Prologue: Chapter 15

The heavens and earth

Synopsis

The Zohar discusses particular forces and beings of darkness that dwell in lower worlds, and that often move within our midst. Much of the turbulence and turmoil of life originates from these entities. The Zohar empowers us to banish not only darkness, but also the negative forces that give rise to it.

Creation Deities Earth Face Heavens Jeremiah

151. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying, "In the beginning Elohim created" (Beresheet 1:1). This verse has to be examined carefully, because whoever claims that there is another El shall be wiped from the world. As it is already written, "Thus shall you say to them: The Elohim who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens" (Yirmeyah 10:11), because there is no other Creator besides the Holy One, blessed be He, alone!

151. פָּתַח רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַאֲמַר, בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים. הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, דְּכָל מַאן דַּאֲמַר אִית אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא אִשְׁתְּצֵי מֵעָלְמִין, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר כִּדְנָה תֵאמְרוּן לְהוֹם אֱלָהַיָא דִי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ, יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָּא אֵלֶּה. בְּגִין דְּלֵית אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי.

Angels Aramaic Creation Earth Evil Form Heavens Jeremiah

152. This verse is written in Aramaic, with the exception of the word "THESE," which appears at the end of the verse. If you suggest that it is because the holy angels do not listen to the translated form, REFERRING TO THE ARAMAIC LANGUAGE, and are not familiar with it, THEN ON THE CONTRARY, this verse should have been said in the holy language so that the holy angels would hear IN ORDER that they approve of it. AND HE REPLIES: This is certainly the reason why it is written in the translated form (Aramaic), as the holy angels do not listen to it. Thus they do not envy man nor do him evil. Because in this verse EVEN the holy angels are included, as they are called Elohim AS WELL, and are included in the term Elohim, yet they have not created the heavens and earth!

152. וְהַאי קְרָא אִיהוּ תַּרְגּוּם, בַּר מִמִּלָּה דְּסוֹף קְרָא. אִי תֵימָא בְּגִין דְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין לָא נִזְקָקִין לְתַרְגּוּם וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן בֵּיהּ, מִלָה דָא יָאוֹת הִיא לְמֵימַר בְּלִישְׁנָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁמְעוּן מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין, וִיהוֹן נִזְקָקִין לְאוֹדָאָה עַל דָּא. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב תַּרְגּוּם, דְּלָא נִזְקָקִין בֵּיהּ מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין, וְלָא יְקַנְאוּן בב"נ לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דִּבְהַאי קְרָא, בִּכְלָלָא אִינוּן מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּהָא אִינוּן אֱלֹהִים אִקְרוֹן, וּבִכְלָלָא דֵּאֱלֹהִים הֲווֹ, וְאִינוּן לָא עֲבַדוּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְקָא.

Arka (Ground) Cain Darkness Earth Face Ground (Arka) Light Seven

153. HE ASKS: WHY DOES THE VERSE READ"the earth (Aramaic arka)" when it should have used the word 'land' ('ar'a)? (Eng.AND HE EXPLAINS: Because Arka is one of the seven lands down below. And in that place, the descendants of Cain live. BECAUSE after he had been banished from the face of the earth, he went down there and begot children. And there he became confused and lost all knowledge. And it is a double land that consists doubly of darkness and light.

153. וְאַרְקָא, וְאַרְעָא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְאַרְקָא אִיהִי חָדָא מֵאִינוּן שְׁבַע אַרְעִין דִּלְתַתָּא, וּבְהַהוּא אֲתַר אִית בְּנֵי בְּנוֹי דְּקַיִן, לְבָתַר דְּאִתְתָּרַךְ מֵעַל אַפֵּי אַרְעָא נָחֵית לְתַמָּן וַעֲבֵיד תּוֹלָדוֹת, וְאִשְׁתַּבַּשׁ תַּמָּן, דְּלָא יָדַע כְּלוּם. וְאִיהוּ אַרְעָא כְּפִילָא דְּאִתְכְּפַל מֵחֲשׁוֹכָא וּנְהוֹרָא.

Cain Darkness Head Light Peace

154. And there are two ruling commissioners there, one that governs over the darkness and one over the light. And they are hostile to each another. When Cain went down there, they joined one another and made peace. And all realized that they were the descendants of Cain. Therefore, they have two heads, just like two snakes, except when THE COMMISSIONER who rules over the light overcomes his, namely the light, and overcomes the other, NAMELY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DARKNESS. Accordingly, those that belong to the darkness became included within THOSE OF the light; thus, they became as one.

154. וְאִית תַּמָּן תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן שַׁלִּיטִין דִּי שָׁלְטִין, דָּא בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא וְדָא בִּנְהוֹרָא, וְתַמָּן קִטְרוּגָא דָּא בְדָא, וְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָחֵית לְתַמָּן קַיִן, אִשְׁתָּתְּפוּ דָּא בְדָא וְאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ כַּחֲדָא. וְכֹלָּא חָזֵי דְּאִינוּן תּוֹלְדוֹת דְּקַיִן. וְעַל דָּא אִינוּן בִּתְרֵין רָאשִׁין, כִּתְרֵין חֵיוָון בַּר דְּכַד הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא שָׁלִיט, נָצַח דִּילֵיהּ וְנָצַח עַל אָחֳרָא. וְעַל דָּא אִתְכְּלִילוּ דִי בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא בִּנְהוֹרָא וַהֲווֹ חַד.

Afrira (Spirit) Angels Eagle Images Kestimon (Spirit) Ox

155. These two commissioners are CALLED Afrira and Kastimon, and their images are like the images of the holy angels with six wings. One has the image of an ox, and the other the image of an eagle. And only when they become united do they assume the image of man.

