קבלה אויף בראשית 1:16

Because we have seen that this saying is the point of focus according the wisdom of the Rashbi and the other commentators, we saw it [fitting] to copy it here, as it is the foundational base for this Gate to be engaged in its explanation, and this is what it says in tractate Chullin [Babylonian Talmud, Chullin] (60b): Rabbi Shimon ben Pazzai points to the contradiction that it is written: “And God made the two great luminaries” [Genesis 1:16], and it is written: “the great luminary… and the small luminary” [Genesis 1:16]. The moon said before the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Master of the world, is it possible for two kings that they would make use of one crown?’ He said to her: ‘Go and diminish yourself.’ She said before Him: ‘Master of the world, since I have said before You a proper matter, I should diminish myself?’. He said to her: ‘Go and rule by day and by night’. She said to Him: ‘What greatness [is there] of a candle at noon, what benefit [has it]?’ He said to her: ‘Go so that [the people of] Israel shall count days and years with you’. She said to Him: ‘[as for] daylight, likewise it is impossible that one does not count the solstices with it, as it is written: “and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years” [Genesis 1:14]’. He said to her: ‘Go so that righteous ones will be called by your name: Jacob the Small, Samuel the Small, David the Small.’ He saw that her mind was not put to ease. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘Let them bring upon Me an atonement for [the fact that] I have diminished the moon, and this is what Resh Lakish said: ‘what is different [about] the goat of New Moon, about which it is said: “for HaShem” [Numbers 28:15]? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘This goat shall be an atonement for [the fact that] I have diminished the moon’’. End of citation.

In this chapter we will see to present two sayings from the Zohar which disagree with each other in their homily and which further disagree with the saying of the Gemara that was given above. The first saying is in Song of Songs from the Zohar (Zohar Chadash 84b) and this is what it says:
“And God created the two large luminaries etc.” [cf. Genesis 1:16, with “created” instead of “made”]. At first there were two lights [weighing each corresponding to the other as the companions have established, and we have established that these two luminaries were in one mystery], joined as one, and they were of one weight so that both were called ‘great’ as we have established. Not that the moon was at first large and superior, but that all the time the moon stands with the sun in one mystery, because of this, she [= the moon] is called in his [= the sun’s] presence ‘great ones’. The tail of a lion is a lion and is called ‘lion’.
The moon said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Is it possible for one king to minister with two crowns as one? But [it should be] this one by itself and that one by itself. He said to her: I see in you that your intent is to be the head of foxes¹This refers to the end of Pirkei Avot 4:15: ‘…And be a tail unto lions, and not a head unto foxes’; go and reduce yourself, because although you will be head of them, you will have a reduction from what you were. And this is what the moon said: “Tell me, [you] whom my soul loves, where will you pasture?” [Song of Songs 1:7]. How then is it possible for you to lead the world with two crowns as one? “how do you cause to rest at noon?” because the moon does not have the competence to give light, and it is not possible for you to lead [the world] with two crowns as one, with the sun and with the moon, as for the moon, what light does it have at noon? Because of this, it is not possible for you to minister with two crowns as one. “For why should I be like one veiled?” How then shall I be wrapping myself at noon, when there is light and force of the sun? I will go and seize this, covering myself in shame before him [= the sun], and I won’t be able to minister before you, and you, how can you lead and minister with two crowns as one? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: Oh, I have understood you, go and diminish yourself, “if you do not know, o fairest among women” [Song of Songs 1:8], as you said before me that it is not possible for me to lead the world with two crowns as one, go and diminish yourself and you will be head of foxes, “go out in the tracks of the cattle”, go out and be the head of all these crowds and small armies below, and pasture them and lead them and be king of all lower ones and lead each one according to what is decided for it, and be ruler in the night. Certainly, go out and diminish yourself, and thus it is fit for you. End of citation.

16. “And God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם made the two great luminaries.”⁴⁴Genesis 1:16