Sefer HaBahir Reader

Rabbi Nehuniah ben HaKana said: One verse (Job 37:21) states, "And now they do not see light, it is brilliant in the skies..." Another verse, however, (Psalm 18:12), states, "He made darkness His hiding place." It is also written (Psalm 97:2), "Cloud and gloom surround Him." This is an apparent contradiction. A third verse comes and reconciles the two. It is written (Psalm 139:12), "Even darkness is not dark to You. Night shines like day — light and darkness are the same."

What is a blessing? It can be explained with an example. A king planted trees in his garden. It may rain and water them, and the ground may be wet and provide them with moisture, but still, he must water them from the spring. It is thus written (Psalm 111:10), "The beginning is Wisdom, the fear of God, good intelligence to all who do them..." You may think that it lacks something. It is therefore written, "His praise endures forever."

Rabbi Amorai sat and expounded: What is the meaning of the verse (Deuteronomy 33:23), "The filling is God's blessing, possessing the Sea and the South"? Moses was saying, "If you follow my decrees, you will inherit both this world and the next." The World to Come is likened to the sea, as it is written (Job 11:9), "It is wider than the sea." The present world is referred to as the South. It is thus written (Joshua 15:19), "...for you have set me in the land of the south..." The Targum translates this, "behold the earth is the south."

What is the meaning of the verse (Ecclesiastes 7:14), "Also one opposite the other was made by God."? He created Desolation and placed it in Peace, and He created Chaos and placed it in Evil. Desolation is in Peace, as it is written (Job 25:2), "He makes peace in His high places." This teaches us that Michael, the prince to God's right, is water and hail, while Gabriel, the prince to God's left, is fire. The two are reconciled by the Prince of Peace. This is the meaning of the verse, "He makes peace in His high places."

How do we know that Chaos is in Evil? It is written (Isaiah 45:7), "He makes peace and creates evil." How does this come out? Evil is from Chaos, while Peace is from Desolation. He thus created Chaos and placed it in Evil, as it is written "He makes peace and creates evil." He created Desolation and placed it in Peace, as it is written, "He makes peace in His high places."

Rabbi Bun sat, and also expounded: What is the meaning of the verse (Isaiah 45:7), "He forms light and creates darkness"? Light has substance. Therefore, the term "formation" is used with regard to it. Darkness has no substance, and therefore, with regard to it, the term "creation" is used. It is similarly written (Amos 4:12), “He forms mountains and creates the wind." Another explanation is this: Light was actually brought into existence, as it is written (Genesis 1:3), "And God said, let there be light." Something cannot be brought into existence unless it is made. The term "formation" is therefore used. In the case of darkness, however, there was no making, only separation and setting aside. It is for this reason that the term "created" is used. It has the same sense as in the expression, "That person became well.”

Rabbi Rahumai said: Illumination preceeded the world, since it is written (Psalm 97:2), "Cloud and gloom surround Him." It is thus written (Genesis 1:3), "And God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light." They said to Him, "Before the creation of Israel your son, will you then make him a crown?" He replied yes. What does this resemble? A king yearned for a son. One day he found a beautiful, precious crown, and he said, "This is fitting for my son's head." They said to him, "Are you then certain that your son will be worthy of this crown?" He replied, "Be still. This is what arises in thought." It is thus written (2 Samuel 14:14), “He thinks thoughts.”

Rabbi Rahumai said: From your words we could conclude that the needs of this world were created before the heavens. He answered yes. What does this resemble? A king wanted to plant a tree in his garden. He searched the entire garden to find a spring flowing with water that would nourish the tree, but could not find any. He then said, "I will dig for water, and will bring forth a spring to nourish the tree." He dug and opened a well, flowing with living water. He then planted the tree, and it stood, giving forth fruit. It was successfully rooted, since it was always watered from the well.

Rabbi Yanai said: The earth was created first, as it is written (Genesis 2:4), "...earth and heaven." They said to him: Is it not written (Genesis 1:1), "...the heaven and the earth"? He replied: What is this like? A king bought a beautiful object, but since it was not complete, he did not give it a name.

He said, "I will complete it, I will prepare its pedestal and attachment, and then I will give it a name." It is thus written (Psalm 102:26), "From eternity You founded the earth" — and then, "the heavens are the work of Your hands." It is furthermore written (Psalm 104:2), "He covered Himself with light like a garment. He spread out the heaven like a curtain, He rafters His upper chambers with water."

