The Zohar: Pritzker Edition

«Just as a rose has thirteen petals, so Assembly of Israel has thirteen qualities of compassion surrounding Her on every side.» — la misma apertura cuenta los trece pétalos de la rosa y les hace corresponder las trece cualidades de compasión que rodean a la Asamblea de Israel.

«This is the cup of blessing, which should rest on five fingers— and no more9 —like the rose, sitting on five sturdy leaves, paradigm of five fingers.» — el Zohar deriva de la rosa la regla de la copa de bendición sostenida en cinco dedos, con las cinco hojas recias por paradigma; el guion y el número son del impreso.

«Rabbi Shim’on opened, “The blossoms have appeared on the earth, [the time of pruning has arrived; the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land] (Song of Songs 2:12). The blossoms are the act of Creation, which appeared on the earth.» — Rabbi Shim’on abre con el versículo del Cantar sobre las flores y lee las flores como el acto de la Creación.

«The blossoms are the patriarchs, who entered the divine mind before Creation18 and entered the world that is coming,19 where they were treasured away.» — el mismo pasaje da una segunda lectura de las mismas flores, ahora los patriarcas que entraron en la mente divina antes de la Creación, sin descartar la primera.

«Rabbi Ḥizkiyah opened, “Like a rose1 among thorns, so is my beloved among the maidens (Song of Songs 2:2). Who is a rose? Assembly of Israel.» — la Haqdamat Sefer ha-Zohar abre con Rabbi Ḥizkiyah leyendo la rosa entre espinas del Cantar como la Asamblea de Israel; el versículo entre paréntesis es la Escritura que el Zohar cita y la cifra pegada a rose es la llamada a la nota del comentario.

«Just as a rose among thorns is colored red and white,3 so Assembly of Israel includes judgment and compassion.» — el mismo pasaje deriva del color doble de la rosa la doble naturaleza de la Asamblea de Israel, juicio y compasión juntos.

«Rabbi El’azar opened, “Lift your eyes on high and see: Who created these? (Isaiah 40:26). Lift your eyes on high. To which site? The site toward which all eyes gaze. Which is that? Opening of the eyes.» — Rabbi El’azar abre el pasaje sobre el versículo de Isaías y convierte el interrogativo en nombre: el sitio al que miran todos los ojos.

«Since it can be questioned, yet remains concealed and unrevealed, it is called Who.» — el Zohar funda el nombre Quién en que ese grado admite pregunta y permanece oculto.

«Once a human being questions and searches,31 contemplating and knowing rung after rung to the very last rung—once one reaches there: What? What do you know? What have you contemplated? For what have you searched? All is concealed, as before.» — el Zohar describe el término de la búsqueda como una pregunta que se devuelve al que pregunta: todo queda oculto igual que antes.

«Rabbi Shim’on said, “El’azar, my son, cease your words,39 so that the concealed mystery on high, unknown to any human, may be revealed.» — Rabbi Shim’on manda callar a su hijo El’azar para que el misterio oculto pueda revelarse; el silencio pedido es parte del procedimiento.

«This mystery was only revealed one day when I was at the seashore. Elijah43 came and asked me, ‘Rabbi, do you know the meaning of Who created these?» — Rabbi Shim’on cuenta en primera persona que Elías se le apareció en la orilla del mar y le preguntó por el sentido de la frase.

«When Concealed of all Concealed45 verged on being revealed, it produced at first a single point,46 which ascended to become thought.» — la enseñanza que el Zohar pone en boca de Elías arranca la emanación en un punto único que asciende a volverse pensamiento.

«Seeking to be revealed, to be named, it garbed itself in a splendid, radiant garment and created אלה (elleh), these.50 אלה (Elleh) attained the name: these letters joined with those, culminating in the» — la misma enseñanza explica el nombre Elohim por la unión de las letras de Quién con las de Éstos; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«Then Elijah flew off; I did not see him. From him I discovered the word, whose mysterious secret I have demonstrated.» — Rabbi Shim’on cierra el relato declarando de dónde le vino la palabra: de Elías, que se fue volando.

«Rabbi El’azar and all the Companions came and bowed down in front of him. Weeping, they said, “If we have come into the world only to hear this, it is enough.» — los Compañeros se postran ante Rabbi Shim’on con la fórmula que el Zohar repite: haber venido al mundo solo para oír esto ya bastaría.

«Who is End of Heaven above; What is End of Heaven below. Jacob inherited this, running from end to end (Exodus 26:28),38 from first end, Who, to last end, What, for he stands in the middle.» — el Zohar adjudica a Jacob la herencia que corre de un extremo al otro, de Quién a Qué, porque está en medio.

«by holding my silence, two worlds were created, erected as one.» — El’azar cierra la lectura de su propio silencio: con él se crearon dos mundos levantados como uno.

«This end of heaven is called Who. There is another below, called What.» — el pasaje distingue los dos extremos del cielo, Quién arriba y Qué abajo.

«Rabbi El’azar said, “My silence assembled a temple above, a temple below.» — Rabbi El’azar da cuenta de lo que hizo su silencio: levantó un templo arriba y otro abajo.

«Rabbi Shim’on said, “From here on, the completion of the verse, as is written: The one who brings forth their array by number (Isaiah 40:26).67 These are two rungs, each of which should be inscribed.» — Rabbi Shim’on sigue con el versículo de Isaías y lo lee como dos grados que han de inscribirse, Quién y Qué.

«Rav Hamnuna Sava said, “We find the letters backward:77 ב (Bet) first, followed by ב (bet): בראשית (Be-reshit), In the beginning followed by ברא» — Rav Hamnuna Sava señala que las letras del primer versículo del Génesis aparecen en orden invertido; el hebreo entra en el verbatim tal como lo imprime la traducción.

«When the blessed Holy One wished to fashion the world, all the letters were hidden away.» — el Zohar sitúa las letras escondidas antes de la formación del mundo.

«For two thousand years before creating the world,79 the blessed Holy One contemplated them and played with them.» — el Zohar cifra en dos mil años el tiempo en que Dios contempló las letras y jugó con ellas antes de crear.

«As He verged on creating the world, all the letters presented themselves before Him, from last to first.» — el Zohar abre la parábola del certamen de las letras: se presentan de la última a la primera.

«The letter ת (tav) entered first of all. She said, ‘Master of the worlds, may it please You to create the world by me, for I complete Your seal: אמת (emet), truth81 —and You are called Truth» — la tav pide ser aquella por la que se cree el mundo porque cierra el sello de emet, verdad.

«You are seemly and worthy, but not deserving to initiate Creation, since you are destined to be marked on the foreheads of the faithful who fulfilled the Torah from א (alef) to ת (tav), and by your mark they will die.» — la respuesta divina niega a la tav lo que pide y da la razón: está destinada a marcar la frente de los fieles y por su marca morirán.

«The letter ש (shin) came before Him. She said, ‘Master of the worlds, may it please You to create the world by me, for by me You are named שדי (Shaddai), and it is fitting to create the world by a holy name.» — la shin pide lo mismo porque por ella se nombra Shaddai.

«You are seemly, you are good, and you are true, but since letters of deceit take you as their accomplice, I do not wish to create the world by you.» — la respuesta a la shin la niega por la compañía: las letras del engaño la toman por cómplice.

«So whoever wants to tell a lie will first lay a foundation of truth and then construct the lie.» — el Zohar deriva de ese rechazo una regla sobre la mentira: se asienta primero un fundamento de verdad.

«you are צדיק (tsaddiq), but you should remain hidden—not so revealed—so as not to provide the world a pretext.» — la respuesta a la tsadi la niega por otra razón: debe permanecer oculta para no dar pretexto al mundo.

«Turn back, for I intend to split you and transfigure you face-to-face, but you will arise elsewhere.» — la promesa divina a la tsadi es la misma operación que el Zohar aplica a la pareja primordial: partirla y volverla cara a cara.

«The letter פ (pe) entered. She said to Him, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for I signify פורקנא (purqena), the redemption, that You will someday bring to the world, also called פדות (pedut), deliverance. It is fitting to create the world by me!» — la pe pide por sí misma porque significa la redención y la liberación venideras.

«You are seemly, but you signify hidden transgression, like a serpent striking, then tucking its head into its body:95 so one who sins bows his head, stretching out his hands.» — la respuesta a la pe la niega por lo que también significa, la transgresión oculta, con la figura de la serpiente que esconde la cabeza.

«The letter ס (samekh) entered. She said to Him, ‘Master of [3a] the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for by me סמיכא (semikha), support, exists for those who fall» — la samekh pide por sí misma porque por ella hay sostén para los que caen.

«So you are needed where you are; do not move! If you leave, what would happen to the fallen, who depend on you?» — la respuesta a la samekh la niega por necesaria donde está: si se mueve, quedan sin sostén los caídos.

«When כ (kaf) descended from the throne of glory, 200,000 worlds trembled, the throne trembled, and all the worlds verged on collapse.» — el Zohar mide el efecto del descenso de la kaf: doscientos mil mundos temblaron y todos estuvieron a punto de desplomarse.

«The letter צ (tsadi) entered. She said to Him, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for צדיקים (tsaddiqim), the» — la tsadi pide por sí misma alegando que sella a los justos; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«It is fitting to create the world by me!’ “He replied, ‘צ (Tsadi), you are צדיק (tsaddiq), but you should remain hidden—not so revealed—so as not to provide the world a pretext.» — la respuesta a la tsadi la niega por otra razón: debe permanecer oculta para no dar pretexto al mundo.

«At that moment the letter כ (kaf) descended from His throne of glory98 and said, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for I am Your כבוד (Kavod), Glory.» — la kaf baja del trono de gloria para pedir por sí misma, alegando ser la Gloria de Dios.

«Return to your place, for you imply כליה (kelayah), destruction—a decree of destruction (Isaiah 10:23). Return to your throne and stay there.» — la respuesta a la kaf la niega porque implica destrucción y la manda de vuelta a su trono.

«The letter נ (nun) entered. She said to Him, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for by me You are called נורא (Nora), Awesome, in praises (Exodus 15:11). By me, the praise of the righteous is called נאוה (navah), comely (Psalms 33:1).» — la nun pide por sí misma porque por ella Dios es llamado Temible y la alabanza de los justos es llamada hermosa.

«The letter מ (mem) entered. She said to him, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for by me You are called מלך (Melekh), King.» — la mem pide por sí misma porque por ella Dios es llamado Rey.

«Certainly so, but I will not create the world by you, since the world needs a king. Return to your place, you along with ל (lamed) and ך (khaf),97 for the world should not be without a king.» — la respuesta a la mem la niega justamente por eso: el mundo necesita un rey y la letra debe volver a su sitio.

«The letter י (yod) entered. She said to Him, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for I am the beginning of the holy Name.» — la yod pide por sí misma porque es el principio del Nombre santo.

«It is enough for you to be engraved in Me, to be inscribed in Me. My desire culminates in you. You should not be uprooted from My name.» — la respuesta a la yod la niega sin desairarla: le basta con estar grabada en Dios y no debe arrancarse de su nombre.

«The letter ט (tet) entered. She said to Him, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for by me You are called וישר‎ טוב (tov ve-yashar), good and upright (Psalms 25:8).» — la tet pide por sí misma porque por ella Dios es llamado bueno y recto.

«I will not create the world by you, for your goodness is concealed and hidden within you,100 as is written: How abundant is Your goodness that You have hidden away for those in awe of You (Psalms 31:20). Since it is hidden within you, it plays no part in this world that I am about to create, but rather in the world to come.» — la respuesta a la tet la niega porque su bondad está oculta dentro de ella y pertenece al mundo venidero.

«The letter ז (zayin) entered. She said to Him, ‘Master of the world, may it please You to create the world by me, for by me Your children observe the Sabbath, as is written: זכור (Zakhor), Remember, the Sabbath day, to hallow it (Exodus 20:8).» — la zayin pide por sí misma porque por ella los hijos de Dios guardan el sábado.

«I will not create the world by you, for you imply war —a sharp sword and a spear for battle, like a ן (nun).» — la respuesta a la zayin la niega porque implica guerra, espada afilada y lanza.

«The letter א (alef) stood and did not enter. The blessed Holy One said to her, ‘א ,א (Alef, alef), why do you not enter My presence like all» — la alef es la única que no entra a pedir, y Dios le pregunta por qué.

«Because I saw all the letters leaving Your presence fruitlessly. What could I do there?» — la alef da su razón: vio salir a todas las letras sin haber obtenido nada.

«Although I will create the world with the letter ב (bet), you will be the first of all the letters.» — la respuesta divina a la alef reparte los dos papeles sin anular ninguno: la bet crea el mundo y la alef es la primera de todas.

«Rabbi Yudai said, “What is בראשית (Be-reshit)? With Wisdom» — Rabbi Yudai lee la primera palabra del Génesis como con Sabiduría, y hace de esa Sabiduría el sostén del mundo y la puerta de los misterios.

«Here were engraved six vast, supernal dimensions, from which everything emerges, from which issued six springs and streams, flowing into the immense ocean.» — el mismo pasaje graba en esa Sabiduría seis dimensiones supernas de las que salen seis manantiales y ríos.

«The holy hidden one117 engraved an engraving in the innards of a recess, punctuated by a thrust point.» — el pasaje de los Secretos de la Creación describe el primer grabado del oculto santo en las entrañas de un hueco.

«Within that palace stand gates built cryptically, fifty of them. Carved into four sides, they were forty-nine. One gate has no side. No one knows whether it is above or below; it is shut.» — el mismo pasaje cuenta cincuenta puertas y deja una sin lado, cuya posición nadie conoce.

«is the key enclosing all, closing and opening. Six gates are contained in that key that closes and opens.» — el pasaje hace de la primera palabra del Génesis la llave que cierra y abre, con seis puertas contenidas en ella.

«With you all counting begins and every deed in the world. No union is actualized except by א (alef).» — el Zohar funda en la alef el comienzo de todo cómputo y de toda obra, y hace de ella la condición de toda unión.

«Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yose were walking on the way. As they reached the site of a certain field, Rabbi Ḥiyya said to Rabbi Yose, “What you have said— שית‎ ברא (bara shit)—is certainly true, for there are six supernal days in the Torah, not more» — la fórmula narrativa del Zohar pone a Rabbi Ḥiyya y a Rabbi Yose caminando, y Ḥiyya sostiene la lectura de los seis días supernos.

«Rabbi Yose said, “Certainly so! I heard the Holy Lamp124 say so, that ברא (bara) is a concealed word, closing, not opening.» — Rabbi Yose respalda la lectura remitiéndola a la Lámpara Santa, que es como el Zohar nombra a Rabbi Shim’on.

«Enveloping everything was תהו (tohu), chaos,126 and as long as תהו (tohu) reigned, the world was not, did not exist.» — el pasaje sostiene que mientras reinó el caos el mundo no existía.

«When did that key open gates? When was it fit to be fruitful, to generate offspring? When Abraham arrived» — el Zohar fija en la llegada de Abraham el momento en que la llave abrió las puertas.

«Rabbi Ḥiyya prostrated himself on the ground, kissing the dust and weeping. He cried out, “Dust, dust, how stubborn you are, how impudent! All delights of the eye decay in you.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya se postra y se dirige al polvo reprochándole que en él se pudra todo deleite de los ojos.

«Dust, dust, do not boast! The pillars of the world will not be surrendered to you. Rabbi Shim’on has not decayed in you!» — Rabbi Ḥiyya se enmienda a sí mismo y niega al polvo los pilares del mundo.

«From that day on, he fasted forty days to envision Rabbi Shim’on» — el relato mide en cuarenta días de ayuno el primer intento de Rabbi Ḥiyya por ver a Rabbi Shim’on, y le es negado.

«In a vision he was shown Rabbi Shim’on and his son Rabbi El’azar, studying the word that Rabbi Yose had spoken,140 with thousands listening.» — la visión concedida a Rabbi Ḥiyya tras el segundo ayuno le muestra a Rabbi Shim’on y a su hijo El’azar estudiando ante miles.

«He saw them returning, their splendor renewed, and they shone more brilliantly than the dazzle of the sun.» — el relato describe el regreso de la Academia del Cielo con el esplendor renovado.

«Let Rabbi Ḥiyya enter and see how the blessed Holy One intends to rejuvenate the faces of the righteous in the time to come.» — Rabbi Shim’on anuncia lo que Rabbi Ḥiyya va a ver: el rejuvenecimiento de los rostros de los justos en el tiempo venidero.

«A voice issued: “Lower your eyes, do not raise your head, do not gaze!” Lowering his eyes, he saw a light shining in the distance.» — una voz impone a Rabbi Ḥiyya la postura del que mira sin mirar, y entonces ve una luz a lo lejos.

«Who among you turns darkness into light, bitter into sweet before arriving here?146 Who among you awaits each day the light that shines when the King visits the doe147 and is glorified—declared King of all kings of the world? Whoever does not await this each day in that world has no portion here.» — la voz pone la condición de tener parte en ese mundo: haber vuelto aquí la tiniebla en luz y lo amargo en dulce, y esperar cada día.

«The Messiah visits all those academies, setting his seal on the Torah issuing from the mouths of the rabbis.» — el Mesías sella la Torá que sale de la boca de los rabinos en cada academia.

«I have not come to set my seal on what issues from your academy. Rather, the Master of Wings has entered here, for I know he enters no academy but yours.» — el Mesías declara a Rabbi Shim’on que no viene a sellar su enseñanza sino porque ha entrado allí el Señor de las Alas.

«The Messiah began trembling and cried aloud. The heavens trembled, the vast ocean trembled, Leviathan trembled, and the world verged on overturning.» — el juramento del Señor de las Alas hace temblar al Mesías, a los cielos, al océano y al Leviatán.

«Happy is the share of the righteous in that world! Happy is the share of the son of Yoḥai who has attained this!» — Rabbi Ḥiyya sale de la visión temblando y proclama dichosa la parte del hijo de Yoḥai.

«Make way, make way—for King Messiah is coming to the Academy of Rabbi Shim’on!» — una voz anuncia en la Academia del Cielo la llegada del Rey Mesías a la de Rabbi Shim’on.

«The moment a new word of Torah originates from the mouth of a human being, that word ascends and presents» — el pasaje describe el ascenso de la palabra nueva de Torá ante el Santo bendito sea.

«who lifts that word, kisses her, and adorns her with seventy crowns—engraved and inscribed.» — el Zohar da a la palabra nueva de Torá setenta coronas grabadas e inscritas.

«All the words of the Ancient of Days are words of wisdom, conveying supernal, concealed mysteries.» — el pasaje adjudica al Anciano de Días las palabras de sabiduría que portan los misterios ocultos.

«So each and every word of wisdom is transformed into a heaven, existing enduringly in the presence of the Ancient of Days. He calls them new heavens, newly created heavens, hidden mysteries of supernal wisdom.» — el Zohar hace de cada palabra de sabiduría un cielo nuevo ante el Anciano de Días.

«When Torah was transmitted to Moses, myriads of celestial angels came to scorch him with flames from their mouths, but the blessed Holy One sheltered him.» — Rabbi Shim’on responde a El’azar con la escena de Moisés amparado de las llamas de los ángeles al recibir la Torá.

«From this we learn that every word concealed from the eyes attains supernal value» — el pasaje deriva de ahí que toda palabra oculta a los ojos alcanza valor superno.

«How vital it is for a human being to engage in Torah day and night! For the blessed Holy One listens to the voice of those who occupy themselves with Torah, and every word innovated in Torah by» — Rabbi Shim’on enuncia la urgencia del estudio de día y de noche; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana y la frase termina en la siguiente.

«Do not read ‘You are עמי (ammi), My people,’ but rather ‘You are עמי (immi), with Me, becoming My partner! Just as I made heaven and earth by speaking, as is said: By the word of YHVH, the heavens were made (Psalms 33:6), so do you.» — el Zohar cambia la vocalización del versículo de Isaías para leer que el que estudia se vuelve socio de Dios en hacer cielos y tierra.

«One who is unaccustomed to the mysteries of Torah and innovates words he does not fully understand—when that word ascends, a man of perversity, tongue of falsehood (Proverbs 16:28; 6:17)189 bursts forth from the chasm of the immense abyss» — el pasaje describe lo que pasa cuando innova en Torá quien no la entiende: del abismo sale el hombre de perversidad a apoderarse de esa palabra.

«Grabbing her, he takes that word back to his chasm and transmogrifies her into a distorted heaven called ‘chaos.» — la palabra mal innovada se vuelve, según el Zohar, un cielo torcido llamado caos.

«Who causes this? A disciple unqualified to teach who teaches» — el Zohar adjudica esas muertes al discípulo no apto que enseña.

«I beg of you not to utter a word of Torah that you do not know and have not heard properly from a lofty tree,198 lest you enable sin to slay multitudes without cause.» — Rabbi Shim’on pide a los Compañeros no decir palabra de Torá que no hayan oído bien de un árbol elevado.

«Come and see: With Torah the blessed Holy One created the world. This has been established, as is written: I was with Him as a nursling, I was a daily delight» — el Zohar funda la creación del mundo por la Torá en el versículo de Proverbios donde la Sabiduría se dice criada y deleite diario.

«He gazed upon her once, twice, three and four times, then spoke, creating through her.» — el pasaje cuenta cuatro miradas de Dios a la Torá antes de hablar y crear por ella.

«Rabbi Abba said, “Let us open openings of Torah, for the time is ripe to adorn ourselves on our way.» — Rabbi Abba propone abrir aperturas de Torá en el camino, con la fórmula que el Zohar usa para enlazar el relato con la enseñanza.

«In six days the blessed Holy One created the world. Every single day revealed its work, transmitting its power through that day.» — Rabbi El’azar expone los seis días de la creación como revelación sucesiva de la obra de cada uno.

«for the fourth day constitutes the fourth leg of the celestial throne» — el Zohar identifica el cuarto día con la cuarta pata del trono celeste y la llama sábado.

«That rambling donkey-driver215 goading behind them said, “And what is My sanctuary you are to hold in awe» — el arriero que va detrás interrumpe la enseñanza con una pregunta; la escena es el molde zohárico del maestro escondido bajo figura humilde.

«Let this man be! Within him lies a new word we do not know.” They said to him, “Speak!» — Rabbi El’azar reconoce en el arriero una palabra nueva y le cede el turno.

«My daughter, you are Sabbath—I call you Sabbath—but I am about to crown you with a higher crown.» — en la parábola del arriero, el sábado que quedó sin nombrar recibe de Dios una corona más alta.

«My Sabbaths are a circle with a square inscribed within» — el arriero da la figura del círculo con el cuadrado inscrito para los dos sábados, y les hace corresponder dos santificaciones.

«Vaykhullu contains thirty-five words, and in the qiddush that we recite there are thirty-five words,228 altogether amounting to seventy names of the blessed Holy One,229 with which Assembly of Israel is adorned.» — el arriero cuenta treinta y cinco palabras en cada fórmula y suma setenta nombres divinos con que se adorna la Asamblea de Israel.

«Whoever enters the חלל (ḥalal), hollow, of the circle and the square—the site where that point rests—and damages it241 shall surely be put to death.» — el arriero lee el verbo profanar por su raíz, el hueco del círculo y del cuadrado donde reposa el punto.

«Rabbi El’azar and Rabbi Abba dismounted245 and kissed him. They said, “All this wisdom in your hand, and you are goading our donkeys behind us? Who are you?» — los dos rabinos desmontan y besan al arriero al reconocer su sabiduría.

«Do not ask who I am! Rather, let us go together, engaging in Torah. Let each one speak words of wisdom to illumine the way.» — el arriero rehúsa decir quién es y propone en cambio caminar hablando de Torá para alumbrar el camino.

«waged war with two letters, כף (kaf) and סמך (samekh), to be bound together with me.» — el arriero cuenta su propio origen como pleito entre letras que querían ligarse a él.

«The site I inhabit is fine and lofty for me: a certain tower soaring in the air, grand and splendid.» — el arriero describe su morada como una torre alta en el aire.

«but I have gone into exile, goading donkeys.” Rabbi Abba and Rabbi El’azar gazed at him.» — el arriero llama exilio a su oficio de arrear burros.

«You are the son of the Holy Lamp!256 You are the son of Rav Hamnuna Sava,257 son of the radiance of Torah, and you are goading donkeys behind us?» — Rabbi El’azar reconoce en el arriero al hijo de Rav Hamnuna Sava.

«But my father’s dwelling was in the great ocean. He was a fish,» — el arriero cuenta a su padre bajo la figura de un pez que moraba en el gran océano.

«he would swallow all the other fish in the ocean, then spew them out alive, thriving, filled with all goodness of the world.» — la figura del pez paterno lo hace tragarse a los demás peces y devolverlos vivos y colmados de todo bien.

«Two sanctuaries existed because of Him, were nourished by Him: First Temple and Second Temple.» — el arriero lee los dos Ariel de Moab del versículo de Samuel como los dos Templos.

«In former times, when this river gushed its waters below, [the people of] Israel were fulfilled, offering offerings and sacrifices to atone for their souls.» — el arriero describe el tiempo en que el río manaba abajo y los sacrificios expiaban.

«Then from above would descend the image of a lion, whom they could see on the altar, crouching over its prey,274 consuming sacrifices like a fierce warrior» — el arriero describe el león que bajaba sobre el altar a consumir los sacrificios.

«When sins prevailed, He descended to the rungs below,276 and He killed that lion, no longer willing to provide its prey.» — el arriero explica la muerte del león por el predominio de los pecados.

«Here the mystery of the verse discloses that whenever Israel sinned He283 departed, withholding from them all the goodness, all the light illumining them.» — el arriero lee el versículo como retiro de la luz que alumbraba a Israel cuando Israel pecaba.

«This is the staff created on the eve of Sabbath at twilight,290 engraved with the holy name,291 a holy graving.» — el arriero data la creación de la vara de Dios en la víspera del sábado al atardecer y la dice grabada con el nombre santo.

«Moses, I did not give you My staff for this. By your life! From now on, it will no longer be in your hand.» — el arriero pone en boca de Dios el retiro de la vara a Moisés tras golpear la roca.

«Because of the sin of striking with that staff,293 he died and did not enter the Holy Land, and this light was withheld from Israel.» — el arriero cierra su lectura del versículo: por el golpe de la vara Moisés murió sin entrar en la Tierra Santa.

«Rabbi El’azar and Rabbi Abba fell before him. Meanwhile they did not see him. They rose, looking in every direction, but could not see him.» — el arriero desaparece de la vista de los dos rabinos apenas se postran ante él.

«On whatever path the righteous walk, with words of Torah between them, virtuous ones of that world come to them.» — Rabbi Abba recuerda la regla que el episodio sostiene: donde los justos caminan con palabras de Torá, los del otro mundo se les acercan.

«They rose and tried to goad the donkeys, but they would not move. They tried to goad them, but they would not move. Frightened, they left the donkeys behind. Still today that spot is called Donkeys’ Site.» — el relato cierra con los burros que no se mueven y con el nombre que quedó al sitio.

«There they stand, then fly through the air, ascending to the Academy of Heaven in that upper Garden of Eden.» — Rabbi El’azar describe a los justos del jardín inferior volando a la Academia del Cielo.

«Sometimes they appear in the presence of human beings, enacting miracles for them like celestial angels» — el mismo pasaje explica las apariciones de los justos entre los hombres, que obran milagros como ángeles.

«Even though Manoah did not know its nature,318 he said, ‘Since it is written: No human shall see Me and live (Exodus 33:20), and we certainly have seen, so we will surely die.» — Rabbi Abba trae el caso de Manóaj, que se dio por muerto por haber visto a Dios.

«As for us, we have seen and attained this light moving with us,319 yet we are still alive, for the blessed Holy One sent him to us to reveal mysteries of wisdom.» — Rabbi Abba opone su caso al de Manóaj: ellos vieron y siguen vivos, porque el enviado venía a revelar misterios.

«The branches of the tree on the mountain began lashing one another, emitting a song.» — el relato describe las ramas del árbol del monte golpeándose unas a otras y emitiendo un canto.

«dispersed among the living of this world! Luminous lamps, initiates of the Academy! Assemble at your places to delight with your Lord in Torah!» — una voz llama a los santos hijos de Dios dispersos entre los vivos, lámparas luminosas e iniciados de la Academia, a reunirse en sus sitios.

«Indeed you have traversed a path of heavenly miracles and signs. For I was just now sleeping, and I saw you and Benayahu son of Yehoyada, who was sending you two crowns326 by the hand of a certain old man to crown you. This was certainly a path of the blessed Holy One! Further, I see your faces transfigured.» — Rabbi Shim’on reconoce por el rostro de los dos rabinos el camino de milagros que han hecho, y cuenta el sueño en que los vio coronados.

«Well have you said, ‘A sage is preferable to a prophet.’”327 Rabbi El’azar approached, placed his head between the knees of» — Rabbi Yose respalda el dicho que pone al sabio por encima del profeta.

«This verse was spoken by Habakkuk when he saw his death and was restored to life by Elisha.» — Rabbi Shim’on adjudica el versículo de Habacuc al momento en que el profeta vio su muerte y fue devuelto a la vida por Eliseo.

«I have discovered in The Book of King Solomon» — Rabbi Shim’on cita el Libro del rey Salomón para el nombre grabado de setenta y dos nombres con que Eliseo revivió a Habacuc.

«The letters of these seventy-two engraved names are 216 letters,336 all of which Elisha inscribed with his breath to restore him to life through the letters of the seventy-two names.» — el pasaje cifra en doscientas dieciséis las letras de los setenta y dos nombres, inscritas con el aliento de Eliseo.

«What a privilege that you saw Rav Hamnuna Sava, radiance of Torah, face-to-face! I was not so privileged.» — Rabbi Shim’on declara no haber tenido el privilegio que tuvieron su hijo y Rabbi Abba.

«Rabbi Shim’on was sitting engaged in Torah on the night when the Bride is joined with Her Husband.» — el Zohar sitúa la enseñanza en la noche de la víspera de Shavu’ot, que llama la noche en que la Novia se une a su Esposo.

«All those Companions initiated into the bridal palace364 need—on that night when the Bride is destined the next day to be under the canopy with Her Husband365 —to be with Her all night, delighting with Her in Her adornments in which She is arrayed,366 engaging in Torah, from Torah to Prophets, from Prophets to Writings» — el Zohar fija la obligación de los Compañeros iniciados: pasar esa noche entera con la Novia, de la Torá a los Profetas y a los Escritos.

«For all those arranging Her adornments tonight, rejoicing with Her, will be recorded and inscribed in the Book of Memory.» — Rabbi Shim’on anuncia que quienes adornen a la Novia esa noche quedarán inscritos en el Libro del Recuerdo.

«Heaven—the Groom entering the canopy.379 מספרים (Mesapperim), Declares—sparkles with the radiance of ספיר (sappir), sapphire, sparkling and radiating from one end of the universe to the other.» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el cielo del salmo como el Novio que entra al dosel y el verbo declarar por su parentesco con el zafiro.

«Every day of the year, She is called God, but now that She has entered the canopy, She is called Glory as well as God, glory upon glory, radiance upon radiance, dominion upon dominion.» — el pasaje suma títulos a la Novia al entrar en el dosel.

«One should not let his mouth reach evil fantasies,385 causing that holy flesh in which the holy covenant is sealed to sin.» — el Zohar pone en boca de Rav Hamnuna Sava la lectura del versículo de Eclesiastés contra las fantasías de la boca.

«The one appointed over Hell is named Dumah,387 who is escorted by many myriads of angels of destruction.» — el pasaje nombra a Dumah como el encargado del infierno, escoltado por miríadas de ángeles destructores.

«He stands at the door of Hell, but he is not permitted to approach any of those who guarded the holy covenant in this world.» — el Zohar pone el límite del poder de Dumah: no puede acercarse a quien guardó el pacto santo.

«midrashic renderings of verses and mysteries of wisdom: these are Her adornments and finery.» — el Zohar llama adornos y galas de la Novia a las lecturas midrásicas y a los misterios que se dicen esa noche.

«David is innocent, and the holy covenant stands arrayed, for it is revealed before Me that Bathsheba was destined for him since the day the world was created.» — la defensa que el Zohar pone en boca de Dios declara inocente a David porque Betsabé le estaba destinada desde la creación.

«Even if it is revealed before You, before him it was not!» — Dumah replica que lo revelado ante Dios no estaba revelado ante David; el desacuerdo se consigna sin resolverse en la frase.

«He confessed to Me, saying, I have sinned against YHVH (ibid., 13), even though he did not sin!» — la respuesta divina a Dumah invoca la confesión de David y a la vez niega el pecado.

«Immediately Dumah returned in despair to his site. Concerning this, David said Unless YHVH had been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt with Dumah» — el relato cierra con Dumah volviendo a su sitio y con el salmo que David dice de esa causa.

«By a thread as fine as a filament of hair, separating me from the Other Side.» — el Zohar mide en un hilo de cabello la distancia que separó a David del Otro Lado.

«So a person should be on guard not to speak as David did,409 since one will not be able to plead with Dumah that it was an error (Ecclesiastes 5:5),410 as happened with David, when the blessed Holy» — el pasaje saca la enseñanza práctica del episodio: cuidarse de hablar como habló David.

«Do not suppose that those words stay in one place; they roam the world: Their words extend to the end of the world» — el Zohar niega que las palabras de Torá se queden quietas: recorren el mundo.

«Six times YHVH is written here,435 and there are six verses from Heaven declares (ibid., 2) to The Torah of YHVH is pure (ibid., 8). Concerning this mystery it is written: בראשית (Be-reshit), In the beginning—look, six letters!436 הארץ‎ ואת‎ השמים‎ את‎ אלהים‎ ברא (Bara Elohim et ha-shamayim ve-et ha-arets), God created the heavens and the earth—look, six more words, corresponding to the six times YHVH appears! Six verses for six letters here; six names for six words here.» — Rabbi Shim’on cuenta seis apariciones del Nombre, seis versículos, seis letras y seis palabras, y las hace corresponder.

«The face of Shekhinah has indeed arrived!438 That is why I called you ‘פניאל (Peni’el), Face of God,’ for you have seen the face of Shekhinah face-to-face.» — Rabbi Shim’on saluda a los que llegan diciendo que ha llegado el rostro de la Shekhinah.

«his length extending from one end of the universe to the other, as with Adam.» — el pasaje da al hombre de medida una talla que va de un extremo del universo al otro, como Adán.

«Sit, dear ones, sit! Let us renew the adornment of the Bride tonight» — Rabbi Shim’on promete protección y un año en paz a los que acompañen a la Novia esa noche.

«Night to night (ibid.)—every rung ruling the night extols to one another each Companion’s knowledge» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la noche que a la noche declara sabiduría como los grados que alaban el saber de cada Compañero.

«In the beginning God created (Genesis 1:1). This verse calls for contemplation, for anyone claiming that there is another god462 is extirpated from worlds» — Rabbi Shim’on abre la lectura del primer versículo advirtiendo que quien afirme otro dios queda cortado de los mundos.

«precisely because of this it is written in Aramaic, for since holy angels do not attend to it, they will not become jealous of a human and harm him.» — el Zohar explica el arameo del versículo por una precaución: los ángeles no lo atienden y así no se encelan del hombre.

«but ארקא (arqa) is one of those seven earths below,470 site of descendants of Cain.» — el Zohar lee una grafía del versículo como una de las siete tierras de abajo, la de los descendientes de Caín.

«Those two officials are Afrira and Kastimon,475 who resemble six-winged holy angels.» — el Zohar nombra a los dos oficiales de esa tierra y los describe semejantes a ángeles de seis alas.

«In darkness they turn into the image of a two-headed serpent, moving like a serpent, then swooping into the abyss,477 bathing in the vast ocean.» — el pasaje describe la transformación nocturna de esos oficiales en serpiente de dos cabezas.

«Those two officials swim the vast ocean and fly through the night to Na’amah, mother of demons» — el pasaje lleva a esos oficiales cada noche hasta Na’amah, a la que llama madre de demonios.

«They intend to approach her, but she leaps 60,000 parasangs, transmogrifying herself into countless figures confronting human beings, so that they stray after her.» — el Zohar describe la fuga y las mudanzas de figura de Na’amah ante ellos.

«Once a Gentile philosopher came to me and said, ‘You claim that your God rules all the heights of heaven, that all the hosts and camps493 cannot grasp or know His site.» — Rabbi Shim’on cuenta la objeción de un filósofo gentil, que le discute el modo en que el versículo de Jeremías alaba a Dios.

«What kind of comparison is this —to human beings who do not [10a] endure?» — la objeción del filósofo apunta a la comparación misma: medir a Dios con hombres que no duran.

«You have certainly spoken well. Who revives the dead? The blessed Holy One alone. Along came Elijah and Elisha, and they revived the dead!» — Rabbi Shim’on concede al filósofo y le responde con una serie: quien resucita a los muertos es Dios, y sin embargo Elías y Eliseo resucitaron.

«Further, the blessed Holy One issues decrees, and the righteous of Israel abolish them, as is written: The righteous one rules the awe of God» — Rabbi Shim’on cierra la serie con el dicho de que el justo gobierna el temor de Dios: los decretos divinos los anulan los justos de Israel.

«The blessed Holy One always desires to be glorified through Israel—and is named for Israel alone» — el Zohar sostiene que Dios quiere ser glorificado por Israel y lleva su nombre.

«By that מדבר (midbar), speech [10b]—by the whispering of lips—She ascends.» — Rabbi El’azar lee el desierto del Cantar por la raíz de la palabra hablada: la Novia asciende por el susurro de los labios.

«This is what the ancient ḥasidim used to do» — el pasaje describe la práctica de los antiguos ḥasidim: agua junto al lecho, lavarse las manos al despertar de noche y estudiar Torá.

«For the moment that the rooster crows is precisely midnight, when the blessed Holy One appears with the righteous in the Garden of Eden.» — el Zohar hace coincidir el canto del gallo con la medianoche en que Dios se aparece con los justos en el Edén.

«For when a person is sleeping, his spirit flies away from him, and as his spirit flies off, an impure spirit is ready to settle on his hands, defiling them.» — el Zohar explica el lavado de manos por la salida del espíritu durante el sueño y la llegada de un espíritu impuro.

«The share of the blessed Holy One consists in gladdening the poor as best as one can.» — Rabbi Shim’on define la parte de Dios en la fiesta: alegrar al pobre en la medida de lo posible.

«Don’t the inhabitants of the world realize that I based the world solely on love? As is written: I said, “The world shall be built on love” (Psalms 89:3). By this the world endures.» — el Zohar pone en boca de Dios que el mundo se fundó solo sobre el amor, con el versículo del salmo por apoyo.

«Whenever there is a joyous meal, the Accuser comes to observe. If the host has first provided for the poor or invited them into his home, then the Accuser departs from the house without entering.» — el Zohar da la regla del banquete: si primero se provee a los pobres, el Acusador no entra.

«All that suffering came about because he552 gave nothing to the poor.» — el relato de Abraham cierra adjudicando al banquete sin pobres la prueba de Isaac y la muerte de Sara.

«Come and see how potent is the power of Torah, how supreme above all! For whoever engages in Torah has no fear of those above and those below, nor of any grave sickness in the world, since he grasps the Tree of Life and learns from it every day.» — Rabbi Shim’on da al que se ocupa de la Torá por libre de temor arriba y abajo, porque se ase al Árbol de la Vida.

«If one departs from Torah or separates from her, it is like separating oneself from the Tree of Life.» — el mismo pasaje pone la contrapartida: apartarse de la Torá es apartarse del Árbol de la Vida.

«When one climbs into bed at night, he should accept upon himself wholeheartedly the Kingdom on high557 and in advance deliver to Him the pledge of his soul.» — el Zohar da el consejo nocturno: aceptar el Reino de arriba y entregar el alma en prenda.

«A person should not enter the synagogue without first consulting Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they innovated prayer to the blessed Holy One» — el Zohar funda la costumbre de invocar a los patriarcas antes de entrar a la sinagoga en que ellos innovaron la plegaria.

«Truly I have heard that our Companion Yoḥai has a pearl, a precious stone.» — Rabbi Reḥumai nombra a Rabbi Shim’on por su patronímico y llama perla y piedra preciosa a lo que guarda.

«Birds, birds, flying over the lake! Have you seen the site of the son of Yoḥai?» — Rabbi Pinḥas interroga a dos aves que vuelan sobre el lago por el paradero de Rabbi Shim’on.

«The son of Yoḥai has emerged from the cave along with his son Rabbi El’azar.» — la nota que traen las aves anuncia la salida de Rabbi Shim’on y de su hijo de la cueva.

«Happy is my share that you see me so, for had you not seen me so, I would not be so.» — Rabbi Shim’on responde al llanto de Rabbi Pinḥas volviendo dicha su propia ruina.

«The commandments of Torah given by the blessed Holy One to Israel are all written in Torah in general terms.» — Rabbi Shim’on abre la serie de los mandamientos declarando que en la Torá están escritos en términos generales.

«Awe branches in three directions, two of which are not fittingly rooted, one of which is essence» — el Zohar reparte el temor en tres ramas y descarta dos por mal arraigadas.

«There is the person who fears the blessed Holy One so that his children may live and not die, or who fears physical or material punishment. Because of this he fears Him constantly, but his awe is not focused on the blessed Holy One.» — la primera rama descartada teme por los hijos o por el castigo material, y el Zohar dice que ese temor no apunta a Dios.

«The essence of awe is that a person be in awe of his Lord because He is immense and sovereign—essence and root of all worlds» — el Zohar define el temor esencial por la inmensidad y el señorío de Dios, no por el castigo.

«Woe is me if I speak! Woe is me if I do not speak! If I speak, the wicked will know how to serve their Lord. If I do not speak, the Companions will be deprived of this word.» — Rabbi Shim’on llora ante la disyuntiva de decir o callar: hablando enseña al malvado, callando priva a los Compañeros.

«At the site where holy awe dwells, below is evil awe, beating, striking, accusing» — el Zohar pone bajo el temor santo un temor malo que golpea y acusa.

«This is the root and foundation of all the other commandments in Torah. Whoever adheres to awe adheres to all; one who does not, does not keep the commandments of Torah, for this is the gate to all.» — el Zohar hace del temor raíz y fundamento de los demás mandamientos y puerta de todos.

«This is the first commandment of all, called awe of YHVH, which is called beginning» — el Zohar hace del temor el primer mandamiento de todos y lo llama principio.

«These are four types of punishment by which the wicked are punished» — el Zohar lee las cuatro palabras del segundo versículo del Génesis como cuatro penas para los malvados.

«The second commandment: one to which the commandment of awe is linked, never departing. This is love, loving one’s Lord» — el Zohar pone el amor por segundo mandamiento, ligado al temor y nunca separado de él.

«There is the person who loves Him because he has wealth, longevity, children surrounding him; he dominates his enemies, his paths are paved. Because of this he loves Him. If things were overturned—the blessed Holy One turning the wheel of strict judgment against him—then he would hate Him, not love Him at all. So this love is not rooted.» — Rabbi El’azar descarta como no arraigado el amor que depende de la riqueza, de los hijos y de la victoria.

«The love called consummate abides both aspects, whether judgment or favor.» — Rabbi El’azar define el amor consumado por abarcar los dos lados, el juicio y el favor.

«The ripening of the way is to love one’s Lord as we have learned: ‘even if He plucks your soul.» — Rabbi El’azar cita el dicho que mide el amor consumado: amar aunque te arranque el alma.

«Rabbi Shim’on, his father, took hold of him and kissed him. Rabbi Pinḥas came and kissed him, then blessed him, saying, “The blessed Holy One certainly sent me here. This is the fine ray of light I was told is contained in my house» — Rabbi Pinḥas reconoce en El’azar el rayo de luz que le habían anunciado.

«The third commandment:620 to realize that God exists621 —vast and controlling the world—and to unify Him fittingly each day in those six» — el Zohar pone por tercer mandamiento reconocer que Dios existe y unificarlo cada día en las seis direcciones supernas.

«This is the sin of the primordial serpent: he joined below and it separated above» — el Zohar define el pecado de la serpiente primordial como una inversión: unir abajo y separar arriba.

«For when a person studies Torah he is adorned with another holy soul,656 as is written: with a swarm of חיה‎ נפש (nefesh ḥayyah)—a נפש (nefesh), soul, of that holy חיה (ḥayyah), living being» — el Zohar hace del estudio de la Torá la vía por la que se recibe un alma santa.

«when a person does not study Torah, he has no holy soul;658 supernal holiness does not rest upon him.» — el Zohar pone la contrapartida: sin estudio no hay alma santa ni reposa la santidad superna.

«The sixth commandment: to be fruitful and multiply. For whoever engages in this causes that river to flow constantly, its waters never ceasing, and the sea is filled from every direction.» — el Zohar hace de la fecundidad el sexto mandamiento y la liga al flujo del río que llena el mar.

«As a soul emerges into this world, the bird flying forth with this soul from that tree emerges with her.» — el Zohar acompaña cada alma que entra en el mundo con un ave salida del mismo árbol.

«How many emerge with each and every soul? Two, one on the right and one on the left. If one is virtuous they protect him, as is written: For He will order His angels [to guard you in all your ways] (Psalms 91:11). If not, they accuse him.» — el Zohar da dos acompañantes a cada alma, que protegen o acusan según el mérito.

«There are three who serve as the guardians of a human being» — Rabbi Pinḥas cuenta tres guardianes del hombre y los deriva del versículo de Job.

«Not so! Rather, Then He is gracious to him—the blessed Holy One alone, for no one but He has the authority.» — Rabbi Pinḥas objeta la cuenta de cinco y devuelve el acto de gracia solo a Dios, único con autoridad.

«Whoever avoids engendering new life diminishes, as it were, the image comprising all images,674 causing the waters of that river to flow no more, damaging the holy covenant on all sides.» — el Zohar hace de la negativa a engendrar una disminución de la imagen que comprende todas las imágenes.

«The seventh commandment: to circumcise on the eighth day, removing the filth of the foreskin.» — el Zohar pone la circuncisión al octavo día por séptimo mandamiento.

«This is Elijah, who sweeps through the entire world in four glides to be present at that holy circumcision.» — el Zohar lee las aves del versículo como Elías, que cruza el mundo en cuatro vuelos para asistir a cada circuncisión.

«One must prepare a chair for him and declare: ‘This is the chair of Elijah.’ If not, he does not abide there.» — el Zohar fija la práctica de la silla de Elías y la condición de nombrarla.

«The eighth commandment: to love the convert694 coming to circumcise himself, to enter beneath the wings of Shekhinah.» — el Zohar pone por octavo mandamiento amar al converso que viene a circuncidarse.

«converts have no share in the celestial tree, certainly not its trunk;705 rather, their share is in the wings, no higher.» — el Zohar acota el lugar del converso: bajo las alas de la Shekhinah y no en el tronco del árbol celeste.

«The ninth commandment: to be generous to the poor and provide them with food, for it is written: Let us make a human being in our image, according to our likeness (Genesis 1:26). Let us make a human being—jointly, including male and female;708 in our image—the wealthy, according to our likeness—mystery of the poor.» — el Zohar pone por noveno mandamiento la generosidad con el pobre y la deriva del plural del versículo de la creación del hombre.

«Just as they constitute a single partnership710 —one caring for the other, providing for the other, and rendering goodness—so should human beings below be rich and poor in a single bond, one providing for the other and rendering goodness.» — el Zohar hace de ricos y pobres una sociedad única, a imagen de la de arriba.

«If one cares for the poor wholeheartedly, his image never mutates from that of Adam;712 and since the image of Adam is impressed on him, he controls all creatures of the world» — el Zohar cita el Libro del rey Salomón para la permanencia de la imagen de Adán en quien cuida al pobre.

«How do we know? From Nebuchadnezzar. Even though he dreamed that dream,715 as long as he was generous to the poor, his dream did not befall him.» — el Zohar prueba la regla con Nabucodonosor, cuyo sueño no se cumplió mientras fue generoso con los pobres.

«The tenth commandment: to put on תפילין (tefillin),719 perfecting oneself in the image on high, for it is written: God created the human» — el Zohar pone por décimo mandamiento ponerse los tefilín, para perfeccionarse en la imagen de arriba.

«Tefillin are the actual letters of the holy name. So, Your head upon you is like Carmel—tefillin of the head.» — el Zohar identifica los tefilín con las letras mismas del nombre santo.

«So one adorned in them is in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).740 Just as the holy name is united with God, so is the holy name united with him, fittingly.» — el Zohar hace del que se ciñe los tefilín una imagen de Dios por la unión del nombre santo con él.

«The eleventh commandment: to tithe the tithe of the earth» — el Zohar pone por undécimo mandamiento el diezmo de la tierra, con las primicias del árbol por segundo.

«The thirteenth commandment: to redeem one’s son,746 binding him to life.» — el Zohar pone por decimotercer mandamiento redimir al hijo y lo liga a la vida.

«there are two appointees, one of life and one of death, standing above a person.» — el Zohar pone dos encargados sobre cada persona, uno de la vida y otro de la muerte.

«The fourteenth commandment: to observe the Sabbath day, day of rest from all acts of Creation.» — el Zohar pone por decimocuarto mandamiento guardar el sábado, día de descanso de toda obra de la Creación.

«Once the day was hallowed, the creation of spirits remained —for them no body had been created.» — el Zohar deja sin cuerpo a los espíritus creados al filo de la santificación del día.

«so the conjugal interval of the wise, who know this, is from Sabbath» — el Zohar deriva de la construcción de cuerpos santos en esa noche el intervalo conyugal de los sabios.

«Three bring evil upon themselves. One, whoever curses himself.» — el Zohar recoge el dicho rabínico de los tres que atraen el mal sobre sí a la salida del sábado.

«because by this fire he prematurely kindles the fire of Hell.» — el Zohar explica la prohibición de encender lámpara antes de la havdalá por el fuego del infierno que así se adelanta.

«With this beginning, the unknown concealed one20 created the palace. This palace is called אלהים (Elohim), God.» — el Zohar hace del oculto desconocido el sujeto del primer versículo y llama palacio a lo creado.

«What is that seed? Those engraved letters, mystery of Torah, emerging from that point.» — el Zohar identifica la simiente sembrada en el palacio con las letras grabadas, misterio de la Torá.

«Tohu—a colorless, formless realm, not embraced by the mystery of form.» — el Zohar define el caos como ámbito sin color ni forma, no abarcado por el misterio de la forma.

«Everything has a garment in which to be clothed, except for this: though appearing upon it, it does not exist at all, never did.» — el Zohar niega vestidura al caos y le niega existencia, presente y pasada.

«A spark of impenetrable darkness4 flashed within the concealed of the concealed,» — Parashat Be-Reshit abre con la chispa de tiniebla impenetrable que fulgura en lo oculto de lo oculto.

«a cluster of vapor forming in formlessness, thrust in a ring,7 not white, not black, not red, not green, no color at all.» — el mismo arranque describe el primer cúmulo sin color alguno.

«until under the impact of splitting, a single, concealed, supernal point shone. Beyond that point, nothing is known, so it is called ראשית (Reshit), Beginning,12 first command of all.» — el pasaje describe el punto superno que brilla tras la escisión y lo llama principio, el primer mandato de todos.

«Snow in water. Through the potency of snow in water emerged slime» — el Zohar describe el origen del caos por la nieve en el agua, el limo y el fuego que lo golpea.

«He traced and built, but it did not endure67 until He enwrapped Himself in a wrapping of radiance, supernal right, creating the heavens.» — el Zohar declara que el trazado no se sostuvo hasta que Dios se envolvió en un manto de resplandor, y con esa luz primera creó los cielos.

«Bohu—this has shape and form: stones sunk within the shell of tohu,87 emerging from the shell in which they are sunk, conveying benefit to the world.» — el Zohar da forma al vacío: piedras hundidas en la cáscara del caos que salen de ella para traer provecho al mundo.

«Darkness is black fire, potent in color; red fire, potent in appearance; green fire, potent in shape; white fire, embracing all.» — el Zohar reparte cuatro fuegos por color, apariencia, forma y abarque.

«Here is the engraved name of twelve letters, transmitted to Elijah in the cave.» — el Zohar cierra la serie con el nombre grabado de doce letras, que dice transmitido a Elías en la cueva.

«Above, saying is not specified. Although בראשית (Be-reshit), In the beginning, is a saying,108 said is not ascribed.» — el Zohar señala que arriba no se atribuye el decir, aunque el principio sea también un dicho.

«The expanse congealed, and the letters congealed, folding into shape, forming forms» — el Zohar cuaja el firmamento y con él las letras, y graba allí la Torá.

«The letters are body; the vowels, spirit» — el Zohar reparte cuerpo y espíritu entre letras y vocales, y pone a ambas en movimiento tras las notas de cantilación; el tramo se repite palabra por palabra en el lema de su nota y se ancla en la primera aparición.

«For before the blessed Holy One created the world, He and His name were enclosed within Him, one.» — el Zohar sitúa a Dios y a su nombre encerrados en él, uno, antes de la creación del mundo; el tramo vuelve a imprimirse como lema de su nota y se ancla en la primera aparición.

«Here begins the discovery of hidden treasures: how the world was created in detail.» — el Zohar marca aquí el paso de lo general al detalle de la creación; el tramo vuelve a imprimirse como lema de su nota y se ancla en la primera aparición.

«God called the light Day (ibid., 5). What does called mean? He called forth and summoned this perfect light» — el Zohar lee el llamar del versículo como convocar: Dios llama a la luz perfecta del pilar central.

«He called forth, summoned and generated from the side of darkness a female, the moon ruling by night, called Night, mystery of אדני (Adonai)» — el Zohar genera del lado de la tiniebla a la luna, hembra que gobierna la noche.

«Here is mystery in detail,151 separating upper waters from lower» — el Zohar lee el segundo día como separación de las aguas de arriba y las de abajo por el misterio de la izquierda.

«Out of that conflict aroused by the left, emerged Hell. Hell aroused on the left and clung.» — el Zohar hace nacer el infierno del conflicto suscitado por el lado izquierdo.

«The central pillar, who is the third day,157 entered between them, mediating the conflict, reconciling the two sides.» — el Zohar mete el pilar central, que es el tercer día, entre los dos lados para mediar el conflicto.

«Similarly the conflict between Korah and Aaron was left against right.» — el Zohar lee el pleito de Coré y Aarón como el de la izquierda contra la derecha.

«Korah did not want this conflict to be harmonized by Moses because it was not for the sake of heaven» — el Zohar adjudica a Coré la negativa a que Moisés armonizara el pleito, porque no era por amor del cielo.

«A conflict arrayed as above, ascending, not descending, established rightly, is the conflict of Shammai and Hillel.» — el Zohar opone al pleito de Coré el de Shammai y Hillel, que sube y no baja.

«This is the way of the righteous: beginning harshly, ending gently.» — el Zohar enuncia el camino de los justos: empezar duro y acabar suave.

«Separation, indeed, is solely on the second, on the left.» — el Zohar fija la separación en el segundo, que es la izquierda.

«Separation, as Sabbath departs, separates those who rule the weekdays from Sabbath.» — el Zohar lee la havdalá como separación de los que gobiernan los días de la semana respecto del sábado.

«As soon as Sabbath departs, a specter,189 an evil officer, ascends from Hell» — el Zohar hace subir del infierno, a la salida del sábado, un espectro que quiere apoderarse de Israel.

«The upper waters are male; the lower waters, female» — el Zohar reparte sexo entre las aguas de arriba y las de abajo, mezcladas al principio.

«Because of this conflict, although it sustains the world, that it was good is not written of the second day, for the act was incomplete.» — el Zohar explica por qué del segundo día no se dice que fuera bueno: el acto quedó incompleto.

«Were it not for this conflict, harmonized by the middle, they would not merge or be at peace with one another.» — el Zohar hace del conflicto armonizado por el medio la condición de la paz entre las expansiones.

«When conflict was aroused by the potency of the left, Colonel Ember219 glowed and flared. Out came two specters, male and female, immediately congealing with no moisture at all.» — el Zohar hace salir del conflicto dos espectros, macho y hembra, cuajados sin humedad.

«Here lies the mystery of Hell, called by seven names» — el Zohar cuenta siete nombres para el infierno y siete para el impulso del mal.

«Good and evil diverge—cultivation of the world.» — el Zohar hace de la divergencia entre bien y mal el cultivo del mundo.

«Two unifications: one of the upper world, to be unified in its rungs,238 and one of the lower world to be unified in its rungs.» — el Zohar reparte dos unificaciones, la del mundo de arriba y la del de abajo.

«Here, on this rung, the revealed world joins the concealed» — el Zohar pone en ese grado la juntura del mundo revelado con el oculto.

«I have set My bow in the cloud (ibid. 9:13)—since the day the world was created.» — el Zohar data el arco en la nube desde el día en que el mundo fue creado.

«The colors of the rainbow below, uniting white, red, and green, match the concealed colors,252 composing another unity» — el Zohar hace corresponder los colores del arco de abajo con los colores ocultos de arriba.

«Now Earth generates Her powers with those waters gathered to one place,263 flowing into Her in hidden secrecy, emerging within Her as supernal secrecies, sacred forces, arrayed in an array of faith by all» — el Zohar hace a la Tierra generar sus potencias con las aguas reunidas en un solo lugar.

«the behemoth crouching on a thousand mountains, which grow that grass for her every day.» — el Zohar lee la bestia del salmo como el behemot agazapado sobre mil montes.

«A human is male and female, and is otherwise not called human.» — el Zohar declara que humano es macho y hembra y que de otro modo no se llama humano.

«Human gazes at them all, while all ascend and gaze at him. Then they are all traced in their engravings, in this tracing, in the mystery of one name called נורא (Nora), Awesome.» — el Zohar pone al rostro humano mirando a los otros tres y siendo mirado por ellos, bajo el nombre Temible.

«From here we learn that one is not permitted to emit seed in vain.» — el Zohar deriva del versículo la prohibición de emitir semilla en vano.

«Every single night, the spirit strips itself of that garment and ascends,308 and the consuming fire consumes it.» — el Zohar hace que el espíritu se despoje cada noche de su vestidura y la suba a que el fuego la consuma.

«human beings who are new every single day.309 [19b] What is the reason? Immense is Your» — el Zohar lee la renovación de cada mañana del libro de Lamentaciones como renovación diaria del hombre.

«spelled deficiently: מארת (me’erat), curse, for diphtheria was created for children.» — el Zohar lee la grafía defectuosa de la palabra lumbreras como maldición, y de ahí saca la difteria de los niños.

«After the radiance of primordial light was treasured away,318 a shell was created for the kernel.» — el Zohar hace nacer la cáscara cuando la luz primordial fue guardada.

«As soon as she saw Eve cleaving to the side of Adam, beauty above, as soon as she saw the complete image, she flew away» — el Zohar hace huir a Lilit al ver a Eva unida al costado de Adán.

«She flies off, roaming through the world. Approaching the earthly Garden of Eden, she sees cherubs guarding the gates of the Garden, and she dwells there by that flaming sword (Genesis 3:24),326 for she emerged from the side of that flame» — el Zohar describe la ronda de Lilit por el mundo en busca de los niños que han de ser castigados.

«For 130 years Adam copulated with female spirits333 until the arrival of Na’amah,334 whose beauty seduced the sons of Elohim» — el Zohar cifra en ciento treinta años el trato de Adán con espíritus femeninos, hasta la llegada de Na’amah.

«When King Solomon descended to the depth of the nut,341 as is written: I descended to the nut garden (Song of Songs 6:11), he took the shell of a nut» — el Zohar cuenta el descenso de Salomón al fondo de la nuez, leído del versículo del Cantar.

«The blessed Holy One had to create everything in the world, arraying the world. All consists of a kernel within, with several shells covering the kernel.» — el Zohar enuncia la ley de la cáscara y el grano, que aplica al mundo entero, arriba y abajo.

«The primordial point is inner radiance—there is no way to gauge its translucency, tenuity, or purity until an expanse expanded from» — el Zohar declara inmensurable la translucidez del punto primordial hasta que de él se expandió una extensión.

«Everything is fashioned the same way below, so that a human in this world manifests this image: kernel and shell, spirit and body.» — el Zohar aplica al hombre la misma ley: grano y cáscara, espíritu y cuerpo.

«When the moon shared a single cleaving with the sun, she was radiant» — el Zohar cuenta la disminución de la luna tras separarse del sol.

«The moon was uneasy with the sun, ashamed in its presence» — el Zohar pone en boca de la luna la queja con que pide su disminución, tomada del Cantar.

«for a woman is enhanced only together with her husband. The greater light» — el Zohar enuncia la regla con que explica la disminución de la luna.

«You are human; the other nations are not.» — el Zohar restringe el nombre humano del versículo de Ezequiel y excluye a las otras naciones.

«Every spirit is called human; the body of the spirit of the holy side381 is a garment of the human» — el Zohar hace del cuerpo una vestidura del espíritu, que es lo que propiamente se llama humano.

«So the two sides diverge. These are comprised in the mystery of human; those, in the mystery of Impure. Each kind follows its own, returning to its own kind.» — el Zohar separa los dos lados, el del humano y el del impuro, y devuelve cada especie a la suya.

«From that point on, she has light only from the sun» — el Zohar deja a la luna recibiendo luz solo del sol, después de haberse disminuido.

«The fingers of a human being are the secret of rungs and mysteries on high,402 including front and back.» — el Zohar hace de los dedos de la mano un secreto de grados, con su haz y su envés.

«On the Sabbath day, the blessed Holy One rules alone through those inner faces on His throne of glory,407 all embraced by Him; dominion belongs to Him.» — el Zohar reserva el sábado al gobierno solo de Dios por los rostros interiores.

«No eye catches them since they are darting to and fro.» — el Zohar declara inaprensibles a la vista las criaturas que van y vienen del versículo de Ezequiel.

«Ein Sof contains no trace at all;426 no question applies to It, nor conceiving contemplating any thought.» — el Zohar niega a Ein Sof todo rastro, toda pregunta y todo pensamiento que lo contemple.

«From within concealing of the concealed, from the initial descent of Ein Sof,427 radiates a tenuous radiance, unknown, concealed in tracing like the point of a needle, mystery of concealment of thought.» — el Zohar describe el primer resplandor tenue que sale del descenso inicial de Ein Sof, trazado como punta de aguja.

«First of all, א (alef), first and last of all the rungs, a tracing traced by all the rungs,430 yet called “One,” to demonstrate that although containing many images, it is only one.» — el Zohar hace de la alef primera y última de los grados y la llama Una pese a contener muchas imágenes.

«As night enters and the female grasps all, the house is ruled solely by Her—for then the reign belongs to Her, not to the male» — el Zohar entrega a la hembra el gobierno de la casa al entrar la noche.

«The backs are outside, alluding to the fingernails, so one is [21a] permitted to gaze at the fingernails as Sabbath departs, for they shine from that lamp» — el Zohar funda la costumbre de mirarse las uñas a la salida del sábado en que son el envés que brilla desde esa llama.

«Because the body does not join the female before joining with the covenant.» — el Zohar explica por qué Moisés carga los huesos de José: el cuerpo no se une a la hembra sin unirse antes al pacto.

«From here we learn that a female married to two, returns to the first in that world.» — el Zohar saca del caso de Jacob, Moisés y la Shekhinah la regla de la mujer casada con dos.

«For there will never be, nor has there ever been, a generation like those originals, shown the splendid luster of their Lord face-to-face.» — el Zohar declara irrepetible la generación del desierto, que vio el esplendor de su Señor cara a cara.

«Jacob performed with his wives in the body, later cleaving spirit to spirit» — el Zohar opone el trato de Jacob con sus mujeres al de Moisés, que se separó de la suya.

«By the impact of His truncheons,513 ramparts» — el Zohar describe el golpe de las mazas divinas que descubre las murallas.

«Dominion extends above, below, and in four directions,516 becoming one supernal stream, flowing down, forming a vast sea» — el Zohar extiende el dominio en seis direcciones hasta formar un mar inmenso.

«the upper house is built by wisdom, and the lower one, as well,520 though the upper house is grand, cultivation of the world, while king, anonymous, is the lower house.» — el Zohar reparte las dos casas del versículo de Proverbios, la de arriba y la de abajo.

«When thought arises in joyous desire,536 from the Concealed of all Concealed,537 a concealed river is drawn forth from it.» — el Zohar hace salir del pensamiento en deseo gozoso un río oculto.

«When the world above was filled and impregnated, like a female impregnated by a male, it generated two children as one, male and female, who are heaven and earth, as above.» — el Zohar describe el mundo de arriba preñado como hembra y pariendo dos hijos, cielo y tierra.

«The lower waters call to the upper, like a female opening to the male, pouring out water toward the water of the male to form seed.» — el Zohar hace llamar a las aguas de abajo a las de arriba, como hembra que se abre al macho.

«the male emerges from the side of the right, while the female emerges from the side of the left» — el Zohar reparte macho y hembra entre el lado derecho y el izquierdo.

«Words extend till here; beyond, one does not inquire» — el Zohar pone el límite de la indagación: hasta ahí llegan las palabras y más allá no se pregunta.

«The world was created in two modes, by the right and by the left, by six transcendent days.» — el Zohar declara el mundo creado por dos modos, la derecha y la izquierda, en seis días trascendentes.

«In forty-two letters the world was engraved and endured» — el Zohar cifra en cuarenta y dos las letras con que el mundo fue grabado y quedó firme.

«Then the immense abyss ascended in darkness, and darkness covered all, until light emanated, split the darkness, and radiated» — el Zohar hace subir el abismo en tiniebla hasta que la luz emana y la parte.

«As the light shone, its radiance blazed from one end of the universe to the other. When it gazed upon the wicked of the world, it hid itself away» — el Zohar hace ocultarse a la luz primera en cuanto mira a los malvados del mundo.

«When She turned to dwell in Her place, separating [31a] from His side, She was confounded and bewildered» — el Zohar describe el desconcierto de la Tierra al separarse del costado del cielo.

«Day illumines Night, but Night does not shine until the time of which is written: Night will shine as day; darkness and light will be the same» — el Zohar aplaza la luz propia de la Noche al tiempo que anuncia el salmo.

«So whoever approaches should approach these poles, not what lies within» — Rabbi Shim’on fija el límite del que se acerca: las varas y no lo que está dentro, con el dicho del nazareo.

«Rabbi Yose asked him, “These six days of Creation (בראשית [Be-reshit], In the beginning) that we study, who are they?» — Rabbi Yose pregunta por los seis días de la Creación y abre la exposición de las sefirot por los nombres del libro de Crónicas.

«This is the light that the blessed Holy One showed Adam, who gazed with it from one end of the universe to the other.» — el Zohar identifica la luz primera con la que Dios mostró a Adán, con la que veía de un extremo del universo al otro.

«When the blessed Holy One saw that three wicked generations would arise—the generation of Enosh, the generation of the Flood, and the generation of Dispersion—He hid it away to prevent them from using it.» — el Zohar explica el ocultamiento de la luz por las tres generaciones malvadas que Dios previó.

«The blessed Holy One gave it to Moses, who used it for the three remaining months of his gestation, as is said: She hid him for three months» — el Zohar entrega esa luz a Moisés durante los tres meses en que su madre lo escondió.

«Why was it hidden away? So the wicked of the world would not enjoy it, nor the worlds enjoy it because of them» — Rabbi Yitsḥak da la razón del ocultamiento y el destinatario: los justos.

«there is no light without darkness, no darkness without light» — Rabbi Yitsḥak niega luz sin tiniebla y tiniebla sin luz, y consigna que difieren solo en color.

«but since it is not included in the count, the second is beginning. So: ראשית‎ ב (Bet, reshit), ‘two, beginning.» — el Zohar explica por qué se llama principio a lo segundo: la Corona oculta no entra en la cuenta.

«Through a covenant the world was created and established, as is written: Were it not for My covenant with day and night, I would not have established the laws of heaven and earth (Jeremiah 33:25).718 Who is Covenant?» — Rabbi Shim’on funda la creación y la permanencia del mundo en un pacto, con el versículo de Jeremías.

«Three emerge from one; one stands in three, enters between two; two suckle one, one suckles many sides,736 so all is one» — el Zohar enuncia la fórmula de la unidad: tres salen de uno y uno está en tres.

