Daily Zohar # 4955 – Beresheet – One Day

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Beresheet

In my translations of the Zohar on Beresheet (בְּרֵאשִׁית), I incorporate numerous Hebrew terms, abbreviations, and transliterations to preserve the authenticity and depth of Kabbalistic concepts. This approach is essential for studying and internalizing the sacred terminology, particularly when exploring the process of Creation as elucidated in the Zohar and expounded by Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, of blessed memory (זצ” ל).

#358
Rabbi Shimon says: The world was created through the ברית Brit (Covenant), meaning the Nukva (Malchut) in the state of Katnut (constricted consciousness), and sustained, through the Mochin (spiritual consciousness) of the three upper sefirot (ג” ר, G” R, Keter-Chokhmah-Binah). The world (העולם) refers to the Nukva (Malchut). Creation (בריאה, briah) refers to Katnut. Existence (קיום, kiyum) refers to Gadlut (expanded consciousness), as it is written, ‘אִם־לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא־שַׂמְתִּי’—’ If not for My covenant by day and night, I would not have established the statutes of heaven and earth’ (Jeremiah 33:25). He asks: Who is the Brit? And he answers: It is the Tzaddik, the Yessod (Foundation) of the world, which is the secret of Zachor (זכור, Remember).
This means: Rabbi Shimon is addressing the explanation of the verse ‘וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד’—’ And there was evening and there was morning, one day’ (Genesis 1:5), which Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Yitzchak discussed. Rabbi Yossi explained that the unification (yichud) is in the secret of ‘מַגִּיד עֲמֻקוֹת מִנִּי־חֹשֶׁךְ’—’ He reveals deep things out of darkness’ (Job 12:22), which is the secret of the darkness (חושך, choshech) of Malchut, called night (לילה, laila). For since Malchut is the vessel for the masach (מסך, screen) of chirik (וִ), just as the Mochin are only revealed through the chirik, so too the Mochin are only revealed through her darkness. Thus, it is found that day (יום, Yom, Zeir Anpin) and night (לילה, Laila, Malchut) become one (אחד, echad), as both equally cause the emergence of the Mochin, which is the secret of ‘and there was evening and there was morning, one day.’ And Rabbi Yitzchak explained it as the inclusion (hitkalelut) of the two lines—right (Chassadim) and left (Chokhmah)—in each other, where the day is the right line and the night is the left line, and they are included in one another, which is the secret of ‘and there was evening and there was morning, one day.’ And Rabbi Shimon explained it regarding the unification through the masach of chirik like Rabbi Yossi, but not regarding Malchut, but rather regarding Yessod. For the masach of chirik is shared between Yessod and Malchut. The rectification (tikkun) of the masach pertains to Malchut, in the secret of Milah (מילה, circumcision) and שמור (Shamor, Observe), which is only the rectification of vessels. However, the Mochin that emerge through the masach pertain to Yessod, in the secret of זכור Zachor and פריעה, Peri’ah (uncovering), meaning the revelation of the Mochin of G” R.
And this is what he said: Therefore, the world, which is the Nukva (Malchut), stands upon the Brit, which joins day and night, which are Zeir Anpin and Nukva (Z” A and Malchut), as one, as it is written, ‘If not for My covenant by day and night’ אם לא בריתי יומם ולילה’. The statutes of heaven (חקות שמים) refer to the Mochin drawn and emerging from the supernal Eden, and the meaning of the verse is: ‘If not for My covenant by day and night,’ if not for the Yessod that joins day and night as one, which are Z” A and Malchut, meaning through the revelation of the Mochin in the secret of the masach of chirik (וִ), the statutes of heaven and earth (חקות שמים וארץ, chukot shamayim va’aretz), which are the Mochin of G” R drawn from Eden, which is the secret of Binah that becomes Chokhmah, ‘I would not have established’. For without this, there would be no existence of Mochin in Z” A and Malchut, called heaven and earth (שמים,וארץ shamayim va’aretz), as he explains further on.

Notes:
This Zohar passage elaborates on Genesis 1:5 (יום אחד, yom echad) and Jeremiah 33:25, focusing on the ברית, (Brit, Covenant, Yessod) as the foundation of the world (Malchut in Katnut) and its sustenance through Mochin of Gadlut (ג” ר, G” R). Rabbi Shimon aligns with Rabbi Yossi’s view that the unification of day (Z” A, Yom) and night (Malchut, לילה, Laila) in Genesis 1:5 depends on the masach of chirik (וִ), but emphasizes Yessod (Tzaddik, Zachor) rather than Malchut (שמור, Shamor). The Brit (Yessod) facilitates the zivug of Z” A and Malchut, drawing Mochin from Binah (supernal Eden, Olam HaBa) to sustain Malchut in Gadlut, revealing Chokhmah’s Or HaEinayim.

