22. Beresheet: Rav Hamnuna Saba, said that we have found IN THE WORDS: "In the beginning, Elohim created the... (HEB. BERESHEET BARA ELOHIM)" (Beresheet 1:1), THAT THE ORDER OF the letters IN THIS PHRASE IS ARRANGED in reverse. First, the Hebrew letter Bet is immediately followed by another Bet, that is, Beresheet bara. Subsequently, IT IS WRITTEN first with an Aleph and then another Aleph, referring in Hebrew to Elohim. AND HE EXPLAINS THAT when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to create the world, all of the letters were STILL hidden. For two thousand years before the creation of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, watched the letters and amused Himself with them.
22. בְּרֵאשִׁית רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא אֲמַר, אַשְׁכְּחָן אַתְוָון בְּהִפּוּכָא, בֵּית בְּקַדְמֵיתָא וּלְבָתַר ב', הַיְינוּ בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא, לְבָתַר א' בְּקַדְמֵיתָא וּלְבָתַר א', הַיְינוּ אֱלֹהִים אָת. אֶלָּא כַּד בָּעָא קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד עָלְמָא כָּל אָתְוָון הֲווֹ סְתִימִין, וּתְרֵין אַלְפִין שְׁנִין עַד דְּלָא בְּרָא עָלְמָא, הֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאֶשְׁתַּעְשַׁע בְּהוֹ.
23. When He desired to create the world, all the letters came before Him in sequence from last to first. The letter Tav saw itself fit to come forth first. It said, Master of the World, may it please You to create the world with me because I am the seal of Your ring, which is emet (truth), MEANING THAT I AM THE LAST LETTER IN THE WORD EMET. And as You are called BY THIS NAME OF truth, so it would be most appropriate for the King to begin with the letter Tav, and create the world by me. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to it, You are worthy and deserving, but you are not suitable for the world to be created by you. You are destined to serve as a mark on the foreheads of the faithful, who have kept the Law of the Torah from Aleph to Tav. When you appear, they shall die. Not only that, but you are the seal of the word Death, MEANING THAT TAV IS THE LAST LETTER IN THE WORD MAVET (DEATH). And because of this, you are not suitable for Me to create the world with you. The letter Tav then immediately left.
23. כַּד בְּעָא לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא, אֲתוֹ כָּל אַתְוָון קַמֵּיהּ מִסּוֹפָא אֲרֵישַׁיְיהוּ. שָׁרֵיאַת אָת ת לְמֵיעַל בְּרֵישָׁא, אָמְרָה, רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין: נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דַּאֲנָא חוֹתְמָא דְגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דִילָךְ, אֱמֶת, וְאַתְּ אִתְקְרִיאַת אֱמֶת, יָאוֹת לְמַלְכָּא לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּאוֹת אֱמֶת, וּלְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא. אֲמַר לָהּ קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָאוֹת אַנְתְּ וְזַכָּאָה אַנְתְּ, אֶלָּא לֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא. הוֹאִיל וְאַנְתְּ זַמִּינָא לְמֶהֱוֵי רָשִׁים עַל מִצְחִין דְּגוּבְרִין מְהֵימְנִין, דְּקַיָּימוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא מֵא' וְעַד ת', וּבִרְשִׁימוּ דִילָךְ יְמוּתוּן. וְעוֹד, דְּאַנְתְּ חוֹתָמָא דְמָוֶת, הוֹאִיל וְאַנְתְּ כָּךְ, לֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא. מִיָּד נָפְקַת.
24. The letter Shin then entered and stood before Him. It said, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, as Your own name Shadai is with me. And it would be most proper to create the world by a holy name. He replies: You are worthy, you are good, and you are truthful. But because you are included among the letters that form the word Sheker (falsehood), I do not wish to create the world with you. Sheker would not have prevailed had you not been attached to the letters RESH AND KOF.
24. עָאלַת אָת ש קַמֵּיהּ, אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ: רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דְּבִי אִתְקְרֵי שְׁמָךְ שַׂדַּ"י, וְיָאוֹת לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. אֲמַר לָהּ: יָאוֹת אַנְתְּ וְטַב אַנְתְּ וּקְשׂוֹט אַנְתְּ, אֲבָל הוֹאִיל וְאָתְוָון דְּזִיּוּפָא נָטְלִין לָךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי עִמְּהוֹן לָא בָעֵינָא לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא, דִּבְגִין דְּלָא יִתְקַיַּים שִׁקְרָא אֶלָּא אִי יִטְלוֹן לָךְ ק ר.