«for all those waters merge in it, and then it sheds them upon these creatures, drawing from there.» — Rabbi Yehudah describe el firmamento que reúne las aguas y las vierte sobre las criaturas.

«Because the north wind blows on those waters and they congeal, unable to flow out, eventually turning into ice.» — Rabbi Yehudah explica la congelación de las aguas por el viento del norte y su deshielo por el del sur.

«There is a membrane in the midst of the innards of the human body, partitioning below and above» — Rabbi Yitsḥak compara el firmamento con una membrana en medio de las entrañas del cuerpo humano.

«When the ancients arrived at this site, they would say: ‘The lips of the wise move but they say nothing lest they be punished.» — Rabbi Abba cita a los antiguos: ante ese sitio los labios del sabio se mueven y no dicen nada.

«From here we learn that every division of opinion for the sake of heaven is destined to endure» — Rabbi Yehudah deriva de la división del segundo día que toda disputa por amor del cielo está destinada a durar.

«To one place—to a place called One, namely, the lower sea, completing One, without whom He is not called One.» — Rabbi Yehudah lee el lugar único como el mar de abajo, sin el cual no se dice Uno.

«Since it is impoverished bread, it is called dry land, though it absorbs all the waters of the world. She remains dry until this place fills Her; then water streams through those springs.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak explica el nombre tierra seca por el pan de pobreza: seca hasta que el otro lugar la llena.

«for every human being endowed with a holy spirit, fruit of that tree, is signed with an insignia of its kind.» — el Zohar marca con insignia propia a todo hombre dotado de espíritu santo.

«Happy is the share of the one who resembles his mother and father! Therefore the holy insignia on the eighth day, so that he resemble his mother» — el Zohar liga la circuncisión del octavo día al parecido con la madre y la uncubrición al parecido con el padre.

«Why makes Earth? The verse should read: made Earth. But indeed, makes, continuously!» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee el presente del versículo de Jeremías como hechura continua de la Tierra.

«In The Engraved Letters of Rabbi El’azar803 are clusters of letters, twenty-two clustered as one» — Rabbi Yehudah cita las Letras Grabadas de Rabbi El’azar para los racimos de las veintidós letras.

«Curse, for there abides the rigor of the seepage of judgment.» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah lee la grafía defectuosa de lumbreras como maldición y le adjudica el rigor del juicio.

«a speculum that does not shine on its own824 but like a lantern absorbing light and glowing.» — Rabbi El’azar define esa lumbrera como espejo que no brilla por sí sino como linterna que absorbe luz.

«There are seven planets corresponding to seven heavens, all of them conducting the world, and above them the upper world.» — Rabbi Yeisa Sava cuenta siete planetas para siete cielos y pone sobre ellos el mundo de arriba.

«Once the moon prevails, illumined by that river flowing forth, all those heavens below and their hosts are augmented with light.» — Rabbi Abba hace crecer en luz a los cielos de abajo cuando la luna prevalece.

«When joy prevails in the king’s palace, even the gatekeepers, even crag dwellers848 all revel and roam the world, and children of the world must beware.» — Rabbi Abba advierte que cuando hay gozo en el palacio del rey también los guardianes salen a rondar.

«These are the seven days of מלואים (millu’im), investiture—millu’im, filling, indeed, for at that time the world is rendered firm and fragrant, restored to fullness.» — Rabbi Yehudah lee los siete días del versículo de Isaías como los días de investidura, de llenado.

«messengers from above appearing to humans in human appearance, as implied by the wording fly upon the earth.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee las aves del versículo como mensajeros que se aparecen a los hombres con apariencia humana.

«Leviathan and his mate.863 “And every» — Rabbi Ḥiyya identifica los grandes monstruos marinos del versículo con el Leviatán y su pareja.

«All of them are six-winged, never changing, so it is written: after its kind.» — Rabbi Yose da seis alas a esas aves y les niega mudanza de especie.

«When the blessed Holy One was about to create Adam, above and below trembled.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace temblar a lo alto y a lo bajo cuando Dios se dispone a crear al hombre.

«East cleaved to West, generating him, and so we have learned: Adam emerged from the site of the Temple.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace nacer a Adán del sitio del Templo, por la unión de oriente y occidente.

«Adam was last of all, fittingly, so as to arrive in a consummate world.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el lugar último del hombre en la creación: llegar a un mundo ya consumado.

«So from earth below action is aroused above» — el Zohar enuncia la regla de la excitación desde abajo: la acción de arriba se despierta desde la tierra.

«If Assembly of Israel did not initiate arousal, the one above would not be aroused toward Her.» — el Zohar hace depender el despertar de arriba del despertar de la Asamblea de Israel.

«The tree of life is precisely in the middle of the garden, conveying all waters of Creation, branching below, for that flowing, gushing river spreads into the garden, whence waters branch in many directions.» — Rabbi Abba pone el Árbol de la Vida en el centro del jardín como conducto de todas las aguas.

«Since it suckles on two sides and knows them as one suckling sweet and bitter, since it suckles on two sides, knowing them and dwelling among them, it is called so.» — Rabbi Abba explica el nombre del Árbol del Conocimiento del Bien y del Mal por mamar de dos lados y conocerlos.

«this tree is a tree of death; whoever takes it alone dies, for he has taken deadly poison.» — el Zohar declara árbol de muerte al que se toma solo, separado del resto.

«It was Samael appearing on a serpent, and the form of the serpent is Satan; all is one.» — Rabbi Shim’on resuelve la disputa entre el impulso del mal y la serpiente real declarando que todo es uno.

«He opened with אף (af), really, and cast אף (af), wrath, into the world.» — Rabbi Yose lee la primera palabra de la serpiente como la ira que arrojó al mundo.

«I have discovered: This is the original Lilith, who accompanied him, was impregnated by him, and taken away from him.» — Rabbi Shim’on remite a los libros de los antiguos la noticia de la Lilit primera que acompañó a Adán y le fue quitada.

«Come and see: Adam and Eve were created side by side» — Rabbi Shim’on consigna que Adán y Eva fueron creados de costado y plantea por qué no cara a cara.

«He spoke lies entirely. The very first thing he said was a lie, as is written: Even though God said, ‘Do not eat from any of the trees in the garden’ (ibid., 1).959 It was not so» — Rabbi Yitsḥak niega por entero el dicho de la serpiente empezando por su primera frase.

«Whoever takes it by itself, takes it together with hordes below embraced by it, takes idolatry, murder, and exposing nudity.» — Rabbi Yose hace de la toma aislada del árbol la de las tres transgresiones que lo acompañan.

«That tree gave forth an aroma, as is said: like the fragrance of a field blessed by YHVH (ibid. 27:27).972 Because of that aroma ascending, she desired eating of it.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak explica el deseo de Eva por el aroma que subía del árbol.

«She saw and did not see. She saw that it was good, but she was unsettled. What is written next? She took of its fruit (ibid.), not She took of it.» — el Zohar distingue en el mismo versículo lo que Eva vio y lo que no vio, y apoya la distinción en el giro tomó de su fruto.

«For voice is never separate from speech, and whoever separates voice from speech turns dumb, speechless» — el Zohar liga voz y palabra y hace mudo a quien las separa.

«Opened to perceive the evil of the world, unknown to them till now.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee la apertura de los ojos como percepción del mal, hasta entonces desconocido.

«they had lost the supernal radiance enveloping them, which disappeared, leaving them naked.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya explica la desnudez por la pérdida del resplendor superno que los envolvía.

«At first they wore אור‎ כתנות (kotnot or), garments of light, and he was waited upon by the highest beings, for the angels on high came to bask in that light» — el Zohar opone las vestiduras de luz anteriores a la caída a las de piel posteriores.

«Afterward they bore their first son, son of slime. Two copulated with her; she conceived and bore two.» — el Zohar hace del primer hijo de Adán y Eva un hijo del limo y cuenta dos copulaciones y dos partos.

«From the side of Cain emerge all the haunts of maleficent species, spirits, demons, and sorcerers.» — el Zohar hace salir del lado de Caín las especies maléficas, los espíritus, los demonios y los hechiceros.

«From the side of Abel, a side of greater compassion, yet incomplete—good wine adulterated with bad, immature until Seth appeared, from whom descended all righteous generations, by whom the world was sown.» — el Zohar da al lado de Abel una compasión mayor pero incompleta, hasta la llegada de Set.

«The sons of Cain were the sons of אלהים (Elohim), God (ibid., 2). For when Samael copulated with Eve, injecting her with slime, she conceived and bore Cain.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya adjudica el nacimiento de Caín a la cópula de Samael con Eva.

«An actual book was brought down to Adam, from which he discovered supernal wisdom.» — Rabbi Abba consigna un libro bajado a Adán, del que sacó la sabiduría superna.

«Enoch, had a book—a book from the site of the book of the generations of Adam, mystery of wisdom» — Rabbi Abba adjudica a Enoc un libro venido del sitio del libro de las generaciones de Adán.

«By him a book was transmitted, a book was conveyed called The Book of Enoch.» — Rabbi Abba nombra el libro que quedó de Enoc.

«All the generations perfected by Seth were entirely righteous and devout.1059 Subsequently spreading and multiplying, they learned the art of annihilation: spears and swords.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak cuenta la degradación de las generaciones de Set, que aprendieron el arte de aniquilar.

«Finally Noah appeared and rearranged the world for them, preparing and cultivating the soil.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak adjudica a Noé la reorganización del mundo y el cultivo de la tierra.

«God will one day mend the world and ripen the spirit within human beings so they prolong their days forever» — Rabbi El’azar anuncia la enmienda futura del mundo y la prolongación de los días.

«God saw that the light was good—without a trace of wrath. Here is written that it was good, and there is written» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la bondad de la luz como ausencia de todo rastro de ira.

«To reveal that there is no day without night, no night without day; they must not be parted.» — Rabbi Yehudah explica la fórmula repetida del texto: no hay día sin noche ni noche sin día.

«The first day accompanies all of them, and all inhabit it, showing there is no separation between them.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace acompañar el primer día a todos los demás, sin separación entre ellos.

«On the second day Hell was created for the wicked of the world. On the second, conflict was created.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak adjudica al segundo día la creación del infierno y del conflicto.

«On the third day sparks of Hell subside, so by it the second day is embraced, consummated.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak hace amainar las chispas del infierno al tercer día, con lo que el segundo queda consumado.

«This was precisely the conflict, so the third had to intervene, harmonizing, extending peace between them.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica a Rabbi Ḥiyya por qué hizo falta el tercer día: para extender paz entre los dos primeros.

«Numerologies and calculations of equinoxes, solstices, and intercalations derive entirely from the mystery of the moon, no higher.» — Rabbi Shim’on remite el cómputo entero de equinoccios, solsticios e intercalaciones al misterio de la luna y no más arriba.

«There is a single point, origin of counting, for what lies within that point is unknown, uncountable.» — Rabbi Shim’on pone un punto por origen del cómputo y declara incontable lo que está dentro de él.

«Israel, cleaving to the blessed Holy One, calculate by the moon, cleaving to Her and raising Her» — Rabbi Shim’on funda el cómputo israelita por la luna en la adhesión a ella y en su elevación.

«Elijah, appearing continually on earth, not from the aspect of father and mother,1119 arriving in four glides» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el vuelo del versículo como Elías, que no viene de padre ni de madre y llega en cuatro planeos.

«Here, when the world was consummated, female united with male in single union, ה (he), with ששי (shishi), sixth, so that all would be one.» — el Zohar lee la letra añadida al día sexto como la unión de hembra y macho que consuma el mundo.

«How does one attain that light? Through Torah, for whoever is engaged with Torah attains each day a share in the world that is coming.» — Rabbi El’azar pone la Torá por vía de acceso a la luz guardada para los justos.

«This is the Garden of Eden, for the blessed Holy One fashioned it exquisitely on earth, resembling the one above» — Rabbi Abba pone en la tierra un Edén hecho a semejanza del de arriba.

«Act and artistry of Written Torah, act and artistry of Oral Torah.» — Rabbi Shim’on reparte cielo y tierra del versículo entre la Torá escrita y la oral.

«the details of Torah, faces of Torah. ‘Torah assumes seventy faces.» — Rabbi Shim’on cita el dicho de los setenta rostros de la Torá para la hueste del versículo.

«As they were being created, the day was hallowed, and they were left spirit without body.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el origen de esos espíritus: la santificación del día los dejó sin cuerpo.

«A person flawed by not leaving a son in this world does not cleave to the holy name when he departs, nor is he admitted within the curtain because he is defective, incomplete.» — Rabbi Shim’on aplica la misma ley del defecto al que muere sin hijo.

«omitted because death was created then. Here is stated: and behold, it was מאד‎ טוב (tov me’od), very good.» — el Zohar explica la reparación del segundo día, omitido por haberse creado allí la muerte, con el muy bueno del sexto.

«By breath the blessed Holy One made the world,1158 and by breath it is sustained1159 —the breath of those studying Torah, especially the breath of schoolchildren.» — Rabbi El’azar sostiene el mundo con el aliento de los que estudian y en especial de los niños de escuela.

«Since they are incomplete and defective, the holy name does not abide in them nor do they cleave to it.» — Rabbi Shim’on niega el nombre santo a lo defectuoso, y de ahí el terror de esos espíritus ante él.

«Once the holiness of the day departed and they were not completed, they erupted into the world, roaming in every direction.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace irrumpir a esos espíritus en el mundo al retirarse la santidad del día.

«Who is Canopy of Peace? Sabbath, when all spirits, whirlwinds, demons, and the entire dimension of impurity are hidden away» — Rabbi Shim’on identifica el dosel de paz con el sábado, que esconde a los espíritus.

«Even the wicked in Hell are protected;1219 all bask in peace, those above and those below.» — Rabbi Shim’on extiende el amparo del sábado incluso a los malvados del infierno.

«Kindling the lamp of Sabbath has been entrusted to the women of the holy people.» — Rabbi Shim’on adjudica a las mujeres el encendido de la lámpara del sábado.

«This canopy of peace is the Consort of the world» — Rabbi Shim’on da la razón de fondo de esa adjudicación: el dosel de paz es la Consorte del mundo.

«So the consort should kindle, for linked to her site, she performs the act.» — Rabbi Shim’on cierra el razonamiento: la consorte enciende porque está ligada a ese sitio.

«When a man is at home, the essence of the home is his wife, for on account of her, Shekhinah does not leave the house.» — Rabbi Shim’on pone a la esposa por esencia de la casa y razón de que la Shekhinah no la deje.

«So a man at home is adorned with two females, as above.1311 This corresponds to the mystery written» — Rabbi Shim’on adorna al hombre en casa con dos hembras, la de arriba y la de abajo.

«Whoever desires to penetrate the wisdom of holy unification should contemplate the flame ascending from a glowing ember or a burning candle.» — Rabbi Shim’on manda contemplar la llama que sube de la brasa como vía a la sabiduría de la unificación.

«In a flame ascending are two lights: one, a white light, radiant; the other, a light tinged with black or blue.» — Rabbi Shim’on distingue dos luces en la llama, la blanca de arriba y la azulada o negra de abajo.

«This black light colored blue, below, is a throne of glory for the white— here lies the mystery of the thread of blue.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace de la luz azul trono de gloria de la blanca y remite al hilo azul.

«This constantly consumes and devours what is placed beneath it, for the blue light consumes anything cleaving below, anything it rests upon, since by nature it consumes and devours. On it depends destruction and death of all.» — Rabbi Shim’on adjudica a la luz azul el consumir cuanto se le pone debajo, y de ahí la destrucción y la muerte.

«That is why he said your God, not our God, for Moses inhabited that white light above, which does not consume or devour.» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el posesivo del versículo como marca del sitio de Moisés, en la luz blanca que no consume.

«The only arousal kindling this blue light, to be grasped by the white light, is Israel cleaving below.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace de Israel abajo el único despertador de la luz azul.

«You will discover all in the ascending flame, wisdoms of the highest.» — Rabbi Shim’on cierra la enseñanza de la llama declarando que en ella se descubre todo.

«This is the mystery of sacrifice. For the smoke ascending arouses this blue light to kindle, and when it kindles, it joins [51b] the white light, and the candle burns in oneness.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el sacrificio por el humo que sube y enciende la luz azul hasta juntarla con la blanca.

«In a dream all colors bode well, except blue,’1361 for it devours and consumes continuously.» — Rabbi Shim’on cita el dicho sobre los colores del sueño y explica la excepción del azul.

«Nothing in the world escapes destruction, for the blue light consumes whatever it bestrides.» — Rabbi Shim’on generaliza: nada del mundo escapa a la destrucción de esa luz.

«The universe diffracts into forty-five hues of colored light.1365 Seven disperse into seven abysses» — el Zohar abre un pasaje cosmológico con cuarenta y cinco matices de luz coloreada, siete de los cuales van a siete abismos.

«Light, darkness, and water blend as one, yielding darkened, invisible lights.» — el mismo pasaje mezcla luz, tiniebla y agua hasta dar luces oscurecidas e invisibles.

«Beneath these lie 365 sinews, some white, some black, some red, intertwining, turning into one color.» — el pasaje cuenta trescientos sesenta y cinco tendones bajo los abismos, entretejidos hasta volverse un solo color.

«mystery of the evil serpent descending from above, skimming the surface of bitter waters, seducing below till they fall into his nets.» — el Zohar lee la serpiente del versículo como la que baja de arriba y seduce hasta hacer caer en sus redes.

«This serpent is death of the world,1381 penetrating a person’s blind gut.» — el Zohar identifica a esa serpiente con la muerte del mundo.

«Until Adam sinned, he ascended and abode in supernal, radiant wisdom, never parting from the Tree of Life.» — el Zohar sitúa a Adán antes del pecado sin apartarse del Árbol de la Vida.

«Until they sinned, they used to hear a voice from above, perceive supernal wisdom, endure supernal radiance fearlessly.» — el Zohar mide la pérdida por lo que dejaron de oír y de soportar.

«Then the blessed Holy One girded them with belts of letters of the holy name, so the serpent could not dominate or defile them as before.» — el Zohar arma a Israel en el Sinaí con cinturones de letras del nombre santo.

«Once they were deprived of these, what is written? Moses took the Tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp» — el Zohar liga el retiro de esas armas al traslado de la Tienda fuera del campamento.

«When the blessed Holy One judges the world, He does so according to the majority of human beings.» — Rabbi Shim’on enuncia el criterio del juicio divino sobre el mundo.

«he transmogrified that tree into a universal source of death; he caused a defect, separating the Woman from Her Husband.» — Rabbi Shim’on describe el efecto del pecado de Adán: el árbol vuelto fuente de muerte y la Mujer separada de su Esposo.

«So the mystery of the word: There is right above, there is right below. There is left above, there is left below.» — Rabbi Shim’on reparte derecha e izquierda en dos pisos, arriba y abajo.

«Adam actually drove out Et!1438 Consequently it is written: YHVH Elohim expelled him from the Garden of Eden (ibid., 23). Why did He expel him?» — Rabbi El’azar resuelve la ambigüedad invirtiendo el sujeto: fue Adán quien expulsó.

«So as a person tends, according to his pursued path, he draws upon himself an appointed power encountering him.» — Rabbi Yehudah enuncia la regla: cada quien atrae la potencia que corresponde a su camino.

«When the serpent injected that slime into Eve, she absorbed it, so when she copulated with Adam she bore two sons» — Rabbi El’azar explica el doble parto de Eva por el limo que la serpiente le inyectó.

«Cain—קינא (qina), nest, of evil lairs materializing from the side of impurity.» — Rabbi Yose lee el nombre de Caín por su parentesco con nido, de guaridas del mal.

«Cain brought an offering precisely from that end of days, for it says: ימים‎ מקץ (mi-qets yamim), from the end of days, and not» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la fórmula del versículo para adjudicar la ofrenda de Caín al extremo de los días y no al de la derecha.

«As Cain was killing Abel, he did not know how his soul would expire, as the Companions have established.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak consigna que Caín no sabía por dónde saldría el alma de Abel.

«From that time on, Adam separated from his wife and bore spirits and demons who roam the world.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak cuenta la separación de Adán y los espíritus que engendró en ese tiempo.

«For 110 years Adam separated from Eve,1504 and throughout that time he engendered spirits and demons in the world through the potency of the slime he had absorbed.» — Rabbi Shim’on cifra en ciento diez años esa separación, en tensión con la cifra de ciento treinta que el mismo tomo da antes, y la ficha consigna las dos.

«She was the mother of demons, having issued from the side of Cain,1510 and was appointed together with Lilith over children’s diphtheria.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace a Na’amah madre de demonios y la pone con Lilit sobre la difteria de los niños.

«Woe to human beings who do not know, consider, or see!1515 They are all obtuse, unaware how full the world is of strange, invisible creatures, of hidden things.» — Rabbi Shim’on reprocha a los hombres no saber de cuántas criaturas invisibles está lleno el mundo.

«The blessed Holy One showed Adam images of every generation that would arise in the world, all the wise of the world, and kings of the world destined to dominate Israel.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak hace ver a Adán todas las generaciones futuras y sus sabios y reyes.

«When he caught sight of David, king of Israel, who died at birth, he said, ‘I will lend him some of my own years.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak pone en boca de Adán el préstamo de años a David.

«the blessed Holy One brought down a book for him by the hand of Raziel» — Rabbi Yitsḥak adjudica a Raziel la entrega del libro a Adán en el Edén.

«As soon as he sinned, violating his Lord’s command, that book flew away from him.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak hace volar el libro de las manos de Adán al pecar.

«Adam engaged in it and left it to his son Seth, and so to all those generations until it reached Abraham, who thereby discovered how to contemplate the glory of his Lord» — Rabbi Yitsḥak traza la transmisión del libro de Adán a Set y de ahí hasta Abraham.

«Any image not embracing male and female is not fittingly supernal. So we have established in the mystery of our Mishnah.» — Rabbi Shim’on niega carácter superno a toda imagen que no abarque macho y hembra.

«Anywhere male and female are not found as one, the blessed Holy One does not place His abode.» — Rabbi Shim’on condiciona la morada divina a la presencia conjunta de macho y hembra.

«One is not even called אדם (adam), human, unless male and female are as one.» — Rabbi Shim’on niega el nombre humano a quien no es macho y hembra a la vez.

«Ever since the day the Temple was destroyed, blessings are found nowhere in the world;1538 they are lost every day» — Rabbi Yehudah data en la destrucción del Templo la desaparición de las bendiciones del mundo.

«On the day Adam violated the command of his Lord, heaven and earth sought to uproot themselves. Why? Because they were based solely on the covenant» — Rabbi Abba hace tambalear cielo y tierra el día del pecado, porque se fundan solo en el pacto.

«Whoever confesses his sin is forgiven and pardoned by the blessed Holy One. Come and see» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah enuncia la regla del perdón por confesión.

«In the days of Enosh humans became skilled in the wisdom of sorcery and magic, in the art of blocking heavenly powers.» — Rabbi El’azar data en los días de Enós la pericia humana en hechicería y magia.