#359
Rabbi Shimon opened and said, regarding the explanation of the verse, ‘מִקּוֹל מַחֲצָצִים’—’ From the voice of the archers’ (Jeremiah 51:11, though contextually referring to a similar concept of conflict or mediation). The phrase ‘from the voice of the archers’ (מִקּוֹל
מַחֲצָצִים) refers to the voice of Jacob (יעקב, Yaakov), for machatzatzim means like a mediator (אִישׁ הַבֵּינַיִם, ish habeynayim, man of the middle). This means: Here he comes to explain why all the Mochin depend on Yessod, due to its being the aspect of the masach (screen) of chirik (וִ). And this is what he said: For Jacob is the secret of Tiferet, which arbitrates (מכריע, makhria) between the two lines—right and left, called here מַחֲצָצִים (machatzatzim), because they are two halves (חצאים, chatzaim) of the level. For the right and left of a thing are its two halves. And since Tiferet draws the stature (קומה) of Chassadim upon the masach of chirik, through its power, it arbitrates between the two halves. Then the three upper sefirot (ג” ר, G” R, Keter-Chokhmah-Binah) are drawn, as explained further on.

Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets the concept of מַחֲצָצִים (machatzatzim, archers or mediators) as referring to Tiferet (Jacob), which mediates between the right line (Chassadim, וֹ, cholam) and left line (Chokhmah, וּ, shuruk) via the masach of chirik (וִ) in Yessod. Rabbi Shimon explains that Tiferet’s role in Yessod facilitates the zivug (union) of Zeir Anpin (Z” A, day) and Malchut (night), drawing Mochin of G” R from Binah to complete their unification, as in Genesis 1:5 (יום אחד, yom echad). The masach of chirik enables Tiferet to balance Chassadim and Chokhmah, ensuring the revelation of Chokhmah’s Or HaEinayim (Light of the eyes).

#360
“מִקּוֹל מְחַצְצִים בֵּין מַשְׁאַבִּים שָׁם יְתַנּוּ צִדְקוֹת ה’ צִדְקֹת פִּרְזֹנוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אָז יָרְדוּ לַשְּׁעָרִים עַם ה'” “Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of YHVH, The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel; Then the people of YHVH shall go down to the gates.” (Judges 5:11) , ‘there’ refers to the place for the Matronita (the Nukva, Malchut), which is above the chest (חזה, chazeh), to cleave. This means: These three lines that it received from Binah are the secret of חב” ד, (Chabad = Chokhmah-Binah-Da’at) and Chagat (חג” ת: Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferet) of Zeir Anpin (Z” A) from the chest and above, and there the zivug (union) of Z” A and Nukva takes place above the chest. The verse further teaches, ‘there they give the righteousness of YHVH,’ that from there Netzach and Hod of Z” A, called the righteousness of YHVH (צִדְקוֹת ה, tzidkot Hashem), draw and receive. ‘Draw’ (יונקים, yonkim) means they receive the Mochin of ו” ק (Vav Kuf, V” K, six lower sefirot), and ‘receive’ (שואבים, sho’avim) means they receive the illumination of Chokhmah. Thus, it is found that the verse ‘there they give the righteousness of YHVH’ indicates two matters: a) It teaches about the zivug of Z” A and Nukva above the chest; b) It teaches that Netzach and Hod of Z” A receive Mochin from that zivug of זו” ן (Zon, Z” A and Nukva).
The verse ‘the righteousness of His villages’ (צִדְקֹת פִּרְזֹנוֹ), which continues the verse ‘from the voice of the archers’ (מִקּוֹל מְחַצְצִים), indicates the Tzaddik of the world, meaning Yessod of Z” A, which is the ברית (Brit, Covenant) and holy, and it draws and takes everything. ‘Holy’ (קדוש, kadosh) indicates the drawing of Chassadim, the secret of pure air (אוירא דכיא, avira dakhya) from Abba and Imma (Father and Mother, Chokhmah and Binah), which is the secret of the right line. ‘Draws’ indicates the drawing of the illumination of Chokhmah from the left line. And ‘takes everything’ means that through the power of its arbitration (הכרעה, hakhra’ah) between the right line and the left line, it takes the illumination of both. For just as Tiferet arbitrates between Chessed and Gevurah from the chest and above and includes both, so too Yessod arbitrates between Netzach and Hod from the chest and below and includes both. And it scatters to the great sea (ים הגדול, yam hagadol), meaning to the Nukva (Malchut), these supernal waters (מים עליונים, mayim elyonim), meaning its aforementioned Mochin, drawn from Imma (Binah), which is the secret of supernal waters. The verse ‘in Israel’, which is the conclusion of the verse, indicates that Israel inherited this ברית, Brit and the Holy One, Blessed be He, gave it to them as an eternal inheritance (יְרֻשַּׁת עוֹלָמִים, yerushat olamim).

Notes:
This Zohar passage elaborates on the zivug (union) of Zeir Anpin (Z” A) and Malchut (Nukva, Matronita) above the chest (חזה, chazeh), where Z” A’s חב” ד, Chabad and חג” ת, Chagat (received from Binah) facilitate the zivug, enabling Netzach and Hod (called צִדְקוֹת ה tzidkot Hashem) to receive Mochin of V” K and Chokhmah’s illumination. It further describes Yessod (Tzaddik, Brit) as arbitrating between Chassadim (right, וֹ, cholam) and Chokhmah (left, וּ, shuruk) via the masach of chirik (וִ), drawing Mochin from Binah (Imma, supernal waters) to Malchut (yam hagadol). The passage connects to Genesis 1:5 (יום אחד, yom echad) and Jeremiah 33:25 (Brit), emphasizing Yessod’s role in unifying Z” A and Malchut.

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