佐哈尔·贝莱希特 35

1R. Jose propounded the question: ‘What are the “six days of Bereshith” of which the Rabbis speak so often?’ R. Simeon answered: ‘These are, in truth, “the cedars of Lebanon which he has planted״. As the cedars spring from Lebanon, so these six days spring from Bereshith.

2These are the six supernal days which are specified in the verse: “Thine, O Lord, are the Greatness (Gedulah), the Might (Geburah), the Beauty (Tifereth), the Victory (Nezah), and the Majesty (Hod)” (I Chron. 29, 11). The words “For all” refer to the Zaddik (righteous one), who is Yesod (foundation of the world)….

3The word Bereshith we interpret to mean “the second, i.e. Hokmah (Wisdom) is the starting-point”, because the supernal Kether (Crown), which is really first, is too recondite and therefore is not counted; hence the second is the starting-point. Again, the word be-reshith indicates that there are two reshith’s, because as the upper Wisdom is a reshith (starting-point), so the lower Wisdom is a reshith.

4Further, we reckon Bereshith as a maamar (creative utterance), and six days issued from it and are comprised in it, and bear the names of those others.

5The next words, Created Elohim, are analogous to the verse “and a river went forth from Eden to water the garden”, i.e. to water it and keep it and attend to all its needs. Thus this Elohim is Elohim Hayyim (the living God), and we render ‘Bereshith created Elohim” by means of that stream, as the agent for producing the world and vivifying it.

6Further, the two words eth hashamaim (the heavens) signify the fitting union of male and female. After this a lower world was created through the agency of the heavens, and through it Elohim gave being to all.

7More precisely, the heavens produced eth, which is the Whole. When the Whole was settled in its place, this last link in the chain became in turn a starting-point (reshith), through which Elohim released the stream, and the waters began to flow to the lower world, so that we can now render “by means of reshith God created”, viz. the lower world; by its means He produced radiances and gave being to all.’

8R. Judah said: ‘In allusion to this it is written, “should the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith?” (Is. 10, 15). Surely it is the craftsman who is entitled to boast. So here, seeing that by means of this reshith the supernal Elohim created the heavens, it is God to whom the glory belongs….’