The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Third Commandment” (abridged)

204. The third Commandment is to attain, investigate and know that there is an Almighty Lord who governs the world, and to unite this every day (the revelation of the Upper Light in the soul) in the six Supernal limbs: HGT NHY of Zeir Anpin (parts of the soul), and to unify them in the six words of the prayer “Hear O Israel” (“Hear” is the property of Bina, Israel is the aspiration toward the Creator) and through this prayer to direct our desires upwards (toward acquiring the property of bestowal). Therefore, we must prolong the word ONE in the six words: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our Creator, the Lord is O-O-O-NE” (a sign of the aspiration upward).

205. It is therefore written, “Let the waters under the Heavens be gathered together onto one place.” This means that all the degrees under the Heavens will gather onto one place, to become perfect in the six ends (properties of ZA). Therewith, fear must be attached to the unity of the words: “Hear, O Israel,” which is done by prolonging the pronunciation of the letter Dalet in the word ECHAD. This is why the letter Dalet in the word echaD is written larger than the other letters. It is written, “Let the dry land appear” – let the letter Dalet (designating dry land) be attached to that unity.

207. It is written, AND THE CREATOR CALLED THE DRY LAND EARTH. This refers to the same unity below, by the words, BLESSED BE HIS GREAT NAME FOR EVER AND EVER, when the earth, called “desire,” became what it should be. For the word “earth” (Eretz) means desire (Ratzon). Hence, the expression “IT WAS GOOD” appears twice on the third day of creation: once for the Upper unity and once for the lower. For Malchut merges with both sides of ZA – with VAK de ZA and with her own VAK. Henceforth, the earth brings forth grass, for it has been corrected to yield fruit.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Second Commandment” (abridged)

198. The second Commandment is inseparably connected with the Commandment of fear, and it is the Commandment of love – for man to love his Creator with absolute (perfect) love. What is perfect love? It is a great love, as it is written, “He walks before the Creator in complete sincerity and perfection.” And this signifies perfection in love. Thus, it is written, “And the Creator said, ‘Let there be Light’” – this is perfect love, called “great love.” This is precisely how man should love his Creator.

200. Therefore, there is he who loves the Creator in order to gain riches, live a long life, have many healthy children, and rule over his enemies – he receives everything he wants, and this is why he loves the Creator. However, should he receive the opposite, should the Creator lead him through a wheel of suffering, he will come to hate the Creator, and will feel no love toward Him whatsoever. Therefore, such (egoistic) love lacks the necessary foundation (for spiritual adhesion).

201. Love is considered perfect if it exists on both sides – on the side of judgment (suffering) and the side of mercy (success in life). As we already mentioned, when one loves the Creator, even if He were to take away his soul, this love would remain perfect on both sides: mercy and judgment.

Therefore, the Light of the First Act of Creation was revealed and then concealed. And because of this concealment, strict judgment appeared in the world, and both sides, mercy and judgment, united to form perfection. And this is the desired love.

202. Rabbi Shimon kissed (united with) him. Rabbi Pinchas approached (his degree), kissed (united with) and blessed him. He said, “It is clear that the Creator has sent me here. This is the tiny ray of Light that was said to be shining in my house, and would later light up the whole world.” Rabbi Elazar said, “Certainly, fear must not be forgotten from all the Commandments; especially in this Commandment, the Commandment of love, fear must be attached to this Commandment at all times. How is it attached? Love is good when it brings goodness, health, sustenance, and life from the Beloved One. And it is here that fear of sinning must be revived, so that the wheel does not turn against him, as it is written, “Happy is the man who always fears,” for his fear is contained in his love.

