Daily Zohar # 4936 – Beresheet – Who created these?

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Beresheet
This is a critical study, related to the creation of the upper and lower worlds with the Hebrew letters. It is long but ‘loaded’ with the Light of Creation.
All base on the translation and commentary by Rabbi Ashlag of blessed memory. The fact the he wrote and explain a lot about a short Zohar paragraph indicates how deep is the study. Do not miss any of the studies on Beresheet. If you miss some studies, go back and repeat. I myself take a lot of time to understand the Zohar and translate (with AI help), and add study notes below the translation to support the understanding of the Zohar.

Continued from previous DZ
#310
“It is written, ‘שְׂאוּ מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּרְאוּ מִי בָּרָא אֵלֶּה’—’ Who created these?’ (Isaiah 40:26). The letters were engraved in every work of creation, both in the supernal work (acts), which is Binah, and in the lower work (acts), which is Malchut. Afterward, the letters were imprinted and completed. This means that he explains that Binah is called Elokim (אֱלֹקִים), whose five letters are the secret of Keter, Chokhmah, Binah, Tiferet, and Malchut. When Malchut ascended to the place of Binah of Binah, meaning under Chokhmah in her, Binah and Tiferet and Malchut in her went out from her, falling to Zeir Anpin and Nukva (Z&N), and only the two sefirot Keter and Chokhmah remained in Binah, which is the secret of the two letters Mem-Yud (מ” י) of Elokim. The three sefirot Binah, Tiferet, and Malchut that fell from her are the three letters Alef-Lamed-Hei (אל” ה) of Elokim, which is the secret of ‘מִי־בָרָא אֵלֶה’—’ Who created these?’ (Isaiah 40:26), for ‘created’ (ברא) means bringing forth outward, and Mi (מִי) brought forth the letters Alef-Lamed-Hei outward from Binah, as explained. This bringing forth is considered the engraving (חקיקה) of the letters, meaning vessels. Afterward, Binah lowered Malchut to her place as at the beginning and returned the letters Alef-Lamed-Hei to her level. They were recombined with the letters Mem-Yud in her, completing the holy Name Elokim as before. The return of the letters Alef-Lamed-Hei to the Name Elokim is considered the imprinting of the letters, meaning the completion of their form, for now they are fit to receive all the Mochin. This is what is meant by ‘the letters were engraved in the work of everything,’ etc., for through the ascent of Malchut to Binah, the letters Alef-Lamed-Hei descended outward from Binah, which is considered the engraving of the letters. It says that this engraving occurred in all, both in Binah and in Malchut, for just as the letters Alef-Lamed-Hei descended from Binah, so they descended from all the levels below Binah. This is what is meant by ‘afterward the letters were imprinted,’ meaning afterward, when Binah returned the letters Alef-Lamed-Hei and completed the Name Elokim, then the letters were imprinted and completed, which are the vessels (כלים). The reason it is called this imprinting is that the revelation of the Mochin now is according to the engraving that was made previously. Therefore it is considered as if initially the form of the letters was engraved, and afterward the imprints were made within the engravings. In these imprints, they were completed for their function.
Notes:
The 22 Hebrew letters, vessels for divine light, are “engraved” in creation’s supernal (Binah) and lower (Malchut) works. Binah is Elokim, her five letters representing Keter, Chokhmah, Binah, Tiferet, and Malchut. When Malchut ascends to Binah (under Chokhmah), Binah, Tiferet, and Malchut (letters Alef-Lamed-Hei, אל” ה) descend to Z&N (Zeir Anpin and Nukva), leaving Keter and Chokhmah (Mem-Yud, מ” י) in Binah. This descent is “engraving” (חקיקה), the initial forming of vessels, as in “who created these?” (מי ברא אלה), where ברא (bara, ‘created’) means bringing forth outward (punning in on (Aramaic) “pok tani l’bara” “go out and see outside,”).
Afterward, Binah lowers Malchut to her place and returns Alef-Lamed-Hei to recombine with Mem-Yud, completing ‘אלהים’ Elokim. This return is “imprinting” (רשימה), the finalization of the letters/vessels, making them fit to receive Mochin. The imprinting is based on the prior engraving, like filling engraved forms, completing the tikkun for divine flow. This process occurs in both Binah and Malchut, and all levels below Binah, mirroring the tzimtzum (contraction) and shevirat ha-kelim (breaking of the vessels), as taught by the Holy Ari.
The passage references an earlier Zohar discussion (on “mi bara eleh” from Elijah’s teaching), explaining Binah’s role in emanating Mochin. The ascent (to Binah) and descent (to Malchut) symbolize the dynamic balance of concealment (Binah and above) and revelation in creation (Malchut).
#311
“The Vav of ‘ve-et ha-aretz’ (וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ) indicates that the Vav, which is Zeir Anpin (Z” A), emanated the earth, which is the Nukva, to bestow upon her sustenance and to rectify her, and to give her all her appropriate needs. Sustenance means abundance (שפע, shefa) for her existence. It implies the rectification (tikkun) of her Partzuf (spiritual stature) so that she may be with him face to face (פנים בפנים), the illumination of Chokhmah.
The Vav of ‘ve-et ha-aretz’ indicates that the Vav, which is Z” A, took the word et (אֵת), meaning the inclusion of all the 22 letters from Alef to Tav, and bestowed them upon the earth, which is the Nukva. This means that the inclusion of the 22 letters that Z” A received from Binah, as explained above in the interpretation of ‘et ha-shamayim’ (אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם), he bestowed them upon the Nukva called earth. The earth, which is the Nukva, included them within herself, as it is written, ‘כָּל־הַנְּחָלִים הֹלְכִים אֶל־הַיָּם’—’ All the rivers go to the sea’ (Ecclesiastes 1:7). This is the secret of ‘ve-et ha-aretz’, that the earth gathered everything into herself, and the earth received them. This means the Mochin mentioned above, alluded to in et (אֵת), which Z” A, called heavens (שמים, shamayim), received from Binah, are called rivers (נחלים, nechalim). This is the secret of ‘מִנַּחַל בַּדֶּרֶךְ יִשְׁתֶּה עַל־כֵּן יָרִים רֹאשׁ’—’ From a river on the way he will drink; therefore, he will lift up his head’ (Psalms 110:7), meaning that Z” A drinks from the Yessod of Binah, called a river (נחל, nachal), the Mochin. Therefore he lifts up his head, meaning he attains Gadlut (three upper sefirot). For this reason, these Mochin are called rivers (נחלים, nechalim), and this is what the verse brings, ‘All the rivers’, meaning the Mochin alluded to in et (אֵת), ‘go to the sea’, meaning to the Nukva called sea (ים, yam). This means that Z” A did not receive them initially except to bestow them upon the Nukva, as it says above ‘He brought forth the heavens’, etc., to be a root for the Nukva, and not for his own need. This is what the verse brings, ‘ve-et ha-aretz’, for apparently it could have been written ‘and the earth’ (ve-ha-aretz), and the male would be alluded to in the Vav, and the Nukva would be alluded to in ‘the earth’. Why do we need the word et (אֵת) here? For the word et indicates the inclusion of all the Mochin, from Alef to Tav. The word ‘ve-et ha-aretz’ indicates that the earth gathered to herself and received within herself all the Mochin alluded to in et (אֵת): ‘et ha-shamayim’, the secret of heavens and earth as one. ‘ve-et ha-aretz’, meaning that the earth took the Mochin alluded to in ‘ve-et’ (וְאֵת), indicating heavens and earth together. Likewise, ‘et ha-shamayim’ indicates heavens and earth together. This means that Z&N are divided at the chest, where from the chest upward they are called Z&N the great (Z&N ha-gedolim), and from the chest downward they are called Z&N the small (Z&N ha-ketanim). Also, the essence of Z” A is from the chest upward, but from the chest downward of him is already considered his Nukva. Thus, Z&N from the chest upward are both considered Z” A himself, and Z&N from the chest downward are both considered the Nukva herself. This is what is meant by ‘ve-et ha-aretz’, alluding to the Nukva alone, called earth, has within herself Z” A, and Nukva called heavens and earth, meaning Z&N the small from the chest downward. Likewise, ‘et ha-shamayim’, alluding to Z” A called heavens, has within himself Z” A and Nukva called heavens and earth, meaning Z&N the great from the chest upward.
Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets Genesis 1:1, focusing on the Vav in “ve-et ha-aretz” (“and the earth”), the word et (אֵת) as the 22 letters (Alef to Tav), and the flow of Mochin from Z” A (Zeir Anpin) to the Nukva (Malchut), likened to rivers entering the sea. It explains the division of Z&N at the chest level, distinguishing their Gadlut (greatness, chest upward) and Katnut (smallness, chest downward) states. 
Et (אֵת) alludes to the 22 letters (Alef to Tav), vessels (kelim) received by Z” A from Binah and bestowed upon Malchut (earth). Malchut gathers them within herself, as in Ecclesiastes 1:7, “All the rivers go to the sea,” where Mochin are called rivers (נחלים, nechalim). Psalms 110:7, “From a river on the way he will drink; therefore, he will lift up his head,” means Z” A drinks Mochin from Binah’s Yessod (river), attaining Gadlut Reishin (three upper sefirot). The Vav-et in “ve-et ha-aretz” indicates the earth receives these Mochin, which Z” A draws not for himself but as a root for Malchut.
Z&N are divided at the chest: upward (Gadlut, Z&N the great), both considered Z” A himself; downward (Katnut, Z&N the small), both considered the Nukva herself. “Et ha-shamayim” (the heavens) includes Z” A and Nukva as heavens and earth (Gadlut), while “ve-et ha-aretz” (and the earth) includes Z” A and Nukva as heavens and earth (Katnut). This division reflects Z” A’s essence above the chest and Malchut below, emphasizing their interdependent zivug.

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