"Let there be a firmament"

44. "And Elohim said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters'" (Beresheet 1:6). THIS PHRASE alludes to a detailed reform of the separation of the upper from the lower waters according to the secret of the left. Here, the dispute according to the secret of the left occurred. Until this point, REFERRING TO THE FIRST DAY, reference is made to the right. But ON THE SECOND DAY, REFERENCE is to the secret of THE GOVERNING OF the left. Because of this, a great dispute broke out ON THE SECOND DAY between the two sides. THE LEFT WANTED TO CANCEL THE GOVERNING POWER OF THE RIGHT ENTIRELY, WHILE THE RIGHT WANTED TO CANCEL THE GOVERNING POWER OF THE LEFT ENTIRELY. The right, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF CHESED AND THE FIRST DAY, is the perfection of all. Because of this, everything was written in the right ON THE FIRST DAY. THIS MEANS THAT ALL THE SEVEN DAYS, WHICH ARE THE SEVEN SFIROT, EMERGED FROM IT AND ARE HINTED IN IT, BECAUSE EVERY PERFECTION DEPENDS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. When the rule of the left was aroused, its dispute with the right began and the fire of anger in that dispute became fierce. From this dispute, Gehenom was created. So Gehenom was awakened, and created by the left, and cleaved to it, WHICH MEANS THAT WHOEVER WANTS TO STRENGTHEN THE LEFT SHALL FALL INTO GEHENOM, WHICH ORIGINATES FROM IT.

45. In his wisdom, Moses looked into this and learned about the work of Creation. In the work of Creation, there was a dispute between the left and the right. And in that dispute, which the left provoked, Gehenom was created and Gehenom held on to the left. The central pillar, WHICH IS TIFERET, entered between them on the third day, ending the dispute and bringing the two sides to an agreement. So Gehenom REMOVED ITSELF FROM THE LEFT AND descended below. The left joined the right, and there was peace everywhere.

46. A similar dispute occurred between Korah and Aaron, the left against the right. Moses studied the Creation and said, 'I am one who is able to eliminate the dispute between right and left.' MOSES tried his best to reconcile them, but the left did not want to be reconciled. So Korah become stronger AND OVERCAME AARON.

47. MOSES said: Assuredly, because of the power of the disagreement of the left, Gehenom should cling to it, JUST AS IT WAS IN THE WORKS OF CREATION. KORAH did not wish to be attached above, NAMELY TO THE STRUCTURE OF HOLINESS, and join the right, LIKE THE LEFT ON HIGH. So assuredly, he shall descend below, DOWN INTO GEHENOM, because of the fierceness of his anger. AS HAPPENED IN THE WORKS OF CREATION, GEHENOM CAME OUT AND CLEAVED TO THE LEFT. MOSES KNEW THAT WITH THE STRENGTH OF KORAH'S ANGER, KORAH WOULD DESCEND TO GEHENOM AND BE ATTACHED TO IT.

48. Because of this, Korah did not want Moses to settle this dispute, since it was not for heaven's sake (with pure intentions). He had no respect for the celestial glory, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, and refused to acknowledge the work of Creation. THIS MEANS THAT HE DENIED THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. IN THE WORK OF CREATION. HE WANTED ONLY THE LEFT TO GOVERN. As soon as Moses realized that he was denying the work of Creation and being rejected out OF HOLINESS, "Moses was much angered" (Bemidbar 16:15).

49. "And Moses was much angered," BECAUSE KORAH AND HIS COMPANY refused to acknowledge him and did not allow him to settle the dispute. IT IS WRITTEN "much," because they denied the acknowledgment of the work of Creation. So Korah denied everything above IN ZEIR ANPIN and below IN THE SOULS, as it is written: "When they strove against Hashem" (Bemidbar 26:9) - WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, FOR THE DAMAGE THAT HE DID REACHED BOTH above TO ZEIR ANPIN and below TO MOSES. Therefore, KORAH cleaved onto what he deserved; HE REACHED GEHENOM, AS WRITTEN: "THEY...WENT DOWN ALIVE INTO SHEOL" (BEMIDBAR 16:33).

