Zohar Beraisheet - Section 4 - Earh Was Without Form

It is recommended to study the section prior to reading the Synopsis.

Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet Section 4

It is best to study the Zohar in the following manner:

1. Read outloud the Aramaic Verse. If you need to transliterate in order to read with the sounds of the lettersthe verse see below. If you use the transliteration tool than make sure you scan the Aramaic first and last.

2. Read the English Translation - if you desire to understand and realize that your understanding will limit the energy you receive. This is why it is important to scan the aramaic verse first.

3.Write out your understanding of the verse. Send it to yeshshem@hotmail.com in an email. Use the Parasha Name and verse number in the subject. By sending your understanding you give yeshshem.com permission to post this to web page and any other uses Yeshshem may see a beneficial use.

4. Now read chanoch's Commentary or additions to enhance and or modify your own personal understanding.

SYNOPSIS:

The Creation process, the Zohar explains, began in a state of utter chaos. Out of this chaos emerged the concept of order. The Zohar reveals the process by which order emerges form chaos. The more furious and frenzied the initial chaos, the greater the order and the perfection that will eventually emerge. We can attain the ability to remove chaos from our lives. We can begin to grasp the hidden spiritual truth that chaos is really opportunity for bringing order and fulfillment.

Pasook 17. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וגו', הָיְתָה דַיְיקָא. מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא תַּלְגָא גּוֹ מַיָיא, נַפְקָא מִנָּהּ זוּהֲמָא בְּהַהוּא חֵילָא דְּתַלְגָא בְּמַיָּיא, וְאַקֵּישׁ בָּהּ אֶשָׁא תַּקִּיפָא, וַהֲוָה בָּהּ פְּסוֹלֶת, וְאִתְעֲדִיאַת וְאִתְעֲבִידַת תֹּה"וּ. וּמֵאֲתַר דְּזוּהֲמָא, קִינָא דִפְסוֹלֶת. וָבֹה"וּ, בְּרִירוּ דְּאִתְבְּרֵיר מִגּוֹ פְּסוֹלֶת, וְאִתְיַישַׁב בָּהּ. חֹשֶׁךְ, רָזָא דְּאֶשָׁא תַּקִּיפָא. וְהַהוּא חֹשֶׁ"ךְ חָפֵי ע"ג הַהוּא תֹּה"וּ עַל גַּבֵּי הַהוּא פְּסוֹלֶת, וְאִתְתַּקָּנַת מִינֵיהּ.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

"And the earth was without form and void..." (Beresheet 1:2) The term "was" is exact in that it implies the earth's previous state, during which snow was mixed inside water. The act of the snow forming inside the water resulted in a foul substance. And afterward, a mighty fire beat upon it and refuse was formed inside it. It then conceived and became without form. The place where at first there was only filth, has become now a nest of refuse that is described as without form. It went through four stages until it became Tohu: (1) light turned into water; (2) water turned into snow; (3) snow turned into refuse with the infliction of the fire; and (4) the refuse, over time, became sufficiently distinguishable to be called without form. The words "and void" refer to the refined matter that emerged from the refuse and was set there. Darkness is the secret of the powerful fire and this darkness hovers above the formlessness, over that refuse, and is structured from it. In other words, darkness does not mean only the absence of light that is, emptiness but rather the aspect that produces emptiness, like a strong fire that burns and consumes everything it touches and leaves emptiness in its place. The reason why it is called darkness and not fire is that the burning force is not from the fire itself, but from the refuse, which is without form, over which it hovers, and from which it receives.

chanoch's Commentary

This pasuk takes a lot of explanation. Start with the teachings of the 4 phases by Rabbi Ashlag on our website - yeshshem.com. Then realize that the 4 elements have 4 states of creation within each one of them. the water stages are explained in this pasuk while the 4 levels of fire are coded and of air and earth not explained.

