4b (ד׳:ב׳)

And not only this, but because of our sins the blessing has been taken from us (וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל עֲוֺנוֹתֵינוּ נִטְּלָה הַבְּרָכָה מִמֶּנּוּ), and it has been given to them, and the order has been reversed (וְנִתְּנָה לָהֶם וְנֶחֱלְפָה הַשִּׁיטָה). For they were worthy of a blow, and we-of blessing and mercy and forgiveness (שֶׁהֵם הָיוּ רְאוּיִים לְמַכָּה, וַאֲנַחְנוּ לִבְרָכָה וּלְרַחֲמִים וּלְסְלִיחוֹת), and the sins caused that the nations dwell in ease and we in distress (וְגָּרְמוּ הָעֲוֺנוֹת שֶׁהָעַמִּים בָּרְוָח וַאֲנַחְנוּ בַצָּרָה).

If so, we may say: “An inverted world we have seen,”(Pesachim 50a) and it does not stand in proper order (אִם כֵּן, נוּכַל לוֹמַר: עוֹלָם הָפוּךְ רָאִינוּ, וְאֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּם כְּהוֹגֵן), until Hashem will look and have mercy upon His people Yisrael (עַד יַשְׁקִיף וִירַחֵם ה׳ עַל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and then the world will return to its strength and to its original stability (וְאָז יָשׁוּב הָעוֹלָם לְאֵיתָנוֹ וּלְקִיּוּמוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן), like the days of old and the years of ancient times (כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת). And already you have seen the greatness of Ya'akov Avinu above Avraham and Yitzchak (וּכְבָר רָאִיתָ מַדְרֵגַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ עַל אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק), and I will hint this to you in the verse: “For you have struggled with Elohim and with men” (וְאַרְמוֹז זֶה לְךָ בַּפָּסוּק: "כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים) (Bereshit 32:29).

Explanation: “you have struggled with Elohim”-Keter and Tiferet (פֵּרוּשׁ: ״שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים״: כֶּתֶר וְתִפְאֶרֶת), for their names equal in gematria eighty-six like Elohim (שֶׁעוֹלִים שְׁמוֹתָם לְמִנְיַן פ״ו כְּמִסְפַּר אֱלֹהִים).p1-2 “And with men”-Avraham and Yitzchak (וְ״עִם אֲנָשִׁים״: אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק), each of whom had three Sefirot as we said (שֶׁלְּכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם ג׳ סְפִירוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), and they are not all in a straight path (וְאֵינָם כֻּלָּם דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר). But Ya'akov had four Sefirot, all in a straight and whole path (וּלְיַעֲקֹב ד׳ סְפִירוֹת, כֻּלָּם בְּדֶרֶךְ יָשָׁר וְתָמִים), which include them all (אֲשֶׁר נִכְלְלוּ בָהֶם כֻּלָּם), just as everything created in the world is included in four elements (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁנִּבְרָא בָּעוֹלָם נִכְלַל בְּאַרְבַּע יְסוֹדוֹת).

And just as these four Sefirot explained through the four rivers hint to the four elements (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַד׳ סְפִירוֹת שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּד׳ הַנְּהָרוֹת הָיוּ רוֹמְזוֹת לְד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת), and they all act together (וְהֵם פּוֹעֲלִים כֻּלָּם יַחַד), it would be fitting that all of them mention encircling (הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר בְּכֻלָּם סִיבּוּב), for in all the elements they encompass all things (לְפִי שֶׁבְּכָל הַיְּסוֹדוֹת הֵם סוֹבְבִים כָּל הַדְּבָרִים), and without them nothing can emerge in the world (וּזְלָעָתָם אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיֵּצֵא שׁוּם דָּבָר בָּעוֹלָם). Therefore know: although there are four elements (לְפִיכָךְ דַּע: שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ אַרְבַּעָה יְסוֹדוֹת), their activity is included in two parts (פְּעוּלָתָם נִכְלֶלֶת בִּשְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים)-a sign for this: good and evil (סִימָן לַדָּבָר: טוֹב וְרָע), as we will make known to you (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנוֹדִיעֲךָ). And the Neshamah dwells between these two parts (וְהַנְּשָׁמָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵּין שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים הָאֵלֶּה), which is the portion of the Holy One Blessed Be He (שֶׁהִיא חֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה), without which nothing comes forth into actuality in completeness (שֶׁבִּזְלוֹעָתָהּ לֹא יֵצֵא שׁוּם דָּבָר לַפֹּעַל בִּשְׁלֵמוּת). And we said that the four elements are divided into two parts (וְאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁהַד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת נֶחְלָקִים לִשְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים), and their names are good and evil (וּשְׁמָם טוֹב וָרָע), because water and earth are corporeal and perceptible to the touch (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַמַּיִם וְהָעָפָר הֵם גַּשְׁמִיִּים, יַשִּׂיגֵם הַמִּישּׁוּשׁ), and wind and fire, although they are material, are not perceived by touch (וְהָרוּחַ וְהָאֵשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם גֶּשֶׁם, לֹא יַשִּׂיגֵם מִשּׁוּשׁ הַיָּדַיִם).

