God's Shout

What is the meaning of "heaven" (shamayim)? Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said: That there is water there (sham mayim) [reading the word as a contraction]. In a baraita it was taught: fire and water (esh u-mayim) [reading the word as a blend of the two], teaching that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought them and mixed them one with the other, and made the firmament from them. And Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, it kept expanding and going like two balls of warp thread, until the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked it and made it stand firm, as it is said: "The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke" (Job 26:11). And this is what Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: "I am El Shaddai" (Genesis 17:1)? I am He who said to the world "Enough" (dai) [reading the name Shaddai as she-dai, "who said enough"]. Reish Lakish said: At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the sea, it kept expanding and going, until the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked it and dried it up, as it is said: "He rebukes the sea and dries it up, and makes all the rivers desolate" (Nahum 1:4).