Pasook 18. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא דְּנָפֵיק מֵאֱלֹהִים חַיִּים, וְדָא מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. בָּתַר דְּהַאי רוּחַ נָשֵׁיב, אִבְרִיר דְּקִיקוּ חַד מִגּוֹ הַהוּא פְּסוֹלֶת, כְּטִיסָא דְּזוּהֲמָא. כַּד אִבְרִיר וְאַצְנֵיף וְאַצְרֵיף זִמְנָא וּתְרֵין, עַד דְּאִשְׁתָּאַר הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא, דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ זוּהֲמָא כְּלָל.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

"And wind (also: 'spirit') from Elohim" (Ibid.) alludes to the spirit of holiness that proceeded from living Elohim and "moved over the surface of the waters" (Ibid.). This means that after this wind blew, a thin layer from the refuse was refined, just as the filth flies off and away. In this manner, it was refined, covered and purified over and over again until the foulness was left without any filth.

chanoch's Commentary

This is part of the 4 phases. Remember there is no disappearance in spirituality. This means that foulness and filth may be separated but they are still the same thing and their vessel - form must remain although it may become concealed until it is revealed again.

Pasook 19. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

כַּד הַאי תֹּהוּ אִבְרֵיר וְאַצְרֵיף, נָפַק מִינֵיהּ רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים, הַהוּא דְּחָמָא אֵלִיָּהוּ. אִבְרֵיר בְּהוֹ, וְאַצְרֵיף, וְנָפַק מִינֵיהּ רַעַשׁ, דִּכְתִיב וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ. וְאִבְרֵיר חֹשֶׁךְ, וְאַכְלֵיל בְּרָזָא דִילֵיהּ אֵשׁ, דִּכְתִיב וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ. אִבְרִיר רוּחַ, וְאִתְכְּלֵיל בְּרָזָא דִילֵיהּ קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

When this formlessness was refined and purified, "a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke the rocks" (I Melachim 19:11) Then it emerged like the wind that Elijah saw. The void was refined and purified and noise came from it, as it is written: "And after the wind an earthquake (also: 'noise')" (Ibid.). When the darkness was refined, fire was then included in its secret, as it is written: "And after the earthquake a fire" (Ibid. 12). The wind was refined and a "still small voice" was included within it.

chanoch's Commentary

These code words are again describing the 4 phases. Everything is created and formed through the 4 phases. Learn this well and learn them well.

Pasook 20. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

תֹּה"וּ אֲתַר דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ גֹּוָון וְלֹא דִּיּוֹקְנָא, וְלָא אִתְכְּלֵיל בְּרָזָא דְּדִיּוֹקְנָא, הַשְׁתָּא אִיהוּ בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא, כַּד מִסְתַּכְּלָן בֵּיהּ לֵית לֵיהּ דִּיּוֹקְנָא כְּלָל. לְכֹלָּא אִית לְבוּשָׁא לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בַּר הַאי.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

Formlessness has neither color nor shape and is not included within the secret of shape at all. Although it may appear to have form, when we look closely it loses all form. Everything has a garment to wear except formlessness.

chanoch's Commentary

Thus formlessness can not be perceived. This is why science in its number theory finds order in the disorder of a endless string of numbers like the number Pi.

Pasook 21. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

בֹּה"וּ, לְהַאי אִית לֵיהּ צִיּוּרָא וְדִיּוֹקְנָא: אַבְנִין מְשַׁקְעִין גּוֹ גְּלִיפָא דְּתֹהוּ, נַפְקֵי גּוֹ גְלִיפָא דִּמְשַׁקְעָן תַּמָּן. וּמִתַּמָּן מַשְׁכֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְעָלְמָא, בְּצִיּוּרָא דִלְבוּשָׁא, מַשְׁכֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא וְסָלְקָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

Void already has an image and a shape, the stones immersed inside the engraving of formlessness. When the stones emerge from within the engraving in which they were immersed, they draw down benefit to this world in the form of a garment. They draw goodness down to the world that is, straight light and force the returning light up, so that the straight light is enclothed. This is known as shaping.

chanoch's Commentary

This is referring to stage 3 or phase 3 of the 4 phases.

