2b (ב׳:ב׳)

At first it arose in thought to create the world with the attribute of judgment (בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה עָלָה בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרוֹאוֹת אֶת הָעוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין), since He saw that it could not endure (כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְקַיֵּם), He joined the attribute of mercy with the attribute of judgment and created it (שִׁיתֵּף מִדַּת רַחֲמִים בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין וּבְרָאוֹ), this is what the verse says (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “On the day that Hashem Elohim made earth and heaven” (בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם). And all this is hinted in the verse “Bereshit” and in other verses adjacent to it (וְכָל זֶה רָמוּז בַּפָּסוּק "בְּרֵאשִׁית" וּבִפְסוּקִים אֲחֵרִים הַסְּמוּכִים אֵלָיו). And I will explain to you the names that come out from them (וַאֲנִי אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ הַשֵּׁמוֹת שֶׁיוֹצְאִים מֵהֶם), and then you will see wonders from the Torah of Hashem (וְאָז תִּרְאֶה נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרַת ה׳).

Know that from “Bereshit” until “Yom Echad” there are five verses (דַּע, כִּי מִ״בְּרֵאשִׁית״ עַד ״יוֹם אֶחָד״ יֵשׁ חֲמִשָּׁה פְּסוּקִים), and the final letters of them are Tzadi, Mem, Resh, Kaf, Dalet (וְסוֹפֵי תֵבוֹת מֵהֶם צ מ ר כ ד), and this is the Name of The Holy One Blessed be He (וְהוּא שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה), and its value in calculation is din be-rachamim (judgment in mercy) (וְעוֹלֶה בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ ד״ן בְּרַחֲמִים). And when you take the first letters of these verses you will find Vav Vav Vav Vav Bet (וּכְשֶׁתִּקַּח רָאשֵׁי אֵלּוּ הַפְּסוּקִים תִּמְצָא ו׳ ו׳ ו׳ ו׳ ב׳), which are four Vavs and one bet (שֶׁהֵן ד׳ וָוי״ן וּבֵית אֶחָד), whose total is twenty-six (שֶׁהוּא בְּמִנְיָן כ״ו). And this is to inform us that when it arose in thought to create the world with the attribute of judgment (וְזֶה לְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ, כִּי כְּשֶׁעָלְתָה בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרוֹא אֶת הָעוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין), the bet preceded (הִקְדִּימָה הַבֵּית), to hint that it is impossible to endure if He would create it with the attribute of judgment (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְקַיֵּם אִם יִבְרָאֵנוּ בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין), and it hinted “with mercy” (וְרָמְזָה בְּרַחֲמִים).

What did The Holy One Blessed be He do? (מָה עָשָׂה הקב״ה), He joined the attribute of judgment with the attribute of mercy and created the world (שִׁיתֵּף מִדַּת הַדִּין עִם מִדַּת רַחֲמִים וּבָרָא הָעוֹלָם). Therefore, in the first letters, He placed mercy first in defense through the bet (לְכָךְ בְּרָאשֵׁי תֵבוֹת הִקְדִּים רַחֲמִים בְּסְנֵיגוֹרִיָּא שֶׁל בֵּית). And The Holy One Blessed be He then saw to join the attribute of mercy with the attribute of judgment, and He created the world through the union of both together as one (וְהקב״ה אָז רָאָה לְשַׁתֵּף מִדַּת רַחֲמִים עִם מִדַּת הַדִּין וּבָרָא הָעוֹלָם בְּשִׁתּוּף שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד). This is what the verse says (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “On the day that Hashem Elohim made earth and heaven” (בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם). And this day, the “one day,” as it is written: “and there was evening and there was morning, one day” (וְזֶה הַיּוֹם, הַיּוֹם אֶחָד דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹּקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד).

