בְּעֵזֶר יוֹצֵר אוֹרָה. אֲבָאֵר פֵּירוּשׁ הַתּוֹרָה. לְיַחֵד שְׁמוֹ הַנּוֹרָא. אֲשֶׁר עָשַׂאנִי מֵרֵאשִׁית. וַיְעָצַנִי וְקָרָאנִי רֵאשִׁית. לַעֲסוֹק בְּנוֹעַם רֵאשִׁית. אַתְחִיל לְבָאֵר סֵפֶר בְּרֵאשִׁית: With the help of the Creator of light, I will elucidate the explanation of the Torah, to unite His awesome name; Who made me from the beginning and advised and called upon me first, to work pleasantly first; I will begin to explain the Book of 'In the Beginning' (Genesis):
נִפְתְּחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וָאֶרְאֶה מַרְאוֹת אֱלֹהִים, בּוֹרֵא קְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ, וָאֶתְבּוֹנָן בְּמַה שֶׁהוּרְשֵׁיתִי לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּפֶתַח דִּבְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ, וַהֲעִירוֹתִי מִמִּזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. אָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁשִּׁעוּר הַתֵּיבָה הִיא סְמוּכָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתֹּאמַר ״רֵאשִׁית דָּבָר״, וְכָאן חָסֵר הַנִּסְמָךְ לָהּ, וּמִי כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ יוֹדֵעַ דָּבָר, הֲלֹא מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹצָא דָּבָר. The heavens have open and I saw the vision of God, Creator of the ends of the earth, and I reflected upon that which I have been allowed to reflect upon in the unfolding of holy words; and my remark is from the East of (before) the Torah. His saying, "In the beginning of," [bears a] structure which is relational, as you would say 'the beginning of a thing, but here what ['the beginning of'] refers to is missing (beginning of what?). And who is like our God, who knows the thing (word), is the origin of the thing (word) not from Him?
אָמְרוֹ בִּתְחִלַּת סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה פֵּרְשׁוּ הַתֵּבָה שֶׁהִיא מֻרְכֶּבֶת מִב׳ דְּבָרִים: אֵשׁ וּמַיִם. וּמֵעַתָּה הֲרֵי זֶה חָס וְשָׁלוֹם נוֹתֵן יָד לַפּוֹשְׁעִים לוֹמַר כִּי זוֹ הִיא הַתְחָלַת הַבְּרִיאָה, אֲבָל הַמַּיִם וְהָאֵשׁ לֹא בְּרָאָם חָס וְשָׁלוֹם הַבּוֹרֵא, אַחַר שֶׁהִשְׁמִיעָנוּ הַכָּתוּב עַצְמוֹ שֶׁתְּחִלַּת הַבְּרִיאָה הִיא שָׁמַיִם, וְאִם הַמַּיִם נִבְרְאוּ הָיָה לוֹ לְהַקְדִּים בְּרִיאָתָם. וַחֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה יב.) נִשְׁמְרוּ מִב׳ הֶעָרוֹת וּפֵרְשׁוּ שֶׁשִּׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרִיאַת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ תֹהוּ וְגוֹ׳, לֹא שֶׁתְּחִלַּת הַבְּרִיאָה הָיְתָה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ. אֲבָל דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לֹא הִסְפִּיקוּ לְהָסִיר הַטָּעוּת, כִּי לְדִבְרֵיהֶם לָמָּה לֹא הוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב אַחַר כָּךְ בְּרִיאַת מַיִם וְאֵשׁ וְעָפָר וְרוּחַ, וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (בראשית א:ט) ״יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם וְגוֹ׳ וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה״, אֵינוֹ בְּנִשְׁמָע שֶׁנִּבְרֵאת, וְיוֹתֵר צוֹדֵק הַמַּשְׁמָעוּת שֶׁמְּצוּיָה הָיְתָה אֶלָּא שֶׁגָּזַר עָלֶיהָ לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת כְּשֶׁיִּקָּווּ הַמַּיִם. He said it at the beginning of the order of the creation of the heavens; and the Rabbis, of blessed memory, explained that the word [shamayim (heavens)] is composed of two things esh (fire) and mayim (water); and from this, God forbid, it gives a hand to the sinners to say that [given that] this is the beginning of the creation, but [yet], God forbid, the Creator did not create the fire and water, since the verse itself informs us that the beginning of the creation was the heavens, and if the waters were created [and not pre-existing], it should have started with their creation. And the Sages, of blessed memory, (Chagigah) preempted these two observations and explained that the structure of the verse is as follows: In the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth, the earth was chaos, etc. - not that the heavens and earth was the beginning of the creations. But the words [of the Sages], of blessed memory's, were not enough to remove the [possibility of] error; since according to their words, why did scripture not inform us later of the creation of water and fire, and dirt and wind. And even though the verse (9) states, "and the waters gathered, etc. and the dry land appeared," it is not understood [from this] that it was created; and more justified is the understanding that it was pre-existing, but that [God] decreed upon it to be revealed when the water gathered.
יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק בַּכָּתוּב אָמְרוֹ אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, מַה בָּא לְרַבּוֹת בְּב׳ אֶתִּין אֵלּוּ? There is what to be exact about, in that the verse wrote, "et hashamayim ve'et haarets" ("the heavens and the earth," which are both preceded by the Hebrew preposition, et which can either proceed a direct object or mean 'with,' and so, is often seen as indicating additional meaning); and what did the verse come to add with the two times it says et?
אָכֵן כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְקוֹדֶם אָעִירָה שַׁחַר הַמֻּצָּג אֶצְלֵינוּ מִגְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא מַה גָּדְלוּ מַעֲשָׂיו, כִּי הָאָדוֹן בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוּכַל דַּבֵּר דִּבּוּר בִּלְתִּי מֻשָּׂג בַּנִּבְרָאִים, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מכילתא יתרו) בְּפֵרוּשׁ הַכָּתוּב (שמות כ:א) ״וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים״ וְגוֹ׳, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״דְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵין הַפֶּה יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּר״, וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר כָּל עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד וְלֹא קָדַם דִּבּוּר לַחֲבֵרוֹ. In fact, the intention of the verse is as follows; but first, 'I will rise with the sun' upon that which is placed in front of us from the greatness of the Creator - how great are his works! - since the Master, may He be blessed, can speak a word without it being understood by the creations. As they, of blessed memory, said (Mekhilta, Yitro) to explain the verse (Exodus 20:1), "And God spoke all of these words etc.," and this is what they said, "words that the mouth cannot speak;" and it [is a reference to] Him saying all of the ten commandments in one word, and [that] one word did not precede the other. ...
וּבָזֶה נָבוֹא אֶל הַבֵּיאוּר, וְהוּא כִּי הָאָדוֹן יִתְעַלֶּה שְׁמוֹ כָּל מַה שֶׁבָּרָא בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֵם הַמְּקוֹרוֹת וְכָל אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנוֹ בַּמְּצִיאוּת וְשָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, הַכֹּל כַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל בְּרָאוֹ ה׳ בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד. וְזֶה הוּא אָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ. דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר שְׁנֵי אֶתִין לְרַבּוֹת כָּל הַנִּמְצָא בָּעוֹלָם. וְלִהְיוֹת שֶׁהַנִּבְרָאִים הֵם רַבִּים, כִּי מִלְּבַד הָעֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים הַנִּכָּרִים וְנִרְאִים לְעֵין כֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּנָאוּם חֲזַ״ל (חגיגה יב.) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן: שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, אוֹר, חֹשֶׁךְ, תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְגוֹ׳, מַיִם, רוּחַ״ עַד כָּאן, מִלְּבַד אֵלּוּ יֵשׁ עוֹד בְּרִיאוֹת אֲחֵרִים נֶעֱלָמִים וְנִבְלָעִים בְּכֹחוֹת הַיְּסוֹדוֹת, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם נִכָּרִים בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַהַתָּכָה, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַהַרְכָּבָה, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם בְּהִשְׁתַּנּוּת הַזְּמַנִּים, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם בְּכֹחַ הַהִיּוּלִי וְרַבּוּ מִלִּסְפּוֹר, אֲשֶׁר לָזֶה כְּלָלָם הַבּוֹרֵא בִּב׳ פְּרָטִים גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲצוּמִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ, וְהֵם הֵם הַב׳ רִבּוּיִים שֶׁרִבָּה בְּאָמְרוֹ אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, וּבְמַאֲמָר אֶחָד בָּרָא הַכֹּל יִתְעַלֶּה שְׁמוֹ. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁאָמְרוּ זַ״ל (ראש השנה לב.) ״בְּרֵאשִׁית״ מַאֲמָר הוּא, כִּי בּוֹ הִשְׁלִימוּ עֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶם נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן בּוֹ נִבְרָא הַכֹּל, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מְסֻדָּר, וְהָיָה כָּל הַבְּרִיאוֹת בַּנִּמְצָא אֲבָל חָסְרוּ הַסֵּדֶר, וְסִדְּרָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דְּבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ. בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן הֵכִין וְהִבְדִּיל הָאוֹר מִן הַחֹשֶׁךְ וְקָנָה הַחֹשֶׁךְ מְקוֹמוֹ וְהָאוֹר מְקוֹמוֹ, וּבְיוֹם ב׳ וְכוּ׳. And with this, we will come to the explanation: and it is that the Master, may His name be exalted, created everything - all that He created in the world; places and all that exists, and the skies and the earth - in one word. And this is what it states, "Bereishit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et haarets" ("In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth"), and is exact to use the word et twice; to include all that is found in the world. And since the creations are numerous, as beyond the ten things that are recognizable and visible to everyone's eye - as were counted by the Sages, of blessed memory (Chagigah 12a), and this is what they said, "and ten things were created on the first day: heavens and earth, light, darkness, chaos and void, etc. water, wind" - besides these things, there are other creations that are hidden and absorbed by the powers of the foundational elements; some of them are recognized by way of dissection, some of the them by way of composition, some of them through the changing of time, some of them through the power of hyle, and [they] are too many to count. For this reason, the Creator grouped them into two large and enormous parts: in the havens and in the earth. And these are the two inclusions that were included in His saying "et hashamayim ve'et haarets," and in one proclamation did He, may He be exalted, create everything. And you will find that they, of blessed memory, said (Rosh Hashanah 32a), "[The word] 'In the beginning' [counts as a] proclamation [of creation], since with it were completed the ten proclamations with which the world was created (as there are only nine obvious proclamations of creation and this would be the tenth one)." Everything was created in the first of all [the proclamations] but it was not yet arranged, and all of the creations were there but they lacked order; and the Holy One, blessed be He, ordered them, each thing in its day: on the first day, He set up and separated the light from the darkness and the darkness acquired its place and the light acquired its place; and on the second day, etc.
וְהָעֵד הַנֶּאֱמָן לְפֵירוּשֵׁינוּ זֶה מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (בראשית ב:ג) ״כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַעֲשׂוֹת״, שֶׁאֵין מַשְׁמָעוּת לַכָּתוּב. וּבְמַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ יָבֹא כְּמִין חוֹמֶר, כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא בְּיוֹם הַבְּרִיאָה לַעֲשׂוֹת, פֵּרוּשׁ: לְתַקֵּן בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, כְּאָמְרוֹ (שמות לא:יז): ״כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה׳״ וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ: תִּקֵּן, כִּי הַבְּרִיאָה בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן בְּמַאֲמָר אֶחָד נִבְרֵאת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה הַכֹּל חָסֵר תִּקּוּן. לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְמִי שֶׁרָצָה לִבְנוֹת פַּלְטֵרִין, וְקוֹדֵם מֵכִין אֲבָנִים וְעֵצִים וְעָפָר וְצָרְכֵי הַבִּנְיָן בְּמוּשְׁלָם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִבְנֶה בַּיִת. כֵּן הַבּוֹרֵא בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרָא כָּל צָרְכֵי הָעוֹלָם בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד וְהֵכִינוֹ, וְהָיָה הַכֹּל מוּנָח גָּדוּשׁ בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִתְחִיל לְסַדֵּר דָּבָר דָּבוּר עַל אָפְנָיו וְעָשָׂה פָּעֳלוֹ יִתְעַלֶּה שְׁמוֹ. And the trustworthy 'witness' to our explanation is that which the verse states (Genesis 2:3), "since upon it God rested from all of the work that He had created to make;" as this verse lacks understanding; and according to what we have explained, it comes 'like a precious chain,' as "since upon it He rested from all of the work that He had created" [refers to what He did] on the day of creation; "to make," [means] to refine, on the six days; like it states (Exodus 31:17), "since on six days, the Lord made, etc.," the explanation [of "made"] is refined; since the [actual] creation was created in one proclamation on the first day, except that everything was lacking refinement. To what is this thing similar? To someone who wants to build a palace and first prepares stones and wood and dirt and all of the building materials and afterwards builds the home; so [too] the Creator, may He be blessed, created all of the needs of the world with one proclamation, and He prepared it, and everything was laying piled up in a mixture; and afterwards, He started to organize each thing in its place and did His, may He be exalted, work.
וְתִמְצָא שֶׁכְּשֶׁרָצָה לִבְרֹא הַשָּׁמַיִם אָמַר (בראשית א:ו): ״יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם״, פֵּרוּשׁ: קָבַע לוֹ מָקוֹם, אֲבָל הוּא כְּבָר נִבְרָא בְּמַאֲמָר רִאשׁוֹן, וְכֵן הָאָרֶץ (בראשית א:ט) ״וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה״. And you will find that when He wanted to create the heavens, He said (verse 6), "let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters," [meaning] He set its place; but it was already created in the first proclamation. And so [too] with the earth (verse 9) "and the dry land appeared."
וְהָאֵשׁ שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר ה׳ תִּקּוּנוֹ כָּל עִקָּר, הֱוֵי יוֹדֵעַ כִּי הָאֵשׁ לֹא גִלָּה ה׳ מְקוֹרָהּ כְּגִלּוּי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְהַמַּיִם, לִהְיוֹתָהּ מָקוֹר חָזָק וְיֵשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ כִּלָּיוֹן לָעוֹלָם אִם הָיָה בַּנִּמְצָא כְּמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וְאֵין הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לְהִתְקַיֵּם. לָזֶה הִנִּיחוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּמְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְּמַאֲמָר רִאשׁוֹן מֻבְלָע בָּרְעָפִים, עַד שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ אָדָם לוֹ וְהִקִּישׁ בָּרְעָפִים וְהוֹצִיא מֵהֶם אֵשׁ שִׁעוּר הַמַּסְפִּיק לוֹ, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה י״א) שֶׁעַל כֵּן אָנוּ מְבָרְכִים בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת ״בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ״ (פסחים נד.). גַּם בָּזֶה גִּלָּה ה׳ אֹפֶן הָעִרְבּוּב שֶׁהָיוּ מְעֻרְבָּבִין הַמְּקוֹרוֹת וְהַיְּסוֹדוֹת בִּשְׁעַת בְּרִיאָתָם קֹדֶם שֶׁהֱכִינָם ה׳ כָּל אֶחָד עַל מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ, כִּי אִם לֹא הָיָה דָּבָר זֶה בַּמְּצִיאוּת לֹא הָיְתָה דַּעַת אֱנוֹשׁ סוֹבֶלֶת יְדִיעָה אֵיךְ יִהְיוּ מְעֹרָבִים יַחַד מְקוֹרוֹת, וּמַה גַּם עָפָר וָאֵשׁ. And [regarding] the fire, the refinement of which, God didn't mention at all, you should know that God did not reveal its source - like the revealing of the heavens and the earth and the water - because its source is strong; and from it, there [would be] destruction to the world if it had been found like the water and the earth; and the world would not be able to exist. For this [reason], the Holy One, blessed be He, left it in its place - where it was created by the first proclamation - absorbed in the flints; until man needed it and took out from them an amount [of fire] sufficient for him, as they, of blessed memory, said (Bereishit Rabbah 11), "therefore we make the blessing of 'who has created the lights of the fire' at the end of Shabbat." And by this, God also revealed the nature of the [primordial] mixture - that the sources and elements were mixed up at the time of their creation, before God set each one up, according to its station. For if [the concealment of fire in other objects] did not exist, man's mind would not be able to fathom the knowledge of how different substances could be mixed up; and all the more so, dirt and fire.