Pasook 22. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

וְעַל דָּא נְקִיבָן וּמְפוּלָמִין, הַנֵּי תַּלְיָין בַּאֲוֲירָא. לְזִמְנִין תַּלְיָין בַּאַוִירָא דְּסָלְקֵי מִתַּמָּן לְעֵילָא, לְזִמְנִין מִטַּמְרִין בְּיוֹמָא דְּעִיבָּא, וּמְפִיקֵי מַיִין מִגּוֹ תְּהוֹמָא לְאִתְזְנָא תֹּה"וּ מִתַּמָּן, דְּהָא כְּדֵין חֶדְוָה וּשְׁטוּתָא דְקָא אִתְפַּשַׁט תֹּהוּ בְּעָלְמָא.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

These stones are hollow and viscous because they are suspended in the air. At times, they are suspended in the air because they rise up and out of there, from within the engraving of formlessness. At other times, such as cloudy days, they hide and raise water from the abyss to replenish formlessness. This is when there is joy and folly, because formlessness has expanded all over the world.

chanoch's Commentary

This is the 4th phase where everything exists and desires light.

Pasook 23. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

חֹשֶׁךְ, הוּא אֶשָׁא אוּכְמָא תַּקִּיף בְּגֹוָון, אֶשָׁא סוּמְקָא תַּקִּיף בְּחֵיזוּ, אֶשָׁא יְרוּקָא תַּקִּיף בְּצִיּוּר, אֶשָׁא חִיוָורָא דְּכָלֵיל כֹּלָּא. חֹשֶׁךְ תַּקִּיף בְּכָל אֶשִׁין, וְדָא אַתְקֵיף לְתֹה"וּ. חֹשֶׁךְ הוּא אֶשָׁא, וְלָאו אִיהוּ אֶשָׁא חֲשׁוֹכָא, בַּר כַּד אַתְקֵיף לְתֹהוּ, וְרָזָא דָא וַתִּכְהֶנָה עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת וַיִּקְרָא אֶת עֵשָׂו וגו'. חֹשֶׁךְ פְּנֵי רָע דְּאַסְבַּר אַנְפִּין לְרַע, וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ, דְּשָׁרֵי עֲלֵיהּ לְאִתַּקְפָא לֵיהּ, וְרָזָא דָא וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

Darkness is a black fire that is strong in color, because no other color can change black. It is also a red fire that is strong in its appearance, as red is the most noticeable color. It is a green fire, which is solid in form, as all forms reach perfection by the green color. And it is a white fire, which is the basis of all other colors. Darkness is strong, because it contains all kinds of fires and it attacks the formlessness. Darkness is a fire that consists of four colors, and it is usually not a dark fire except when it attacks the formlessness. This is the secret of the verse: "his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau..." (Beresheet 27:1). The face of evil is darkness, so Isaac, who was kind to evil to Esau was then called 'darkness,' as he rested upon it so that it may attack it.

chanoch's Commentary

this is describing the unity of phase 3 and phase 4.

Pasook 24. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

רוּ"חַ הוּא קוֹל דְּשָׁארֵי עַל בֹּהוּ וְאַתְקֵיף לֵיהּ וְאַנְהֵיג לֵיהּ בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ. וְרָזָא דָא קוֹל יי עַל הַמָּיִם. וְכֵן וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. אַבְנִין מְשַׁקְעָן גּוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי, דְּנַפְקֵי מַיָּיא מִנְהוֹן, וְעַל דָּא אִקְרוּן פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. רוּחַ אַנְהֵיג וְאַתְקֵיף לְאִינוּן פָּנִים פְּנֵי תְהוֹם, דָּא כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ וְדָא כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

The wind that is mentioned in the verse: "And a wind from Elohim," is a voice that rests upon the void and guides it in all it needs. This is the secret of the verses: "The voice of Hashem is upon the waters" (Tehilim 29:3) and "And a wind from Elohim moved over the surface of the waters." The stones are immersed deep inside the abyss from which waters flow. This is why they are called "the surface of the waters." The wind guided and strengthened the faces, called the surface of the deep, each according to its requirements.

chanoch's Commentary

This is unclear to me.