It is then written (Psalm 104:4), "He makes the winds His angels, His ministers of flaming fire." Finally, it is written (Psalm 104:5), "He founded the earth on its pedestals, that it not be removed for the world and forever." When He made its pedestal, He strengthened it. It is therefore written, "that it not be moved."

What is its name? ‘And Forever’ is its name, and its pedestal is ‘World’. It is therefore written, "for the World And Forever."

And corresponding to her (the earth) is the deep-blue/t’cheilet of the tsitsit (the corner fringes on a prayer shawl). For R’ Meir said: How is t’cheilet different from all kinds of colors? Because t’cheilet resembles the sea and the sea resembles the firmament and the firmament resembles the throne of glory, as it is said, “And they saw Israel’s God and under His feet [was something] like sapphire brick-work and like the essence of the heavens for purity” [Ex 24:10] and it says, “like the appearance/mar’eh of sapphire stone, a likeness of a throne / d’mut kisei’” [Ez 1:26].

And what would the tree be that you spoke of? He said to him: [It is] the powers/kochot of the Holy One, this on back of this, and they resemble/domin a tree: just as this tree, by means of the waters, brings out fruit, even so the Holy One by means of the waters increases the powers of the tree. And what are these waters of the Holy One? They are wisdom, and they are the souls/n’shamot of the righteous that bloom/grow/fly/por’chin from the spring unto the great channel. And he goes up and joins with the tree, and by what means does [the tree] bloom/grow? By means of Israel, [for] when they are righteous and good, Shekhinah rests among them, and through their deeds she rests in the bosom of the Holy One, and makes them fruitful and increases them.

Rabbi Bun said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth was" (Proverbs 8:23)? What is "from everlasting (me-olam)"? That one must conceal it (le-ha'alimo) from all the world, as it is written, "He has also set the world (ha-olam) in their heart" (Ecclesiastes 3:11); do not read it "the world (ha-olam)" but rather "the concealment (ha-he'elem)." The Torah said: I came first, to be the head of the world, as it is said, "From everlasting I was established, from the beginning" (Proverbs 8:23). And if you should say that perhaps the earth came before it, Scripture teaches, "before the earth was" (Proverbs 8:23), as it is written, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). And what is "created"? He created all the needs of everything, and afterward "God," and what is written after it? "the heavens and the earth."

The master said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "And all the people saw the voices and the torches" (Exodus 20:15)? Now are voices something that can be seen? Rather, "all the people saw the voices": those voices of which David said, "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders" (Psalms 29:3) and onward. "The voice of the LORD is in power" (Psalms 29:4), and Scripture says, "By the strength of my hand I have done it" (Isaiah 10:13), and it says, "My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth" (Isaiah 48:13). "The voice of the LORD is in majesty" (Psalms 29:4), and the verse says, "Splendor and majesty are His work, and His righteousness endures forever" (Psalms 111:3). "The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars" (Psalms 29:5): this is the bow that shatters the cypress trees and the cedar trees. "The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire" (Psalms 29:7): this is the one who makes peace between the water and the fire, for it hews out the power of the fire and prevents it from licking up the water, and also prevents the water from extinguishing the fire. "The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness" (Psalms 29:8), as it is said, "And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and to his seed forever" (Psalms 18:51), more than the wilderness. "The voice of the LORD makes the hinds to calve and strips the forests bare, and in His temple everyone says, Glory" (Psalms 29:9), and it is written, "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field" (Song of Songs 2:7). From this you learn that the Torah was given with seven voices, and in all of them the Lord of the world was revealed to them, and they saw Him; and this is what is written, "And all the people saw the voices."

And what is its purpose here? A parable: to what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a daughter, good and pleasant and beautiful and perfect, and he married her to a king's son, and clothed her and crowned her and adorned her and gave her to him with great wealth. Is it possible for the king to dwell outside his house? You say no. Is it possible for him to sit with her all day continuously? You say no. How then? He set a window between him and her, and every time the daughter needs her father, or the father his daughter, they join together through the window. This is what is written: "All glorious is the king's daughter within; her clothing is of wrought gold" (Psalms 45:14).