25. From this WE LEARN THAT whoever wants to tell a lie, should add that lie to a base that is truthful. Because the letter Shin is a letter (namely a sign) of truth, meaning a letter of Truth by which the Patriarchs reached unison. NOTE THAT THE THREE LINES IN THE LETTER SHIN REFER TO THE THREE PATRIARCHS, WHO ARE CALLED CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET. And the letters KOF AND RESH appear on the evil side, BECAUSE THE OTHER SIDE IS COLD (HEB. KAR, KOF RESH), WITHOUT ANY OF THE WARMTH THAT GIVES LIFE. THE OTHER SIDE DRAWS ITS SUSTENANCE FROM MALCHUT WHEN SHE IS A FROZEN OCEAN. In order for them to continue to exist, they pulled the letter Shin to them, creating the combination Kesher, WHICH MEANS 'STRENGTHENING' AND 'SURVIVING'. When the Shin realized this, it left.
25. מִכָּאן, מָאן דְּבָעֵי לְמֵימַר שִׁקְרָא יִטּוֹל יְסוֹדָא דִקְשׂוֹט בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר יוֹקִים לֵיהּ שִׁקְרָא, דְּהָא אָת ש אָת קְשׂוֹט אִיהוּ, אָת קְשׂוֹט דַּאֲבָהָתָן דְּאִתְיַיחֲדוּ בַהּ ק ר אָתְוָון דְּאִתְחֲזִיאוּ עַל סִטְרָא בִישָׁא אִינוּן, ובְגִין לְאִתְקַיָּימָא נָטְלֵי אָת ש בְּגַוַּוייהוּ הֲוֵי קֶשֶׁר. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמַאת הָכֵי נָפְקַת מִקַּמֵּיהּ.
26. The letter Tzadi then entered, stood before Him, and said, Master of the UniverseUniverse, may it please You to create the world with me, since the righteous (Heb. tzadikim) are 'signed' by my name. And You, who are called righteous (Heb. Tzadi), are also written by my name, as it is written, "For Hashem is righteous, He loves righteousness" (Tehilim 11:7). Therefore, it would be suitable to create the world with me! He replies: Tzadi, Tzadi you are truly righteous, but you should remain concealed and not be revealed too much; AS WOULD BE DONE IF THE WORLD WERE CREATED BY YOU, so that humans will not have an excuse for their sins. And what is the reason FOR IT REMAINING CONCEALED? IT IS BECAUSE it used to be Nun, and the letter of the Name, which is the Holy cCovenant, came and mounted on the letter Nun, THEREBY CREATING THE LETTER TZADI. The secret meaning OF THIS MATTER is that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, WHO IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, He created him with two faces, THAT IS A MALE AND A FEMALE ATTACHED AT THE BACK. For that reason the Yud's face was turned away FROM THE NUN, THE YUD FACING ONE WAY, THE NUN ANOTHER, not turning to face each other. The Yud faced upwards AND THE NUN faced downwards. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to it: I will sew you -- THAT IS, SEPARATE THE ATTACHMENT OF BACK TO BACK WITHIN YOUand form you into a face-to-face union. But it will come to be this way in another place, NOT IMMEDIATELY WITH THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. SINCE BEING JOINED BACK TO BACK IS AN INDICATION THAT ITS ILLUMINATION IS HIDDEN, IT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. THE LETTER TZADI left His presence, and went on its way.