50. Another dispute was settled like above. A dispute that rose and did not come down, and was based on decency, was that between Shammai and Hillel. SHAMMAI WAS THE ASPECT OF THE LEFT ON HIGH, WHILE HILLEL WAS THE ASPECT OF THE SUPERNAL RIGHT. And the Holy One, blessed be He, intervened between them and approved of them. THIS MEANS THAT THE DIFFERENCES AND ARGUMENTS BETWEEN SHAMMAI AND HILLEL REACHED THEM FROM THE CENTRAL COLUMN OF ABOVE, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. This was a dispute for the sake (name) of heaven, and the heavens, ZEIR ANPIN, reconciled this dispute TO ESTABLISH BOTH. Because of this, THEIR ILLUMINATIONS CONTINUE to exist. This DISPUTE is like the work of Creation. IT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT THE CENTRAL COLUMN ACHIEVED FOR THE SAKE OF ESTABLISHING THE WORK OF CREATION. But Korah denied the establishing of the work of Creation and the dispute was toward the heavens, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, THAT IS, THE RECONCILING COLUMN. And he wanted to deny the principles of the Torah, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. Assuredly this DISPUTE AND DENIAL was the result of the efforts of Gehenom, and its power of Judgment cleaved to KORAH and he to it. THUS, HE FELL INTO GEHENOM.

51. This secret appears in the Book of Adam. When darkness was aroused to take control, it emerged in all its might and created Gehenom within it, and GEHENOM cleaved to it in that dispute. As the anger and the might OF THE GVUROT were calmed down, the dispute was aroused in a different manner, as a dispute of love.

52. There were two kinds of disputes: One at the beginning and one at the end. This is the path of the righteous, which is hard in the beginning, because it is full of suffering, but ends in peace. Korach, BEING THE LEFT, was the beginning of the dispute BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, which was full of anger and fierceness. EACH WANTED TO DIMINISH THE ILLUMINATION OF ITS NEIGHBOR. FROM THIS, GEHENOM EMERGED and Korach cleaved to Gehenom. Shammai was ALSO THE ASPECT OF THE LEFT, BUT at the end of the dispute BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, when anger was forgotten and the dispute of love was set in motion so as to receive approval from the heavens, WHICH IS THE COLUMN THAT SETTLES THE DISPUTE.

53. This is the secret of the verse: "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide..." (Beresheet 1:6) This is the first dispute, aroused by anger and force, IN WHICH EACH WANTED TO OVERCOME AND ANNUL ITS NEIGHBOR. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, wished to nullify the dispute and Gehenom was aroused until the anger and aggressiveness cooled down. Then IT IS WRITTEN: "And Elohim made the firmament AND DIVIDED..." (IBID. 7). THIS DIVISION IS the dispute, carried with love and friendship, which supports the world. According to this secret, (NAMELY THROUGH THE DISPUTE OF LOVE) is carried the dispute between Shammai and Hillel - NAMELY THE DIVIDING OF "AND ELOHIM MADE THE FIRMAMENT..." AT THE END OF THE DISPUTE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE DISPUTE OF KORAH WAS ONE OF ANGER - WHICH IS THE DIVIDING OF "LET THERE BE A FIRMAMENT IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS..." AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DISPUTE. SO THE DISPUTE OF SHAMMAI AND HILLEL WAS FOR THE SAKE OF HEAVEN, in which the Oral Torah, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, entered with love into the Written Torah, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN AND CALLED HEAVEN. And they were in perfect union.

