Кохелет 1:7 Каббала: Zohar & Sha'arei Orah

THESE ARE THE ACCOUNTS OF THE TABERNACLE, EVEN THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY, AS THEY WERE RENDERED ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT OF MOSES, ETC. R. Hiya, in this connection, quoted the verse: “All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full” (Eccles. 1, 7). ‘Esoterically speaking’, he said, ‘all the rivers here allude to the sacred brooks and springs which, when filled, pour forth to supply the great ocean. This in turn, when so filled, flows over and affords drink to all the “beasts of the field”.

Know, that this glorious and awesome Name, HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, is expressed in Torah in respect to many matters and with various usages. Know that throughout Torah, it most often is found alone, such as in verses that state, “HaShem-יהו״ה said,” or “HaShem-יהו״ה spoke,” and elsewhere. However, we sometimes find the Name HaShem-יהו"ה connected to one of His other holy names. For example, after the act of creation (Ma’aseh Bereishit) concludes, the verse states,¹Genesis 2:4 “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, on the day that HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם made earth and heaven.” However, throughout the act of creation (Ma’aseh Bereishit) itself,²Genesis 1 we only find His name God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם on its own. However, in the following portion, when Torah begins speaking of creation perfected, as in, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created,” it then begins mentioning HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם. We therefore must inform you of the reason.

Now, as has been mentioned, there also is the title God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם as the matter of might-Gevurah and judgment-Din, as our sages, of blessed memory, stated,⁵See Midrash Bereishit Rabba 12:15 “At first He began creating His world with the quality of judgment-Din, as it says,⁶Genesis 1:1 ‘In the beginning God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם created.’ Seeing that it could not endure, He added the quality of mercy-Rachamim, as it says,⁷Genesis 2:4 ‘on the day that HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם made earth and heaven.’” All this is true, well established, and correct. However, come and see wondrously great matters. The verse states,⁸Isaiah 40:26 “Raise your eyes on high and see Who-Mee-מי created these-Eileh-אלה.” Certainly, that which is called Who-Mee-מי created These-Eileh-אלה. This refers to the mystery of “day one-Yom Echad-יום אחד,”⁹Genesis 1:5 which is the matter of understanding-Binah. From it, until the day of Shabbat, there were six days in which the heavens and the earth and all therein were made. Now, in truth, the word Who-Mee-מי is above,¹⁰The Sefirah of understanding-Binah. and the word Sea-Yam-ים is below.¹¹The Sefirah of kingship-Malchut. Now, Who-Mee-מי created, this being the beginning of the manifestation of the name God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם within the secret of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה. That is, in its written form this quality is the name HaShem-יהו״ה, but in the secret of HaShem-יהו"ה it is vowelized and pronounced as God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם .¹²That is, the title Lord-Adonay-אדנ״י refers to the Sefirah of kingship-Malchut, which is below. In Torah, when the Name HaShem-יהו״ה is juxtaposed to the title Lord-Adonay-אדנ״י and follows it, such as (Deut. 3:24), “Lord HaShem-אדנ״י יהו״ה,” the Name HaShem-יהו"ה is pronounced Elohi”m-אלהי״ם,” in reference to the Sefirah of understanding-Binah. Thus, the name God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם is hidden in the vowelization of the written Name HaShem-יהו״ה. These two names HaShem-יהו״ה and God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם are thus found as one. Both are the mystery of Who-Mee-מי-50, as hinted in the verse,¹³Ecclesiastes 1:7 “All-Kol-כל-50 rivers flow into the sea-Yam-ים-50.” From this quality called Who-Mi-מי, which is the matter of the manifestation of God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם within the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, the quality of might-Gevurah inherited judgment-Din and fear-Pachad. This quality of might-Gevurah is the actual name God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם.¹⁴That is, both in its written form and in its pronunciation the quality of might-Gevurah-גבורה is called Elohi”m-אלהי״ם. With these two, the quality called Lord-Adona”y-אדנ״י inherited the title God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם and donned its garments, and the world was then created through the matter of HaShem Lord-HaShem Adona”y-יהו״ה אדנ״י (pronounced Elohi”m Adona”y-אלהי"ם אדנ"י).