203. This is how fear should be evoked from the perspective of strict judgment (restriction of egoism), for once man realizes that strict judgment hovers over him, he must evoke within him fear of his Master. Thus, his heart will not be hardened, of which it is written, “He that hardens his heart shall fall into evil,” into the other side (his egoism). This is called evil. Therefore, fear unites with both sides – with goodness and love, as well as with strict judgment, and consists of both. And if fear is united with the good side and love, as well as with the strictness of judgment, such a love is perfect.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The First Commandment” (abridged)

189. BERESHEET BARAH ELOKIM (In the beginning the Creator created) is the first commandment, the root and foundation of all creation, called “fear of the Creator” or RESHEET (beginning), as it is written: “Fear of the Creator is the beginning of wisdom.” It is also written, “Fear of the Creator is the beginning of knowledge,” for this fear is called “the beginning.” And it is the gate (the first property) that leads to faith (the property of bestowal). And this Mitzva (law of the universe) is the foundation of the whole world (all other laws are derived from it).

190. There are three types of fear, two of which have no real basis, but one does. If man fears that his children may die, or fears illness or bodily suffering, or fears for his material well-being, this kind of fear (even if constant) is not the basis or root, for only desirable consequences constitute the cause of fear. This is called “the fear of punishment in this world.” But there is also another type of fear: the fear of punishment in the world to come, in hell. These two types of fear – the fear of punishment in this world and in the world to come – do not constitute true fear.

191. The true fear is the fear of the Creator, for He is great and almighty, for He is the Source of everything, and all else is nothing compared to Him. Man should concentrate all his attention on attaining this kind of fear.

192. Rabbi Shimon started to weep, wailing, “Woe if I reveal and woe if I do not reveal: If I reveal the means of attaining fear, the sinners will know how to work for the Creator for their own sake (without exiting their egoism, and hence they won’t correct themselves). And if I do not say how to attain fear of the Creator, it will not reach my friends (those who do wish to exit their egoism). Wherever there is true fear (which allows one to act above one’s egoism, not for his own sake), opposite it and correspondingly below stands an evil fear, which strikes and prosecutes. It is the scourge that whips the sinners (punishing them for their sins. This is why he is afraid to reveal it, for the sinners may learn how to avoid punishment, and punishment constitutes their correction).

193. But he who fears the punishment by whippings, the true fear of the Creator cannot descend upon him. Instead, evil fear overtakes him in the form of fearing punishment by whipping.

194. Therefore, the place that is named “fear of the Creator” is called the beginning of knowledge. This is why this Commandment is included here. And it is the foundation and source of all the other Commandments of the Torah. And whoever observes the Commandment of fear of the Creator, thereby observes all the others. But he who does not observe the Commandment of fear of the Creator, does not observe the other Commandments of the Torah, for this Commandment constitutes the foundation for all the others.

195. Therefore, it is written, “IN THE BEGINNING” (signifying fear) THE CREATOR CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. For whoever transgresses FEAR, transgresses all of the Torah’s Commandments (laws of the Upper World, which are based upon bestowal). And his punishment is the evil scourge – the evil fear that whips him. Further in the Torah, the words, “AND THE EARTH WAS UNFORMED AND CHAOTIC, AND DARKNESS WAS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP, AND THE SPIRIT OF THE CREATOR” refer to the four punishments of the wicked.

196. WITHOUT FORM refers to strangulation. CHAOTIC refers to stoning – the stones that fall into the great deep to punish the sinners. DARKNESS signifies burning. THE SPIRIT OF THE CREATOR refers to beheading.

197. The spirit of the Creator means beheading, for the scorching wind (Ruach Se’ara) is a flaming sword – punishment for whoever does not observe the Torah and Commandments that are mentioned after the Commandment of fear, called “foundation,” as it includes all the Commandments. This is because after the word BERESHEET (BEGINNING), which signifies fear, and further it is written WITHOUT FORM, CHAOS, DARKNESS and SPIRIT – the four penalties of death.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “Rabbi Shimon’s Departure from the Cave” (abridged)

185. Rabbi Pinchas stood (in all of his 10 Sefirot, Gadlut) before Rabbi Rachuma (who was equal to him in his small state – Katnut, sitting) on the shore of Lake Kinneret. He was wise, old, and almost blind (corrected with the Light of Hassadim, filled with the Light of Hochma, almost blind – complete correction makes it impossible to receive the Light, to reveal). He said to Rabbi Pinchas: “I have heard that our friend Shimon Bar-Yochai has a jewel, a son (a degree higher than RASHBI). I have looked upon the Light from that jewel (that fills him), and it shines like the light of the sun (Keter) and illuminates the entire world (Malchut).

