Daily Zohar # 4965 – Beresheet – By the word the heavens were made

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Beresheet
Continued from previous DZ
#387
Rabbi Yossi said: The tongue of the scale (the balance indicator) stands in the middle, and the sign is the verse: בְּמִדָּה וּבְמִשְׁקָל—”With measure and with weight”. Mishkal (weight) means that the tongue of the scales stands in the middle, for then the weighing is Tzedek (righteousness), and this is the secret of what is written: שֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ—”The shekel of the sanctuary” (Leviticus 27:25). And the scales stand in it, in the tongue that stands in the middle. And the Mochin are weighed, and therefore they are called shekel hakodesh (שקל הקודש, holy shekel). He asks: What are Moznayim (מֹאזְנַיִם, scales), that you say in it the Mochin are weighed? And he says: It is as it is written: מֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק—”Scales of righteousness” (Leviticus 19:36), that is, the Tzedek is weighed in it, and all the Mochin stand in the weighing in the shekel hakodesh.
The explanation of the matter: For all the Mochin go out and are revealed in the secret of the scales and the weight, which is the secret of the three vowel points: cholam, shuruk, and chirik. The letters Mem-Yud are the secret of cholam and the right pan, Chassadim. And the letters Aleph-Lamed-Hei (אלה) are the secret of shuruk and the left pan, the illumination of Chokhmah. And before the stature of Chassadim is revealed in the secret of the point of chirik, the two pans of the scales are in dispute, for sometimes the right prevails, and the pan of Chassadim rises, and the pan of Chokhmah descends, and sometimes the left prevails, and the pan of Chokhmah rises, and the pan of Chassadim descends. And this continues until the middle line is revealed, which is the secret of the Chassadim in the secret of the masach (מסך, screen) of the point of chirik. And then a decision is made that the Chokhmah is clothed in Chassadim, and the Chassadim in Chokhmah, and they shine together, as explained there at length. Therefore, the stature of the point of chirik is considered in the secret that when the tongue of the scales stands in the middle, the righteousness of the weighing is made, and the two pans of the scales stand opposite each other, equal. And in this way, all the Mochin go out.
And Rabbi Yossi brings this to disagree with Rabbi Yehuda, who says: And the one that ascended descends, and the one that descended ascends, that through the middle line that decides between them, the illumination of Chassadim spreads downward, and not the illumination of Chokhmah. And from the secret of shekel hakodesh said about the Mochin, it implies that the two pans of the scales shine equally, in the secret of the tongue that stands in the middle, and the right pan does not prevail more than the left pan.

Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets שֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ—”The shekel of the sanctuary” (Leviticus 27:25) and מֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק—”Scales of righteousness” (Leviticus 19:36), likening the Mochin to weights balanced on scales. The cholam (right pan, Chassadim, מי, Mem-Yud) and shuruk (left pan, Chokhmah, אלה, Aleph-Lamed-Hei) are in dispute until the masach of chirik (middle line) unifies them, clothing Chokhmah in Chassadim and enabling equal illumination. Rabbi Yossi disputes Rabbi Yehuda’s view that Chassadim alone descend, asserting that both Chassadim and Chokhmah shine equally via the shekel hakodesh. This ties to Genesis 1:10–11 and the third day (יום שלישי, yom shlishi).
Main Point: The Mochin are weighed on the scales of Tzedek, with cholam (Chassadim) and shuruk (Chokhmah) balanced by the masach of chirik (middle line), enabling equal illumination of both, as shekel hakodesh, contra Rabbi Yehuda’s emphasis on descending Chassadim alone.

#388
Rabbi Yitzchak said: It is written: בִּדְבַר יְהוָה שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ—”By the word of YHVH the heavens were made” (Psalms 33:6). These are the lower heavens, that is, the aspect from the chest (חזה, chazeh) and below of Zeir Anpin, which were made by the word of the upper heavens, which are from the chest and above of Zeir Anpin, which were made by the spirit (רוח, ruach) that brings forth a voice (kol), until it reaches that river that is drawn and goes out, whose waters never cease.
The explanation of the matter: Shamayim (שמים, heavens) is Zeir Anpin. From the chest and above, it is considered the upper heavens, and from the chest and below, the lower heavens. And it is known that from the chest and below, it has no rectification in its place, but it must ascend and be included in the zivug (union) from the chest and above, called the upper heavens. And when Zeir Anpin is in katnut (smallness), it is called ruach (spirit), and in gadlut (greatness), it is called kol (voice). And this is what it says: They were rectified by the ruach that brought forth a kol, that is, the ruach of Zeir Anpin attained Mochin of gadlut. And this is gadlut aleph (first greatness), and afterward, it attains gadlut bet (second greatness) from Abba and Imma. And this is what it says: Until it reaches that river, etc., which is the secret of Abba and Imma, whose zivug never ceases.
And the verse: וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם—”And by the spirit of His mouth all their host” (Psalms 33:6) refers to all the lower ones, which are below Zeir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilut, that stand only in the light of the ruach, which did not attain the aspect of kol (קול, sound), which is male. That is, they receive covered Chassadim from the aspect of the male, for covered Chassadim are attributed to the male, and Chokhmah is attributed to the female, as is known. And since all the lower ones need Chokhmah, therefore, the covered Chassadim are considered to them as the aspect of ו” ק (Vav-Kuf, six lower sefirot) lacking ג” ר (Gimel-Rishonot, three upper sefirot).
And with this, Rabbi Yitzchak decided between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yossi. For in Zeir Anpin and Nukva themselves, the Mochin are in the shekel hakodesh (holy shekel), as Rabbi Yossi said, that Chokhmah and Chassadim shine equally, and this is only from the chest and below of Zeir Anpin, as is known. However, in all the hosts below Zeir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilut, that is, those standing in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, they do not receive from Chokhmah, only the aspect of ruach, that is, illumination from below upward, as Rabbi Yehuda said: And the one that descended ascends. And only the aspect of Chassadim descends upon them, that is, and the one that ascended descends, as mentioned above.

Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets בִּדְבַר יְהוָה שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ—”By the word of YHVH the heavens were made” and וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם—”And by the spirit of His mouth all their host” (Psalms 33:6). Zeir Anpin’s lower heavens (from the chest downward) are rectified by ascending to the upper heavens (chest upward) via the zivug with Abba and Imma, attaining Mochin of gadlut (voice) from ruach. The lower worlds (Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah) receive only covered Chassadim (Vav-Kuf), not Chokhmah. Rabbi Yitzchak resolves the dispute: Rabbi Yossi’s view of equal Chokhmah and Chassadim applies to Zeir Anpin’s Mochin (via shekel hakodesh), while Rabbi Yehuda’s view of ascending Chokhmah and descending Chassadim applies to the lower worlds. This ties to Genesis 1:6–8 and yom shlishi (third day).
Main Point: Zeir Anpin’s lower heavens are rectified by the zivug of the upper heavens, attaining Mochin of gadlut, while the lower worlds receive only covered Chassadim. Rabbi Yitzchak reconciles Rabbi Yossi (Chokhmah and Chassadim shine equally in Zeir Anpin via shekel hakodesh [וֹ, וּ, וִ]) with Rabbi Yehuda (Chassadim descend, Chokhmah ascends in the lower worlds).

#389
It is written: מַשְׁקֶה הָרִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו—”He waters the mountains from His upper chambers” etc. (Psalms 104:13), He asks: Who is “His upper chambers”? And he says: It is as we said in the verse הַמְּקָרֵה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו—”Who covers His upper chambers with waters” (Psalms 104:3). The meaning is: The mountains are the secret of Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferet (חג” ת, Chagat) of Zeir Anpin and Nukva, from the chest (חזה, chazeh) and above. And He waters them from His upper chambers, which are Abba and Imma above, from whom they receive pure air (אוירא דכיא, avira dachia), which is the secret of covered Chassadim. מִפְּרִי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ תִּשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ—”From the fruit of Your works the earth is satisfied” (Psalms 104:13), this is the secret of that river, which is drawn and goes out downward, that is, below the chest (chazeh) of Zeir Anpin, which bestows there the illumination of Chokhmah, through which there is complete satisfaction. Therefore, it is written: תִּשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ—”The earth is satisfied,” that is, the Nukva, which is below the chest of Zeir Anpin. And this is what it says: אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בּוֹ—”Which its seed is in it” (Genesis 1:11), that is, the seed of Vav (Z” A) in it.

Notes:
This Zohar passage interprets מַשְׁקֶה הָרִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו—”He waters the mountains from His upper chambers” and מִפְּרִי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ תִּשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ—”From the fruit of Your works the earth is satisfied” (Psalms 104:13), and הַמְּקָרֵה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו—”Who covers His upper chambers with waters” (Psalms 104:3). The mountains (Chagat of Zeir Anpin and Nukva, chest upward) receive covered Chassadim (וֹ) from Abba and Imma (upper chambers). The river (below Zeir Anpin’s chest) bestows Chokhmah (וּ) to the Nukva (earth), satisfying her with complete Mochin via the Yessod’s seed (Vav). This ties to אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בּוֹ—”Which its seed is in it” (Genesis 1:11), where Vav signifies Zeir Anpin’s Yessod. 
Main Point: The חג” ת, Chagat of Zeir Anpin (mountains) and Nukva receive covered Chassadim (וֹ) from Abba and Imma, while the Nukva (Malchut, earth) is satisfied with Chokhmah (וּ) via the Yessod’s seed (Vav), completing her Mochin through the zivug below Zeir Anpin’s chest.

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