155. אִינוּן תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן, עַפְרִירָא וְקַסְטִימוֹן, וְדִיּוֹקְנָא דִּלְהוֹן כִּדְיוֹקְנָא דְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין בְּשִׁית גַּדְפִין. חַד דְּיוֹקְנָא כְּתוֹרָ"א, וְחַד דְּיוֹקְנָא כְּנִשְׁרָא. וְכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן, אִתְעֲבִידוּ דְּיוֹקְנָא דְּאָדָם.

Abyss Azael (Supernal Minister) Darkness Head Judgment Mountains Seas Serpent

156. When they are enveloped with darkness, they change their forms into that of snake with two heads and move like a snake. They fly around in the abyss and bathe in the Great Sea. And when they reach the mountain chains of Azza and Azael, they irritate and arouse them. Then they leap into the mountains of darkness, thinking that the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to call upon them for judgment.

156. כַּד אִינוּן בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא, מִתְהַפְּכִין לִדְּיוֹקְנָא דְנָחָשׁ בִּתְרֵין רָאשִׁין, וְאָזְלִין כְּחִוְיָא, וְטָאסִין גּוֹ תְהוֹמָא, וְאִסְתַּחְיָין בְּיַמָּא רַבָּא. כַּד מָטָאן לְשַׁלְשְׁלָאָה דְּעַזָּ"א וַעֲזָאֵ"ל מַרְגִּיזִין לוֹן וּמִתְעָרֵי לוֹן, וְאִינוּן מְדַלְגִּין גּוֹ טוּרֵי חֲשׁוֹכָן, וְחָשְׁבֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְמִתְבַּע לוֹן דִּינָא.

Demons Eyes Form Naamah Seas

157. And these two commissioners swim in the Great Sea and fly off from there. They then go at night to Na'amah, the mother of the demons, by whom the first sons of Elohim were misled (BERESHEET 6:2). Although they wish to go near her, she leaps away 6,000 parasangs. Then she turns, CHANGING HER FORM into many different shapes in the eyes of human beings, so that they may be led astray by her.

157. וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן שָׁאטִין בְּיַמָּא רַבָּא, וּפָרְחִין מִתַּמָּן, וְאָזְלִין בְּלֵילְיָא לְגַבֵּי נַעֲמָה אִמְהוֹן דְּשֵׁדִין, דְּטָעוֹ אֲבַתְרָהָא דָּחֲלִין קַדְמָאִין, וְחָשְׁבִין לְמִקְרַב לְגַבָּהּ. וְאִיהִי דְּלֵיגַת שִׂתִּין אַלְפִין פַּרְסִין, וְאִתְעֲבִידַת בְּכַמָּה צִיּוּרִין לְגַבֵּי בְּנֵי נְשָׁא, בְּגִין דְּיִטְעוֹן בְּנֵי נְשָׁא אֲבַתְרָהּ.

Cain Evil Evil Inclination

158. And these two commissioners fly off and wander around the entire world. Then they return to their places. And they arouse the descendants of Cain, with a spirit of evil inclinations, to beget children.

158. וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן פָּרְחִין וּמְשַׁטְּטָן בְּכָל עָלְמָא, וְאַהַדְּרָן לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ, וְאִינוּן מִתְעָרִין לְאִינוּן בְּנֵי בְּנוֹי דְּקַיִּן בְּרוּחָא דְיִצְרִין בִּישִׁין, לְמֶעְבַּד תּוֹלָדוֹת.

Creation Earth Fruit Heavens Jeremiah Tevel (World) World (Tevel) Year

159. The heavens that govern there are not like OUR HEAVENS, and the land bears neither seed nor fruit by their labor, AS DOES OURS. And THE SEEDS will not GROW again until many years and seasons have passed. And these are DESCRIBED by THE WORDS, "The Elohim who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth" referring to the upper earth, which is CALLED 'Tevel' (Eng. 'world'), so that they may not rule over it and not wander about in it, nor cause human beings to be defiled by nocturnal emission. Therefore, "they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens" that were created by the name "these," as we have already learned.

159. שְׁמַיָּא דְּשָׁלְטִין תַּמָּן לָאו כְּהָנֵי. וְלָא אוֹלִידַת אַרְעָא בְּחֵילָא דִלְהוֹן זְרוֹעָא וְחַצְדָא כְּהָנֵי, וְלָא אֲהַדְּרָן אֶלָּא בְּכַמָּה שְׁנִין וְזִמְנִין. וְאִינוּן אֱלָהָא דִי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ, יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא עִלָּאָה דְתֵבֵל, דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן בָּהּ, וְלָא יְשָׁטְטוּן בָּהּ, וְלָא יְהוֹן גָּרְמִין לִבְנֵי נְשָׁא לְאִסְתָּאֳבָא מִמִקְרֵה לֵילְיָא. וְעַל דָּא יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ בִּשְׁמָא דְּאֵלֶּ"ה, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר.

Angels Aramaic Form

160. Thus, this verse is written in the translated (Aramaic) form in order not to let the supernal angels think that it is referring to them - so that they will not be hostile to us. Therefore, the secret of the WORD "these (Heb. eleh)," is as we have already stated. It is a holy word that is not to be translated into Aramaic.

160. וְעַל דָּא הַאי קְרָא תַּרְגּוּם, דְּלָא יַחְשְׁבוּן מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי דַּעֲלַיְיהוּ אָמְרִין, וְלָא יְקַטְרְגוּ לָן. וְעַל דָּא רָזָא דְּאֵלֶּ"ה, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר, אִיהוּ מִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא דְּלָא אִתְחַלַּף בַּתַּרְגּוּם.

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