Mother of Pearl and Black Marble: He Took a Thousandth of Her Radiance and from Her Built a Lovely Precious Stone
by tillerofthesoil
“Was light created on the first day? For, behold, it is written: And God placed [the two great lights] in the vault of the heavens (Genesis 1:17), and it is written: And it was evening and it was morning, fourth day (ibid., 19)—this is according to Rabbi El’azar. For Rabbi El’azar said: With the light the blessed Holy One created on the first day one could gaze from one end of the universe to the other; but as soon as the blessed Holy One foresaw the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion [i.e., the generation which built the Tower of Babel], and saw that their actions were corrupt, He arose and hid it away from them, as is said: The light of the wicked is withheld (Job 38:15). And for whom did He hide it? For the righteous in the time to come, for it is said: And God saw the light, that it was good (Genesis 1:4); and good means only the righteous, for it is said: Say you to the righteous, that it shall be good: [for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds] (Isaiah 3:10). As soon as the light saw that it had been treasured away for the righteous, it rejoiced, as is said: The light of the righteous rejoices (Proverbs 13:9)” (BT Ḥagigah 12a).
“It was taught: The light which was created in the six days of Creation cannot shine during the day because it dims the orb of the sun, nor by night, because it was created only to shine by day. Then where is it? It is treasured away for the righteous in the time still to come, as it says, Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of the seven days, [in the day that YHWH binds up the hurt of His people, and heals the stroke of their wound] (Isaiah 30:26). Seven! surely there were only three, seeing that the luminaries were created on the fourth day! It is like a man who says, ‘I am providing so much for the seven days of my [wedding] feast. Rabbi Neḥemyah said: It refers to the seven days of mourning for Methuselah, when the blessed Holy One lavished light upon them [see BT Sanhedrin 108b]” (Bereshit Rabbah 3:6).
“Rabbi Yehudah son of Simon said, ‘With the light created by the blessed Holy One on the first day, one could gaze and see from one end of the universe to the other. When the Holy One foresaw the corruption of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood, He hid it away from them, as is written: The light of the wicked is withheld (Job 38:15). Where did He hide it? In the Garden of Eden. אוֹר זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה (Or zaru’a la-tsaddiq u-le-yishrei simḥa), Light is sown for the righteous, joy for the upright in heart (Psalms 97:11) [ר עֲקִיבַה (R. Akiva)]” (Vayiqra Rabbah 11:7).
“God said, ‘Let there be light!’ And there was light (Genesis 1:3)—primordial, transcendent light, already existent. From here issued all powers and forces, so Earth turned firm and fragrant, generating Her potencies. As the light shone, its radiance blazed from one end of the universe to the other. When it gazed upon the wicked of the world, it hid itself away, emerging only by its paths, concealed, unrevealed….
God said, ‘Let there be light!’ This is the light that the blessed Holy One created at first. It is the light of the eye. This is the light that the blessed Holy One showed Adam, who gazed with it from one end of the universe to the other” (Zohar 1:30b, 31b).
“Look at what we have learned in our Mishnah: With the light that the blessed Holy One created at first, one could gaze and see from the beginning of the world to its end. Come and see: The light of the sun is a sixty-thousand-and-seventy-fifth of the light of the speculum of the concealed light. If even at this light of the sun a person cannot gaze, how much more so at that light!
Yet we have said that a person could see with it from the beginning of the world to the end of the world! Well, so have we decreed in our Mishnah: With that light, a person could know and see—with the radiance of wisdom—all that was and all that will be, from the beginning of the world to the end of the world, and it has been concealed for the righteous in the world to come. What is meant by ‘in the world to come’? When the holy soul leaves this world and enters the world to come [cf. Tanḥuma, Vayiqra, 8: ‘The wise call it הַעוֹלָם הַבּא (ha-olam ha-ba), the world to come, not because it does not exist now, but for us today in this world it is still to come’; Zohar 3:290b (IZ): ‘The world that is coming, constantly coming, never ceasing’]” (Zohar Ḥadash 15b, Midrash ha-Ne’lam).
“Rabbi Neḥunia son of ha-Qannah said: One verse says, They have not seen the light, bright though it be in the skies (Job 37:21). And another verse says, He set darkness His hiding-place (Psalms 18:12); it is also written, Cloud and dense fog around Him (ibid. 97:2). This is difficult. However, a third verse comes to hold the balance: Darkness itself will not darken for You, and the night will light up like the day, the dark and light will be one (ibid. 139:12) [cf. Bemidbar Rabbah 15:8]” (Bahir §1).
Torah is light (Proverbs 6:23).
“Rabbi Boi said: What is In remote eons I was shaped, מֵרֹאשׁ (me-rosh), from the head (Proverbs 8:23)? [As you say, בַּת רֹאשִׁי (bat roshi), ‘Daughter of My head’]. What is מֵעוֹלָם (me-olam), in remote eons? A matter necessary לְהֵעָלֵם (le-he’alem), to conceal, from all the world, as is written, The world, too, He has put in their heart, [without man’s grasping at all what it is ha-Elohim has done from beginning to end] (Ecclesiastes 3:11)—do not read הָעֹלָם (ha-olam), the world, but rather הֶעְלֵם (he’elem), concealment. Torah says, ‘I preceded [all] to be רֹאשׁ לָעוֹלָם (rosh la-olam), head of the world,’ as is said, me-olam, in remote eons, I was shaped, me-rosh, from the head. And if you say: perhaps the earth preceded her, it says, before the earth (ibid.). As is the case elsewhere: In the beginning created Elohim (Genesis 1:1)—what created [Elohim]? The needs of all, then Elohim. And what is written next? The heavens and the earth (ibid.)” (Bahir §10, cf. Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 42, 82a).
“Rabbi Berekhiah said, ‘Why is it written, God said, ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light (Genesis 1:3), and not [simply] ‘And there was?’ This can be compared to a king who had a beautiful object and set it aside until he had prepared a place for it; then he placed it there, as is written: ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light—for it already was” (Bahir §25).
Unveil my eyes that I may look upon the wonders of Your Torah (Psalms 119:18).
“And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were two [iterations of] ‘light,’ as is written, [And God said, ‘Let there be light.’] And there was light (Genesis 1:3). Regarding both of them it is written, it was good (ibid., 4). The blessed Holy One took one and hid it for the righteous in the World that is Coming. Of this is written, How great Your goodness that You hid for those in awe of You. You have wrought for those who shelter in You [before the eyes of humankind] (Psalms 31:20). To teach that the primordial light cannot be seen by any creature, as is written, it was good [cf. Shemot Rabbah 35:1]. Furthermore it is written, And God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:21). The blessed Holy One saw all that He had made, and saw good—radiant בָּהִיר (bahir), brightness. He took of that good, and included in it the thirty-two paths of Wisdom, giving it to this world. This is the meaning of, For good learning I have given you, do not forsake My teaching (Proverbs 4:2). Alas, say this is treasury of Oral Torah.
The blessed Holy One said, ‘This quality is included in this world, and it is Oral Torah. If you guard this quality in this world, then you will be worthy of the World that is Coming, which is the good treasured away for the righteous.’ What is it? It is His strength, as is written, And His brilliance will be as the light (Habakkuk 3:4). The brilliance that was taken from the primordial light will be [manifest] light if His children keep the teaching and the commandments that I have written to instruct them (Exodus 24:12) [cf. Zohar 2:166b].’ Therefore it is written, Hear, My son, your father’s reproof, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching (Proverbs 1:8).
And it is written, He has rays at His side: and there is His strength hidden (Habakkuk 3:4). What is His strength hidden? The light that was concealed: that You hid for those in awe of You (Psalms 31:20). As is said: You have wrought for those who shelter in You (ibid.)—those who take refuge in Your shadow in this world, who keep Your teaching, and fulfill Your commandments. Who sanctify Your great Name, unifying it in private and in public, as it says: before the eyes of humankind (ibid.)” (Bahir §§147–148).
“Rabbi Berekhiah sat and expounded: Each day we speak of הַעוֹלָם הַבָּא (ha-Olam ha-Ba) but do we know what we are saying? The Targum renders this as עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי (alma de-atei), the World that Came. But what is it? This teaches that before the world was created, it arose in thought to create a great light to illuminate and a great light was created which no creature was able to wield [see Tanḥuma, Shemini, 9]. The blessed Holy One foresaw that none could bear it, He took one-seventh and gave it to them in its place and the rest He treasured away for the righteous in the time yet to come, saying: If they prove worthy of this seventh and guard it, I will give them the rest in the other world. It is therefore called ha-Olam ha-Ba, the World that is Coming, since it is already [always] coming from the six days of creation. Of this is written: How great Your goodness that You hid for those in awe of You (Psalms 31:20)” (Bahir §160).
“And what is Awe of YHWH (Isaiah 33:6)? It is the primordial light. Thus Rabbi [Berekhiah] said: Why is it written, God said, ‘Let there be light.’ [And there was light]? (Genesis 1:3). Why does it not say, and it was? But this teaches that the light was so great that no creature could gaze upon it. The blessed Holy One therefore treasured it away for the righteous in the time still to come. This is the quality of all that is סְחֹרָה (seḥorah), valuable, in the world. It is also the power of the precious stones called סֹחָרֶת (soḥaret), Darkness [or: Black Marble], and דַּר (dar), Dweller [or: Mother-of-Pearl; see Esther 1:6; BT Megillah 12a ad loc. Perhaps the black marble called Darkness is the supernal sun, too blindingly bright, as it were, to gaze upon, cf. Job 10:22: You shine like darkness; Maimonides, Guide of the Perplexed, 1:59; Zohar 2:188a]. And what is the quality of Soḥaret, Darkness? To teach you that the blessed Holy One took a thousandth of [Soḥaret’s, i.e., the World that is Coming’s] radiance and from Her בֹּנֶה (boneh), built [alluding to בִּינָה (Binah)] a lovely precious stone [cf. Tanḥuma, Pequdei 3]. In Her [namely, Dar, i.e., this world] He included all the mitsvot” (Bahir §190).
“I am שְׁחוֹרָה (sheḥorah), dark, but desirable (Song of Songs 1:5), the speculum that does not shine but Father and Mother adorned Her so that Her husband be pleased with Her” (Zohar 1:49b).
“And what is מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה (Misham ro’eh), from there the Shepherd, Israel’s Stone (Genesis 49:24)? That from There Israel’s Stone is sustained. What is מִשֶּׁם (mishem), it by name? Ah, say: צֶדֶק עֶלְיוֹן (tsedeq elyon), supernal Justice [upper Shekhinah; Binah]. And what is it? The great צָפוּן (tsafun), hidden, light, called סֹחָרֶת (Soḥaret), Darkness [which סְחוֹר סְחוֹר (seḥor seḥor), surrounds, everything, cf. Zohar 3:120a], and the stone residing below is דַּר (dar), Dweller [i.e., lower שְׁכִינָה (Shekhinah), Presence, from לְשַׁכֵּן (le-shaken), ‘to dwell.’ Cf. Seder Rabba de-Vereshit, see Schäfer, Synopse zur Hekhalot-Literatur, §440: ‘Shekhinah is below just as Shekhinah is above’]. And what are the beams mentioned in the verse [The radiance is like light.] Beams from His hand He has, [and there His might is hidden] (Habakkuk 3:4)? These are the five fingers of the right hand” (Bahir §193).
“A precious stone set in a crown, as is written, the stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone (Psalms 118:22). It ascends to the place from which it was hewn, as is written, from There feeds Israel’s Stone (Genesis 49:24)” (Bahir §91, cf. Zohar 1:231b).
“[The primordial] light was pleasant for the world and did not cause harm like the sun” (Shemot Rabbah 35:1).
“The emperor said to Rabbi Yehoshu’a son of Ḥananiah, ‘I wish to behold your God.’ … He went and placed the emperor facing the sun during the summer solstice. He said to him, ‘Look at it.’ He replied, ‘I cannot.’ Rabbi Yehoshu’a said, ‘If at the sun—which is but one of the ministering servants of the blessed Holy One—you admit you cannot look, how much more so the Shekhinah” (BT Ḥullin 59b–60a).
The universe is filled with radiation that is literally the remnant heat left over from the Big Bang, called the “cosmic microwave background.” This resolves the difficulty raised by the account of Creation in the Book of Genesis which famously states, ”Let there be light” before the creation of any luminaries.
“בַּהַט וָשֵׁשׁ (Bahat ve-shesh), alabaster and marble (Esther 1:6). Rabbi Assi said: [בַּהַט (Bahat) alludes to] stones which מִתחוֹטֶטוֹת (mitḥotetot), are much sought after, by their owners; and so it says, like the stones of a crown, מִתְנוֹסְסוֹת (mitnosesot), glittering, over his land (Zechariah 9:16). וְדַר וְסֹחָרֶת (Ve-dar ve-soḥaret), and mother-of-pearl and black pearl (Esther 1:6). Rav said: This means דַרֵי דַרֵי (darei darei), rows upon rows [similarly, סֹחָרֶת (soḥaret) is cognate with סְחוֹר סְחוֹר (seḥor seḥor), ‘around and around,’ suggesting Ahasuerus’ banquet hall floor was decorated with circular rows of mosaic]. Shemu’el says: There is a precious stone in the seaports called דַּרַה (Darah). [Ahasuerus] put it in the midst of the guests, and it lit up the place כַּצָּהֳרַיִּם (ka-tsaharayyim), as at midday [i.e., a very intense צוֹהַר (tsohar), light (Rashi), cf. BT Sanhedrin 108b on Genesis 6:16]. In the academy of Rabbi Yishma’el it was taught: It means that he gave דְרוֹר (deror), a release from, taxes to all who dealt in סְחֹרָה (seḥorah), merchandise” (BT Megillah 12a).
“I am שְׁחוֹרָה (sheḥorah), dark, but desirable (Song of Songs 1:5), the speculum that does not shine [Shekhinah] but Father [Ḥokhmah] and Mother [Binah] adorned Her so that Her husband [Tif’eret] be pleased with Her” (Zohar 1:49b).
“Above there is another stone more precious than rubies (Proverbs 3:15), and She surrounds and turns over seven sefirot below Her and thus She is called סֹחָרֶת (Soḥaret), as in סְחוֹר סְחוֹר (seḥor seḥor), ‘around and around.’ And because this stone is the eighth sefirah, called Binah dwelling above, above, turning over and surrounding all, She is called Soḥaret.
The second stone below, mystery of the Shekhinah abiding with Israel perpetually, is called דָּר (dar), Dweller—She is a lovely דִירָה (dirah), dwelling. And therefore these two stones, upper and lower, are called Dar and Soḥaret (Esther 1:6). The upper, Soḥaret, since She מְקֶפֶת (meqefet), encircles, the seven sefirot, and the lower, Dar, since She דָּרָה (darah), dwells, with Israel perpetually. For this reason, there were two stones of memory for Israel on the covering vest of the High Priest, as is written: And you shall take carnelian stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons. Six of their names on the one stone and the six remaining names on the other stone in the order of their birth (Exodus 28:9–10). Six of their names celebrate the Shekhinah in this world, Dar, and the others will merit the honor of the second stone, the perfect one, Soḥaret, which is the essence of the World that is Coming. In the order of their birth—if they are good or bad, if they are few or many, for the order of their birth refers to the deeds of man…. Both of these qualities are called many times by the same name: the first… is called צֶדֶק עֶלְיוֹן (tsedeq elyon), upper Justice, and the second… is צֶדֶק תַחְתוֹן (tsedeq taḥton), lower Justice, as is said, צֶדֶק צֶדֶק (tsedeq tsedeq), justice justice, shall you pursue (Deuteronomy 16:20). One must pursue justice, mystery of Shekhinah, so that he merit upper Justice, mystery of the life of the World that is Coming: Who pursues צְדָקָה (tsedaqah), righteousness, and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor (Proverbs 21:21)” (Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, Sha’arei Orah, Sha’ar Ḥamishi, Sefirah Shishit).
“Two pearls, one peg with them, within them—extending between one and the other. The upper pearl has no hue, no manifest appearance. When this pearl begins to manifest, seven engraved letters radiate—protruding, sparkling, splitting cracks and castles—each one illumining. These seven letters are two names, inscribed in that pearl. On Sabbath day, they sparkle and shine and open openings, emerging forth empowered. They are אהיה יהו (‘HYH YHV). The letters sparkle—and in their scintillation they combine with each other, illumining one another….
As soon as this pearl scintillates and absorbs those letters within, the upper pearl is drawn toward them, so that pearls cleaves to pearl—and all is one. This is the single mystery of the praise [אֵל אָדוֹן (El Adon)], as we have established. When letters sparkle on this side and that—this constitutes the peg inserted within them, between pearl and pearl. Then, all attains the mystery of the holy Name of Forty-two Letters, and the mystery of the holy Name of Seventy-two Letters of the supernal chariot. All—this and that—is called Sabbath. This is the mystery of Sabbath” (Zohar 2:92a, Piqqudin).
“What is the difference between them [ס (samekh) and ם (mem)]? Well, when enclosed and hidden within itself, within the supernal point above, She [Binah] assumes the form of the letter ס (samekh) [alluding to סֹחָרֶת (Soḥaret)], enclosed within and hidden, ascending above. And when She returns and sits רְבִיעָא (revi’a), crouching, over children below to suckle them, She assumes the form of the letter ם (mem) [which is] revi’a, quadrilateral, enclosed in four directions of the world” (Zohar 2:127a, cf. BT Shabbat 104a).
“The אוֹזֶן (ozen), ear, is shaped like א (alef) and alef is head of all the letters [like אַלוּף (aloof), a head, a chieftain]. Moreover, alef causes all the letters to endure and א (alef) is shaped like the brain. What is alef? When you recall you open your mouth, so too the thought [is opened and expanded] when contemplating לְאֵין סוֹף ותַכְלִית (le-ein sof ve-takhlit), endlessly and limitlessly. And from the אָלֶף (alef) all the letters emerge. Do we not see that she is at the outset? But it is said, YHWH at their head (Micah 2:13). It has been established that every name written with [the letters] יוד הא ויו הא (Yod He Vav He), the blessed Holy One is unified and sanctified in holiness. What is ‘in holiness?’ This is the Holy הֵיכָל (heikhal), Temple [numerically equivalent to אֲדֹנָי (Adonai)]. Where is the Holy Temple? Ah, say in thought, that is, אָלֶף (alef). This is what is written, I have heard of Your renown; I am afraid (Habakkuk 3:1)….
It is written, Nor the ear filled with hearing (Ecclesiastes 1:8). It is also written, The eye is not sated with seeing (ibid.). This teaches that both draw from thought. What is thought? A king that is needed by all things created in the world, above and below.
Why do we say, ‘It arose in thought’ and we don’t say ‘It descended’? Indeed, we say: He who prays through the vision of thought [first] descends and then ascends. We use the expression [of descent] there because we say, ‘He who gazes into צְפִיָּת (tsefiyyat), a vision, of the Chariot’ (Heikhalot Rabbati §81). The Targum renders צְפִיָּה (tsefiyyah), lookout, as סָכוּתָה (sakhutah), covering, as is said, And he shall call out, a lion on מִצְפֶּה (mitspeh), the lookout: ‘My Lord [I stand perpetually by day and on my watch I am stationed all through the nights’] (Isaiah 21:8). However, צְפִיָּה (tsefiyyah), a covering, cannot envelope thought, for it has no limit whatsoever, and anything that has no end or limit does not descend. People therefore say, ‘So and so descended to the end of his knowledge.’ One can reach the end of his knowledge, but not the end of his thought.
Rabbi Amora sat and expounded: Why is it written סְגוֹל (segol)? Because סְגוּלָּה (segullah), ‘treasure,’ is her [proper] name, as it is [she] on top, following זַרְקָא (zarqa). What is zarqa? Just like its name it is (1 Samuel 25:25) נְבָרֵך (nevarekh), ‘blessed’ [possibly a euphemistic antonym for ‘cursed,’ see 1 Kings 21:13; Job 1:5, 11; 2:9; M Sanhedrin 7:5. Cf. Bahir §133]. Like something נִזְרַק (nizraq), thrown away, but in its wake comes, סְגֻלַּת (segullat), the treasure, of kings and provinces (Ecclesiastes 2:8). But what is zarqa? It is written: Blessed be YHVH’s glory from His place (Ezekiel 3:12), because there is none who knows His place. [Sandalfon says:] We recite a name over the coronet, and She goes and rests on the head of the Owner, as is written, Possessor of heaven and earth (Genesis 14:19). As She goes She is like a zarqa with a segullah, treasure, following Her, and She comes to be head of all letters. And why is [the zarqa written] at the end of a word and not at its beginning? To teach that this תַּגָּא (tagga), coronet, ascends above, above. And what is the import of this coronet? She is a precious stone, set and adorned, as is written, The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone (Psalms 118:22). She ascends to the place from which She was hewn, as is written, from שָׁם (sham), There, feeds Israel’s Stone (Genesis 49:24)” (Bahir §70; §§87–91).
“And God said, יְהִי אוֹר (Yehi or), ‘Let there be light’ (Genesis 1:2)—let there be י (yod) plus אֲוִיר (avir), air, and this secret is passed to the wise of heart” (Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 37b, cf. ibid., 19a–20b).
“And the holy hair, which are known channels, draws from this source. And those channels which shine on several worlds which the blessed Holy One created and encircle the supernal Form are a secret of the Nazarite, as is written, to grow loose the hair on his head (Numbers 6:5). Because this is the hair growing one thousand years until it reaches a certain limit. When it reaches that certain limit it immediately cuts those channels and they return to their former position. Accordingly the sages taught: ‘A king cuts his hair every day’ (BT Ta’anit 17a). And the blessed Holy One’s day is one thousand years, as is written, For a thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday gone (Psalms 90:4). And the honored fire which cuts that holy hair which really emanated from Him is called the primordial light. When the blessed Holy One first wished to create the world, He created His world like this world, and brought light out from the quality of Keter to illuminate it, but it could not tolerate that supernal light and He destroyed it. Accordingly the rabbis said in this respect: It teaches that ‘He created worlds and destroyed them’ (Bereshit Rabbah 3:7) until ‘He concealed that hidden light for the righteous’ (BT Ḥagigah 12a)…. And this is the quality [Keter] even in the seventh millennium of which is written, And YHWH alone shall be exalted in that day (Isaiah 2:11) when those ten sefirot are not revealed, this sefirah stands firm and does not ever change” (Rabbi Yosef Hamadan, Paris MS 853, 80b–81a).
“We are dazzled by His beauty, and He is hidden from us because of the intensity with which He becomes manifest, just as the sun is hidden to eyes too weak to apprehend it” (Maimonides, Guide of the Perplexed, 1:59),
“When powerful light is concealed and clothed in a garment, it is revealed. Though concealed, the light is actually revealed, for were it not concealed, it could not be revealed. This is like wishing to gaze at the dazzling sun. Its dazzle conceals it, for you cannot look at its overwhelming brilliance. Yet when you conceal it—looking at it through screens—you can see and not be harmed. So it is with emanation: by concealing and clothing itself, it reveals itself” (Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Pardes Rimmonim 5:4, 25d, translated in Matt, The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism, p. 91).
“God said, ‘Let there be light!’ And there was light (Genesis 1:3)—primordial, transcendent light, already existent. From here issued all powers and forces, so Earth turned firm and fragrant, generating Her potencies. As the light shone, its radiance blazed from one end of the universe to the other. When it gazed upon the wicked of the world, it hid itself away, emerging only by its paths, concealed, unrevealed….
God said, ‘Let there be light!’ (Genesis 1:3). This is the light that the blessed Holy One created at first. It is the light of the eye. This is the light that the blessed Holy One showed Adam, who gazed with it from one end of the universe to the other” (Zohar 1:31b, cf. ZḤ 61d–62b).
“Rabbi Ya’aqov of the village of Naburaya in Tyre expounded: To You silence is praise, God, in Zion (Psalms 65:1)—silence sums it all up, as regarding a priceless pearl, all who attempt to praise it [merely] diminish its value’” (JT Berakhot 9:1, 4f).
“Rabbi Yehudah son of Shim’on said, ‘With the light created by the blessed Holy One on the first day, Adam could gaze and see from one end of the universe to the other. Since the blessed Holy One foresaw the corrupt deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood, He hid the light from them. Where did He hide it? In the Garden of Eden for the righteous, as is written: Light is sown for the righteous (Psalms 97:11)” (Tanḥuma, Shemini, 9).
“When you light up [the lamps, opposite the front of the lamp stand shall the seven lamps give light] (Numbers 8:2).
Darkness itself does not darken for You, and the night lights up like the day, the dark and light are one (Psalms 139:12). Yet to us He says When you light up!
To what may this be compared? To a king who had a beloved friend. The king said to him, ‘Know that I will eat with you [even though I am royalty]. Go and prepare for me!’ His beloved friend went and prepared a common couch, a common lamp, and a common table. When the king arrived there came with him ministers who encompassed him on this side and that, and a lamp of gold before him. When his beloved friend saw all the glory of the king, he felt ashamed and put away everything that he had prepared for him, since it was all common. The king said to him, ‘Did I not tell you that I would eat with you? Why have you not prepared anything for me?’ His beloved friend said to him, ‘I saw all the glory that accompanied you, and I felt ashamed and put away all that I had prepared for you, since they were common vessels.’ The king said to him, ‘By your life! I will discard all the vessels that I have brought, and for the sake of your love I will use none but yours!’
And so, the blessed Holy One is entirely light, as is said, He lays bare the deep and the hidden things, knows what is in darkness, and light dwells with Him (Daniel 2:22). Yet He says to Israel ‘Prepare for Me a lamp and lights.’ And why is it written, They shall make Me a Tabernacle, that I may abide in their midst (Exodus 25:8); And you shall make a lamp stand of pure gold (ibid., 31)? When they had completed everything שְׁכִינָה (Shekhinah), [divine] Presence, came.
Why is it written, [And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of YHWH filled the Tabernacle.] And Moses could not come into the Tent of Meeting (ibid. 40:35)? Immediately He called to Moses: And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he would hear the voice (Numbers 7:89). What did He say to him? When you light up [the lamps]” (Bemidbar Rabbah 15:8).
“‘The power of the precious stones called סֹחָרֶת (Soḥaret) and דַּר (Dar)’ (Bahir §190)—for חָכמָה (Ḥokhmah) is כֹּחַ מַה (koaḥ mah), Power of What [see Zohar 3:27b–28a, 235b (both RM)], meaning it is in the aspect of Ḥokhmah secreted away in Binah. She is called Power of What, as we explained in the Gate of Epithets. And so too She is ‘a precious stone’ (ibid.)—י (yod), a point in the Palace, called Soḥaret, which is the language of סִבּוּב (sibbuv), surrounding, and הֶיקֵּף (heiqqef), encircling, for She encircles all of the sefirot and imbues them with power and light. And perhaps יְקָרָה (yeqarah), precious, is synonymous with מְאִירָה (me’irah), ‘She illuminates,’ just as [if I saw light when it gleamed] וְיָרֵחַ יָקָר הֹלֵךְ (ve-yareaḥ yaqar holekh), and the moon gliding grand (Job 31:26). And as for why She is the quality Dar, according to the verse both were mentioned together: וְדַר וְסֹחָרֶת (ve-dar ve-soḥaret), black marble and mother-of-pearl (Esther 1:6). And from our explanation Dar will become clear: And there was light (Genesis 1:3)—therefore [we should] question what Dar is. It teaches that ‘the blessed Holy One took a thousandth of Her radiance’ (Bahir ibid.), which means Dar is Malkhut taken from Ḥokhmah, i.e., ‘the side [or: rib]’ as was explained in the Gate of Existents 3:4. This is as is written, ‘the blessed Holy One took… of Her radiance,’ meaning from the radiance of Soḥaret, which is Ḥokhmah, the primordial light, and the ‘side’ is ‘a thousandth of Her radiance,’ they are two thousand years by which Torah preceded the world. And this is ten sefirot which are in Ḥokhmah and ten which are in Malkhut and every ten of them rise to a thousand, for of them it was explained: Ten are a hundred; one hundred are a thousand. And this is ten including a tenth, and a tenth of a tenth is a thousandth. And thus a thousand in Binah is אַלְפַּים (alpaim), two thousand [or: אֲלָפִים (alpaim), thousands], and the thousandth is Malkhut, the completion of the לְפַּים (alpaim), two thousand [or: thousands]. And they are called לְפַּים (alpaim), two thousand [or: thousands] to instruct concerning that [She is] still not the yod of Atsilut. Of the emanations Atsilut remains, which is then Ḥokhmah and Binah, related there [as] two thousand [or: thousands]. As the Sages, of blessed memory, said, ‘Torah preceded the world by two thousand years.’
And building from Her a precious, lovely, and adorned stone. We have already explained: And YHWH God יִבֶן (yiven), built, the side He had taken from the human into a woman and He brought her to the human (Genesis 2:22)—yod, which is Malkhut. And it [means to] say that the side is the precious stone, yod, sapphire stone. And She is lovely and adorned in the mystery of בִּנְיָן (binyan), the building, of ה (he). And this is: [‘Let there be light!’ ] And there was light—Malkhut’s ‘being,’ from Ḥokhmah, the primordial light, as explained. And She is called יְקָרָה (yeqarah), precious, synonymous with הֶאָרָה (he’arah), illumination, as explained above. And the explanation of ‘lovely,’ is that [it is] from the side of שֶׁפַע תִּפְאֶרֶת (shefa tif’eret), efflux of splendor, Her Husband, ו (vav). And this is נָאֶה (na’ah), lovely—נ (nun); Malkhut. The א (alef) over ו (vav), which is אֶמֶת (Emet), Truth [or: Trust]. And thus He is made from וָא״ו הֵ״א (Vav He). And it was explained that ‘adorned’ is Adornments of the Bride, the he. From them [come] Her adornments, as [in] the three גַּוְּונִי (gavvuni), hues, of the קֶשֶׁת (qeshet), rainbow: a red line, a green line, and a white line. And they are גְדוּלָה (Gedullah), גְבוּרָה (Gevurah), and אֶמֶת (Emet), Truth. And they are ה (he), ג (gimmel), and וָוִי״ן (vavin), vavs, as explained in the Gate of Existents. And included in Her are all the positive mitsvot and negative mitsvot. A positive mitsvah is from the right side—חֶסֶד (Ḥesed); a negative mitsvah is from the left side—Gevurah. And She includes the right and the left. And She is the reason [or: flavor] of every mitsvah, because the mitsvot depend on the ten sefirot. And She comprises ten sefirot. And therefore, She is included in every branch of the sefirot, which are the mitsvot” (Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Pardes Rimonim 22:4).
