אֲ֭נִי אֶל־אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וַ֝יהוָ֗ה יוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
Ja do Pana wołam, a Bóg dopomoże mi.
Rabbeinu Bahya
We have numerous instances when the petitioner describes himself as addressing a particular attribute and at the same time expects to receive his response from a different attribute. Example: Psalms 55,17 אני אל אלו-הים אקרא וי-ה-ו-ה יושיעני, “I will call out to Elohim, and Hashem will deliver me.”—An example of a different nature which comes to mind is Psalms 6,10 where David had addressed the attribute Hashem asking not to be judged by an attribute G’d employs when He is angry. David acknowledges that Hashem answered him. There are too many examples of man addressing the attribute Hashem directly for us to have to enumerate them.
If you will examine Solomon’s prayer more closely you will observe that he too did not address himself simply to the subordinate attribute Elohim, but that he combined both attributes in his petition addressing himself to י-ה-ו-ה- אלו-הי ישראל, “the Lord G’d of Israel.” He stressed merely that there is none like Him either on earth or in the heavens. Solomon avoided using the attribute אלו-הי ישראל exclusively when appealing to G’d. [The specific verse quoted by the author from Kings I 8,26 has Solomon saying: ועתה אלו-הי ישראל, without referring to the attribute Hashem. The verse prior does indeed begin ועתה ה' אלו-הי ישראל. Ed.] At any rate, we find that sometimes a combination of G’d’s attributes is being addressed, whereas at other times only a single attribute, be it Hashem or Elohim is being addressed
If you will examine Solomon’s prayer more closely you will observe that he too did not address himself simply to the subordinate attribute Elohim, but that he combined both attributes in his petition addressing himself to י-ה-ו-ה- אלו-הי ישראל, “the Lord G’d of Israel.” He stressed merely that there is none like Him either on earth or in the heavens. Solomon avoided using the attribute אלו-הי ישראל exclusively when appealing to G’d. [The specific verse quoted by the author from Kings I 8,26 has Solomon saying: ועתה אלו-הי ישראל, without referring to the attribute Hashem. The verse prior does indeed begin ועתה ה' אלו-הי ישראל. Ed.] At any rate, we find that sometimes a combination of G’d’s attributes is being addressed, whereas at other times only a single attribute, be it Hashem or Elohim is being addressed
Rabbeinu Bahya
אלוקים In this instance this is a reference to “teshuvah” another expression for this particular form of intelligence represented by the emanation בינה. This intelligence was involved in creating the physical universe. This is what we have in mind in our prayers on New Year’s Day when we refer to that day as being the first of G’d’s works. This was the attribute of G’d Avraham addressed when he is reported as praying to אלוקים in Genesis 20,17, ויתפלל אברהם אל האלוקים . The Torah means that he addressed himself to the last letter ה in the word האלוקים . We find that David also addressed that level of intelligence represented by the name אלוקים when he said in Psalms 66,17 אני אל אלוקים אקרא. [This name is identified with the last letter ה in the Ineffable, four-lettered name of G’d. The author discussed the meaning of the first three letters in that name on the previous page. Ed.]
Concerning the level of intelligence referred to as “teshuvah,” it has been said in Proverbs 2,3 that אם לבינה תקרא, “you should call upon this level of intelligence, i.e. address your prayer to that emanation.” [These concepts are explained in Tossephta HaZohar on Bereshit page 34, as well as in the commentary called Levush by Rabbi Mordechay Jaffe on Genesis 2,1.] The reason why “teshuvah” is called בינה is because it belongs to the “upper” five emanations. Both the words אקרא as well as the word תקרא are references to prayer. Onkelos translates the words ויקרא שם אברהם, ”Avraham called there,” as וצלי, “he prayed.”
As to the words את, ואת, which appear as a kind of preface to the words השמים והארץ, respectively, they are meant to allude to the emanations גדולה and גבורהrespectively, which were also active in the creation of the universe. The word השמים describes the emanation תפארת which is equivalent to עדן the most refined region in the physical universe. The two pillars (another simile for some of the emanations) נצח והוד are included in the term השמים. We have to arrive at this conclusion seeing they are not reported anywhere as having been created separately. Also the emanation known as הצדיק [known in more recent kabbalistic writings as the emanation יסוד, Ed.] is included in the term השמים. It is the emanation which is responsible for the continued existence of the universe. On the other hand, one may say that the addition of the letter ו to the word את was intended to include the three last-mentioned emanations.
