"Let there be light"

Synopsis

An unprepared Vessel can be spiritually dangerous and destructive. Similarly, if acid is poured into a paper cup, the cup is not designed to receive the acid and it dissolves. Preparing the vessel of your being is the first step that must be taken before you even activate your desire to draw in spiritual Light.

Perusing the Hebrew letters from this segment of the Zohar prepares our Vessel so that we can receive and safely contain the awesome Light of The Creator.

East Light Righteous Wicked Wickedness

147. "And Elohim said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light" (Beresheet 1:3). Rabbi Yitzchak said that we learn from these words that the Holy One, blessed be He, uprooted these plants and replanted them elsewhere. Hence the expression, "there was." Rabbi Yehuda said, that this implies that light had already existed. This is indicated in, "there was." It was not written, "there became light," but "there was light." And when the Holy One, blessed be He, viewed the generations of the wicked, WHO ARE NOT WORTHY OF THE LIGHT, He stored it for the righteous. This is mentioned in the verse "light is sown for the righteous and gladness for those upright in hearts" (Tehilim 97:11). Thus it is written: "And Elohim said, 'Let there be light'," as is written: "Who raised up one from the east..." (Yeshayah 41:2).

147. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר. אָמַר רָבִּי יִצְחָק מִכָּאן דַּעֲקָרָן קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְהָנֵי נְטִיעָן, וְשָׁתֵיל לוֹן, מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב יְהִי. ר' יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אוֹר שֶׁכְּבָר הָיָה, תְּנַן מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב וַיְהִי אוֹר, וְהָיָה לָא כְתִיב, אֶלָּא וַיְהִי. וְכַד אִסְתַּכַּל קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאִינוּן דָּרִין דְּרַשִּׁיעַיָיא. גָּנֵיז לֵיהּ לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא, הה"ד אוֹר זָרוּעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה, וְהָא אִתְּמָר וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר הה"ד מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח וגו'.

Light Wicked Wickedness

148. "And Elohim saw the light, that it was good" (Beresheet 1:4). What did He see? Rabbi Chiya said that this implies that He foresaw the actions of the wicked and stored the light, as we said before. Rabbi Aba DISAGREES, AND says, "And Elohim saw the light, that it was good," to store it away. THAT IS, HE DID NOT LOOK AT THE ACTIONS OF THE WICKED, BUT SAW THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE LIGHT ITSELF, AND DECIDED THAT IT WAS GOOD FOR IT TO BE CONCEALED AND NOT REVEALED TO THE WORLD. "And Elohim saw the light." He saw its radiance beaming from one end of the world to the other, and He saw that it was better to store it, so that sinners might not benefit from it.

148. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב, מַאי רָאָה אָמַר רָבִּי חִיָּיא כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן, חָמָא בְּעוֹבָדַיְיהוּ דְּרַשִּׁיעַיָיא וְגָנֵיז לֵיהּ. ר' אַבָּא אֲמַר וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב לִגְנוֹז אוֹתוֹ. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאוֹר, דְּסָלֵיק נְהוֹרֵיהּ מִסְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא עַד סְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא, וְכִי טוֹב הוּא לְאַגְנָזָא לֵיהּ דְּלָא יֶהֱנוּן מִנֵּיהּ חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא.

Curse Darkness Eyes Judgment Light

149. Rabbi Shimon said, "And Elohim saw the light, that it was good." THIS MEANS THAT HE DECIDED THAT no anger or judgment would be found in it. Similarly, it was said IN CONNECTION TO BILAAM, "That it was good in the eyes of Hashem to bless Yisrael" (Bemidbar 24:1), SO THAT A CURSE WILL NOT BEFALL YISRAEL. This is proven by the end of the verse, "And Elohim divided the light from the darkness" (Beresheet 1:4), to prevent wrath AND JUDGMENT. And even though the Holy One, blessed be He, afterward combined LIGHT AND DARKNESS as one, NEVERTHELESS THERE WAS NO FURTHER CONFLICT AND ANGER.

149. אֲמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב, דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ רִתְחָא, כְּתִיב הָכָא כִּי טוֹב, וּכְתִיב הָתָם כִּי טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי ה' לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְסוֹפָא דִקְרָא וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹקִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ רִתְחָא, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּשִׁתֵּף לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּחֲדָא.

Crowns Fear Light Righteous Sin

150. Come and behold: The supernal radiance, BINAH, should continue to radiate, and through its radiance, it should bring gladness to all. This is THE POSITION OF the right, which was crowned with the right to make engravings OF THE LEFT. It is written: "How great is Your goodness, which You have laid upon those who fear You and which You have wrought for they who trust in You" (Tehilim 31:20). "How great is Your goodness" alludes to the primordial light that the Holy One, blessed be He, stored away. "They who fear You" alludes to the righteous who fear sin, and as we said, ONLY THEY SHOULD ENJOY THE LIGHT.

150. תָּא חֲזֵי, נְהִירוּ עִלָּאָה, לְמֶהֱוֵי נָהֵיר הַאי אוֹר, וּמֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ, חֲדוּ לְכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ, וְהוּא יָמִינָא לְאִתְעַטְּרָא גּוּלְפוֹי גְּלִיפִין בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְהָא אִתְּמָר כְּתִיב מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִירֵאֶיךָ פָּעַלְתָּ לַחוֹסִים בָּךְ, מָה רַב טוּבְךָ, דָּא אוֹר קַדְמָאָה דְּגָנֵיז קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לִירֵאֶיךָ, לַצַּדִּיקִים, לְאִנוּן דַּחֲלֵי חַטָּאָה כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן.