(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יְהִ֥י רָקִ֖יעַ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַמָּ֑יִם וִיהִ֣י מַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין מַ֖יִם לָמָֽיִם׃ (ז) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־הָרָקִ֒יעַ֒ וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל בֵּ֤ין הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לָרָקִ֔יעַ וּבֵ֣ין הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעַ֣ל לָרָקִ֑יעַ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃ (ח) וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שֵׁנִֽי׃ {פ}
(3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. (5) God called the light Day and called the darkness Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day. (6) God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, that it may separate water from water.” (7) God made the expanse, and it separated the water which was below the expanse from the water which was above the expanse. And it was so. (8) God called the expanse Sky (shamayim). And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם היה הַתְּהוֹם שהוא מים ועפר כעין הַמַּיִם העכורים וגזר על הַמַּיִם שיקוו במקום אֶחָד מסובב כל הפאות וגזר על העפר שיעלה עד שיראה על הַמַּיִם וייבש ותהיה יבשה שטוחה ראויה לישוב וכן כתוב לְרֹקַע הָאָרֶץ עַל הַמָּיִם (תהלים קלו ו) או שמא שתהיה כדורית מקצתה מגולה ורובה משוקעת אשר ידמו היונים במופתיהם הנראים או המפתים והנה הן שתי גזרות כלומר שני ענינים נעשים בחפץ אלהים הפך מן הנאות בטבעם כי הראוי לכבדות העפר ולקלות הַמַּיִם כנגדה להיות עמוד הארץ אמצעי והמים מכסים עליה מקיפים אותה מכל צד ועל כן אמר יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם כלומר אֶל מָקוֹם שפלות ואמר וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה וקרא להם שמות בהיותם לובשים הצורות האלו כי מתחילה היה שמם "תְּהוֹם":
LET THE WATERS UNDER THE HEAVEN BE GATHERED TOGETHER. The deep, which is water and sand, was like turbid waters, and He decreed concerning the waters that they be gathered together in one place, surrounded on all sides, and He further decreed concerning the sands that they rise up until they be seen above the waters and that they become dry, so that there be a stretch of dry land suitable for settlement thereon. And so it is written: To Him that spread forth the earth above the waters. Or perhaps G-d’s decree was that the earth be spherical, partly visible and mostly submerged in the waters, as the Greeks imagine in their proofs, apparent or real. Thus there were two decrees, that is, two matters done by the Will of G-d that are contrary to their natural inclination. For in view of the heaviness of earth [which would cause it to sink] and the lightness of the waters [which would cause them to rise], it would have been natural that the pillar of the earth be in the center and that the waters should cover it, thus surrounding it from all sides. Therefore, He said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together, that is to a lower place, and then He said, And let the dry land appear. He gave them names as they assumed these forms, for at the beginning their collective name was “the deep (tehom).”
וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָרָקִיעַ, זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת שֶׁהִרְעִישׁ בֶּן זוֹמָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וַיַּעַשׂ, אֶתְמְהָא, וַהֲלוֹא בְּמַאֲמָר הֵן, הֱוֵי (תהלים לג, ו): בִּדְבַר ה' שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם, לָמָּה אֵין כְּתִיב בַּשֵּׁנִי כִּי טוֹב, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן תָּנֵי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא, שֶׁבּוֹ נִבְרֵאת גֵּיהִנֹּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ל, לג): כִּי עָרוּךְ מֵאֶתְמוּל תָּפְתֶּה, יוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אֶתְמוֹל וְאֵין בּוֹ שִׁלְשׁוֹם. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אוֹמֵר שֶׁבּוֹ נִבְרֵאת מַחְלֹקֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם. אָמַר רַבִּי טַבְיוֹמֵי אִם מַחְלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְתִקּוּנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם וּלְיִשּׁוּבוֹ, אֵין בָּהּ כִּי טוֹב. מַחְלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְעִרְבּוּבוֹ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל לְפִי שֶׁלֹא נִגְמְרָה מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם, לְפִיכָךְ כָּתוּב בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי טוֹב שְׁנֵי פְּעָמִים, אֶחָד לִמְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם, וְאֶחָד לִמְלַאכְתּוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם. שָׁאֲלָה מַטְרוֹנָה אַחַת אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אָמְרָה לוֹ לָמָּה אֵין כְּתִיב בַּשֵּׁנִי כִּי טוֹב, אָמַר לָהּ אַף עַל פִּי כֵן חָזַר וּכְלָלוֹ כֻּלּוֹ בַּסּוֹף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, לא): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד, אָמְרָה לֵיהּ מָשָׁל שִׁשָּׁה בְּנֵי אָדָם בָּאִין אֶצְלְךָ וְאַתְּ נוֹתֵן לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מָנֶה, וּלְאֶחָד אֵין אַתְּ נוֹתֵן מָנֶה, וְאַתְּ חוֹזֵר וְנוֹתֵן לְכֻלָּם מָנֶה אֶחָד, לֹא נִמְצָא בְּיַד כָּל אֶחָד מָנֶה וּשְׁתוּת וּבְיַד אֶחָד שְׁתּוּת, אֶתְמָהָא. חָזַר וְאָמַר לָהּ כְּהַהוּא דְאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, לְפִי שֶׁלֹא נִגְמְרָה מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם, לְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים כִּי טוֹב, אַחַת לִמְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם וְאַחַת לִמְלֶאכֶת הַיּוֹם. רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בַּר חֲנִילָאִי אָמַר, כְּתִיב (ישעיה מו, י): מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית, מִתְּחִלַּת בְּרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם צָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא משֶׁה קָרוּי טוֹב (שמות ב, ב), וְעָתִיד לִטֹּל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ מִתַּחַת יְדֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא כָּתוּב בָּהֶם כִּי טוֹב. רַבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לִגְיוֹן קָשֶׁה, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ הוֹאִיל וְלִגְיוֹן זֶה קָשֶׁה אַל יִכָּתֵב שְׁמִי עָלָיו. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הוֹאִיל וְהַמַּיִם הַלָּלוּ לָקוּ בָּהֶם דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, וְדוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ, וְדוֹר הַפְלָגָה, לְפִיכָךְ אַל יִכָּתֵב בָּהֶן כִּי טוֹב.
