הַֽלְל֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ תַּ֝נִּינִ֗ים וְכָל־תְּהֹמֽוֹת׃
Pujilah Yang Mahakekal dari bumi, hai ikan-ikan besar di laut dan segala samudra raya.
Ramban
AND ‘ELOKIM’ (G-D) SAID. The word Elokim means “the Master of all forces,” for the root of the word is e-il, meaning force, and the word Elokim is a composite consisting of the words e-il heim, as if the word e-il is in a construct state, and heim, [literally] “they,” alludes to all other forces. Thus Elokim means “the Force of all forces.” A secret will yet be disclosed in connection with this.43See Ramban, Exodus 20:3.
If so, the simple correct explanation of the verse is as follows: In the beginning44Ramban thus indicates his opinion that the word bereshith is not in a construct state. This is contrary to Rashi, as explained above. G-d created the heavens means He brought forth their matter from nothing; and the earth means that He brought forth its matter from nothing. And the earth, includes all the four elements,45Fire, wind, water, and earth. [not merely the land] as in the verse, And the heaven and the earth were finished,46Genesis 2:1. which includes the entire lower sphere, and in Praise the Eternal from the earth, ye sea-monsters, and all deeps,47Psalms 148:7. and as in many other verses. Now with this creation, which was like a very small point having no substance, everything in the heavens and on the earth was created. The word eth —[eth hashamayim ve’eth ha’aretz] — is like “the essence of a thing.” The Sages have always set it forth as serving to include,48Pesachim 22b. since it is derived from the expression, The morning ‘atha’ (cometh), and also the night.49Isaiah 21:12. And so did our Rabbis say:50Bereshith Rabbah 1:19. “‘Eth hashamayim (the heavens)’ — eth includes the sun, moon, stars and constellations. ‘Ve’eth ha’aretz (and the earth)’ — ve’eth includes the trees, herbs, and the Garden of Eden.” These include all created things which are corporeal.
Now after having said that with one command G-d created at first the heavens and the earth and all their hosts, Scripture returns and explains that the earth after this creation was tohu, that is, matter without substance. It became bohu when He clothed it with form. Then it [Scripture] explains that in this form was included the form of the four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The word ha’aretz (the earth) includes these four elements. In this verse, the element of fire is called “darkness”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. because the elemental fire is dark. Were it red, it would redden the night for us. The element of water with which the dust was kneaded is here called “deep.”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. This is why the waters of the oceans are called “the deeps,” as it is written, The deeps cover them;52Exodus 15:15. The deeps were congealed;53Ibid., 8. The deep was round about me.54Jonah 2:6. The bottom of the ocean is also referred to as “deep:” And He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up, and He led them through the depths, as a wilderness;55Psalms 106:9. He led them through the deep as a horse in the wilderness.56Isaiah 63:13. And the element air is here called “spirit.”57And the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters.
Now it is already known that the four elements fill up the whole space with matter.58“This sphere in its totality is composed of the celestial orbs, the four elements and their combinations; there is no vacuum whatever therein, but the whole space is filled up with matter.” (Guide of the Perplexed, Friedlander’s translation, I, 72.) That which stands still is the sphere of earth. The waters surround the earth, the air encompasses the waters, and the fire envelopes the air.59From the language of Rambam, ibid. It is to be noted that Ramban follows Yehudah al Charizi’s translation of Rambam’s philosophic work and not that of Shmuel ibn Tibbon. See my Hebrew work, The Life of Ramban, pp. 23-24, on the far-reaching significance of this point. Scripture thus states that the earth took on form, and the fire above enveloped the intermingled waters and dust, and the wind blew and rose in the darkness and hovered over the waters.
It appears to me that this [primeval] point, [which G-d created out of absolute nought], which took on form and became bohu, is what the Sages call:60Yoma 54b. This “foundation rock” is the stone on which the Ark of the Covenant rested in the Holy of Holies in King Solomon’s Temple. “‘The rock of foundation’ from which the world was founded.”
The purport of the verses is thus: In the beginning G-d created the heavens from nought, and He created the earth from nought. The earth, when created, was tohu and then it became bohu, and in these there were “darkness” [i.e., fire, as explained above], water, dust and the wind blowing upon the water. Thus everything was created and made. The reason why ruach (wind) is attached to the name of G-d [as it says, and the spirit of God] is that it is the least substantial of all elements61Although fire is thinner than wind, since the element of fire is alluded to in the verse by the word “darkness,” as explained above, it would not be fitting to attach it to the name of G—d. (Bachya). and is above them, hovering upon the face of the waters only by command of the Holy One, blessed be He.
