Parashat Bereshit

Daf 15a (דַּף ט״ו ע״א)

n the Head p1-21בְּרֵישׁ by decree of the King (הוּרְמְנוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא),p1-22 He engraved engravings p1-23(גָּלִיף גְּלוּפֵי), in the supernal Tehiru (בִּטְהִירוּ עִלָּאָה), the Butzina de-Kardinuta [Hard Spark] (בּוּצִינָא דְּקַרְדִּינוּתָא). And it emerges from within the Concealed of concealments (וְנָפִיק גּוֹ סָתִים דִּסְתִימוּ), from the Head p1-24(מֵרִישָׁא), of Ein Sof (דְּאֵי״ן סוֹ״ף), a vaporous smoke p1-25(קוּטְרָא), in a formless mass (בְּגוּלְמָא). He struck into a ring (נָעִיץ בְּעִזְקָא) not white (לָא חִוָּור), and not black (וְלָא אוּכָם), and not red (וְלָא סוּמָק), and not green (וְלָא יָרוֹק), and not any color at all (וְלָא גּוָֹון כְּלָל). p1-26 When the Mashiach [Measuring Line] measured (כַּד מָדִיד מְשִׁיחָא), p1-27 p1-28 He made colors to shine (עָבִיד גּוָֹונִין לְאַנְהָרָא). Within the innermost of the Luminary (לְגוֹ בְּגוֹ בּוֹצִינָא), there went forth p1-29(נָפִיק), one fountain (חַד נְבִיעוּ), from which colors were imprinted below (דְּמִנֵּיהּ אִצְטַבְּעוּ גּוָֹונִין לְתַתָּא).

A concealment within concealments of the secret of Ein Sof (סָתִים גּוֹ סְתִימִין דְּרָזָא דְּאֵי״ן סוֹ״ף), it split and did not split (בָּקַע וְלָא בָּקַע), its air was not known at all (אֲוִירָא דִּילֵיהּ לָא אִתְיְידַע כְּלָל), until from the pressure of its cleaving (עַד דְּמִגּוֹ דְּחִיקוּ דִּבְקִיעוּתֵיהּ) there shone (נָהִיר), one supernal hidden point (נְקוּדָה חָדָא סְתִימָא עִלָּאָה). After that point nothing at all was known (בָּתַר הַהִיא נְקוּדָה לָא אִתְיְידַע כְּלָל). And therefore it is called “Reishit,” the primordial utterance of all (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי רֵאשִׁית מַאֲמַר קַדְמָאָה דְּכֹלָּא). Completion from the omissions (section one) (הַשְׁלָמָה מֵהַהַשְׁמָטוֹת סִימָן א׳).

Bereshit bara (created) Elohim “et” hashamayim (the heavens) “ve’et” ha’aretz (the earth) (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים ״אֶת״ הַשָׁמַיִם ״וְאֶת״ הָאָרֶץ). Initial letters A-H-V-H (רָאשֵׁי תֵיבִין אהו״ה), by which the heavens and earth were created (דְּבֵיהּ אִתְבְּרִיאוּ שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא). A-H (א״ה) — with this the heavens were created (בֵּיהּ אִתְבְּרִיאוּ שְׁמַיָא). V-H (וָ״ה) — with this the earth was created (בֵּיהּ אִתְבְּרִיאַת אַרְעָא), and all that is within it (וְכָל מָה דְּאִית בָּהּ). And He gives nourishment to all the trees and grasses of the earth (וְהוּא יָהִיב תִּיאוּבְתָּא בְכָל אִילָנִין וְעִשְׂבִּין דִּי בְּאַרְעָא). And this is what they said: There is no blade of grass below (וְהוּא מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ אֵין לְךָ כָּל עֵשֶׂב וְעֵשֶׂב מִלְמַטָּה) that does not have a force appointed over it above (שֶׁאֵין מְמוּנֶה עָלָיו מִלְמַעְלָה) that strikes it and says to it: Grow (וְשׁוֹמֵר אוֹתוֹ שְׁמָכֶּה אוֹתוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ גְדָל). As it is said: “Do you know the laws of the heavens, can you place its dominion on the earth” (Job 38) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֲיָדַעְתָּ חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם אִם תָּשִׂים מִשְׁטָרוֹ בָּאָרֶץ). Until here, from the omissions (עַד כָּאן מֵהַהַשְׁמָטוֹת).

