(ה) אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן עַל דָּא שְׁמַיָא וְחֵילֵיהוֹן בְּמָּ''ה אִתְבְּרִיאוּ, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים שם) כִּי אֶרְאֶה שָׁמֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂה אֶצְבְּעוֹתֶיךָ וְגו' וּכְתִיב, (תהלים שם) מָ''ה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה'' הוֹדְךָ'' עַל'' הַשָּׁמָיִם'', עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אִיהוּ לְסַלְקָא בִּשְׁמָא. בְּגִין דְּבָרָא נְהוֹרָא לִנְהוֹרֵיהּ וְאִתְלַבַּשׁ דָּא בְדָא וְסָלִיק בִּשְׁמָא עִלָּאָה. וְעַל דָּא בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלהִים, דָּא אֱלֹהִים עִלָּאָה, דְּהָא מָ''ה לָא הֲוֵי הָכִי וְלָא אִתְבְּנֵי.
(ו) אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכָן אַתְוָון אִלֵּין (מאילין) אֵלֶּ''ה מִלְּעֵילָא לְתַתָּא. וְאִמָּא אוֹזִיפַת לִבְרַתָּא מָאנָהָא וְקַשִּׁיטָא לַהּ בְּקִישׁוּטָהָא. וְאֵימָתַי קַשִּׁיטָא לַהּ בְּקִישׁוּטָהָא כְדְקָא חָזֵי. בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְאִתְחֲזוֹן קַמָּהּ כָּל דְּכוּרָא, דִּכְתִיב (שמות כ״ג:י״ז) אֶל פְּנֵי הָאָדוֹן יְיָ, וְדָא אִקְרֵי אָדוֹן כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (יהושע ג׳:י״א) הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ. כְּדֵין נַפְקַת ה' וְאָעִילַת י', וְאִתְקַשִּׁיטַת בְּמָאנֵי דְכוּרָא לְקָבְלֵיהוֹן דְּכָל דְּכַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
(ז) וְאַתְוָון אָחֳרָנִין מָשְׁכָן לוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֵילָא לְגַבֵּי אֲתַר דָּא (תהילים מ״ב:ה׳) אֵלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה. אַדְכַּרְנָא בְּפוּמָאי וְשָׁפִיכְנָא דִּמְעָאי (ברעות נפשי בגין לאמשכא אתוון אלין) וּכְדֵין אֱדַדֵּם מֵעֵילָא עַד בֵּית אֱלֹהִים, לְמֶהֱוֵי אֱלהִים כְּגַוְונָא דִילֵיהּ. וּבְמַאי, (תהילים מ״ב:ה׳) בְּקוֹל רִנָּה וְתוֹדָה הָמוֹן חוֹגֵג.
(ח) אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר שְׁתִיקָא דִילִי בְּנָא מַקְדְּשָׁא לְעֵילָא וּבְנָא מַקְדְּשָׁא לְתַתָּא. וּבְוַדַּאי מִלָּה בְּסֶלַע מִשְׁתּוֹקָא בִּתְרֵין. מִלָּה בְּסֶלַע מַה דְּאָמַרְנָא וְאִתְעַרְנָא בֵּיהּ, מִשְׁתּוֹקָא בִּשְׁתַּיִם מַה דְּשָׁתִיקְנָא דְּאִבְרוּ וְאִיבְנוּ תְּרִין עָלְמִין כְּחֲדָא.
(ט) אֲמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה שְׁלִימוּ דִקְרָא, דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ׳:כ״ו) הַמּוֹצִיא בְּמִסְפָּר צְבָאָם, תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִנּוּן דְּאִיצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי רְשִׁים כָּל חַד מִינַיְיהוּ. חַד דָּא דְּאִתָּמַר מָ''ה. וְחַד מִ''י. דָא עִלָּאָה וְדָא תַתָּאָה. דָּא עִלָּאָה רָשִׁים וְאָמַר (שמות קסח ב', וקלח ב) הַמּוֹצִיא בְּמִסְפַּר צְבָאָם, הַמּוֹצִיא הַהוּא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע וְלֵית כַּוָּותֵיהּ. כְּגַוְונָא דָא הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ. הַמּוֹצִיא הַהוּא דְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא דָּא דַרְגָא תַתָּאָה, וְכֹלָא חַד. בְּמִסְפַּר שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא אִנּוּן דְּקַיָּימִין כְּחֲדָא, וְאַפִּיקוּ חֵילִין לְזִינַיְיהוּ דְּלֵית לוֹן חֻשְׁבְּנָא.