“[There is a thing of which one would say, ‘See this, it is new.’] It already has been [in the eons that were before us] (Ecclesiastes 1:10). And it says: YHWH through wisdom founded earth (Proverbs 3:19); And I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom (Exodus 31:3). To teach you that the Tabernacle was equally balanced with the entire world, and corresponds to the fashioning of Adam, who is a small world. How so? The blessed Holy One created His world, just as one born of woman is created: A child begins from the navel and spreads out to four sides, here to there. Thus the blessed Holy One began to create His world from the Foundation Stone—the beginning. And from Her founded the world. Why is it called אֶבֶן שְׁתִיָּה (even shetiyyah), Foundation Stone? Because from Her the blessed Holy One began to create His world. He created the supernal Temple, as is said: A firm place for Your dwelling (Exodus 15:14). Do not read מָכוֹן (makhon), a firm place, but rather מְכֻוָּן (mekhuvvan), parallel, to Your dwelling—corresponding to the Throne of Glory, as written above. And [He] fashions a child as [He] fashions the world; the fashioning of a child in it’s mother’s loins [so too the world was founded from the Foundation Stone] (Tanḥuma, Pequdei 3).
“A man sees a lovely pillar and says, ‘Blessed is the quarry from which this was hewn.’ The world is lovely, blessed is הַמָּקוֹם (ha-maqom), the Place, who hewed it and created it through an utterance! Happy are you, world, that the blessed Holy One rules over you!’” (Shemot Rabbah 15:22).
Blessed be YHWH’s glory from His place (Ezekiel 3:12).
“מָקוֹ״ם (Maqom), Place, is the raised sum of יהו״ה (YHWH), like so: י׳ (ten) [squared] is ק׳ (one hundred); ה״ה (five and five) [squared] is (twenty-five and twenty-five—fifty); ו׳ (six) [squared] is ל״ו (thirty-six). Tallying קפ״ו (one hundred eighty-six), the sum of מָקוֹ״ם (Maqom), Place [i.e., the Omnipresent]. And this is פָּק״וּ פְּלִילִיָה (paqu peliliyah), juddered in judgment (Isaiah 28:7)—in Her the depths congealed in the heart of the sea (Exodus 15:8) [קָפְאוּ (qafu), congealed, renders קָפוּ (qafu)—numerically equivalent to 186—in the Aramaic of Targum Onqelos]. Now, this Name, YHWH, must be gathered to one rung and included in Her ten sefirot, like so: יו״ד ה״א וא״ו ה״א (Yod He Vav He) [ten letters corresponding to ten sefirot of YHWH, Tif’eret]. These are ten sefirot בְּלִי מָ״ה (beli mah) ‘ciphers of emptiness’ [lit., ‘ciphers without what’] (Sefer Yetsirah §2) [the expanded spelling of יהוה (YHWH) is יו״ד ה״א וא״ו ה״א (Yod He Vav He), numerically equivalent to מָ״ה (mah), what].
יהו״ה מָקוֹם לְיו״ד ה״א וא״ו ה״א (YHWH Maqom le-Yod He Vav He)—they are closed and נֶעֵלָם (ne’elam), hidden. Because of this they are called עוֹלָם עֵלֶם (olam elem), Hidden World, [a matter] necessary לְאַעֵלָמָא (le-a’elamah), to be hidden, ‘מִכּוּלֵי עָלְמָא (mikulei alma), from everyone’ (Bahir §10). This is [the allusion of the deficient spelling of] עֹלָם (olam), world, and Shekhinah נֶעֱלָמָה (ne’elamah), is concealed [too], as is written, And נֶעֶלְמָה (ne’elmah), She is hidden, from the eye of all living, [from the fowl of the heavens, נִסְתָּרָה (nistarah), concealed] (Job 28:21)” (Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 42, 82a, cf. Rabbi El’azar of Worms, Sefer ha-Ḥokmah printed in pseudo-El’azar Perush ha-Roqeakh ‘al ha-Torah, 1:35; Sefer ha-Iyyun, 95–96; Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, Ginnat Egoz, 56a).