ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף תהילים 68:34

Let us now turn to the mystical aspects of Torah, קבלה, revealed in our verses thus far. The words בראשית ברא אלוקים את השמים ואת הארץ contain within them an allusion to the ten sefirot, "emanations." The "Heaven and Earth" referred to here are the celestial counterparts of our terrestrial universe. These are not part of the planetary system. They are referred to in Psalms 68,34 as שמי קדם וארץ החיים, "the ancient heavens." The term ארץ החיים, refers to what is known in Psalms 142,6 , "the land of (eternal) life." The word בראשית, on the other hand, is an allusion to the true wisdom, similar to what the Psalmist describes asיראת ה' ראשית חכמה, "the beginning of true wisdom is reverence for the Lord." The letter ב in בראשית refers to the "second" of the emanations, i.e. חכמה, counting from אין, the highest emanation downwards. You will observe therefore that both the word ראשית and its first letter ב, are testimony to the Supreme wisdom which was at work when the universe was created. Seeing that everything is derived from this wisdom, the letter is written in larger script to alert the reader to this thought. Although this is the second letter in the alphabet it is the first one when it comes to what we can comprehend. [seeing that it is beyond us to comprehend the essence of the One represented by the letter א Ed.] The meaning of the phrase then is: "the wisdom with which the universe was created is known as אין." Anything preceding that act of creation is out of bounds for us to investigate. This is why the emanation above that of חכמה is known as אין, nothing. [In our days this emanation is known as כתר. Ed.]. The reason that the tenth emanation was named אין is based on Psalms 111,10 ,והחכמה מאין תמצא "How could you find the (type) of wisdom which is beyond (physical) existence?" The line in Psalms would have to be understood as an announcement rather than as a question when accepting this interpretation.
At any rate, even this ultimate aspect of wisdom is somehow alluded to in the shape of the protruding bottom of the letter ב. This is what the Kabbalists had in mind when they said: "if they ask the letter ב 'who has created you?' it will point its protrusion in the direction of where the letter א should have preceded it (Bereshit Rabbah 1,14)." This letter is the true כתר, "the crown of the universe."

Seeing his molten image having proved deceitful,
the human repented,
and conceived Seth in his image and likeness.
Seth conceived Enosh;
from them came Enoch who walked before God,
knowing and cognizing Him in truth.
As it says:
“And Enoch walked with God” [Gen. 5:22].
Generations passed until Noah’s arose,
the tenth in count since Adam’s.
He too knew God with a perfect knowledge,
prudence dwelling with Wisdom.
Thus Noah found favor in God’s eyes,
as it is written:
“And Noah found favor” [Gen. 6:8].
Among Noah’s three sons,
Shem was chosen, for he was the first born,
recognizing his Creator,
knowing and cognizing Him in faith.
His descendent Ever grasped hold of God’s path,
upheld its steps,
was chosen from his entire generation
to be singled out for fame and praise.
By means of a knowledge
complete, lucid and pure,
Shem and Ever comprehended the rational commandments
and statutes divine,
setting right the branches on high.
And they charged the multitudes
to walk in God’s paths.
The generations progressed.
The tenth after Noah’s
was distinguished by the man
chosen from the womb since the dawn,
our father Abraham.
He perceived a knowledge of his Creator
transcending his predecessors’,
comprehending God’s reality
in a manner formerly unknown.
He began to call upon God’s name
among all of the nations and kingdoms,
as it is written:
“And there he built an altar to the Lord
and called upon God’s name” [Gen. 12:8].
And it says:
“He planted an oak in Be‘er Sheva
and invoked the name of the Lord, the God of the world” [Gen. 21:33].
Since he took possession of the attribute of divine love,
his son Isaac was chosen from among all of his sons and offspring.
As it is written:
“God said to Abraham:
‘Do not be distressed over the boy or your handmaid;
whatever Sarah tells you, do as she says,
for it is through Isaac that your offspring will be continued’” [Gen. 21:12].
Isaac attained knowledge of his Creator,
he too exhorting his sons to walk in God’s ways,
as it is written:
“he built an altar there and invoked the Lord by name,
pitching there his tent” [Gen. 26:25].
He took divine justice as his portion.
When his son Jacob was born,
the image of the likeness of the blessed Holy One,
engraved on the Throne of Glory,
manifested itself in the world.
For Jacob grasped the attributes of justice and mercy
a path equalized and balanced,
so that his ways were imbued with truth
and the paths of peace.
For fourteen years
he studied in Ever’s school
and from his father Isaac
and his grandfather Abraham,
he received the knowledge of God.
Thus, shekhinah’s glory was revealed to him.
Then the three patriarchs formed a chariot-throne
for Him who rides the ancient highest heavens [Ps. 68:34].
They fulfilled the Teaching and commandment,
serving their Creator by knowing Him;
their worship lacking nothing.
“For Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge:
My commandments, My laws and My teachings” [Gen. 26:5].

"and they shall be for signs" - A great Spanish sage said that the firmament is divided into eight parts, for the seven planets and the sphere of constellations, but this cannot be, for there is no physical body above the sphere of the constellations. Now behold, the text says, "in the firmaments of the heavens", which indicates that there is a heaven beyond the firmament. And likewise, "the heavens of the heavens", "for the one who rides in the heavens of the heavens of yore" kedem - where kedem here does not signify "east". Now the gaon Rav Sa'adia (may the memory of a righteous individual be for blessing), fled from this place [i.e., did not expound this]. What is correct in my eyes: The sun and the moon and all the stars/planets are luminaries in the firmament, for there they appear [to us to be]