(י) (נ''א כגוונא דא) לְכֻלָּם, בֵּין אִנּוּן שִׁתִּין, בֵּין כָּל חֵילִין דִּילְהוֹן, בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא. מַאי בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא. אִי תֵימָא דְּקָרָא לוֹן בִּשְׁמָהַתְהוֹן, לָאו הָכִי הוּא, דְאִם כֵּן בִּשְׁמוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְדַרְגָא דָא לָא סָלִיק בִּשְׁמָא (לעילא) וְאִקְרֵי מִ''י, לָא אוֹלִיד וְלָא אַפִּיק טְמִירִין לְזִינֵיהּ אַף עַל גַּב דְּכֻלְהוּ הֲווּ טְמִירִין בֵּיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּבָרָא אֵלֶּ''ה וְאִסְתַּלַּק בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אֱלֹהִים, כְּדֵין בְּחֵילָא דִּשְׁמָא דָא אַפִּיק לוֹן בִּשְׁלִימוּ, וְדָא הוּא בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא, בְּהַהוּא שֵׁם דִּילֵיהּ קְרָא וְאַפִּיק כָּל זִינָא וְזִינָא לְאִתְקַיְימָא בִּשְׁלִימוּתֵיהּ. כְּגַוְונָא דָא (שמות ל״א:ב׳) רְאֵה קָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם. אַדְכַּרְנָא שְׁמִי לְאִתְקְיָימָא בְּצַלְאֵל עַל קִיּוּם אַשְׁלָמוּתֵיהּ.
(יא) מֵרוֹב אוֹנִים, (ישעיהו מ׳:כ״ט) מַאי מֵרוֹב אוֹנִים, דָּא (פקודי רל''א ב) רִישׁ דַּרְגִּין, דִּסְלִיקוּ בֵּיהּ כָּל רְעוּתִין וְאִסְתַּלָּקוּ בֵּיהּ
(5) Rabbi Shimon said, So accordingly, the heavens and their hosts were created by WHAT. [Malkuth] As it is written: "When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars that You set in place," (Psalms 8:4). [Before this] it is written, "How majestic is Your name throughout the earth, You who have covered the heavens with Your splendor!" (Psalms 8:2). The heavens were created by the name HOW [M"H, "how" and "what" are spelled the same]. "above the heavens", which is called WHO [M"I], that it amounts to the name of "Elohim". He created a light for His light. This means that He created the light of Chassadim as a precious garment for the light of Chochmah, that is in the name of WHO [M"I] and they enclothed each other. Then [Malkuth] mounted to the Supernal Name [the 'supernal' "Elohim" which lies inside of Binah]. That is why the phrase, "In the beginning Elohim created", [refers to] the upper Elohim, [the one inside of Binah]. WHAT [M"H, Malkuth], is not there and is not constructed.
(6) When the letters Aleph-Lamed-Hei are drawn from above, [from Binah], downward [to Malkuth], it is as if a Mother lends Her clothes to Her daughter and adorned her with Her own adornments. [Hence Binah is mother to her daughter Malkuth] And when does She properly adorn her? When all the males appear before her. It is written that "all you males shall appear before the Master, the LORD" (Exodus 34:23). Because [Malkuth] is called "Master" [a grammatically masculine term]. As it is written: "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Master of all the earth" (Joshua 3:11). Then the letter Hei departs [from M"H - WHAT], and is replaced by the letter Yud. [So it becomes M"I - WHO] Then she dresses up in male clothes, [hence Malkuth is Binah's daughter, and yet the male Master]
(7) And the other letters, [Aleph, Lamed, and Hei] are drawn down by Israel from above, [Binah] down to this place; [Malkuth, since now it is called WHO/M"I just as Binah is]. "When I remember these" (Ps. 42:5) when I utter these letters with my mouth and I shed tears voluntarily to draw down these letters, Aleph, Lamed, and Hei from Binah, and then I was "leading them" (Ps. 42), from above [Binah] "to the house of Elohim" (Ps. 42), [which is Malkuth] would be Elohim, just like [Binah]. And with what [shall I make them]? "With the voice of joy and praise, a crowd keeping holiday" (Ps. 42).