And a great proof for all this (וּרְאָיָה גְּדוֹלָה לְכָל זֶה), “Bereshit bar Elohim” (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים), meaning: at the beginning of the creation (פֵּרוּשׁ: בְּרֵאשִׁית הַבְּרִיאָה), which is before creation (שֶׁהִיא קוֹדֶם הַבְּרִיאָה), it arose in thought “Elohim” (עָלָה בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה ״אֱלֹהִים), meaning: to create the world with the attribute of judgment (פֵּרוּשׁ: לִבְרוֹא אֶת הָעוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין). And when the letter Bet argued merit on behalf of the world (וּכְשֶׁלִּימְדָה הַבֵּית זְכוּת עַל הָעוֹלָם), and requested from the Holy One Blessed Be He that He create it with the attribute of mercy (וּבִקְּשָׁה מֵהקב״ה שֶׁיִּבְרָאֵהוּ בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים), the Holy One Blessed Be He said: I will not create it with judgment (אָמַר הקב״ה לֹא אֶבְרָא אֹתוֹ בְּדִין), and not with simple mercy (וְלֹא בְּרַחֲמִים פְּשׁוּטִים), but with a combination of both together as one (אֶלָּא בְּשִׁתּוּף שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד). All this is alluded to in the names written above (כָּל זֶה רָמוּז בַּשֵּׁמוֹת הַכְּתוּבִים לְמַעְלָה).

Another allusion He gave us in the verse “And Hashem Elohim planted” (עוֹד רָמַז לָנוּ בַּפָּסוּק "וַיִּטַּע יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים), Hashem is an allusion to the attribute of mercy (יְהוָה רָמַז מִדַּת רַחֲמִים) for His beloved ones and those who think upon His Name (לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְחוֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ), Elohim is an allusion to the attribute of judgment (אֱלֹהִים רָמַז מִדַּת הַדִּין), to repay recompense to those who transgress His commandments (לְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְעוֹבְרֵי עַל מִצְוֹתָיו). And both are alluded to in the attribute of Malkhut (וּשְׁתֵּיהֶן רְמוּזוֹת בְּמִדַּת מַלְכוּת), which is a blessing for the Tzaddikim and a blow for the wicked (שֶׁהִיא בְּרָכָה לַצַּדִּיקִים וּמַכָּה לָרְשָׁעִים). And He began with the attribute of mercy (וְהִתְחִיל בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים), for He grasped the way of the Torah in blessings and admonitions (שֶׁתָּפַשׂ דֶּרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה בִּבְרָכוֹת וּבְתוֹכָחוֹת), “If in My statutes” (Im beChukotai) (אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי) and Mishneh Torah (וּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה). And the verses prove the stature of man and his level in perception and comprehension (וְהַפְּסוּקִים יוֹכִיחוּ מַעֲלַת הָאָדָם וּמַדְרֵגָתוֹ בַּהַשָּׂגָה וּבַהַשְׂכָּלָה), after it was said of him “and He formed” (אַחַר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וַיִּיצֶר), more than what he had when it was said “creation” (יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ כְּשֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּרִיאָה).

And this is because at first it is written (וְזֶה, כִּי בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה כְּתִיב), “And a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground” (וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה), alluding to his perception, which is slight (רֶמֶז לְהַשְׂגָּתוֹ שֶׁהִיא מְעַטָּה), like the mist, which produces but little water (כְּמוֹ הָאֵד שֶׁהוּא מוֹלִיד מַיִם מְעַטִּים). “And watered the whole face of the ground” (וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה), for he had engagement with the supernal realms only in a very small measure (שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לוֹ עֵסֶק בַּעֶלְיוֹנִים כִּי אִם מְעַט מִזְעָר). But after the holy Neshamah [soul] was given to him (וְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּיתְּנָה לוֹ הַנְּשָׁמָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה), the verse changed three things (שִׁינָּה הַכָּתוּב ג׳ דְּבָרִים): and this (וְזֶה)—instead of “a mist,” it wrote “and a river” (בִּמְקוֹם וְאֵד כָּתַב וְנָהָר); instead of “from the earth,” it wrote “went out of Eden” (וּבִמְקוֹם מִן הָאָרֶץ כָּתַב יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן); and instead of “and watered the whole face of the ground,” it wrote “to water the garden” (וּבִמְקוֹם וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה כָּתַב לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן).