וְהֵן אֱמֶת שֶׁהָיָה יָכוֹל הַבּוֹרֵא לִכְלֹל בַּמַּאֲמָר הָרִאשׁוֹן גַּם אֶת הַסֵּדֶר, אֶלָּא לְסִבּוֹת הַרְבֵּה עָשָׂה כֵן, וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם גִּלּוּ אוֹתָהּ רַזַ״ל בְּאָמְרָם (אבות ה:א): ״וַהֲלֹא בְּמַאֲמָר אֶחָד יָכוֹל לְהִבָּרְאוֹת, אֶלָּא לִיפָּרַע וְכוּ׳, וְלִיתֵּן שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיקִים״ וְכוּ׳. And it is true that the Creator could have included the ordering [of the various creations] in the first proclamation, but for many reason did He [not] do this; and the Rabbis, of blessed memory, revealed one of them, when they stated (Avot 5), "and is it not that He could have created [everything] in one proclamation, but He wanted to take payment [from sinners for a world created with ten statements rather than only one] etc. and to give payment to the righteous etc."
וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה בְּעֵינֶיךָ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות ה:א): ״בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם״ לְשׁוֹן בְּרִיאָה, כִּי סוֹף כָּל סוֹף כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה חָסֵר הַתִּקּוּן כְּאִלּוּ אֵין כָּאן בְּרִיאָה. הַמָּשָׁל – אִם הָאָרֶץ לֹא הָיְתָה נִגְלֵית אֵין מָקוֹם לַנִּבְרָאִים, וּכְמוֹ כֵן שְׁאָר הַבְּרִיאוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ מְעֻרְבָּבִים כְּמוֹ הָאוֹר וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ, אִם כֵּן כָּל שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַן כְּאִלּוּ לֹא נִבְרָא, לָזֶה יִתְיַחֵס גַּם כֵּן לָהֶם הַבְּרִיאָה. And let it not be difficult in your eyes, that they, of blessed memory, stated (Ibid.), "In ten proclamations was the world created" [and used the] word 'created;' since at the end of the day, anytime that [something] is missing refinement, it as if [it is not created]. For example, if the earth [did not emerge], there would be no place for the creations; and likewise with the other creations that were mixed up, like the light and the darkness. If so, all that is not refined is as if it is not created; for this reason [the various refinements reflected by the nine other proclamations] are also referred to as creation.
וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה בְּעֵינֶיךָ לָמָּה כָּתְבָה הַתּוֹרָה עִיקַּר הַבְּרִיאָה בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, וְלֹא כָּתְבָה בְּפֵירוּשׁ: ״בָּרָא ה׳ הַמַּיִם וְהֶעָפָר וְהָאֵשׁ וְהָרוּחַ״, שֶׁבָּזֶה לֹא יִהְיֶה אִישׁ נָבוּב יִלָּבֵב. And let it not be difficult in your eyes, [as to] why the Torah wrote the main [narrative] of creation in this way, and did not explicitly write [that] God created the water and the dirt, and the fire and the wind, so that [by not doing the latter] 'the empty man would not be made wise.'
דַּע, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה תּוֹדִיעַ וְתַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל נִסְתָּר, וְחָפֵץ ה׳ לְהוֹדִיעַ כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו לְעַמּוֹ, וְהוֹדִיעָנוּ סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה וְאוֹפַנָּהּ, וְכִי הוּא הָאֵל הַגִּבּוֹר הַנֶּאְזָר בִּגְבוּרָה בָּרָא בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד כָּל יֵשׁ וְכָל הוֹוֶה, וְחָפֵץ ה׳ לְהוֹדִיעַ לִידִידָיו כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו, וְלֹא יִמְנַע טוֹב זֶה בִּשְׁבִיל הַשּׁוֹטִים הַטּוֹעִים. Know [that the answer is] that the Torah makes known and informs [us of] every hidden thing, and God wanted to make known 'the strength of his actions to his people' and make known to us the order of the creation and its manner, and that He - the Power, the Mighty, who is girded in strength - created everything that is and everything that exists, in one statement; and He wanted to make known to his close ones 'the strength of his deeds,' and did not prevent Himself from this good because of erring fools.
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ טַעַם אַחֵר שֶׁיְּחַיֵּב לְדַבֵּר כַּסֵּדֶר הָאָמוּר, וְהוּא שֶׁאִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר הַכָּתוּב כַּסֵּדֶר הַחֲפֵצִים בּוֹ הַסְּכָלִים, וְהוּא שֶׁיֹּאמַר כִּי בָּרָא אֶרֶץ וּבָרָא מַיִם וְכוּ׳, הָיָה בְּנִשְׁמָע כִּי בְּרָאָם כָּל אֶחָד בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, וְאַחַר הָאֱמֶת לֹא כֵן הוּא. וַהֲלֹא יָדַעְתָּ כִּי לֹא יַחְפֹּץ ה׳ בְּדוֹבֵר שְׁקָרִים וְלֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו, וְאֵיךְ יַתְחִיל רֹאשׁ דְּבָרָיו חָס וְשָׁלוֹם בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא כֵן הוּא? לָזֶה דִּבֵּר אֱמֶת אוֹפֶן הַבְּרִיאָה, כִּי יְשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי ה׳ וְצַדִּיקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם (הושע יד:י), לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְגַדֵּל לַבּוֹרֵא בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְיֹאמְרוּ לֵאלֹהִים מַה נּוֹרָא מַעֲשֶׂיךָ. And there is also another reason which obligates the thing to be according to the discussed order, and it is that if the verse had [gone according] to the order desired by the silly ones, and that is that it would state that He created land and He created water, etc., it would have sounded as if He created them each, on its own; and according to the truth, it is not like that. And didn't you know that God has no desire for 'the speaker of lies and it cannot be established in front of His eyes.' And how could the 'beginning of His words,' God forbid, begin with words that are not correct? For this [reason], He spoke truth[fully about] the manner of the creation; as 'straight are the paths of God and the righteous will walk upon them' to thank and magnify the Creator, may He be blessed, and they will say to God, 'how awesome are your deeds.'
וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר בְּרֵאשִׁית וְלֹא אָמַר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, ״כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ״ (תהלים קיא:ו), וְהוּא כִּי לְפִי מַה שֶׁהִקְדַּמְנוּ כִּי הַכֹּל בָּרָא בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד. דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם נַשְׂכִּיל כִּי מִי שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר כַּמָּה דְבָרִים בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד, גַּם בְּדִבּוּר לֹא יִצְטָרֵךְ לְהַקְדִּים אוֹת לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ. וּמֵעַתָּה כְּשֶׁאָמַר ה׳ תֵּיבַת שָׁמַיִם, לֹא קָדְמָה שִׁי״ן לְמֵ״ם וְלֹא מֵ״ם רִאשׁוֹנָה לְמֵ״ם אַחֲרוֹנָה, וְגַם אוֹתִיּוֹת כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר לֹא קָדְמָה הַתְחָלַת הַתֵּיבָה לְסוֹפָהּ, וְגַם בְּכָל אוֹת וָאוֹת אֵין לָהּ קְדַם תְּחִלָּתָהּ לְסוֹפָהּ. And He was exact to state 'In the beginning' and not to state 'At first' [in order to] 'tell the strength of His deeds to His people;' and that is, that according to what we wrote above - that He created everything with one statement - through that, we can deduce that One who can speak several statements all in one statement, also in one statement does not need to have one letter precede another. And from this, [we see] that when God said the word shamayim, He did not say the shin before the mem and not the first mem before the second mem; and also the letters of every single word, He did not have the beginning of the word precede its end; and also with each and every letter, He did not have its beginning [sound] precede its end.
וְאַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים אוֹתָנוּ אֶת כָּל זֹאת, אֵלֶּה הֵם הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹדִיעָנוּ ה׳ בְּתֵיבַת בְּרֵאשִׁית, פֵּרוּשׁ: הַכֹּל הוּא רֵאשִׁית, כִּי לֹא הָיְתָה בַּבְּרִיאָה חֵלֶק מְאוּחָר, אֶלָּא הַכֹּל הוּא רֵאשִׁית, וְהָבֵן: And after God made known all of this to us, [we understand that] these are the things that God made known to us with the word, 'In the beginning,' the meaning [of which] is [that] everything is the beginning, since there was no later part of the creation, but [rather] everything was the beginning; and understand [this].
וְטַעַם הָאָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר לִבְרֹא בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, מִלְּבַד הַטַּעַם שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁרָצָה לְהוֹדִיעַ חֵלֶק מִגְּבוּרוֹתָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, עוֹד תִּמְצָא כִּי כְּשֶׁיְּדַבֵּר יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּגְבוּרוֹת שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינָה הַמִּתְיַחֶסֶת לְשֵׁם אֱלֹהִים מִן הַשֵּׁם, הוּא לִהְיוֹת הַדְּבָרִים נִדְבָּרִים כְּסֵדֶר זֶה. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁרָמְזוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מכות כד.) בְּנוֹעַם דִּבְרֵיהֶם, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״אָנֹכִי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה שְׁמַעְנוּם״ עַד כָּאן. נִתְכַּוְּנוּ לוֹמַר בְּמֶתֶק לְשׁוֹנָם הַדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים מִבְּחִינָה זוֹ שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהִים הַמִּתְיַחֶסֶת לִגְבוּרָה תְּדַבֵּר כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים יַחַד, וְלָאו דַּוְקָא אָנֹכִי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה אָמַר בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד, אֶלָּא כָּל הָעֲשָׂרָה הַדִּבְּרוֹת כָּאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (מכילתא יתרו), אֶלָּא הַמּוּשָּׂג אֶצְלֵנוּ הוּא ב׳ מֵהֶם. וְעַיֵּן מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ (שמות כ:א). וְהִנֵּה בְּרִיאַת מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית נִבְרָא בְּשֵׁם אֱלֹהִים, דִּכְתִיב ״בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים״ לְסִבּוֹת הַרְבֵּה, לָזֶה דִּבֵּר כְּדַרְכּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ דְּבָרִים עֲצוּמִים וְנוֹרָאִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ. And the reason that the Master chose to create [the world] in this way [is that] - besides the reason that we stated, that He wanted to make known part of His, may He be blessed, great deeds - you will also find that when He, may He be blessed, speaks with strengths, which is the aspect that relates to the name Elohim, it is [appropriate] for the words to be spoken in this way (all together). And you will find that they, of blessed memory hinted to this (Makkot 24a) in their pleasant words, and this is what they said, "'I am' (the first commandment) and 'There shall not be' (the second commandment) were heard from the Strength;" [with this] they intended to say, in their sweet language, that the words that were heard in this aspect [of strength] - which is Elohim, which relates to strength - will speak like these words, many words together. And not specifically 'I am' and 'There shall not be,' but rather all of the Ten Commandments, [were spoken this way] as they have have stated in their words in another place (Mekhilta, Yitro); and behold, the creation from the creation story was created with the name Elohim for many reasons, and as a result He spoke in His way, may He be blessed, (according to this attribute) great and awesome words as we have written.
וּבְדֶרֶךְ דְּרָשׁ יִתְבָּאֵר תֵּיבַת בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהילים ל״ג:ו׳): ״בִּדְבַר ה׳ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם״. וְיֵשׁ לְךָ לָדַעַת כִּי יִתְעַלֶּה שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ לֹא בָּרָא הַמַּלְאָכִים עַד יוֹם ב׳ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִטְעוּ הַטּוֹעִים כִּי הָיוּ מְסַיְּעִים אוֹתוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית. וּלְדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה א׳) יֵשׁ לָנוּ לְהָעִיר אֵיךְ יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר שֶׁהַמַּלְאָכִים נִבְרָאִים מְאוּחָרִים, הֲלֹא לְפִי מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם״, כִּי צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם נִבְרְאוּ מֵרוּחַ שֶׁיָּצָא מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן כִּבְיָכוֹל, אִם כֵּן בְּהֶכְרֵחַ לְפִי הַמּוּרְגָּשׁ הַמַּלְאָכִים יִבָּרְאוּ קוֹדֶם שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, כִּי הָרוּחַ יַקְדִּים לָצֵאת קוֹדֶם שֶׁיֵּצֵא הַדִּבּוּר, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ נִבְרְאוּ מֵהַדִּבּוּר הֲרֵי כְּבָר קָדַם הָרוּחַ שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יָצְאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים. לָזֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ כִּי ה׳ הִקְדִּים הַמְאוּחָר שֶׁהוּא הַדִּבּוּר לָרוּחַ, הֵפֶךְ הַיָּדוּעַ אֶצְלֵנוּ בְּטֶבַע הַדִּבּוּר, וּבָרָא שָׁמַיִם תְּחִלָּה וְהָפַךְ הַסֵּדֶר וְעָשָׂה רֵאשִׁית דִּבּוּר לָרוּחַ, לַטַּעַם הָאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם), וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים עוֹזְרִים וּמוֹתְחִים עִמּוֹ שָׁמַיִם וְכוּ׳. וּמוֹדִיעֵנוּ הַכָּתוּב כִּי הָאָדוֹן בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יֻקַּח אֵלָיו שִׁעוּר מֵהַנִּבְרָאִים, שֶׁהַנִּבְרָאִים אֵינָם יְכוֹלִין לְהַפֵּךְ הַסֵּדֶר הַמֻּטְבָּע בָּהֶם בְּעֵת הַבְּרִיאָה, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן הַבּוֹרֵא בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָכוֹל הוּא לְדַבֵּר בְּדֶרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ. וְלָזֶה תִּמְצָא שֶׁדִּיֵּק הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ ״בִּדְבַר ה׳ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ״ שֶׁהִקְדִּים בְּרִיאַת שָׁמַיִם שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מֵהַדִּבּוּר, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר ״וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם״. And in the way of midrashic (homiletic) interpretation, the word, 'In the beginning' is explained in the way of what the verse states (Psalms 33:6), "By the word of God, were the heavens made and by the breath of His mouth, all the hosts." And you should know that, may the name of our God be elevated, He did not create the angels until the second day in order that those in error should not err [and think] that they helped Him in the creation of the world. And as to the [Sages'] words (Bereishit Rabbah 1:3), of blessed memory, we need to elucidate how is it possible to say that the angels were created later; is it not that according to what the verse stated, "and by the breath of His mouth, all the hosts," that hosts of the sky were created from the breath that came from the mouth of the Highest, (as if it were possible [to say this]); if so, perforce, according to our [very] senses, the angels were created before the heavens and the earth; since the breath came out before the word [of God], and since the heavens and the earth were created from the word, behold the breath - from which the angels were created - already preceded it. And for this reason, the verse states, "In the beginning, created etc.;" the explanation [of which] is that God had the later - which is the speech - precede the breath; [which is] the opposite of what is known to us about the nature of speech. And he created the heavens first and reversed the order and made speech first to breath; for the reason stated in their words, of blessed memory (Ibid.), and that is that [people] should not say that the angels helped and stretched out the heavens with Him, etc. And the verse informs us that the Master, blessed be He, does not take His lessons from the creations, as the creations are not able to reverse the order implanted within them from the time of the creation; which is not the case with the Creator, blessed be He, [who] can speak in the manner that He wants. And for this reason, you will find that the verse was precise in stating, "By the word of God, were the heavens made," which has the creation of the heavens - which were created from the word - precede, and afterwards, it stated "and by the breath of His mouth, all its hosts."
וּמֵעַתָּה שִׁעוּר פֵּרוּשׁ תֵּבַת בְּרֵאשִׁית הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, כִּי לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּדִּבּוּר ב׳ דְּבָרִים: הָרוּחַ וְהַדִּבּוּר עַצְמוֹ, וְכָל אֶחָד בָּרָא מִמֶּנּוּ ה׳ בְּרִיאָה חֲדָשָׁה, וְאֵין אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי קָדַם מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם – אִם הָרוּחַ אִם הַדִּבּוּר, לָזֶה אָמַר כִּי רֵאשִׁית הָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וּמִמּוֹצָא דָבָר אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ כִּי הַדִּבּוּר הָיָה רֵאשִׁית לָרוּחַ שֶׁיָּצָא מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן. And from here, the structure of the explanation of the word, "In the beginning" is as follows: given that there are two things [involved] in speech, breath and speech itself, and from each of them did God create a new creation and I [would] not know which one of the two was first, whether the breath or the speech; for this [reason], it states that first was the act of the heavens and the earth; and from the derivation of the matter, you know that the speech was first to the breath that came from the mouth of the Highest.
עוֹד יֵשׁ לָנוּ לְהָבִין שִׁינּוּי שֶׁבֵּין ב׳ הַכְּתוּבִים: בְּפָסוּק זֶה לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית ב:ד) ״בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם״ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר ב׳ שֵׁמוֹת. וְעוֹד, כִּי כָּאן הִקְדִּים שָׁמַיִם לָאָרֶץ, וְשָׁם הִקְדִּים אֶרֶץ לַשָּׁמַיִם. We must still understand the difference between the two verses; in this verse, it only says the name Elohim (God) and in another verse, it says (Genesis 2:4), "on the day the Lord, God, made the heavens and the earth," [thereby] mentioning two names. And [we] also [need to understand why] here 'heavens' precedes 'earth' and there, 'earth' precedes 'heavens.'
וְנִרְאֶה כִּי ב׳ קֻשְׁיוֹת אֵלּוּ כָּל אַחַת מְתָרֶצֶת חֲבֶרְתָּהּ, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה לא.) בִּב׳ מִקְרָאוֹת הַכְּתוּבִים בְּתַשְׁלוּם שְׂכַר הַצַּדִּיקִים: כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר (שמות כ:ו): ״וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לַאֲלָפִים״, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר (דברים ז:ט): ״לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר״. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה כִּי מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״לַאֲלָפִים״ – לְאוֹהֲבָיו בִּלְבַד, וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר גַּם לְשׁוֹמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו שֶׁהֵם הָעוֹשִׂים מִיִּרְאָה, כִּי אוֹתָם בְּפָסוּק אַחֵר הוּזְכַּר שֶׁהֵם אֶלֶף דּוֹר. גַּם פָּסוּק שֶׁאָמַר ״לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר״ אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר אָמְרוֹ ״לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר״, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו הַנִּסְמֶכֶת לָהּ וְלֹא לְתֵבַת ״אוֹהֲבָיו״ הַקּוֹדֶמֶת, כִּי אוֹתָם הִנֵּה שְׂכָרָם אִתָּם בְּפָסוּק אַחֵר שֶׁהוּא ״לַאֲלָפִים״. And it appears that these two questions answer each other. And this is according to the way that they, of blessed memory, explained (Sotah 31a) about two verses that are written about the reward of the righteous: one verse states (Exodus 20:6), "and does kindness to thousands" and another verse states (Deuteronomy 7:9), "to His loved ones and to those who keep His commandments, for a thousand generations." And they, of blessed memory, said that that which one verse stated "to thousands" is referring to "His loved ones" only, and does not also refer to "those who keep His commandments" - who are those that do it out of fear - because it is mentioned that they will be a thousand generations in another verse. Also the verse that states, "to His loved ones and to those who keep His commandments, for a thousand generations;" refers only to "those that keep His commandments" - which is adjacent to it - [when] it states, "for a thousand generations," and not to the word, "His loved ones," which precedes ["those who keep His commandments"]; since behold, their reward is with them in another verse, which is the one [that states] "for thousands." ...
גַּם אֲנַחְנוּ נְפָרֵשׁ ב׳ מִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם – שֵׁם זֶה שֶׁל אֱלֹקִים פֵּרוּשׁ מִדָּה זוֹ שֶׁל הַדִּין בְּלֹא שִׁתּוּף שֵׁם הָרַחֲמִים, זֶה הוּא דַּוְקָא לְמַה שֶׁנּוֹגֵעַ לְהַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר לְאָמְרוֹ ״וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ״, כִּי הָאָרֶץ בְּרָאָהּ בְּשִׁתּוּף שֵׁם הָרַחֲמִים, וְעַל כָּתוּב אַחֵר סוֹמֵךְ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ (בראשית ב:ד): ״בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ״, כִּי אֵין עוֹלָם בְּנֵי אָדָם יָכוֹל לְהִתְקַיֵּם בְּדִין גָּמוּר בְּלֹא שִׁתּוּף רַחֲמִים, לְצַד שֶׁהֵם מֵחֹמֶר כַּיָּדוּעַ. וְאָמְרוֹ ״וְשָׁמָיִם״ אֵינָהּ נִמְשֶׁכֶת עִם הָאָרֶץ בִּבְחִינָה זוֹ שֶׁל הַשִּׁתּוּף, וְאֹפֶן מַעֲשֶׂיהָ הֲלֹא הֵם כְּתוּבִים בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית. וּבָזֶה נִתְיַשְּׁבוּ ב׳ הַדִּקְדּוּקִים כְּמִין חֹמֶר, וְעִנְיַן יְדִיעַת מִי קָדַם, הִנֵּה כָּתַבְנוּ לְמַעְלָה שֶׁכָּל הַבְּרִיאָה יַחַד נִבְרְאָה בִּגְבוּרָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. We will also explain these two verses in this way: "In the beginning, Elohim (God) created the heavens;" this name of Elohim - the meaning of which is this attribute of [strict] justice - without the combination of the name of mercy (the Lord), this is only going on what is connected to the heavens, and does not refer to its stating [in the same verse], "the earth;" since He created the earth with the combination of the name of mercy; and [the Torah relied on a different verse [to convey this information]; and that was its stating, "on the day the Lord, God made... the earth;" since the world of people is not able to exist with exact justice, without the combination of mercy, given that they are physical, as is known; and its stating "and the heavens" does not go together with the earth, in this aspect of combination; and the way of its functions, are they not [already] written in the section on creation? And through this are both precise observations resolved, 'like a precious chain.' And as to the matter of knowing which came first, behold we have written above that all of the creation was created together, in His, may He be blessed, strength. ...
וְלֹא יִקְשֶׁה לְךָ מַה מִשְׁפָּט יַעֲרֹךְ ה׳ לִבְנֵי אֵלִים יוֹשְׁבֵי שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁיֻּצְדַּק לוֹמַר עֲלֵיהֶם שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים. הֲלֹא תִּמְצָא שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה טו.) בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מטטרו״ן שֶׁדָּנוּהוּ לִפְנֵי אֱלִישָׁע וּמַחְיוּהוּ שִׁתִּין פּוּלְסֵי דְּנוּרָא, וְגַם אֵלִיָּהוּ וְכוּ׳ (בבא מציעא פה:), וְכַמָּה מִשְׁפָּטִים לְשָׂרֵי מַעְלָה. וַהֲגַם שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם יֵצֶר, עִם כָּל זֶה יִמָּצֵא בָּהֶם הַטָּעוּת, כִּי לִפְעָמִים לֹא יְכַוְּנוּ אֶל הָאֱמֶת וְיִשְׁגּוּ. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂה הַמַּלְאָךְ מטטרו״ן וְאֵלִיָּהוּ כִּי שָׁגְגוּ, וְכֵן יִקֶר מִקְרֶה וְיַעֲנִישֵׁם ה׳ אֲפִלּוּ עַל הַשּׁוֹגֵג, מַה שֶׁאֵין שׁוֹפֵט בְּמִשְׁפָּט זֶה לְיוֹשְׁבֵי אָרֶץ. וּבָזֶה יִתְאַמֵּת מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ, וְנָכוֹן. And let it not be difficult to you, what type of justice does God mete out to the 'children of power,' who dwell in the skies [the supernal angels], that justify using the name Elohim for them; do you not find that they, of blessed memory, stated (Chagigah 15a) in the story of Metatron, that they judged him in front of Elisha and struck him with sixty bolts of fire, and also Eliyahu, etc. (Bava Metzia 85b) and how many judgments are there of the ministers above! And even thought they do not have an [evil] impulse, nonetheless, mistakes are found among them; since sometimes they do not understand the truth and err. And go and learn from the story of the angel, Metatron and Eliyahu, since they erred; and so it happens that they err and God punishes them, even on unwitting sin, which He does not prosecute for the dwellers of the earth, and with this is confirmed what we wrote [above] and this is true.
וַהֲגַם כִּי מָצִינוּ לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה א׳) שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁוּ בִּב׳ הַדִּקְדּוּקִים שֶׁבַּכְּתוּבִים, וְתֵרְצוּ כִּי טַעַם שֶׁבְּפָסוּק א׳ הִקְדִּים שָׁמַיִם וּבְאֶחָד הִקְדִּים אֶרֶץ, כִּי נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם יָצְאוּ כְּאֶחָד, וְטַעַם שֶׁבְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד אָמַר אֱלֹהִים וּבְמָקוֹם אֶחָד שִׁתֵּף שֵׁם הָרַחֲמִים, אָמְרוּ (בראשית רבה י״ב) כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה עָלָה עַל דַּעְתּוֹ לִבְרֹא בְּשֵׁם אֱלֹהִים, וְרָאָה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לְהִתְקַיֵּם שִׁתֵּף וְכוּ׳: And even if we have found that the Rabbis, of blessed memory, (Bereishit Rabbah 1) noticed these two [differences] in the verses and answered that the reason that in one verse the heavens is first and in one the earth is first is that it intends to [tell us] that both came out as one [together], and the reason that in one place it states Elohim (God) and in another place it combines it with the name of mercy (the Lord), [about this] they stated (Bereishit Rabbah 12:15) that in the beginning, it went up in His thought to create [the world] with the name Elohim and [when] He saw that the world would not be able to exist [that way], He combined, etc;
דַּע כִּי רְשׁוּת לָנוּ נְתוּנָה לְפָרֵשׁ מַשְׁמָעוּת הַכְּתוּבִים בִּנְתִיבוֹת הָעִיּוּן וְיִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת, הֲגַם שֶׁקָּדְמוּנוּ רִאשׁוֹנִים וְיִשְּׁבוּ בְּאֹפֶן אַחֵר, כִּי שִׁבְעִים פָּנִים לַתּוֹרָה, וְאֵין אָנוּ מֻזְהָרִים שֶׁלֹּא לִנְטוֹת מִדִּבְרֵי הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אֶלָּא בְּפֵרוּשִׁים שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּנֶּה הַדִּין לְפִיהֶן. וְלָזֶה תִּמְצָא שֶׁהָאָמוֹרָאִים אֵין כֹּחַ בָּהֶם לַחְלוֹק עַל הַתַּנָּאִים בְּמִשְׁפְּטֵי ה׳, אֲבָל בְּיִשּׁוּב הַכְּתוּבִים וּבְמַשְׁמָעוּתָן מָצִינוּ לָהֶם בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁיְּפָרְשׁוּ בְּאֹפֶן אַחֵר. [nonetheless,] you should know that permission is given to explain the meaning of the verses by the ways of investigation and logic, even if the first [scholars of the Mishnaic period] came before us and made a different sense of it, since there are 'seventy faces to the Torah.' And we are not warned not to deviate from the words of the first ones, except with explanations that would result in a change in the law. And for this [reason], you will find that the Amoraim (scholars of the Talmudic period who came later) do not have the power to disagree with Tannaim (scholars of the Mishnaic period) concerning the 'statutes of God,' but concerning the sense and meaning of the verses, we have found that they explain [it] in a different way in several places.
שׁוּב הִצַּצְתִּי בְּשִׂכְלִיּוּת הָעִיּוּן הַכְּתוּבִים כִּי יִסְבְּלוּ דְּבָרֵינוּ גַּם דִּבְרֵי קַדְמוֹנֵינוּ עֲלֵיהֶם הַשָּׁלוֹם. וְקוֹדֶם נַשְׂכִּיל לָדַעַת אֵיךְ יֻצְדַּק בְּהָאָדוֹן בָּרוּךְ הוּא רֹאשׁ וָסוֹף בְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ, שֶׁבִּתְחִלָּה חָשַׁב בְּדִין, וְחָזַר לְשַׁתֵּף, כִּי הָאָדוֹן בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יִבָּצֵר מִמֶּנּוּ מְזִמָּה בִּמְעַט זְמַן וּבְפָחוֹת מֵהֶרֶף עַיִן יֵדַע הַכֹּל וִיכַוֵּן אֶל הָאֱמֶת בְּהַשְׁקָפָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, כִּבְיָכוֹל, בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ. [Yet] I looked again at [a] reasoned investigation of the verses [and found] that our words would also allow for the words of those that came before us, peace be upon them. But first, let us reason to [understand] how it is justified to [attribute to] the Master, may He be blessed, a beginning and end to His thought - that at first, He thought [to create the world] with justice and [then] went back to combine [it with mercy] - since the Master, may He be blessed, 'is not prevented from plotting' because of [too] little time; and in less than the wink of an eye, He knows everything, and plans correctly at first glance, as if it were possible [to say this about Him], may He be blessed and may His name be blessed. ...
