158. "Let the earth bring forth grass" (Beresheet 1:11), indicates the union of the upper waters with the lower waters to bear fruit. The upper produce fruit and the lower call upon the upper TO RECEIVE FROM THEM THE FRUIT THEY ARE TO BEAR IN THE WORLD. This is as the female calls upon the male TO CONCEIVE FROM HIM AND BRING FORTH OFFSPRING TO THE WORLD. This is because the upper waters are male, and the lower WATERS are female.
159. Rabbi Shimon explains FURTHER that what is true for above is true for below. Rabbi Yosi said that if this be so, then what does "Elohim" mean IN THE PASSAGE, "AND ELOHIM SAID, 'LET THE EARTH PUT FORTH GRASS.'" What is THE NAME "Elohim" in the verse? It is the living Elohim above, NAMELY BINAH, AS REFERRED TO BY ALL 32 MENTIONS OF THE NAME ELOHIM IN THE WORKS OF CREATION. Are we to accept that THE NAME ELOHIM below is a plain Elohim? THIS, HE SAID, IS CONTRARY TO WHAT WAS EXPLAINED EARLIER (THAT IS, THAT ALL 32 ELOHIM IN THE WORKS OF CREATION ARE THE NAMES OF BINAH, WHICH IS A LIVING ELOHIM). RABBI YOSI REPLIED: Not so, the offspring are below. He quotes: "These are the generations of the heavens and earth when they were created (Heb. Behibar'am)" (Beresheet 2:4). As has already been explained, they were created by the letter Hei (Heb. behei bra'am), THE LAST HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, FROM WHENCE COME ALL THE OFFSPRING. AND one above are the Patriarchs of all LEVELS. Consequently, the earth bears fruit by being made pregnant as a female by a male.
160. Rabbi Elazar then said that all the forces were latent in the earth, WHICH IS MALCHUT, but she did not fulfill her potential for bringing forth offspring until the sixth day. This is as it is written: "Let the earth bring forth living creatures" (Beresheet 1:24). Where it is written, "the earth brought forth grass," this DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE GRASS EMERGED IN ACTUALITY. IT MEANS ONLY THAT it did not activate its forces UNTIL THE SIXTH DAY. All remained stored until the time came TO RELEASE THE FORCES, NAMELY ON THE SIXTH DAY. For at first it is written: "IT WAS WITHOU FORM AND VOID," MEANING desolate and empty in the Aramaic translation. THAT IS, IT WAS A DESERT. Then, ON THE THIRD DAY, it was suitably furnished with seeds, grass, plants, and trees. Finally, it put them forth ON THE SIXTH DAY. Similarly, the luminary bodies did not emit their light until it was needed.