26. עָאלַת אָת צ אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ: רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דַּאֲנָא, בִּי חֲתִימִין צַדִּיקִים, וְאַנְתְּ, דְּאִתְקְרִיאַת צַדִּיק, בִּי רָשִׁים, דִּכְתִיב כִּי צַדִּיק ה' צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב, וּבִי יָאוֹת לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא. אֲמַר לָהּ: צַדִּי, צַדִּי אַנְתְּ, וְצַדִּיק אַנְתְּ, אֲבָל אַנְתְּ צָרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי טְמִירָא, לֵית אַנְתְּ צָרִיךְ לְאִתְגַּלְּיָא כָּל כָּךְ, בְּגִין דְּלָא לְמֵיהַב פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְעָלְמָא. מ"ט,
אִיהִי, אַתְיָא י דִּשְׁמָא דִבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא וְרָכִיב עֲלָהּ וְאִתְאֲחַד בַּהֲדָהּ. וְרָזָא דָא, כַּד בְּרָא קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן דוּ פַּרְצוּפִין בְּרָאוֹ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַנְפּוֹי דְּיוּ"ד מְהַדַּר לַאֲחוֹרָא כְּגַוְונָא דָא צ, וְלָא אִתְהַדְּרוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין כְּגַוְונָא דָא צ, אִסְתַּכַּל לְעֵילָא כְּגַוְונָא דָא צ אִסְתַּכָּלַת לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דָא אֲמַר לָהּ קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: תּוּ, דַּאֲנָא זַמִּין לְנַסְרָא לָךְ, וּלְמֶעְבַּד לָךְ אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין, אֲבָל בְּאַתְרָא אָחֳרָא תִּסְתַּלַּק. נָפְקַת מִקַּמֵיהּ וַאֲזָלַת.
27. The letter Pei was the next to enter. It stood before Him and said, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because the Redemption that You shall bring to the world is described by me, Pedut ( 'Redemption'). THIS MEANS THAT SALVATION IS TO BE REDEEMED FROM OUR ENEMIES, AND THIS WORD IN HEBREW STARTS WITH THE LETTER PEI. THIS IS WHY the world should be created with me. He replies to it: You are indeed praiseworthy, but a secret crime (Heb. pesha) is inscribed in you, like the snake that strikes and then brings its head back within the coils of its body. Because whoever sins bends his head, MEANING THAT HE HIDES HIMSELF FROM THE 'OBSERVING EYE,' then stretcheshis hands out TO SIN. THIS REFERS TO THE SHAPE OF THE LETTER PEI THAT HAS A HEAD BENT DOWN INTO ITS BODY. And the same was SAID OF THE LETTER AYIN, WHICH DESCRIBES THE TERM avon ( 'iniquity'). Although it claimed, I have humility (Heb. anavah) in me, the Holy One, blessed be He, replied to it saying: I shall not create the world by you. Ayin then took its leave!
27. עָאלַת פ אָת אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ: רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דְּהָא פּוּרְקָנָא דְּאַנְתְּ זַמִּין לְמֶעְבַּד בְּעָלְמָא, בִּי רְשִׁים, וְדָא הוּא פְּדוּת, וּבִי יָאוֹת לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא. אֲמַר לָהּ: יָאוֹת אַנְתְּ, אֲבָל בָּךְ אִתְרְשִׁים פֶּשַׁע בִּטְמִירוּ, כְּגַוְונָא דְּחִיוְיָא דְּמָחֵי, וְאָעֵיל רֵישֵׁיהּ בֵּין גּוּפֵיהּ, הָכֵי, מַאן דְּחָב, כָּפִיף רֵישֵׁיהּ וְאַפֵּיק יְדוֹי. וְכֵן ע עָוֹן, אַף עַל גָּב דְּאָמְרָה, דְּאִית בִּי עֲנָוָה, אֲמַר לָהּ קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָא אִבְרֵי בָךְ עָלְמָא. נָפְקַת מִקַּמֵּיהּ.
28. The letter Samech (Heb. support) entered, stood before Him and said, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because I am able to support those who fall. As it is written, "Hashem upholds (Heb. somech) all that fall" (Tehilim 145:14). He said to it, This is exactly why you should stay in your place and not move from it. If you leave your place IN THE WORD SOMECH, what will then happen to all those who fell and are being supported by you? The letter Samech then left immediately!
28. עָאלַת ס אָת אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ: רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דְּאִית בִּי סְמִיכָא לִנְפָלִין, דִּכְתִיב סוֹמֵךְ ה' לְכָל הַנּוֹפְלִים. אֲמַר לָהּ: עַל דָּא אַנְתְּ צָרִיךְ לְאַתְרָךְ, וְלָא תָזוּז מִנֵּיהּ, אִי אַתְּ נָפִיק מֵאַתְרָךְ, מַה תְּהֵא עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּאִינוּן נְפִילִין, הוֹאִיל וְאִינוּן סְמִיכִין עֲלָךְ. מִיָּד נָפְקַת מִקַּמֵּיהּ.
