Génesis 2:8 Cábala: Sha'arei Orah

I now will explain further. The verse states,³³⁴Genesis 2:8 “HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם planted a garden-Gan-גן in Eden-עדן, to the east-MiKedem-מקדם.” The secret of the plantings-Netiyot-נטיעות of the Garden-Gan-גן, is that they are prepared in Eden-עדן, but planted-Netu’ot-נטועות in the Garden-Gan-גן. To further explain, the plantings-Netiyot-נטיעות are planted in the Garden-Gan-גן, and the Garden-Gan-גן is planted in Eden-עדן, this being the secret of true and complete unity (Yichud).³³⁵This was explained in the preceding Gate Nine. Now, from where were the plantings-Netiyot-נטיעות, the Garden-Gan-גן, and Eden-עדן, revealed? The verse continues, “From preexistence-MiKedem-מקדם,” meaning, from the Supernal Crown-Keter Elyon-כתר עליון. Thus, when the verse states, “HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם planted a garden-Gan-גן in Eden-עדן,” from where were they planted? “From Preexistence-MiKedem-מקדם.” All this has thus been explained.

We must now inform you regarding what it states in Torah,²⁴³Genesis 2:8 “HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם planted a garden-Gan-גן in Eden-עדן.” How can this be? For, did we not say that this refers to the matter of the world of the Crown-Keter, which is the matter of the world of the Thought-Machshavah-מחשבה, which no eye has ever seen? If so, why does the verse say that the garden-Gan-גן is planted in Eden-עדן? Moreover, our sages, of blessed memory, revealed the matter in Tractate Brachot, as follows,²⁴⁴Talmud Bavli, Brachot 34b “To what does the verse,²⁴⁵Isaiah 64:3 ‘No eye has seen it’ refer? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, ‘This refers to the wine that has been preserved (Yayin HaMeshumar-יין המשומר) in its grapes since the six days of creation.’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmanee said, ‘This refers to Eden-עדן, which no creature has ever seen.’ Now, if you ask, ‘Where was Adam, the first man?’ He dwelled in the Garden-Gan-גן. And if you say, ‘The garden-Gan-גן and Eden-עדן are one and the same,’ the verse teaches us, ‘A river went out of Eden-עדן to water the garden-Gan-גן.’” Contemplate how much our sages, of blessed memory, revealed in this passage, concluding with, “The Garden-Gan-גן is one thing, and Eden-עדן is another.” This being so, how can we resolve the simple meaning of the verse, given that they did not conclusively explain it in Talmud?

I therefore will hint at the matter. When it states,²⁴⁶Genesis 2:8 “HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם planted a garden-Gan-גן in Eden-עדן,” it means that He planted the roots of the Garden-Gan-גן, which is the secret of the Sefirah of Kingship-Malchut, in Eden-עדן, which is the secret of the beginning of the Thought-Machshavah-מחשבה. These are the secret of “Wisdom at the beginning and Wisdom at the end-Chochmah b’Rosh v’Chochmah baSof-חכמה בראש וחכמה בסוף,”²⁴⁷Also see Zohar I 26b; Zohar III 238a (Ra’aya Mehemna); Tikkunei Zohar 80b and elsewhere. in that it all is a single unity.²⁴⁸That is, the end action is rooted in the thoughts at the beginning, as in the words (of the liturgy of the eve of Shabbat), “The end action arose first in thought,” and (Sefer Yetzirah 1:7), “Their end is bound with the beginning and the beginning is bound with the end.” This is the secret of the planting-Netiyah-נטיעה. How so? The plantings of the final letter Hey-ה of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, go and reach the letter Vav-ו, and from there they spread forth until they reach the first letter Hey-ה, and from there they suckle from the letter Yod-י which is the first letter of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה.