הַהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ דְּאַחֲשִׁיךְ אַנְפֵּי עָלְמָא. וְסִימָנָא דָּא כַּד אִתְגְּלֵי רָזָא דְּעֵשָׂו וְעוֹבָדוֹי, בְּהַאי וַיְהִי הֲוָה, דִּכְתִּיב (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז) וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד. אִתְקָיָּים בְּוַיְהִי אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד, לְפַתָּאָה בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, דְּלָא יַהֲכוּן בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר.
וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב, דָּא אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְּקָאִים בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, וְקָאִים וְאָחִיד בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, וּבְסִטְרָא דָּא. כַּד הֲוָה שְׁלִימוּ דִּתְלַת סִטְרִין, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ כִּי טוֹב, מָה דְּלָא הֲוָה בְּהָנֵי אַחֲרָנִין, בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה שְׁלִימוּ עַד אוֹר תְּלִיתָאָה, דְּאַשְׁלִים לְכָל סִטְרִין, וְכֵיוָן דְּאָתָא תְּלִיתָאָה דָּא, כְּדֵין אַפְרִישׁ מַחֲלוֹקֶת דִּימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא, דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ.
The next words, “And God saw the light that it was good” (Gen. 1, 4), refer to the pillar which, standing midway between them, unites both sides, and therefore when the unity of the three, right, left, and middle, was complete, “it was good”, since there could be no completion until the third had appeared to remove the strife between Right and Left, as it is written, “And God separated between the light and between the darkness” (Ibid.).
וְעַל דְּאִינּוּן חֲמֵשׁ דַּרְגִּין, דְּאִתְפְּרָשׁוּ וְאִתְמְשָׁכוּ מֵהַאי אוֹר קַדְמָאָה, כְּתִיב (תצא ר"פ ע"א) אוֹר חָמֵשׁ זִמְנִין, וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא, וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ בֵּיהּ, וְכַד אִתְכְּלִילוּ בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, אִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם, דְּנָטִיל בִּימִינָא (ס"א מימינא') וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב מַיִם חָמֵשׁ זִמְנִין. וְכַד אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ בְּרָזָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, כְּתִיב רָקִיעַ חֲמֵשׁ זִמְנִין, וְעַל דָּא תְּלַת אִינּוּן אוֹר. מַיִם. רְקִיעָ. לָקֳבֵל תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין אִלֵּין, דְּכֻלְּהוּ חֲמֵשׁ דַּרְגִּין אִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּהוּ, וְעַל דָּא בְּכֻלְּהוּ כְּתִיב חֲמֵשׁ זִמְנִין, בְּכָל חַד וְחַד.
Since there were five grades which emanated from that primordial light, the word “light” is mentioned five times at the beginning of the account of Creation; all of these grades emanated from the Right Side and were included in it. When they were to be included in the Left Side they were symbolized by “water”; for which reason “water” also is mentioned five times (Gen. 1, 6-8). And when they were completed by the mystery- of the middle, “firmament” is mentioned five times (Ibid.). And these three, light, water, firmament, are the three grades which include in themselves all five grades, and therefore are all mentioned five times.’
הָכָא רָזָא דְּרָזִין, בְּאִלֵּין תְּלָתָא, אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְגְלִיף בְּגִלּוּפֵי רָזָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר בְּקַדְמִיתָא, לְבָתַר מַיִם, לְבָתַר אִתְפָּשַׁט בְּגַּוַּויְיהוּ רָקִיעַ, דְּאִיהוּ גְּלִיפָא דִּגְלִּיפוּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם.
Here is a mystery of mysteries; namely, that in these three is the mystery of the human personality portrayed. Here there is first light, then water, then is a firmament formed in the midst of the waters.
כְּגַוְונָא דִּגְלִּיפוּ צִיּוּרָא דְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם בְּתוּלְדָתֵיהּ. דְּהָא בְּתוּלְדָתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, בְּקַדְמִיתָא זֶרַע, דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר, דְּהָא נְהִירוּ דְּכָל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא, אִיהוּ הַהוּא זֶרַע, וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִיהוּ אוֹר, וְהַהוּא אוֹר אִקְרֵי זֶרַע, דִּכְתִּיב אוֹר זָרוּעַ, הַהוּא זֶרַע מַמָּשׁ. לְבָתַר הַהוּא זֶרַע דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר אִתְפָּשַׁט וְאִתְעָבִיד מַיִם, בְּלָחוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, אַגְלִיף יַתִּיר, וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט פְּשִׁיטוּ גּוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם, פְּשִׁיטוּ דְּגוּפָא לְכָל סִטְרִין. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְצַיָּיר, וְאִגְּלִיף צִיּוּרָא וּדְיוּקְנָא דְּגוּפָא, אַקְרִישׁ הַהוּא פְּשִׁיטוּ, וְאִקְרֵי רָקִיעַ. וְדָא אִיהוּ רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם. וּלְבָתַר דְּאַקְרִישׁ, כְּתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם. דְּהָא אַקְרִישׁ הַהוּא לָחוּתָא (ד"א דאנגיד ואשתאר ההוא פסולת) דְּגוּפָא, דְּהֲוָה גּוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם.
Similar is the formation of man at his birth. First he is the “seed” which is light, because it carries light to all the organs of the body. That “seed” which is light sheds itself abroad and becomes “water”, which in its moisture penetrates to all parts of the body; in which body, when it has taken shape, the diffusion of the water is solidified and is called “firmament”. This is indicated by the words: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.” As soon as the body has become clearly defined and purified, the moisture which is left becomes refuse, which leads astray mankind, both male and female.
כֵּיוָן דְּאִבְרִיר גּוּפָא, וְאִנָקֵי בִּנְקִיוּ, הַהוּא לָחוּתָא דְּאִתְנְגִיד וְאִשְׁתְּאַר, הֲוָה פְּסוֹלֶת דְּקָא אִתְעֲבָד גּוֹ הִתּוּכָא, וְאִינּוּן מַיִם הָרָעִים עֲכוּרִין, וּמִנְּהוֹן אִתְעָבִיד פְּסוֹלֶת, מְקַטְרְגָא לְכָל עָלְמָא, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא. לְבָתַר כַּד נַחְתּוּ אִינּוּן מַיִם עֲכוּרִין, וְאִתְהַתְּכוּ לְתַתָּא בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, נָפְקוּ (ס"א דאתנגיד ואשתאר אתעביד פסולת מקטרגא לכל עלמא דכר ונוקבא ואינון מים הרעים עכורין. לבתר כד נחתו אינון מים עכורין אתהתכו לתתא בסטר שמאלא ונפקו) לְקַטְרְגָא כָּל עָלְמָא. זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּזִיב מִנְּהוֹן.
Having indicated the emergence of the Accuser, the text writes the word meoroth (“lights”, Gen. 1, 16) defectively, the consequence being the quinsy from which children suffer at the waning of the moon.
כֵּיוָן דְּנָפִיק מְקַטְרְגָא, כְּתִיב יְהִי מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר ו' וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא אַסְכָּרָה בְּרַבְיֵי, וְחָסֵר נְהוֹרָא דְּסִיהֲרָא. לְבָתַר וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרוֹת, בִּשְׁלִימוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא. בְּמַאן. בְּהַהוּא רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, דְּהָא כַּד סַלְּקָא וְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּהַהוּא רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, כְּדֵין וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרוֹת, נְהוֹרִין שְׁלֵימִין תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא דְּלָא פְּגִימֵי כְּלַל.
After that (v. 16) meoroth is written in its full form, both lights being united as one. Where? In that “firmament of heaven”; for when the moon ascends and joins that firmament, then the lights are complete and perfect, without blemish.’
שַׁארִי חָיִּיךָ הַאי רַבְיָא וְחַדֵּי. אָמַר לוֹן הַאי דַּאֲמֵינָא דְּאִתְבְּרִיר הָכָא רָזָא דְּאָדָם, בְּאוֹר דְּהַהוּא (ד"א דאיהו) זֶרַע, וּלְבָתַר אִתְעָבִיד מַיִם, וּמִגּוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם, אִתְפָּשַׁט רָקִיעַ, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם כְּמָה דְּאִתְּעַרְנָא. תִּינַח כַּד אִתְעָבִיד דָּא לְגוֹ מֵעוֹי דְּאִתְּתָא, דְּהָא לָא אִתְצָיַּיר זַרְעָא, אֶלָּא בְּגוֹ מֵעוֹי דְּנוּקְבָּא, לְאִתְפָּשְׁטָא בָּהּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, וְהָכָא אִי אִלֵּין חָמֵשׁ דַּרְגִּין, אִינּוּן דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, בְּאָן אֲתָר אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא, בְּגוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם.