אָכֵן דַּע כִּי כַּוָּנַת שִׁתּוּף הָרַחֲמִים תִּסְבּוֹל ב׳ עִנְיָנִים: הָא׳ כִּי ה׳ יְרַחֵם לִפְעָמִים לְמִי שֶׁיַּחְפּוֹץ לְרַחֵם מִבְּלִי הֲבִיאוֹ בַּמִּשְׁפָּט, כִּי זוֹ הִיא מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים לִמְחוֹל וְלִסְלוֹחַ. וְשֵׁם אֱלֹקִים גַּם כֵּן לְמִי שֶׁלֹּא יִרְצֶה לִמְחוֹל יְבִיאֵהוּ בַּמִּשְׁפָּט, וּכְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא בַּמִּשְׁפָּט. וְדֶרֶךְ ב׳ הוּא כִּי לְעוֹלָם אֵין ה׳ מְוַתֵּר לְשׁוּם אָדָם בָּעוֹלָם, וְכָל הָעוֹלָם יַעַמְדוּ לַמִּשְׁפָּט אֵין נִמְלָט. וְיֵשׁ לְךָ לָדַעַת אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא קמא נ.) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״כָּל הָאוֹמֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וַתְרָן, יִוַּתְּרוּ בְּנֵי מֵעָיו, אֶלָּא בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ וְאֵין אָדָם נִמְלָט מִן הַדִּין״. וּכְפִי זֶה הִנֵּה בֵּרַרְנוּ לָנוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַב׳. Hence, know that the intent of [what is meant by] the combination of mercy bears two [possibilities]: the first is that sometimes God is merciful to whom He wants to be merciful to, without bringing him to justice, since this is the attribute of mercy - to excuse and to forgive - and the name, Elohim also [can be explained in this way, that it is applied] to someone whom He does not want to excuse, He brings to justice, and according to this, there will be a person who is not brought to justice; and the second way is that God never yields to any person in the world, and the whole world is judged - there is no escape, and you should know that they, of blessed memory, said (Bava Kamma 50a) and these are their words, "whoever says that the Holy One, blessed be He, is a yielder, [that person's] intestines will be yielded," but [rather] the earth will stand in judgment and no man will escape from justice.
וּמֵעַתָּה אֹפֶן הַבְּרִיאָה לְפִי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: בִּתְחִלָּה בָּרָא בְּמִדַּת אֱלֹהִים שֶׁהוּא יִחוּס הַמִּשְׁפָּט, וְכָךְ הוּא הַתַּכְלִית שֶׁעָמַד הַכֹּל בְּדִין. אֶלָּא שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁאוֹתוֹ הַדִּין לֹא יוּכַל הָעוֹלָם עֲמוֹד בּוֹ, שִׁתֵּף עִמּוֹ מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים. פֵּרוּשׁ: לֹא שֶׁחָזַר בּוֹ מִמַּחְשָׁבָה רִאשׁוֹנָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֶלָּא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַמִּשְׁפָּט בְּדֶרֶךְ רַחֲמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתֹּאמַר שֶׁלֹּא לִיפָּרַע מֵהָאָדָם עָנְשׁוֹ כְּאַחַת, גַּם שֶׁלֹּא לִיפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד בְּלֹא הַאֲרָכַת זְמַן, וּלְעוֹלָם אֵין לָאָדָם אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ אֵלָיו בְּמִשְׁפָּט, וְהוּא אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ירושלמי שקלים פרק ה) ״מַאֲרִיךְ אַפֵּיהּ וְגָבֵי דִּילֵיהּ״. And behold according to this, we have chosen the second way, and from here, [we see] that the way of the creation, according to their words, may their memory be a blessing, is as follows: at first, He created with the attribute of Elohim - which relates to justice - and this was the plan, that all should stand in justice, except that He saw that the world cannot [survive with] such justice, so He combined the trait of mercy with it, the explanation [of which] is not that He went back on his original thought, God forbid, but [rather] that He made judgment [operate] in a merciful fashion, as you would say 'that He not pay back a person all at once, and that He not give the person his punishment right away and immediately, without giving it time.' And a person never gets what he doesn't deserve in justice, and that is what they, of blessed memory, said (Yerushalmi, Shekalim 5:1), "He is patient, but collects what is His."
נִמְצֵאתָ אוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא חָזַר בּוֹ מִמַּחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ, כִּי לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁקָּדַם בְּמַחְשֶׁבֶת ה׳ שֶׁלֹּא לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּמִשְׁפָּט בְּסֵדֶר זֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִפְרָע בְּרַחֲמִים. וּלְפִי זֶה בְּהֶכְרֵחַ שֶׁיֹּאמַר הַכָּתוּב כַּסֵּדֶר הָאָמוּר, שֶׁאִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר ״בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא ה׳ אֱלֹהִים״ הָיְתָה הַסְּבָרָא נוֹתֶנֶת כִּי יֵשׁ מִשְׁפָּט וְאֵין מִשְׁפָּט גַּם כֵּן לְצַד הָרַחֲמִים, כִּי לֹא הֶחְלִיט ה׳ מִשְׁפָּט לְבַדּוֹ. וּמֵאָמְרוֹ ״בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים״ לְבַד הֲרֵי הֶחְלִיט כִּי אֵין דָּבָר בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט, וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב אַחַר כָּךְ ״ה׳ אֱלֹהִים״ תִּתְפָּרֵשׁ עַל אֲמִתָּתָהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּהָ, שֶׁהַמִּשְׁפָּט עַל כָּל פָּנִים יִהְיֶה אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַפֵּרָעוֹן בְּדֶרֶךְ רַחְמָנוּת. וְסָמַךְ עָלֶיהָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁנַּכְרִיחַ לְפָרֵשׁ עַל זֶה הָאוֹפֶן, לִהְיוֹת דָּבָר יָדוּעַ מוּחְזָק בְּיָדֵינוּ כִּי יְדִיעַת ה׳ לֹא תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כִּבְיָכוֹל. It comes out that you say that He did not go back from His [original] thought, since we didn't find that it was the first thought of God not to administer justice in this way, [meaning] that it be meted out with mercy. And, according to this, it is necessary for the verse to be stated in this order; since had the verse stated, "In the beginning, the Lord, God, created," there would have been reason to say that there is justice, and also that there is not justice [when there is] mercy, since God did not decide to institute justice only. But since He stated God (Elohim) by itself, behold, [it shows] that He decided that there is nothing that exists without justice. And even if the verse afterwards states, "the Lord, God," it will truthfully be explained as we have explained it; that justice will exist regardless but that it will be exacted mercifully. And the verse relied upon us, that we would be forced to understand it in this manner, [so] that it become something known and held in our hands that the knowledge of God is not something that reverses itself, as if it were possible.
וְאַחַר שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ כַּוָּנַת רַזַ״ל גַּם אַחַר דִּבְרֵיהֶם יֵשׁ מוֹשָׁב לִדְבָרֵינוּ, כִּי מִדָּה זוֹ שֶׁל הַשִּׁתּוּף שֶׁהֵכִין ה׳ לְיוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל לְהַאֲרִיךְ אַפּוֹ וְלִגְבּוֹת מְעַט מְעַט בְּנִכּוּי, לֹא יִתְנַהֵג ה׳ כֵּן אֶלָּא עִמָּנוּ וְלֹא עִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים יוֹשְׁבֵי שָׁמַיִם, אֶלָּא תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד יְשַׁלֵּם לַמִּתְחַיֵּב חִיּוּבוֹ כְּאַחַת, גַּם לֹא יוֹעִיל לָהֶם הַחֲרָטָה וְהַוִּדּוּי וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה וְלֹא טַעֲנַת הַשְּׁגָגָה. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּעֲשֶׂה הוּבָא בַּשַּׁ״ס (חגיגה טו.) בְּד׳ שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לַפַּרְדֵּס שֶׁהֶעֱנִישׁוּ הַמַּלְאָךְ הַיּוֹשֵׁב בִּרְשׁוּת הַמֶּלֶךְ יִתְעַלֶּה שְׁמוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָמַד מִפְּנֵי אֱלִישָׁע כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִטְעֶה בְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ, וְזֹאת לַמַּלְאָךְ שְׁגָגָה, גַּם לֹא הוּזְהַר עָלֶיהָ, וְכֵן לֹא יִשְׁפֹּט הַשּׁוֹפֵט לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּיָּדוּעַ מִמִּשְׁפְּטֵי תּוֹרָתוֹ שֶׁתִּתְעַלֶּה: And after we have explained the intention of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, there is a basis for our words even in their words: since this attribute of combination that God set up for the dwellers of the earth, to be slow of anger and to collect [His due] a little at a time; He did not administer [His justice] like this except with us but not with the higher ones, that dwell in the heavens; but [rather, with them,] He pays back the guilt of the guilty right away and immediately. Also regret and confession and repentance, as well as the claim of error is not effective for them. And go and learn form the story that is brought down in the Talmud (Chagigah 15a) about the four that went into the orchard, in which an angel who was sitting with permission of the King, may His name be exalted, may He be blessed, was punished for not getting up in front of [Rabbi] Elisha in order that [the latter] not make a mistake in his thinking. And this is [only] an error for the angel, and he was also not warned about it; and the Judge would not judge His people Israel like this, as is known from the statutes of His Torah, let it be exalted.
עוֹד רָמַז בְּהַקְדָּמַת שָׁמַיִם לָאָרֶץ לְהַרְאוֹת כִּי לֹא כְּמִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם: מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם בּוֹנֶה הַבַּיִת וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָעֲלִיָּה עַל גַּבָּיו, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִקְדִּים הָעֲלִיָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַבַּיִת, לְהַרְאוֹת כִּי הַשָּׁמַיִם תְּלוּיִים וְעוֹמְדִים הֵם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ: There is another hint in having the heavens precede the earth: to show that the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the way of flesh and blood. The way of flesh and blood is [to] build the house first and then the attic on top of it, but the Holy One, blessed be He, had the attic precede and afterwards [built] the house, to show that the heavens are suspended and standing by His word, may He be blessed.
וְדֶרֶךְ רֶמֶז רַזַ״ל דָּרְשׁוּ (בראשית רבה א׳) תֵּיבַת בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן בָּרוּךְ הוּא לוֹמַר בִּשְׁבִיל תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת רֵאשִׁית, וּפֵרוּשׁ בֵּי״ת שֶׁל בְּרֵאשִׁית הִיא בֵּי״ת הַסִּבָּה. וּמֵעַתָּה מִי שֶׁזָּכָה בַּתּוֹרָה זָכָה בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם, וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא זָכָה בַּתּוֹרָה אֵין לוֹ לֵיהָנוֹת מִן הָעוֹלָם עַד מִדְרַךְ כַּף רֶגֶל, זוּלַת אִם יְשַׁמֵּשׁ הֶכְשֵׁר עֲמֵלֶיהָ. וְגַם אָמְרוּ (ויקרא רבה ל״ו) בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ רֵאשִׁית, דִּכְתִיב ״רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתֹה״ (ירמיהו ב:ג), וְאֵין מַאֲמָרָם זֶה מַכְחִישׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן, כִּי טַעַם עַצְמוֹ שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל רֵאשִׁית הוּא לְצַד קַבָּלָתָם הַתּוֹרָה, וּבָזֶה נִבְדְּלוּ לְשֵׁם וְלִתְהִלָּה מֵהָעַמִּים. וְגַם אָמְרוּ (בראשית רבה י״ב) בִּשְׁבִיל אַבְרָהָם וּבִשְׁבִיל יַעֲקֹב (ויקרא רבה ל״ו), וְהַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ לַטַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹן ״עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם״ וְגוֹ׳. גַּם אָמְרוּ (שבת לו:) בִּשְׁבִיל יִרְאָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת רֵאשִׁית, דִּכְתִיב (תהילים קי״א:י׳) ״רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה׳״, כִּי הוּא זֶה גַּם כֵּן יְסוֹד הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי אִם אֵין חָכְמָה אֵין יִרְאָה, וְאִם אֵין יִרְאַת ה׳ אֵין תּוֹרָה, כִּי הוּא אוֹצָר נֶחְמָד לַתּוֹרָה. And by way of hint, the Rabbis, of blessed memory, expounded (Bereishit Rabbah 1:4) [that by the] word bereishit (In the beginning), He, may He be blessed, intended to say, [that He created the world] for the sake of the Torah, which is called reishit; and the explanation of the [letter] bet (which is the first letter in bereishit) is that it is a bet [that indicates] causation. And from this [is implied that] anyone who merits [to know the] Torah, merits the whole world and anyone who does not merit [to know the] Torah should not benefit from this world - even for him to set foot on it - unless he provides assistance to those who toil in [the study of] Torah. And they also said (Vayikra Rabbah 36:4) [that He created the world] for the sake of Israel, which is called reishit, as it is written [about Israel] (Jeremiah 2:3), "reishit tevuato" ("the first of His produce"). And this statement does not contradict the first, since the very reason that Israel is called, first is from the angle that they accepted the Torah; and through this were they separated from the [other] nations for fame and praise. And they also said (Bereishit Rabbah 1:4), [that He created the world] for the sake of Avraham and (Vayikra Rabbah 36:4) for the sake of Ya'akov; and it all follows the first reason [for creating the world], 'because Avraham listened to my voice, etc.' They also said (Shabbat 36b) [that He created the world] for the sake of [the] awe [of God], which is called reishit, as it is written (Psalms 111:10), "reishit chocmah, yirat, etc." ("the beginning of wisdom is the awe of God, etc."); since it too is a fundamental principle of the Torah, since if there is no wisdom, there is no awe, and if there is no awe of God, there is no Torah, for [awe of God] is a beautiful storehouse for the Torah.
עוֹד תִּתְפָּרֵשׁ בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (משלי ח:ל) ״וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן״, וְדָרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה א): ״אַל תִּקְרֵי אָמוֹן אֶלָּא אוֹמֵן״, וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ שֶׁרָמַז הַכָּתוּב תְּחִלַּת דִּבֵּר ה׳ וְהוֹדִיעַ בְּרִיאַת עוֹלָם, הוֹדִיעַ בַּמֶּה בְּרָאָהּ, וְאָמַר בַּתּוֹרָה בְּרָאָהּ כִּי הִיא הָאוֹמֵן (אֵין זֶה סוֹתֵר לְפֵרוּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן כִּי הַתּוֹרָה הֵכִינָה עוֹלָם לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּמֵישָׁרִים), וּלְפִי זֶה גָּדְלָה מַעֲלַת בְּעָלֶיהָ שֶׁזּוֹכִים בַּכֹּל, וְלָזֶה יִהְיֶה הַדִּין לָהֶם שֶׁיִּקָּרְאוּ בּוֹנִים, וְהוּא אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קיד:): ״תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים נִקְרָאִים בּוֹנִים״, כִּי מַה שֶׁבְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְבָבָם הוּא הַבּוֹנֶה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ (ירמיהו לג:כה): ״אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי וְגוֹ׳ חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי״. Bereishit is also explained by way of [the Bible's] stating (Proverbs 8:30), "and I was a nursling (amon) with Him," and the Rabbis, of blessed memory, expounded (Bereishit Rabbah 1:1); "Don't read it as amon (nursling), but as uman (artist);" and this is exactly what the verse is hinting at in the beginning of God's word: informing [us about] the creation of the world, it informed [us about] that with which He created it and stated that He created it with the Torah, since it is the artist. (This does not contradict the first explanation, since the Torah prepares the world to walk on straight paths.) And according to this, the level of its 'owners' is magnified, since they merit everything; and for this, it is correct that they should be called 'builders;' and this is what they, of blessed memory, said (Shabbat 114a), that Torah scholars are called builders, since what is in their mouths and in their hearts is the builder. And this is [the sense] of what it stated (Jeremiah 33:25), "and were it not for my covenant etc, the law of the heavens and the earth I would not have set."
