(ג) בְּרֵאשִׁית רִבִּי יוּדָאי אָמַר מַאי בְּרֵאשִׁי''ת, בְּחָכְמָ''ה, דָּא חָכְמָ''ה, דְּעָלְמָא קָיְימָא עֲלָהּ, לְעָאלָא גוֹ רָזִין סְתִימִין עִלָּאִין. (בראשית מ ע''ב) וְהָכָא אִגְלִיפוּ שִׁית סִטְרִין רַבְרְבִין עִלָּאִין דְּמִנְהוֹן נָפִיק כֹּלָא, דְּמִנְהוֹן אִתְעֲבִידוּ שִׁית מְקוֹרִין וְנַחֲלִין, לְעָאלָא גוֹ יַמָּא רַבָּא. וְהַיְנוּ בָּרָא שִׁית מֵהָכָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ. מַאן בָּרָא לוֹן, הַהוּא דְּלָא אִדְכַּר הַהוּא סָתִים דְּלָא יְדִיעַ.
(ד) רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, כַּד מָטוּ לְחַד בֵּי חֲקַל, אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הָא דְאַמְרִיתוּ בָּרָא שִׁית וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, בְּגִין דְּשִׁית יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין גַּבֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא וְלָא יַתִּיר. אָחֳרָנִין סְתִימִין אִנּוּן.
(ה) אֲבָל חָמֵינָן גּוֹ סִטְרֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית דְּאָמַר הָכִי. גְּלִיפֵי (גליפו) אַגְלִיף הַהוּא סְתִימָאָה קַדִּישָׁא גּוֹ מְעוֹי דְּחַד טְמִירוּ דְנָקִיט (דנקיד) בִּנְקוּדָה דְּנָעִיץ. הַהוּא גְּלִיפֵי (גליפו) אַגְלִיף וְטָמִיר בֵּיהּ כְּמַאן דְּגָנִיז כֹּלָּא תְּחוֹת מַפְתְּחָא חָדָא, וְהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא גָּנִיז כֹּלָּא בְּהֵיכָלָא חָדָא, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָא גָּנִיז בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא, עִקְּרָא דְּכֹלָא בְּהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא הֲוֵי. הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא סָגִיר וּפָתַח.
(ו) בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא אִית בֵּיהּ גְּנִיזִין סְתִימִין סַגִּיאִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין. בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא אִית תַּרְעִין עוֹבַד סְתִימוּ וְאִנּוּן חַמְשִׁין. אִגְלִיפוּ לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין וְהֲווּ אַרְבְּעִין (ס''י ותשע). חַד תַּרְעָא לֵית לֵיהּ סִטְרָא, לָא יְדִיעַ אִי הוּא לְעֵילָא, אִי הוּא לְתַתָּא (ס''י איהו לעילא איהי לתתא). וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַהוּא תַּרְעָא סָתִים.
(ז) גּוֹ אִנּוּן תַּרְעִין אִית מַנְעוּלָא חָדָא, וְחַד אֲתַר דַּקִּיק לְעָאלָא הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא בֵּיהּ, וְלָא אִתְרְשִׁים אֶלָּא בִּרְשִׁימוּ דְּמַפְתְּחָא, לָא יָדְעִין בֵּיהּ אֶלָּא הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא (ס''י דפתחא) בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. וְעַל רָזָא דְנָא בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלהִים.
(ח) בְּרֵאשִׁית דָּא מַפְתְּחָא דְּכֹלָא סָתִים בֵּיהּ, וְהוּא סָגִיר וּפָתַח, וְשִׁית תַּרְעִין כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ. בְּהַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא דְּסָגִיר וּפָתַח. כַּד סָגִיר אִנּוּן תַּרְעִין וְכָלִיל לוֹן בְּגַוֵּיהּ (נ''א וכלה בגויה) כְּדֵין וַדַּאי כְּתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית מִלָּה גַלְיָא בִּכְלַל מִלָּה סְתִימָאָה. וּבְכָל אֲתַר בָּרָ''א מִלָּא סְתִימָאָה אִיהוּ. סָגִיר וְלָא פָתַח.