Behold, from the arrangement of Scripture there is proved to you the elevated degree of man’s perception after the great Neshamah [soul] was given within him (הִנֵּה לְךָ מֻכְרָח בְּסִידּוּר הַמִּקְרָא מַעֲלַת הַשְּׂגָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם אַחַר שֶׁנִּתַּן בּוֹ הַנְּשָׁמָה גְּדוֹלָה), like the waters of the great river (כְּמֵי הַנָּהָר הַגָּדוֹל); through it he will perceive and delight (וּבָהּ יַשְּׂג וְיִתְעַדֵּן), and be reckoned as one of the host of heaven on high (וְיִחָשֵׁב כְּאֶחָד מִצְּבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם), and become a fountain of gardens in wisdom and understanding (וְנַעֲשֶׂה מַעְיָן גַּנִּים בְּחָכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה). Therefore it is written: “to water the garden” (לָכֵן כָּתַב לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן). And shortly thereafter it says: “and from there it was parted and became four heads” (וַיֹּאמֶר בַּסָּמוּךְ וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים).

And now we shall explain what was hinted in the names of the rivers, and the reason they are four—neither fewer nor more (וְעַתָּה נְפָרֵשׁ מַה שֶּׁרָמַז בְּשֵׁמוֹת הַנְּהָרוֹת וְטַעַם הֱיוֹתָם ד׳ לֹא פָחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר). And it is written: “The name of the one is Pishon” (וְכָתַב שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן). This is the secret of the upper Sefirah, which is Keter (זֶהוּ סוֹד הַסְּפִירָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁהִיא כֶּתֶר). It is called Pishon, a term of increase, as in “Be fruitful and multiply,” which Onkelos translates: “Pūshū ve-segū” [Increase and multiply] (וְנִקְרֵאת פִּישׁוֹן, לָשׁוֹן רִיבּוּי, כְּמוֹ פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּתַרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס פּוּשׁוּ וְסִגוּ). That is to say: once the Neshamah was given within man, he increased exceedingly in his perception, higher and higher (לוֹמַר, מִשֶּׁנִּתְּנָה הַנְּשָׁמָה בָּאָדָם הִרְבָּה בְּהַשְּׂגָתוֹ לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה).

He said: “It compasses the whole land of Havilah” (אָמַר: הַסּוֹבֵב אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה), to say that all the Sefirot receive from it and are influenced by it (לוֹמַר, שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה מְקַבְּלוֹת וּמוּשְׁפָּעוֹת כָּל הַסְּפִירוֹת). “The whole land of Havilah” (אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה)—a language of portion, as in: “Ya‘akov is the portion of His inheritance” (לָשׁוֹן חֵלֶק, עַל דֶּרֶךְ: יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ); and the Vav was interchanged with a bet (וְנִתְחַלְּפָה וָא״ו בְּבֵית), because the Vav belongs to Ya‘akov (לְפִי שֶׁהַוָּא״ו הִיא שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב) (Devarim 32:9)

And why does it write, “The name of the one is Pishon” (וְלָמָּה כָּתַב: שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן)? It should have written, “The name of the first” (הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתוֹב: שֵׁם הָרִאשׁוֹן), in accordance with what it writes afterward: “The name of the second” (כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב אַחַר כֵּן: שֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִי). The reason is that in this Sefirah is the unity of the Holy One, blessed be He (הַטַּעַם, לְפִי שֶׁבַּסְּפִירָה הַזֹּאת אַחְדּוּתוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה), whom the children of Ya‘akov make Yihudim [unifications] for (שֶׁמְיַחֲדִים אוֹתוֹ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב), as the verse says: “Ya‘akov is the portion of His inheritance” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ) (Devarim 32:9)