The Order of Creation

The Gradation, the Tzimtzum, Reward and Punishment

סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה - הַהַדְרָגָה, הַצִּמְצוּם, הַשָּׂכָר וְהָעֹנֶשׁ

And since you have understood the matter of the created beings (וּכְיוֹן שֶׁהֲבַנְתָּ עִנְיַן הַנִּבְרָאִים), I will now make you understand, with the help of Heaven, the order of creation (אָבִינְךָ עַתָּה בְּסִיַּיעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה). For since the created beings are arranged in this gradation (כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הַנִּבְרָאִים מְסֻדָּרִים בְּהַדְרָגָה הַזֹּאת), creation too is arranged in this same gradation (הִנֵּה גַּם הַבְּרִיאָה תִּהְיֶה מְסֻדֶּרֶת בְּהַדְרָגָה הַזֹּאת). And this is what gives rise to reward and punishment, as you will now hear, with the help of Heaven (וְזֶהוּ הַנּוֹתֵן הַשָּׂכָר וְהָעֹנֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּשְׁמַע עַתָּה בְּסִ״ד).

And this: for it is true that the Emanator, blessed be He, could have created all His creations in one identical mode (וְזֶה, כִּי אֱמֶת הוּא שֶׁהַמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִבְרוֹא כָּל בְּרוּאָיו בְּאֹפֶן שָׁוֶה), for by His utterance He can create everything (כִּי הֲלֹא בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ יָכוֹל לִבְרוֹא הַכֹּל), and He has no need of varying His action (וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹ שִׁנּוּי מַעֲשֶׂה). And this shall be a principle in your hand: one must not say that the Emanator, blessed be He, had to act in such-and-such a way (וְזֶה יִהְיֶה כְּלָל בְּיָדְךָ, שֶׁאֵין לוֹמַר - הַמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּךְ הָיָה צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת), for in truth He could do all things by His will (כִּי בֶאֱמֶת הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת הַכֹּל בִּרְצוֹנוֹ), but this is what He willed (אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּךְ רָצָה).

And in truth, He desired differentiation, in order to give place for reward and punishment (וּבֶאֱמֶת, הוּא רָצָה בִּשִׁנּוּי כְּדֵי לָתֵת מָקוֹם לְשָׂכָר וְעֹנֶשׁ). For this reason the world was created with ten different utterances (כִּי עַל כֵּן בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת שׁוֹנִים נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם), and in six distinct days likewise (וּבְשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים שׁוֹנִים כֵּן), for the Emanator willed to harmonize His action with what would be produced from it (כִּי רָצָה הַמַּאֲצִיל לְהַשְׁווֹת פְּעוּלָתוֹ אֶל הַנִּפְעָל מִמֶּנּוּ). And therefore He performed a kind of action, by way of example, corresponding to the part of the head in man (וְעַל כֵּן הִנֵּה פָּעַל מִין פְּעוּלָה אַחַת, דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל - שֶׁהִיא מְקַבֶּלֶת לְחֵלֶק הָרֹאשׁ שֶׁבָּאָדָם), and brought forth one creation in this quality in the world (וְהוֹצִיא בְּרִיאָה אַחַת בְּבְחִינָה זוֹ בָּעוֹלָם), and it is found afterward in man (וְכֵן נִמְצָא אַחַר כָּךְ בָּאָדָם). Then He performed another kind of action, corresponding - by way of example - to the neck (וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּעַל מִין פְּעוּלָה אַחֶרֶת, מְקַבֶּלֶת דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל לְחֵלֶק הַצַּוָּאר), and brought forth one creation of this quality in the world (וְהוֹצִיא בְּרִיאָה אַחַת מִבְּחִינָה זוֹ בָּעוֹלָם). And a connection and relationship will be found between these two actions (וְיִמָּצֵא שַׁיָּכוּת וְקֶשֶׁר בֵּין שְׁתֵּי הַפְּעוּלוֹת הָאֵלֶּה), and likewise between these two creations (וְכֵן בֵּין שְׁתֵּי הַבְּרִיאוֹת הָאֵלֶּה), like the connection and relationship between the head and neck in man (כְּקֶשֶׁר וְשַׁיָּכוּת הַנִּמְצָא בֵּין הָרֹאשׁ וְהַצַּוָּאר בָּאָדָם). And the actions that the Emanator, blessed be He, performed in creation - He continues to perform each day (וְהַפְּעוּלוֹת שֶׁפָּעַל הַמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּבְּרִיאָה, הִנֵּה הוּא מַתְמִיד לִפְעֹל בְּכָל יוֹמָא).