And the enlightened shall shine like the radiance of the firmament (וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ), and those who make the many righteous like the stars forever and ever (וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכּוֹכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד) (Daniel 12:3).

The Concealed of the Concealed (זֹהַר סְתִימָא דִּסְתִימִין). It struck its air (בָּטַשׁ אֲוִירָא דִּילֵיהּ), that reaches and does not reach (דְּמָטֵי וְלָא מָטֵי), Some say: and it illuminated (נ״א וַאֲנָהֵיר), in this point (בְּהַאי נְקוּדָה), Some say: in this light (ס״א נְהוֹרָא). And then this “Reishit” spread out (וּכְדֵין אִתְפַּשַׁט הַאי רֵאשִׁית), and made for it a palace for His glory and His praise p1-30(וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ הֵיכָלָא לִיקָרֵיהּ וּלְתוּשְׁבַּחְתֵּיהּ), Some say: He called it to His palace and His praise (נ״א וְלִיקָרֵיהּ וְלְהֵיכָלֵיהּ וּלְתוּשְׁבַּחְתֵּיהּ). There He planted a holy seed to beget, for the benefit of the world (תַּמָּן זָרַע זַרְעָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא לְאוֹלָדָא לְתוֹעַלְתָּא דְּעָלְמָא). And this is the secret: “The holy seed is its support” (Isaiah 6) (וְרָזָא דָא זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ מַצַּבְתָּהּ).

ZOHAR: the seed planted for His glory (זֹהַר דְּזָרַע זַרְעָא לִיקָרֵיהּ). Like this seed of purple silk (כְּהַאי זַרְעָא דְּמֶשִׁי דְּאַרְגְּוָן טָב), which is wrapped within (דְּאִתְחֲפֵי לְגוֹ), and makes for it a palace (וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ הֵיכָלָא), which is its praise and the benefit of all (דְּאִיהוּ תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דִילֵיהּ וְתוֹעַלְתָּא דְּכֹלָּא). In this “Reishit” was created that hidden which is not known (בְּהַאי רֵאשִׁית בְּרָא הַהוּא סְתִימָא דְּלָא אִתְיְידַע), into this palace (לְהֵיכָלָא דָא). This palace is called Elohim (הֵיכָלָא דָא אִקְרֵי אֱלֹהִים), and this is the secret: “Bereshit bara Elohim” (וְרָזָא דָא בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים).

ZOHAR: from which all the utterances were created (זֹהַר דְּמִנֵּיהּ כֻּלְּהוּ מַאֲמָרוֹת אִתְבְּרִיאוּ), in the secret of the spreading forth of the point (בְּרָזָא דְּאִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דִנְקוּדָה), this hidden Zohar (דְּזֹהַר סָתִים דָּא). If in this it is written “created” (אִי בְּהַאי כְּתִיב בָּרָא), it is not an accident that it is written (לֵית תְּוָהָא דִּכְתִיב): “And Elohim created man in His image” (Bereshit 1) (וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ).

ZOHAR: this secret is the primordial Bereshit of all (זֹהַר רָזָא דָא בְּרֵאשִׁית קַדְמָאָה דְּכֹלָּא). His name is Ehyeh (שְׁמֵיהּ אֶהְיֶה), the holy Name (שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), engraved in His side (גְּלִיפָא בְּסִטְרוֹי), Some say: shining (נ״א נָהִיר), and Some say: engraved shining (נ״א בְּגַלְפָּא נָהִיר). Elohim (אֱלֹהִים). Engraved in the crown (גְּלִיפָא בְּעִיטְרָא), Some say: in the engraved crown (נ״א בְּגַלּוּפָא דְּעִיטְרָא), which is the hidden and concealed palace (אֲשֶׁ״ר הֵיכָלָא טָמִיר וְגָנִיז), the beginning of the secret of “Reishit” (שְׁרִיאוּתָא דְּרָזָא דְּרֵאשִׁית). “Asher” is the head that emerges from “Reishit” (אֲשֶׁ״ר רֹאשׁ דְּנָפִיק מֵרֵאשִׁית).