54. Division certainly applies to the left ALONE, as is written IN RELATION TO THE SECOND DAY: "And let it divide." (Ibid. 6) WHILE OF KORAH, it is written: "Is it but a small thing to you, that the Elohim of Yisrael has separated you" (Bemidbar 16:9). It is also written: "At that time Hashem separated the tribe of Levi" (Devarim 10:8). So, assuredly the separation appears only in the second day in the place of the left.

55. You may ask: If division occurs definitely on the second day, why then is the separation MENTIONED about Levi, who is the third SON OF JACOB? It should have been associated with Simon, who is the second SON OF JACOB. THE ANSWER IS that although Levi is the third son, according to Jacob's mind he is the second, BECAUSE REUBEN IS NOT CONSIDERED THE FIRST SON OF LEAH, AS AT THE TIME JACOB THOUGHT SHE WAS RACHEL. So the separation is forever in the second, BECAUSE AFTER THE DIVISION HAS OCCURRED IN THE SECOND, everything goes smoothly along the straight path in a perfect way, as it should do. THIS IS BECAUSE BY THE SEPARATION, THE LIGHTS ENCLOTHE EACH OTHER AND ARE COMPLETED BY EACH OTHER.

56. The Havdalah (prayer of separation) THAT IS PERFORMED at the end of Shabbat IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEPARATING those POWERS that are dominant during the days of the week from HOLINESS THAT IS DOMINANT DURING Shabbat. With the ending of Shabbat, one aspect of Gehenom appears. It is the evil eye that desires to govern THE WORLD, just as the children of Yisrael recite, "O Prosper it, the work of our hands" (Tehilim 90:17). It emerges from that grade OF THE OTHER SIDE, which is called the left, and wishes to mingle with the seed of Yisrael BY TAKING CONTROL OVER THE HOLY COVENANT and having power TO PUNISH Yisrael.

57. While The Children of Yisrael perform an action, A PRECEPT, using the myrtle and the wine and recite the Havdalah, THE OTHER SIDE departs from them. That side is lowered and enters into its place in Sheol, in the place where Korah and his company are, as it is written: "They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol" (Bemidbar 16:33). So KORAH AND HIS COMPANY did not go down TO GEHENOM until Yisrael separated from them, as it is written: "Separate yourselves from among this congregation" (Ibid. 21). HERE AS WELL, THE OTHER SIDE DOES NOT GO TO GEHENOM AT THE ENDING OF SHABBAT BEFORE YISRAEL PERFORMS THE HAVDALAH.

58. So the separation (Heb. Havdalah) is always on the second day, which is the Left COLUMN. THIS REFERS TO WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN EXPLAINED, THAT EVEN THE HAVDALAH AT THE ENDING OF SHABBAT IS INTENDED TO SEPARATE THE OTHER SIDE THAT EXTENDS FROM THE LEFT COLUMN. It was at the beginning of the dispute, which was aroused by the aggressiveness and anger of the left before it was calmed down and quieted, that Gehenom was created. Then were created all these angels that denounce before THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, their Master above, THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. THEY DISAGREE WITH HIS RECONCILIATION AND DEVIATE TO THE LEFT. Therefore, fire burns them up and they are consumed. And the other ANGELS, all those who are annulled and have no support, are burned in the fire. ALL THESE HAVE COME FROM THE POWER OF THE FIRE OF THE DISPUTE IN THE BEGINNING, ON THE SECOND DAY. Similarly, Korah FELL down INTO GEHENOM AND BURNED, JUST LIKE THOSE ANGELS WHO BURNED IN THE FIRE OF NAHAR DINUR (ENG. 'RIVER OF FIRE'). And everything follows the same manner, EXTENDING FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS DISPUTE WITH THE FIRE OF ANGER.