«Ever since Adam left the Garden of Eden, taking with him the wisdom of the leaves of the tree,1558 no human had engaged in it» — Rabbi El’azar remonta esa sabiduría a las hojas del árbol que Adán se llevó del Edén.

«They certainly did know, yet their minds embraced stupidity, for they knew the angel empowered over fire and the one empowered over water, and they knew how to block them, preventing them from executing judgment upon them.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak explica la necedad de la generación del Diluvio: sabían bloquear a los ángeles del fuego y del agua.

«Enoch was pure, but the blessed Holy One saw that he would eventually decay, so He gathered him in beforehand» — Rabbi Yose explica el arrebato de Enoc: fue recogido antes de que se corrompiera.

«He took him from the earth, raised him to the highest heavens, and transmitted to him all supernal treasures, along with forty-five secret engraved keys, wielded by highest angels.» — Rabbi El’azar entrega a Enoc los tesoros supernos y cuarenta y cinco llaves grabadas.

«One is called wicked even if he merely raises his hand against his fellow without harming him at all,1580 but one is only called evil» — Rabbi Yehudah distingue el malvado del malo por la clase de daño.

«the blessed Holy One feels sorry for those works of His hands, feels compassion for them. He is saddened because they sin in His presence.» — el Zohar consigna las dos lecturas opuestas del arrepentimiento divino, la positiva de Rabbi Yeisa.

«Woe to you, Adam! You have weakened supernal power!» — Rabbi Abba pone en boca de Dios el reproche a Adán por haber debilitado el poder superno.

«No one departs from the world without first seeing Adam, who asks him why he is leaving the world and how he is exiting.» — Rabbi Abba hace comparecer a Adán ante todo el que sale del mundo.

«My son, I violated one command and was punished for it. Look at all your sins!» — Rabbi Abba pone en boca de Adán la respuesta a quien lo culpa de su propia muerte.

«Every sin committed openly repels Shekhinah from earth, so She removes Her abode from the world.» — Rabbi Yeisa adjudica al pecado cometido a la vista el alejamiento de la Shekhinah.

«These are Uzza and Azael, who rebelled above, were cast down by the blessed Holy One, and materialized on earth, abiding on it, unable to strip themselves of it.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya identifica a los caídos del versículo con Uzza y Azael, materializados en la tierra.

«Subsequently they strayed after earthly women, and to this day they endure, teaching sorcery to human beings.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya hace de Uzza y Azael los que enseñan hechicería a los hombres hasta hoy.

«At first they did not know how to sow, reap, or plow. Once Noah appeared, he innovated techniques for them along with all the implements required to cultivate the soil to yield fruit.» — Rabbi Yose adjudica a Noé la invención de las técnicas y los aperos de labranza.

«Noah needed the ark—to unite with it, to sustain the seed of all, as is written: to keep seed alive» — Parashat Noaḥ abre haciendo del arca el sitio con que Noé se une para sostener la simiente de todo.

«Perfect, for he was born circumcised, as is written: Walk before Me and be perfect» — el Zohar lee la perfección de Noé como haber nacido circuncidado.

«Since the day the world was created, Noah was destined to be united with the ark, to enter her. Until they joined as one, the world was unfit.» — el Zohar declara al mundo impropio hasta que Noé y el arca se unieron.

«the name determines destiny entirely.26 “It is written: He named him Noah» — Rabbi El’azar lee las desolaciones del salmo como nombres y hace del nombre el que fija el destino.

«A cistern is empty, unflowing, while a well bubbles with water» — Rabbi Shim’on distingue la cisterna del pozo del versículo de Proverbios y los devuelve a un solo sitio.

«Desire of the female toward the male arouses only when a spirit enters her and she gushes water toward upper, masculine waters.» — Rabbi Shim’on condiciona el deseo de la hembra a la entrada de un espíritu.

«From the day Adam violated the command of his Lord, all children of the world born thereafter are called ‘children of Adam» — Rabbi Abba explica el nombre hijos de Adán como marca del que violó el mandato de su Señor.

«If Adam had generated offspring from the Garden of Eden, they would never have been destroyed71 and the light of the moon would never have darkened.» — Rabbi Abba imagina lo que habría sido engendrar dentro del Edén: descendencia indestructible.

«when human beings corrupt their ways, failing to observe the commandments of Torah, sinning in the presence of their Lord, then, as it were, they thrust Shekhinah out of the world, and earth is left ruined.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya liga la ruina de la tierra a la expulsión de la Shekhinah por los pecados.

«no other spirit or official hovers over the land of Israel, only the blessed Holy One.» — el Zohar reserva la tierra de Israel al gobierno directo de Dios, sin oficial intermedio.

«nothing delights the blessed Holy One as much as the elimination of the wicked of the world and those who have provoked Him, as is written: When the wicked perish, jubilation!» — Rabbi El’azar consigna el gozo divino por la desaparición de los malvados, con el versículo de Proverbios.

«If, however, they are punished prematurely—with incomplete guilt, as is said: for the guilt of the Amorites is not yet complete (Genesis 15:16)— then joy vanishes from His presence due to their perishing.» — Rabbi El’azar acota ese gozo: no lo hay cuando el castigo se adelanta a la culpa cumplida.

«This is why He was distressed when He drowned the Egyptians in the sea and when he destroyed the enemies of Israel in the days of Jehoshaphat,100 and so with all of them, for they were eliminated prematurely on account of Israel.» — Rabbi El’azar explica la aflicción divina ante los egipcios ahogados por el adelanto del castigo.

«ever since that time, there has been no joy above or below.”102 For in another seven days» — Rabbi El’azar data en la destrucción del Templo el fin del gozo arriba y abajo.

«Forty, to lash sinners, as is written: Forty he is to be struck, no more (Deuteronomy 25:3),103 corresponding to the four directions of the world» — Rabbi Yehudah lee los cuarenta días de lluvia como los cuarenta azotes del castigo.

«In Hell there are abodes upon abodes: second, third, until seven, as the Companions have established.» — Rabbi Abba cuenta siete moradas en el infierno, una sobre otra.

«One who descends to Sheol is judged there, receives his punishment, and is raised to another, higher abode; and so on—level after level—till they elevate him.» — Rabbi Abba describe el ascenso por grados del que baja al Seol.

«But one who descends to Avadon is never raised,145 which is why it is called Avadon, for he is totally» — Rabbi Abba niega todo ascenso al que baja a Avadón y lo funda en el nombre.

«For 300 years before the onslaught of the Flood, Noah warned them concerning their deeds, but they would not listen to him» — Rabbi Ḥiyya cifra en trescientos años el aviso de Noé a sus contemporáneos.

«There are two ends, one on the right and one on the left, these being two paths humans walk to that world.» — Rabbi Yehudah pone en boca de David la distinción de dos extremos, el de la derecha y el de la izquierda.

«From here we learn that the wicked of the world anticipate him, attracting him to themselves to besmirch them.» — el Zohar hace que sean los malvados quienes atraen al Fin de toda carne.

«Judgment never manifests in the world, nor is the world obliterated, without that Destroyer surging through the punishments executed upon the world.» — Rabbi Shim’on sostiene que no hay juicio sin Destructor surcando el castigo.

«as long as one’s face is not visible to the Destroyer, he has no power over him.» — el Zohar da la regla de ocultarse ante el Destructor y la apoya en la noche de Egipto.

«These crevices are vestiges of the Flood, preserved by the blessed Holy One ever since, throughout the generations, so that the sins of the wicked not be obliterated from His sight.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee las grietas de los montes de Kurdistán como vestigio conservado del Diluvio.

«The world was impoverished ever since the day Adam violated the commands of the blessed Holy One until Noah arrived and offered an offering, and the world was settled.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya data la pobreza del mundo desde el pecado de Adán hasta la ofrenda de Noé.

«The world remained unsettled and earth did not escape the slime of the serpent until Israel stood at Mount Sinai, embracing the Tree of Life;197 then the world was settled.» — Rabbi Yose aplaza el asentamiento del mundo hasta el Sinaí, cuando Israel se abraza al Árbol de la Vida.

«Since Noah was a righteous man (Genesis 6:9), why didn’t he abolish death throughout the world?» — Rabbi Ḥiyya plantea por qué la justicia de Noé no abolió la muerte.

«Because the slime of the world had not yet disappeared. Furthermore, they did not believe in the blessed Holy One; all of them were grasping the leaves of the tree below» — Rabbi Yose responde por el limo que aún quedaba y por la incredulidad de los contemporáneos de Noé.

«the time when all those princes appointed over other nations prevail, blessed from the side of Israel,216 called by us raging waters» — el judío de Ramin trae la enseñanza de Rabbi Yitsḥak sobre la Fiesta y los príncipes de las naciones.

«on Rosh Hashanah the first arousal arises in the world. What is the first arousal? Lower Court of Justice, aroused to judge the world» — la misma enseñanza fija en Rosh Hashaná el primer despertar del juicio.

«This goat resembles the goat of the new moon, in which he is engrossed,224 so the face of the sanctuary shines» — la enseñanza explica el macho cabrío del Yom Kipur por analogía con el de la luna nueva.

«When the moon approaches the sun,226 the blessed Holy One arouses the side of North, who grasps Her lovingly, drawing Her close.» — el judío de Ramin describe el acercamiento de la luna al sol y la intervención del norte.

«This may be compared to a king who invited his beloved to a sublime feast he was preparing for him on a designated day.» — la enseñanza cierra con la parábola del rey que convida a su amado y teme a los cuestores.

«The radiance from which supernal Thought shines, of which it is totally unaware, is called Ayin, Nothingness» — el Zohar llama Nada al resplandor del que sale el Pensamiento superno, que lo ignora.

«This End of all flesh desires nothing but flesh constantly, so flesh is arrayed for him constantly293 and He is called End of all flesh. When he rules, he rules over body, not over soul.» — el Zohar acota el poder del Fin de toda carne: rige sobre el cuerpo y no sobre el alma.

«So the righteous are an atonement for the world, an offering.» — el Zohar hace de los justos expiación del mundo y ofrenda.

«How obtuse are human beings who neither know nor consider words of Torah nor contemplate matters of that world,320 so the spirit of wisdom fades from their mind!» — el pasaje reprocha a los hombres la falta de contemplación y le adjudica la pérdida del espíritu de sabiduría.

«If the soul did not garb herself in the radiance of another garment, then she could not draw near to view that light.» — el Zohar condiciona la visión de esa luz a que el alma se vista de otro resplandor.

«Moses could not draw near to gaze upon what he gazed until he was garbed in another garment» — el Zohar aplica esa regla a Moisés, que hubo de vestirse la nube.

«anyone who does not generate children in this world is banished, when he leaves, from all that we have mentioned and is not allowed to view that radiant light.» — el Zohar excluye de esa luz a quien no engendró hijos en este mundo.

«For there are sweet waters and bitter waters, clear waters and turbid waters, waters of peace and waters of strife.» — Rabbi Yehudah reparte las aguas en dulces y amargas, claras y turbias, de paz y de pleito.

«when a person returns, regretting his sins, the blessed Holy One forgives him, but all those who cling to their sins, refusing to return to the blessed Holy One, will eventually fall into Hell, never to be raised.» — Rabbi Yose opone el perdón del que se arrepiente a la caída sin retorno del que se aferra.

«From here we learn that when the righteous appear in the world, the world is established firmly above and below.» — Rabbi El’azar hace del justo el que asienta el mundo arriba y abajo.

«As long as people hold fast to the covenant, not abandoning it,364 no nation or language in the world can harm them.» — Rabbi El’azar da el pacto por salvaguarda ante toda nación y lengua.

«As long as Israel preserve the holy covenant, they erect existence above and below» — Rabbi Shim’on liga la existencia de arriba y de abajo a que Israel guarde el pacto.

«Nothing in the world so provokes the jealousy of the blessed Holy One as the sin of the covenant» — Rabbi Shim’on declara el pecado del pacto el que más provoca los celos divinos.

«It is not proper for a woman to receive a guest without her husband’s permission.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el cambio de nombre divino en el versículo por la regla del huésped y el permiso del marido.

«he exclaimed a song, then Holy Spirit dwelled upon him. לדוד‎ מזמור (Mizmor le-David), A psalm of David—Holy Spirit dwelled upon him, then he exclaimed a song.» — Rabbi Yehudah distingue el orden de las dos fórmulas de los salmos de David y el orden del Espíritu Santo.

«But Noah did not act so: he just wanted to save himself, abandoning the entire world.» — el Zohar reprocha a Noé, frente a Moisés, no haber pedido por el mundo entero.

«Although Noah was virtuous, he was not worthy enough for the blessed Holy One to protect the world for his sake.» — Rabbi Yehudah acota la virtud de Noé: no bastaba para amparar al mundo.

«Even so, once the blessed Holy One said to him, I will erect My covenant with you (Genesis 6:18), he should have pleaded for compassion» — Rabbi Yitsḥak objeta a Noé no haber pedido compasión ni haber ofrecido antes el sacrificio.

«Whenever wicked of the world abound, a righteous one found among them is seized first» — Rabbi El’azar enuncia la regla de que el justo entre malvados es el primero tomado.

«From here we learn that whoever warns a sinner—even though his warning is rejected—saves himself» — Rabbi El’azar saca del caso de Noé que quien advierte al pecador se salva a sí mismo aunque no lo escuchen.

«All of them ruined their ways, abandoning their species, cleaving to another species.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica la destrucción de los animales por haber abandonado su especie.

«This may be compared to a king who built a palace, constructing secret subterranean tunnels.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya responde con la parábola del rey y los túneles que él mismo construyó.

«Whoever possesses an evil eye448 comes under the spell of the Destroyer’s eye and is called Destroyer of the world.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya trae el dicho de Rabbi Shim’on sobre el que tiene mal ojo y cae bajo el ojo del Destructor.

«He saw the Angel of Death coming, so he entered the ark and hid himself there for twelve months. Why twelve months?» — Rabbi Yose cifra en doce meses el escondite de Noé, por ser el plazo del castigo de los malvados.

«They were inflicted with both punishments of Hell: with water and fire. With water—water from above; with fire» — Rabbi Yose reparte los dos castigos del infierno en el Diluvio, agua de arriba y agua hirviente de abajo.

«Woe to the wicked who sin and provoke their Lord every day, who through their sins repel Shekhinah from earth» — Rabbi Abba adjudica a los pecados el alejamiento de la Shekhinah de la tierra.

«When She withdraws from the world, there is no one to watch over the world, and Judgment dominates it.» — Rabbi Abba deja el mundo sin guardián y bajo el juicio cuando la Shekhinah se retira.

«although the ancients disputed this and differed» — el Zohar consigna que los antiguos disputaron ese punto y difirieron, sin armonizarlo.

«They certainly have no share in the world to come, as is written: They were obliterated from the earth, and conversely: They will inherit the earth forever (Isaiah 60:21).478 However, they will rise for Judgment» — Rabbi Shim’on niega parte en el mundo venidero a los del Diluvio pero los hace comparecer al juicio.

«When death looms over the world, a wise person hides himself, not standing outside, not making himself visible to the Destroyer, who, having been empowered, will destroy anyone found in his presence, anyone passing before him openly.» — Rabbi Yose enuncia la regla del que se esconde cuando la muerte ronda.

«When judgment is being executed, זכירה (zekhirah), remembering, is not» — Rabbi Shim’on señala que mientras se ejecuta el juicio no se consigna el recordar.

«From here we learn that whoever yearns to gaze and know, even if incapable, is to be praised. All praise him!» — Rabbi Shim’on hace digno de alabanza al que anhela ver y saber aunque no pueda.

«When judgment looms over the world, one’s name should not be mentioned on high, for if it is, his sins will be mentioned and he will be scrutinized.» — Rabbi El’azar da la regla de no nombrarse arriba mientras el juicio ronda.

«Whoever yokes with his own people will not be scrutinized and judged harshly by anyone.» — Rabbi El’azar saca de la Sunamita la regla de contarse con los suyos para no ser juzgado aparte.

«Words of Torah require intention;631 words of Torah must be arranged with body and will as one.» — Rabbi Yehudah pone la condición del estudio: intención y disposición del cuerpo y la voluntad.

«even a single person sitting and studying Torah is joined by Shekhinah» — Rabbi Yehudah funda en la compañía de la Shekhinah el no estudiar acostado.

«Abraham innovated morning prayer, revealing the goodness of his Lord to the world, arraying that hour fittingly, as is written: Abraham arose early in the morning» — el judío de la posada reparte las tres plegarias entre los tres patriarcas.

«Then why do you exert yourself in trade, neglecting eternal life?» — Rabbi Yehudah pregunta al mercader por qué se afana en el comercio.

«Times are stressful, and I have two sons attending school every day. I am exerting myself to provide them food and tuition, so that they can exert themselves in Torah.» — la respuesta del mercader pone el sustento de dos hijos que estudian por razón de su oficio.

«Do not expect the footsteps of Messiah until this rainbow appears in the world, adorned in radiant colors, the world resplendent. Then expect Messiah!» — el mercader trae de su padre la señal del arco iris en colores radiantes como anuncio del Mesías.

«Jacob innovated evening prayer, and having arrayed through this prayer what no human had ever fittingly arrayed, he praised himself, saying: [72b] This stone that I have set up as a pillar, for until then no one else had set Her as he had.» — el mismo pasaje adjudica a Jacob la plegaria de la tarde y la elevación de la piedra caída.

«If I had been present in the world667 when the blessed Holy One issued The Book of Enoch to the world and The Book of Adam» — Rabbi Shim’on declara que se habría opuesto a que el Libro de Enoc y el Libro de Adán llegaran a los hombres.

«because all the wise did not contemplate them carefully and strayed in strange words, abandoning the supernal domain for the other domain.» — Rabbi Shim’on da la razón de esa objeción: los sabios se extraviaron en palabras extrañas.

«But now the wise of the world know words and conceal them, invigorating themselves in the service of their Lord.» — Rabbi Shim’on acota su propia objeción: hoy los sabios saben y esconden.

«Ham is father of Canaan (ibid. 9:18)—scoria of gold underneath» — Rabbi Shim’on adjudica a Cam el lado de la escoria y de la serpiente primordial.

«When Israel proved virtuous, the land was called by this name: land of Israel. When they did not, the land was called by another name: land of Canaan.» — Rabbi Shim’on hace depender el nombre de la tierra de la virtud de Israel.

«When he sought to probe the sin probed by Adam—not to cling but to know, to mend the world—he was incapable.» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el viñedo de Noé como intento de sondear el pecado de Adán para enmendar el mundo.

«he exposed himself, exposing the breach of the world that had been closed» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la desnudez de Noé como reapertura de la brecha del mundo.

«When a human being sins once in the presence of the blessed Holy One, it leaves a mark.» — Rabbi Shim’on describe la marca que deja cada pecado y cómo se ahonda al repetirse.

«Even though a woman is destined for a certain man, another—anticipating —marries her before the time of this other one arrives.» — Rabbi Shim’on responde sobre Betsabé y Urías con la regla del que se adelanta al tiempo del destinado.

«He was a mighty man, garbed in the garments of Adam, through which he discovered how to hunt creatures.» — el Zohar viste a Nimrod con los vestidos de Adán, con los que cazaba criaturas.

«Because he מרד (marad), rebelled, against the supernal King on high, rebelling against those on high, rebelling against those below.» — Rabbi El’azar lee el nombre de Nimrod por la raíz de rebelarse.

«But indeed, entirely by miracle, made by itself» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la construcción del Templo como obra que se hizo a sí misma y enseñó a los artesanos.

«When it arose in the will of the blessed Holy One to fashion glory for Its glory,736 from the midst of thought a desire arose to expand— expanding from the site of concealed thought, unknown, expanding and settling in the larynx» — Rabbi Shim’on traza la expansión del pensamiento hasta la laringe.

«Thought expanded further revealing itself, and this voice struck against lips. Then speech issued, consummating all, revealing all.» — Rabbi Shim’on lleva la expansión hasta el habla que consuma y revela todo.

«For then the world shared a single essential root, a united faith in the» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la lengua única del versículo como raíz y fe únicas del mundo.

«The wicked are like the banished sea that cannot be still... (Isaiah 57:20).753 Now is there such a thing as a banished sea?» — Rabbi Ḥiyya abre con el versículo del mar expulsado y pregunta por su sentido.

«They admitted stupidity into their minds but proceeded with evil wisdom, abandoning supernal dominion for the other,757 exchanging His glory for alien glory.» — Rabbi Abba distingue la estupidez del designio de Babel de la sabiduría mala con que lo ejecutaron.

«when the blessed Holy One gazes in judgment, at first He gazes at the rung above, then at the rung below; at first at those above, then at those below.» — Rabbi Shim’on fija el orden de la mirada del juicio: primero arriba, después abajo.

«it is because they were all speaking the holy tongue,778 and that language aided them, for the act of enunciation is essential to attaining one’s intention.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica la confusión de las lenguas por la fuerza de la lengua santa en la enunciación.

«as soon as their language was scrambled, they stopped building the city (ibid.), for their power fractured and despite their desire they could not accomplish anything.» — Rabbi Shim’on liga el fin de la obra de Babel al quiebre del poder por la lengua.

«Because the blessed Holy One brought secrets of wisdom down to the world, humanity was corrupted by it and sought to attack Him.» — Rabbi Shim’on abre la serie de las sabidurías entregadas y corrompidas, de Adán a Salomón.

«There was none as faithful as Moses: he performed on all those rungs, yet his heart did not stray into desiring any of them;790 rather, he stood firm in supernal faith fittingly.» — Rabbi Shim’on exceptúa a Moisés de esa serie: recorrió todos los grados sin desviarse.

«But in the time to come the blessed Holy One will arouse wisdom in the world, with which He will be served, as is written: I will put My spirit within you and cause you—not like the ancients who ruined the world with it» — Rabbi Shim’on anuncia una sabiduría futura que no repetirá la ruina de los antiguos.

«They found a find there from mysteries of wisdom of the ancients, deposited there by victims of the Flood,807 with which they tried to perpetrate their deed, rebelling against the blessed Holy One.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee el hallazgo del versículo como restos de la sabiduría de los antiguos dejados por las víctimas del Diluvio.

«From here we learn that quarrelers do not endure. For as long as these inhabitants of the world shared a single will and mind, even though they rebelled against the blessed Holy One, supernal Judgment could not prevail against them.» — Rabbi Yose saca de Babel que los que pleitean no duran, y que la unanimidad resiste al juicio.

«By implication, all depends on the word of the mouth» — Rabbi Ḥiyya cifra en la palabra de la boca aquello de lo que todo depende.

«Woe to those who sleep, slumber in their sockets, unaware, unmindful!» — la Tosefta que abre el tomo increpa a los que duermen sin saber ni advertir.

«a single flame flares from the side of the North,27 striking in all four directions. Swooping down, it impacts between the wings of the rooster, rousing him to crow» — el mismo pasaje hace salir del norte una llama que golpea entre las alas del gallo y lo hace cantar.

«until that day no one had ever died in the lifetime of his father» — Parashat Lekh Lekha abre señalando que la muerte de Harán en vida de su padre no tenía precedente.

«From here we learn: Whoever arouses himself to purity is assisted» — el Zohar enuncia la regla del despertar: a quien se mueve hacia la pureza se le ayuda.

«An entity above is not aroused until there is first aroused below that upon which it may abide.» — el Zohar enuncia la ley de la excitación desde abajo como condición de todo despertar de arriba.

«Black light is not joined with white light until She is first aroused. Once aroused, white light immediately abides upon Her.» — el mismo pasaje aplica la ley a las dos luces de la llama.

«Go for yourself,46 to refine yourself, to perfect your rung.» — Rabbi El’azar lee el mandato a Abram como orden de ir hacia sí mismo, a afinarse y perfeccionar su grado.

«From your land63—from that habitation to which you clung.» — el Zohar lee el mandato a Abram por sus tres cláusulas: la tierra es el hábitat al que estaba pegado.

«From your birthplace—from that wisdom through which you envision and gauge your birth, the precise moment you were born, under which star and constellation.» — el Zohar lee el lugar de nacimiento como la astrología por la que Abram se medía a sí mismo.

«Here is the throne of four legs, all comprised in Abraham.» — Rabbi Shim’on reparte las cuatro promesas del versículo entre los cuatro lados y arma con ellas un trono.

«If you think that Terah left Ur of the Chaldeans in order to turn back to God,78 not so! Rather, he left to save himself» — Rabbi Shim’on niega arrepentimiento a Téraj: salió para salvarse.

«On the day when a human’s days have been completed, so as to leave the world—that day when the body is broken and the soul is about to depart—permission is granted the human to see what he was not permitted when the body prevailed vigorously.» — Rabbi El’azar describe la visión que se concede al que está por morir.

«Then three messengers stand over him, enumerating his days, his sins, and all he has done in this world.» — Rabbi El’azar pone tres mensajeros sobre el moribundo que enumeran sus días y sus pecados.

«By his own hand they are all signed, so that he will be judged in that world for first and last, new and ancient, not a single one forgotten» — el Zohar hace firmar al propio hombre la cuenta de sus obras.

«So the righteous one should grasp him;95 even though the sinner stiffens his neck, he must not let go but rather grasp his hand» — el Zohar impone al justo no soltar al pecador aunque endurezca la cerviz.

«He coaxed her with fine words,102 for a man is not allowed to take his wife to another country without her consent.» — Rabbi El’azar lee el verbo tomó del versículo como persuasión y saca la regla del consentimiento de la esposa.

«For whoever leads another to virtue is credited with that virtue» — Rabbi Abba enuncia la regla del mérito de quien lleva a otro a la virtud.

«alluding to that site through which one must approach the blessed Holy One, the first rung for entering the blessed Holy One.» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la fórmula de la primera revelación a Abraham como alusión al primer grado de acceso a Dios.

«David could not receive kingship until he joined the patriarchs, who were in Hebron, through whom he could then receive it.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica los siete años de David en Hebrón por la necesidad de unirse a los patriarcas.

«here is an allusion to the holy name by which the world is sealed with seventy-two engraved letters, all included in this name.» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el verbo pasó del versículo como alusión al nombre de setenta y dos letras con que el mundo está sellado.

«So he built two altars: one for the revealed rung, one for the concealed.» — el Zohar explica los dos altares de Abraham por los dos grados, el revelado y el oculto.

«Then Abraham was crowned from rung to rung133 until he ascended to his rung» — el Zohar hace subir a Abraham de grado en grado hasta el suyo, el sur.

«Because Abraham went down to Egypt without permission, his descendants were enslaved there for four hundred years.» — Rabbi Yehudah adjudica los cuatrocientos años de esclavitud al descenso de Abraham a Egipto sin permiso.

«until that moment he had never gazed at Sarah’s features» — el Zohar explica el ahora sé del versículo por el pudor de Abraham, que no había mirado el rostro de Sara.

«Flying, she encounters those hooded, hunchbacked, dazzling demons of defilement» — el Zohar describe el ascenso nocturno del alma y los demonios que encuentra en el camino.

«There they divulge information to her, and she grasps what is imminent» — el mismo pasaje consigna que esos demonios informan al alma y a veces la engañan.

«They are one rung, two joined as one,226 a supernal one ruling over them, cleaving to them, and they to it, called נשמה (neshamah), soul breath.» — el Zohar ordena los tres grados del alma y pone el más alto por encima de los otros dos.

«Nefesh, soul, is lower arousal—supporting the body, nourishing it.» — el Zohar define el nefesh como excitación de abajo que sostiene y nutre el cuerpo.

«Nefesh—lower arousal, cleaving to the body like the light of a candle» — el Zohar traslada la doctrina del alma a la llama de la vela, con su luz negra pegada a la mecha.

«So with the human being who attains total perfection and is then called ‘holy,’ as is said: For the holy ones on earth» — el Zohar llama santo al que alcanza la perfección de los tres grados.

«whoever associates with a sinner eventually imitates him and is punished [84b] because of him» — Rabbi Shim’on da la razón por la que Abraham se separa de Lot.

«So all the prophets living at that time received prophecy only in Her domain» — el Zohar restringe la profecía al dominio de la Shekhinah, y de ahí explica la huida de Jonás.

«what happened had never happened before, ever since the day the Temple was built, and this prophecy happened for that particular moment.» — el Zohar explica la excepción de Ezequiel en Babilonia por una duplicación del verbo del versículo.

«without desire of the female toward the male, fruit would never be generated, as is written: From Me your fruit appears.» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah condiciona la generación del fruto al deseo de la hembra hacia el macho.

«This is unknowable, susceptible to questioning yet unknown, for it is concealed and deep; all are bewildered by it.» — Rabbi Yose describe el firmamento superno como lo que admite pregunta y no se conoce.

«Would you imagine that Abraham was traveling in the clouds or by horse and chariot?385 Rather, By way of his feet he did not travel, for no angel or messenger preceded Abraham» — Rabbi Yose objeta la lectura literal del versículo sobre los pies de Abraham.

«Since he saw the sun emerging in the morning from the East, his soul aroused to the awareness that it was the blessed Holy One. He said, ‘This is the King who created me!» — Rabbi Yehudah cuenta la busca de Abraham, que adoró primero al sol y luego a la noche.

«Certainly over all these reigns a king, a ruler conducting them!» — el mismo relato cierra con Abraham concluyendo que hay un rey sobre el sol y la noche.

«Master of the universe! I cannot stand because I lack a firm foundation.’ “He said, ‘I intend to erect in you a righteous human, Abraham» — Rabbi Yitsḥak pone en boca del mundo la queja de no tener fundamento, y en boca de Dios la promesa de Abraham.

«arousal above transpires only with arousal below, for arousal above depends on desire below.» — Rabbi El’azar repite la ley del despertar de abajo como condición del de arriba.

«Because Abraham extricated inhabitants of the world from idolatry and introduced them to the worship of the blessed Holy One.» — el Zohar explica la guerra de los reyes por la obra de Abraham contra la idolatría.

«He generated a single flame of a lamp of impenetrable darkness423 and blew spark against spark. It darkened and ignited.» — Rabbi Shim’on abre la cosmogonía con la llama de la lámpara de tiniebla impenetrable y el chispazo contra chispazo.

«When righteous humans appear in the world, they arouse blessings for all worlds. As soon as Abraham appeared» — el judío Yo’ezer enuncia la regla: el justo que aparece despierta bendiciones para todos los mundos.

«Isaac appeared and revealed to all that judgment and Judge prevail above, punishing sinners.» — el mismo pasaje reparte los tres patriarcas por lo que cada uno despertó en el mundo.

«blessings from above do not abide on an empty table or an empty place.» — Rabbi Yehudah enuncia la regla de que la bendición no se posa sobre lo vacío.

«one does not bless over an empty table, for blessings from above do not settle on an empty table.» — el mismo pasaje aplica la regla a la mesa de la bendición.

«When the blessed Holy One created the world, it was on condition: ‘When Israel appears, if they accept Torah, fine; if not, I will reduce you back to chaos.» — Rabbi El’azar pone la creación del mundo bajo condición de que Israel acepte la Torá.

«Ever since that day, the blessed Holy One has been creating worlds. What are they? Human couplings, for since then the blessed Holy One has been matchmaking, proclaiming: ‘The daughter of so-and-so for so-and-so!’ These are the worlds He creates.» — Rabbi El’azar hace de los emparejamientos humanos los mundos que Dios sigue creando.

«Leave, your astrological speculations!» — el Zohar pone en boca de Dios la orden de salir de la especulación astrológica sobre la descendencia de Abram.

«there is no צייר (tsayyar), artist, like the blessed Holy One: consummate artist» — Rabbi Abba lee la roca del versículo por su parentesco con artista y hace de Dios el artífice consumado.

«Therefore one should sanctify himself at that time, so the image will appear in consummate design» — el mismo pasaje saca de ahí la obligación de santificarse en ese momento.

«all those souls destined to abide in human beings stand in the presence of the blessed Holy One in the actual image they are destined to assume» — el Zohar pone todas las almas futuras ante Dios con la figura que habrán de asumir.

«after all the righteous depart from this world, their souls all ascend; and the blessed Holy One prepares for them another image in which to be clothed, resembling how they were in this world.» — el Zohar viste a los justos que parten con otra imagen semejante a la que tuvieron.

«At the moment the blessed Holy One brings forth souls into the world, all those spirits and souls comprise male and female joined as one.» — Rabbi Abba describe la salida de las almas al mundo como pares de macho y hembra unidos.

«coupling is difficult for the blessed Holy One,601 but still, the ways of YHVH are right» — Rabbi Abba consigna el dicho de que emparejar cuesta a Dios y lo cierra con el versículo de Oseas.

«There is nothing in the world without a voice, sailing through the sky, seized by winged creatures» — Rabbi Yose sostiene que no hay nada en el mundo sin voz, y que las aves la llevan a los que juzgan.

«I want to rise at midnight.”632 He said, “I don’t need one» — el relato del mesón introduce el reloj de agua que sustituye al gallo para la vigilia de medianoche.

«I really thought that wisdom manifests only in the righteous, deserving of it. Now I see that even children in the generation of» — Rabbi Abba enmienda su propia expectativa ante el niño del mesón: también los niños de la generación de Rabbi Shim’on tienen sabiduría.

«Happy are Israel who bring a favorable offering to the blessed Holy One, offering up their sons on the eighth day.» — el Zohar llama ofrenda grata la circuncisión del octavo día.

«Having entered this share of the Righteous One, they are called righteous» — el Zohar explica por qué el versículo llama justos a todo el pueblo.

«when She radiates from Righteous One, She stands full and ה (he) is large» — Rabbi Abba explica el tamaño de la letra en dos versículos por la plenitud o el defecto de la luna.

«Whoever bears this sign does not descend to Hell674 if he preserves it properly» — Rabbi Abba exime del infierno a quien lleva y guarda la señal del pacto.

«Are you going to bring forth Israel and subdue a great king and ruler, when you have cast off My covenant? For your son is uncircumcised!» — otro invitado pone en boca de Dios el reproche a Moisés por el hijo sin circuncidar.

«whoever preserves this sign of covenant is destined for royalty.» — otro invitado saca de José la regla: quien guarda la señal está destinado a reinar.

«As long as a person is inscribed with the holy inscription of this sign, through it he sees the blessed Holy One, literally, and a sacred soul unites with him.» — otro invitado liga la visión de Dios y el alma santa a la conservación de la señal.

«If a sparrow or swallow is uprooted from its place, [94b] it doesn’t know where to fly» — los del lugar responden a Rabbi Abba con el versículo del pájaro que se aparta de su nido.

«Whoever departs from here is like one who departs from eternal life.» — los mismos cierran diciendo que salir de ese lugar es salir de la vida eterna.

«Words among them were fresh and ecstatic as if they were receiving Torah that very day from Mount Sinai!» — el relato describe la jornada entera como una entrega de la Torá repetida.

«First, a person should pray for himself, then for another,766 as is written: He will make atonement for himself» — uno de los invitados fija el orden de la plegaria, primero por sí y luego por el otro.

«Whoever brings his son as this offering is regarded as if he brought all the offerings of the world before the blessed Holy One, and as if he built a perfect altar before Him.» — otro invitado equipara la circuncisión del hijo con todas las ofrendas y con el altar perfecto.

«One must introduce him to worshiping the blessed Holy One778 so that he will forget the alien worship he practiced until now and eliminate his hardheartedness.» — el mismo invitado exige al converso dejar la dureza antes de circuncidarse, o la circuncisión no le sirve.

«Because He was about to expose in him this sign, the holy crown,785 and He was also about to generate from him holy seed, which could not be holy if his flesh was obstructed.» — otro invitado explica por qué la aparición divina se data a los noventa y nueve años de Abram.

«for all his previous years were not shanim, years, but rather like one shanah, year, for his days were not days.» — el mismo invitado lee la alternancia de singular y plural en la cuenta de los años de Abram.

«Abraham ascended, obtaining a mystery from supernal ה (he), World of the Male.» — Rabbi Abba explica por qué a Abraham se le añade una he y no una yod.

«Heaven forbid that they were punished for anything except revealing words so openly.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el exilio de aquellos sabios: haber revelado demasiado abiertamente.

«Everything existed in earth, but she yielded no fruit until Adam arrived. As soon as he arrived, everything appeared in the world» — Parashat Va-Yera abre con Rabbi Ḥiyya haciendo depender del hombre la aparición del fruto de la tierra.

«As one’s aspiration is directed in this world, so he draws upon himself a spirit from above, corresponding to the aspiration to which he cleaves.» — Rabbi Abba cita el libro de los hijos de Oriente: cada quien atrae desde arriba el espíritu al que aspira.

«the essence of the matter depends on words, action, and the aspiration to cleave» — el mismo libro cifra en palabra, acto y aspiración la vía por la que se atrae lo de arriba.

«My children, this is close to words of Torah, but you should shun these books» — Rabbi Abba reconoce el parecido de esos libros con la Torá y a la vez manda apartarse de ellos.

«having inherited a legacy of wisdom from Abraham, who bestowed it upon the sons of the concubines, as is written: To the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, while he was still alive, and he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward» — Rabbi Abba remonta la sabiduría de los hijos de Oriente a los regalos de Abraham a los hijos de las concubinas.

«in descending to earth they clothe themselves in layers of atmosphere and material elements, manifesting as actual human beings in appearance and form.» — el Zohar explica cómo los ángeles se vuelven visibles al bajar.

«they know only what is conveyed to them. Come and see: I will pass through the land of Egypt, I, YHVH (Exodus 12:12).73 Now, how many messengers and angels does the blessed Holy One possess! However, none of them knows how to distinguish between the drop of a firstborn and of a later born—only the blessed Holy One Himself» — el Zohar acota el saber de los ángeles: solo lo que se les comunica.

«The blessed Holy One destined thirty righteous humans for the world, as He destined Abraham.» — Rabbi El’azar cifra en treinta los justos destinados al mundo.

«bursting forth against any inhabitants of the world who entered there, for if they discovered anyone offering food or drink to another, they cast him into the depths of the river» — el Zohar describe la ley de Sodoma contra quien daba de comer o de beber al forastero.

«Who has ever seen a father as compassionate as Abraham? Come and see» — Rabbi Yehudah opone la compasión de Abraham al silencio de Noé ante el anuncio del Diluvio.

«Even Abraham did not act perfectly. Noah did nothing at all.» — Rabbi El’azar gradúa las tres respuestas ante el juicio: Noé nada, Abraham a medias, Moisés entero.

«there was never a human being in the world who defended his generation like Moses, Faithful Shepherd.» — Rabbi El’azar corona a Moisés como el único que defendió del todo a su generación.

«Lower than this is unsuited for returning.’245 Therefore he went no lower than ten.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak explica por qué Abraham se detiene en diez al regatear por Sodoma.

«For on everyone engaging in Torah, the blessed Holy One prides Himself above and below—since Torah is a tree of life» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah hace de la Torá árbol de vida y motivo de orgullo divino arriba y abajo.

«When the blessed Holy One executes judgment upon the world, a single messenger acts. Yet now we see two messengers. Why? Wasn’t one enough?» — Rabbi Ḥiyya plantea por qué hay dos ángeles en Sodoma si el juicio lo ejecuta uno solo.

«That day is a day of vengeance, when the blessed Holy One intends to wreak vengeance upon other nations.» — Rabbi El’azar aplica los versículos de Isaías al día en que la Asamblea de Israel se levante del polvo.

«Executing judgment with compassion,275 as is written: from YHVH out of heaven,276 so that judgment would manifest compassionately.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak lee la doble mención del Nombre en el versículo de Sodoma como juicio con compasión.

«Come and see the justice of the blessed Holy One: measure for measure.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak aplica a Sodoma la medida por medida.

«They refrained from charity, which is life,293 so the blessed Holy One withheld life from them» — el mismo pasaje adjudica a la negativa a la caridad la privación de vida en los dos mundos.

«Whoever is stingy toward the poor doesn’t deserve to exist in the world—and furthermore has no life in the world that is coming. Whoever is lavish toward the poor deserves to exist in the world, and for his sake the world exists; he has life and longevity in the world that is coming.» — Rabbi Ḥiyya opone el tacaño y el generoso con el pobre en los dos mundos.

«Like an artisan fashioning pottery: as long as that kick-wheel320 keeps spinning in front of him, he can fashion as he imagines—this way or that, turning one vessel into another» — Rabbi El’azar compara el gobierno divino de los sucesos con el alfarero y su torno.

«if they act well, that kick-wheel spins them to the right, so events in the world come about for them favorably» — el mismo pasaje hace girar el torno a derecha o a izquierda según las obras humanas.

«A person should not rely on a miracle;351 and if the blessed Holy One performs a miracle for a person, he should not rely on miracles constantly, for miracles do not happen every moment.» — el Zohar enuncia la regla de no confiarse al milagro.

«a wife can separate but not a sister—since two siblings can never ever part.» — Rabbi Shim’on explica por qué Abraham la llama hermana y no esposa.

«As long as the wife is concealed in the recesses of your house, not venturing outside, she remains chaste, fit to bear worthy children.» — Rabbi Yose lee el salmo de la esposa como vid en el recinto de la casa.

«Just as leaves of olive trees do not shed all year long—all of them constantly attached—so too, your children like olive shoots» — el mismo pasaje explica la comparación de los hijos con renuevos de olivo.

«After Shekhinah departed, Israel were banished from their father’s table,472 scattered among the nations, crying out every day, no one caring» — Rabbi Yose data el destierro de Israel de la mesa paterna en la partida de la Shekhinah.

«When Assembly of Israel was exiled from Her realm, letters of the Holy Name separated» — Rabbi Yehudah lee el exilio como separación de las letras del Nombre.

«We should not arouse any other calculations of the end, since in The Book of Rav Yeiva Sava» — Rabbi Yose pone el límite al cómputo del fin y remite al Libro de Rav Yeiva Sava.

«the blessed Holy One makes everything depend upon returning—if they prove worthy or not» — Rabbi Yose hace depender el fin del arrepentimiento y no solo del plazo.

«he saw seventy-two engravings of letters originally transmitted to Adam,527 through which he discovered» — el relato de la cueva pone en manos de Rabbi Yose el libro de los setenta y dos grabados de letras dados a Adán.

«The blessed Holy One does not want this to be revealed openly to the world. But verging on the days of the Messiah, even children of the world are destined to find hidden» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el fuego que borró el libro: el cómputo del fin no debe revelarse aún.

«the Lower Court imposes punishment from thirteen years and higher, while the Higher Court from twenty years and onward.» — el Zohar reparte la edad de la responsabilidad entre el tribunal de abajo y el de arriba.

«Sarah saw. She saw him through a contemptuous eye, eyeing him not as the son of Abraham» — Rabbi El’azar mide el ojo con que Sara mira a Ismael, distinto del de Abraham.

«This verse speaks in praise of Sarah. Seeing him מצחק (metsaḥeq), reveling, in idolatry,541 she said, ‘This is certainly not the son of Abraham, imitating him, but rather the son of Hagar the Egyptian, reverting to the pattern of his mother.» — Rabbi Shim’on lee en la escena un elogio de Sara y no celos.

«The Ishmaelites are destined at that time to incite all nations of the world to attack Jerusalem» — el mismo cómputo adjudica a los ismaelitas la incitación de las naciones contra Jerusalén.

«when He performs goodness for one, that very goodness is judgment for another.» — Rabbi Yehudah enuncia la regla del mensajero que es compasión para uno y juicio para otro.

«So why is it written: Elohim tested Abraham, and not Elohim tested Isaac?» — Rabbi Shim’on plantea por qué la prueba se dice de Abraham y no de Isaac.

«Who would have a created a compassionate father who turned cruel? It was only so that division would manifest: water versus fire» — Rabbi Shim’on explica la crueldad del padre compasivo por la necesidad de que se distingan agua y fuego.

«he did not appear as a father but rather as his adversary. “God will provide Himself the sheep» — el Zohar señala que el texto deja de llamarlo padre en ese punto.

«Every single night when a person climbs into bed, his soul leaves him, to be judged before the King’s Court of Justice.» — Parashat Ḥayyei Sarah abre con el juicio nocturno del alma que deja el cuerpo.

«A person is not judged for wrongdoing he will commit in the future, as is written: For God has heard the voice of the boy there where he is (Genesis 21:17).9 But do not say that he is judged only for the good deeds he has already performed. Not so! Rather, also for good deeds he will eventually perform» — Rabbi Yose acota el juicio: no por el mal futuro, pero sí por el bien futuro.

«Regarding none of them are days and years enumerated, as with Sarah; to none of them is an entire portion devoted, as to Sarah.» — Rabbi Yose señala que el texto solo cuenta los años de Sara y le dedica una parashá entera.

«For there is a field, and then, there is a field!28 There is a field planted with all kinds of blessing» — Rabbi El’azar distingue dos campos, el de la bendición y el de la destrucción.

«Since Abraham and Sarah did not embrace or cling to this site, Sarah attained supernal life for herself» — Rabbi El’azar explica la vida de Sara por no haberse pegado al sitio al que Eva se pegó.

«everything created by the blessed Holy One chants praises and songs before Him, both on high and below.» — Rabbi Yose hace cantar a toda criatura ante su creador.

«as soon as the ark was removed from them, they began lowing like all other cows» — el mismo pasaje prueba el canto de las vacas por lo que hicieron al quitarles el arca.

«The days of a human being are created and endure on those supernal rungs» — Rabbi Yose hace durar los días del hombre en los grados supernos.

«But the days of the righteous [124b] exist enduringly» — el mismo pasaje exceptúa a los justos, cuyos días perduran.