עוֹד תִּתְפָּרֵשׁ בֵּי״ת שֶׁל בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (הקדמת תיקוני זהר ה:), כִּי ב׳ אוֹפַנֵּי יִרְאַת ה׳ הֵם: הָאַחַת הִיא יִרְאַת הָעוֹנֶשׁ, וְהַב׳ הִיא יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת, וְזוֹ יִרְאָה פְּנִימִית וּמְעֻלָּה מֵהָא׳, וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז בָּאוֹת בֵּי״ת רֵאשִׁית כִּי ב׳ יִרְאוֹת הֵכִין ה׳ לְקִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם, וְרָמַז אוֹפֶן שְׁנֵיהֶם: הָא׳ רְמָזָהּ בְּתֵיבַת אֱלֹהִים כִּי הִיא יִרְאַת הַדִּין בְּקוּמוֹ לְמִשְׁפָּט, וְהַב׳ רְמָזָהּ בְּאָמְרוֹ אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהילים ח:ד) ״כִּי אֶרְאֶה שָׁמֶיךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זהר חלק א א:) כִּי יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת תִּכָּנֵס בְּלֵב מַשְׂכִּיל בְּהַבִּיטוֹ בְּהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּמַעֲשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, מַה גָּדְלוּ מַעֲשֵׂי ה׳, תִּתְלַהֵב הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְיִירָא מִגְּדֻלָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ. The [letter] bet of bereishit [can] also be explained by way of [that which] they, of blessed memory, said (Tikunei HaZohar 5b), that there are two types of awe of God: the first is fear of punishment; and the second is awe [before] His loftiness and this is a more inner and loftier awe than the first [one]. And this is what the letter bet that is first (bet reishit) hints: since God established two types of awe for the survival of the world, and he hinted to the manner of them both; the first one was hinted by the word, Elohim, since it is the fear of judgment when He rises to [establish] justice; and the second one was hinted by its stating, "the heavens and the earth" - and that is by way of its stating (Psalms 8:4), "When I look at your heavens, etc," and they, of blessed memory, said [about this] (Zohar 1:1) that the awe of [His] loftiness enters the heart of an intelligent person when he meditatively glances at the work of the heavens and the earth, [and then proclaims,] 'how great are Your deeds, Lord,' [and] his soul becomes enthused and he is inawed by His greatness, may His name be blessed.
אוֹ יִרְמֹז ב׳ אָפְנֵי הַיִּרְאָה: אַחַת בְּאָמְרוֹ הַשָּׁמַיִם, כָּאן רָמַז יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ ״כִּי אֶרְאֶה שָׁמֶיךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, וְיִרְאָה ב׳ וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהִיא יִרְאַת הָעֹנֶשׁ, וְיִחֲסָהּ לָאָרֶץ לִשְׁלֹל כִּי אֵינָהּ לְצַד הָרוֹמְמוּת אֶלָּא לְצַד אֵימָתוֹ מִיַּלְדֵי הָעוֹלָם, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (איוב כ:כז) ״וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ״. [Alternatively,] the two types of awe are hinted to [in the following way: one, in its stating "the heavens" here, is hinting to the awe of [His] loftiness, by way of its stating "When I look at your heavens, etc;" and the second awe, by stating "and the earth," which is the fear of punishment; and it is negatively attributed to the earth, since it is not from the angle of [His] loftiness, but rather from the angle of [man's] fear from the children of the world, by way of its stating (Job 20:27), "and the earth will rise against him."
עוֹד יִרְמוֹז בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (ישעיהו ל״ג:ו׳) ״יִרְאַת ה׳ הִיא אוֹצָרוֹ״, הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא כִּי מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת ה׳ הִיא אוֹצָר לְתִקְוַת הַלְּבָבוֹת שֶׁהוּא דְּבֵקוּת אוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם, כְּאָמְרוֹ (דברים ד׳:ד׳) ״וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים״ וְגוֹ׳, וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם הוּא מִשְׁכַּן הַשְּׁכִינָה, כְּאָמְרוֹ (תהילים ע״ח:ס׳) ״אֹהֶל שִׁכֵּן בָּאָדָם״. וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז בְּתֵבַת ״בְּרֵאשִׁית״ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: בֵּי״ת פֵּרוּשׁ בֵּית מוֹשַׁב אֱלֹהִים, הִיא הַיִּרְאָה הָרְמוּזָה בְּתֵבַת רֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא ה׳ וְהֵכִין פָּעֳלוֹ. Bereishit also hints, by way of [the Bible's] stating (Isaiah 33:6), "the awe of the Lord is His treasure;" the intention [of which] is that one who has the awe of God, [for him] it is a treasure for the hope of hearts, which is the clinging of His light, may He be blessed, to the soul of man, by way of its stating (Deuteronomy 4:4), "And you who cling, etc." And anyone who has the fear of Heaven is an abode for [His] Presence, as it states it (Psalms 78:60), "a tent which dwelt with Man." And it is hinted by the word, Bereishit, in the following way: the explanation of bet [which can also be read as bayit (house)] is that a house of repose for God is awe - which is hinted to by the word reishit - "God created" and set up His work.
עוֹד תִּתְפָּרֵשׁ בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ויקרא רבה ל״ה:ה): הַסֵּפֶר וְהַסַּיִף יָרְדוּ כְּרוּכִים וְכוּ׳, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים – פֵּרוּשׁ: עִם רֵאשִׁית שֶׁהִיא הַתּוֹרָה בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, פֵּרוּשׁ הַדִּין שֶׁהוּא רֶמֶז הַסַּיִף. Bereishit is also explained by way of the [Sages], may they be blessed, saying (Vayikra Rabbah 35:6), "And the book and the sword came down entwined, etc." and this is what it is saying, "Bereishit created Elohim," the meaning [of which] is that with the reishit - which is the Torah - He created Elohim, the meaning [of which] is [strict] justice, which hints to the sword.
עוֹד תִּתְפָּרֵשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (מלכים א׳ י״ח:לט) ״ה׳ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים״, וְהַכַּוָּנָה הִיא שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁשֵּׁם אֱלֹהִים יִתְיַחֵס אֶל הַדִּין, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן רַחֲמִים הוּא, וְכָל שְׁמוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְטוֹבָה יְכַוְּנוּ יַחַד לְהֵיטִיב וּלְהִתְחַסֵּד. אֶלָּא דִּלְצַד מַעֲשֵׂה הָאַחֲרוֹנִים יָצָא הַדִּין לְיַסֵּר לְמִי שֶׁרָאוּי לְיַסֵּר, וְזוּלַת זֶה גַּם שֵׁם אֱלֹקִים מִדָּתוֹ לְהֵיטִיב. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, כִּי שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים הֵטִיב וּבָרָא עוֹלָם לָחוֹן וּלְרַחֵם וּלְהֵיטִיב לְשׁוֹכְנֵי שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְאֵין לְךָ רַחֲמִים גְּדוֹלִים מִזֶּה. וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (בראשית כז:כח) ״וְיִתֶּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים״, הֲרֵי שֶׁגַּם שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים יֵיטִיב לַטּוֹבִים בְּתוֹרַת מַתְּנַת חִנָּם, אֶלָּא שֶׁעוֹשֵׂי רִשְׁעָה יְסוֹבְבוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים מוּסָר, וְלֶעָתִיד לָבֹא הַמְקֻוֶּה כֵּן יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד. It is also explained by way of that which the verse states (I Kings 18:39), "The Lord is God;" and the intention [of this] is that even if the name Elohim relates to [strict] justice, nonetheless it is [indicative of] mercy. And all of the names of the Holy One, blessed be He, intend, for the good, together to do good and to do kindness; but from the angle of the acts of the backward ones, judgment came out to chastise whoever is fitting to be chastised. And besides this, the attribute of the name, Elohim, is also to do good. And this is what it is saying, "In the beginning, created Elohim," since the name Elohim, did good and created the world to have grace and mercy and to do good to those that dwell in the heavens and the earth and there is no greater mercy than this. And this is what the verse states (Genesis 27:28), "And Elohim will give to you;" behold, that also the name Elohim does good to the good by way of a free gift; but evildoers cause Elohim to give them chastisement. And in the anticipated future, so will it be, [that] the Lord (the name associated with mercy) shall be one and His name shall be one.
עוֹד יִתְפָּרֵשׁ תֵּיבַת בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (הקדמת זוהר ב׳) כִּי בִּשְׁעַת בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם נִכְנְסוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת לִפְנֵי הַבּוֹרֵא. נִכְנְסָה ת׳ וְאָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רְצוֹנְךָ לִבְרֹא בִּי הָעוֹלָם וְכוּ׳, וְכֻלָּם הֱשִׁיבָם ה׳ כִּי אֵינוֹ חָפֵץ, לַטַּעַם הָאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם לְכָל אַחַת וְאַחַת. עַד שֶׁנִּכְנְסָה בֵּי״ת וְקִבְּלָהּ וּבָרָא בָּהּ הָעוֹלָם, דִּכְתִיב ״בְּרֵאשִׁית״. אָלֶ״ף שָׁתְקָה, אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אָלֶ״ף, לָמָּה אַתְּ שׁוֹתֶקֶת וְכוּ׳, אָמַר לָהּ: אַתְּ תִּהְיִי רֹאשׁ לְכָל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. הִנֵּה מִדִּבְרֵי ה׳ יֵרָאֶה כִּי אָלֶ״ף יֵשׁ לָהּ מַעֲלָה מֵאוֹת בֵּי״ת, וּמֵעַתָּה אִם הָיוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת עוֹלוֹת לְפָנָיו בְּיֹשֶׁר הָיְתָה הָאָלֶ״ף זוֹכָה לִבְרֹאת בָּהּ הָעוֹלָם. וְלֶהֱיוֹת כִּי יֹאמַר הָאוֹמֵר: וְלָמָּה לֹא עָלְתָה הָאָלֶ״ף רִאשׁוֹנָה וְהִנִּיחָהּ עַד לְבַסּוֹף? דַּע כִּי אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (הקדמת תיקוני זהר) כִּי הָאוֹתִיּוֹת כְּשֶׁהֵם בְּדֶרֶךְ יָשָׁר עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ אָלֶ״ף בֵּי״ת גִּימֶ״ל וְכוּ׳ הֵם רוֹמְזִים לְמִדַּת רַחֲמִים, וּכְשֶׁהֵם לְמַפְרֵעַ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ תָּי״ו שִׁי״ן רֵי״שׁ וְכוּ׳ הֵם מוֹרִים עַל מִדַּת הַדִּין. וְזֶה לְךָ הָאוֹת: חֹדֶשׁ תִּשְׁרֵי שֶׁהָאוֹתִיּוֹת לְמַפְרֵעַ תָּי״ו שִׁי״ן רֵי״שׁ הוּא זְמַן הַדִּין הַגָּדוֹל, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַשֵּׁם לְצַד רַחֲמָיו שִׁתֵּף אוֹת אַחַת מִשֵּׁם הָרַחֲמִים וְהִיא יוֹ״ד לְרַחֵם הַדִּין (הקדמת תיקוני זהר ט״ז). וְאַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אוֹתָנוּ אֶת זֶה, נְפָרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: בֵּי״ת רֵאשִׁית – תֵּדַע טַעַם לִקְדִימַת בֵּי״ת לְאָלֶ״ף, לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁהַבְּרִיאָה הָיְתָה בְּמִדַּת אֱלֹהִים, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכֵּן עָלוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת לְמַפְרֵעַ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט וּבָזֶה קָדְמָה בֵּי״ת לְאָלֶ״ף וְקָנְתָה מְקוֹמָהּ. The word, Bereishit, is also explained by way of the [Sages], may they be blessed, saying (Zohar, Introduction 2) that at the time of the creation of the world, the letters entered in front of the Creator; [the letter], tav entered and said in front of Him, "Master of the World, is it Your will to create the world [by beginning the Torah] with me, etc." and to all of [the letters], God answered that He did not want [to create the world/begin the Torah] with them, for the reason stated in their words for each and every one; until [the letter] bet entered and He accepted it and created the world with it, as it is written, Bereishit [which begins with bet; the letter] alef [which had not yet entered] was silent. [And] the Holy one, blessed be He, said to it, "Alef, why are you quiet, etc?" He said to it, "You will be the head of all the letters." Up to here [are the words of the Zohar]. Behold from the words of God [here], it appears that alef has [more of] a virtue than the letter bet. And from here [it follows] that had the letters gone up in front of Him properly, alef would have merited to have the world created with it. And lest [one ask], why didn't the alef go first, and [instead] He left it until the end, know that they, of blessed memory, said (Tikunei HaZohar, Introduction) that when the letters are in the proper order - in the following way: alef bet gimmel etc. - they are hinting to the attribute of mercy; and when they are backwards - in the following way: tav shin reish etc. - they are indicating the attribute of justice. And this is a sign for you [to remember this]: the month of Tishrei - [which] has the letters in backwards order, tav shin reish - is the great time of judgment, except that God, from the angle of His great mercy combined [with these letters] one letter from [His] name of mercy - and that is the yod - to bring mercy into the judgment (Zohar, Introduction 16a). And after this has been made known to us, we will explain [Bereishit] as bet reishit (bet is first); [that] you should know the reason that bet precedes alef is that the creation was with the attribute of Elohim (justice), and since it is thus, the letters went up in backwards order as is [the] rule, and for this reason bet precedes alef and acquired its place.
עוֹד יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (הקדמת זוהר) כִּי אֶלֶף עוֹלָמוֹת נֶעְלָמִים בָּרָא ה׳, וְקוֹרִין אוֹתָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זוהר חדש בראשית ב׳) עָלְמִין דְּכִסּוּפִין, וְהֵם הָרְמוּזִים בַּפָּסוּק (שיר השירים ח:יב) ״הָאֶלֶף לְךָ שְׁלֹמֹה״, וּמֵעַתָּה הִתְחִיל הַכָּתוּב בְּבֵי״ת כִּי הָאָלֶ״ף כְּבָר קָנְתָה מְקוֹמָהּ שֶׁבָּהּ בָּרָא אֶלֶף עוֹלָמוֹת כִּשְׁמָהּ שֶׁל אָלֶ״ף, וְהִתְחִיל בְּבֵי״ת לִבְרֹאת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁיֶּשְׁנוֹ גַּם כֵּן בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַבְּרִיאָה שֶׁהֵם ב׳ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְלָזֶה גַּם כֵּן לֹא אָמַר ״בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה״ שֶׁתָּבִין שֶׁזֶּה הוּא תְּחִלָּה וְלֹא כֵּן הוּא, שֶׁכְּבָר בָּרָא עוֹלָמוֹת הַחֶמְדָּה, אֶלָּא בִּפְרָט זֶה שֶׁל שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ הוּא שֶׁאוֹמֵר רֵאשִׁיתוֹ. In its stating Bereishit, it also wants [to teach], by way of the [Sages], may they be blessed, saying (Zohar Chadash, Bereishit 2) that a thousand hidden worlds did God create; and they, of blessed memory, called them (Edra Zuta, Ha'azinu 288a) 'worlds of embarrassment;' and they are hinted to in the verse (Song of Songs 8:12), "there is a thousand to you, Shlomo." And from here, the verse began with bet, since alef had already acquired its place, since with it were created a thousand (elef which is spelled that same way as alef) worlds, according to its name, alef. And He started with bet to create this world, given that [its numerical value] is also the sum of the creation which is two, heavens and earth. And also for this reason, it did not state, "At first," since you would understand that this is the [absolute] beginning, and that is not the case; since He already created the 'beautiful worlds,' but regarding this detail of the heavens and the earth, it is stating its beginning.
