Kabbalah for Genesis 1:11

Explanation for the Tikkun of Fruit¹The first ever published seder for Tu biShvat — Pri Ets Hadar (The Fruit of the Majestic Tree) — can be found in a kabbalistic text, first published as a pamphlet in Venice in 1728. (See Friedberg, Beyt ‘Eqed Sefarim, vol. 3, p.851, no.777.) Written by an unknown author, Pri Ets Hadar was included in the Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim by R’ Yisrael Yakov Ben Yom Tov Algazi (1680-1756) (the Rosh Yeshiva of Beit El in Yerushalayim, a friend of the Ḥida, and father of the Maharit Algazi). One of the great mekubalim of his time, R’ Algazi’s name added greatly to the credibility of Ḥemdat Yamim despite its attribution by Rabbi Yaakov Emden to Natan Binyamin Ghazzati (1643-1680) the 17th century mystic who greatly encouraged the aspiring messiah, Shabbtai Tzvi. Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim remains a major source of kabbalistic minhagim (customs) still practiced by followers of the Ari z”l’s school of Jewish mysticism in Jewish communities all over the world.
Although the 15th of Shevat occurs during the “days of the Shovavim,”²The six weeks during which the first six portions of the book of Exodus are read are considered a period of repentance. This is suggested by the fact that the first letter of the Hebrew name for each of these six portions spells shovavim, “wayward,” which alludes to the verse, “Return wayward children.” (Jer. 3:14). it is not a fast day, since it is the New Year’s Day for the fruit of the tree. Through the tikkun that is performed on this day with fruit, the sefirah,”Tsaddik, Life of the Worlds,” is aroused.³According to Zoharic Kabbalah, earthly arts that are performed with theurgic intention may positively affect the ten inner aspects of the Godhead called sefirot. In this case, the religious acts concerning fruit that are performed on the 15th of Shevat are said to effect the ninth sefirah, Yesod, or “foundation.” The sefirah represents the male generative principle within the divine world called Tsaddik, or “righteous one.” The sefirah is often anthropomorphically represented as a phallus. This mystery is mentioned in the Zohar, Bereshit,⁴Zohar. v. 1. 33a. Also see Zohar v.3. p.87a. The meaning is that the production of fruit depends on the union of both male and female elements. Although the female tree bears the fruit, it depends on the male for fertilization. “on the third day, the earth made fruit from the potency of that [supernal] Tsaddik. As it is written, ‘And God said, let the earth bring forth… fruit trees that produce fruit…‘⁵Gen 1:11 ‘Fruit trees‘ refers to ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil‘ that bears fruit.⁶I.e., the tenth sefirah, Malkhut, which is female. ‘That produce fruit‘ alludes to Tsaddik, the foundation of the world….”⁷I.e., the ninth sefirah, Yesod, the male.

“The fruit yielded a harvest,”⁵⁹Paraphrase of Ps. 107:37. every “fruit tree producing fruit according to its kind.“⁶⁰Gen. 1:11.

“Its fruit is food and its leaves a source of healing.“⁶⁴Ezek. 47:12. So on this day, the beginning of Your deeds concerning [the trees’] budding and renewal, “a person will earn with its fruit…,”⁶⁵Song of Songs 8:11. “producing fruit after its kind.“⁶⁶Gen. 1:11. For so the days of budding will be full for the fruit of the supernal tree, “the tree of life which is in the midst of the garden“⁶⁷Gen. 2:9. and it makes fruit above.

