207) It was on the eighth day: Rabbi Isaac began to explain the following quote:
"B'RON YACHAD KOCHVEY BOKER VAYOREYOO KOL BNEY ELOKIM". "WHEN THE MORNING STARS SANG TOGETHER, AND ALL THE SONS OF GOD SHOUTED FOR JOY". (Job, 36:7).
"Happy is Israel because GOD gave them the Holy Torah, which is the joy and gladness of all".
It is the enjoyment of GOD and His daily excursion, as it is written: "… VOHEHYE SHA- ASHOOIM YOM YOM …". "… AND I WAS DAILY HIS DELIGHT …").
The entire Torah consists of but one Holy Name of GOD.
By means of the Torah, the world was created. This is conveyed in the words:
"BOEHYE ETZLO OMEIN …" (Proverbs, 8:30), "I WAS BY HIM THE INSTRUMENT OF CREATION …", which means: I was to GOD the master of creation, that is to say: the Instrument through which the entire creation came into being.
208) Through the Torah, Man was created. This is why it is written in the Torah:
"AND GOD SAID, LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE …" (Genesis, 1:26).
It is expressed in the plural. GOD, said to the Torah: I desire to create Man. The Torah, in turn, said to Him: the Man, who Thou art about to create will sin and thus provoke Thee to anger. If Thou wilt not be long-suffering towards Man, how will he be able to survive?
GOD, upon this, answered her, thus: "Both of us will establish and sustain him in the world; for, not in vain, am I called "Erech Apayim", having forebearance (slow to anger).
Rabbi Cheeya said: "The written law "Torah Shebiktav", which is actually "Zeir Anpin", "Tifereth" and the oral law, symbolizing "Malchut" (Kingdom); together they have established Man in the world". In other words, "The last two letters of the four lettered Holy Name "HAVAYA": the letter ו "Vov" together with the last ה "Hey" of this Holy Name have brought about Man in the world, which explains why the Torah said: "NA-ASEH ODOM b'TSALMEINOO KIDMOOSEINOO" (AND GOD SAID: "LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS …").
209) Rabbi Jose said: We learn from these words that they have already made him; that is to say: both of them have definitely made Man.
This is why it is spoken of in the plural. These are the words: "TSELEM" and "D'MOOS", IMAGE and LIKENESS, that both of them have made Man. "TSELEM" is the masculine principal, which is "Zeir Anpin", called "TSELEM". "D'MOOS" relates to the "Nukvoh", "Malchut", which is connoted "D'MOOS". This word derives from the word "D'Momoh" (silence), intimating that "Malchut" is void, that is, stripped of everything and has nothing of her own, meaning that she only has that which she receives from "Zeir Anpin".
Through the union of "Zeir Anpin" and "Malchut", the soul of Adam was brought to birth.
This is why it is said in the Torah. "B'TSALMEINOO KIDMOOSEINOO", "IN OUR LIKENESS, IN OUR IMAGE".
210) It is for this reason that the Torah begins with the letter ב"Beth", which indicates the two phases "Zeir Anpin" and "Malchut".
Rabbi Yitzchok (Isaac) said: "Why is the ב "Beth" open on one side, and closed on the other side"?
He offers the following answer: "When Man comes along in order to unite with the Torah, the open side of the ב "Beth" indicates that the Torah is ready to receive him and to participate with him, meaning to co-operate with him".
However, when man closes his eyes and diverts from the Torah, walking away into another path, the Torah then conceals herself from the other side, resembling the right side of the ב "Beth".
The following is expressed in Proverbs, thus: THE TORAH SAYS TO MAN: IF YOU WILL FORSAKE ME FOR ONE DAY, I WILL, IN TURN, MOVE AWAY FROM YOU THE DISTANCE OF TWO DAYS. MAN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIND HIS ENTRANCE TO THE TORAH UNTIL HE REPENTS AND BECOMES UNITED WITH THE TORAH, FACE TO FACE, AND THUS NOT ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE MOVED FROM THE TORAH ANY MORE.
