267. "The chariots of Pharaoh and his host has He thrown into the sea." Rabbi Yitzchak opened the discussion, saying: "When His voice resounds with the great mass of water in the heavens, and He raises vapors from the ends of the earth; when He makes lightning flashes among the rain, and brings forth the wind out of His storehouses" (Yirmeyah 10:13). We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, made seven firmaments CORRESPONDING TO CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD, AND MALCHUT, and stars are stationed in every firmament, MEANING FROM THE ASPECT OF "AND RETURNED" (YECHEZKEL 1:14). Stars fly in every single firmament, MEANING LEVELS FROM THE ASPECT OF "RAN" (IBID.). And above all of them is Aravot, WHICH IS THE FIRST THREE SFIROT OF THE FIRMAMENTS.
267. מַרְכְּבוֹת פַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹ יָרָה בַיָּם. רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח, לְקוֹל תִּתּוֹ הֲמוֹן מַיִם בַּשָּׁמַיִם וַיַעֲלֶה נְשִׂיאִים מִקְּצֵה הָאָרֶץ בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה וַיּוֹצֵא רוּחַ מֵאוֹצְרוֹתָיו. הָא תָּנֵינָן, שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא כֹּכָבִין קְבִיעִין, וְרַהֲטִין בְּכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא, וּלְעֵילָּא מִכֻּלְּהוּ עֲרָבוֹת.
268. And every firmament is two hundred years' walk in length and five hundred years high. Between each firmament is a distance of 500 years. And Aravot is 1,500 years' walk in length and 1,500 years wide, and all these firmaments are illuminated from its radiance.
268. וְכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא בְּהִלּוּכוֹ מָאתַן שְׁנִין, וְרוּמֵיהּ חֲמֵשׁ מְאָה שְׁנִין. וּבֵין רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא, חֲמֵשׁ מְאָה שְׁנִין. וְהַאי עֲרָבוֹת הִלּוּכוֹ בְּאוֹרְכֵיהּ, אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאָה שְׁנִין. וּפוּתְיֵהּ, אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאָה שְׁנִין, וּמִזִּיוָא דִּילֵיהּ, נָהֲרִין כָּל אִינּוּן רְקִיעִין.
269. We have learned that above Aravot is the firmament of the living creatures, WHERE THERE ARE FOUR LIVING CREATURES, LION, OX, EAGLE AND MAN. The hoofs of the living creatures and their height resemble all of those THAT ARE UNDER THEM, BECAUSE THE UPPER ONE CONTAINS WITHIN IT ALL THAT IS BELOW IT. Above them are the ankles of living creatures, and they resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW THEM. The shanks of the living creatures resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW. The thighs of the living creatures resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW. The buttocks of the living creatures resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW, and the torsos of the living creatures resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW. The wings resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW. Their necks resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW. The heads of the living creatures resemble all of those THAT ARE BELOW. HE ENUMERATES HERE TEN ASPECTS CORRESPONDING TO TEN SFIROT. HE ASKS, What is the meaning of 'resemble all of those?' AND HE ANSWERS, THEY ARE CONSIDERED comparable to all those THAT ARE BELOW THEM.
269. וְהָא תָּנֵינָן, לְעֵילָּא מֵעֲרָבוֹת, רָקִיעַ דְּחַיּוֹת. פַּרְסוֹת דְּחַיּוֹת קַדִּישִׁין וְרוּמְהוֹן, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. לְעֵילָּא מִנְּהוֹן קַרְסוּלַיִן דְּחַיּוֹת כְּכֻלְּהוּ. שׁוֹקֵי הַחַיּוֹת, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. אַרְכּוּבִין דְּחַיּוֹת, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. יַרְכִין דְּחַיּוֹת, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. עַגְבֵי דְּחַיּוֹת, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. וְגוּפָא דְּחַיּוֹת כְּכֻלְּהוּ. גַּדְפַּיְיהוּ, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. וְצַוָּארַיְהוּ, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. רָאשֵׁי הַחַיּוֹת, כְּכֻלְּהוּ. מַאי כְּכֻלְּהוּ. כָּקֳבְלֵי כֻּלְּהוּ.