"And God made the firmament", this is one of the verses that Ben Zoma shook the world with. He made - how remarkable! sure it [came into existence] at [God's] word, [as it is written], "With the word of God the heavens were made and with the wind of His mouth all of their armies". why doesn't it say "it was good" on the second day of creation? R Yochanan taught in the name of R Yosi the son of R Chalafta, because hell was created on the second day, as it says " the topheth [hell] has been ready for him since yesterday, a day that has a yesterday but not three days ago. another reason that it does not say "it was good" on the second day, R Channina says its because the division was created on the second day, as it says: "and it (the heavens) should separate between the two body's of water". R Tivyomi said if division that is for the sake of fixing the world does not have good all the more so division that is to mix up the world doesn't have good. r shmuel says because the creation of water wasnt finished, it was written on the third day "it was good" twice, one for the creation of water and one for the days work. a noble woman asked R Yosi, why dosen't it say "and it was good on the second day? he answered her even so it was included in the end as it says: "and God saw all that he did and it was very good" she said back to him this is analogous to six people coming to you give each one a mana [a measurement of land] and to one of them you don't give anything, then you go back and give one manna to everyone, is it not true that 5 of them have a mana and a 1/6 manna and the last one only has 1/6? He said to her like R shmuel says because the creation of water wasnt finished, it was written on the third day "it was good" twice, one for the creation of water and one for the days work. r levi in the name of r tanchum the son of r chnelyayi said, it states in the verse:" He (God) tells the end in the beginning", from the beginning of creation God saw Moses who is called "good" and was ultimately was going to be punished from an issue regarding water and therefore did not write and it was good regarding the water. r simon in the name of r levi said it is analogous to a king who had a bad legion, the king said since this legion is no good my name shouldn't be called on it, so too god said, since these waters punished the generation of the flood, dor enosh, and haflaga it should not be written regarding them "for it was good"
(ז) כׇּל־הַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹלְכִ֣ים אֶל־הַיָּ֔ם וְהַיָּ֖ם אֵינֶ֣נּוּ מָלֵ֑א אֶל־מְק֗וֹם שֶׁ֤הַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים שָׁ֛ם הֵ֥ם שָׁבִ֖ים לָלָֽכֶת׃
Yet the sea is never full;
To the place [from] which they flow
The streams flow back again.
the ocean sounds its thunder,
the ocean sounds its pounding. (4) Above the thunder of the mighty waters,
more majestic than the breakers of the sea
is the LORD, majestic on high.
אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, לֹא פֵּרְשׁוּ הַמַּיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים אֶלָּא בִּבְכִיָּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (איוב כח, יא): מִבְּכִי נְהָרוֹת חִבֵּשׁ.
Rabbi Berechya said: When the lower waters were separated, they were weeping, as it its written (Job 28:11) - "He dams up the sources of the streams. So that hidden things may be brought to light."
ON the third day all the earth was flat like a plain and the waters covered the surface of all the earth. When the word of the Almighty was uttered, "Let the waters be gathered together" (Gen. 1:9), the mountains and hills arose from the ends of the earth and they were scattered over the surface of all the earth, and valleys were formed over the inner parts of the earth; and the waters were rolled together and gathered into the valleys, as it is said, "And the gathering together of the waters he called seas" (Gen. 1:10). Forthwith the waters became proud and they arose to cover the earth as at first, when the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked them || and subdued them, and placed them beneath the soles of His feet, and measured them with the hollow of His hand that they should neither decrease nor increase. He made the sand as the boundary of the sea, just like a man who makes a fence for his vineyard. When they rise and see the sand before them they return to their former place, as it is said, "Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea?" (Jer. 5:22).
שלש מים מרוח
חקק וחצב בהם תוהו ובוהו
רפש וטיט
חקקן כמין ערוגה
הציבן כמין חומה
סיככן כמין מעזיבה
Sefer Yetzirah - Chapter 1:11
The Third Sefirah: Water
(Translation by Jill Hammer)
Three:
Water from Wind.