59. "Let there be a firmament..." TELLS US THAT an expansion has occurred between the two. THE LOWER WATERS EXPANDED AND WERE SEPARATED FROM THE UPPER WATERS, AND THE UPPER WATERS EXPANDED AND WERE SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER WATERS BY THE FIRMAMENT. THE LETTERS El (Aleph-Lamed) IN THE NAME ELOHIM (ALEPH-LAMED-HEI-YUD-MEM) FROM THE FIRMAMENT UP are of the right part. IN OTHER WORDS, EL ALWAYS ALLUDES TO THE NAME OF CHESED, WHICH IS THE RIGHT SIDE. THE NAME great El has expanded from within the waters AND IS SEPARATED FROM THEM. THIS MEANS THAT, BECAUSE OF THE FIRMAMENT, THE NAME GREAT EL HAS SPREAD UPWARD AND HAS SEPARATED ITSELF FROM THE OTHER WATERS, NAMELY THE THREE LETTERS HEI-YUD-MEM. This was to complete the name El and to include THE UPPER AND LOWER WATERS within each other THROUGH THAT EXPANSION. And THE NAME El of Elohim expanded, LEAVING ONLY THE THREE LETTERS - Hei-Yud-Mem. Hei-Yud-Mem then expanded DOWN BELOW THE FIRMAMENT and became the lower waters, Yud-Mem-Hei. This is the expansion into the second one, THAT IS, HEI- YUD-MEM INTO YUD-MEM-HEI. The upper waters are Hei-Yud -Mem, as written, "So is this great and wide sea (Heb. hayam, Hei-Yud-Mem)" (Tehilim 104:25). THUS, Hei Yud Mem are the upper waters. If the letters HEI-YUD-MEM are in reversed order, THAT IS, Yud-Mem-Hei, this indicates they are lower waters. Once THE LETTERS YUD-MEM-HEI were restored, THEY ASCENDED AND ROSE ABOVE THE FIRMAMENT AND JOINED THE NAME GREAT EL AND RETURNED TO THE COMBINATION OF THE GREAT SEA (HEB. HAYAM), WHICH WAS HEI-YUD-MEM. Then everyone, EL AND HEI-YUD-MEM were united as one, RESULTING IN ONE NAME - ELOHIM. And this name ELOHIM reached into many places.

60. The upper waters are male; the lower waters are female. At first, BEFORE THEY WERE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED, they were mixed, but were later separated to distinguish the upper waters from the lower waters. AND TO DIFFERENTIATE THEM, one is called Elohim, WHICH IS BINAH, and the other is called Adonai, WHICH IS MALCHUT. One is the upper Hei OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS BINAH, and the other is the lower Hei OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS MALCHUT. It is THEN written ABOUT THEM: "And Elohim made the firmament" (Beresheet 1:7). This expansion assumed the name ELOHIM, FOR THE VERSE "AND ELOHIM MADE" INDICATES THAT THE EXPANSION OF HEI-YUD-MEM RETURNED BACK TO EL AND MERGED INTO THE NAME ELOHIM AND THE UPPER WATERS. FOR THE NAME Elohim is the upper waters and the name Adonai, THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE OF ZEIR ANPIN, is the female waters. Nevertheless, since the male waters, OR THE LETTERS HEI-YUD-MEM, were completed only by the female waters - NAMELY, THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE OF ZEIR ANPIN - the name Elohim expanded everywhere, INCLUDING THE FEMALE WATERS.

61. Although, ON THE SECOND DAY, the upper and lower waters were divided, the dispute BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, WHICH ARE THE LETTERS ALEPH-LAMED AND HEI-YUD-MEM, did not cease until the third day, WHICH IS TIFERET. THE THIRD DAY settled the dispute BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, AS THE TWO COLUMNS - ALEPH-LAMED AND HEI-YUD-MEM - ENCLOTHED EACH OTHER, and both were established properly in their places. Because of this dispute, even though the world exists upon it, it is not written: "it was good" about the second day, because the work was not yet completed ON THAT DAY. So the upper and lower waters were MINGLED TOGETHER as one, and there was no offspring in the world until they were divided IN TWO and distinguished as separate from each other. Only then did they bring forth offspring.

