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R. Judah discoursed here on the text: "The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth his voice; hailstones and coals of fire" (Ps. XVIII, 14).
When God, he said, created the world, He constructed for it seven pillars by which it was to be upheld. So scripture says: "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars" (Prov. IX, 1). These in turn are upheld by one grade from among them called "the Righteous One, the everlasting foundation" (Ibid. X, 25). [1]
Further, when the world was created, it was started from that spot which is the culmination and perfection of the world, the central point of the universe, which is identical with Zion, as it is written: "A psalm of Asaph. God, God the Lord hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth" (ps. I, 2). That is to say, God started the earth from Zion, from that spot where faith culminates in its full perfection. Zion is thus the citadel and central point of the universe, from which it began to be fashioned and from which the whole world is nourished. [2]
This lesson is esoterically indicated in our text. For Zion and Jerusalem, while one, represent two degrees, the one being the channel of judgement, the other of mercy; first there issues from one the sound of mercy, and afterwards there comes forth from the other the voice of judgement, the two forming the source from which the paths of judgement and mercy issue and diverge. Hence, the expression "And the Lord also thundered in the heavens" indicates judgement, while "the Most High gave forth his voice" refers to mercy, and "hailstones and coals of fire" signify water and fire, that is, mercy and judgement commingled. [3]
[Soncino Zohar, Vayesheb, 186a, Vol. II, pg. 210.]
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My notes...
[1] The word "house" refers to the first Hebrew Double letter Bayt (B) (meaning literally 'house'). It is a reference to the sefirah Da'at which stands upon the seven pillars.
The word "Wisdom" (in the quote) is a reference to the sefirah Hockmah. The three highest sefirot are associated with the three Hebrew Mother letters. Hockmah is associated with the Mother letter 'Maym'. The Mother letter Maym rules over the seven Hebrew Double letters. Here is the key...
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Mother Letter
/Sefirah..........Rules Over Letters/Sefirot
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Alef/Keter........3 Mothers (3 highest sefirot)
Maym/Hockmah......7 Doubles (7 lower sefirot)
Shin/Binah........12 Simples (10th sefirah)
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This is one reason why the Zohar states that the Creation begins from Hockmah--i.e. because the seven Double letters bring it (i.e. the Creation) forth. The path of Bayt extends between Hockmah and Binah, and condenses to form the sefirah Da'at.
The seven pillars are the seven lower sefirot (and also the seven Hebrew Double letters). The letter Bayt represents their beginning point as represented by the sefirah Da'at on the Tree of Life diagram. The "grade" that upholds them, "the Righteous One, the everlasting foundation", is the sefirah Yesod. Yesod is the lower 'foundation' of the universe, the sefirah Da'at is the higher 'foundation' (and centre point) of the universe.
[2] Here the name Zion is associated with the sefirah Da'at. Da'at (Zion) is the "perfection of beauty", or in other words, Da'at represents the perfection of the sefirah Tifaret (meaning literally 'beauty'). The word "faith" is a reference to the divine 'covenant' which is (according to the Zohar) a covenant of faith. The 'perfection of faith' is thus experienced in Da'at. This is the perfection that was achieved by Jacob (representing Tifaret). He is said (in the Zohar) to have achieved 'perfection' by uniting the Left with the Right, Judgement with Mercy, Geburah and Hesed. Da'at is the central point from which the universe began to be fashioned. Da'at is Bayt, the first Double letter, the first letter of the word 'berashit' (meaning 'in the beginning').
[3] Mercy (Water) and Judgement (Fire) issue from Da'at towards the two lower sefirot Hesed and Geburah. (This is explained in my book: Formation of the Tree of Life.)
Blessings,
Patrick.
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