He engraved and carved in Them
chaos and void,
mud and clay—
engraved Them like a kind of garden,
carved Them like a kind of wall,
wove Them like a kind of ceiling.
וּבְכָל לֵילְיָא וְלֵילְיָא מִתְפַּשַּׁט רוּחָא מֵהַאי מַלְבּוּשָׁא וְסָלְקָא (לעלא). וְהַהוּא אֶשָׁא דְּאָכְלָא אָכִיל לֵיהּ. וּבָתַר אִתְהַדַּר כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין וּמִצְטַיְירִין בִּלְבוּשַׁיְיהוּ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ לֵית לוֹן קִיּוּמָא כְּאִנּוּן דִּיוּקְנִין דִּלְעֵיל. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (איכה ג) חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים. בְּנֵי נְשָׁא דְּאִנּוּן חֲדָשִׁים בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא.
מַאי טַעְמָא, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ, רַבָּה אִיהוּ וְלָא זְעֵירָא.
רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ וַדַּאי רַבָּה דְּיָכְלָא לְנַטְלָא כָּל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא וּלְאַכְלָלָא לוֹן בְּגַוָּוהּ עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה. אֲתַר רַב וְסַגֵּי אִיהוּ דְּכָלִיל כֹּלָּא וְלֹא אִתְמַלְיָיא יַתִּיר. וְרָזָא דָא (קהלת א׳:ז׳) כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא וְגו' אָזְלֵי לְגַבֵּי יַמָּא וְיַמָּא נָטִיל לוֹן וְאָכִיל לוֹן בְּגַוֵּיהּ וְלָא אִתְמַלְיָיא. וּבָתַר אַפִּיק לוֹן כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין וְאָזְלֵי. וּבְגִין דָּא רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ.
Zohar 1:19a-b [Translation by Daniel Matt]
Every single night, the spirit [ruach] strips itself of that garment and ascends. The consuming fire consumes [distills] it, later returning it as before, figured in clothes. So they do not endure as those figures and images above, and of this is written: new every morning [Lamentations 3:23] - human beings are new every single day.
What is the reason? rabbah emunatekha - immense is Your faithfulness! Immense, not small.
Immense is Your faithfulness, immense indeed. For it can grasp all creatures of the world, absorbing then in itself, higher and lower. A place immense and vast, absorbing all, filled no further. This is the mystery: All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place [from] which the streams flow, they flow back again [Ecclesiastes 1:7]. They flow toward the sea [of Shekhina], who grasps them, consumes them and is filled no fuller. Then it pours them out as before, so they flow on. Your faithfulness is immense, absorbing all, consuming them, filled no fuller, restoring them as before; they are new in the world every single day.
לִמְעָרָה: שֶׁהִיא נְתוּנָה עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם, רָעַשׁ הַיָּם וְנִתְמַלָּאת הַמְעָרָה וְהַיָּם לֹא חָסֵר כְּלוּם, כָּךְ אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד נִתְמַלֵּא מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה וְהָעוֹלָם לֹא חָסֵר כְּלוּם,
Like a cave [by the sea]: when the waves enter it, it fills with water, but the sea is not diminished. So it was with the Tent of Meeting: the Shekhinah filled it with Her glory, but the world in no way lacked her presence.
Kohenet Shamirah's Ritual Weaving Pocket Guide
(1) What does the traditional text say? Ask you to do? Is there an image or a phrase that stands out to you?
(2) Consider: Does the content of the ritual/text match your surroundings (such as physical space), the mood of the group, other aspects of the current moment? Explain/bridge.
(3) Pick an aspect of nature (4 elements, animals, insects, plants, food) to interact with. Name it & explain the connection. Lift up the true science, either as a metaphor or literally.
(4) Pick one or more: Sing, chant, dance, read a poem on a related theme.
(5) Read the traditional text, a translation, or an excerpt from it.
(6) Perform the ritual.
Ritual weaving worksheet:
Example of Ritual Weaving by Kohenet Shamirah
Written at the end of summer while living in New England
https://highholidaysathome.com/clip/ready-for-withering-flowers
Step 1 – Gather flower petals into a large bowl- ideally four colors and four different species. Bowl is ideally wood but can also be glass or metal.
In New England this is a great time of year to find a diversity of lilies, Queen Anne's lace, chicory and aster.
Step 2 – fill your bowl with water covering the petals – ideally spring water but tap water is also fine. The chance to visit a river, lake or small spring will only add to the ritual
Step 3 – ASK FOR SOMETHING. This is for real. If you're going to open up enough to do real t'shuvah /repentance this year, you have to acknowledge that you are not yet whole – that there is something about yourself you want to change, or at least cultivate. A useful formula is "May I be…" or "Let me be…"
Step 4 – Pour the entire bowl of petals and water over your head and proclaim: " Horeini Ya Darkecha – הוֹרֵנִי יְהוָה, דַּרְכֶּךָ – reveal to me your path" – Ps. 27:11. This is both the sealing of our request and also a letting go of wanting only one thing.
Based on the teachings of the Eish Kodesh, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira