R. Hiya and R. Jose were walking along the road. When they reached the open country, R. Hiya said to R. Jose, ‘What you said about Bereshith signifying bara-shith (created six) is certainly correct, since the Torah speaks of six primordial days and not more. The others are hinted at but not disclosed;
nevertheless, from what is told us we can perceive the following. The Holy and Mysterious One graved in a hidden recess one point. In that He enclosed the whole of Creation as one who locks up all his treasures in a palace, under one key, which is therefore as valuable as all that is stored up in that palace; for it is the key which shuts and opens.
In that palace there are hidden treasures, one greater than the other. The palace is provided with fifty mystic gates. They are inserted in its four sides to the number of forty-nine. The one remaining gate is on none of its sides and it is unknown whether it is on high or below: it is hence called the mysterious gate.
All these gates have one lock, and there is one tiny spot for the insertion of the key, which is only marked by the impress of the key. It is this mystery which is implied in the words “In the beginning created God”, “In the beginning” (Bereshith): this is the key which encloses the whole and which shuts and opens. Six gates are controlled by this key which opens and shuts. At first it kept the gates closed and impenetrable; this is indicated by the word Bereshith, which is composed of a revealing word (shith) with a concealing word (bara). Bara is always a word of mystery, closing and not opening,’
רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, כַּד מָטוּ לְחַד בֵּי חֲקַל, אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הָא דְאַמְרִיתוּ בָּרָא שִׁית וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, בְּגִין דְּשִׁית יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין גַּבֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא וְלָא יַתִּיר. אָחֳרָנִין סְתִימִין אִנּוּן.
R. Hiya and R. Jose were walking along the road. When they reached the open country, R. Hiya said to R. Jose, ‘What you said about Bereshith signifying bara-shith (created six) is certainly correct, since the Torah speaks of six primordial days and not more. The others are hinted at but not disclosed;
אֲבָל חָמֵינָן גּוֹ סִטְרֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית דְּאָמַר הָכִי. גְּלִיפֵי (גליפו) אַגְלִיף הַהוּא סְתִימָאָה קַדִּישָׁא גּוֹ מְעוֹי דְּחַד טְמִירוּ דְנָקִיט (דנקיד) בִּנְקוּדָה דְּנָעִיץ. הַהוּא גְּלִיפֵי (גליפו) אַגְלִיף וְטָמִיר בֵּיהּ כְּמַאן דְּגָנִיז כֹּלָּא תְּחוֹת מַפְתְּחָא חָדָא, וְהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא גָּנִיז כֹּלָּא בְּהֵיכָלָא חָדָא, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָא גָּנִיז בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא, עִקְּרָא דְּכֹלָא בְּהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא הֲוֵי. הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא סָגִיר וּפָתַח.
nevertheless, from what is told us we can perceive the following. The Holy and Mysterious One graved in a hidden recess one point. In that He enclosed the whole of Creation as one who locks up all his treasures in a palace, under one key, which is therefore as valuable as all that is stored up in that palace; for it is the key which shuts and opens.
בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא אִית בֵּיהּ גְּנִיזִין סְתִימִין סַגִּיאִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין. בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא אִית תַּרְעִין עוֹבַד סְתִימוּ וְאִנּוּן חַמְשִׁין. אִגְלִיפוּ לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין וְהֲווּ אַרְבְּעִין (ס"י ותשע). חַד תַּרְעָא לֵית לֵיהּ סִטְרָא, לָא יְדִיעַ אִי הוּא לְעֵילָא, אִי הוּא לְתַתָּא (ס"י איהו לעילא איהי לתתא). וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַהוּא תַּרְעָא סָתִים.
In that palace there are hidden treasures, one greater than the other. The palace is provided with fifty mystic gates. They are inserted in its four sides to the number of forty-nine. The one remaining gate is on none of its sides and it is unknown whether it is on high or below: it is hence called the mysterious gate.
גּוֹ אִנּוּן תַּרְעִין אִית מַנְעוּלָא חָדָא, וְחַד אֲתַר דַּקִּיק לְעָאלָא הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא בֵּיהּ, וְלָא אִתְרְשִׁים אֶלָּא בִּרְשִׁימוּ דְּמַפְתְּחָא, לָא יָדְעִין בֵּיהּ אֶלָּא הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא (ס"י דפתחא) בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. וְעַל רָזָא דְנָא בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלהִים. בְּרֵאשִׁית דָּא מַפְתְּחָא דְּכֹלָא סָתִים בֵּיהּ, וְהוּא סָגִיר וּפָתַח, וְשִׁית תַּרְעִין כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ. בְּהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא דְּסָגִיר וּפָתַח. כַּד סָגִיר אִנּוּן תַּרְעִין וְכָלִיל לוֹן בְּגַוֵּיהּ (נ"א וכלה בגויה) כְּדֵין וַדַּאי כְּתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית מִלָּה גַלְיָא בִּכְלַל מִלָּה סְתִימָאָה. וּבְכָל אֲתַר בָּרָ"א מִלָּא סְתִימָאָה אִיהוּ. סָגִיר וְלָא פָתַח.
All these gates have one lock, and there is one tiny spot for the insertion of the key, which is only marked by the impress of the key. It is this mystery which is implied in the words “In the beginning created God”, “In the beginning” (Bereshith): this is the key which encloses the whole and which shuts and opens. Six gates are controlled by this key which opens and shuts. At first it kept the gates closed and impenetrable; this is indicated by the word Bereshith, which is composed of a revealing word (shith) with a concealing word (bara). Bara is always a word of mystery, closing and not opening,’