Seven firmaments and seven planets

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda says that God is called heaven, and thus all the firmaments are also included in this name; when the firmaments are joined together they are called heaven and therefore they are also called the Name of God. Rabbi Yehuda goes on to list these seven firmaments. Rabbi Yitzchak recalls that Rabbi Shimon compared all the seventy Sfirot of the King to seven firmaments and seven planets, and that although the planets are called by physical names they actually conceal all the firmaments. We are told the names of the seven planets and given their relationship to the seven supernal Sfirot. Rabbi Yosi says that the rabbis find these matters easy to understand even though they are concealed by certain terms. Rabbi Shimon admonishes the other rabbis to forget about the Baraithas because they know the greater wisdom of the Kabbalah and have revealed what was never revealed to ancient sages.

Aravot Baraithas Curtain Dwellings Firmaments Heaven Sanctuary Seven Temple, The Zeir Anpin

13. Rabbi Yehuda said, The Holy One, blessed be He, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, is called heaven, and since He is called heaven, all the firmaments that are included in this name, when they are joined together, are called heaven and called the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. What are these firmaments COMPREHENDED IN HEAVEN? HE ANSWERS, There are seven as we learned: Vilon (Eng. 'curtain'), Raki'a (Eng. 'firmament'), Shechakim (Eng. 'skies'), Zvul (Eng. 'dwelling'), Ma'on (Eng. 'temple'), Machon (Eng. 'sanctuary'), and Aravot (Eng. 'heaven'). In the Agadah of Rav Hamnuna Saba we learned it thus IN THESE WORDS. Rabbi Yitzchak said, The B'raitot of Rav Hamnuna Saba are thus, SPEAKING ABOUT LOWER THINGS BUT ALLUDING TO LOFTY ONES, THAT IS, JUST LIKE HERE THE SEVEN FIRMAMENTS ARE DISCUSSED THAT REFER TO ZEIR ANPIN THAT HAS SEVEN SFIROT. There are many B'RAITOT THAT SPEAK in all these manners.

13. ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁמַיִם אִקְרֵי. וּבְגִין דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם, כָּל אִינּוּן רְקִיעִין דְּאִתְכְּלִילָן בִּשְׁמָא דָּא, כַּד מִתְחַבְּרָן כַּחֲדָא, אִקְרוּ שָׁמַיִם, וְאִקְרוּ שְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מַאן אִינּוּן רְקִיעִין. שִׁבְעָה אִינּוּן. כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן, וִילוֹן, רָקִיעַ, שְׁחָקִים, זְבוּל, מָעוֹן, מָכוֹן, עֲרָבוֹת. וּבְאַגַּדְתָּא דְּבֵי רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, הָכִי תָּנֵינָן. ר' יִצְחָק אָמַר, הָנֵי בָּרַיְיתֵי דְּבֵי רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא הָכִי, וְסַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן בְּכָל הָנֵי גְּוָונֵי.

Astrology Firmaments Jupiter Mars Mercury Moon Nogah (Spirit) Planets Saturn Seven Seventy Sun Torah Venus

14. As we learned, Rabbi Shimon said, We learned in all these B'raitot that all these seventy Sfirot of the King are compared to seven firmaments and seven planets that run to and fro, and they are called by PHYSICAL names. But though they conceal all the firmaments, THAT IS, THEY ARE CALLED BY NAMES THAT ALLUDE TO THEIR INNER, SECRET ASPECT, as for the seven planets, Shabtai (Saturn), Tzedek (Jupiter), Ma'adim (Mars), Chamah (Sun), Nogah (Venus), Cochav (Mercury), Levanah (Moon) they relate these SEVEN SUPERNAL SFIROT to those NAMES OF THE PLANETS, WISHING to conceal matters, NAMELY, regarding those OF WHOM it is written, "Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save you" (Yeshayah 47:13). They conceal matters UNDER THESE NAMES, even though they are not the ways of the Torah BUT ASTROLOGICAL LANGUAGE. But we follow the ways of the Torah, NAMELY, ALLUDE TO EVERYTHING AND CONCEAL IT WITH WORDS OF TORAH, as it is written, "and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them" (Beresheet 26:18), namely, we follow the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY THE LANGUAGE OF THE TORAH, and walk with Him, as it is written, "and walk in His ways" (Devarim 28:9).

14. כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן, אר"ש, תָּנֵינָן בְּאִינּוּן בָּרַיְיתֵי, דִּלְגַבֵּי דְּכָל הָנֵי שַׁבְעִין כִּתְרִין דְּמַלְכָּא. לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן שַׁוְויָין ז' רְקִיעִין, וְז' כֺּכָבַיָא דְּרַהֲטִין וְאַזְלִין, וְקָרֵי לוֹן שְׁמָהָן בִּשְׁמָהָן. ואע"ג דְּשַׁוְויָין כֻּלְּהוּ כִּסְאֵי דִּרְקִיעִין, דְּשִׁבְעָה כֺּכָבַיָא, שַׁבְּתַאי, צֶדֶק, מַאֲדִים, חַמָּה, נוֹגַהּ, כּוֹכָב, לְבָנָה. וְשָׁוִין אִלֵּין לָקֳבֵיל אִלֵּין, בְּכִסּוּיָא דְּמִלִּין. לְגַבֵּי אִינּוּן דִּכְתִּיב, יַעַמְדוּ נָא וְיוֹשִׁיעוּךְ הוֹבְרֵי שָׁמַיִם הַחוֹזִים בַּכֺּכָבִים. כֻּלְּהוּ מִלִּין מִתְכַּסְּיָין, ואע"ג דְּלָאו אוֹרְחֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וַאֲנָן בָּתַר אוֹרְחִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא קָא אַזְלֵינָן, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּקְרָא לָהֶן שֵׁמוֹת כַּשֵּׁמוֹת אֲשֶׁר קָרָא לָהֶן אָבִיו, כְּמָה דְּמַלִּיל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אָזְלֵינָן, וּבַהֲדֵיהּ אָזְלֵינָן, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב וְהָלַכְתָּ בִּדְרָכָיו.

Astrology Baraithas Face Moon Solomon Wisdom Zeir Anpin

15. Rabbi Yosi said, These words, NAMELY, OUTER NAMES MENTIONED ABOVE, are easy to the friends, and the words are understood, though they are concealed BY FOREIGN TERMS. He said to him, And so have we learned like Rabbi Yehuda said that Rabbi Chiya said before us. And so have we learned from these B'raitot, that during Solomon's days the moon stood full, THAT IS, MALCHUT WAS FULL AND FACE TO FACE WITH ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS WHY WISDOM WAS SO PREVALENT THEN. Many people understood the words of these B'raitot.

15. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, פְּשִׁיטִין מִלִּין אִלֵּין לְגַבֵּי חַבְרַיָּיא, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן מִלֵּי בְּהוּ, ואע"ג דְּאִתְכַּסְּיָין. א"ל וְהָכִי תְּנָן, כְּמָה דא"ר יְהוּדָה א"ר חִיָּיא לְקַמָּן. וְהָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאִינּוּן בָּרַיְיתֵי, דְּתָנָא בְּיוֹמוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֺה מַלְכָּא, קַיְּימָא סִיהֲרָא בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא, וּבְאַתְרִין סַגִּיאִין אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן מִלֵי דְּאִינּוּן בָּרַיְיתֵי.