(8) Rabbi Elazar said, My silence has built the Temple on high [in Binah] and the Temple below, [in Malkuth]. And surely it is [a proverb], 'a word is worth one sela, and silence two' So the words 'a word is worth one sela' [are] what I have said and clarified, but the words 'silence two' — in my being silent, two worlds [Binah and Malkuth] were created and constructed together. [Since Malkuth's M"H became Binah's M"I]
(9) Rabbi Shimon said, from here onward we shall complete the text. As it is written, "That brings out their host by number" (Isaiah 40:26), there are two grades, and each one has to be recorded, one is called WHAT [M"H] and the other WHO [M"I]. WHO is the Upper One, and WHAT is the lower one. The Upper Degree registers, speaks, and brings forth their hosts by number, where the letter Hei alludes to the one that is known and unequaled, [i.e. WHO]. This is similar to the phrase, “haMotzi lechem” – "He who brings forth bread from the earth," where the letter Hei refers to the knowledge of the known, lower degree, [i.e. WHAT]. And together they are one. [as Malkuth]. So, "...by number," 600,000 that stand together and bring forth the hosts according to their types, which are innumerable.
(10) All of them, whether these 600,000 or all their hosts, shall be called by the name. What is meant by "called by the name"? (Deut. 28:10) If you say that He calls them by their names, it is not so. Because had it been so, He should have said, "be [called] by His name." Rather, when this grade does not amount to the name [Elohim], but is called WHO [M"I], it does not beget (any offspring) and does not bring forth those concealed inside it according to their kinds. Although all of them were hidden inside it, [they had not been clothed in the previously discussed 'precious, radiant garment'] Because He created, Aleph-Lamed-Hei, and they amount to His name, and Yud, and are called Elohim. Thus, by the power of this name He brought them forth in all perfection. And this is the meaning of the phrase, "called by the name," by His own name did He call and bring forth each and every species to exist in perfection. The same appears here, "See, I have called by name" (Exodus 31:2), "I have bestowed My name on Bezalel," so that Bezalel's existence reaches perfection.
(11) He asks: “What is the meaning of “by the greatness of His might and wealth?” (Isaiah 40:26) This is the
(א) בְאֹרַח סָתִים. וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ דָּא רָזָא דְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִסְתַּלַּק בְּשֵׁם אֱלהִים כִּדְקָאַמְרָן. אִישׁ לא נְעְדָּר מֵאִנּוּן שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא דְּאֲפִיק בְּחֵילָא דִשְׁמָא. וּבְגִין דְּאִישׁ לא נֶעְדָּר, בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּמִיתוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִתְעֲנָשׁוּ בְּחוֹבַיְיהוֹ אִתְמְנוּן וְלָא אַעֲדַר מֵאִנּוּן (קנ''ז א', שמות כ''ב א) שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא אֲפִילוּ חָד. בְּגִין לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָא דִיוּקְנָא חֲדָא. כְּמָה דְּאִישׁ לָא נֶעְדַּר לְעֵילָא, אוּף הָכִי לָא נֶעְדַּר לְתַתָּא.
(ב) בְּרֵאשִׁית, רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא אָמַר, אַשְׁכְּחָן אַתְוָון בְּהִפּוּכָא. בֵּי''ת בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּלְבָתַר. ב' בְּקַדְמִיתָא הַיְינוּ בְּרֵאשִׁית. בָּרָא לְבָתַר. אל''ף בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּלְבָתַר. אל''ף בְּקַדְמִיתָא הַיְינוּ אֱלֹהִים. אֶת לְבָתָר. אֶלָּא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד עָלְמָא, כָּל אָתְוָון הֲווּ סְתִימִין, וּתְרֵין אַלְפִין שְׁנִין עַד דְּלָא בְּרָא עָלְמָא הֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאִשְׁתַּעְשַׁע בְּהוּ.