29. The letter Nun entered and stood before Him saying, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because the phrase, "fearful in praises (Heb. nora tehilot)" (Shemot 15:11) starts with me. AND ALSO, in the praising of the righteous, IT IS WRITTEN, "Praise (Heb. nava) is comely" (Tehilim 147:1). He said, Nun, go back to your place. It is because of you that the letter Samech returned to its place. And you should depend on it for support. THIS MEANS THAT THE LETTER NUN IS INSCRIBED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WORD FALL (HEB. NEFILAH) AND THE LETTER SAMECH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF "HASHEM UPHOLDS ALL THAT FALL," RETURNED TO ITS PLACE TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO FALL, AS EXPLAINED IN THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH. It immediately left His presence and returned to its place.
29. עָאלַת נ אָת אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דְּבִי כְתִיב נוֹרָא תְהִלּוֹת, וּתְהִלָּה דְּצַדִּיקִים נָאוָה תְהִלָּה. אֲמַר לָהּ: נוּ"ן, תּוּב לְאַתְרָךְ דְּהָא בְגִינָךְ תָּבַת סַמֶ"ךְ לְאַתְרָהּ, וַהֲוֵי סָמִיךְ עֲלָהּ. מִיָּד תָּבַת לְאַתְרָהּ וְנָפְקַת מִקַּמֵּיהּ.
30. The letter Mem entered and said to Him, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world by me, because with me you are called Melech (Eng. 'King'). He told it, yes, it is indeed so, but I shall not create the world with you, because the world needs a king! Go back to your place, you and the letters Lamed and Caf, as it is not proper for the world to be without a king.
30. עָאלַת מ אָת אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ: רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דְּבִי אִתְקְרִיאַת מֶלֶךְ. אֲמַר לָהּ: הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, אֲבָל לָא אִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא, בְּגִין דְּעָלְמָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶלֶךְ, תּוּב לְאַתְרָךְ, אַנְתְּ וְ ל וְ ך, דְּהָא לָא יָאוֹת לְעָלְמָא לְמֵיקַם בְּלָא מֶלֶךְ.
31. At that hour, the letter Caf descended from His Throne (Heb. kise) Glory. Shaking and trembling, it stood before Him and said, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because I am Your Glory (Heb. kavod). When the letter Caf descended from the Throne of His Glory, 200,000 worlds were shaken and the Throne trembled. And all the worlds were about to collapse. The Holy One, blessed be He, told it, Caf, Caf, what are you doing here?! I shall indeed not create the world with you. Go back to your place, because the Hebrew word Clayah ( 'destruction') starts with you. AND BECAUSE OF YOU "...total destruction is determined and decreed" (Yeshayah 10:23). So, return to your Throne and stay there. At that same moment, it took leave and returned to its place.
31. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, נָחֲתָא מִן קֳדָמוֹהִי אָת מֵעַל כּוּרְסְיֵהּ יְקָרֵיהּ, אִזְדַעְזְעַת וְאָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ: רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דַּאֲנָא כְּבוֹדָךְ. וְכַד נָחֲתַת כ מֵעַל כּוּרְסְיֵהּ יְקָרֵיהּ, אִזְדַּעְזְעוּ מָאתָן אֶלֶף עָלְמִין וְאִזְדַּעְזַע כָּרְסְיָיא, וְכָלְהוֹ עָלְמִין אִזְדַּעְזָעוּ לְמִנְפַּל. אֲמַר לָהּ קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: כָ"ף, כָ"ף, מָה אַתְּ עָבֵיד הָכָא, דְּלָא אִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא, תּוּב לְאַתְרָךְ, דְּהָא בָּךְ כְּלָיָה, כָּלָה וְנֶחֱרָצָה אִשְׁתְּמַע, תּוּב לְכָרְסְיָיךְ וַהֲוֵי תַמָּן. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא נָפְקַת מִקַּמֵּיהּ וְתָבַת לְדוּכְתָּהּ.