Pasook 25. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

תֹּה"וּ, עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם שד"י. בֹּה"וּ, עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם צְבָאוֹת. חֹשֶׁךְ עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים. רוּחַ, עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם ידו"ד.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

The name Shadai dwells upon formlessness, the name Tzva'ot dwells upon the void and the name Elohim dwells upon darkness. The name Yud Hei Vav Hei dwells upon wind.

chanoch's Commentary

This verse is clear and also will help to illuminate all of the earlier pesukim.

Pasook 26. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

רוּחַ חָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים לֹא בָּרוּחַ ה' וגו', שְׁמָא דָא לָא הֲוֵי בֵּיהּ, דְּהָא שד"י שָׁלְטָא עֲלֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּתֹהוּ. וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ לֹא בָּרַעַשׁ ה', דְּהָא שֵׁם צְבָאוֹת שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ, בְּרָזָא דְּבֹהוּ. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי בֹּהוּ. רַעַשׁ, דְּלָאו אִיהוּ בְּלָא רַעַשׁ.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

"And a great and strong wind rent the mountains...but Hashem was not in the wind..." (I Melachim 19:11). The name Yud Hei Vav Hei was not in the wind because this strong wind comes from formlessness, upon which the name Shadai rests. Hence it reads, "but Hashem was not in the wind." And it explains that the earthquake came from Void, as the verse continues: "And after the wind an earthquake; but Hashem was not in the earthquake," because only the name Tzva'ot rests upon it in the secret of the Void. Hence, it is called Void. As for the fire that comes out of darkness, the scripture reads, "And after the earthquake a fire; but Hashem was not in the fire" (Ibid. 12), because the name Elohim rests upon it from the aspect of darkness. "And after the fire a still small voice," which comes from the aspect of a wind from Elohim, upon which the name Yud Hei Vav Hei rests. The verse reads "And when Elijah heard it...and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice to him, and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?" (Ibid. 13). He did not leave the cave at the first three aspects, only when he heard a still small voice, because the name Yud Hei Vav Hei was there. And he knew that Yud Hei Vav Hei was talking to him.

chanoch's Commentary

This is referring to the meditation that comes through the first chapter of Elijah as taught by the Kabbalists. There needs to be a study of the Sefer Yetzirah to understand this pasuk.

Pasook 27. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Beraisheet

וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ לֹא בָּאֵשׁ ה', דְּהָא שְׁמָא דֵּאלֹהִים שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֹשֶׁךְ. וְאַחַר הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה, הָכָא אִשְׁתְּכַח שֵׁם ידו"ד. אַרְבַּע פִּרְקִין הָכָא, דְּאִינוּן פִּרְקֵי גוּפָא וְאֵבְרִין יְדִיעָן, דְּאִינוּן אַרְבָּעָה, וְאִינוּן תְּרֵיסַר. וְהָכָא שְׁמָא גְלִיפָא דִּתְרֵיסַר אַתְוָון. דְּאִתְמְסַר לְאֵלִיָּהוּ בַּמְעָרָה.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

The name Yud Hei Vav Hei has four segments, namely four letters, that signify the parts of the human body and certain members namely, the limbs which are four that can become twelve. Here is the secret of the name that consists of twelve letters, which was given to Elijah while inside the cave. This alludes to the three names of Yud Hei Vav Hei. Each consists of four letters, which together add up to twelve. And this name, with its twelve letters, appears in the human body. The first appears in the head: Chochmah, Binah and Da'at; the second in the body from the top to the navel: Chesed, Gvurah and Tiferet; the third from the navel downward: Netzach, Hod and Yesod. Each part of the body is divided into four other parts, which add up to twelve.

chanoch's Commentary

A student of Kabbalah needs to know the meaning of this Pasuk intuitively. Are you at this stage yet? Have you learned what is the 12 letter name? יהוה - אהיה - אדני. the question for you to decide for yourself is which order to use these three names to create a 12 letter name that is used by Elijah as he travels between heaven and earth.