Isaías 9:1 Cabalá: Ohr Ne'erav & Sha'arei Orah

This is God’s camp (Gen. 32:3).²This preface, which is a pastiche of citations from the Bible and rabbinic literature, is exceedingly difficult to translate lucidly. The generation of those who seek Him (Ps. 24:6) will rejoice in His deeds (Ps. 149:2) like a dance of two companies (Song of Songs 7:1). Our eyes have seen and were astonished [at these teachings] arising out of the earth (I Sam. 28:13) to plant the heavens (Isa. 51:16). Like the coming out of the sun at noontime, a bright light is upon them (Isa. 9:1). The opening of their words gives light (Ps. 119:130) and shines on a divine vision to those who are sanctified in the treasure-house of the secrets of Torah which is arrayed and guarded from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of leopards (Song 4:8) [and] overlaid with sapphires (Song 5:14).

The general matter is included in the Act of the Chariot (Ma’aseh Merkavah) of Yechezkel,³¹Ezekiel 1:4 “I saw and behold! There was a stormy wind coming from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire, and a brilliance (Nogah) surrounding Him,³²That is, this verse (the stormy wind, the great cloud, and the flashing fire) refers to the three completely impure husks of evil (Shalosh Kelipot), and the fourth surrounding husk of brilliance-Nogah, which cause separation between the Jewish people and their Heavenly father, as discussed before. and from its midst, there was like the appearance of the eye of the Chashmal from the midst of the fire,” and,³³Psalms 18:12 “He made darkness His concealment, His shelter around Him – the darkness of water, the clouds of heaven. From out of the brilliance (Nogah) that is before Him, His clouds passed over, with hail and fiery coals,” and,³⁴Habakkuk 3:4 “A brilliance (Nogah) that was like the light of day; rays of light came from His hand to Israel; and there His hidden strength was revealed,” and,³⁵Ecclesiastes 2:13 “And I perceived that wisdom excels folly, as light excels darkness,”³⁶See Zohar III (Tazriya) 47b and,³⁷Isaiah 9:1 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light,” and,³⁸Micah 7:8 “Though I sit in darkness, HaShem-יהו״ה is light for me,” and,³⁹Isaiah 60:2 “For, behold, darkness may cover the earth and a thick cloud [may cover] the kingdoms, but upon you HaShem-יהו״ה will shine.”