4. "In the beginning" (Beresheet 1:1) Rabbi Shimon quoted the verse, "the flower buds appear on the earth" (Shir Hashirim 2:12). "The flower buds" refer to the act of creation; "appear on the earth." When? On the third day, as it is written, "And the earth brought forth" (Beresheet 1:12). Since then, they have been seen on the earth. "The time the singing bird (also: 'pruning') is come" alludes to the fourth day, when the "pruning of the tyrants" took place. THEREFORE, OF THIS DAY IT IS WRITTEN, "LET THERE BE LUMINARIES" (BERESHEET 1:14), with the letter Vav missing from the word luminaries. (The Hebrew word 'luminaries' when written without a Vav, can be read as a curse). "And the voice of the turtledove" (Shir Hashirim 2:12) refers to the fifth day, about which it is written, "Let the waters swarm" (Beresheet 1:20), so they can produce offspring. "Is heard" (Shir Hashirim 2:12) refers to the sixth day, on which it says, "Let us make man" (Beresheet 1:26), who shall put action before listening. Because it says here, "Let us make man," while there on Mount Sinai, when Hashem asked Yisrael about the Torah, they said "we will do, and obey (listen)" (Shemot 24:7). "In our land" (Shir Hashirim 2:12) refers to the day of Shabbat, which represents the Land of Life, WHICH IS THE WORLD TO COME.

206. And after MALCHUT is attached above TO THE SIX EXTREMITIES OF ZEIR ANPIN, she should then be attached down below to her multitudes, REFERRING TO the other six directions which are down below IN MALCHUT. THIS ALLUDES TO, 'Blessed be the name of the glory of His Kingdom for ever and ever', (Heb. baruch shem kvod...) which in Hebrew contains six additional words expressive of this unity. And then what was dry land becomes fertile soil that can produce fruits and flowers, and in which trees can be planted.

207. This is implied in the verse, "And Elohim called the dry land earth" (Ibid. 10). This was accomplished by the unity below BY THE WORDS, "BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE GLORY OF HIS KINGDOM FOR EVER AND EVER AS DRY LAND BECOMES EARTH, WHICH IS a properly complete desire. BECAUSE THE TERM 'EARTH' DERIVES FROM 'DESIRE.' And this is why the expression "that it was good" appears twice; once for the upper and once for the lower unity. So MALCHUT has been united with both aspects - THE ASPECT OF THE SIX EXTREMITIES OF ZEIR ANPIN AND HER OWN SIX EXTREMITIES. Hence, it is written, "Let the earth bring forth bring forth grass" (Ibid. 11), because by now she has been prepared to produce fruit and flowers properly!