Prologue: Chapter 13

The two points

Synopsis

The Zohar explains the concept of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Within everything in our world, there exist positive and negative aspects. Reading this section gives us the ability to connect to the positive side of existence, while at the same time it shields us from negative elements.

Fear Gates Grades Praise Wisdom

120. Beresheet. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "The fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom; good understanding have all they who do His commandments; His praise endures forever" (Tehilim 111:10). Of the phrase, "the beginning of wisdom," HE ASKS: SHOULD this verse have read 'the fear of Hashem is the end of wisdom,' because the fear of Hashem IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, which is at the end of Chochmah! AND HE REPLIES: She, MALCHUT, is the beginning or the first stage that opens the entrance to the level of the supernal Chochmah (Wisdom). So it is written, "Open to me the gates of righteousness" (Ibid. 118:19). REFERRING TO THE GATES OF MALCHUT THAT ARE CALLED RIGHTEOUSNESS, "this is the gate to Hashem" (Ibid. 20). Assuredly, if he does not enter this gate, he shall never reach the Supernal King, because He is exalted, hidden, and concealed, and has made gates for Himself, one behind the other.

120. בְּרֵאשִׁית, רַבִּי חִיָּיא פְּתַח, רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה' שֵׁכֶל טוֹב לְכָל עוֹשֵׂיהֶם תְּהִלָּתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד. רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה, הַאי קְרָא הָכֵי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ סוֹף חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה', בְּגִין דְּיִרְאַת ה' סוֹף חָכְמָה אִיהִי. אֶלָּא אִיהִי רֵאשִׁית לְעָאלָא לְגוֹ דַרְגָא דְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, הה"ד פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק. זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַה'. וַדַּאי דְּאִי לָא יֵיעוֹל בְּהַאי תַּרְעָא, לָא יֵיעוֹל לְעָלְמִין. לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. דְּאִיהִי עִלָּאָה וְטָמִיר וְגָנִיז, וַעֲבֵיד לֵיהּ תַּרְעִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין.

Chambers Fear Gates Lock Wisdom

121. At the end of all those gates, He set up a gate with many locks, many openings, and many chambers one on top of the other. He said, "Whoever wants to reach Me must first pass through this gate. Whoever enters THROUGH this gate, may enter!" The same applies here, as the first gate to Supernal Wisdom is the "Fear of Hashem," WHICH IS MALCHUT. This is why IT IS CALLED 'The beginning'.

121. וּלְסוֹף כָּל תַּרְעִין עֲבַד תַּרְעָא חַד בְּכַמָּה מַנְעוּלִין, בְּכַמָּה פִּתְחִין, בְּכַמָּה הֵיכָלִין, אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין. אֲמַר כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְמֵיעַל לְגַבָּאי, תַּרְעָא דָא יְהֵא קַדְמָאָה לְגַבָּאי, מָאן דְּיֵעוֹל בְּהַאי תַּרְעָא יֵעוֹל. אוֹף הָכֵי, תַּרְעָא קַדְמָאָה לְחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, יִרְאַת ה' אִיהִי, וְדָא אִיהִי רֵאשִׁית.

122. The letter Bet IN THE WORD BERESHEET INDICATES two points that are joined together IN MALCHUT. And of these two Points, one is concealed and treasured, while the other is revealed and out in the open. But because they are not separated, they are called 'The Beginning (Heb. resheet)', WHICH MEANS ONLY one and not two. Whoever takes one, takes the other as well, and all is one; because "He and His Name are One," as it is written, "that men may know that You alone, whose name is Hashem" (Tehilim 83:19).

122. ב', תְּרֵין אִינוּן דְּמִתְחַבְּרִין כַּחֲדָא, וְאִינוּן תְּרֵין נְקוּדִין, חַד גְּנִיזָא וּטְמִירָא, וְחַד קַיָּימָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא. וּבְגִין דְּלֵית לְהוֹ פֵּרוּדָא, אִקְרוּן רֵאשִׁית, חַד וְלָא תְּרֵין, מָאן דְּנָטֵיל הַאי נָטֵיל הַאי, וְכֹלָא חָד, דְּהָא הוּא וּשְׁמֵיהּ חַד, דִּכְתִיב וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה שִׁמְךָ ה' לְבַדֶּךָ.

Evil Fear Gates Tree Tree of Life

123. Why is MALCHUT called "the fear of Hashem?" Because THE MALCHUT is the Tree of Good and Evil: If a person is deserving, then it is good; but if he is not deserving, then it is bad. This is why fear abides in that place. And she is the gate through which all goodness of the world passes. Because 'good understanding' is related to those two gates, NAMELY TO THOSE TWO POINTS, which are as one. Rabbi Yosi said, 'good understanding' refers to the Tree of Life, which is good understanding; it has no evil at all. And because no evil prevails there, it is good understanding with no bad!

123. אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי יִרְאַת ה', בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּטוֹב וְרָע, זָכֵי בַּר נָשׁ, הָא טוֹב, וְאִי לָא זָכֵי הָא רָע. וְעַל דָּא שָׁרֵי בְּהַאי אֲתַר יִרְאָה, וְדָא תַּרְעָא לְעָאלָא לְכָל טוּבָא דְעָלְמָא. שֵׂכֶל טוֹב, אִלֵּין תְּרֵין תַּרְעִין דְּאִינוּן כַּחֲדָא. ר' יוֹסֵי אֲמַר שֵׂכֶל טוֹב, דָּא אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּלָא רָע כְּלָל. וְעַל דְּלָא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ רָע, אִיהוּ שֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּלָא רָע.

David Praise Throne Torah

124. "All they who do His commandments" (Tehilim 111:10). These are "the sure loving promises of David" (Yeshayah 55:3), the supporters of the Torah. And those who support the Torah are those who seemingly make it. ? So all those who occupy themselves with the Torah need not work, as they delve into its study, while those who support it have to work. And because of this, the verse "His praise endures forever" (Tehilim 111:10) IS FULFILLED, and the Throne is properly established.

124. לְכָל עוֹשֵׂיהֶם, אִלֵּין חַסְדֵּי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים, תַּמְכִין אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאִינוּן דְּתָמְכִין אוֹרַיְיתָא כִּבְיָכוֹל אִינוּן עָבְדִין. כָּל אִינוּן דְּלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לֵית בְּהוּ עֲשִׂיָּה בְּעוֹד דְּלָעָאן בָּהּ. אִינוּן דְּתָמְכִין לוֹן אִית בְּהוּ עֲשִׂיָּה, וּבְחֵילָא דָא כְּתִיב תְּהִלָּתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד, וְקַיְימָא כּוּרְסְיָיא עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת.

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