62. Although the separation OF THE LOWER WATERS FROM THE UPPER WATERS occurred on the second day, the dispute BETWEEN EL, WHICH IS THE RIGHT, AND HEI-YUD-MEM, WHICH IS THE LEFT, was unresolved. ONLY the third day reconciled between them. Both became equal AND JOINED THEM INTO THE ONE NAME ELOHIM. THE THIRD DAY, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, IS the name upon which is engraved Hei-Vav-Hei, to make the upper waters, BINAH, equal to the lower waters, MALCHUT. BECAUSE THE LETTERS HEI-VAV-HEI ARE THE SECRET OF THE TWO HEIS WITH VAV BETWEEN THEM: the upper Hei IS BINAH, and the lower Hei IS MALCHUT. The Vav in between IS ZEIR ANPIN AND it completes AND ILLUMINATES both sides, ABOVE IN BINAH AND BELOW IN MALCHUT. This was signified by THE SPLITTING OF the waters of the Jordan, where the upper waters rose in a heap AND DID NOT FLOW DOWN INTO THE DEAD SEA. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE UPPER HEI OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, NAMELY BINAH. ON THE OTHER HAND, the lower waters - WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF THE LOWER HEI, MALCHUT - flowed down into the DEAD Sea - WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE LOWER HEI, MALCHUT. And Yisrael, THE SECRET OF THE LETTER VAV, went in the middle BETWEEN THE UPPER WATERS AND THE LOWER WATERS OF THE JORDAN. THUS YISRAEL, THE SECRET OF THE VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, RECEIVED THE ABUNDANCE FROM THE UPPER HEI AND BESTOWED IT UPON THE LOWER HEI.

63. Firmament is mentioned five times ON THE SECOND DAY, and the life of the worlds, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, passes through them and guides the worlds through them. They all are comprised of one another. Had the Central COLUMN not settled the dispute, neither would have included the other nor be harmonized. THESE FIVE FIRMAMENTS ARE EQUIVALENT TO the 500 years to which the Tree of Life, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, is attached to produce offspring and fruits in the world. All the waters of Creation, NAMELY THE KINDS OF MOCHIN that flow out from Beresheet, WHICH IS ARICH ANPIN, are divided under it and through it INTO THE UPPER WATERS AND THE LOWER WATERS. King David, WHO IS THE SECRET OF THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, receives everything FROM ZEIR ANPIN. He then distributes it DOWN TO THE LOWER WORLDS OF BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, as it is written: "And he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude" (II Shmuel 6:19). It is also written: "You give it to them; they gather it" (Tehilim 104:28) and "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food" (Mishlei 31:15).

64. When disagreement was aroused through the fierceness of the left, the mist of fire increased and became overpowering. The spirits produced from within THAT MIST immediately congealed; they became dry and without any moisture. These spirits, which were male and female, produced a multitude of evil spirits. From this, all the might of the impure spirit appeared in all those strong spirits. This is the secret of THE KLIPAH OF the foreskin. These spirits were strengthened in impurity through the violent demons. One is called a viper and the other a serpent, and these two kinds become one. The viper bears offspring every seventy years, WHILE THE SERPENT ONLY EVERY SEVEN YEARS. But as they are joined together, everything returned to the seven years of the serpent. THEREFORE, THE VIPER BEGETS EVERY SEVEN YEARS LIKE THE SERPENT, AND THEY BECOME AS IF ONE SPECIES.

65. From herein lies the secret of Gehenom, which has seven names, and the Evil Inclination, which also has seven names. From here, impurity expands and spreads out in many grades into the world. And everything comes from the principle of the left, which contains good and evil and thereby, makes the world habitable. From here IS THE SECRET OF the HOLY Name that is engraved by eighteen letters and is responsible for the bountiful rains THAT FEED THE EARTH, FOR HUMAN charity, for all our blessings, and for the general inhabitation of this world.