"And there was evening and there was morning"

Synopsis

True spiritual power is achieved through the existence of both Light and Darkness. Spiritual transformation requires darkness so that there is something tangible to transform, and Light is actually generated during this stage of transformation.

A simple candle can provide us with analogies to help enrich our understanding of the need for darkness. A tiny candle has no significance or worth when flickering against the backdrop of a brilliant sunlit day. But even a massive darkened arena responds to the lighting of one candle. In that setting, the candlelight assumes great importance and value. Moreover, it is the dark burning wick that gives rise to the candle's bright flickering flame. It is for reasons like these that darkness came into existence. Intently browsing the text of Hebrew letters, together with the knowledge gained by reading this section, delivers streams of shining Light into areas of darkness that may be present in our lives.

Body Darkness Light Morning Nukva Zeir Anpin

151. "And there was evening and there was morning, one day" (Beresheet 1:5) "And there was evening" WAS DRAWN from the side of darkness, NAMELY THE NUKVA. "And there was morning" WAS DRAWN from the side of light, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN. And since ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA joins together as one, it is written of them, "one day." THIS INDICATES THAT EVENING AND MORNING ARE LIKE ONE BODY, AND BOTH MAKE THE DAY. Rabbi Yehuda asks: IF THE SCRIPTURE HAS ALREADY STATED THAT "THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING" MEANS THE MATING OF ZEIR ANPIN AND HIS NUKVA, why then are the words "and there was evening and there was morning" repeated each day? HE ANSWERS THAT it is to acknowledge that there cannot be day without night, nor night without day, and that they are inseparable.

151. וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד, וַיְהִי עֶרֶב מִסִּטְרָא דְחֹשֶׁךְ, וַיְהִי בֹקֶר, מִסִּטְרָא דְאוֹר, וּמִגּוֹ דְּאִנוּן מִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי כַּחֲדָא, כְּתִיב יוֹם אֶחָד, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אֲמַר, מַאי טַעֲמָא, בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר. לְמִנְדַע, דְּהָא לֵית יוֹם, בְּלָא לַיְלָה, וְלֵית לַיְלָה בְּלָא יוֹם, וְלָא אִבְעוּן לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא.

Creation Light Morning

152. Rabbi Yosi said that the day from which the primal light emerged extended into all the other days OF CREATION, as the word "day" is repeated in them all. Rabbi Elazar said that we learn this FROM THE FACT that the name morning was used in them all, because morning only relates to the primal light. THAT IS, MORNING MEANS THE FIRST REVELATION OF LIGHT. Rabbi Shimon said that the first day accompanies all THE OTHERS, and that all are contained in THE FIRST. This shows that there is no fragmentation between them, and that all are one.

152. אֲמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, הַהוּא יוֹם דְּנָפַק אוֹר קַדְמָאָה, אִתְפְּשַׁט בְּכָלְהוֹ יוֹמֵי, דִּכְתִיב בְּכָלְהוֹ יוֹם. אֲמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב בְּכָלְהוֹ בֹּקֶר, וְלָאו בֹּקֶר אֶלָא מִסִּטְרָא דְאוֹר קַדְמָאָה. רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲמַר, יוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה, אָזֵיל עִם כָּלְהוֹ, וְכָלְהוֹ בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּלָאו בְּהוֹ פֵּרוֹדָא, וְכֹלָּא חַד.