Комментарий о цитате к Йехезкэля 31:4

וחשך על פני תהום, “darkness prevailed over the deep.” The word תהום refers to a place in which there is an abundance of water extending to a great depth. The atmosphere above the waters was dark, seeing the light from the celestial sources was not able to penetrate this atmosphere and to provide light for it. This “atmosphere” had not yet been equipped with the ability to absorb and diffuse such light. In any area where there is no light there is absolute darkness. If there was darkness prevailing above the deep waters, it is clear that the deep waters were completely shrouded in darkness. The reason that G’d did not create earth in its completed state as He had done with the heaven, is to show the intelligent people on earth that earth had not always existed but had been created by G’d. Most people are intelligent enough to believe this, i.e. that He Who had created the laws of nature also had created the universe itself. It follows that He Who created it all, also has the power to change any of it at will. The appearance of light in the celestial regions, creation of the sky itself, the dry land becoming visible, are all phenomena which were not in evidence at the beginning of the creation. The people who do not believe in the universe having been created are a small minority [in the author’s time, late 12th and early 13th century. Ed.] The very appearance of the dry land on the globe is a powerful argument against their belief, something they cannot defend with sound arguments. If everything in this universe were to proceed according to “natural law,” i.e. without a Creator having set firm limits to the manner in which the oceans can flood the earth, there would hardly be a place on earth which would not be submerged in water. After all, earth has had a higher specific gravity assigned to it by the Creator than water, as a result of which it ought to sink below the water. Seeing, however that it is both cold and dry, it remains cohesive, particles sticking to one another, so that it can maintain its position without moving from its location. Job already refers to this phenomenon in Job 38,38 “whereupon the earth melts into a mass, and its clods stick together.” At this point the author comments on statements in the second chapter of the ספר יצירה the most ancient kabbalistic text, in which three basic phenomena of our earth, i.e. שלוש אמת, “three mothers,” are described, the word being an acronym of the words אש, מים, שלום, fire, water, peace. Fire and water are considered as irreconcilable opposites, so that they can coexist only through the good offices of שלום, a peacemaker, the latter being “air.” It is considered as such as it shares some attribute with water and another with fire. The author’s basic point is that without some Divine intervention fire and water could not coexist in the physical universe. G’d had to intervene in a similar manner to ensure that the waters would not flood the earth completely. This is meant by the author of the ספר יצירה describing air, רוח, as a sort of “wall” restraining the natural impulse of water to flood the earth. [I have paraphrased the author’s words in this paragraph. Ed.]

תהום רבה, the noun תהום here is used as a feminine noun, as it is also in Ezekiel 31,4. However, the same noun also occurs in the masculine mode in Psalms 42,8.

shall faint Heb. תִּתְעַלַּפְנָה. Their spirit shall fly out. Cf. (Jonah 4:8) “And he fainted (וַיִּתְעַלָּף).” And so, (Ezekiel 31:15) “The trees of the field fainted (עֻלְפֶּה) for him.” And so in the language of the Mishnah (Chullin 3b): “He may faint (נִתְעַלְּפָה),” pasmer, (pamer) in French. [from Dunash p.84]

I withdrew its rivers which were flowing around its planting.