The Pillars Of The World

Why do I need "the earth" (et ha'aretz)? To place the heavens before the earth. "And the earth was unformed and void" (Genesis 1:2). Now since He began first with the heavens, what is the reason that Scripture reckons the work of the earth? The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: A parable to a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants: Rise early to my gate. He rose early and found women and men. Whom does he praise? The one whose way it is not to rise early, yet rose early. It was taught: Rabbi Yose says: Woe to the creatures, who see and do not know what they see, who stand and do not know on what they stand. On what does the earth stand? On the pillars, as it is said: "He who shakes the earth from its place, and its pillars tremble" (Job 9:6). The pillars, on the waters, as it is said: "To Him who spread out the earth upon the waters" (Psalms 136:6). The waters, on the mountains, as it is said: "The waters stood above the mountains" (Psalms 104:6). The mountains, on the wind, as it is said: "For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind" (Amos 4:13). The wind, on the storm, as it is said: "stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalms 148:8). The storm hangs from the arm of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: "and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). And the Sages say: It stands on twelve pillars, as it is said: "He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:8). And some say: seven pillars, as it is said: "She has hewn out her seven pillars" (Proverbs 9:1). Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua says: On a single pillar, and its name is Righteous, as it is said: "And the righteous is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25). Rav Yehudah said: There are two firmaments, as it is said: "Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens and the heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14). Resh Lakish said: Seven, and these are they: Vilon, Rakia, Shechakim, Zevul, Maon, Makhon, Aravot. Vilon serves no purpose at all, except that it enters at morning and goes out at evening, and renews each day the work of creation, as it is said: "He who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in" (Isaiah 40:22). Rakia is that in which the sun and moon, stars and constellations are fixed, as it is said: "And God set them in the firmament (rakia) of the heavens" (Genesis 1:17). Shechakim is that in which millstones stand and grind manna for the righteous, as it is said: "And He commanded the skies (shechakim) above, and opened the doors of heaven, and rained upon them manna to eat" (Psalms 78:23-24). Zevul is that in which are Jerusalem and the Temple, and an altar is built, and Michael the great prince stands and offers an offering upon it, as it is said: "I have surely built You a house of habitation (zevul), a place for You to dwell in forever" (1 Kings 8:13). And from where do we know that it is called heaven? As it is written: "Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation (zevul)" (Isaiah 63:15). Maon is that in which are companies of ministering angels, who recite song at night and are silent by day, for the sake of the honor of Israel, as it is said: "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness, and at night His song is with me" (Psalms 42:9). Resh Lakish said: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah at night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws over him a thread of lovingkindness by day, as it is said: "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness." And what is the reason "by day the LORD commands His lovingkindness"? Because of "and at night His song is with me." And there are those who say that Resh Lakish said: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah in this world, which is like night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws over him a thread of lovingkindness in the World to Come, which is like day, as it is said: "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness, and at night His song is with me." Rabbi Levi said: Anyone who breaks off from words of Torah and occupies himself with words of idle chatter is fed coals of broom-wood, as it is said: "Who pluck saltwort by the bushes, and the root of the broom-wood for their food" (Job 30:4). And from where do we know that it is called heaven? As it is said: "Look down from Your holy habitation (maon), from heaven" (Deuteronomy 26:15). Makhon is that in which are storehouses of snow and storehouses of hail, and a chamber of harmful dews, and a chamber of drops, and the room of the whirlwind and storm, and the cave of mist. And their doors are of fire, as it is said: "The LORD shall open for you His good storehouse" (Deuteronomy 28:12). Are these in the firmament? These are on the earth! As it is written: "Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalms 148:7-8). Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: David sought mercy concerning them, and brought them down to the earth. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, "You are not a God who desires wickedness, evil shall not sojourn with You" (Psalms 5:5). You are righteous, O LORD; evil shall not sojourn in Your dwelling. And from where do we know that it is called heaven? As it is written: "And You shall hear in heaven, the place of Your dwelling (makhon)" (1 Kings 8:39). Aravot is that in which are righteousness, judgment, and charity, the treasuries of life and the treasuries of peace and the treasuries of blessing, and the souls of the righteous, and the spirits and souls destined to be created, and the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead. Righteousness and judgment, as it is written: "Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of Your throne" (Psalms 89:15). Charity, as it is written: "And He put on righteousness as a coat of mail" (Isaiah 59:17). The treasuries of life, as it is written: "For with You is the fountain of life" (Psalms 36:10). And the treasuries of peace, as it is written: "And he called it: the LORD is peace" (Judges 6:24). And the treasuries of blessing, as it is written: "He shall receive blessing from the LORD" (Psalms 24:5). The souls of the righteous, as it is written: "And the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God" (1 Samuel 25:29). The spirits and souls destined to be created, as it is written: "For the spirit should faint before Me, and the souls which I have made" (Isaiah 57:16). And the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead, as it is written: "A bountiful rain You poured down, O God; when Your inheritance was weary, You established it" (Psalms 68:10). There are the wheels (ofanim) and the seraphim and the holy living creatures, and the ministering angels, and the throne of glory; the King, the living God, high and exalted, dwells over them in Aravot, as it is said: "Extol Him who rides upon the clouds (aravot), by His name Yah" (Psalms 68:5). And from where do we know that it is called heaven? It is derived by an analogy of "riding" and "riding": it is written here, "Extol Him who rides upon the clouds (aravot)," and it is written elsewhere, "who rides upon the heavens to your help" (Deuteronomy 33:26). And darkness and cloud and thick darkness surround Him, as it is said: "He made darkness His covering, His pavilion around Him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies" (Psalms 18:12). But is there darkness before Heaven? Is it not written: "He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him" (Daniel 2:22)! This is no difficulty: this [text uncertain]