186. And that Light extends from the Heavens (Bina) down to the earth (Malchut) and illuminates the whole world (his entire soul) until Atik (Keter); appears and sits upon its throne (becomes the uppermost Sefira), which occurs at the end of (the soul’s) correction. And that Light abides entirely in your household (because the daughter of Rabbi Pinchas was wife to Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Elazar was therefore his grandson, the third degree). And a tiny ray of Light (called “the son of the household,” Rabbi Elazar) separates from the Light that fills the household, comes forth and shines upon the whole world. Happy are those who merit such a destiny! Come out, my son, come out! Go after that jewel, which illuminates the world, for it is a good time (GAR of Atzilut) to do so!

187. He came out before him and stood waiting to board a ship (the property of Malchut in Bina). Two women (Malchut, desires that are still unfulfilled ) were with him. He saw two birds soaring over the water. He raised his voice (MAN) and said, “Birds, you soar over the sea (the Light of Hochma); have you seen the place (degree) where (over which) one could find Bar-Yochai?” He waited some and said, “Birds, O birds, fly away.” They flew away and disappeared into the sea.

188. Before he boarded the ship (raised Malchut to Bina), the birds approached again, and in the beak of one of them was a letter (revelation). It read that Rabbi Shimon, the son of Yochai, had left the cave together with his son, Rabbi Elazar. Rabbi Pinchas went to them (ascended to their degree) and found them completely changed (with regard to corrections): their bodies (desires) were covered with sores (like holes in the ground – see the Talmud, Bava Batra, 19:2) from staying in the cave (Bina staying in Malchut) for so long. He wept and said, “Woe that I have seen you so!” (This is how he assessed their state. Similarly, we assess the Upper One, the property of bestowal, as darkness.)

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Torah and Prayer” (abridged)

180. Rabbi Shimon opened (the way for the Light) and said: “It is written that Hizkiyahu (Hezekiah) turned his face (property of bestowal) to the wall (Screen) and prayed to the Creator (raised MAN).” Let us see how great and potent the power of the Torah (force of bestowal) is, and how high it rises above all (the egoistic disturbances). For he who engages in the Torah (self correction) has no fear of those Above or below (forces, obstructions), nor of any hardships or illnesses of this world, for he is connected to the Tree of Life and learns from it each day (realizes that all the obstructions are meant to help him learn to be similar to the Creator).

181. For the Torah teaches man how to walk a path of truth; it teaches him how to return to his Master and cancel what is predestined for him (correction through suffering). And even if man is shown that what is predestined for him cannot be canceled, it is nonetheless completely canceled and annulled, then disappears at once and does not prevail over him in this world. Hence, man should study the Torah day and night (when the Light shines or does not shine for him), and never abandon it (as a means of correction), as it is written: “Contemplate Him day and night.” Whoever abandons the Torah (his corrections), it is as though he abandons the Tree of Life (the ray of Light that connects him to the World of Infinity, to the root of his soul)

“Contemplate Him day and night” – “Him” implies the Creator! In another place in The Zohar, it is said that Hizkiyahu’s prayer was accepted by the Creator, for nothing (no egoistic desires) separated him from the wall (the Shechina, the sensation of the Creator, akin to the Wailing Wall).

182. Come and see – such is the advice given to man: when at night (powerless) he goes to bed (in the state of lying down, the body and the head are equally important – there’s no control over self), then he must accept the Creator’s governance from Above (above his reason, which is egoistically opposed to bestowal, and wholeheartedly entrust his soul to Him (rise above his egoistic desire). Thus, man is immediately spared all the (egoistic errors) illnesses, slander, and evil eyes, and they will no longer have power over him.

183. And in the morning (when the Light shines for him), when he rises from his bed (the head rises above the body and controls it), he must bless the Creator (for this) and enter (with his properties) His house, and bow before Him (take all the conditions of the Upper Nature upon himself) in fear and trepidation (because he will not be able to do it without help from the Light), and only then should he pray (attain the ability to be grateful, so that his “I” would agree to it). He should take advice of his holy Patriarchs (forces of the Upper degree), as it is written, “By Your great mercy shall I come into Your house, to bow in fear of Your holy greatness.”

184. Man cannot enter the house of prayer (reveal empty and uncorrected desires within him) unless he first receives permission from Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov (the three lines), for they have corrected the prayer to the Creator (so that he could follow the middle line). It is therefore written, “And in Your great mercy shall I enter into Your house.” The aforesaid refers to Avraham, for his property is mercy, the Sefira Hesed (the right line). “I will bow before Your holy chamber” refers to Yitzchak, for thanks to him Malchut is called Heichal – chamber, the Sefira Gevura (the left line). “In fear and trepidation” refers to Yaakov, for his property is the Sefira Tifferet, called “fear” (the middle line). And man must first enter into these properties, and only then enter the house of prayer to raise his prayers. Such a state is described by the verse, “Here is My slave, Israel, by whom I am adorned.”

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “He Who Rejoices on Holidays” (abridged)

174. Rabbi Shimon opened (the Light) and said: “He who rejoices on holidays and does not give a part to the Creator (receives not for the sake of bestowal), the evil eye (the Light of Hochma in the desire to receive) hates and slanders him, removes him from this world, and brings him many miseries.”

175. The Creator’s role is to cheer the poor (those who reveal the desire for Him), according to His ability. For the Creator appears (reveals Himself) on the holidays (when the desire appears in man from Above) so as to look at all of His broken souls. He comes to them, and He sees that there is nothing to rejoice in, and He weeps for them (conceals Himself), and ascends Above (progressively conceals the Light) to destroy the world.

176. The members of the assembly then appear before the Creator (ascend to Him) and say (raise MAN): “Master of the world, You are called merciful and forgiving, send Your mercy upon Your sons (those who wish to become like You).” He answers them: “Have I not done so, when I created the world based on mercy? As it is written, ‘The world is built by mercy’ and the world is established upon it. However, if they do not show mercy (correction, bestowal) to the poor (empty desires), the world will be destroyed.” The Heavenly angels (nature’s forces) then say to Him: “Master of the world, here is a man who had eaten and drunk to his heart’s content (fulfilled himself for his own sake), and could have been merciful to the poor (corrected his desires), but did not do anything.” The prosecutor appears, receives permission, and persecutes that man (the poor man – one who lacks a Screen to receive the Light inside).

177. There are none greater in our world than Avraham, who acted with mercy toward all creatures. It is written of the day that he prepared a feast: “The child grew and was weaned, and Avraham made a great feast on the day that Yitzhak was weaned.” So Avraham prepared a feast (when his son, the next degree, passed from Katnut into Gadlut) and invited all the leaders of that generation (the governing forces of the Upper degree). It is well known that at every feast (reception of the Light of Hochma), the supreme prosecutor (the condition of mastering the Upper degree) is about, watching. And if there are any poor people in the house, he leaves that house and does not return there. However, if the prosecutor enters a house and sees rejoicing without the poor –without having first shown mercy to the poor – he ascends Above and brings accusations against the host of that feast.

178. Because Avraham was the leader of his generation (the force of ascent onto the next degree), the prosecutor descended from the Heavens and stood at the door of his house, disguised as a poor man (in order to give him an option: either to remain at this degree or to accept the poor, the uncorrected desire, and ascend even higher). And nobody so much as looked at him.

Avraham (the male part of the degree) was attending to kings and ministers (mastering the forces of the degrees), and Sarah (the female part of the degree) was feeding all of their children (filling the newly corrected desires of the degree with the Light of Hassadim), for they did not believe that she had born a child (that the property of Hassadim can beget the next degree), but rather claimed that Yitzhak was a foundling (underwent correction through properties other than theirs), whom they had bought at the marketplace (did not correct themselves). This is why they brought their children with them, and Sarah nursed them in front of all (all properties exist within one man).

179. The Creator said to him: “Who in the world is like Avraham?” And the prosecutor did not leave from there until he had consumed the entire fare (received the Light in his desires, corrected by Avraham – mercy). So the Creator decreed that Yitzhak (the left force, the desire to receive) is to be sacrificed (cut off from receiving Light). And He said that Sarah shall die from grief for her son (as she has no connection to the left line). The cause of this grief is that he did not give anything to the poor.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “Who Is This?” (abridged)

169. Rabbi Elazar opened (the way for the Light into his Kli) and said (revealed what was discovered), “Who is this coming up from the wasteland?” WHO IS THIS (MI ZOT) is the common ground of the two worlds, Bina and Malchut, which are bound together. COMING UP – coming up to become the “Holy of Holies.” For MI is Bina, called the “Holy of Holies.” And she joins with ZOT (Malchut), so that Malchut could come up and inherit THIS, to become a bride (of the Creator) and enter (together with Him) the bridal canopy (the common Screen).

170. She comes up from the wasteland (exile, the darkness of this world) of the soft utterance of lips, as it is written in Song of Songs, “And your mouth is comely.” This is because the Hebrew word MIDBAR (desert/wasteland) is derived from DIBUR (speech). It is written that the mighty forces strike Egypt (man’s egoism) with all the plagues of the wasteland (lack of fulfillment), for the Creator did not create souls in the wasteland (emptiness and darkness), but in settlements (opportunities to fulfill themselves).

171. He asks: “How does Malchut ascend in speech?” And he replies: “When man first awakens in the morning (when the Upper Light begins to shine from the darkness), and opens his eyes (becomes aware of the world, the goal, and the path), he must bless his Creator (for the property of bestowal that he has received, for acquiring a soul). How is he to bless Him? The way it was done by the first (those who have acquired souls) Hassidim (those who have acquired the Light of Hassadim – the property of bestowal): they would prepare a vessel of water (the property of bestowal, Bina) beside them (with their uncorrected desires) from evening (in spiritual darkness), so that when they woke at night (due to the Upper Light that came to them), they would wash their hands at once (correct their desires “to receive” to desires of bestowal), and would rise (in all the thirty Sefirot of the soul’s height) to study the Torah (to correct their desires), having blessed it (for this property of correction).

When the rooster (the desire for the Light, for the property of bestowal) crowed, precisely heralding midnight (the initial point of correcting one’s desires), the Creator was with the righteous (those who desire to correct themselves) in the Garden of Eden (Malchut that rose to Bina). And in the morning (the Light shines, and hence) it is forbidden to perform a blessing with unclean hands (with the desires to receive).”

172. For when man is asleep (when spirituality is concealed), his soul leaves him (he cannot feel it). And as soon as his soul (the property of bestowal) departs from him, the impure spirit (the property of reception) replaces it at once, and it fills his hands (desires) and defiles them (with egoism), and hence it is forbidden to utter a blessing without washing one’s hands (correcting one’s desires).

173. But woe unto those who do not beware and do not guard the Creator’s glory, for they do not know the foundation of the world.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “Among All the Sages of the Nations of the World, There Are None Like You” (abridged)

161. Rabbi Elazar said, “It is written: ‘Who would not fear the King of the nations of the world!’ What kind of praise is this?” Rabbi Shimon replied: “This has been said, but one should not understand the verse, ‘For among all the sages of the nations of the world, and in all their kingdoms, there are none like You,’ in its simple, literal interpretation. This is because it naturally gives rise to evil intentions of sinners. Therefore, their folly must be clarified.

A philosopher came to me and said, “You say that your Creator governs the entire Heavens, and that all the Heavenly hosts are unable to attain Him, nor come to know His dwelling place. However, this does not add to His greatness, as it is written, ‘among all the sages of the nations of the world, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.’ What kind of a comparison is this when the Creator is compared to man, who is nothing?’”

162. Furthermore, you claim, as your Torah says, that “There had not risen a prophet since in Israel like Moshe.” There are none in Israel, but there is one among the nations of the world! So I claim the same: there is none like You among all the sages of the nations of the world, but among the sages of Israel there is one like You. However, if there is one like Him among the sages of Israel, then He cannot be the Supreme Ruler.

163. Rabbi Shimon said to him, “You object correctly that there are those among the sages of Israel who are similar to the Creator. For the Creator resurrects the dead back to life, yet Eliyahu and Elisha came and resurrected the dead back to life! The Creator causes rains to fall, yet Eliyahu came and abolished rains! The Creator created the Heavens and the earth, yet for Avraham the Heavens and the earth were revived.”

164. “The Creator governs the sun, yet Yehoshua came and stopped it. The Creator issues His decree, yet Moshe immediately issues a decree of his own, and it is carried out. The Creator wishes to punish, and the righteous of Israel annul His verdict. Moreover, He bid us to closely follow His ways and to be like Him in every way.” The philosopher then went and became Israel, and lived in the village of Shachalayim, and they called him Yosi HaKatan (Little Yosi). He studied the Torah a great deal, and was among the sages and the righteous of that village.

165. And now the time has come to take a closer look at this verse (to understand the inner essence of it). It is written that all the nations of the world are nothing before the Creator. Yet, how does this exalt Him? Hence, it is written: “Who sees the King of the nations of the world?” Yet, is the King of the nations of the world also not the King of Israel? The Creator wishes to elevate Israel (the property of love and bestowal toward others, similarity to Himself); this is why He is called everywhere “the King of Israel” (in accordance with man’s intention towards the Creator: Israel = Isra-El = straight to the Creator). The other nations of the world (egoistic intentions) say (about man) that they have another King up in the Heavens (egoistic goals), for it seems to them that He governs only them, and not us (they claim that the governance over the property of reception and the property of bestowal, seeing as they are opposite, does not descend from a single Upper Force).

166. It is written: “Who would not fear the King of the nations of the world?” That is, their Supernal King is there to threaten and persecute them, and do with them as He pleases (so strictly does the Creator manifest in egoistic desires). Hence, He should be feared. And all fear Him, Above and below. For it is written that among all the sages of the nations of the world (the angels that rule over these nations) and in their Kingdoms (Above) there is none like You. There are four Kingdoms Above that rule over all the nations of the world (the universal egoism, so as to bring it to correction) according to the Creator’s will. And there is no one who can do even the smallest action without His personal instruction (because the end goal determines every action). The sages of the nations of the world are the forces that rule them from Above, and all the wisdom of the nations of the world comes from these rulers. “In all their Kingdoms” means that the Creator’s will rules over them.

167. Yet, among all the sages of the nations of the world and in all their kingdoms, who among them can do it if not You, who will do it better than You! For You excel over them all in both properties and deeds. Hence, it is written: “There is none like You.”

168. Rabbi Shimon (joyous over the revelation that everything stems from the Creator) said to his friends: “This wedding (unification of souls with the Creator) must be a wedding for all of you, and each of you should bring a gift (his own part in the common Malchut) to the Bride.” He said to Rabbi Elazar, his son: “Present the Bride (Malchut) with a gift, for on the following day Zeir Anpin will look as he enters the wedding canopy (the common Screen with Ohr Hozer) at the sound of these songs and praises of the sons of the wedding canopy (the souls exiting exile into adhesion), who stand before the Creator.”

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “Heaven and Earth” (abridged)

151. Rabbi Shimon opened (the way for the Light) and said (revealed it to his disciples), “In the beginning the Creator created the Heavens and the earth.” This verse should be looked at (revealed in the Light of Hochma), for whoever (he who attains) claims that there is another Creator (when he attains a property other than bestowal), (in this state) he disappears from the world (loses this degree), as it is written, “He who claims that there is another Creator perishes from both the earth (Malchut of that degree) and from the Heavens (Bina of that degree), for there is no other Creator (the Upper degree with regard to him), but the Almighty (a higher degree of bestowal than him).”

