Prologue: Chapter 8

The lock and the key

Synopsis

During the process of creation, spiritual forces were unlocked in order to ignite and propel the birth of the universe and the divine worlds. As the Zohar describes the procedure by which these forces were unleashed, we acquire the same power to unlock spiritual forces within ourselves.

This paragraph also reveals another secret concerning the word Beresheet .בראשית When the word is broken down, two words are revealed: "Bara" and "Sheet," which means "created six." This refers to the spiritual realm of Zeir Anpin, which contains six Sfirot [dimensions]. All six dimensions [Chesed, Gvurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod] are compressed and locked into the one realm called Zeir Anpin. With the emergence of superstring theory, modern physics has revealed a model of reality that resembles the Zohar's. Both the Kabbalist and the proponents of superstring theory agree that ten dimensions comprise reality, and that six of these dimensions were compacted into one at the moment of creation, or Beresheet.

Creation Field Torah Zeir Anpin

41. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were walking along. As they reached a field, Rabbi Chiya said to Rabbi Yosi: What you have said, that Bara Sheet (created six) IS ALLUDED TO IN THE WORD BERESHEET, is certainly so. Because only the supernal six days, MEANING THE SIX EXTREMITIES OF BINAH, HAVE A BEARING on the Torah, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and no more. While the others, NAMELY THE UPPER THREE SFIROT OF BINAH, are concealed.

41. רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, כַּד מְטוֹ לְחַד בֵּי חֲקַל, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּיא לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, הָא דְאַמְרִיתוּ בָּרָא שִׁית, וַדַּאי הָכֵי הוּא, בְּגִין דְּשִׁית יוֹמִין עִילָּאִין גַּבֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא וְלָא יַתִּיר, אָחֳרָנִין סְתִימִין אִינוּן.

Form Head Key Lock Nukva Point Temple, The

42. But we have already seen in the hidden mysteries of Beresheet where he says that He who is holy and concealed engraved a certain form in His bowels -- THE SECRET OF BINAH, the Secret One, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA OF ATIK, that is designated by a thrusting point (what does this mean?). This engraving, WHICH WAS MOLDED IN BINAH was incised and hidden in it, as someone who hides everything, locks it up, and puts the key away. This key is kept hidden in a certain chamber and although everything is hidden in that chamber, the most important thing is that key, which locks and unlocks everything!

42. אֲבָל חָמֵינָן גּוֹ סִתְרֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית דַּאֲמַר הָכֵי. גְּלִיפֵי אִגְלִיף הַהוּא סְתִימָאָה קַדִּישָׁא גּוֹ מְעוֹי דְּחַד טְמִירוּ, דְּנָקִיד בִּנְקוּדָה דְּנָעַץ. הַהוּא גְלִיפֵי אִגְלִיף וּטְמִיר בֵּיהּ, כְּמַאן דְּגָנֵיז כֹּלָּא תְּחוֹת מַפְתְּחָא חָדָא, וְהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא גְּנִיז כֹּלָּא בְּהֵיכָלָא חָדָא, וְאע"ג דְּכֹלָא גָּנֵיז בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא, עִקְּרָא דְּכֹלָא בְּהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא הֲוֵי, הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא סְגִיר וּפְתַח.

Directions Face Flow Gates Light Temple, The Wind

43. That chamber has a lot of hidden treasures one upon the other. In that chamber there are fifty gates, which are supposed to be closed, MEANING THAT THEY BLOCK THE FLOW OF LIGHT. There are forty-nine gates engraved upon the 'four directions' of the world. One gate has no direction (side); it is not known whether it faces up or down. This is how this gate REMAINS closed.

43. בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא, אִית בֵּיהּ גְּנִיזִין סְתִימִין סַגִּיאִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין. בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא, אִית תַּרְעִין עוֹבַד סְתִימוּ, וְאִינוּן חַמְשִׁין. אִגְלִיפוּ לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין וַהֲווֹ אַרְבְּעִין וְתֵשַׁע. חַד תַּרְעָא לֵית לֵיהּ סִטְרָא, לָא יְדִיעַ אִי הוּא לְעֵילָא אִי הוּא לְתַתָּא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַהוּא תַּרְעָא סָתִים.

Creation Gates Key Lock

44. Each gate contains a lock with a tiny and narrow keyhole. This lock is marked AND KNOWN only by the impression of the key. And no one is to know about THIS NARROW KEYHOLE without having the key. And upon this secret IS BASED THE VERSE, "In the beginning (Heb. Beresheet) Elohim created (Heb. bara)" (Beresheet 1:1). Beresheet is the key by which everything is hidden, as it locks and unlocks. With this key, six gates are locked and unlocked. So, when it locks those gates and includes them within itself, then it is for sure Beresheet: a revealed word that includes within it a concealed word. Bara, wherever it appears, is a word that hides and guards a secret, IMPLYING THAT THE KEY locks it up and does not unlock it.

44. גּוֹ אִינוּן תַּרְעִין אִית מַנְעוֹלָא חָדָא, וְחַד אֲתַר דַּקִּיק לְעָאלָא הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא בֵּיהּ וְלָא אִתְרְשִׁים אֶלָּא בִּרְשִׁימוּ דְּמַפְתְּחָא, לָא יָדְעִין בֵּיהּ אֶלָּא הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. וְעַל רָזָא דְנָא, בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים. בְּרֵאשִׁית, דָּא מַפְתְּחָא דְּכֹלָא סְתִים בֵּיהּ, וְהוּא סְגִיר וּפְתַח, וְשִׁית תַרְעִין כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא דִּסְגִיר וּפְתַח, כַּד סְגִיר אִינוּן תַּרְעִין וְכָלֵיל לוֹן בְּגַוֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין וַדַּאי כְּתִיב, בְּרֵאשִׁית, מִלָּה גַלְיָא בִּכְלַל מִלָּה סְתִימָאָה. וּבְכָל אֲתַר, בָּרָ"א, מִלָּא סְתִימָאָה אִיהוּ, סְגִיר וְלָא פְתַח.

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