Zohar Prologue - Section 13 - "The Two Points"

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

Zohar Sulam Commentary on Prologue Section 13

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 Zohar explains the concept of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Within everything in our world, there exist positive and negative aspects. Reading this section gives us the ability to connect to the positive side of existence, while at the same time it shields us from negative elements.

Pasook 120. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on the Prologue

בְּרֵאשִׁית, רַבִּי חִיָּיא פְּתַח, רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה' שֵׁכֶל טוֹב לְכָל עוֹשֵׂיהֶם תְּהִלָּתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד. רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה, הַאי קְרָא הָכֵי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ סוֹף חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה', בְּגִין דְּיִרְאַת ה' סוֹף חָכְמָה אִיהִי. אֶלָּא אִיהִי רֵאשִׁית לְעָאלָא לְגוֹ דַרְגָא דְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, הה"ד פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק. זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַה'. וַדַּאי דְּאִי לָא יֵיעוֹל בְּהַאי תַּרְעָא, לָא יֵיעוֹל לְעָלְמִין. לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. דְּאִיהִי עִלָּאָה וְטָמִיר וְגָנִיז, וַעֲבֵיד לֵיהּ תַּרְעִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין.

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

Beresheet. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "The fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom; good understanding have all they who do His commandments; His praise endures forever" (Tehilim 111:10). Of the phrase, "the beginning of wisdom," HE ASKS: SHOULD this verse have read 'the fear of Hashem is the end of wisdom,' because the fear of Hashem IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, which is at the end of Chochmah! AND HE REPLIES: She, MALCHUT, is the beginning or the first stage that opens the entrance to the level of the supernal Chochmah (Wisdom). So it is written, "Open to me the gates of righteousness" (Ibid. 118:19). REFERRING TO THE GATES OF MALCHUT THAT ARE CALLED RIGHTEOUSNESS, "this is the gate to Hashem" (Ibid. 20). Assuredly, if he does not enter this gate, he shall never reach the Supernal King, because He is exalted, hidden, and concealed, and has made gates for Himself, one behind the other.

chanoch's Commentary

HaShem is concealed from most people today. This concealment is behind gate after gate. A gate is a blockage to your access to HaShem. Reach HaShem and receive all of the beneficence of HaShem. So what is holding you back? Is it because it is easier to go through life without pushing the gates open?

Pasook 121. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on the Prologue

וּלְסוֹף כָּל תַּרְעִין עֲבַד תַּרְעָא חַד בְּכַמָּה מַנְעוּלִין, בְּכַמָּה פִּתְחִין, בְּכַמָּה הֵיכָלִין, אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין. אֲמַר כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְמֵיעַל לְגַבָּאי, תַּרְעָא דָא יְהֵא קַדְמָאָה לְגַבָּאי, מָאן דְּיֵעוֹל בְּהַאי תַּרְעָא יֵעוֹל. אוֹף הָכֵי, תַּרְעָא קַדְמָאָה לְחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, יִרְאַת ה' אִיהִי, וְדָא אִיהִי רֵאשִׁית.

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

At the end of all those gates, He set up a gate with many locks, many openings, and many chambers one on top of the other. He said, "Whoever wants to reach Me must first pass through this gate. Whoever enters THROUGH this gate, may enter!" The same applies here, as the first gate to Supernal Wisdom is the "Fear of Hashem," WHICH IS MALCHUT. This is why IT IS CALLED 'The beginning'.

chanoch's Commentary

The pasuk is telling us that the first gate requires Yirah of HaShem - Fear or Awe - both are true.The way to open this first gate is through returning light or feminine waters. It is up to your actions that require a Kavenah of Yirah - Fear or Awe.

Pasook 122. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on the Prologue

ב', תְּרֵין אִינוּן דְּמִתְחַבְּרִין כַּחֲדָא, וְאִינוּן תְּרֵין נְקוּדִין, חַד גְּנִיזָא וּטְמִירָא, וְחַד קַיָּימָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא. וּבְגִין דְּלֵית לְהוֹ פֵּרוּדָא, אִקְרוּן רֵאשִׁית, חַד וְלָא תְּרֵין, מָאן דְּנָטֵיל הַאי נָטֵיל הַאי, וְכֹלָא חָד, דְּהָא הוּא וּשְׁמֵיהּ חַד, דִּכְתִיב וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה שִׁמְךָ ה' לְבַדֶּךָ.

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 letter Bet IN THE WORD BERESHEET INDICATES two points that are joined together IN MALCHUT. And of these two Points, one is concealed and treasured, while the other is revealed and out in the open. But because they are not separated, they are called 'The Beginning (Heb. resheet)', WHICH MEANS ONLY one and not two. Whoever takes one, takes the other as well, and all is one; because "He and His Name are One," as it is written, "that men may know that You alone, whose name is Hashem" (Tehilim 83:19).

chanoch's Commentary

A clear verse that is extremely esoteric. The two points are good and evil. which is concealed and which is out in the open?

Pasook 123. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on the Prologue

אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי יִרְאַת ה', בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּטוֹב וְרָע, זָכֵי בַּר נָשׁ, הָא טוֹב, וְאִי לָא זָכֵי הָא רָע. וְעַל דָּא שָׁרֵי בְּהַאי אֲתַר יִרְאָה, וְדָא תַּרְעָא לְעָאלָא לְכָל טוּבָא דְעָלְמָא. שֵׂכֶל טוֹב, אִלֵּין תְּרֵין תַּרְעִין דְּאִינוּן כַּחֲדָא. ר' יוֹסֵי אֲמַר שֵׂכֶל טוֹב, דָּא אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּלָא רָע כְּלָל. וְעַל דְּלָא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ רָע, אִיהוּ שֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּלָא רָע.

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

Why is MALCHUT called "the fear of Hashem?" Because THE MALCHUT is the Tree of Good and Evil: If a person is deserving, then it is good; but if he is not deserving, then it is bad. This is why fear abides in that place. And she is the gate through which all goodness of the world passes. Because 'good understanding' is related to those two gates, NAMELY TO THOSE TWO POINTS, which are as one. Rabbi Yosi said, 'good understanding' refers to the Tree of Life, which is good understanding; it has no evil at all. And because no evil prevails there, it is good understanding with no bad!

chanoch's Commentary

Binah is actually good understanding yet there is potential for evil which can not manifest in Binah only in lower areas.

Pasook 124. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on the Prologue

לְכָל עוֹשֵׂיהֶם, אִלֵּין חַסְדֵּי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים, תַּמְכִין אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאִינוּן דְּתָמְכִין אוֹרַיְיתָא כִּבְיָכוֹל אִינוּן עָבְדִין. כָּל אִינוּן דְּלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לֵית בְּהוּ עֲשִׂיָּה בְּעוֹד דְּלָעָאן בָּהּ. אִינוּן דְּתָמְכִין לוֹן אִית בְּהוּ עֲשִׂיָּה, וּבְחֵילָא דָא כְּתִיב תְּהִלָּתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד, וְקַיְימָא כּוּרְסְיָיא עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת.

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

"All they who do His commandments" (Tehilim 111:10). These are "the sure loving promises of David" (Yeshayah 55:3), the supporters of the Torah. And those who support the Torah are those who seemingly make it. So all those who occupy themselves with the Torah need not work, as they delve into its study, while those who support it have to work. And because of this, the verse "His praise endures forever" (Tehilim 111:10), IS FULFILLED, and the Throne is properly established.

chanoch's Commentary

two points - work and study which do you want to do? which would you prefer? which attribute did HaShem leave for you to do?