The young man here paused to smile, and then continued: ‘All this that I have said concerning the mystery of man’s formation through the light of that seed, which, being turned into water, spreads out and is formed into a firmament, all of this can be properly understood when referred to what goes on in the body of a female, where the seed is thus developed into the form of man. But if those five grades above mentioned are the form of Man1i.e. the Deity. in what place was this form fashioned and spread out?
אִי תֵּימָא גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא הֲווֹ, דָּא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא לָא אִתְצָיַּיר צִיּוּרָא וּדְיוּקְנָא, עַד דְּנַפְקוּ אַתְוָון לְבַר, וּלְבָתַר אִתְגְּלִימוּ. וְתוּ דְּהָא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי הֲוָה אוּמָנָא, דִּכְתִּיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ, הָא אוּמָנָא הֲוָה.
We cannot say it was within the Female,1Binah. that is the World-to-come, because no form or likeness was fashioned until the letters had emerged and taken shape; besides which, the World-to-come was the artificer.
אִי תֵּימָא בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּלְתַתָּא, לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא עַד לָא הֲוָות, וְכַד נָפַק הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, נוּקְבֵיהּ נַפְקַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ. הָא לָא אִתְצָיַּיר דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם בָּהּ. אִי הָכִי, בְּאָן אֲתָר אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְגְלִיף הַאי זֶרַע, לְמֶהוֵי גְּלִיפוּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם.
Nor can it have been the lower Female1Malkuth. for this was not yet, and when the form of Man emerged, his Female emerged with him, so his form could not have been shaped in her. Where, then, was that seed portrayed and engraved in order to become the form of Man?
אֶלָּא דָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה, אָדָם קַדְמָאָה אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְגְלִיף בְּלָא נוּקְבָּא. אָדָם תִּנְיָינָא, מֵחֵילָא וְזַרְעָא דְּהַאי, אַגְלִיף וְאִתְצָיַּיר גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא.
Herein is a profound mystery, viz. that the Archetypal Adam took shape and form without the co- operation of the Female, but a second Man was engraved and formed from the seed and energy of the first within a female.
אָדָם קַדְמָאָה, גְּלִיפוּ דְּצִיּוּרָא וּדְיוּקְנָא דְּגוּפָא, לָא הֲוָה בְּנוּקְבָּא, וּבְלָא צִיּוּרָא כְּלַל הֲוָה. וְאִתְצָיַיר וְאִגְּלִיף לְתַתָּא מֵעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, בְּלָא דְּכוּרָא, וּבְלָא נוּקְבָּא, אִינּוּן אַתְוָון אַגְלִימוּ גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא, וְאִתְצָיַיר וְאִגְּלִיף בְּהוּ רָזָא דְּאָדָם. וְאַתְוָון בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, בְּסִדּוּרָא דִּלְהוֹן, מֵרָזָא דְּאוֹר קַדְמָאָה, שָׁרִיאוּ לְאִתְגָלְפָא וּלְאִתְצָיְּירָא, (אתוון) וְאִזְדְּרַע הַאי אוֹר בְּגַוֵּיהּ גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא. כַּד מָטָא גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא, אִתְהַדָּר מַיָּא, גּוֹ מַיָּא, אִתְפָּשַׁט רָקִיעַ צִיּוּרָא דְּאָדָם, דִּיּוּקְנָא כַּדְקָא חֲזִי.
Archetypal Adam took shape and bodily image out of the substance of the Future World without the conjunction of male and female. Certain letters materialized within a measured outline, and the mystery of Adam was formed and shaped in them, these letters having proceeded in a direct line in their proper order from the mystery of primeval light.
לְבָתַר דְּאִתְקַשְּׁטַת נוּקְבָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין, הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, עָאל בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא לְגַבֵּי נוּקְבָּא, וְתַמָּן אַגְלִיף וְאִתְצָיָיר כְּגַוְונָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְעָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב (בראשית ה׳:ג׳) וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ וְגוֹ', הַאי אִתְצָיַּיר גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא, מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה הַהוּא קַדְמָאָה, דְּאִתְצַיָּיר (ד"א ל"ג גו) הַהוּא קַדְמָאָה בְּגַוֵּיהּ בִּמְדִּידוּ גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר.
Only when the Female came to him with her adornments, and they turned face to face, was a desire conceived whereby within the Female a likeness of Adam was conceived and shaped. This was within the Female, but not so the first Adam, who was formed within the measured outline, as already said.