Vayetze: Chapter 36

"Two firmaments, beginning and end"

Synopsis

This verse expands on the ideas introduced in article number 35. It asserts that the highest, starry firmament of the heavens is identical to the lowest, or 'the river.' Both are endless and eternal.

Relevance

The lowest world is furthest from the Light of the Endless. Thus, it feels the greatest emptiness. This painful void also creates the greatest longing for Light. When this longing and desire is used in a spiritual manner, Light is drawn in equal measure to desire. Thus, the full radiance of Light in the uppermost realm can shine forth in the darkest realm - when desire to receive the Light exists for the purpose of sharing it with others. Then both worlds, the Upper and Lower shine with equal intensity. When we transform negative desires into actions of sharing, we in turn draw the greatest amount of Light into our own lives. The ability to control and transform our most intense longings is awarded to us through the Light of wisdom emanating from these Hebrew letter.

Astrology Creation Firmaments Stars

332. Come and behold, there are two firmaments, the beginning and the end, created in the same pattern. The beginning is the eighth firmament, where all the stars, great and small, are set. This is the upper, undisclosed firmament, which creates and sustains everything. It is the eighth one, counting from below, the beginning from which everything emerges.

332. תָּא חֲזֵי תְּרֵין רְקִיעִין אִינוּן, וְאִינוּן שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא, דָּא כְּגַוְונָא דָא. שֵׁירוּתָא רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה, בֵּיהּ שְׁקִיעָן כָּל כֹּכְבַיָא, זְעִירִין וְרַבְרְבִין, וְדָא הוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה, דְּקָאֵים כֹּלָּא, וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפֵיק כֹּלָּא, וְאִיהוּ תְּמִינָאָה, מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא, וְהוּא שֵׁירוּתָא, לַאֲפָקָא מִנֵּיהּ כֹּלָּא.

Candles Firmaments Lights Point Stars

333. The eighth firmament from above follows the same pattern. In it, all the beginnings, all the lights and candles are set. It receives all, because it represents the end. The UPPER eighth firmament is the starting point of everything, that on which all the lights depend. It receives everything FROM ABOVE, and everything emerges from it. Similarly, the LOWER eighth firmament receives the lights from its superiors and it releases the lights into all the worlds.

333. כָּךְ אִיהוּ רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא, דְּבֵיהּ שְׁקִיעִין כָּל כֹּכְבַיָא, כָּל נְהוֹרִין וּבוֹצִינִין. וְהוּא נְטֵיל כֹּלָּא וְדָא סִיּוּמָא דְכֹלָּא. כְּמָה דְהַהוּא רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא, תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ כָּל נְהוֹרִין, וּנְטֵיל לוֹן, וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקֵי, הָכֵי נָמֵי הַאי, אִיהוּ רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה, תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ כָּל נְהוֹרִין, וְנָטֵיל לוֹן, וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקוּ לְכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין.

Earth Firmaments Flow Heaven Nukva Rivers Water

334. The beginning and the end, THE TWO FIRMAMENTS, are alike, and therefore THE LOWER FIRMAMENT is the river from which water comes out and never stops flowing. The purpose is to pattern the end after the beginning. Therefore, "Elohim set them in the firmament of heaven" (Beresheet 1:17), THE LOWER FIRMAMENT. They are there to shine on the earth, WHICH IS THE NUKVA AND BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH.

334. שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא, כְּגַוְונָא חַד קָיְימֵי, וְעַל דָּא, אִיהוּ נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד וְנָפֵיק, וְלָא פָּסְקֵי מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין, כֹּלָּא לְמֶהֱוֵי סִיּוּמָא כְּשֵׁירוּתָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם, וְלָמָּה, לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ.

Asiyah Briyah Firmaments Nukva Worlds Yetzirah

335. Although THE UPPER AND LOWER FIRMAMENTS clearly resemble each other, THERE MUST BE a difference between them. IT BEHOOVES US TO ASK what it is. HE ANSWERS, THE UPPER FIRMAMENT nourishes and sustains the supernal aspects, and THE LOWER FIRMAMENT nourishes and sustains the lower world, THE NUKVA and all the lower aspects OF BRIYAH, YETZIRAH, AND ASIYAH.

335. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְּמָר כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא חָדָא קָיְימֵי, וְדָא הוּא בְּרֵירָא דְמִלָּה, מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא, דָּא אוֹקִים וְזָן לְעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִיהוּ בֵּיהּ, וּלְכָל אִינוּן סִטְרִין עִלָּאִין, וְדָא אוֹקִים וְזָן לְעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, וּלְכָל אִינוּן סִטְרִין תַּתָּאִין.

Firmaments Grades

336. It may be asked, What is the upper world? For the eighth upper, undisclosed firmament is itself the upper world, and is so called, for there are only two worlds, as we have already learned. HOW CAN IT BE SAID, THEN, THAT IT NOURISHES THE UPPER WORLD, WHICH MEANS THAT IT IS BUT ONE ASPECT OF THE UPPER WORLD? HE ANSWERS, THE UPPER FIRMAMENT itself is the upper world, and all the grades issued from it are named after it, NAMELY, THE UPPER WORLD. The one and the other, THE UPPER AND LOWER FIRMAMENTS, are all one. Blessed be He, forever and ever.

336. וְאִי תֵימָא, עַלְמָא דִלְעֵילָא, מַאן אִיהוּ, וְהָא הַהוּא רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה, עַלְמָא דִלְעֵילָא אִיהוּ, וְהָכֵי אִקְרֵי, דְּהָא תְּרֵין עָלְמִין נִינְהוּ כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר. אֶלָּא, אִיהוּ עַלְמָא עִלָּאָה, וְכָל אִינוּן דְּנָפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ, עַל שְׁמֵיהּ אִקְרוּן, וְאִינוּן דְּנָפְקֵי מֵעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, עַל שְׁמֵיהּ אִקְרוּן, וְכָל הַאי וְהַאי כֹּלָּא חַד, בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין.

<
>