152.With the exception of the word ELEH, everything is written in Aramaic, which is called “translation.” He asks: However, should you suggest that it is because the holy angels (the forces of bestowal below the level of man) do not understand the translation (cannot participate in this action), i.e., the Aramaic language, then everything should have been said in Hebrew, so the holy angels would hear and be grateful for it (all the forces would participate in the action)

153. He asks: earth is called Arka, when it should read, Ar’a. He answers: because Arka is one of the seven lands below, where the sons of Cain’s sons reside. Indeed, after being banished from the face of the earth, they descended there and fathered generations; wisdom became so lost that all understanding was lost, and this is a double land, consisting of darkness and Light.

154. And there are two rulers there – one rules over darkness and one over Light, and they become hostile to each other. When Cain descended there, they joined together and became complete. And they all saw that they were Cain’s descendants. Therefore, their two heads are like two serpents, except for when the ruler of Light defeats the other, the ruler of darkness. Hence, they enter Light and darkness, and become as one.

155.For these are the two rulers, called Afrira and Kastimon, who resemble holy angels with six wings. One has the image of a bull, and the other of an eagle. And when they unite, they create an image of man.

156. When they are covered with darkness, they turn into a serpent with two heads, and move like a serpent. They soar in the void and bathe in the Great Sea, and when they approach the chains of Aza and Azael, they rile and rouse them and leap into the mountains of darkness, thinking that the Creator wishes to bring justice upon them.

157. And these two Creator-appointed rulers swim in the Great Sea, fly up from there, and at night go to Naamah, the mother of witches, for whom the first people fell. And they wish to approach her, but she leaps 60,000 Parsa’ot and assumes several different forms, so that people may be deceived and enticed by her.

158. These two rulers soar in the entire world and then return to their places. And they rouse the sons of Cain’s sons with a spirit of evil desires to beget children.

“Soar in the entire world” means that they bring harm to man in all of their thoughts, wherever they can, and lure him into the darkness of night.

159. The Heavens that rule there are not like ours, and the land bears neither seed nor fruit by the power of Heaven, as ours does, and the grains grow again only once in several years. Hence, it is written of them that they could not correct Shemaya and Arka, and perished from the Supernal land, called Tevel, where they will not be able to exist, nor rule over it, nor cause human beings to sin because of the night. Hence, they disappeared from Arka and from the place of Shemaya that were created by the name ELEH.

160. Hence, there exists a Targum, a translation (from Hebrew to Aramaic; the Zohar calls Aramaic – Targum), so the holy angels will not think that it is said about them, so they will not harm us. This is the secret of the word ELEH – as we have already stated, it is a holy word that cannot be translated into a Targum.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Night of the Bride,” Part 2 (abridged)

139. Thus, “the Heavens declare the work of His hands.” These are the friends who have united in the bride (Malchut) by studying the Torah on the night of the holiday of Shavuot. They are all participants of the covenant with her, and are called “the work of His hands.” And she praises and notes each and every one of them. What is Heaven, firmament? It is the firmament, where the sun, the moon, the stars, and the signs of fortune (zodiac) are located. This firmament is called the Book of Remembrance, and it declares and records them, so they shall become the sons of His palace, and He will fulfill all their desires.

140. Day after day brings Omer – a sheaf. The holy day out of those days (Sefirot) of the King (Zeir Anpin) praises the friends, who study the Torah on the night of Shavuot. They say to each other, “Day after day shall bring a sheaf,” and praise it. And the words “night after night” refer to all the degrees, Sefirot of Malchut, that reign in the night, praise one another by each receiving from a friend, from another Sefira. And the state of complete perfection makes them beloved friends.