(ט) אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, וְשָׁמַעְנָא לְבּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאָמַר הָכִי, דְּמִלָּה סְתִימָאָה אִיהוּ בָּרָא סָגִיר וְלָא פָתַח. וּבְעוֹד דְּהֲוָה סָגִיר בְּמִלָּה דְבָרָא, עָלְמָא לָא הֲוֵי וְלָא אִתְקְיַּים, וְהֲוָה חָפֵי עַל כֹּלָּא תֹּה''וּ, וְכַד שָׁלְטָא הַאי תֹּה''וּ, עָלְמָא לָא הֲוָה, וְלָא אִתְקְיַּים.
(י) אֵימָתַי הַהוּא מַפְתְּחָא פָּתַח תַּרְעִין וְאִזְדַּמַּן לְשִׁמּוּשָׁא וּלְמֶעְבַּד תּוֹלְדִין כַּד אֲתָא אַבְרָהָם דִּכְתִיב אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם וְתָנִינָן בְּאַבְרָהָם. וּמַה דְּהֲוָה כֹּלָּא סָתִים בְּמִלַּת בָּרָא, אִתְהַדְּרוּ אָתְוָון לְשִׁמּוּשָׁא, וְנָפַק עַמּוּדָא דְּעֲבַד תּוֹלְדִין, אֵבֶר יְסוֹדָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּעָלְמָא קַיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ.
(יא) כַּד הַאי אֵבֶר אִתְרְשִׁים בְּמִלַּת בָּרָא כְּדֵין רְשִׁים סְתִימָאָה עִילָאָה (נ''א קדישא לגלאה) רְשִׁימוּ אָחֳרָא לִשְׁמֵיהּ וְלִיקָרֵיהּ. וְדָא אִיהוּ מִ''י. וּבָרָא אֵלֶּה וְגַם כֵּן שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא דְּאִיהוּ מַ''ה אִתְרְשִׁים. וְאַפִּיק מִן בָּרָא אֵבֶר. וְהוּא רְשִׁים בְּאֵלֶּה מִסִּטְרָא דָא וְאֵבֶר מִסִּטְרָא דָא. סְתִימָאָה קַדִּישָׁא. אֵלֶּה קַיָּימָא. אֵבֶר קַיָּימָא. כַּד אִשְׁתְּלִים דָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים דָּא. גָּלִיף לְהַאי אֵבֶר גָּלִיף לְהַאי אֵלֶּה .
(יב) אִתְעָרוּ אָתְוָון לְאַשְׁלָמָא לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא, כְּדֵין אַפִּיק מ''ם. נָטִיל חַד לְהַאי סִטְרָא וְחַד לְהַאי סִטְרָא, אִשְׁתְּלִים שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְעֲבִיד אֱלֹהִים גַּם כֵּן שְׁמָא
(א) דְּאַבְרָהָם. כַּד אִשְׁתְּלִים דָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים דָּא.
(ב) וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּנָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִי וְשָׁדֵי בְּאֵלֶּה וְאִתְעֲבִיד אֱלהִים. וְנָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַה וְשָׁדֵי בְּאֵבֶר וְאִתְעֲבִיד אַבְרָהָ''ם. (ומלת מ''י רומז לחמשים שערי בינה ואית בה יו''ד אות קדמאה דשמא קדישא. ומלת מ''ה רומז למנינא דשמא קדישא, ואית ביה אות תניינא דשמא קדישא יהוה. כמא דאת אמר, (תהלים קמד) אשרי העם שככה לו וגו' (איוב כו) תולה ארץ על בלי מ''ה. וכדין אתקיימו תרין עלמין. ביו''ד עלמא דאתי, ובה''א עלמא דא. כלומר במ''י ברא עולם הבא ובמ''ה ברא עולם הזה. ודין הוא רמז עילא ותתא).
(ג) וּכְדֵין עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת וְנָפַק שְׁמָא שְׁלִים מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה קֳדָם דְּנָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם, כֻּלְהוּ הֲווּ תַּלְיָין עַד דְּאִתְבְּרֵי שְׁמֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם. כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים שְׁמָא דָא דְּאַבְרָהָם, שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא אִשְׁתְּלִים. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם.
