Chapter 1 (PDF) - Stanford University Press

the zohar [1:2a]
I said, the meaning I aroused. `Silence, two': by holding my silence, two
what
were created, erected as one.''
worlds
Shim'on said, ``From here on, the completion of the verse, as is
Rabbi
The one who brings forth their array by number (Isaiah 40:26). 67 These
written:
two rungs, each of which should be inscribed. One is What; the other,
are
This is above, that is below. The one above is inscribed by the words:
Who.
one who brings forth their array by number, the one who is known, beyond
The 68 Similarly, `The one who brings forth bread from the earth,' 69 the
compare.
who is known, the lowerrung, 70 and all is one. By number: 600,000,
one
together, generating forces according to their kind, beyond number. 71
standing
calls them each by name, both the 600,000 and theirforces. What does this
And
by name? If you say they were called individually by nameÐnot so, for
mean:
OKFN
then by the powerof this name, it yielded them perfectly. This is the
(Elohim),
of calls them each by name: by its very name, it called forth each and
meaning
kind to exist perfectly. Similarly, See, I have called by name Bezalel
every
(Exodus 31:2): 72
temple above . . . below The temple
65.
is Binah; the one below, Shekhinah.
above
BT Sanhedrin 99b: ``Rav said, `[Whoeverengages
See
in Torah forits own sake,] it
as if he built the heavenly and earthly
is
palaces.'''
the heavenly and earthly temples, see
On
Shirata 10; JT Berakhot 4:5, 8c;
Mekhilta,
Vayaqhel 7; Pequdei 1±3; Shemot
Tanḥuma,
33:4; Midrash Tehillim 30:1.
Rabbah
El'azar's silence stimulated his
Rabbi
Rabbi Shim'on, to reveal mysteries
father,
two realms.
of
a word is worth . . . A proverb cited
66.
Rav Dimi in BT Megillah 18a.
by
completion of the verse... The
67.
that Rabbi Shim'on and his son have
verse
expounding continues: Who brings
been
their array by number and calls them
forth
by name: because of His great might
each
the one who is known, beyond
68.
Binah. Rabbi Shim'on interprets
compare
opening letter F (he) of F KXGP B (ha-
the
who brings forth, as a definite article
motsi),
one who'') rather than simply a rela-
(``the
pronoun (``who'').
tive
`The one who brings forth bread . . .'
69.
traditional blessing over bread, derived
The
Psalms 104:14. Again, the F (he) is
from
as a definite article.
interpreted
the one who is known, the lower
70.
Binah, shares Her name (Elohim), and is
on
known as Earth.
also
600,000 . . . beyond number The
71.
the six sefirot between
numberrepresents
and Shekhinah, which generate innumerable
Binah
offspring. See Zohar 1:21b±22a.
El'azarsaid, ``My silence assembled a temple above, a temple below. 65
Rabbi
`a word is worth one coin; silence, two.' 66 `A word is worth one coin':
Indeed,
then the verse should read each by its name. Rather,aslongasthisrunghad
10
ascended and was still called P K
not
(Mi), Who, it did not give birth nor bring
forth what was hidden, each according to its kind, though all of them were
within. Once it created B N F (elleh), these, andattaineditsname, B
hidden
`I mentioned My name so that Bezalel would attain perfect
rung, and all is one
Shekhinah is modeled
See, I have called by name Bezalel
72.
to the chief artisan of the Taber-
Referring
nacle in the Sinai Desert.
and vast power, not one is missing.