5a (ה׳:א׳)

And just as the Holy One, blessed be He, gave a spirit of life to the body of man, through which he may understand and attain the intelligibles separate from matter (וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהקב״ה נָתַן רוּחַ חַיִּים בְּגוּף הָאָדָם, שֶׁבָּהּ יָבִין וְיַשִּׂיג הַמֻּשְׂכָּלוֹת הַנִּבְדָּלִים מֵחֹמֶר), so He gave and bestowed form upon all the rest of the created beings, in order that their operation might emerge complete according to their nature (כָּךְ נָתַן וְהִשְׁפִּיעַ צוּרָה עַל כָּל שְׁאָר הַנִּבְרָאִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצֵא פְּעוּלָתָם שְׁלֵמָה כְּפִי טִבְעָם).

Therefore it is written: “And the spirit of Elohim hovered” (לָכָךְ כָּתוּב: וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת), to teach that within these four elements the Holy One, blessed be He, placed His influence, called “the spirit of Elohim” (לוֹמַר שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ אֵלּוּ ד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת נָתַן הקב״ה הַשְׁפָּעָתוֹ הַנִּקְרֵאת רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים), in order that the operation of the created beings—which previously had been deficient, as it says, “tohu and bohu and darkness”—might emerge into complete actuality (כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ לַפֹּעַל שָׁלֵם פְּעוּלַת הַנִּבְרָאִים אֲשֶׁר מִקּוֹדֶם הָיוּ חֲסֵרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ).

And through this you will understand the explanation of “And the spirit of Elohim hovered over the face of the waters” (וּבָזֶה תָּבִין פֵּרוּשׁ: וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם), which is said concerning the waters that were created when the earth was created (הַנֶּאֱמָר עַל הַמַּיִם שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ כְּשֶׁנִּבְרְאָה הָאָרֶץ). Before the creation of heaven and earth, nothing at all had been created (וְקוֹדֶם בְּרִיאַת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא הָיָה שׁוּם דָּבָר נִבְרָא).

There is also an allusion here to the sign that we have stated: good and evil—“darkness” is the evil inclination (וְגַם רֶמֶז בְּכָאן לַסִּימָן שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, טוֹב וָרָע: חֹשֶׁךְ זֶה יֵצֶר הָרָע); “and the spirit of Elohim”—this is the soul (וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים זֹאת הַנְּשָׁמָה); “over the face of the waters”—this is the good inclination (עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם זֶה יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב). And the soul is placed between them, to distinguish between good and evil (וְהַנְּשָׁמָה נְתוּנָה בֵּינֵיהֶם, לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין טוֹב לָרָע).

For we have already attributed to the two upper elements harm and loss (שֶׁכְּבָר יִיַּסְנוּ לִשְׁנֵי הַיְּסוֹדוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים נֶזֶק וְהֶפְסֵד), and to the lower ones benefit and sustenance (וְלַתַּחְתּוֹנִים תּוֹעֶלֶת וְקִיּוּם), and by means of all of them were all beings created under His providence, which dwells among them (וְעַל יְדֵי כֻלָּם נִבְרְאוּ בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ הַנְּתוּנָה בֵּינֵיהֶם).

Therefore, He referred to the soul with the name “spirit” (וּבְכֵן, כִּינָּה לַנְּשָׁמָה שֵׁם ״רוּחַ), which is close to Him-Elohim-as in the verse: “and the spirit shall return to Elohim” (שֶׁסָּמוּךְ לוֹ ״אֱלֹהִים״, עַל דֶּרֶךְ: ״וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים) (Ecclesiastes 12:7). But above, where it says only “spirit” without “Elohim,” it is the spirit alone and not the soul (אֲבָל לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר כִּי אִם ״רוּחַ״ לְבַד, הוּא הָרוּחַ לְבַדּוֹ וְלֹא הַנְּשָׁמָה). And great is the benefit of the spirit of Elohim hovering over the face of the waters (וְגָדוֹל תּוֹעֶלֶת רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים הַמְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם), for from it came forth light (שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה יָצָא אוֹר), as it is said: “And Elohim said, Let there be light” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר) (Bereshit 1:3), from that light which rests with the Holy One Blessed Be He (מֵאוֹתוֹ אוֹר שֶׁשׁוֹרֶה עִם הקב״ה), as it is written: “and light dwells with Him” (דִּכְתִיב: ״וּנְהוֹרָא עִמָּהּ שְׁרַא) (Daniel 2:22). And it is written: “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (וְכָתוּב: ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב) (Bereshit 1:4), to say: when the spirit of Elohim is upon the waters, which are the two beneficial elements (לוֹמַר: כְּשֶׁרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם, שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי יְסוֹדוֹת הַמּוֹעִילִים), which are joined to the earth (שֶׁמְּחֻבֶּרֶת לַמַּיִם הָאָרֶץ), immediately: “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (מִיָּד: ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב)-this is the good inclination (הוּא יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב), which enlightens and guides man to walk in the light of life when he cleaves to it (הַמֵּאִיר וּמַדְרִיךְ לָאָדָם לָלֶכֶת בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים כְּשֶׁהוּא דָּבֵק בּוֹ), and separates himself from the evil inclination, which is darkness and Gehinnom (וּמַרְחִיק עַצְמוֹ מֵיֵצֶר הָרָע שֶׁהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ וְגֵיהִנֹּם).

And a person can cleave to the good inclination because he has a portion from the Holy One Blessed Be He (וְיָכוֹל אָדָם לְהִדָּבֵק בְּיֵצֶר הַטּוֹב מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק מֵהקב״ה), which is the essence that distinguishes between the light-that is, the good inclination-and the darkness-that is, the evil inclination (שֶׁהִיא הַגַּשְׁמָה הַמַּבְדֶּלֶת בֵּין הָאוֹר שֶׁהוּא יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע), as it is said: “And Elohim separated between the light and the darkness” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ) (Bereshit 1:4). And it is written nearby: “And Elohim called the light Day” (וְכָתוּב בַּסָּמוּךְ: ״וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם).

Explanation: that the righteous who walk in the ways of the Holy One Blessed Be He shine like the radiance of the firmament at midday (פֵּרוּשׁ: שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים הַהוֹלְכִים בִּדְרָכֵי הקב״ה מַזְהִירִים כְּזוֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם), and the wicked who perform their deeds in darkness, it is said of them: “and the wicked in darkness shall be silent” (וְהָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁעוֹשִׂים בַּמַּחְשַׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, נֶאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם: ״וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדָּמוּ) (I Samuel 2:9). “And there was evening and there was morning, one day”-this is one foundation (וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד"-זֶהוּ יְסוֹד אֶחָד). And the intention of the verses adjacent to this is to hint at the composition of the four elements, without which creatures cannot be created (וּכְוַנַּת הַפְּסוּקִים הַסְּמוּכִים לָזֶה לְרַמֵּז הַרְכָּבַת ד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת שֶׁבִּזְלָעֲתָם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִבָּרְאוֹת הַבְּרִיּוֹת).

Therefore it is written nearby: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate between waters and waters” (לָכָךְ כָּתוּב בְּסָמוּךְ: ״יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לַמָּיִם) (Bereshit 1:6), because for the sustenance of created beings, waters of differing nature are needed (לְפִי שֶׁלְּקִיּוּם הַנִּבְרָאִים צְרִיכִים הַמַּיִם מְשֻׁנִּים בְּטִבְעָם): for irrigating the earth, for generating and producing growth, sweet water is required (לִרְווֹת הָאָרֶץ, לְהוֹלִידָהּ וּלְהַצְמִיחָהּ, צָרִיךְ מַיִם מְתוּקִים), and for the sustenance of the fish of the sea, salty water is necessary (וּלְקִיּוּם דַּגֵּי הַיָּם צְרִיכִים מַיִם מְלוּחִים).

Therefore it is written: “and let it separate between waters and waters” (לָכֵךְ כָּתוּב: ״וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לַמָּיִם) between sweet water and salty water (בֵּין מַיִם מְתוּקִים וּבֵין מַיִם מְלוּחִים). And with this the work of the second day was completed (וּבָזֶה נִגְמְרָה מְלֶאכֶת יוֹם שֵׁנִי), therefore it is written: “And there was evening and there was morning, a second day” (לָכֵךְ כָּתוּב: ״וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם שֵׁנִי) (Bereshit 1:8). And these two types of water were made through the power of the stars and constellations, to whom their governance was given (וּשְׁנֵי מִינֵי מַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ מִכֹּחַ הַכּוֹכָבִים וְהַמַּזָּלוֹת, אֲשֶׁר נִתְּנָה לָהֶם הַנְהָגָתָם).

Therefore it is written: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters” (לָכֵךְ כָּתוּב: ״יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם), to indicate that the nature of the waters is according to the firmament’s governance (לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁלְּפִי הַנְהָגַת הָרָקִיעַ – טֶבַע הַמַּיִם). And afterward it is written: “Let the waters be gathered from beneath the heavens to one place, and let the dry land appear” (וְאַחַר כָּתוּב: ״יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה) (Bereshit 1:9), because when the dry land is seen, the earth is ready to produce fruit (לְפִי שֶׁבְּהֵירָאוֹת הַיַּבָּשָׁה הָאָרֶץ מוּכֶנֶת לְהַצְמִיחַ הַפֵּרוֹת).

And it says: “to one place”-meaning, that the waters of the sea should not be adjacent to the cultivated land (וְאָמַר ״אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד״, פֵּרוּשׁ: שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ מֵי הַיָּם סְמוּכִים לָאָרֶץ הַנִּזְרַעַת), for they hinder its growth, as the verse says: “a salty land, and uninhabitable” (שֶׁהֵם מוֹנְעִים מִמֶּנָּה הַצְּמִיחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״אֶרֶץ מֶלַח וְלֹא תֵשֵׁב) (Jeremiah 17:6). Therefore His wisdom decreed that there be two types of water: sweet and salty (לָכֵן גָּזְרָה חָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַמַּיִם שְׁנֵי מִינִים, מְתוּקִים וּמְלוּחִים). And the reason for the sweetness is the firmament, for the waters rise from the sea to rain upon the earth, and in their rising they become sweetened (וְסִיבַּת הַמְּתִיקוּת הִיא הָרָקִיעַ, שֶׁהַמַּיִם עוֹלִים מִן הַיָּם לְהַמְטִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ, וּבַעֲלִיָּיתָם נִמְתָּקוּ). This is what the verse says: “and let it separate between waters and waters” (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לַמָּיִם).