עוֹד יִרְמֹז בְּתֵיבַת בְּרֵאשִׁית עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש שמואל אבות פ״ו) כִּי ה׳ בָּרָא ד׳ עוֹלָמוֹת, וְיִחֲסוּ לָהֶם שֵׁמוֹת: אֲצִילוּת, בְּרִיאָה, יְצִירָה, עֲשִׂיָּה. וּרְמָזוּם בַּפָּסוּק (ישעיהו מ״ג:ז׳): ״כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו יְצַרְתִּיו אַף עֲשִׂיתִיו״. וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז כָּאן בְּאָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית – הוּא עוֹלַם הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁהוּא הָאֲצִילוּת וְהוּא יִקָּרֵא רֵאשִׁית לַכֹּל, ״בָּרָא״ – הוּא עוֹלַם הַבְּרִיאָה, ״אֱלֹהִים״ – רֶמֶז לְעוֹלַם הַיְצִירָה כִּי יֵשׁ שָׁם דִּינִים, ״אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ״ – הוּא עוֹלַם הָעֲשִׂיָּה כִּי הוּא זֶה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, כָּאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם הַנְּעִימִים. The word, In the beginning (Bereishit), also hints, by way of the [Sages], may they be blessed, saying (Zohar 1:155a) that God created four worlds and they ascribed to them the names, Emanation, Creation, Formation and Action; and they are hinted to in the verse (Isaiah 43:7), "All that is called by My name and I have created for My honor, I have formed him and made him." And this is what is hinted here when it states, "In the beginning," [which] is the world of honor which is Emanation and it is called 'the beginning of all;' "created" [which] is the world of Creation; "Elohim" [which] hints to the world of Formation, since there are judgments there; "the heavens and the earth" [which] is the world of Action, since that is the heavens and the earth, as it is stated in their pleasant words.
עוֹד יִרְמֹז עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים נ״ד.) כִּי גַּן עֵדֶן וְגֵיהִנֹּם נִבְרְאוּ קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֵם שָׂכָר וְעוֹנֶשׁ עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְווֹת, וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ ב׳ רֵאשִׁית, כִּי ב׳ דְּבָרִים בָּרָא ה׳ מְיֻחָדִים בִּשְׁבִיל הַיִּרְאָה, שֶׁהֵם שָׂכָר וְעוֹנֶשׁ, גֵּיהִנֹּם וְגַן עֵדֶן (חגיגה ט״ו). זָכָה וְיָרֵא מֵה׳ – נוֹטֵל חֶלְקוֹ וְחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ בְּגַן עֵדֶן, לֹא זָכָה – נוֹטֵל חֶלְקוֹ וְחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ בְּגֵיהִנֹּם. וְאוּלַי כִּי רָמַז כִּי שְׁנֵיהֶם נוֹצְרוּ יַחַד, וְלִשְׁנֵיהֶם יִקָּרֵא רֵאשִׁית, כִּי אִם קָדְמָה אַחַת לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ לֹא יִתְיַחֵס רֵאשִׁית אֶלָּא לְאֶחָד, הָא לָמַדְתָּ כִּי בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד נִבְרְאוּ יַחַד. It is also hinted, by way of [that which] they, of blessed memory, said (Pesachim 54a) that the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom (purgatory) were created before the world was created, since they are the reward and punishment for the Torah and the commandments, and this is hinted to in its saying bet (which has a numerical value of two) reishit (which is indicative of awe), since God created two things that were designated for awe, which were reward and punishment, [meaning] the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom: (Chagigah 15a) [If] one merits and fears from God, he takes his portion and the portion of his fellow in the Garden of Eden; [if] he does not merit [to do this], he takes his portion and the portion of his fellow in Gehinnom. And perhaps it is hinted that both of them were created together and that both of them are called reishit; since if one preceded the other, reishit would only refer to one [of them; instead], you have learned that they were created together in one statement.
עוֹד יִרְמֹז כִּי לֶֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ ב׳ עוֹלָמוֹת – עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְהָאָדָם עַל יְדֵי הִתְעַסְּקוֹ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים יַשִּׂיג הַטּוֹב וְהַחַיִּים, כָּאן הוֹדִיעָנוּ הַכָּתוּב כִּי לֹא יְשֻׁלַּם לַצַּדִּיקִים שְׂכַר הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְווֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַד אֲשֶׁר יָכִין לָהֶם אוֹצַר הַטּוֹב שֶׁהִיא הָעִקָּר לְחֵלֶק הַנְּשָׁמָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אִם יוֹתִיר מְטִיבִין לוֹ גַּם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. כִּי יִבְחַר ה׳ תְּחִלָּה לְהָכִין לָאָדָם גְּמוּל עוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהוּא הַנִּצְחִי, וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהֵם עוֹלָם הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהוּא עוֹלָם הַשָּׁפָל אִם הֶעֱדִיף בְּטוּבוֹ. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאֵין מְטִיבִין לַצַּדִּיקִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַד אַחַר שֶׁיִּזְכּוּ בְּנַחֲלָתָם לֵאוֹר בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים. It is also hinted that - since there are two worlds, this world and the next world, and man can acquire 'the good and life' by his involvement in Torah and good deeds - here the verse informs us that the reward for the [observance of] the Torah and the commandments will not be given to the righteous ones in this world, until [God] has [already] prepared a goodly storehouse, which is the essential [reward] to the spiritual side [of man]; and afterwards, if there is a surplus, he [is rewarded] in this world; since God will choose to first prepare for man a payment that is eternal. And this is what is hinted when it states, "In the beginning, God created the heavens;" which [signifies] the world of souls, and afterward "and the earth," which [signifies] the lowly world, if some of the good [coming to] him remains. Hence, you have learned that [reward] is not given to the righteous ones in this world until after they have merited their portion of light 'in the light of life.'
עוֹד יִרְמֹז עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ רַזַ״ל (ראש השנה י:) – אֶחָד אָמַר בְּתִשְׁרֵי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם וְאֶחָד אָמַר בְּנִיסָן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. וְנִרְאֶה לִי כִּי אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים, כִּי יֵשׁ לְךָ לָדַעַת שֶׁאָמְרוּ זַ״ל (בראשית רבה פ״א) שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה חָשַׁב ה׳ לִבְרֹא הָעוֹלָם וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוֹצִיא ה׳ מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ לַפּוֹעַל. וּכְפִי זֶה נוּכַל לוֹמַר כִּי בְּנִיסָן חָשַׁב וּבְתִשְׁרֵי יָצָא לַפּוֹעַל אוֹ לְהֵפֶךְ, וְלִשְׁנֵיהֶם יִתְיַחֵס לְשׁוֹן בְּרִיאָה – בֵּין מַה שֶׁעָלָה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּרִיאָה תִּקָּרֵא בֵּין כְּשֶׁיָּצְתָה לַפּוֹעַל, וּבָזֶה יִתְקַיְּמוּ דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ יַחַד. וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז בַּבֵּי״ת שֶׁל תֵּיבַת בְּרֵאשִׁית כִּי ב׳ רֵאשִׁית הָיוּ – אַחַת לַמַּחֲשָׁבָה וְאַחַת לַמַּעֲשֶׂה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם בְּנִיסָן חָשַׁב וּבְתִשְׁרֵי פָּעַל אוֹ לְהֵפֶךְ. It is also hinted, according to what the Rabbis, of blessed memory, argued (Rosh Hashanah 10b): one says that the world was created in Tishrei and one says that the world was created in Nissan. And it appears to me that 'these and those are the words of the living God,' since you should know that they, of blessed memory, said (Bereishit Rabbah 1:4) that in the beginning God thought to create the world, and afterwards, God took His thought and put into action. And according to this, we can say that He thought [to create it] in Nissan and put it into action in Tishrei or the opposite, and the word, 'create,' refers to both of [these things]; whether what came into His thought, may He be blessed, is called a creation, whether when it went into action; and with this, the words of [both] of our Rabbis can exist together. And this is what is hinted by the bet (which has a numerical value of two) in the word Bereishit (In the beginning); since there were two beginnings, one in thought and one in action; only that we don't know if He thought in Nissan and acted in Tishrei or the opposite.
עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ו׳:): כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם דְּבָרָיו נִשְׁמָעִין, וְהַטַּעַם כִּי הַיָּרֵא דְּבַר ה׳ יְדַבֵּר מִתּוֹךְ קִימַת נַפְשׁוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכֵּן תַּכִּיר נֶפֶשׁ הַשּׁוֹמַעַת וּתְקַבֵּל תּוֹכַחַת מוּסָר. וְאִם הַדְּבָרִים יָצְאוּ מֵהַגּוּף אֵין שַׁיָּכוּת לַנֶּפֶשׁ לִשְׁמֹעַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָמְזוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּמַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים ו׳:ז׳): ״וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים וְגוֹ׳ עַל לְבָבֶךָ״ אָז ״וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ״ – הֵם הַתַּלְמִידִים. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁהִיא הַיִּרְאָה, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, בָּרָא ה׳ אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם – פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם, אָז יִשָּׁמַע קוֹלוֹ וִילַמֵּד אָדָם דַּעַת, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ: It also wanted [to teach], by way of the [Sages], may their memory be blessed, saying (Berakhot 6b), "Whoever has awe of the Heavens, his words will be heard;" and the reason [for this] is that the one who fears God will speak from the depths of his soul, and since that is the case, the soul of the listener will recognize [that] and accept the rebuking chastisement; but if the words came from the body, there is no resonance for the soul to listen to them, as the rabbis, of blessed memory, have hinted about what the verse stated (Deuteronomy 6:6), "And these words shall be etc. upon your heart" [and] then "and you shall review them with your children," which are the students. And this is what it said, "Bereishit," which is awe - as they, of blessed memory, have said - "God created the heavens," the explanation [of which] is that one should have awe of the Heavens, [and] then they will listen to his voice and 'he will teach knowledge to people' and that is what it states, "and the earth."
עוֹד יִרְצֶה לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳ הַרְבֵּה יִרְאוֹת בָּעוֹלָם: יִרְאָה מֵאָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, דִּכְתִיב (ויקרא י״ט:ג׳) ״אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ״, גַּם מֵהַמֶּלֶךְ וּמֵהַחֲכָמִים, גַּם לִירָא מֵהַבְּרִיּוֹת לְבַל יַחְשְׁדוּהוּ. וְיֹאמַר הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁתִּהְיֶה שָׁוָה מִצְוַת הַיִּרְאָה בְּכָל מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָהּ, וְיֵצֵא מִזֶּה שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים יְזַלְזֵל חָס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּמִצְוֹת ה׳ לִכְבוֹד הַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹ לִכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְכַדּוֹמֶה. לָזֶה רָמַז כָּאן בִּתְחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי ה׳ כִּי קֹדֶם כָּל דָּבָר יַקְדִּים לִירֹא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאַחַר כָּךְ וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהֵם פְּרָטִים הַמְחֻיָּב לָחוּשׁ לָהֶם, וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (במדבר ל״ב:כ״ב) ״וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּים מֵה׳״ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ ״וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל״. וּמֵעַתָּה אֵין מָקוֹם לְקַיֵּם שׁוּם מִצְוַת מוֹרָא שֶׁל הַזּוּלַת אֶלָּא אִם לֹא יַעֲבֹר עַל שׁוּם מִצְוָה מִמִּצְוֹת ה׳. It also wanted [to teach] that, since there since God commanded many [observances] of awe in the world - awe of father and mother, as it is written (Leviticus 19:3), "A man, his mother and his father shall fear;" also from the king and the sages, also to fear people, that they should not be suspicious of him - one might say that the commandment of awe is the same in all the places that it is found, and it will come out from this that he will sometimes discount, God forbid, the commandments of God because of the honor of the king or the honor of his father or something like that; therefore, it hints here that the words of God are first, such that he puts the awe of "the Heavens" before anything [else] and afterwards "the earth," which are the individuals whom he is obligated to fear. And this is what the verse states (Numbers 32:22), "and you shall be clear before God" first; and afterwards, "and from Israel." And from here, [we see] that there is no place to observe any commandment of awe unless one does not transgress any commandment of the commandments of God.
עוֹד יִרְמֹז כִּי בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַתּוֹרָה בָּרָא ה׳ ב׳ הַדְרָגוֹת בָּאָדָם, אוֹ יִשְׁוֶה בְּמַדְרֵגָה לַשָּׁמַיִם, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהלים פב:ו) ״אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם״, אוֹ אִם לֹא יְקַיְּמָהּ תֵּרֵד מַדְרֵגָתוֹ לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית פֵּרוּשׁ בְּאֶמְצָעוּת רֵאשִׁית בָּרָא ה׳ ב׳ הֲכָנוֹת אֵלּוּ אֵת וְכוּ׳: It is also hinted that, through the Torah, God created two levels for man: either he be on the level of the heavens; and that is by way of it stating (Psalms 82:6), "I have said, 'you are powers'" (meaning, like angels); or if he does not keep [the Torah], his level sinks down to the earth. And this is [what it means] when it states, "Bereishit," the explanation [of which] is that through reishit [meaning, the Torah], "God created" these bet (two) preparations, "the heavens, etc."
עוֹד תִּרְמֹז הַפָּרָשָׁה כֻּלָּהּ עַל בְּרִיאַת הָאָדָם, כִּי הוּא עִקַּר תַּכְלִית הַבְּרִיאָה, עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: בְּרֵאשִׁית כְּשֶׁבָּרָא ה׳ אֶת הָאָדָם, בְּרָאוֹ מִמְּקוֹר הָרוּחָנִיּוּת הָרָמוּז בְּתֵבַת ״הַשָּׁמַיִם״ וּמִמְּקוֹר הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת הָרָמוּז בְּתֵבַת ״הָאָרֶץ״. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁרָמְזוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין צא:) בְּמַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים נ:ד) ״יִקְרָא אֶל הַשָּׁמַיִם מֵעָל״ שֶׁהוּא הָרוּחַ, ״וְאֶל הָאָרֶץ״ הוּא הַגּוּף הַבָּנוּי מֵהָאָרֶץ. וּרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּזֶה הוּא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂה הָאָדָם יִתְעַצֵּם לַהֲפֹךְ הַחֹמֶר שֶׁהוּא הַגּוּף עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נֶחְשָׁב צוּרָה. The whole section also hints to the creation of man - who is the main goal of the creation - in the following way: In the beginning, when God created man, He created him from the source of spirituality, which is hinted by the word, heavens, and from the source of physicality, which is hinted by the word, earth. And you will find that our Rabbis, of blessed memory, hinted [to this by explaining] (Sanhedrin 91b), what the verse stated (Psalms 50:4), "He called to the heavens above" to be the spirit [and] "and upon the earth" to be the body, which is built from the earth. And His will in this, may He be blessed, is that through the actions of man, he will have the power to transform matter, which is the body, until it is considered to be form.
