470. Rabbi Yesa asked: What does the verse allude to when it reads, "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day Elohim created man, in the likeness of Elohim he made him; male and female He created them; and he blessed them" (Beresheet 5:1-2)? Rabbi Aba answered: This is a supernal mystery. We have learned that three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah, THAT IS, IN THE FEMININE PRINCIPLE. One book is of the truly righteous, THE SECOND IS OF THE THOROUGHLY WICKED, AND THE THIRD IS OF THE AVERAGE; AND HERE THE ZOHAR DISCUSSES ONLY THE FIRST. There is one supernal book IN THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, WHICH IS BINAH, from which everything - including the written word - originates. There is a middle book IN THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, which includes the upper and lower - NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH COMBINES BINAH AND MALCHUT. This book is called the Written Torah and is the first man OF ALL FOUR ASPECTS OF MAN IN ATZILUT, BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, NAMELY MAN OF ATZILUT. A third book exists IN THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE called 'the generations of Adam;' NAMELY, THE GENERATIONS OF ZEIR ANPIN CALLED 'ADAM.' This is the book of the thoroughly righteous. Hence the verse: "This is the book of the generations of Adam" certainly refers to the Righteous one, WHO IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, who brings forth generations. "In the day Elohim created man, in the likeness of Elohim." AFTER THE REVELATION OF THE BOOK OF THE GENERATIONS OF ADAM, all was completed in the upper and lower worlds and they were both preserved by the same order. The phrase: "Male and female He created them" is vague, BECAUSE THE TEXT SHOULD HAVE READ: 'MAN AND WOMAN HE CREATED THEM.' THIS IS BECAUSE one was included within the other, NAMELY THAT THE FEMALE WAS INCLUDED IN THE MALE UPON THEIR CREATION. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY WERE DOUBLE-FACED AND HE SAWED THEM.
471. We learned that it is written: "The name of Hashem is a strong tower: The righteous one runs into it, and is safe" (Mishlei 18:10). THE RIGHTEOUS ONE MENTIONED HERE is the book of the generations of Adam that runs into that tower. HE ASKS: What kind of a tower does the verse refer to? This is the tower of David, NAMELY MALCHUT, which is, "The name of Hashem is a strong tower," and all refer to it this way, BECAUSE TOWER IS A NAME OF MALCHUT AT THE TIME OF HER GREATNESS. MIGDAL (TOWER) IS DERIVED FROM THE HEBREW WORD GREATNESS, GADLUT. Here is a hidden secret known only to the faithful, AS THE SEQUENCE OF NAMES EVOLVING FROM THE VERSE: "THE NAME OF HASHEM IS A STRONG TOWER..." Hence, this most certainly is the book of generations, BECAUSE YESOD, THE RIGHTEOUS, BRINGS FORTH OFFSPRING BY THE TOWER.
472. Rabbi Aba said: A book was indeed sent down to Adam through which he discerned and comprehended the supernal wisdom. HENCE, THE VERSE REFERS TO IT AS "THE BOOK OF THE GENERATIONS OF ADAM." This book later came into the hands of the "sons of Elohim," the sages of their generation, who were privileged to learn from it and to glean the supernal wisdom. They grasped it and comprehended it. This book was brought down by the guardian of the secrets - WHO IS THE ANGEL RAZIEL - AND WAS GIVEN TO ADAM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. Three guardian angels went before him and guarded the book, SO THAT THE EXTERNAL FORCES WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
473. When Adam left the Garden of Eden, he still held to the book. Yet as he stepped out, the book flew away from him. He prayed and cried out to his Master, and the book was returned to him again, so that this wisdom would not be forgotten and people would endeavor to attain knowledge of their Master.
474. We have also been told that Enoch had a book, which originated from the same place as that of the generations of Adam. And this book contains the inner secrets of wisdom. He was taken from this earth TO BECOME A HEAVENLY ANGEL. Thus, it is written: "And he was not; for Elohim took him" (Beresheet 5:24). He is the youth, THAT IS, HE IS ALWAYS CALLED A YOUTH, as the verse states: "Train up (Heb. chanoch) a child in the way he should go" (Mishlei 22:6), INDICATING THAT ENOCH (HEB. CHANOCH) IS THE YOUTH BECAUSE HE BECAME A MINISTERING LAD TO THE SHECHINAH.
475. All the supernal secrets were delivered into his hands and he, in turn, delivered them TO THOSE WHO MERITED THEM. Thus, he performed the mission THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ASSIGNED TO HIM. One thousand keys were delivered into his hands and he takes one hundred blessings every day and creates unifications for his Master. The Holy One, blessed be He, took him from this world so that he would serve him above. The text refers to this when it reads: "And he was not; for Elohim took him."
476. Since it was given to him, it is called the book of Enoch. When the Holy One, blessed be He, took him, he showed him all the supernal mysteries, including the mystery of the Tree of Life, with its leaves and branches in the middle of the garden. We find all those secrets in his book, ALL THAT ELOHIM SHOWED HIM WHEN HE TOOK HIM TO HEAVEN. Happy are those of exalted piety to whom the supernal wisdom has been revealed and from whom it will never be forgotten, as it is written: "The secret of Hashem is with them that fear Him; and He will reveal to them His covenant" (Tehilim 25:14).