«this comes to show the corruption of Israel, for whom water flowed only through the virtue of Miriam.» — Rabbi Aḥa explica por qué el texto consigna la muerte de Miriam.

«her death was not caused by that sinuous serpent. Over her he had no dominion» — el Zohar exime a Sara de la muerte causada por la serpiente.

«In the middle of the sky, a lustrous95 path is woven—Celestial Serpent» — el Zohar teje en medio del cielo la Serpiente Celeste con todas las estrellas tenues.

«All species of נחשיא (naḥshayya), sorcery,» — Rabbi Yitsḥak remonta toda hechicería del mundo a la serpiente primordial y lo apoya en el propio nombre.

«As one arouses, so he draws upon himself from above.» — el mismo pasaje repite la ley: cada quien atrae de arriba lo que despierta.

«in those mountains reside Uzza and Azael, whom the blessed Holy One had cast down from heaven. Bound in iron chains, they divulge sorcery to human beings» — Rabbi Yitsḥak sitúa a Uzza y Azael encadenados en los montes de Oriente, enseñando hechicería.

«Torah was given only to males, as is written: This is the Torah that Moses set before the sons of Israel (Deuteronomy 4:44), for women are exempt from commandments of Torah.» — Rabbi Yitsḥak explica la persistencia del limo en las mujeres, en una tesis que la ficha consigna sin arbitrar.

«Whoever gazes upon the image of Adam can never escape, for as a person departs this world he sees Adam and— that very moment—dies.» — Rabbi Yehudah hace morir a quien ve la imagen de Adán, y hace de Abraham la excepción.

«an object is revealed only to its owner. So to Abraham it was revealed, not to Ephron» — Rabbi El’azar explica por qué Efrón no vio nada en la cueva.

«The entire land of Israel אתכפל (itkephal), is enfolded, within Jerusalem» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el nombre Makhpelah por el pliegue de la tierra entera dentro de Jerusalén.

«In the place in that world where masters of return stand, the completely righteous are not allowed to stand» — Rabbi Yose cita el dicho que pone a los arrepentidos por encima de los justos cabales.

«Rabbi El’azar said, “Come and see, as has been said: Once Abraham perceived wisdom, he sought to separate from all other nations, not to cleave to them» — Rabbi El’azar hace de la separación de Abraham respecto de las demás naciones una consecuencia de haber percibido la sabiduría.

«How stupid people are, ignorant and unmindful of engaging in Torah! For Torah constitutes all life, freedom, and goodness—in this world and in the world that is coming» — Rabbi El’azar reprocha la ignorancia de quien no se ocupa de la Torá y pone en ella la vida entera, la libertad y el bien.

«Freedom from the Angel of Death, who is powerless against him. Certainly so! For if Adam had cleaved to the Tree of Life—namely, Torah272—he would not have inflicted death upon himself and upon the entire world» — el mismo pasaje deriva de la Torá la libertad frente al Ángel de la Muerte y liga la muerte del mundo a que Adán no se pegara al Árbol de la Vida.

«Torah contains countless concealed, supernal secrets, so it is written: She is more precious than rubies» — Rabbi El’azar mide la Torá por los secretos supernos que esconde y apoya la medida en el versículo de Proverbios que el Zohar cita.

«Why came out? Because the blessed Holy One took her out from all inhabitants of the town—all of whom were wicked—and she came out, out of the ordinary» — el mismo pasaje explica el verbo salir del versículo de Génesis por el apartamiento de Rebeca respecto de los habitantes malvados del pueblo.

«I am a Jew. I am coming from Cappadocia293 and am going to the amphitheater294 of the son of Yoḥai, for the companions have voted on certain matters and have sent me to him» — el relato hace llegar a Rabbi Shim’on un judío venido de Capadocia con las votaciones de los compañeros; el nombre del lugar va cotejado contra el crudo.

«Such prayer [132b] smashes gates, beating on them so prayer may enter. “At my tears!308—entering the presence of the King. No gate can withstand them; tears never return unfulfilled» — el pasaje hace de la plegaria gritada un ariete contra las puertas y declara que las lágrimas nunca vuelven vacías; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«For there are two prayers: one sitting, one standing,313 and they are one— corresponding to two rungs: תפלה (tefillah), phylactery, of the hand and tefillah of the head» — el mismo pasaje pone las dos plegarias, la sentada y la de pie, en correspondencia con las dos filacterias.

«while praying, a person should let nothing interpose between himself and the wall, as is written» — el judío del camino enuncia la regla de no interponer nada entre el orante y el muro; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«Why שמעה (shim’ah) and not שמע (shema)?301 In one place is written: Shema, Hear, O YHVH, and have mercy on me!… (Psalms 30:11), and in another place: shim’ah, hear—but everywhere: sometimes shema, for the male; sometimes shim’ah, for the female» — el mismo pasaje reparte las dos formas del imperativo hebreo entre lo masculino y lo femenino; las dos palabras van en letra hebrea tal cual las imprime la traducción.

«Come and see: Isaac certainly instituted afternoon prayer. Just as Abraham instituted morning prayer—corresponding to the rung to which he cleaved» — Rabbi Shim’on reparte las horas de plegaria entre los patriarcas y las hace corresponder al grado al que cada uno se pegó.

«The day is fading—rung of Ḥesed; shadows of evening spread—rung of severe Judgment» — el mismo pasaje lee el versículo de Jeremías como el paso de Ḥesed al Juicio severo y le hace corresponder la destrucción del Santuario.

«That is the time one should delight in Torah, as has been said» — el mismo pasaje fija la medianoche como el momento en que el Santo Bendito se deleita con los justos y como la hora de deleitarse en la Torá.

«Our masters, members of the Great Assembly,343 instituted the prayers corresponding to the continual daily offerings,344 for we find two, as is written: One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight (Numbers 28:4). They are offered at times of day coinciding with the times of prayer» — Rabbi Shim’on hace instituir las plegarias a los hombres de la Gran Asamblea por correspondencia con las ofrendas diarias.

«These two times of prayer are intended solely to unite Jacob with his share» — Rabbi Shim’on responde al judío del camino que las dos plegarias esenciales solo sirven para unir a Jacob con su parte.

«“Jacob instituted evening prayer, arraying Her, nourishing Her with all She needs» — el pasaje atribuye a Jacob la plegaria de la tarde y explica por qué es opcional: la vav adorna a la he, que no tiene luz propia.

«Why האהלה (ha-ohelah)?359 Because Shekhinah returned there» — Rabbi Yose explica la forma del nombre de la tienda por el regreso de la Shekhinah y por la lámpara que se apagó al morir Sara y se volvió a encender con Rebeca.

«Rabbi Yehudah said, “Just as Isaac’s image was identical with Abraham’s—so that whoever saw Isaac said, ‘That’s Abraham! Undoubtedly, Abraham engendered Isaac!’362—similarly, Rebekah’s image was precisely Sarah’s» — Rabbi Yehudah empareja el parecido de Isaac con Abraham y el de Rebeca con Sara.

«From here we learn that a change of name purges sins;384 so her name was changed and she was called קטורה (Qeturah), Perfumed, with worthy deeds, and Abraham took her as a wife» — Rabbi Shim’on identifica a Keturá con Agar y saca del cambio de nombre la regla de que mudar el nombre purga los pecados.

«in the mountains of the East dwell those who teach witchcraft to human beings» — el pasaje remonta a los montes de Oriente la enseñanza de la hechicería y hace salir de ahí a Labán, Beor y Balaam.

«Ever since the day the Temple was destroyed, blessings are absent from the world,406 withheld—withheld, as it were, above and below407—so all those other, lower rungs are empowered and come to dominate Israel,408 who bring this about through their sins» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah data en la destrucción del Templo la ausencia de bendiciones y el dominio de los grados inferiores.

«when the Sanctuary was destroyed, the Temple burned, and the people exiled, Shekhinah sought to be uprooted from Her site—to accompany them in exile» — el mismo pasaje hace a la Shekhinah querer arrancarse de su sitio para acompañar al pueblo al exilio.

«even though Sarah died, her image never departed from the house,364 becoming invisible from the day of her death until Rebekah arrived» — Rabbi El’azar hace quedar en la casa la imagen de Sara, invisible hasta la llegada de Rebeca.

«Arousal of love of male toward female quickens only on the left,366 as is written: His left hand beneath my head (Song of Songs 2:6).367 Darkness and night are as one;368 left always arouses love toward female, grasping her» — Rabbi Shim’on explica por qué solo de Isaac se escribe que amó a su mujer: el amor del varón hacia la hembra despierta por la izquierda.

«All the patriarchs traced one mystery, [133b] each and every one of them performing with four women» — Rabbi Shim’on cuenta cuatro mujeres por patriarca y hace de esa cuenta un solo misterio; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«When the blessed Holy One desired—when it arose in His will—to create the world, He gazed into Torah and created it. For every act of creation throughout the world, the blessed Holy One gazed into Torah and created» — Rabbi Ḥiyya abre la parashá Toledot haciendo mirar a la Torá al Santo Bendito antes de cada acto de creación.

«As He was about to create Adam, Torah exclaimed: ‘If a human being is created and then proceeds to sin, and You punish him—why should the work of Your hands be in vain, since he will be unable to endure Your judgment» — el mismo pasaje pone a la Torá objetando la creación del hombre por no poder este resistir el juicio.

«O world, world! You and your laws are based solely upon Torah. That is why I created the human being in you, so that he might engage in her, strive for her. If not, I will turn you back into chaos and void» — el Zohar hace amenazar al Santo Bendito con devolver el mundo al caos si el hombre no se ocupa de la Torá.

«Whoever engages in Torah sustains the world, maintaining every work of creation perfectly, fittingly» — el mismo pasaje hace del estudio de la Torá el sostén de la obra entera de la creación.

«Torah is entirely members, joints, sections8—standing one upon another, all arrayed, becoming one body» — Rabbi Ḥiyya describe la Torá como un cuerpo de miembros y coyunturas, en paralelo con el cuerpo humano y con el mundo.

«Within Torah abide all supernal, sealed mysteries, ungraspable. Within Torah abide all supernal matters, revealed and unrevealed. Within Torah abide all things above and below. All things of this world» — el mismo pasaje encierra en la Torá lo revelado y lo no revelado, arriba y abajo.

«Why is son of Abraham mentioned only now and not previously? Because although it is written God blessed Isaac his son (Genesis 25:11), now that Abraham had died, his image remained stamped in Isaac» — Rabbi Yose explica la mención tardía de *hijo de Abraham* por la imagen del padre que quedó sellada en Isaac.

«every single proverb he spoke implied one thousand and five meanings» — el Zohar mide por los proverbios de Salomón lo que cabe en cada palabra de la Torá.

«That he joined Shekhinah. A well upon which appeared the Angel of Covenant, as the verse is translated» — Rabbi Yitsḥak lee el nombre del pozo Lajai Roí como el ayuntamiento de Isaac con la Shekhinah.

«When Abraham came to the world, he embraced the moon, bringing Her near. When Isaac arrived he held Her tight, fittingly, drawing Her in love—as has been said—for it is written: His left hand beneath my head» — Rabbi Yitsḥak reparte entre los tres patriarcas los tres tratos con la luna: Abraham la acerca, Isaac la estrecha, Jacob la une al sol.

«Whose blessing is true blessing? Those who stand by night in the house of YHVH—those who rise at midnight, awakening to recite Torah» — Rabbi Yehudah reserva la bendición verdadera a los que se levantan a medianoche a decir Torá.

«The moon is illumined only when seeing the sun; upon seeing Him, She shines» — Rabbi Yehudah hace del pozo la luna que solo se alumbra al ver al Viviente.

«although she was among the wicked, she did not act like them. For she was daughter of Bethuel, from Paddan Aram, and sister of Laban, all of whom were perniciously evil; yet she ascended by worthy deeds and did not imitate them» — el mismo pasaje salva a Rebeca de los suyos: creció entre malvados sin imitarlos.

«He offered Him an offering and prayed over it» — Rabbi Yehudah lee el verbo del versículo como ofrenda y lo apoya en el paralelo con el libro de Samuel.

«Abraham did not pray to the blessed Holy One for children, even though Sarah was barren. Now, you might say ‘Look at what is written: Here, You have given me no seed (ibid. 15:3)!’ But that was not said in prayer, rather as someone speaking before his master» — Rabbi Yehudah distingue el reclamo de Abraham de la plegaria de Isaac.

«Isaac encompassed North and South, fire and water» — Rabbi Yitsḥak explica los cuarenta años de Isaac por abarcar él norte y sur, fuego y agua, y compara a Rebeca con el arcoíris.

«Rebekah issues from the side of severe Judgment, but she withdrew from among them and joined Isaac; for although she issues from the side of severe Judgment, she is mild Judgment, a thread of grace dangling from her» — Rabbi Yitsḥak pone a Rebeca del lado del Juicio severo pero lo templa con un hilo de gracia.

«the blessed Holy One matches couples in the world:60 one stern, one tender—so that all will be arranged harmoniously, so that the world will be firm and sweet» — el mismo pasaje hace emparejar al Santo Bendito a uno duro con uno tierno para que el mundo aguante.

«For twenty years Isaac waited with his wife,69 but she did not give birth until he offered his prayer, since the blessed Holy One delights in prayers of the righteous when they plead before Him for what they need» — el mismo pasaje hace esperar veinte años a Isaac y explica la tardanza por el gusto del Santo Bendito en las plegarias de los justos.

«every species loves its own kind and is drawn to its kind.76 “Come and see: Esau issued red, as is written: The first one came out ruddy… (ibid. 25:25), quality of Isaac, severe Judgment above,77 from whom issued Esau, severe Judgment below, resembling his kind» — Rabbi Yehudah explica el amor de Isaac por Esaú por la ley de que cada especie ama a la suya.

«Since Esau was drawn after that serpent, Jacob dealt with him tortuously like a serpent who is cunning, as is said: Now the serpent was sly…(Genesis 3:1)84—cunning» — Rabbi Yitsḥak justifica la astucia de Jacob por la serpiente a la que Esaú se pegó, y cierra con el dicho sobre el que viene a matarte.

«The blessed Holy One saw that the primordial serpent was perniciously cunning. As soon as Jacob arrived, He said, ‘This one is certainly just as cunning.’ So He called him יעקב (Ya’aqov), Deceiver» — el mismo pasaje hace poner el nombre de Jacob al Santo Bendito por la astucia con que iguala a la serpiente primordial; la letra hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«Therefore every new moon, a single goat—luring him to his site, so that he will separate from the moon» — el pasaje explica el macho cabrío de cada novilunio y el de Yom Kippur como una treta para apartar al acusador de la luna.

«Neither Abraham nor Isaac had to conduct himself tortuously, since Esau, aspect of that serpent, had not yet arrived in the world» — el mismo pasaje exime a Abraham y a Isaac de la tortuosidad porque en su tiempo Esaú no había llegado.

«Each one diverged on his path, [139a] one to the side of faith, the other to the side of idolatry» — Rabbi El’azar reparte a los gemelos desde el vientre entre el lado de la fe y el de la idolatría.

«Shekhinah dwelled in his home, dwelling with him constantly. But She did not reveal it to him, so that Jacob would be blessed without his intention, rather with the intention of the blessed Holy One, as it had to be» — Rabbi El’azar explica la ceguera de Isaac sobre Esaú: la Shekhinah estaba pero no se lo reveló, para que la bendición de Jacob no fuera intención suya.

«he cooked a red dish—lentils—a dish that breaks the power of red blood,121 to break his power» — el mismo pasaje hace del guiso rojo de lentejas un arma contra el poder del rojo, y con él compra Jacob la primogenitura.

«the blessed Holy One postpones His anger for the righteous, and for the wicked even more than the righteous! For the wicked, so that they will turn back completely and endure in this world and in the world that is coming, as is written: As I live—declares YHVH Elohim—I do not desire the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way ותיה (ve-ḥayah), and live (Ezekiel 33:11)—and live in this world, and live in the world that is coming» — Rabbi Yehudah reparte la tardanza de la ira: a los malvados se les concede más, para que se vuelvan.

«the blessed Holy One always deals strictly with the righteous in all that they do,140 because He knows they will not stray right or left. So He tests them, not for His own sake, since He knows their impulse and the strength of their faith, but rather for their sake, to elevate them» — el mismo pasaje explica la dureza con los justos: el probar no es para el que prueba sino para el probado.

«He raised his banner throughout the world141—although this has already been explained142—for the blessed Holy One raised Abraham’s banner in the eyes of all, as is written: nissah, He elevated, Abraham» — Rabbi Yehudah lee el verbo de la prueba de Abraham como izar una bandera y por ahí convierte la prueba en elevación.

«the delight of the blessed Holy One focuses only on soul, not on body; for soul resembles soul,144 while body is incapable of uniting above» — Rabbi Shim’on pone el deleite del Santo Bendito en el alma y no en el cuerpo, y de ahí deriva la enfermedad del justo.

«When the blessed Holy One delights in a person’s soul, deriving pleasure from her, He strikes the body so that the soul can dominate. For as long as soul corresponds with body,146 soul cannot prevail; but once the body is broken, soul becomes dominant» — el mismo pasaje hace golpear el cuerpo para que el alma domine.

«Descending below, he discovered the craving of the evil impulse and clung to it, forgetting all he had attained of the supernal glory of his Lord» — Rabbi Shim’on cuenta la caída de Adán como olvido de la gloria que ya había alcanzado.

«Every single one of the righteous is tested by the blessed Holy One, to elevate them in this world and in the world that is coming» — el mismo pasaje cierra la serie de Adán, Noé, Abraham e Isaac enunciando que al justo se le prueba para elevarlo.

«certainly Abimelech was learned and he gazed through astrology, which is a window. Here is written: through the window, and there is written: Through the window she gazed, the mother of Sisera wailed (Judges 5:28). Just as there through astrology, so here through astrology» — el Zohar explica lo que vio Abimélec por la astrología y la llama ventana, apoyándose en el paralelo con el libro de los Jueces.

«Since Shekhinah does not dwell outside the land of Israel,174 there is no fear of God in this place—for this is not its site; it does not dwell here» — Rabbi El’azar lee la falta de temor de Dios del lugar como ausencia de la Shekhinah fuera de la tierra de Israel.

«how patiently the blessed Holy One tolerated the wicked on account of the kindness they extended to the ancient patriarchs! For due to this, Israel did not dominate them until many generations later» — el pasaje explica la paciencia con los malvados por la bondad que mostraron a los patriarcas.

«Woe to the wicked, whose kindness is imperfect!178 Come and see: At first Ephron said, My lord, listen to me! I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it (ibid. 23:11). But later he said, Land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? (ibid., 15), and it is written: Abraham weighed out» — Rabbi Yehudah mide la bondad de los malvados por la de Efrón, que ofrece el campo y luego lo cobra; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«since he knew mysteries of wisdom, he endeavored and dug a well of water, to fortify himself fittingly in faith» — Rabbi El’azar hace de los pozos de los patriarcas un mismo esfuerzo por afirmarse en la fe.

«as when every single day a person fortifies himself with tassels (which is a commandment), enveloping himself in them;185 with tefillin, placing them on his head and arm, a fitting supernal mystery» — el mismo pasaje traslada el pozo de los patriarcas a los flecos y las filacterias de cada día.

«this is resurrection of the dead, for the blessed Holy One will one day revive the dead and mend a person’s bones, restoring them in a perfect body, while the light of the soul will be intensified within the resplendent speculum, to shine with the body fittingly in full vitality» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee el versículo de Isaías como resurrección de los muertos y hace brillar al alma dentro del cuerpo rehecho.

«a well containing a spring filled by that spring—two rungs that are one, male and female fittingly.201 “Come and see: That spring and well are one, all called ‘well,’ for the inflowing fountain never ceases and the well is filled. Whoever gazes at this well will gaze at the mystery of supernal faith» — el mismo pasaje hace del pozo y su manantial dos grados que son uno, varón y hembra.

«Supernal Wisdom is concealed of all concealed, unknown, unrevealed, as is said: No human knows its worth (Job 28:13). Expanding to radiate, it gleams in the mystery of the world that is coming, a world created from it,208 as we have learned: The world that is coming was created with י (yod)» — Rabbi Shim’on distingue dos sabidurías y deja la superna oculta de todo lo oculto; la letra hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«there issued from this site fire, water, and air, as has been said, becoming a single voice issuing outside— heard, as has been said» — el mismo pasaje hace salir fuera a la sabiduría como una sola voz de fuego, agua y aire.

«That expanse encompassing all sparkling stars,213 a bubbling spring whose waters never cease, as is said: A river issues from Eden to water the garden (Genesis 2:10). That is Reḥovot, Expanses» — Rabbi Shim’on identifica los Espacios del versículo con la extensión que abarca las estrellas y con el río que sale del Edén.

«Isaac was not as virtuous as Abraham, whose eyes were neither blinded nor dimmed. But here is a supernal mystery, a mystery of faith, as has been said» — Rabbi Shim’on no atenúa la desigualdad entre Abraham e Isaac y la remite a un misterio de la fe.

«Abraham, light of day, whose light grows brighter and stronger in the ripening [142a] of day» — el mismo pasaje reparte el versículo del día y la noche entre Abraham, que se aclara con los años, e Isaac, que se oscurece.

«Isaac, who is darkness, proceeding to absorb Night» — Rabbi Shim’on explica la ceguera de Isaac por el grado de oscuridad al que pertenece.

«It is written: were heavy, not were dim. It is written: from old age, not from his old age. Rather, from old age, from Isaac’s old age, from that side they were heavy» — Rabbi Shim’on distingue los ojos pesados de Jacob de los ojos apagados de Isaac y remite el peso a la vejez de Isaac.

«he should place his strength in the blessed Holy One, to help him fulfill the commandents of Torah and walk in the way of truth, for as soon as one comes to purify himself, he is certainly assisted» — Rabbi El’azar manda poner la fuerza en el Santo Bendito para cumplir la Torá y no en ningún otro.

«anyone engaging in Torah for ulterior motives—better for him if he had never been created» — el mismo pasaje condena el estudio de la Torá por motivo ajeno.

«It was then the eve of Passover,244 when the evil impulse must be exterminated and the moon prevail, mystery [142b] of faith;245 so she prepared two dishes» — Rabbi Yose fecha la escena de las bendiciones en la víspera de Pascua, cuando el impulso malo se extermina; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«An intimation here that Jacob’s descendants would one day offer two goats on Yom Kippur, one for YHVH and one for Azazel» — Rabbi Yehudah lee los dos cabritos de Rebeca como anuncio de los dos machos cabríos de Yom Kippur.

«These are the garments Esau won from Nimrod, precious garments tracing back to Adam. They came into the hands of Nimrod; clothed in them, he hunted game, as is written: He was a mighty hunter before YHVH (Genesis 10:9). Esau went out to the field and waged war against Nimrod, killing him, taking those garments from him» — Rabbi El’azar remonta las vestiduras de Esaú a Adán por vía de Nimrod, a quien Esaú mató; los nombres van cotejados contra el crudo.