For fire does not exist without a bearer such as wood or metals (כִּי הָאֵשׁ לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּלִי נוֹשֵׂא כְּמוֹ עֵץ וּמַתְּכוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה), and wind has no visible substance nor is felt by the hand (וְהָרוּחַ אֵין לוֹ מַצָּאוֹת גַּשְׁמוּתוֹ לָעֵינַיִם וְלֹא מִשּׁוּשׁ בַּיָּדַיִם). And because of their delicacy and lightness, they resemble one another (וּלְרוֹב דַּקְּיוּתָם וְקַלּוּתָם דּוֹמִים זֶה לָזֶה), and water and earth are heavy and are grasped by touch (וְהַמַּיִם וְהָעָפָר הֵם כְּבֵדִים וּמַשִּׂיג אוֹתָם הַמִּישּׁוּשׁ).

Therefore, we can say the four elements are included in two parts (לָכֵן נוּכַל לוֹמַר שֶׁאַרְבַּעָה יְסוֹדוֹת נִכְלָלִים בִּשְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים), and we attribute the good to water and earth, which bring forth plants and seeds for the sustenance of the world (וְיִיַּחֵס הַטּוֹב לַמַּיִם וְלָעָפָר שֶׁמוֹלִידִים צְמָחִים וּזְרָעִים לְקִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם), and we attribute the evil to fire and wind, which damage and destroy, burn and dry, and consume things (וְנִיַּחֵס הָרַע לָאֵשׁ וְלָרוּחַ שֶׁהֵם מַזִּיקִים וּמַפְסִידִים וְשׂוֹרְפִים וּמְיַבְּשִׁים וּמְכַלִּים הַדְּבָרִים), in the manner of “fire and brimstone and a stormy wind…” (עַל דֶּרֶךְ "אֵשׁ [וְגָפְרִית] וְרוּחַ זַעֲפוֹת) (Psalms 11:6). And in the verse “Bereshit” (וּבַפָּסוּק "בְּרֵאשִׁית) is hinted the creation of all created beings above and below in their completeness, their strength, and their dominion fitting for them (רָמוּז בְּרִיאַת כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה בְּשְׁלֵמוּתָם וְכֹחָם וּמֶמְשַׁלְתָּם הָרְאוּיִים לָהֶם).

For you will find in it seven words and twenty-eight letters (שֶׁכֵּן תִּמְצָא בוֹ ז׳ תֵּבוֹת וְכ״ח אוֹתִיּוֹת), to allude to the seven planetary bodies and the governance of the world through the power that the Holy One Blessed Be He gave them (לְרַמֵּז לְשִׁבְעָה כוֹכְבֵי לֶכֶת וְהַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם מֵהַכֹּחַ שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם הקב״ה). And with the mention of “heavens” are included two elements, which are fire and wind found above (וּבְהַזְכִּיר ״שָׁמַיִם״ נִכְלָל בָּהֶם שְׁנֵי יְסוֹדוֹת, שֶׁהֵם אֵשׁ וְרוּחַ הַנִּמְצָאִים לְמַעְלָה), and with the mention of “earth” are included water and earth found below (וּבְהַזְכִּיר ״אֶרֶץ״ נִכְלַל בָּהּ מַיִם וַעֲפָר הַנִּמְצָאִים לְמַטָּה). “And the spirit of Elohim hovered” (וְ״רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת)-this is the Neshamah (הִיא הַנְּשָׁמָה), which is the portion of the Holy One Blessed Be He (שֶׁהִיא חֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה), placed between the two divisions of the elements (הַנְּתוּנָה בֵּין שְׁנֵי חֲלָקֵי הַיְּסוֹדוֹת).

And after I have informed you how the creation of all created beings is hinted in the verse “Bereshit” (וְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁהוֹדַעְתִּיךָ אֵיךְ בַּפָּסוּק ״בְּרֵאשִׁית״ רְמוּזָה בְּרִיאַת כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים)—the heavens and the earth, the seven planetary bodies, the four elements, the constellations, and all their host (הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְז׳ כוֹכְבֵי לֶכֶת וְד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת וּמַזָּלוֹת וְכָל צְבָאָם)—the following verse comes to inform us that the complete operation of created beings, through the governance and composition of the four elements, cannot be completed without Divine influence and supervision (בָּא הַכָּתוּב הַסָּמוּךְ לוֹ לְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיֵּגָמֵר פֹּעַל שָׁלֵם הַנִּבְרָאִים בְּהַנְהָגָה וּבְהַרְכָּבַת ד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת זוּלַת הַשְּׁפָעָה וְהַשְׁגָּחָה אֱלֹהִית).

This is what the verse says: “And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם״), for all was unformed matter without a form (שֶׁהַכֹּל גֹּלֶם בְּלֹא צוּרָה), until the spirit of Elohim [God] came, which is the soul of all created beings (עַד שֶׁבָּא רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁהִיא נְשָׁמָה לְכָל הַנִּבְרָאִים). Therefore it is said: “hovering over the face of the waters” (לָכֵךְ נֶאֱמַר ״מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״).