And what is His heart? He said to him: If so, Ben Zoma is on the outside, and you are with him. "Heart" [lev] is thirty-two, and they were hidden, and with them the world was created. What is the thirty-two? He said to him: thirty-two paths. A parable: like a king who was in the innermost chambers, and the number of the chambers was thirty-two, and for each chamber there is a path. Is it fitting for this king that everyone enter his chamber by way of his paths? You said no. Is it fitting for him to reveal his pearls and his settings and his hidden things and his treasures and his precious things? You said no. What did he do? He touched the daughter and included in her all the paths and in her garment, and whoever wishes to enter within, let him look here. And he married her to the king, and also gave her to him as a gift. Sometimes, in his love for her, he calls her "my sister," because they were from one place; and sometimes he calls her "his daughter," because she is his daughter; and sometimes he calls her "my mother."

And what is His heart? He said to him: If so, Ben Zoma is on the outside, and you are with him. "The heart" (ha-lev) is thirty-two, for they were hidden, and with them the world was created. What is "32"? He said to him: thirty-two paths. A parable of a king who was in the innermost chambers, and the number of the chambers was thirty-two, and to each chamber there was a path. Is it fitting for this king that everyone enter his chamber by way of his paths? You said: No. Is it fitting for him to reveal his pearls, his settings, his hidden things, his treasures, and his precious things? You said: No. What did he do? He touched the daughter and included in her all the paths and in her garment, and whoever wishes to enter within, let him look here. And he married her to the king, and he also gave her to him as a gift. Sometimes, in his love for her, he calls her "my sister," for they were from one place; and sometimes he calls her "his daughter," for she is his daughter; and sometimes he calls her "my mother."

And what is the meaning of "In the midst of the years make it known" (Habakkuk 3:2)? Thus he said: I know that You are the holy God, as it is written, "Who is like You among the mighty, O LORD? Who is like You, glorious in holiness?" (Exodus 15:11), and holiness is in You and You are within holiness. And even so, "in the midst of the years make it known." And what is "make it known"? It means: have mercy, as in the verse "And God saw the children of Israel, and God knew" (Exodus 2:25). What is "and God knew"? A parable: to what may the matter be compared? To a king who had a beautiful wife, and he raised up children from her, and he cherished them and reared them. But they turned to evil ways, and he hated them and hated their mother. Their mother returned to them and said, "My children, why do you act this way, so that your father hates me and hates you?" until they were comforted and returned to do the will of their father. Their father saw this, loved them as at first, and remembered their mother. This is what is written, "And God saw...and knew..." (Exodus 2:25), and it is written, "And in the midst of the years make it known" (Habakkuk 3:2).

And all agree that they were not created on the first day, so that people should not say that Michael was stretching out the south of the firmament and Gabriel the north, while the Holy One, blessed be He, was arranging the middle. Rather, "I am the LORD who makes all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth from Myself, who was with Me" (Isaiah 44:24). "From Myself" is written: It is I who planted this tree so that all the world might delight in it, and I spread out within it the All, and I called its name All, for the All depends upon it and the All issues from it, and all need it, and toward it they gaze and for it they wait, and from there the souls fly forth in joy. Alone was I when I made it, and let no angel exalt himself over it to say, "I came before you," for even at the time when I spread out my earth, in which I planted and rooted this tree, and I rejoiced together, and I rejoiced in them, who was with Me to whom I revealed this secret of Mine? And what is this tree of which you speak? He said to him: The powers of the Holy One, blessed be He, one above the other, and they resemble a tree. Just as this tree, by means of water, brings forth fruit, so too the Holy One, blessed be He, by means of water increases the powers of the tree. And what is the water of the Holy One, blessed be He? It is wisdom; and it is the souls of the righteous, which fly from the spring to the great channel and rise up and cleave to the tree. And by means of what do they fly forth? By means of Israel: when they are righteous and good, the Divine Presence dwells among them and dwells upon their deeds in the bosom of the Holy One, blessed be He, and He makes them fruitful and multiplies them.

And what are the sons? I have already told you that the Holy One, blessed be He, has seven holy forms, and all of them have their counterparts in the human being, as it is said, "For in the image of God He made the human being" (Genesis 9:6), "In the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27). And these are they: the right thigh and the left, the right hand and the left, the body with the covenant, and the head, which makes six. But did you not say seven? It becomes seven through his wife, as it is written, "And they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).