Zohar BeRaisheet Section 1 - Make An Engraving On the Supernal Light

It is recommended to read / scan / study the section prior to reading the Synopsis.

Zohar BeRaisheet Section 1 - Make An Engraving On the Supernal Light

SYNOPSIS:

The Zohar discusses the primordial phase that ignited the process of creation. This phase produced a vacated space, a void into which our physical universe would eventually be born. By this act of creation, the infinite gave birth to the finite. Just as a seed contains all the stages that will produce a full grown tree, including the final fruit, the seed of our cosmos contains all the souls of mankind, including our complete and final fulfillment. Recognizing this motivates us to complete our own spiritual work. It accelerates our spiritual transformation by revealing our connection with the seed, which is the cause of all causes.

Pasook 1. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha BeRaisheet

בְּרֵישׁ הוּרְמְנוּתָא דְמַלְכָּא, גָּלִיף גְּלוּפֵי בִּטְהִירוּ עִלָּאָה בּוּצִינָא דְּקַרְדִינוּתָא, וְנָפֵיק גּוֹ סְתִים דִּסְתִימוּ מֵרָזָ"א דְּאֵי"ן סוֹ"ף, קוּטְרָא בְּגוּלְמָא נָעִיץ בְּעִזְקָא לָא חִוָּור וְלָא אוּכָם וְלָא סוּמָק וְלָא יָרוֹק, וְלָא גֹּוָון כְּלָל. כַּד מָדֵיד מְשִׁיחָא, עָבֵיד גֹּוָונִין לְאַנְהָרָא לְגוֹ. בְּגוֹ בּוֹצִינָא, נָפֵיק חַד נְבִיעוּ, דְּמִנֵּיהּ אִצְטַבְּעוּ גֹּוָונִין לְתַתָּא.

With the beginning of the manifestation of the King's will, that is, when the King desired to emanate and create the world, a hard spark made an engraving upon the supernal light. This hard spark, which emanated from the most concealed of all concealed things from the secret of the Endlessness Light took a shapeless form. The spark was then inserted into the center of a circle that was neither white nor black nor red nor green, nor any color at all. When it began its measurements, it created colors that shone into the empty space and the engraving. From within the spark - This hard spark - a fountain spouted, from which the shades down below received their colors.

chanoch's Commentary

To truly understand this section requires the Student of Kabbalah to read and study the Sefer Etz Chaim which is the teachings of the ARIzal to his one student Rabbi Chaim Vital. In our generation it also reqires the study of the Sefer by Rabbi Ashlag which is called Ten Luminous Emenations. In Hebrew this Sefer is called Esser Sefirot. Please view and study the classes that are on the Revealed Wisdom section of the Yeshshem website.

In summary - a truly incomplete summary - this is discussing the Tzimzum and the process of the 4 phases. It brings the idea of colors as a metaphor rather than an actual perception of colors. This takes significant contemplation and meditation and is a life time study.

Pasook 2. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha BeRaisheet

סְתִים גּוֹ סְתִימִין מֵרָזָא דְּאֵי"ן סוֹ"ף, בָּקַע וְלָא בָּקַע, אֲוִירָא דִּילֵיהּ לָא אִתְיְידַע כְּלָל. עַד דְּמִגּוֹ דְּחִיקוּ דִּבְקִיעוּתֵיהּ, נָהֵיר נְקוּדָה חָדָא סְתִימָא עִלָּאָה, בָּתַר הַהִיא נְקוּדָה לָא אִתְיְידַע כְּלָל, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי רֵאשִׁית, מַאֲמַר קַדְמָאָה דְּכֹלָּא.

From the most concealed of all concealed things, from the secret of the Endlessness Light, emanated two faces: One cleaved and the other did not cleave. Its atmosphere was unknown until forceful blows split Atik, and a concealed supernal point shone. Beyond this point, nothing is knowable and, because of this, it is called by the name Beginning, which means the first of the sayings.

chanoch's Commentary

The word saying applies to the word of the Esser Debrot - Anoki. It is also telling us to stop trying to go beyond a certain point in the process of Creation. It is not possible to relate to this point and deeper within it since the word beginning refers to an extension of the Creator and not the Creator itself. If the beginning is an extension we can not know the true Creator only this extension. This beginning is the Tzimzum - the withdrawel within itself of the fulfillment. This is essentially a paradox since the fulfillmdent can not fulfill itself since it does not desire and therefore can not receive. Given this statement how does it withdraw into itself?