(ג) כַּד בְּעָא לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא, אָתוּ (מקץ ר''ד א', ויגש ר''ה ב) כָּל אַתְוָון קַמֵּיהּ מִסּוֹפָא אֲרֵישַׁיְיהוּ. שָׁרִיאַת אָת ת לְמֵיעַל בְּרִישָׁא, אָמְרָה, רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דְּאֲנָא חוֹתְמָא דְגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דִילָךְ אֱמֶ''ת, וְאַתְּ אִתְקְרִיאַת אֱמֶ''ת, יָאוֹת לְמַלְכָּא (אמת) לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּאוֹת אֱמֶ''ת וּלְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא. אָמַר לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יָאוֹת אַנְתְּ וְזַכָּאָה אַנְתְּ, אֶלָּא לֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא, הוֹאִיל וְאַנְתְּ זַמִּינָא לְמֶהֱוֵי רָשִׁים עַל מִצְחִין דְּגוּבְרִין מְהֵימְנִין דְּקִיְּימוּ אוֹרַיְתָא מֵאל''ף וְעַד תי''ו, וּבִרְשִׁימוּ דִילָךְ יְמוּתוּן. וְעוֹד דְּאַנְתְּ חוֹתָמָא דְמָוֶת. הוֹאִיל וְאַנְתְּ כָּךְ, לֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא. מִיָּד נָפְקַת.
(ד) עָאלַת אָת ש קַמֵּיהּ, אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ, רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין, נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דְּבִי אִתְקְרֵי שְׁמָךְ שַׁדַּ''י, וְיָאוֹת לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. אָמַר לָהּ, יָאוֹת אַנְתְּ, וְטַב אַנְתְּ וּקְשׁוֹט אַנְתְּ, אֲבָל הוֹאִיל וְאָתְוָון דְּזִיּוּפָא נָטְלִין לָךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי עִמְּהוֹן, לָא בָעֵינָא לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא, דִּבְגִין דְּלָא יִתְקַיַּים שִׁקְרָא, אֶלָּא אִי יִטְלוּן לָךְ ק''ר מִכָּאן מָאן דְּבָעֵי לְמֵימַר שִׁקְרָא (ויקהל רט''ו ב) יִטּוֹל יְסוֹדָא דִקְשׁוֹט בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּלְבָתַר יוֹקִים לֵיהּ שִׁקְרָא, דְּהָא אָת אָת קְשׁוֹט אִיהוּ, אָת קְשׁוֹט דַּאֲבָהָתָן דְּאִתְיַיחֲדוּ בַהּ. ק''ר (פקודי רס''ד א', תרומה קמ''ח ב) אָתְוָון דְּאִתְחֲזִיאוּ עַל סִטְרָא בִישָׁא אִנּוּן וּבְגִין לְאִתְקַיָּימָא נָטְלֵי אָת ש בְּגַוַּוייהוּ וַהֲוֵי קֶשֶׁר. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמַאת הָכִי נָפְקַת מִקַּמֵּיהּ.