And some times the name Adona"y is called by the nickname Sea, and the reason is that all the Pools and the Flow and the Emanation to it, as a resemblance of waterways, and this is the secret of "all the waterways go to the sea" (Ecclesiastes 1:7). And the expression "sea" is the land that holds all water, as they said: "and as the water covers the sea" (Isaiah 11:9), and it says "and to the gathering of water He called seas" (Genesis 1:11) - behold, the container of water is called sea. And through this sea several angels and encampments were created, and several different species that swarm the water in it, and all are high chariots and high encampments, and regarding this there is a hint: "There is the sea, vast and wide, with its creatures beyond number, living things, small and great (Psalms 104:25)". And inside this sea there are several boats and several sailors, and several flags are unfurled on the head of the officer of the boats, and several types of waves and several types of tumult revolve in it, and regarding this it is said: "there boats go" (Psalms 104:26). And at the edge of that Sea there is a place called Sea of Reeds, and it is close to the border of the land known in the aspect of Adona"y, and from that place judgement (din) came down on Egypt and they drowned in the Sea of Reeds of below, and this is the secret of "because Y"Y will fight for you against Egypt" (Shemot 14:25). And the sages of Inwardness connect sometimes with this asoect called Adonay Yam HaChochma [Ad-nay Sea of Wisdom] because all types of wisdom and emanation that continue from the Higher Wisdom fall into it, and from it all the wise at heart draw wisdom. And this aspect was given by Y"Y Blessed to Solomon, and this is "and Y"Y gave wisdom to Shlomo" (I Kings 5:26). And when he entered in the Sea of Wisdom he had strength to know and understand all the orders of the arrays of wood, both high and low, and nothing was concealed from him. And with the strength of the name Adona"y he sat on the throne of Y"Y, and reigned over the higher ones and lower ones, since the wisdom of Elohim was inside him to do justice (I Kings 3:28).

In the Tikkunei Zohar it says (43rd Correction): “5. WE SHOULD further EXPLAIN. A fruit tree is the Central Column, TIFERET; yielding fruit is the Righteous, YESOD, “whose seed was in itself” (Genesis 1:11); “upon the earth” is the Shechinah, MALCHUT, in which all seeds are included. ZEIR ANPIN PRODUCES SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS VIA YESOD THAT TRANSMITS THE SOULS TO MALCHUT, WHO IS IMPREGNATED THROUGH RECEIVING THE PLENTY OF ALL THE TEN SFIROT THAT IS DRAWN TO HER VIA YESOD, TO BEAR NEFESH, RUACH AND NESHAMAH FROM ALL THE LEVELS. And here IS ALLUDED TO the precept of being fruitful and multiplying, WHICH IS to produce fruit and seeds, THAT IS, TO BEGET RIGHTEOUS CHILDREN. This is the meaning of, “He did not create it a waste land, He formed it to be inhabited” (Yeshayah 45:18). Whoever neglects multiplying and being fruitful IS CONSIDERED as if he returned that earth, THAT IS, MALCHUT, CALLED EARTH WHEN IT RECEIVES ABUNDANCE, TO THE LEVEL OF dry land, FOR SHE IS DRY FROM LIGHT, and withholds blessings from it. HE EXPLAINS THAT each one FLAWS according to his own level, FOR whoever flaws below, flaws above, in the place where his soul was hewn FROM. IF THE ROOT OF HIS SOUL IS FROM A HIGH PLACE AND HE CREATES A FLAW THERE, HIS PUNISHMENT IS GREAT. THEREFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, IS STRICT WITH HIS PIOUS ONES, BECAUSE THE ROOT OF THEIR SOULS IS HIGH IN HEAVENS, AND HIS PUNISHMENT IS GREATER THAN OF A MAN OF A LOW LEVEL.” If he already damaged and cannot correct himself at the proper time, then if the Creator will give him the merit of bearing a son he should make an effort to marry him off to a woman before he comes to sin. And in this generation one should distance his son and protect him from anything that can lead him to a negative thought before he marries a woman.

And nevertheless, the more accepted thing for the correction of the relations of Talmidei Chachamim is from Shabbat to Shabbat. Similarly it says in the Tikkunei Zohar (Sixth Correction): 10. “In any tree” (Devarim 22.6) refers to the Tree of Life, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, FROM THE CHEST AND UP. About it is said, “She is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her” (Mishlei 3:18). And about it, ZEIR ANPIN, CALLED MAN, IS SAID, “For is the tree of the field a man” (Devarim 20:19). “in any tree” could also BE EXPLAINED AS referring to the Righteous, MEANING YESOD, FROM THE CHEST AND BELOW, of which is said, “And fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind” (Beresheet 1:11). This is the Shabbat day, when the mating of the Shechinah with the Holy One, blessed be He, takes place, then she has rest. 11. And about it YESOD, THE RIGHTEOUS, is said, “And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season” (Tehilim 1:3). This is the righteous people’s time to perform marital duty, the night of Shabbat. Since from the Righteous, THAT IS YESOD, CALLED THE SIXTH DAY, new souls bloom in Yisrael on the eve of the Shabbat, referred to as ‘new faces.’