Kabbalah Pengkhotbah 7:24: Sefer Yetzirah & Sha'arei Orah

Ten SEFIROT BELIMAH—Their measure is ten; they have no edge. Depth¹⁵עוֹמֶק ʽomeq ‘depth’ here is based on the metaphor of עֲמֻקָּה ʽamuqqah ‘deepness’ as a symbol of divine mystery, as found in Biblical poetry, ex. [Job 11:8], [Psalms 64:7], [Ecclesiastes 7:24]. It could perhaps be understood in the SY as meaning 'dimension', 'mystery', or 'mystical dimension'. of Beginning, Depth of End; Depth of Good, Depth of Evil; Depth of Above, Depth of Below; Depth of East, Depth of West; Depth of North, Depth of South. The Unique Lord EL, the faithful king, governs them all from His Holy Abode,¹⁶Probably being the Holy of Holies of the Temple; see also SY 4:3. forever and ever and ever.

After having informed you of this, we now must begin explaining the letters of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, according to the intention of this book, with the help of HaShem-יהו״ה. The mystery of The First Letter-Ot HaRishonah-אות הראשונה, is the letter Yod-י of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה. This letter is the conceptual form of the essential point, that created beings are incapable of contemplating, since it is hidden from the eyes of all living beings. Therefore man is not permitted to contemplate it, but solely to have faith in it as a self-evident axiom, even though he will never understand or grasp what it is, or its essential truth. Thus, the mystery of the letter Yod-י of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה is called “the wonders of wisdom-Pley’ot Chochmah-פליאות חכמה.”⁸⁰Sefer Yetzirah 1:1 About this, our sages said,⁸¹Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 13a “Do not seek that which is wondrously beyond you-Mufla Mimcha-מופלא ממך, and do not investigate that which is concealed from you.” It also is called “The Hidden Recesses of Wisdom-Ta’alumot Chochmah-תעלומות חכמה.”⁸²Job 11:6 About this, the verse states,⁸³Job 28:12 “Wisdom-Chochmah-חכמה is found from nothing-Ayin-אין.” For, its actual name is wisdom-Chochmah-חכמה, and about it the verse states,⁸⁴Job 28:21 “It is hidden from the eyes of all the living,” and from this concealment the world was created.⁸⁵That is, wisdom-Chochmah-חכמה is called “The beginning-Reishit-ראשית,” and thus, the first word of the Torah, “Bereishit-בראשית” can be translated as “With wisdom-b’Chochmah-בחכמה.” See Targum Yerushalmi to Genesis 1:1, and Ramban commentary there. This letter Yod-י is called “Desire-Ratzon-רצון without limitation,” and it also is called “Thought-Machshavah-מחשבה.” About it the verse states,⁸⁶Psalms 92:6 “How exceedingly profound are Your thoughts-Machshevotecha-מחשבותיך,” and,⁸⁷Ecclesiastes 7:24 “It is very very deep-Amok Amok-עמוק עמוק, who can fathom it?” Know and understand that the mystery of the letter Yod-י of the Singular Name HaShem-יהו״ה hints at the second Sefirah, called wisdom-Chochmah. However, the crown-Keter is only hinted in the thorn of the Yod-Kutzo Shel Yod-קוצו של יוד, in that the thorn indicates the crown-Keter and the mystery called “The Unlimited One-Ein Sof-אין סוף.”

This Sefirah is called Depth-Omek-עומק, meaning, depth of thought (Omek HaMachshavah). However, do not err to think that since we call it “depth-Omek-עומק,” we mean something that is below. Rather, here, what is meant by the word “depth-Omek-עומק” is something that is wondrously beyond grasp, as in the verse,¹⁵²Ecclesiastes 7:24 “That which was is elusive, and that which is deep deep-Amok Amok-עמוק עמוק, who can fathom it?” This is the secret of the verse,¹⁵³Psalms 130:1 “From the depths-Mima’amakim-ממעמקים I called You HaShem-יהו״ה,” meaning, from the depths of thought (Machshavah) which is Desire-Ratzon-רצון without end or limit-Ein Sof v’Gvul-אין סוף וגבול. In this same manner, understand what Sefer Yetzirah states,¹⁵⁴Sefer Yetzirah 1:4 “A depth above-Omek Rom-עומק רום), a depth below-Omek Tachat-עומק תחת.” That is, it reveals to us that the word “depth-Omek-עומק” refers to that which is endless and unlimited. That is, it does not only refer to that which is low, but whatever is very lofty is also called “deep-Amok-עמוק.” It therefore is a term that assists in elevating HaShem-יהו"ה, blessed is He, meaning that He is above to no end or measure, because of His transcendent loftiness. Similarly, when this term is used in reference to what is below, it is meant to intensify the matter, indicating that it descends very far below. To conclude, wherever in Torah you find the term “depth-Omek-עומק,” it comes to intensify the matter or word to which it is juxtaposed, whether above, below, or to the sides. Sefer Yetzirah thus states,¹⁵⁵Sefer Yetzirah 1:4 “A depth above-Omek Rom-עומק רום, a depth below-Omek Tachat-עומק תחת, A depth to the east-Omek Mizrach-עומק מזרח, a depth to the west-Omek Ma’arav-עומק מערב.”