Daily Zohar # 4959 – Beresheet – The membrane and darkness

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Beresheet
Continued from previous DZ
#369
Rabbi Yitzchak said: There is one membrane (קרום, krum) in the midst of the human intestines (diaphragm), which separates between them from below to above, meaning it separates between the intestines, which are the organs of nourishment (digestion), and the organs of vitality, which are the heart and lungs, called the courtyard of the liver. This membrane begins opposite the navel of the person. It extends diagonally upward to the chest (חזה, chazeh), drawing vitality (חיות, chayut) from the organs of vitality above the chest and giving it to the organs of nourishment below the chest. So too, the firmament (רקיע, rakia) is like this membrane. It is found in the middle, meaning the body of Arich Anpin (א” א, A” A), which extends from opposite the navel of A” A to its chest, and it stands above the lower living creatures, meaning above the sefirot of Netzach-Hod-Yessod (נה” י, Nehi), called the lower living creatures. And it separates between the upper waters (מים עליונים, mayim elyonim), which are its חג” ת (Chagat, Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferet), and the lower waters (mayim tachtonim), which are its Nehi.
Come and see: These waters conceived (הרו, haru, impregnated) and gave birth to darkness (אפלה, afelah), and on this secret, it is written, ‘וְהִבְדִּילָה הַפָּרֹכֶת’—’ And the curtain (parochet, of the Holy) separated’ (Exodus 26:33). This means: After the upper firmament (רקיע עליון, rakia elyon), at the mouth of A” A, descends and raises all the levels to the head of A” A, where there is Chokhmah without Chassadim, darkness (חושך, choshech) and congealing (קיפאון, kipa’on) occur in all aspects of the lower waters, which are the seven lower sefirot (ז” ת, Zat) that ascended there, for they cannot receive Chokhmah without Chassadim. It is considered that the upper waters, which are the three upper sefirot (ג” ר, G” R) of A” A, conceived (הרו, haru), for the lower waters that ascended and were included in the G” R of A” A are considered like an embryo (עובר, ubar) in its mother’s womb, being a foreign body there, like an embryo included in its mother’s body. However, they gave birth to darkness (אפלה, afelah), meaning that after the upper waters bestowed the Mochin of Chokhmah to the lower waters, they were born and emerged in darkness and congealing, for the lower waters cannot receive the great light of the head of A” A without Chassadim. And it says that this is the secret of ‘And the curtain separated,’ for the curtain (פרוכת, parochet), which is the secret of the upper firmament at the mouth of A” A, separates between the G” R of A” A, called the Holy of Holies (קודש הקדשים, Kodesh HaKodashim), which are the upper waters, and the ז” ת, Zat of A” A, called the Holy (קודש, Kodesh), which are the lower waters. For the upper waters, which are the G” R called Kodesh HaKodashim, can receive Chokhmah without Chassadim, but the lower waters, which are the Zat called Kodesh, cannot receive Chokhmah without Chassadim and become darkness (חושך, choshech). Thus, the parochet separates between the Kodesh and the Kodesh HaKodashim.

Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets Genesis 1:6 and Exodus 26:33, likening the rakia (רקיע, parsa) to a human membrane (קרום, krum) that separates חג” ת, Chagat (upper waters) from נה” י, Nehi (lower waters) in Arich Anpin (A” A). The upper parsa at A” A’s mouth raises all levels to the head, where Chokhmah without Chassadim causes ז” ת, Zat (Malchut, Z” A) to congeal into darkness (אפלה, afelah). The parochet separates G” R (Kodesh HaKodashim, shining with Chokhmah) from Zat (Kodesh, needing Chassadim), requiring zivug via Yessod’s masach (וִ, chirik) to enable illumination.

#370
Rabbi Abba opened with an explanation of the verse, ‘הַמְּקָרֵה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו’—’ Who covers the heavens with waters’ (Psalms 104:3). ‘With waters’ refers to the uppermost waters (מים עליונים, mayim elyonim), meaning Abba and Imma (Chokhmah and Binah), which are the aspect of the three upper sefirot (ג” ר, G” R) of Binah. Through them, He established the house, which is the Nukva (Malchut) of Zeir Anpin (ז” א, Z” A), as it is said, ‘בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בַּיִת וּבִתְבוּנָה יִתְכּוֹנָן’—’ Through wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established’ (Proverbs 24:3). This means: The Zohar here explains the verse ‘Who covers the heavens with waters’ regarding the order of the emanation of the Mochin (spiritual consciousness) in the secret (sod) of the three vowel points (nekudot): cholam (וֹ), shuruk (וּ), and chirik (וִ). ‘Who covers the heavens with waters’ refers to the point of cholam, which is the secret of Mem-Yud (מ” י, M” Y) that remained in the level (מדרגה, madregah), and it receives from the aspect of G” R of Binah. And it brings the verse ‘Through wisdom a house is built’ to show that Chokhmah does not shine in the house, which is the Nukva, except through the drawing of Chassadim from the G” R of Binah, which is the secret of Abba and Imma, and the secret of Mem-Yud, meaning the point of cholam (וֹ). And further on, it explains the continuation: ‘His clouds are His chariot’ (עבים רכובו, avim rekhuvo), referring to the point of shuruk (וּ); ‘Who walks on the wings of the wind’ (מהלך על כנפי רוח), referring to the point of chirik (וִ), as explained ahead.

Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets Psalms 104:3 and Proverbs 24:3, explaining the emanation of Mochin to Malchut (Nukva, the house) through the three vowel points: cholam (וֹ, Chassadim, Abba and Imma), shuruk (וּ, Chokhmah), and chirik (וִ, Z” A/Yessod). The upper waters (Binah’s G” R) cover Malchut with Chassadim via cholam (מ” י, M” Y), enabling Chokhmah to shine through zivug. This connects to Genesis 1:6 (rakia) and the unification of Z” A and Malchut (יום אחד, yom echad).

#371
Rabbi Yeisa divides the word avim (clouds, עָבִים) into two: Ayin-Bet (ע”ב) and Yud-Mem (י”ם). This means: Ayin-Bet (ע” ב), which is the darkness (חושך, choshech) of the left, stands over this sea (ים, yam). This means: The verse ‘His clouds are His chariot’ (עבים רכובו, Psalms 104:3) refers to the Mochin of the point of shuruk (וּ), which shine on the left in the secret of darkness and congealing (קיפאון, kipa’on), and therefore are hinted at in the word Ayin-Bet (ע” ב) of עבים, abim. And it is known that these Mochin are received only by the Nukva (Malchut) of Zeir Anpin (Z” A) alone, which is then called by the name Yud-Mem (י” ם, sea). Therefore, the verse connects these Mochin to the word Yud-Mem, which is the name of the Nukva when she receives these Mochin from the left.
‘Who walks on the wings of the wind’ (Psalms 104:3) refers to the wind (רוח, ruach) of the supernal temple, and this is the secret of ‘שְׁנַיִם כְּרוּבִים זָהָב’—’ two cherubs of gold’ (Exodus 25:18). This means: The verse ‘Who walks on the wings of the wind’ refers to the stature (komat) of Chassadim (kindness), which emerges on the masach (screen) of the point of chirik (וִ), unifying the two points, cholam (וֹ) and shuruk (וּ), with each other. For wings (כנפי, kanfei) are the secret of the masach, and wind (רוח, ruach) is the quality of the light (אור, ohr) that emerges on this masach, meaning the stature of Chassadim drawn from the supernal temple, which is Abba and Imma (Chokhmah and Binah). And this is the secret of the two cherubs of gold, which are Zeir Anpin and Nukva (זו” ן, Z” A and Malchut), for ‘Who walks on the wings of the wind’ refers to the male cherub, which is ז” א, Z” A, whose illumination is covered by Chassadim. And the verse ‘His clouds are His chariot’ refers to the female cherub, meaning the Nukva of Z” A, which shines with the illumination of Chokhmah. 
It is written, ‘וַיִּרְכַּב עַל־כְּרוּב וַיָּעֹף’—’ And He rode on a cherub and flew’ (Psalms 18:11). Initially, He rode on one cherub, meaning the female cherub, which is the secret of Ayin-Bet Yud-Mem (ע” ב י” ם), as mentioned above. And afterward, He was revealed on the wings of the wind, which is the secret of the male cherub, in the secret of the stature of Chassadim revealed on the masach of chirik (וִ), as mentioned in the adjacent discourse. And until this was aroused, it was not revealed in this. This means: Until the illumination of Chassadim of the male cherub (Z” A) was aroused, in the secret of ‘and He flew on the wings of the wind,’ the chariot (מרכבה, merkava) was not revealed in the female cherub (Nukva), in the secret of ‘And He rode on a cherub and flew.’ For the illumination of Chokhmah of the Nukva, which is the secret of the point of shuruk (וּ), cannot shine until it is clothed in the garment of the illumination of Chassadim from the point of chirik (וִ), as is known.

Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets Psalms 104:3, Psalms 18:11, and Exodus 25:18, explaining the Mochin emanation to Malchut (Nukva, Yud-Mem, י” ם) and Z” A through the three vowel points: cholam (וֹ, Chassadim), shuruk (וּ, Chokhmah), and chirik (וִ, unifying masach). Abim (clouds) divides into Ayin-Bet (ע” ב, Chokhmah’s darkness) and Yud-Mem (Malchut), with Nukva receiving Chokhmah (וּ) but needing Z” A’s Chassadim (וִ) to shine. The two cherubs (Z” A and Nukva) unify via zivug, with Z” A providing Chassadim to enable Nukva’s Chokhmah. This ties to Genesis 1:6 (רקיע, rakia) and יום אחד, (yom echad.)

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