(ה) עָאלַת אָת צ אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ, רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא דְּאֲנָא (ס''א דבי) בִּי חֲתִימִין צַדִּיקִים, וְאַנְתְּ דְּאִתְקְרִיאַת צַדִּיק, בִּי רָשִׁים דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים י״א:ז׳) כִּי צַדִּיק יְיָ צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב, וּבִי יָאוֹת לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא. אָמַר לָהּ צַדִּי, צַדִּיק אַנְתְּ, וְצַדִּיק אַנְתְּ אִתְקְרִיאַת, אֲבָל אַנְתְּ צָרִיךְ לְמֶהוֵי טְמִירָא, לֵית אַנְתְּ צָרִיךְ לְאִתְגַּלְּיָא כָּל כָּךְ בְּגִין דְּלָא לְמֵיהַב פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְעָלְמָא. מַאי טַעְמָא נ אִיהִי, אַתְיָא י' דִּשְׁמָא דִבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא וְרָכִיב עֲלָהּ (ואתאחד) (ואתאחיד) בַּהֲדָהּ. וְרָזָא דָא כַּד בְּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן דוּ פַּרְצוּפִין בְּרָאוֹ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַנְפּוֹי דְּיוּ''ד מְהַדַּר לַאֲחוֹרָא כְּגַוְונָא דָא [חסר ציור] וְלָא אִתְהַדְּרוּ אַנִפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין כְּגַוְונָא דָא [חסר ציור] , אִסְתַּכַּל לְעֵילָא כְּגַוְונָא דָא [חסר ציור] , אִסְתַּכָּלַת לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דָא [חסר ציור] , אָמַר לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא (תוב) (תו), דְּאֲנָא זַמִּין לְנַסְרָא לָךְ וּלְמֶעְבַּד לָךְ אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין אֲבָל בְּאַתְרָא אָחֳרָא תִּסְתַּלַּק. נָפְקַת מִקַּמֵיהּ וְאֲזָלַת.
(1) the supreme grade where all desires rise up in Him. And they ascend through a hidden and secret path... "because He is strong in power". This is the secret of the supernal world [WHO/M"I] that rose up to the name Elohim. As we have stated, the phrase "no one is missing", is to the 600,000 that He brought forth by the power of this name. And because "no one is missing" [from the] 600,000, it follows that in every place that Israel died and were punished for their sins, they were numbered. And no one was ever missing from the 600,000, to keep the balance [between the worlds]. Just as no one was missing [from the] 600,000 above, no one was missing [from the 600,000] below.
(2) Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba said: “In the first four words of the Torah, Beresheet Barah Elohim Et, the first two words begin with the letter Bet, and the following two begin with Aleph". It is said that, “When the Creator thought to create the world, all of the letters were still concealed, and even 2,000 years before the creation of the world, the Creator gazed into the letters and played with them.
(3) When the Creator thought to create the world, all the letters of the alphabet came to Him in reverse order from last to first. The letter Tav entered first and said, “Master of the world! It is good, and also seemly of You, to create the world with me, with my properties. For I am the seal on Your ring, called Truth, that ends with the letter Tav. And that is why You are called Truth, and why it would befit the King to begin the universe with the letter Tav, and to create the world by her, by her properties. The Creator answered: "You are beautiful and sincere, but do not merit the world that I conceived to be created by your properties. 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 also the seal of the word Death, and because of this, you are not suitable for Me to create the world with you." The letter Tav then immediately left.
(4) 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 Shaddai 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 Falsehood, [sheqer] I do not wish to create the world with you. Falsehood would not have prevailed had you not been attached to the letters [Resh and Quf]. From this, whoever wants to tell a lie, should add that lie to a base that is truthful. Because the letter Shin is a letter of truth, meaning a letter of Truth by which the Patriarchs reached unison. [Shin's three arms represent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet] And the letters Quf and Resh appear on the evil side, [Quf+Resh spells qar, "cold"] In order for them to continue to exist, they pulled the letter Shin to them, creating the combination qesher, ["connection"] When the Shin realized this, it left.
(5) Subsequently, the letter Tsade appeared before the Creator and said: “Master of the world, You should create the world with me, for Tzadikim ["righteous ones"] are marked by me. You, who is called a Tzadik, are also recorded within me, for You are righteous and You love righteousness. Therefore, my properties are suitable to create the world by.” The Creator answered: “Tsade, you are truly righteous, but you must remain concealed and not be revealed to the extent required were the world to be created by you, so as to not give the world an excuse.” The concealment of the letter Tsade is necessary, for first came the letter Nun, which was then joined by the letter Yod from the Creator’s Holy Name who stood above it as a mark of the bond between the Creator and His creations, mounted the letter Nun and joined it on its right hand side, thereby creating the letter Tsade.