141. Does he speak of the others in the world who do not obey the Creator, and whom He does not wish to hear? But they made lines through all the earth, that is, these things make a line out of those that reside Above and out of those that reside below. From the first – firmaments are made, and from the second, from their return – earth. And should you say that they revolve around the earth in one place, it is said that they are also at the end of the world.

142. And since out of them Heavens were created, who resides there? He returned and said, “There is a shelter for the sun in them. This is the holy sun, called Zeir Anpin, and it dwells and resides there, and adorns itself with them.”

143. Since Zeir Anpin resides in those firmaments and clothes in them, he emerges like a bridegroom out of his wedding canopy, and rejoices and races along these firmaments, and exits them and enters, and races toward a tower in a different place. He emerges from one end of Heaven, from the Upper World, from the Highest place, from Bina. And his season – where is it? It is the opposite place below, i.e., Malchut, which is the year’s season that forms all the ends and binds everything – from Heaven to this firmament.

144. There is nothing hidden on account of the year’s season and the phase of the sun that revolves in all directions. And there is no concealment, i.e., not a single Supernal Degree is hidden from him, for all were bound together and everyone appeared before him, and none could be concealed from him. Thanks to him and thanks to them he returned to them, to the friends, in the phase of complete return and correction. All this year and all this time is for the Torah (to study it), as it is written: “The Creator’s Torah is perfect.”

145. The word HaVaYaH is written six times, and there are six verses from “the Heavens declare” and until “The Creator’s Torah is perfect.” And this is the secret of the word BERESHEET, which consists of six letters: “THE CREATOR CREATED ET (THE) HEAVENS AND THE EARTH,” six words in all. The other sources of the verse from “The Creator’s Torah is perfect” and until “they are better than gold” correspond to the six utterances of the name HaVaYaH in them. The sources from “the Heavens declare” through “The Creator’s Torah is perfect” are for the six letters in the word BERESHEET, whereas the six names are for the six words from “the Creator created” through “the Heavens and the earth.”

146. As they were sitting and talking, Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon, entered. He said to them: “Certainly, the face of the Shechina has come, hence I called you Pniel (Pnei–face + El–Creator = the Creator’s face),” for you have seen the Shechina face to face. And now that you have attained Benayahu Ben-Yehoyada, it certainly refers to Atik, the Sefira of Keter, just as everything else that occurred afterwards, as it is written in the Torah: “And he slew the Egyptian.” And he who is concealed from all – is Atik.

147. The words, “He slew the Egyptian” are explained in another place, i.e., at a different degree, in a different way. He opened and said, “He slew the Egyptian, a man of good stature, five cubits high.” All of this refers to the same secret. This Egyptian is the one who is well-known and is described as “very great in the land of Egypt in the eyes of the Jew,” for he is great and honored, as that old man had already explained.

148. This case was examined at the Divine Assembly. “A prominent man” and “a man of good stature” are the same, as they constitute Shabbat and the bounds of Shabbat. As it is written: “You shall measure it from outside the city.” It is also written, “You shall not impede limitations in measure.” Hence, he was a man of good stature. Precisely such, from one end of the world to the other. Such is he, Adam, the first man. And should you disagree, referring to the written “five cubits,” know that these five cubits extend from one end of the world to the other.

149. It is, as is written, “like a weaver’s beam,” as the Divine staff that was in his hand, which reveals by the secret name, confirmed in it by the light of the letter combinations that Betzalel and his disciples engraved, called “weaving,” as is written, “He filled them and others, and BOUND them.” And that staff – within it shone a secret name, inscribed on all its sides by the Light of the sages, who confirmed the secret name in forty-two properties. And the rest of what is written from here onward is similar to what the old man had already explained. Happy is his lot!

150. Be seated, dear friends. Be seated and let us renew the correction of the Bride on this night, for whomever joins her on this night shall be guarded Above and below in the coming year. And this year shall pass over him in peace. Such people are described in the verse: “The angel of the Lord stands round those that fear Him, and delivers them. O taste and see that the Creator is good.”

“The Night of the Bride” – full commentary

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