Baraithas Hands Heart Prayer Torah Wisdom

Astrology Baraithas Brit (Covenant) Chariot Covenant (Brit) David Firmaments Gates Grades Moon Praise Righteous Seven Solomon Sun Throne Wisdom Zeir Anpin

17. We learned that Rabbi Yehuda said, Who is great in wisdom like King David and his son King Solomon in ATTAINING that Sfirah known by these B'raitot, THAT IS THE SFIRAH OF MALCHUT. King David called the moon (WHICH IS MALCHUT) righteousness because it is his, HE BEING A CHARIOT TO MALCHUT, as it is written, "Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will go in to them, and I will praise Yah" (Tehilim 118:19). King Solomon also CALLED IT RIGHTEOUSNESS, and it is called righteousness. The sun that is called in the B'raitot a covenant, NAMELY YESOD, is called justice. And both are the Throne of Glory of the King, ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne" (Tehilim 89:15), because the Righteous and Righteousness, YESOD AND MALCHUT, are also in the same grade, WHICH IS WHY THEY ARE MENTIONED TOGETHER IN THE WORDS, "RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE ARE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR THRONE." We learned that the seven Sfirot, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, ARE NINE, THAT IS, TOGETHER WITH CHOCHMAH AND BINAH. And even in these B'raitot, seven firmaments are nine.

17. תָּאנָא א"ר יְהוּדָה, מַאן לָךְ רַב בְּחָכְמְתָא כְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא, וּשְׁלֹמֺה מַלְכָּא בְּרֵיהּ, בְּהַאי כִּתְרָא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בְּבָרַיְיתֵי אִלֵּין. וְסִיהֲרָא קַרְיֵיהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא צֶדֶק, דְּהָא דִּילֵיהּ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק אָבֺא בָם אוֹדֶה יָהּ. שְׁלֹמֺה מַלְכָּא הָכִי נָמֵי, וְאִיהוּ אִתְקְרֵי צֶדֶק, וְשִׁמְּשָׁא דְּאִתְקְרֵי בְּבָרַיְיתֵי בְּרִית, אִיהוּ אִקְרֵי מִשְׁפָּט. וְאִינּוּן כֻּרְסֵי יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא, דִּכְתִּיב צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאֶךָ. צַדִּיק וְצֶדֶק הָכִי נָמֵי בְּחַד דַּרְגָּא הֲווֹ. תָּאנָא, ז' כִּתְרִין אוֹקְמוּהָ, תִּשְׁעָה אִקְרוּן. וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּאִינּוּן בָּרַיְיתֵי, שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין אִינּוּן תִּשְׁעָה הֲווֹ.

Baraithas Torah Wisdom

18. Rabbi Shimon said, How long will the friends read these things, NAMELY THE B'RAITOT! We follow the Holy One, blessed be He, and we know the subjects OF THE WISDOM OF KABBALAH. We have revealed what was not revealed to ancient sages. From now on, leave all these things and all the B'raitot to those who did not go in and out, NAMELY THOSE WHO ENTERED THE WISDOM BUT DID NOT LEAVE IT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT. Let their children come and inquire about this wisdom, and when they will, the friends will say TO THEM, Woe to the generation from which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai has departed. Yet come and see, from now on there shall be no generation like this one, and Torah will not be disclosed by the friends.

18. אר"ש, עַד אֵימָתַי יִקְרוּן חַבְרַיָּיא בְּהָנֵי מִלִּין. הָא אֲנָן בָּתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַזְלֵינָן, וַאֲנָן יַדְעֵי מִלִּין, וְהָא אִתְגְּלֵי עַל יְדָן מִלָּה דָּא, מַה דְּלָא אִתְגְּלֵי לְקַדְמָאֵי. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, כָּל אִינּוּן מִלִּין, וְכָל אִינּוּן בָּרַיְיתֵי, סְלִיקוּ לְהוּ לְאִינּוּן דְּלָא עָאלוּ וְנַפְקוּ, וּבְנֵיהוֹן אַתְיָין לְשָׁאֲלָא. וְכַד יִשְׁאֲלוּן, יֵימְרוּן חַבְרַיָּיא, וַוי לְדָרָא דר"ש בֶּן יוֹחָאי אִסְתְּלִיק מִנֵּיהּ. אֲבָל ת"ח מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, לָא יְהֵא דָּרָא כְּדָרָא דָּא, וְלָא אוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְגְּלֵי עַל חַבְרַיָּיא.