(3) Beresheet. Rabbi Yudai asks, What is Beresheet? It means 'with wisdom'. And this is the wisdom upon which the world is established and allowed to enter the deep and secretive mysteries. Here the six supernal directions [the cardinal directions and up and down] are engraved, from which everything emerges. From them were formed the six sources and rivers, [Zeir Anpin] that flow into the great sea, [Malkuth]. Bara Sheet ["He created six"] were created from here. [Beresheet contains six letters as well.] And who created them? He who is not mentioned; He who is concealed and unknown. [Arich Anpin]
(4) 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, is certainly so. Because only the supernal six days, [have bearing] on the Torah, [Zeir Anpin] and no more. While the others are concealed.
(5) 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 One, that is designated by a thrusting point. This engraving 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!
(6) 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. There are forty-nine gates engraved upon the 'four directions' of the world. One gate has no direction; it is not known whether it faces up or down. This is how this gate stays closed.
(7) 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 [the keyhole] without having the key. And upon this secret:
(8) "In the beginning, Elohim created" (Gen. 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, locks it up and does not unlock it.
(9) Rabbi Yosi said, It is certainly so! I heard the same from the Holy Luminary, [Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai], that the word bara is concealed in order to show [that the key] locks up and does not unlock. As long as [the key] locked up the word bara, the world could not exist and would not have lasted at all! Complete chaos would have prevailed, covering the whole of existence. And when this chaos prevailed there would not have been a world; it would have never lasted!
(10) When did this key unlock the gates, and serve and produce offspring? When Abraham appeared, [as Abraham is identified with Chesed] As it is written: "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created" (Gen. 2:4). And we have already learned, [not to pronounce "created" as it is written, behibar'am, but instead as b'Abraham, which means "with Abraham"] Then, the letters that were entirely concealed in the word bara [were opened] to hear. And the Pillar of Procreation, the sacred limb [evar] of Yesod, upon which the world is established was revealed. [in Hebrew, the words for "create" and "limb" are spelled with the same letters - bara vs. evar, Bet-Aleph-Resh vs Aleph-Bet-Resh]
(11) When evar left its impression on the word bara, then the supernal and concealed One formed another impression for His Name and Glory, which is WHO [M"I] and THESE [eleh, Aleph-Lamed-Hei]. So was the Holy and Blessed Name, which is WHAT [M"H], formed as a mark. It brought forth evar from bara. And it has the imprint of THESE from one side, and evar from the other side. Therefore, in the Sacred Concealed One, THESE exists, as does evar. And when one of them reaches perfection, so does the other. Thus, He engraved upon evar the letter Hei, and it engraved upon the Aleph, Lamed, and Hei, [THESE] the letter Yud!
(12) The letters [Aleph-Bet-Resh + Hei, and Aleph-Lamed-Hei + Yud] were roused to complete both sides, He then brought forth the final letter Mem. He took one final Mem to one side [to Aleph-Lamed-Hei + Yud] and one final Mem to the other side, that is to the letters [Aleph-Bet-Resh + Hei], thus completing the holy name to form Elohim [Aleph-Lamed-Hei + Yud + Mem, ELoHIM] In the same manner, the name
(1) Abraham was completed. [Aleph-Bet-Resh + Hei + Mem, ABRaHaM] "When one of them reaches perfection, so does the other."
(2) And some say that the Holy One, blessed be He, took the letters Mem-Yud [WHO] and put them together with Aleph-Lamed-Hei [THESE] and Elohim [Aleph-Lamed-Hei-Yud-Mem] was formed; and He took Mem-Hei [WHAT] and put them together with Aleph-Bet-Resh [evar], and it became Abraham. And the word WHO [Mem-Yud, M"I] alludes to the fifty gates of Binah, and in M"I, there is a Yud, which is the first letter of the Holy Name. And the word WHAT [Mem-Gei, M"H] alludes to the numerical value of the Holy Name, and it has within it the second letter of the Holy Name YHWH. As it is written, "happy are the people for whom this is so..." (Ps. 144:15) and "and hangs the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7). And then both worlds were upheld, the World to Come with the letter Yud and this world with Hei. That is, He created the World to Come with WHO [M"I], and this world with WHAT [M"H]. This is a hint for the higher and lower.
(3) And then He created offspring and the name was complete. As it is written: "These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created" (Gen 2:4). [The generations] were suspended, until the name of Abraham was created. [see last chapter's equation of behibar'am with b'Abraham] When the name of Abraham was completed, so was the Holy Name completed. And this is what is written, "in the day that YHWH Elohim made the earth and the heaven" [so, by reading behibar'am "created" as b'Abraham "with Abraham", the first time the Holy Name is seen in Torah is alongside the first mention of Abraham]