וְהִנֵּה תִּמְצָא (שבת קנב:) שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים אֵינָם חוֹזְרִים עָפָר, לֶהֱיוֹת כִּי זִכְּכוּ הַחֹמֶר שֶׁלָּהֶם עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רוּחָנִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַב רַבִּי יִצְחָק עֲרָאמָה זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: וְהִתְעַצְּמוּת הַשְּׁלֵמִים לְהַפֵּךְ הַחֹמֶר לְצוּרָה, עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ, וְלָזֶה אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות יח.) שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים בְּמִיתָתָן נִקְרָאִים חַיִּים, כִּי חֵלֶק הַגֶּשֶׁם נַעֲשָׂה רוּחָנִי הַמִּתְיַחֵס אֶל הַחַיִּים, וְהָרְשָׁעִים בְּחַיֵּיהֶם קְרוּיִים מֵתִים לְצַד שֶׁגַּם הָרוּחָנִיּוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם נִתְגַּשֵּׁם וְנַעֲשָׂה אֶרֶץ הַמִּתְיַחֵס אֶל הַדּוֹמֵם שֶׁהוּא מֵת׃ And behold, you will find (Shabbat 152b) that the righteous ones do not return to the dust, given that they purify their matter, until it becomes spiritual; as was written by Rabbi Y. Aramah, of blessed memory, and these are his words, "and it is the power of the perfect ones to change matter into form." And this is why they, of blessed memory, said (Berakhot 18a) that the righteous ones are called living even in their death, since the material side has become spiritual, which relates to life; and that the evil ones are called dead even in their lifetimes, from the angle that even the spirituality in them becomes material and [like] earth, which relates to the lifeless objects which are [therefore] dead.
וּב׳ מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ רְמָזָם בְּאָמְרוֹ אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: אִם זָכוּ, הֲרֵי הֵם מַסְמִיכִים חֵלֶק הַגֶּשֶׁם שֶׁבָּהֶם הָרָמוּז אֶל הָאָרֶץ, מְחַבְּרִים אוֹתוֹ וְנַעֲשֶׂה (חומוניא) [הוֹמוֹנְיָא] אַחַת עִם הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאִם לֹא זָכוּ, הֲרֵי הֵם מְהַפְּכִים חֵלֶק הָרוּחָנִיּוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם לִבְחִינַת הָאָרֶץ וְנַעֲשֶׂה הַצּוּרָה חֹמֶר, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ. And it hints to these two characteristics when it states "the heavens and the earth," in the following way: if they merit [it], behold, they raise up the material part of themselves which is hinted by "the earth" and they connect it and it becomes one entity with the "heavens." And if they do not merit [it], they transform the part of spirituality within them to the trait of "earth" and the form becomes matter. And this is what it is stating, "and the earth."
וְאָמְרוֹ וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, כָּאן רָמַז מַה שֶׁהָיָה בַּעֲוֹנוֹת, שֶׁנִּתְגַּבֵּר צַד הַחוֹמֶר שֶׁהִיא הָאָרֶץ וְנִתְרוֹקֵן מֵהָרוּחָנִיּוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם צַדְיָא וְרֵקַנְיָא, וְחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁהוּא יֵצֶר הָרַע הַנִּקְרָא בְּדִבְרֵי קָדְשָׁם (זוהר חלק א׳ ס״ג:) דְּמַחְשִׁיךְ אַנְפֵּי דִּבְרִיָּתָא, עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם, וְקָרָא לְהַגּוּף תְּהוֹם לִהְיוֹתוֹ כַּתְּהוֹם בּוֹלֵעַ תָּמִיד, וּמִצַּד הַיֵּצֶר שֶׁהוּא הַחֹשֶׁךְ, וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים הַנִּתֶּנֶת בּוֹ מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם, כִּי לֹא מָצְאָה הָרוּחַ מָנוֹחַ לְכַף רַגְלָהּ, כִּי הַיֵּצֶר גֵּרְשָׁהּ וְהוּרְמָה מִמְּקוֹם הַנָּחָתָהּ, וַיִּשְׁכֹּן שָׁם הַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁהוּא יֵצֶר הָרַע, וְנִשְׁאֶרֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם, הֵם מַיִם הַזֵּדוֹנִים שֶׁהֵם כֹּחוֹת שֶׁל הַטֻּמְאָה. And its stating, "and the earth was chaos and void" here is hinting to what occurred in the times that the physical side overpowers which is the 'earth' and [the person] is emptied out of spirituality; as it is translated [by Onkelos into Aramaic], "desolate and empty;" "and darkness," which is the evil impulse that is called in their holy words (Zohar, Bereishit 63), [that which] darkens the face of the creatures; "was upon the depths" and it called the body, the depths, being that it is like [a pit] that constantly swallows [things up], and from the angle of the evil impulse [connected to it] that is darkness; "and the spirit of God" given into it "was hovering upon the waters," because the spirit 'did not find a place to rest the sole of its foot,' since the impulse drove it away and lifted it up from its resting place, and the darkness, which is the evil impulse, dwelt there and the [human] soul remains "hovering over the waters," that are the 'waters of iniquity,' which are the powers of impurity.
וּבִרְאוֹתוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כֵּן, וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר – שׁוֹלֵחַ אֶל הָאָדָם עֵזֶר נֶגֶד יִצְרוֹ, וְזֶה יִהְיֶה בְּהַגִּיעוֹ לְי״ד שָׁנָה, יוֹפִיעַ עָלָיו מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשׁוֹ רוּחַ אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין, נְשָׁמָה קְדוֹשָׁה וּטְהוֹרָה. אוֹ יִרְמֹז אֶל הַתּוֹרָה כִּי הִיא הָאוֹר הַנֶּעֱרָב, וְלָהּ יִקָּרֵא אוֹר, דִּכְתִיב (משלי ו:כג) ״וְתוֹרָה אוֹר״. וְהַמְכֻוָּן אֶחָד, כִּי בְּחִינַת הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה, וּבַעַל נֶפֶשׁ הוּא בַּעַל תּוֹרָה. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר – שֶׁהִיא הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁאוֹרָהּ רַב, לִהְיוֹתָהּ חֲצוּבָה מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא כְבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, חֵלֶק אֱלוֹהַּ מִמַּעַל, שׁוֹלְחָהּ ה׳ לְהָאִיר אֶל הָאָדָם לְבַל יִטְבַּע בְּטִיט הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע. אוֹ גַּם כֵּן לְמַה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁהִיא הַתּוֹרָה הַמְּאִירָה לְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם, וְאָז וַיְהִי אוֹר, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר אֲשֶׁר נָתַן בָּאָדָם כִּי טוֹב, שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּתוֹ יֵלֵךְ הָאָדָם בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר. And in the Holy One's seeing, blessed be He, [that it was] like this, "And God said, 'let there be light;'" [meaning that He] sends man help against his impulse; and this is [that] when he reaches his fourteenth year, a holy and pure soul, from His holy chamber of Divine holy spirits, appears upon him. Or [light] hints to the Torah, since it is the pleasant light, and is called light, as it is written (Proverbs 6:23), "and the Torah is a light;" and the intention [of the two explanations] is one, since the aspect of the holy souls is the aspect of the light of the Torah, and a man of soul (ba'al nefesh) is a man of Torah. And that is what it states, "And God said, 'let there be light;'" which is the soul - the light of which is great, being that it is hewed from beneath His throne of glory, may He be blessed, [and] is 'a portion of God from above' - God sends it to shine on man, that he not wallow in the mud of the evil impulse; or also according to what we have said - that it is the Torah that shines on the soul of man; and then, "and there was light, and God saw the light" that He gave within man, "that it was good;" that through it, man will walk on the 'good and straight' path.
וְלֹא תַּחְשֹׁב כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הַנְּשָׁמָה בָּאָדָם אוֹ עַל יְדֵי עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה בָּזֶה הוּא שָׁקֵט מִתַּחְבּוּלוֹת הַיֵּצֶר הַמַּחְטִיאוֹ וּפָנָה וְהָלַךְ לוֹ, שֶׁאִם כֵּן אֵין כָּאן לֹא שָׂכָר וְלֹא עֹנֶשׁ. לָזֶה אָמַר כִּי עֲדַיִן הַחֹשֶׁךְ בָּעוֹלָם, אֶלָּא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִסְתַּיֵּעַ הָאָדָם לְהַעֲרִיךְ מִלְחָמָה עִמּוֹ וּלְהַבְדִּילוֹ מֵעָלָיו לְבַל הַפִּילוֹ בְּמוֹעֲצוֹתָיו, וְיַכִּיר בְּחִינַת עֲשׂוֹת רַע כִּי רַע הוּא, וְזֶה הוּא אָמְרוֹ וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר שֶׁהִיא הַנְּשָׁמָה וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁהוּא הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת י:ב) ״לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ״ שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם הָאוֹר, מְקוֹם הַנְּשָׁמָה, ״וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ״ שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע. וְקָרָא לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לַיְלָה, וְלָזֶה הִתְפַּלֵּל דָּוִד (תהלים צא) שֶׁיַּצִּילֵהוּ מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת. And you should not think that given that the soul is within man, or through involvement in Torah, with this he is still from the machinations of the impulse that brings him to sin and he [can] turn and walk [away from it]; because were it so, there would be no [room for] reward and punishment here. To this, it says that darkness is still in the world, but through [the light], man is helped to wage war with it, and to separate it from him, that it not fell him through its plots; and he will recognize that the aspect of doing evil is evil; and this is what it says, "and God separated between the light," which is the soul "and between the darkness," which is the evil impulse; and [about] this, the verse states (Ecclesiastes 10:2), "The heart of a wise man is to his right," which is the place of light, the place of the soul, "and the heart of a fool is to his left," which is the place of the evil impulse; "And He called light, day, and darkness, He called night;" and for this David prayed (Psalms 91:5), that He should save him from the fear of the 'nights.'
וְאָמְרוֹ ״וַיְהִי וְגוֹ׳ יוֹם אֶחָד״ – כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיֻּכַּר אוֹרָהּ שֶׁל הַנְּשָׁמָה אֶלָּא מֵחָשְׁכּוֹ שֶׁל הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן לֹא יִשְׁתַּנּוּ מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְאֵין כָּאן לֹא שָׂכָר וְלֹא עֹנֶשׁ, וְלָזֶה אָמַר ״יוֹם אֶחָד״. And its stating, "and there was, etc. one day" is because it is impossible to recognize the light of the soul except from the darkness of the evil impulse; since were it not so, [people] would not be different than the ministering angels, and there would not be [the possibility] of reward and punishment here; and for that reason, it states, "one day."
וִיכַוֵּין עוֹד לוֹמַר יוֹם אֶחָד עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עבודה זרה ל״ה:) בְּפָסוּק (שיר השירים א:ג) ״עַל כֵּן עֲלָמוֹת אֲהֵבוּךָ״ – ״עַל מוֹת״, פֵּרוּשׁ: אֲפִלּוּ מַלְאָךְ רַע עוֹנֶה בְּעַל כָּרְחוֹ אָמֵן. וְלָזֶה אָמַר וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד, פֵּרוּשׁ: מִדַּת עֶרֶב וּמִדַּת בֹּקֶר כֻּלָּם בְּהַסְכָּמָה אַחַת לְטוֹבַת הַצַּדִּיק. And it also intends to say "one day," by way of the [Sages], of blessed memory, saying (Avodah Zarah 35b) on the verse (Song of Songs 1:3), "therefore the maidens (alamot) have loved you," [that it is referring] to death (al mavet), the explanation [of which] is that even the 'bad' angel is forced to answer 'amen.' And for this reason, it states, "and it was evening and it was morning, one day," the explanation [of which] is that the attribute of evening and the attribute of morning, all of them, are in agreement for the good of the righteous one.
אוֹ יִרְמֹז שֶׁעַל יְדֵי סִיּוּעַ הַנְּשָׁמָה יִהְיֶה הָעֶרֶב, עֵת שֶׁיַּעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ לָלֶכֶת לָעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן, כְּעֵת בֹּקֶר, עֵת בּוֹאוֹ לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁתַּחְזֹר הַנְּשָׁמָה מְאִירָה כְּיוֹם בּוֹאָהּ, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קנב:) ״וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ״ (קהלת יב:ז), וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: תְּנָהּ לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּתָנָהּ לָךְ, וּבָזֶה יִשְׁוֶה יוֹם בּוֹאוֹ כְּיוֹם לֶכְתּוֹ כְּאֶחָד. Or it is hinting that, through the help of the soul, the evening time - when 'his sun sets' to return to the upper world - is like the time of morning - the time when it came to the world; that the soul returns as brilliantly as the day it came, and this is by way of the [Sages], of blessed memory, saying (Shabbat 152b) [on the verse] (Ecclesiastes 13:7), "And the spirit returns to God who gave it;" and these are their words, "give it to Him like He gave it to you;" and in this the day of its coming and the day of its leaving will be equally like one.
עוֹד יְכַוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לְהוֹדִיעַ כִּי בִּתְחִלַּת הַבְּרִיאָה הֵכִין ה׳ וְעָשָׂה פְּעֻלָּתוֹ שָׁוָה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם הֵם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן גַּם הָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה בְּגֶדֶר הַטָּהֳרָה. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מַעֲלָתָהּ וּזְכוּתָהּ כִּי מִמֶּנָּה נִבְרָא אָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה וְתָאֳרוֹ כְּמַלְאַךְ ה׳ (בראשית רבה ח:ט). וְתִמְצָא כִּי ה׳ בָּחַר לִשְׁכּוֹן בָּאָרֶץ עִם הַנִּבְרָאִים וְהֵכִין בַּיִת לִמְנוּחָתוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל, וְדָבָר פָּשׁוּט הוּא כִּי מוֹשַׁב אֱלֹהִים שָׁלֵם הוּא וְקָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֶר לוֹ. וְתִמְצָא כִּי קוֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא אָדָם הָיָה ה׳ מָצוּי בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים כְּבָעֶלְיוֹנִים, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ בְּגֶדֶר אֶחָד בִּנְקִיּוּת וְטָהֳרָה. וְהוּא מַאֲמַר הַנָּבִיא (ישעיהו סו:א) ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדוֹם רַגְלָי״, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה יד.) שֶׁהוּא שְׁרַפְרַף, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהִיא בְּגֶדֶר רְאוּיַת מוֹשַׁב אֱלֹהִים. אֶלָּא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂה הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְנִתְגַּשְּׁמָה וְהוּחְשַׁךְ אוֹרָהּ לְצַד מַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים, וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר שֶׁהִיא הַתּוֹרָה, אָז חָזְרָה הָאָרֶץ לְקַדְמוּתָהּ לְהָאִיר אוֹרָהּ וְשָׁכַן ה׳ בָּאָרֶץ עִם עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ וַיְהִי אוֹר. The verse also intended to inform [us] that at the beginning of the creation, God set up His acts to be equal, [meaning] the heavens and the earth. And even though the heavens are the higher ones, nonetheless, the earth was in the category of purity. And go and learn [about] its virtue and merit; since man was created from it, 'dirt from the earth' and his form is like an 'angel of God;' and you will [also] find that God chose to dwell on earth with the creations, and He prepared a house [there] for his residence - as if it were possible [to say this] - and it is an obvious thing that the abode of God is perfect and 'holy is said about it.' And you will find that before man sinned, God was found among the lower [creatures] in the same way as he was found among the higher [creatures], and this is what it states, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" in one category, in cleanliness and purity, and this is [like] the statement of the prophet (Isaiah 61:1), "So said the Lord, 'the heavens are my chair and the earth is my footstool,'" and they, of blessed memory, said (Chagigah 14a) that it is an ottoman. Behold, you have learned that is in the category of being fit for the abode of God; except that through the acts of the lower beings, "and the earth was chaos and void" and [it] became thick and its light became darkened from the angle of the acts of the evildoers. "And God said, 'let there be light'" which is the Torah, then the earth went back to how it was at the beginning, to brighten its light, and God resided on earth with His people and His inheritance, and that is what it states, "and there was light."
עוֹד יִתְבָּאֵר הַכָּתוּב עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, כִּי דָּבָר יָדוּעַ כִּי מָצִינוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁבָּחַר לִשְׁכּוֹן בָּעֲרָפֶל (מלכים א ח:יב), וְחִבֵּב לִשְׁכּוֹן בְּתוֹכֵנוּ. וְעוֹד לוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ (תענית ה.) כִּבְיָכוֹל שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס לִירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַעְלָה עַד שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לִירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַטָּה, הֲרֵי זֶה מַגִּיד שֶׁחֲבִיבָה לוֹ שֶׁל מַטָּה יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁל מַעְלָה. גַּם כְּשֶׁנַּשְׂכִּיל בְּטַעַם בְּרִיאַת כָּל הָעוֹלָם נֵדַע כִּי הָעִקָּר הֵם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים שֶׁהֵם עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ. The verse can also be explained in this way; as it is well know that we have found that the Holy One, blessed be He, has chosen to dwell in the mist and [yet] prefers to live among us. And we have also found about Him (Taanit 5a) that He - as if it were possible - swore that he would not enter the 'heavenly Jerusalem' until He enters the earthly Jerusalem; behold this means that he prefers the earthly to the heavenly. Also, when we discern the reason for the creation of the entire world, we would know that the lower ones, which are His people and His inheritance, are the essence [of creation].
וּלְפִי זֶה יְכַוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה לֹא זוֹ אַף זוֹ, בְּדֶרֶךְ חִבָּה. בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְעוֹד בָּרָא בְּרִיאָה יוֹתֵר חֲבִיבָה אֶצְלוֹ וּמְעֻלָּה יוֹתֵר וְהִיא אֵת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם אַדְרַבָּה תְּלוּיִים בָּהּ. וְכָל זֶה בְּאֶמְצָעוּת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם קְדוֹשׁוֹ (דברים לב:ט), כִּי בָּהֶם תָּלוּי קִיּוּם הָעוֹלָמוֹת גַּם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, כַּיָּדוּעַ לַבְּקִיאִים בְּחַדְרֵי הַחָכְמָה הָאֲמִתִּית. And according to this, the verse intended to give the order of creation in the format of 'not only [x which is of less importance] but also [y which is of more importance]' ('lo zo, af zo') in the way of preference [in the following way]: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and" he also created another creation that was more beloved to Him and more elevated and that is "the earth;" since - just the opposite - the heavens are dependent upon it, and all of this is by means of the Children of Israel, His holy people; since the existence of all the worlds - even the upper worlds - is dependent upon them, as is known to the experts of the chambers of true wisdom.
וּלְדֶרֶךְ זֶה יִתְבָּאֵר אָמְרוֹ וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ, כָּאן רָמַז בַּעֲוֹנוֹת לְגָלֻיּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהִיא סִבַּת מְנִיעַת דִּירָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּאָרֶץ. גָּלוּת הָאֶחָד הוּא גָּלוּת מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ בּוֹ ת׳ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים כְּמִנְיַן תֹּה״וּ ת׳ וְאַחַד עָשָׂר וָבֹה״וּ חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ י״ט הֲרֵי ת״ל (שמות יב:מ), וּמַשְׁמָעוּת וָבֹהוּ גַּם כֵּן יִרְמֹז לְגָלוּת שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו שֶׁהוּא גָּלוּת בָּבֶל, נִקְרָא גָּלוּת בָּבֶל בֹּהוּ כִּי תַּרְגּוּם ״בֹּהוּ״ – ״רֵיקַנְיָא״, וּכְתִיב בְּיִרְמְיָה (ירמיהו נא:לד) עַל גָּלוּת בָּבֶל ״אֲכָלַנִי הֲמָמַנִי נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל הִצִּיגַנִי כְּלִי רִיק״. וְאָמְרוֹ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם יִרְמֹז עַל הַגָּלוּת הַמַּר אֲשֶׁר אָנוּ בּוֹ שְׁקוּעִים בִּתְהוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֵין לוֹ סוֹף, זֶה לָנוּ אֶלֶף וְתרע״א שָׁנָה. וְלֹא דַי אֹרֶךְ הַגָּלוּת אֶלָּא חֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁיִּרְמֹז לְב׳ דְּבָרִים: הָא׳ לְשִׁעְבּוּד הָעַמִּים וְכֹבֶד עֹל הַמִּסִּים עַד כִּי חָשַׁךְ מִשְּׁחוֹר תָּאֳרָם, זֶה רוֹדֶה וְזֶה מְרַדֶּה – אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה, וּבִפְרָט בַּמַּעֲרָב שֶׁלָּנוּ. וְהַב׳ הוּא עַל הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע אֲשֶׁר הֶחְשִׁיךְ הָעוֹלָם, וּבַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ רַבּוּ פָּרִיצֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֻתַּר לָהֶם נִבְלוּת הַפֶּה וּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא וְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְגָזֵל, וּמוֹנְעָם מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה לָשׁוּב שְׁבוּתָם. וְלֹא יֹאמַר אָדָם בִּרְאוֹתוֹ כָּל כָּךְ יְרִידַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל אֹרֶךְ הַזְּמַן כִּי חָס וְשָׁלוֹם אָבְדָה תִּקְוָה מִבָּנִים, לֹא כֵן הוּא, אֶלָּא וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר – הוּא אוֹר הַגְּאֻלָּה הָעֲתִידָה הַמֻּפְלָא. And in this way, its stating "and the earth was chaos and void" becomes explained: Here it is hinting about the times of the Jewish exiles, which is the reason for the prevention of His, may He be blessed, dwelling on earth. One (the first) exile is the exile of Egypt; they remained in it for four hundred and thirty years, like the numerical count [(gematria) of] chaos (tohu) - which is four hundred and eleven - and void (vebohu) - which is nineteen - behold four hundred and thirty. And the meaning of "and void" also hints to the exile after it, and that is the Babylonian exile: The Babylonian exile is called 'void' because the translation of void [according to Onkelos] is 'empty' and it is written in Jeremiah 51:34 about the Babylonian exile, "he has eaten me, he has crushed me, Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylonia, he has placed me like an empty vessel." And its stating, "and darkness was upon the depths" hints to the bitter exile that we are in, stuck in the depths, that has had no end for us for one thousand seven hundred and seventy one years. And [as if] the length of the exile [were] not enough, but also [do we suffer its] darkness, which hints to two things: the first is the subjugation of the nations [over the Jews] and the heavy yolk of taxes, to the point that darkness darkens their form, this one subjugates, and that one crushes - happy is the one who has not seen [this], and especially in our [home,] Morocco; and the second is concerning the evil impulse which has darkened the world - and as a result of our sins, there has been an increase in those that breach [the standards] of His people, Israel, and have permitted to themselves bad language and false oaths and evil gossip and theft and prevent themselves from repenting to return [from their ways]. And a person should not say, in seeing such a downfall for Israel for the entire time, that - God forbid, hope is lost for the 'children;' that is not so, but rather "And God said, 'let there be light,'" that is the light of the amazing future redemption. ...
וְאָמְרוֹ וַיְהִי אוֹר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם בְּתִקּוּנֵי הַזֹּהַר (תיקון כ״א) ״וַיְהִי רָז״ שֶׁאוֹר בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא רָז, הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁגָּזַר ה׳ יִתְעַלֶּה שְׁמוֹ שֶׁאוֹר זֶה שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ לֹא יִתְגַּלֶּה בָּעוֹלָם וְיִהְיֶה סוֹד טָמוּן אֶצְלוֹ, כְּאָמְרָם (תיקוני זוהר תיקון כ״א): לְלִבִּי גִלִּיתִי, מִלִּבָּא לְפוּמָּא לָא גַּלֵּי. וְאָמְרוֹ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב חוֹזֵר עַל הָאוֹר מִצַּד עַצְמוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, אַשְׁרֵי עַיִן רָאֲתָה, וְחוֹזֵר גַּם עַל מַה שֶׁרָמַז שֶׁיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ בְּסוֹד נִסְתָּר כִּי טוֹב, שֶׁכֵּן צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יומא ט.) מִכַּמָּה טְעָמִים. וְאָמְרוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ׳, אָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה פ״ב) זֶה רוּחוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם – אֵין מַיִם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם בַּזֹּהַר (בהשמטות לחלק א׳ י״ג) שֶׁלֹּא יִגָּאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלָה לְמַיִם. And its stating, "and there was light," is by way of their saying in the Tikunei Hazohar 21, [that it means] "there was a secret," since the numerical value of light is [the equivalent] of secret. The intention [of this] is that God, may His name be elevated, decreed that this light of the king messiah not be revealed in the world and that it be a hidden secret with Him, as they say (there), "to My heart, I revealed, from the heart to the mouth, He did not reveal." And its stating, "And God saw the light that it was good," refers back to the light, in of itself, "that it was good" - 'happy is the eye that saw it' - and also refers back to what it hinted, that he will make it in [the form of] a hidden secret, [and also about that it is saying, "that it was good;" since so should it be - as they, of blessed memory, have said (Yoma 9) - for several reasons. And [about] its stating, "the spirit of God, etc.," they have said in the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 2:4), "this is the spirit of the messiah." "Hovering upon the face of the waters," there is no [other meaning to] waters besides Torah, by way of their saying, in the Zohar, Hashamatot 1:13, that Israel will not be redeemed except through the merit of the Torah, that is compared to water.
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ הוּא כִּי בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים הַרְבֵּה נִיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁל קְדֻשָּׁה הָטְבְּעוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת, וְגַם הַרְבֵּה עֵרֶב רַב נִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, כְּאָמְרָם בְּסֵפֶר תִּקּוּנֵי הַזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (תיקון ס״ו), וּמְעֹרָבִים רַע בְּטוֹב וְטוֹב בְּרַע. לָזֶה צָרִיךְ כִּבְיָכוֹל לְהַבְדִּיל הַטּוֹב מֵהָרַע וְהָאוֹר מֵהַחֹשֶׁךְ אֲשֶׁר נִתְעָרְבוּ. וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ כִּי הַקְּלִפָּה חִיּוּתָהּ הִיא יְנִיקָתָהּ מֵהַקְּדֻשָּׁה דַּוְקָא, וְזוּלַת זֶה אֵין לָהּ חִיּוּת. וְלָכֵן אָז בְּהַבְדִּילוֹ ה׳ אֶת הָאוֹר שֶׁהִיא הַקְּדֻשָּׁה וְנִשְׁאָר הָרַע מֻבְדָּל וְאֵין לוֹ מְקוֹם חִיּוּת לִינֹק מִמֶּנּוּ, מִמֵּילָא יִבָּטֵל. וְזֶה הוּא אָמְרוֹ (זכריה י״ג:ב׳-ג׳): ״וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ״, כִּי יִדְמֶה לִקְצִיצַת הָאִילָן מִמְּקוֹם יְנִיקָתוֹ וְשָׁרְשׁוֹ אֲשֶׁר יוֹנֵק מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּיבַשׁ וְלֹא יִצְלַח עוֹד, וְלֹא יִשָּׁאֵר כִּי אִם הָאוֹר הַטּוֹב. וְזֶה הוּא שֶׁאָמַר וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם, פֵּרוּשׁ ״וַיִּקְרָא״ לְשׁוֹן יְקָר וּגְדֻלָּה, כִּי אֵין מַעֲלַת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה נִכֶּרֶת אֶלָּא בְּהַפִּיל הַקְּלִיפָּה הַנִּקְרֵאת חֹשֶׁךְ. וְהוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב כִּי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הַיָּדוּעַ לְפָנָיו בַּמָּרוֹם יִקְרָא ה׳ לָאוֹר בִּיקָר וּגְדֻלָּה, וְזֶה יִהְיֶה בְּיוֹם יִוָּדַע לַה׳ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ ה׳ אֶחָד (זכריה י״ד:ט׳). And behold, it is known that, because of our many sins, many sparks of light have been submerged in the husks and also much mixed multitude has infiltrated into holiness, as they have said in the holy book of Tikunei Hazohar 6, "mixed bad in good and good in bad." And for this [reason], He needs - as if it were possible - to separate the good from the bad and the light form the darkness that have gotten mixed up. And behold it is known that the life force of the husk is only from its feeding from holiness and without that, it has no life. And so, when God separates the light, which is the holiness, and the evil remains separated and has no source of life from which to feed, it is automatically annulled. And this is what it is stating (Zechariah 13:2), "and the spirit of impurity will I remove from the earth;" since it is similar to the cutting of a tree from the place of its sustenance, and its root from which it nurses, that it [then] dries up and no longer prospers; and nothing will remain besides the good light. And this is what [it meant when] it stated, "And God called the light, day;" the explanation of "and he called" (vayikra)" is [that it] is an expression of glory (yakar) and greatness, as the virtue of holiness is only recognizable with the felling of the husk, that is called darkness. And the verse informs [us] that on that day, that is known in front of Him above, God will call to the light in glory and greatness; and that will be on the day that is known to God, that on it God will be one.
וְאָמְרוֹ וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה לְשׁוֹן מִקְרֶה הוּא בִּלְתִּי טָהוֹר, וְלָזֶה לֹא סָמַךְ הַכָּתוּב עַל תֵּיבַת ״וַיִּקְרָא״ שֶׁאָמַר בַּתְּחִלָּה, כִּי אֵין יְקָר וְכָבוֹד עוֹד לַחֹשֶׁךְ אֶלָּא מִקְרֵהוּ יִהְיֶה דַּוְקָא בַּלַּיְלָה, וְהוּא סוֹד אָמְרוֹ (דברים כ״ג:י״א) ״מִקְּרֵה לָיְלָה״, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיַּעֲבֹר הַלַּיְלָה שֶׁהוּא זְמַן הַגָּלוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיהו כ״א:י״א) ״מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה וְגוֹ׳ שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה״ כִּי הַגָּלוּת דּוֹמָה לַלַּיְלָה, וְאָז בַּעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר אֵין עוֹד חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא לַיְלָה אֶלָּא ״וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד״, כִּי בְּחִינַת הָרַע נִסְתַּלְּקָה וְאֵינָהּ, וְלַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ יוֹם אֶחָד, וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ (זכריה י״ד:ט׳) ״בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד״: And its stating, "and the darkness, he called night;" is an expression of an incident which is not pure; and for this reason, the verse does not rely on the word, "and he called" that it stated at the beginning [of the verse, and repeated it again specifically for darkness] - since there is no more glory and honor to darkness, but rather its incidence will only be in the night. And this is the secret of its stating (Deuteronomy 23:11), "an incident of the night." But when the night will pass, which is the time of the exile, as the verse states (Isaiah 21:11), "The burden of Dumah etc.; watchman, what will be of the night;" since the exile is similar to the night. And then at the dawn, there will no longer be darkness nor night, but [rather], "and there was evening and there was morning, one day;" since the aspect of evil is removed and is not; 'and the night will shine like the day,' 'and the light of the moon will be light the light of the sun.' And this is [why] it states, "one day;" and it is that the verse hints to its stating (Zechariah 14:9), "on that day the Lord will be one and His name will be one."