And the statement of Rabbi Chaim Vital contradicts what Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides) wrote in the Guide for the Perplexed, at the end of Chapter 15. Maimonides states that if one were to say metaphorically that the Creator created many worlds before this world in accordance with the numerical measure of the width of the upper sphere, chardeleth (mustard seed), and each world existed for countless years equivalent to the width of the upper sphere (chardeleth), it would imply that when He actualized their existence, they had no purpose like these worlds.
It would then mean that God created the world "yesterday." For when the initial existence followed non-existence (the negation of the previous state), there is no difference whether you say it was created hundreds of thousands of years ago or a very recent time. And from this, you will understand the deficiency in wisdom of Rabbi Chaim Vital, who attempted to be wise without wisdom. In the book "On to God" in the Holy of Holies, Chapter 21, Verse 4, according to his audacity to respond, he said: "If you are not satisfied with the answer of choice, I will give you another answer: Listen!
The Holy King, blessed be He, created the worlds." With this, you cannot question why He created them now and not earlier, because once He became a Creator, He created them all. According to his words, it turns out that the Creator, blessed be He, is not much greater than the first man, as He took only five days. And according to his words, how can he explain what the sages, may their memory be blessed, interpreted regarding the verse "And I was with him as a faithful witness"?
For according to his view, the Torah existed before the creation of the world by several generations, as he asserts that the Torah preceded the Creator's existence, may He be exalted, and may He protect us from such foreign thoughts. And the late Rabbi Yitzhak Tzahari, in the name of Rabbi Saadia Gaon, explains in the seventh matter of the Parashah of Bereshit to inform us that although the heavens appear great in their measure, as explained in the demonstration to the possessors of the wisdom of astronomy in heaven and on earth, do not think that they required a long time to be created.
Rather, I call them to stand together, and I mean by "Bereshit" in a short time within the times, without effort, toil, or exertion. Similarly, it says, "He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable," and so on. In Bereishit Rabbah, it is mentioned in Chapter 1 and 3, and in Midrash Bereshit Rabba Amz, and in Isaiah 42 and Psalms 136, the Sages asked when the angels were created.
Rabbi Yochanan said that they were created on the second day, as it is written, "When He established the heavens, I was there" (Proverbs 8:27), and it is written afterwards, "He makes His angels spirits." Rabbi Chanina said they were created on the fifth day, as it is written, "Let birds fly above the earth" (Genesis 1:20), and it is written, "And with twain he did fly." Rabbi Luliani, in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak, said that both Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Chanina agree that nothing was created on the first day.
They said this to prevent the possibility of saying that Michael stretched out the southern part of the firmament and Gabriel the northern part, and the Holy One, blessed be He, measured in the middle. Rather, "I, the Lord, am the Maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone." (Isaiah 44:24) Who was with Me, it is written, who was My partner in the creation of the world.
Likewise, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi) said in Tractate Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 1, that the angels were not created until the second day, as stated by Rabbi Yochanan. And so writes the Semag (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol) in the introduction to his work, that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He created it on the first day, and the angels were created on the second day, as it is written, "When He established the heavens, I was there," and it is written afterwards, "He makes His angels spirits."
Thus, it supports the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan. In the Midrash Tehillim (Psalms), it is said, "And it was evening, and it was morning, one day." It was the first day of the eternal world, which had nothing in it except for Him. Therefore, it is said, "You are He, the Lord God alone."
However, it is different with You. For You are great and perform wonders in the governance of the world. When an earthly king is honored in a country, the nobles of that country are also honored with him because they bear his burden. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that.
He alone created the world, He alone is honored in the world. He alone takes pride in His world. Rabbi Tanchuma said, "For You are great and perform wonders. Why? Because You alone are God. You alone, by Yourself, created the world."