THEREFORE, THE TORAH CALLS OUT TO MAN: TO YOU, MAN, I AM CALLING: "UNTO YOU, O MAN, I CALL; AND MY VOICE IS TO THE SONS OF MAN. SHE CRIETH IN THE CHIEF PLACE OF CONCOURSE, IN THE OPENING OF THE GATES, IN THE CITY SHE UTTERETH HER WORDS…"
211) Rabbi Yehuda said: The ב "Beth" has the Image of two roofs and one line which unites them. We learn from this that one of the roofs points to heaven above, which is "Z.A";whereas the other points toward the earth, which is "Malchut" (Kingdom). The Creator, who is "Yesod" (Foundation) is united with them and is receiving them.
Rabbi Elozor said: The first three upper lights are holy, that is, they are the three pillars which constitute one unity and make up the whole Torah. It is they who open the doors to all treasures, meaning that they bestow bounty to the "Emoonoh" ("Malchut").
The three pillars" house everything, which explains why they are called "House". It is because they are the three pillars of the "Beth", which refer to the three pillars relating to "Z.A". Thus, the three pillars are a house.
This is why the Torah begins with the letter ב "Beth"; for the ב "Beth" is actually the Torah and she is the healing balm of the world. Therefore, laboring in the Torah is tantamount to being occupied with the Holy Name.
212) We have learned that the whole Torah is actually an Upper Holy Name. Hence, inasmuch as the Torah is a Holy Name, she begins with the letter "Beth", which is the principle of the Holy Name; that is to say: The ב "Beth" consists of the three letters called ו "Vov".
The three "Vovin" of the initial letters of the three words "Vayiso", "Vayovey" and "Vayeit", which symbolize the three "Vovs" of pillars of "Z.A", constitute the three ties that bestow upon the "Emoonoh" ("Malchut").
213) Behold, all those who labor in the Torah are uniting with the Maker, and are crowned with the crowns of the Torah. They are beloved above and below.
GOD, stretches out His right hand to them, which is the light of "Chessed", (Mercy).
How much greater then is the merit of those who labor in the Torah at night! The Sages of the Zohar have established the fact that such students of the Torah co-operate with the "Shechinah", "Malchut", thereby uniting with her.
When morning comes, the Creator, crowns them with a pillar of "Chessed", the line of light which is mercy; so that they may be distinguished between the upper and the lower beings, that is, the angels.
214) At the time when "Knesseth Israel", that is, "Malchut", together with all those who labor in the Torah, come and appear before the king, "Zeir Anpin", it is said in the book of Job regarding this: "BRON YACHAD KOCHVEY BOKER, VAYOREIOO KOL BNEY ELOKIM" (7:38); "WHEN THE MORNING STARS SANG TOGETHER, AND ALL THE SONS OF GOD SHOUTED FOR JOY".
The Zohar questions: "What is the meaning of the Hebrew word "Vayoreioo"? The Zohar, in turn, furnishes the answer by quoting from Isaiah, the Prophet, thus:
"ROAH HISROAH HO-ORETZ …" ("THE EARTH SHALL REEL TO AND FRO …").
In other words, the Zohar explains the word "voyoreioo" to mean "Breakage", Shattering. These, the "Dinim", the rigid judgments, called the Children of Din (Judgment), become smashed before the morning; that is to say: at the time of the breaking forth of the morning in the world, which actually designates the light of mercy issued from "Z.A", as it is expressed in Genesis:
"VAYASHKAIM AVROHOM BABOKER …" ("AND ABRAHAM ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING …" 3:22).
"ABRAHAM" is the symbol of the Saphirah "CHESSED" (the light of mercy). It therefore must be interpreted "Voyoreyoo Kol Bney Elokim", meaning that, because of the discovery of the morning light, the symbol of the light of mercy, all "Dinim" (severe judgments) are, as a result, broken up and destroyed.
215) Once upon a time, Rabbi Eliezer took to the road. He met Rabbi Pinchas ben Yoer, who was coming alone on his way on a donkey that was braying.
Rabbi Pinches said that in the happy voice of the donkey, he visualized that a new face will be found here, for a certainty. As soon as he turned around from behind the hill, he saw Rabbi Eliezer approaching.
He then exclaimed: Surely, the good tidings of the happy voice of the donkey has become a reality.
Rabbi Eliezer stepped down from his donkey, kissed Rabbi Pinchas,and said to him: If you feel inclined to join me and stroll along on the same road, let us walk along together.
However, if you are not so inclined, take to the road by yourself and proceed on your way.
Rabbi Pinchas answered Rabbi Eliezer: Surely, I have walked on my way in order to meet you. Therefore, since I found you, I shall follow you, escorting you and we shall thus unite.