The word והארץ, is an allusion to the garden in “Eden.” This “garden” was derived from the region we described as עדן. When the Torah wrote והארץ היתה, “and the earth had been, etc.” this is intended to convey that what follows had been a previous existence which was now being transformed into a superior existence. The word ארץ is a description of earth after it had undergone this transformation. The reason the Torah mentioned the previous state of the earth, i.e. היתה, was to tell us whence everything material in our universe originated, i.e. the level of the emanation we had described as חכמה the emanation “wisdom” which preceded every creative process. The word tohu is a reference to the emanation בינה which is like a green line which surrounds the entire universe, whereas the word bohu alludes to something which begins to emerge, i.e. the emanation known as גדולה. The word חשך, on the other hand, refers to the emanation גבורה. Furthermore, the verse contains an allusion to the eventual age of the earth before it will be destroyed. [Some Kabbalists equate this “green line” with what our author had previously referred to as “teshuvah.” Compare Recanati who attributes this to our author here. Rabbi Chavell]
This concept is explained in greater detail in Rosh Hashana 31 where the sages maintain that the universe has a lifetime of six thousand years. The intelligent reader will understand. The reason why the Torah immediately mentioned the chaotic state of the universe prior to the creation of light is to remind us that there had already been a previous universe which had been destroyed.
You will also find an allusion to the name of G’d consisting of forty two letters in the very first word of the Torah. The letter א occurs six times in the very first verse of the Torah. They are an allusion to the six times 1000 years the earth is destined to endure. (The letter א stands also for the number 1000). The word והארץ at the beginning of the second verse is an allusion to the seventh milenium.
Concerning the level of intelligence referred to as “teshuvah,” it has been said in Proverbs 2,3 that אם לבינה תקרא, “you should call upon this level of intelligence, i.e. address your prayer to that emanation.” [These concepts are explained in Tossephta HaZohar on Bereshit page 34, as well as in the commentary called Levush by Rabbi Mordechay Jaffe on Genesis 2,1.] The reason why “teshuvah” is called בינה is because it belongs to the “upper” five emanations. Both the words אקרא as well as the word תקרא are references to prayer. Onkelos translates the words ויקרא שם אברהם, ”Avraham called there,” as וצלי, “he prayed.”
As to the words את, ואת, which appear as a kind of preface to the words השמים והארץ, respectively, they are meant to allude to the emanations גדולה and גבורהrespectively, which were also active in the creation of the universe. The word השמים describes the emanation תפארת which is equivalent to עדן the most refined region in the physical universe. The two pillars (another simile for some of the emanations) נצח והוד are included in the term השמים. We have to arrive at this conclusion seeing they are not reported anywhere as having been created separately. Also the emanation known as הצדיק [known in more recent kabbalistic writings as the emanation יסוד, Ed.] is included in the term השמים. It is the emanation which is responsible for the continued existence of the universe. On the other hand, one may say that the addition of the letter ו to the word את was intended to include the three last-mentioned emanations.
The word והארץ, is an allusion to the garden in “Eden.” This “garden” was derived from the region we described as עדן. When the Torah wrote והארץ היתה, “and the earth had been, etc.” this is intended to convey that what follows had been a previous existence which was now being transformed into a superior existence. The word ארץ is a description of earth after it had undergone this transformation. The reason the Torah mentioned the previous state of the earth, i.e. היתה, was to tell us whence everything material in our universe originated, i.e. the level of the emanation we had described as חכמה the emanation “wisdom” which preceded every creative process. The word tohu is a reference to the emanation בינה which is like a green line which surrounds the entire universe, whereas the word bohu alludes to something which begins to emerge, i.e. the emanation known as גדולה. The word חשך, on the other hand, refers to the emanation גבורה. Furthermore, the verse contains an allusion to the eventual age of the earth before it will be destroyed. [Some Kabbalists equate this “green line” with what our author had previously referred to as “teshuvah.” Compare Recanati who attributes this to our author here. Rabbi Chavell]
This concept is explained in greater detail in Rosh Hashana 31 where the sages maintain that the universe has a lifetime of six thousand years. The intelligent reader will understand. The reason why the Torah immediately mentioned the chaotic state of the universe prior to the creation of light is to remind us that there had already been a previous universe which had been destroyed.
You will also find an allusion to the name of G’d consisting of forty two letters in the very first word of the Torah. The letter א occurs six times in the very first verse of the Torah. They are an allusion to the six times 1000 years the earth is destined to endure. (The letter א stands also for the number 1000). The word והארץ at the beginning of the second verse is an allusion to the seventh milenium.