In case you seek information concerning the creation of the incorporeal angels, you will not find it explained in the Torah. The Sages, however, have explained concerning them that they were created on the second day, so that you should not say that they assisted in the creation of the world.62Bereshith Rabbah 3:11. But if you will merit and understand the secret of the word bereshith and why Scripture does not begin by saying, “G-d created in the beginning,” you will know that, in the way of truth,63A reference to the true wisdom of the Cabala which enables one to grasp the mysteries of the Torah. Scripture tells about the lower creations and alludes to the higher ones and that the word bereshith refers covertly to the Emanation called Wisdom, which is the head of all beginnings, as I have mentioned. This is why they translated bereshith in the Jerusalem Targum to mean “in wisdom,” and the word is adorned in the Torah with a crown on the letter beth.64The adornment on the top of the letter beth hints at the Kether (Crown) above, from which all emanations issue. It is also referred to as Ein Sof (the Infinite). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 15.
If so, the simple correct explanation of the verse is as follows: In the beginning44Ramban thus indicates his opinion that the word bereshith is not in a construct state. This is contrary to Rashi, as explained above. G-d created the heavens means He brought forth their matter from nothing; and the earth means that He brought forth its matter from nothing. And the earth, includes all the four elements,45Fire, wind, water, and earth. [not merely the land] as in the verse, And the heaven and the earth were finished,46Genesis 2:1. which includes the entire lower sphere, and in Praise the Eternal from the earth, ye sea-monsters, and all deeps,47Psalms 148:7. and as in many other verses. Now with this creation, which was like a very small point having no substance, everything in the heavens and on the earth was created. The word eth —[eth hashamayim ve’eth ha’aretz] — is like “the essence of a thing.” The Sages have always set it forth as serving to include,48Pesachim 22b. since it is derived from the expression, The morning ‘atha’ (cometh), and also the night.49Isaiah 21:12. And so did our Rabbis say:50Bereshith Rabbah 1:19. “‘Eth hashamayim (the heavens)’ — eth includes the sun, moon, stars and constellations. ‘Ve’eth ha’aretz (and the earth)’ — ve’eth includes the trees, herbs, and the Garden of Eden.” These include all created things which are corporeal.
Now after having said that with one command G-d created at first the heavens and the earth and all their hosts, Scripture returns and explains that the earth after this creation was tohu, that is, matter without substance. It became bohu when He clothed it with form. Then it [Scripture] explains that in this form was included the form of the four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The word ha’aretz (the earth) includes these four elements. In this verse, the element of fire is called “darkness”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. because the elemental fire is dark. Were it red, it would redden the night for us. The element of water with which the dust was kneaded is here called “deep.”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. This is why the waters of the oceans are called “the deeps,” as it is written, The deeps cover them;52Exodus 15:15. The deeps were congealed;53Ibid., 8. The deep was round about me.54Jonah 2:6. The bottom of the ocean is also referred to as “deep:” And He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up, and He led them through the depths, as a wilderness;55Psalms 106:9. He led them through the deep as a horse in the wilderness.56Isaiah 63:13. And the element air is here called “spirit.”57And the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters.
Now it is already known that the four elements fill up the whole space with matter.58“This sphere in its totality is composed of the celestial orbs, the four elements and their combinations; there is no vacuum whatever therein, but the whole space is filled up with matter.” (Guide of the Perplexed, Friedlander’s translation, I, 72.) That which stands still is the sphere of earth. The waters surround the earth, the air encompasses the waters, and the fire envelopes the air.59From the language of Rambam, ibid. It is to be noted that Ramban follows Yehudah al Charizi’s translation of Rambam’s philosophic work and not that of Shmuel ibn Tibbon. See my Hebrew work, The Life of Ramban, pp. 23-24, on the far-reaching significance of this point. Scripture thus states that the earth took on form, and the fire above enveloped the intermingled waters and dust, and the wind blew and rose in the darkness and hovered over the waters.
It appears to me that this [primeval] point, [which G-d created out of absolute nought], which took on form and became bohu, is what the Sages call:60Yoma 54b. This “foundation rock” is the stone on which the Ark of the Covenant rested in the Holy of Holies in King Solomon’s Temple. “‘The rock of foundation’ from which the world was founded.”
The purport of the verses is thus: In the beginning G-d created the heavens from nought, and He created the earth from nought. The earth, when created, was tohu and then it became bohu, and in these there were “darkness” [i.e., fire, as explained above], water, dust and the wind blowing upon the water. Thus everything was created and made. The reason why ruach (wind) is attached to the name of G-d [as it says, and the spirit of God] is that it is the least substantial of all elements61Although fire is thinner than wind, since the element of fire is alluded to in the verse by the word “darkness,” as explained above, it would not be fitting to attach it to the name of G—d. (Bachya). and is above them, hovering upon the face of the waters only by command of the Holy One, blessed be He.
In case you seek information concerning the creation of the incorporeal angels, you will not find it explained in the Torah. The Sages, however, have explained concerning them that they were created on the second day, so that you should not say that they assisted in the creation of the world.62Bereshith Rabbah 3:11. But if you will merit and understand the secret of the word bereshith and why Scripture does not begin by saying, “G-d created in the beginning,” you will know that, in the way of truth,63A reference to the true wisdom of the Cabala which enables one to grasp the mysteries of the Torah. Scripture tells about the lower creations and alludes to the higher ones and that the word bereshith refers covertly to the Emanation called Wisdom, which is the head of all beginnings, as I have mentioned. This is why they translated bereshith in the Jerusalem Targum to mean “in wisdom,” and the word is adorned in the Torah with a crown on the letter beth.64The adornment on the top of the letter beth hints at the Kether (Crown) above, from which all emanations issue. It is also referred to as Ein Sof (the Infinite). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 15.
Ramban
THEN WILL I GIVE YOUR RAINS IN THEIR SEASON. He mentioned the matter of rains first [of all the blessings] because if they come in their proper season, the air is pure and good and the springs and rivers are good [clear], and thus it [the rain] is a [prime] cause of physical health, and all produce will increase and be blessed by it, just as He said, and the Land shall yield her produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.1In Verse 4 before us. Thus because of this [pure state of the environment] people do not become sick, and none shall miscarry, nor be barren,2Exodus 23:26. even among their cattle,3See Deuteronomy 7:14. and they will live out [the full extent of] their days.4See II Samuel 7:12. For when the material frame [of human beings] is large and healthy, they can continue [in health] as in the days of Adam.5Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years (Genesis 5:5). See Ramban ibid., on Verse 4, (Vol. I pp. 98-99). Thus this [blessing — the rains in their seasons] is the greatest of all blessings [and therefore it is given first place].
Now He said that the heavens will respond to the earth6See Hosea 2:23. with rains in their seasons, and the earth shall respond7See ibid., Verse 24. with its “produce”, which includes vegetation and all moving creatures — cattle, beasts, creeping things and fowl, as well as fish — for the term ha’aretz [“the earth” or “the land,” in and ‘the land’ shall yield her produce] includes the whole of the lower sphere [i.e., everything under the sphere of the moon], just as [in the verses]: In the beginning G-d created the heaven and ‘ha’aretz’ (the earth);8Genesis 1:1. See Ramban ibid., Verse 3 (Vol. I, p. 25) where he discusses this topic fully, and mentions also the verses cited in the following text. And the heaven and ‘ha’aretz’ (the earth) were finished;9Ibid., 2:1. and similarly, Praise the Eternal from ‘ha’aretz’ (the earth), ye sea-monsters and all deeps,10Psalms 148:7. and so also in most verses in Scripture [where this word occurs]. Thus all things created in the lower spheres are “the produce of the earth.”
Now He said that the heavens will respond to the earth6See Hosea 2:23. with rains in their seasons, and the earth shall respond7See ibid., Verse 24. with its “produce”, which includes vegetation and all moving creatures — cattle, beasts, creeping things and fowl, as well as fish — for the term ha’aretz [“the earth” or “the land,” in and ‘the land’ shall yield her produce] includes the whole of the lower sphere [i.e., everything under the sphere of the moon], just as [in the verses]: In the beginning G-d created the heaven and ‘ha’aretz’ (the earth);8Genesis 1:1. See Ramban ibid., Verse 3 (Vol. I, p. 25) where he discusses this topic fully, and mentions also the verses cited in the following text. And the heaven and ‘ha’aretz’ (the earth) were finished;9Ibid., 2:1. and similarly, Praise the Eternal from ‘ha’aretz’ (the earth), ye sea-monsters and all deeps,10Psalms 148:7. and so also in most verses in Scripture [where this word occurs]. Thus all things created in the lower spheres are “the produce of the earth.”