Daf 66a (דַּף ס״ו ע״א)
And there remained the Ohr [Light] that had already existed (וְנִשְׁאַר אוֹר דְּכְבָר הֲוָה), and it departed from the General of the first Name (וְיָצָא מִכְּלָלָא שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם הָרִאשׁוֹן), which had previously been called Avir [Air] (שֶׁהָיָה נִקְרָא מִקֹּדֶם אֲוִיר), and this is the meaning of the words, p1-70“From that mystery of that hidden Avir [Air], when the Primordial Nekudah [Point] was found to have departed from it, it was afterward revealed. Upon it there was Mati ve-lo Mati [Reaching and Not Reaching]. Once it expanded, it emerged, and it is the Ohr [Light] that remained from the Avir [Air], namely the Ohr [Light] that had already existed” (דְּזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ מֵהַהוּא רָזָא דְּהַהוּא אֲוִיר סְתִימָא כַּד אִשְׁתְּכַח מִינֵיהּ נְקוּדָּה קַדְמָאָה אִתְגְּלִי לְבָתַר עֲלֵיהּ מָטֵי וְלָא מָטֵי כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפַּשַּׁט נָפַק וְאִיהוּ הוּא אוֹר דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר מֵאֲוִיר וְהַיְינוּ אוֹר דְּכְבָר הֲוָה). That is to say, it emerged from that mystery and hiddenness of the concealed Avir [Air] (ר״ל נָפַק מֵהַהוּא רָז וּגְנִיזַת הָאֲוִיר סְתִימָא), which itself stood between the Reshimu [Impression] of His Essence, called Ohr [Light] (שֶׁגַּם הוּא בֵּין הָרֹשֶׁם שֶׁל עַצְמוּתוֹ הַנִּקְרָא אוֹר), whose numerical value is Raz [Mystery] (שֶׁהוּא גִּי׳ רָ״ז), and whose numerical value is Ein Sof (וְהוּא גִּי׳ אֵין סוֹ״ף), and when the Primordial Nekudah [Point], namely the Yod of the Primordial Avir [Air], was found to have departed from it (וְכַד אִשְׁתְּכַח מִנֵּיהּ נְקוּדָּה קַדְמָאָה שֶׁהִיא יוֹ״ד שֶׁל אֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן), having joined with the Yod of S"G [Sixty-Three], it formed the sphere of the Tehiru (שֶׁנִּתְחַבְּרָה עִם הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל ס״ג עָשְׂתָה מִמֶּנָּה כַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ), and it sat upon the sphere, hovering above it (וְאִיהוּ יָשְׁבָה לָהּ עַל הַכַּדּוּר וּמְרַחֶפֶת עַל הַכַּדּוּר), reaching yet not reaching (נוֹגַעַת וְלֹא נוֹגַעַת מַגַּעַת וְאֵינָהּ מַגַּעַת), once the Yod of the Primordial Nekudah [Point] expanded into the Yod of the Ohr [Light] of the Garment (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפַּשַּׁט הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל נְקוּדָּה קַדְמָאָה בַּיוֹ״ד שֶׁל אוֹר הַלְּבוּשׁ), it emerged from the mystery of the Avir [Air] (נָפְקָה מֵרָזָא דַּאֲוִיר), and it became Ohr [Light] (וְאִיהוּ הוּא אוֹר), because when the Yod of the Nekudah [Point] departed from it (כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל נְקוּדָּה מִמֶּנָּה), it became the word Ohr [Light] of the Reshimu [Impression] of His Essence (וְהוּא מִלַּת אוֹר שֶׁל רֹשֶׁם עַצְמוּתוֹ), which remained after having previously been intermixed with the mystery of the Avir [Air] (דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר מִסּוֹד מֵאֲוִיר שֶׁהָיוּ מִקֹּדֶם מְעוֹרָבִים), and this is the Ohr [Light] that had already existed (וְהַיְינוּ אוֹר דְּכְבָר הֲוָה). Before the Garment came into being there was the Ohr [Light] before the First Tzimtzum [Contraction] (קֹדֶם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הָיָה הָאוֹר קֹדֶם הַצִּמְצוּם הָרִאשׁוֹן), afterward the Nekudah [Point] entered within the Ohr [Light] of His Essence and became the Primordial Avir [Air] (וְאַחַ״כ נִכְנְסָה הַנְּקוּדָּה בְּתוֹךְ אוֹר עַצְמוּתוֹ וְנַעֲשָׂה אֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן), afterward the Yod of the Garment took from it the Yod of the Nekudah [Point] (וְאַחַ״כ לָקְחָה הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ מִמֶּנָּה הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל הַנְּקוּדָּה), and the mystery of the Ohr [Light] of His Essence returned, together with the name Ohr [Light], to its original exalted state (וְחָזַר סוֹד אוֹר עַצְמוּתוֹ וְשֵׁם אוֹר לְמַעֲלָתוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה), and this is the Ohr [Light] that had already existed (וְהַיְינוּ אוֹר דְּכְבָר הֲוָה). “And it still remains (וְהָא קַיְימָא), emerging, ascending, and extending (נָפַק וְאִסְתַּלַּק וְאִתְנְגִיד), and one Nekudah [Point] remained from it (וְאִשְׁתְּאַר חַד נְקוּדָּה מִינֵיהּ), so as to be Mati [Reaching] continually in a hidden manner (לְמֶהֱוֵי מָטֵי תָּדִיר בְּאוֹרַח גְּנִיזוּ), within that Nekudah [Point] there is Mati ve-lo Mati [Reaching and Not Reaching] (בְּהַהִיא נְקוּדָּה מָטֵי וְלָא מָטֵי), it shines through the way of the Primordial Nekudah [Point] that emerged from it (נָהִיר בֵּיהּ בְּאֹרַח נְקוּדָּה קַדְמָאָה דְּנָפַק מִינֵיהּ), and because of this everything is bound one with another (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כֹּלָּא אָחִיד דָּא בְּדָא), this shines through that (נָהִיר בְּהַאי), everything ascends through it (סָלִיק כֹּלָּא סָלְקִין בֵּיהּ), and is united within it (וְאִתְאַחֲדָן בֵּיהּ), and it is Mati [Reaching] and is hidden in the place of the Ein Sof (וְאִיהוּ מָטֵי וְאִתְגְּנִיז בַּאֲתַר דְּאֵין סוֹף), and everything becomes one (וְכֹלָּא חַד אִתְעֲבִיד).
Notes
Compare Emek HaMelekh, Part 1, Gate 4, Chapter 11 (רְאוּ עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, א, שַׁעַר ד, פֶּרֶק יא): “Concerning what is stated in the Zohar, ‘The Yod departed from the Avir [Air], leaving Ohr [Light] behind’ (עַל מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר, י׳ דְּאִסְתַּלַּק מֵאֲוִיר וְאִשְׁתְּאַר אוֹר), namely Yehi Ohr [Let There Be Light], which is the first Yod (וְהַיְינוּ, יְהִי אוֹר, שֶׁהִיא קַדְמָאָה), that is, the Yod of the Ohr [Light] of the Garment (פֵּרוּשׁ י׳ שֶׁל אוֹר הַלְּבוּשׁ), whereas the latter Yod is the Yod of the Reshimu [Impression], which was in the Avir [Air] (אֲבָל י׳ בַּתְרָאָה הִיא י׳ שֶׁל רְשִׁימוּ, שֶׁהָיְתָה בָּאֲוִיר). The explanation is that when the Yod of the Name S"G [Sixty-Three], which came from the Ohr [Light] of the Garment itself, descended below into this Avir [Air] (וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּרְדָה הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל שֵׁם ס״ג שֶׁהִיא מֵאוֹר הַלְּבוּשׁ עַצְמוֹ, לְמַטָּה בָּאֲוִיר זֶה), the Yod of the Reshimu [Impression] attached itself to it (נִדְבְּקָה עִמָּהּ הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל רְשִׁימוּ), and the Yod entered between the Vav and the Resh of Ohr [Light], becoming Avir [Air] (וְנִכְנַס יוֹ״ד בֵּין וָא״ו לְרֵי״שׁ שֶׁל אוֹר וְנַעֲשֵׂית אֲוִיר), and afterward, when it ascended a second time (וְאַחַר כָּךְ בְּהִסְתַּלְּקָה לְמַעְלָה פַּעַם שֵׁנִית), it emitted from itself the Ohr [Light] of Adam Kadmon (פָּלְטָה מִמֶּנָּה אוֹר אָדָם קַדְמוֹן). Afterward that Yod also ascended with it (אַחַר כָּךְ נִסְתַּלֵּק עִמָּהּ גַּם כֵּן הַיוֹ״ד הַזֹּאת), and this Reshimu [Impression] returned to the letters Ohr [Light] (וְחָזַר הָרְשִׁימוּ הַזֶּה לְאוֹתִיּוֹת אוֹר), for the Yod flew away (כִּי הַיוֹ״ד פָּרְחָה וְהָלְכָה לָהּ), and this is the meaning of Yehi Ohr [Let There Be Light] (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ שָׁם יְהִי אוֹר), namely that before the Yod came into the Primordial Avir [Air], there was only Ohr [Light] and not Avir [Air] (הַיְינוּ קֹדֶם שֶׁבָּאָה הַיוֹ״ד לַאֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן, הָיָה שָׁם אוֹר לְבַדּוֹ, וְלֹא אֲוִיר). Afterward it became Avir [Air] when it descended there (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נַעֲשֵׂית אֲוִיר, כְּשֶׁיָּרְדָה לְשָׁם), and afterward it ascended Above again and returned to the word Ohr [Light] (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִסְתַּלְּקָה לְמַעְלָה וְחוֹזֶרֶת לְמִלַּת אוֹר), and this is the meaning of, ‘And there was Ohr [Light],’ namely the Ohr [Light] that had already existed before it descended below (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ וַיְהִי אוֹר, דְּהַיְינוּ אוֹר דְּכְבָר הֲוָה קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּרְדָה לְמַטָּה). The aforementioned Yod ‘split open at first’ (הַיוֹ״ד הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בָּקַע בְּקַדְמִיתָא), the aforementioned Yod split open within the Primordial Avir [Air] (הַיוֹ״ד הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בָּקְעָה בַּאֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן), ‘and brought forth one hidden Nekudah [Point] from its mystery’ (וְאַפִּיק חַד נְקוּדָּה סְתִימָאָה מֵרָזָא דִּילֵיהּ), its explanation is that from the Vav-Dalet of its Spelling in Full, which is another Yod, it illuminated an exceedingly dense Light (פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁהֵאִירָה מִן מִלּוּי ו״ד שֶׁלָּהּ שֶׁהִיא יוֹ״ד אַחֶרֶת, אוֹר עָב בְּיוֹתֵר), and there the Nekudot [Points] gathered together in the mystery of one great hidden Yod (וְנִתְקַבְּצוּ שָׁם הַנְּקוּדוֹת בְּסוֹד יוֹ״ד סְתִימָאָה גְּדוֹלָה), ‘for the Ein Sof split open from its Avir [Air]’ (דְּהָא אֵין סוֹ״ף בָּקַע מֵאֲוִירָא דִּילֵיהּ), the Ein Sof is the Garment (אֵין סוֹף הוּא הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ), namely the Yod that had received such abundance from there (שֶׁהִיא הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁהִשִּׂיגָה שֶׁפַע כֹּה מִשָּׁם), and ‘split open within its Avir [Air]’ (וּבָקַע בַּאֲוִירָא דִּילֵיהּ), namely its own Reshimu [Impression] from the lower half of the Garment (שֶׁהוּא רֹשֶׁם שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁל חֲצִי מַלְבּוּשׁ הַתַּחְתּוֹן, דְּהַיְינוּ דִּילֵיהּ), ‘and revealed this Yod-point’ (וְגָלִי הַאי נְקוּדָּה י׳). ‘Once this Yod expanded’ (כֵּיוָן דְּהַאי י׳ אִתְפַּשַּׁט) Above, having attached itself to the principal Yod and departed (לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁנִּדְבְּקָה עִם הַיוֹ״ד הָעִקָּרִית וְהָלְכָה לָהּ), ‘what remained was found to be Ohr [Light]’ (מַה דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר אִשְׁתְּכַח אוֹר), from that mystery of that hidden Avir [Air], which is outside the sphere of the Tehiru, therefore it is concealed (מֵהַהוּא רָזָא דְּהַהוּא אֲוִיר סְתִימָא, שֶׁהוּא חוּץ לָעִגּוּל כַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ, לָכֵן הוּא סָתוּם). ‘When the Primordial Nekudah [Point],’ namely the Yod, ‘departed from it’ (כַּד אִסְתַּלַּק מִינֵיהּ נְקוּדָּה קַדְמָאָה י׳ כִּדְפֵרַשְׁנוּ), ‘afterward it was revealed upon it’ (לְבָתַר אִתְגְּלִי עֲלֵיהּ), once they pushed it downward (כֵּיוָן שֶׁדָּחֲפוּ אוֹתָהּ לְמַטָּה), Mati ve-lo Mati [Reaching and Not Reaching], by the insertion of the lower point there (מָטֵי וְלָא מָטֵי, בִּתְחִיבַת הַקּוֹץ הַתַּחְתּוֹן שָׁם), ‘once it expanded, it emerged’ (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפַּשַּׁט נָפַק), that is, it returned Above to emit from itself the Reshimu [Impression], from which Adam Kadmon was formed (פֵּרוּשׁ, חָזְרָה לְמַעְלָה לִפְלוֹט מִמֶּנָּה הָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה מִמֶּנָּה אָדָם קַדְמוֹן), ‘and it is the Ohr [Light] that remained from the Avir [Air], namely the Ohr [Light] that had already existed’ (וְאִיהוּ הוּא אוֹר דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר מֵאֲוִיר, וְהַיְינוּ אוֹר דְּכְבָר הֲוָה).”