«whenever Esau wore them, they emitted no fragrance at all, but when Jacob wore them, what had been lost reverted to its site and they emitted fragrance. For the beauty of Jacob was the beauty of Adam» — el mismo pasaje hace oler las vestiduras solo sobre Jacob, porque su hermosura es la de Adán.

«before Adam sinned, no creature could gaze at his beauty. Once he sinned, his beauty deteriorated, his height diminished, and he became one hundred cubits tall» — Rabbi El’azar mide la caída de Adán por la merma de su hermosura y de su estatura.

«some say it was Shekhinah, some say Isaac.261 “Like the fragrance of a field blessed by YHVH. Who is a field? Field of apple trees, desired and cultivated by supernal patriarchs» — el Zohar deja sin arbitrar quién habla en el versículo, si la Shekhinah o Isaac, y llama al campo huerto de manzanos.

«Jacob felt deeply distressed, fearing that his father would discover him and he would be recognized. What is written? He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy like the hands of his brother Esau» — Rabbi El’azar pone el salmo de la angustia en boca de Jacob al ser palpado por su padre.

«as soon as he said in the presence of YHVH, the Throne of Glory of the blessed Holy One trembled, saying, ‘What if the serpent escapes his curses and Jacob is subjected to them» — el mismo pasaje hace temblar al Trono de Gloria ante la fórmula de Isaac, por miedo de que las maldiciones pasen de la serpiente a Jacob.

«When Esau entered, Hell entered with him, so Isaac trembled very violently (ibid., 33),272 since he had thought that Esau was not of that side» — el pasaje explica el temblor de Isaac por el infierno que entró con Esaú.

«Ever since the days of Adam, Jacob was destined to seize all these blessings from that serpent—leaving him immersed in curses, unable to escape» — Rabbi El’azar hace de las bendiciones arrebatadas una restitución medida de lo que la serpiente quitó al mundo.

«And nations bow down to you (ibid.)—when King Messiah arrives, as is written: All kings will bow down to him» — el mismo pasaje difiere la postración de las naciones a la llegada del Rey Mesías y la apoya en el salmo que cita.

«because this is a supernal mystery of faith, since these letters are mysteries of faith: ה (he) above, ו (vav) in the middle, then ה (he) last» — Rabbi Yehudah explica la forma rara del imperativo por las letras del Nombre; las letras hebreas van tal cual las imprime la traducción.

«Of Jacob is written: May God give you, while of this one is written: will be» — Rabbi Shim’on separa las dos bendiciones por el orden de sus términos y por el verbo, y deja a Esaú abajo.

«Jacob immediately obtained above, Esau below. Later, when King Messiah arises, Jacob will receive above and below, while Esau will be deprived of everything—left with no share or memory in the world» — Rabbi El’azar responde a la objeción sobre las bendiciones no cumplidas difiriendo lo de Jacob al tiempo del Rey Mesías.

«even though the blessed Holy One reigns above and below, He has granted the other nations, each and every one, an inherited share to utilize in this world; but at that time He will take dominion from all of them, so all will be His» — el mismo pasaje concede a cada nación una parte por ahora y se la retira al final.

«one refers to Shekhinah, one to Jacob, for when Jacob entered, Shekhinah entered with him,312 and he was blessed in Her presence» — Rabbi Shim’on explica la doble salida del versículo por la Shekhinah que entró y salió con Jacob; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«no such fear or terror had fallen upon Isaac since the day he was created. Even at the moment he lay bound on the altar and saw the knife looming over him, he did not tremble as when Esau entered and he saw Hell accompanying him» — el mismo pasaje mide el temblor de Isaac contra el de la atadura sobre el altar y lo hace mayor.

«when angels, messengers of the blessed Holy One, descend to this world, they materialize, clothing themselves in a body corresponding to this world» — Rabbi Shim’on hace vestirse de cuerpo a los ángeles que bajan y funda en ello la lucha nocturna de Jacob.

«the dominion of Esau prevails only in exile, which is night» — el mismo pasaje reparte el dominio entre la noche de Esaú y el día de Jacob.

«a person really has two angelic messengers from above to couple with him, one on the right and one on the left, coupling with him, appearing wherever he does anything, called Good Impulse and Evil Impulse» — Rabbi Shim’on pone dos mensajeros a cada hombre, uno a la derecha y otro a la izquierda.

«that Evil Impulse is overturned by the Good Impulse» — el mismo pasaje convierte al impulso malo en siervo del que se purifica y lo lee en el proverbio de Salomón.

«For having terrified his father Isaac with trembling, Jacob was inflicted with the punishment of Joseph, trembling similarly when they told him This we have found (ibid. 37:32).350 Isaac said, Who איפה (eiphoh)? With eiphoh Jacob was punished, as is written: איפה (Eiphoh), Where, are they pasturing? (ibid., 16). There Joseph disappeared and Jacob was punished» — Rabbi Yehudah hace pagar a Jacob el temblor de su padre con el trance de José, y liga los dos episodios por la misma palabra hebrea.

«How much harm was inflicted by those tears Esau shed before his father in order to be blessed by him, since he cherished his father’s word» — Rabbi Ḥiyya mide el daño que hicieron al mundo las lágrimas de Esaú.

«This has not yet been fulfilled, for Esau has not served Jacob,372 since Jacob did not want it now. Repeatedly he called him my lord, my lord373—having gazed afar, deferring it to the end of days, as we have said» — Rabbi El’azar consigna que la bendición del servicio de Esaú no se ha cumplido y la difiere al fin de los días.

«She opens her mouth with wisdom—Assembly of Israel» — Rabbi Yose lee el versículo de Proverbios como la Asamblea de Israel y la lengua de la Torá.

«She is concealed, completely unknowable, as is written: She is hidden from the eyes of all living concealed from the birds of heaven (Job 28:21),389 but when She begins to expand through wisdom cleaving to Her, within Her, She generates a voice: Torah of love» — el mismo pasaje hace nacer la voz de la sabiduría que se pega a lo oculto.

«all will be fulfilled in the time of King Messiah, for then Israel will be one nation, one people of the blessed Holy One» — Rabbi Ḥiyya difiere el cumplimiento entero de las bendiciones al tiempo del Rey Mesías.

«Rabban Yoḥanan son of Zakkai rendered three hundred legal decisions in the mystery of supernal wisdom based on the verse: His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-zahab (Genesis 36:39).405 These he revealed only to Rabbi El’azar» — Rabbi Yose cuenta trescientas decisiones sacadas de un solo versículo genealógico y su transmisión reservada; los nombres van cotejados contra el crudo.

«until the Tree of Life appeared—atoning for Adam, subduing that serpent409 so that he would never dominate the seed of Jacob» — el mismo pasaje hace del Árbol de la Vida la expiación de Adán y el freno de la serpiente.

«Why was he tam? Because of dwelling in tents, for he embraced two sides: Abraham and Isaac» — el Zohar explica el calificativo de Jacob por las dos tiendas que habita, la de Abraham y la de Isaac.

«that night was the night on which the moon was created;423 yet Jacob remained alone, unaccompanied by anyone» — el mismo pasaje fecha la lucha de Jacob en la noche de la creación de las lumbreras y liga el poder de la serpiente al menguar de la luna.

«Approaching on the right, he saw Abraham, potently empowered;428 approaching on the left, he saw Isaac, empowered with severe Judgment» — el pasaje hace fuerte a Jacob por los dos lados y deja al adversario solo el muslo, fuera del torso.

«Seeing himself endowed with all these blessings, Jacob wondered, ‘Which of these blessings should I utilize now?’ He decided, ‘I will use the weakest one now» — el pasaje cuenta cuatro bendiciones recibidas por Jacob y le hace apartar la más floja para el presente.

«This can be compared to a king who had many powerful legions —countless tested warriors to wage battles, poised to attack mighty kings. [146b] Meanwhile, he heard about a ravaging robber. He said, ‘Let these gatekeepers go there» — el mismo pasaje explica la reserva de las bendiciones con la parábola del rey que manda porteros contra un salteador; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«no one in the world ever honored his father as much as Esau honored his, and the honor he rendered to him granted him dominion in this world» — Rabbi Yeisa hace del honor de Esaú a su padre la causa de su dominio en este mundo.

«the honor he rendered his father prolonged his dominion so persistently in this world, while those tears prolonged Israel’s subjugation to him,451 until Israel returns to the blessed Holy One with weeping and tears, as is written: With weeping they will come; with supplications I will conduct them» — el mismo pasaje liga la duración del sometimiento de Israel a las lágrimas de Esaú y su fin al llanto del retorno.

«the sun rises—Jacob,2 when he was in Beer-sheba;3 and the sun sets—when he went to Haran» — Rabbi Ḥiyya abre la parashá Va-Yetse leyendo la salida y la puesta del sol del Eclesiastés como el camino de Jacob.

«He left the sphere of the land of Israel, as is written: Jacob left Beer-sheba,8 and went to an alien domain, as is written: and set out for Haran—land of alien dominion» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la salida de Jacob como paso del dominio santo a un dominio ajeno.

«precious stones, fine pearls, twelve supernal stones,28 as is written: twelve stones (Joshua 4:3),29 underneath which lie twelve thousand, myriads of hewn stones,30 all stones» — Rabbi Ḥiyya cuenta doce piedras supernas bajo la cabecera de Jacob y otras miles labradas debajo.

«three stones to [148a] the north, three to the west, three to the south, three to the east, with that place above them, arrayed upon them» — el mismo pasaje reparte las doce piedras en las cuatro direcciones del mundo; el tramo cruza el cambio de plana.

«If not for Jacob, the world would not endure!39 Come and see: When his sons unified supernal unification, proclaiming, Hear O Israel! YHVH our God, YHVH is one! (Deuteronomy 6:4), this was supernal perfection, unifying unitary unification» — el hijo menor del caminante pone en Jacob el sostén del mundo por haber atado su casa a los patriarcas.

«There are two who said Arise, O YHVH!: Moses and David. Moses said, Arise, O YHVH! May Your enemies be scattered! (Numbers 10:35); David said, Arise, O YHVH, to Your resting place! What is the difference between them? Moses spoke like someone enjoining his house, enjoining Her to wage war against his enemies» — el mismo pasaje distingue las dos invocaciones: Moisés llama a la guerra y David al reposo del Rey con la Reina.

«whoever invites a king should alter [148b] his behavior to delight the king» — el pasaje saca de la invitación de David la regla de mudar la propia costumbre para agasajar al rey; el tramo cruza el cambio de plana.

«in his own house one may arrange things as he pleases, but when invited out he should fulfill the will of his host, whatever he arranges» — el mismo pasaje deriva de ahí la regla del invitado que se somete a la voluntad de quien lo hospeda.

«alluding to when Israel left the Temple and were exiled among the nations,54 as is said: All the splendor of the daughter of Zion has left her (Lamentations 1:6), and similarly: Judah has gone into exile because of affliction» — uno de los hijos lee la salida de Jacob como el exilio de Israel fuera del Templo.

«A king who comes to visit his consort must למפגע (le-mifga), entreat, her,56 so that she will not seem like a piece of abandoned property» — el hijo menor lee el verbo del encuentro como la súplica del rey a su consorte; la palabra hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«even if he possesses golden beds and elaborately embroidered bolsters in a spacious palace,58 he should not spend the night there. If she prepares a bed on the ground in a castle59 of straw, he should leave his and spend the night there, giving her pleasure» — el mismo pasaje hace preferir al rey el lecho que la consorte le prepara en el suelo antes que su propio palacio.

«Because for forty years he fasted over Jerusalem, so that it would not be destroyed in his lifetime» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el apodo de Rabbi Tsadok por los cuarenta años de ayuno por Jerusalén; el nombre va cotejado contra el crudo.

«Prophecy derives from World of the Male,70 dream from World of the Female;71 from one to the other, a descent of six rungs» — el caminante reparte profecía y sueño entre el mundo del varón y el de la hembra, con seis grados de distancia.

«Hayoh, above; hayah, below. As is written: a ladder set up on earth, its head reaching to heaven—moving above, moving below» — el caminante lee el doble verbo de Ezequiel como el arriba y el abajo de la escalera de Jacob.

«This ladder is planted firmly in two worlds, above and below, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kevar. In the land of the Chaldeans—in a place where exile prevails» — el mismo pasaje planta la escalera en dos mundos y la deja en pie hasta en tierra de exilio.

«the contents of a vision are more concealed» — el pasaje invierte la jerarquía esperada: la visión es lo oculto y el sueño lo que la aclara.

«deputies of all nations who ascend and descend on this ladder» — el caminante lee los ángeles de la escalera como los príncipes de las naciones, que suben cuando Israel peca.

«so dreams pervade the entire world—yet corresponding to one’s rung, he sees; corresponding to each person, his rung» — el mismo pasaje hace del sueño algo de todos, cada quien según su grado, mientras la profecía no sale de su dominio.

«rung merged with rung—upper rung with lower rung» — el caminante explica el sueño de Salomón por la unión de dos grados y lo deja atrás cuando la luna se llena.

«Since Solomon failed to keep this covenant properly, the moon began to wane and turn defective, so in the end he needed a dream. Similarly, Jacob needed a dream, as we have said» — el mismo pasaje liga la vuelta del sueño al menguar de la luna por el pacto quebrantado.

«so that all would become a holy chariot: right, left, Jacob in their midst,125 and Assembly of Israel linking with them, as is written: I am YHVH, God of Abraham your father and God of Isaac: the land» — el caminante arma con los tres patriarcas una carroza santa y pone a Jacob en medio.

«From here we learn that whoever is incomplete below is incomplete above» — el caminante enuncia la ley de que quien está incompleto abajo lo está arriba, y hace de Jacob una excepción no manifiesta.

«Yet human beings do not consider its precious glory, whereby one becomes complete above and below» — el caminante reprocha que no se repare en la gloria de la puerta por la que bajan las bendiciones.

«he didn’t believe in himself, lest he sin, and that sin prevent him from returning in peace, and protection be withdrawn from him. So he didn’t believe in himself» — Rabbi Ḥiyya precisa que la desconfianza de Jacob no era del Santo Bendito sino de sí mismo.

«When sins abound in the world, they ascend to the site where the Book of Sinners lies open,170 as is said: The court was seated and the books were opened (Daniel 7:10). That book is above David’s head» — el mismo pasaje hace subir los pecados al lugar donde está abierto el libro de los pecadores; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«If for good, from the side of the left love arouses, as is said: His left hand beneath my head (Song of Songs 2:6).189 If for evil, from the side of the left severe Judgment arouses» — Rabbi El’azar hace salir de la izquierda tanto el amor como el juicio severo, según sea para bien o para mal.

«as long as Torah is found within her, she endures, since Torah is the Tree of Life, standing over her» — Elías anuncia en sueños a Rabbi Ḥiyya la destrucción de Jerusalén y la condiciona a que cese la Torá abajo.

«Every single day Rebekah saw the radiance of Shekhinah [150b] in her dwelling139 and prayed there, but as soon as she felt pangs in her womb, what is written? She went to inquire of YHVH» — el mismo pasaje cuenta que Rebeca veía el resplandor de la Shekhinah en su casa y solo por los dolores fue a consultar; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso y el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«I have dreamed a dream. Now, some dreams are true and some are false. If it is fulfilled, then I will know it» — Rabbi Yehudah explica el *si* del voto de Jacob por la duda sobre si su sueño era verdadero; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«why did he utter a song? If it was because his own son rose up against him, then he should have wailed a lamentation, since a little from one’s own hurts more than a lot from another» — Rabbi Yehudah explica el canto de David en la huida por haber visto que la cuenta se le cobraba en este mundo.

«Jacob and Moses were welcomed joyously by this well, who was eager to approach them; as soon as it saw them, water rose toward them, like a woman delighting with her husband» — el mismo pasaje hace subir el agua del pozo al encuentro de Jacob y de Moisés, y no al de David.

«removing from Her the rigor of severe Judgment, which congeals and freezes water—then called stone, no water issuing forth» — Rabbi Yehudah lee la piedra de la boca del pozo como el rigor del juicio que hiela el agua; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«This well is inscribed seven times in this section, alluding to Seven, and so it is called שבע‎ באר (Be’er Sheva), Well of Seven,233 a well mentioned seven times in the section» — el mismo pasaje cuenta siete menciones del pozo en la sección y saca de ahí el nombre del Pozo de Siete; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«for Moses separated himself completely from the house below,235 while Jacob did not separate at all» — el pasaje distingue a Moisés de Jacob por el apartamiento de la casa de abajo.

«whoever engages in Torah, grasping her, grasps the Tree of Life,241 and if he lets go of the Tree of Life, the Tree of Death242 looms over him and grasps him» — Rabbi Abba opone el Árbol de la Vida al Árbol de la Muerte según se agarre o se suelte la Torá.

«He is the mighty serpent through whom Adam sinned, and human beings stumble over him, drawing him to themselves until he draws out the soul» — el mismo pasaje identifica al impulso malo con la serpiente por la que pecó Adán.

«Here male and female couple as one: rider, serpent, mystery of male and female» — Rabbi Abba nombra Azazel al acoplamiento del jinete y la serpiente en el lado impuro.

«Whenever one engages in tsedaqah, that act ascends on high, reaching beyond, beyond to the site of Jacob, supernal chariot,269 drawing blessings to that site from the spring of all springs» — Rabbi Abba hace subir el acto de justicia hasta el sitio de Jacob y bajar de ahí las bendiciones.

«When Israel dwelled in the Holy Land, they drew blessings from above to below. When Israel left the Holy Land, they came under alien authority,272 and blessings were withheld from the» — el mismo pasaje liga las bendiciones del mundo a la estancia de Israel en la tierra santa; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«the blessed Holy One did not want to couple Leah with Jacob openly, as is written: In the morning, here, she was Leah! (ibid., 25)—until then it was not revealed» — Rabbi El’azar explica por qué Jacob no encontró a Lía en el pozo: el ayuntamiento con ella no se quiso manifiesto.

«Jubilee is universally concealed, unrevealed, while Sabbatical is revealed» — Rabbi El’azar opone el Jubileo oculto al Sabático manifiesto.

«Leah gave birth to six sons and one daughter, fittingly so, for six directions stand above her; these six and one daughter emerge through the mystery of Jubilee» — el mismo pasaje hace corresponder los hijos de Lía a las seis direcciones y los remite al Jubileo.

«Joseph merited becoming Righteous One above because he guarded the sign of the covenant» — Rabbi El’azar reparte el nombre de Justo entre José arriba y Benjamín abajo.

«the whole time Jacob was mourning over Joseph, he did not perform in bed.307 “Now, you might say, ‘When Joseph was snatched from Jacob, he was just a child, unmarried; yet you say he did not perform in bed?!’308 However, even though he later coupled, he did not want to perform in bed» — el mismo pasaje explica la justicia de Benjamín por la abstinencia guardada mientras duró el duelo por José.

«From here we learn that through revealed, one reaches concealed» — Rabbi El’azar enuncia la regla de que por lo manifiesto se llega a lo oculto.

«Why did he specify seven years, and not ten months or one year? In truth, Jacob acted in wisdom—and so that people wouldn’t claim that he had acted out of lust for Rachel’s beauty, but rather out of wisdom—since the moon is seven years old» — el mismo pasaje explica los siete años de servicio por los siete años de la luna y no por el deseo de la hermosura de Raquel; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«These constitute the four joints called hinder parts, as is written: their hinder parts all inward» — Rabbi El’azar coloca a los cuatro hijos de las siervas como las coyunturas que sobresalen del cuerpo.

«He settles aqeret ha-bayit—Sabbatical, essence of this world, by whom it is conducted» — Rabbi El’azar reparte el versículo del salmo entre el Sabático y el Jubileo.

«Jubilee is always a concealed world, none of whose matters [154b] are revealed; so all its actions were concealed from Jacob» — el mismo pasaje explica el aborrecimiento de Lía por lo oculto del Jubileo, sin atenuar la palabra del versículo.

«So we call it אתה (Attah), You, since it is Sabbatical, revealed;342 higher world, Jubilee, we call הוא (Hu), He, since all its matters are concealed» — el pasaje reparte los dos pronombres hebreos entre el mundo de abajo y el de arriba; las palabras hebreas van tal cual las imprime la traducción.

«The world exists only for the sake of Jacob» — Rabbi El’azar pone el mundo entero por Jacob y subordina a él hasta a Abraham.

«Previously the blessed Holy One built worlds and destroyed them» — Rabbi El’azar consigna que el Santo Bendito construyó y destruyó mundos antes de Jacob; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«the supernal chariot comprises the patriarchs together with King David, joined with them» — el mismo pasaje arma la carroza superna con los tres patriarcas y el rey David.

«All those twelve tribes constitute the adornment of Assembly of Israel in this world, arraying the black light367 fittingly, restoring the essence of all to its site» — Rabbi Abba hace de las doce tribus el adorno de la Asamblea de Israel y el remate del mundo de abajo.

«I will praise YHVH with all my levav, with the good impulse and the evil impulse—two sides, one on the right and one on the left» — Rabbi Shim’on lee la forma doble de la palabra corazón como los dos impulsos.

«since he saw in four directions of the world, he saw the whole world, for four directions of the world encompass the whole world» — Rabbi Abba explica la promesa de la tierra por las cuatro direcciones que Abraham abarcó con la vista.

«within those four cubits the blessed Holy One rolled up the whole land of Israel,399 so that spot comprised the whole land» — Rabbi Ḥiyya hace caber la tierra entera en los cuatro codos donde Jacob se acostó.

«Although there were three sons, the throne was incomplete until she gave birth to Judah. Therefore, This time I will praise YHVH, not for all the others» — Rabbi Abba deja el trono incompleto hasta Judá y por eso solo con él se dice la alabanza.

«like a hammer scattering sparks within sparks simultaneously in every direction» — Rabbi Yitsḥak compara la creación de las huestes con un martillo que esparce chispas dentro de chispas.

«When the blessed Holy One wished to create worlds He generated a single concealed light, from which radiate all those revealed lights» — el mismo pasaje hace nacer todas las luces reveladas de una sola luz oculta.

«This supernal light extended further, fashioning an artisan, a light that does not shine, fashioning the lower world» — el pasaje nombra artesano a la luz que no brilla y le hace formar el mundo de abajo.

«Even the tiniest thing in this world depends upon another, supernal thing appointed over it» — Rabbi Yitsḥak enuncia la correspondencia: nada hay abajo sin su encargado arriba.

«It wasn’t the mandrakes that caused Rachel to give birth; rather, the blessed Holy One brought this about by means of those mandrakes, so that Issachar would issue, embracing Torah more firmly than all those tribes» — el mismo pasaje niega virtud a las mandrágoras y atribuye el nacimiento de Isacar al Santo Bendito.

«these mandrakes possess supernal power, that power does not extend to engendering children. After all, children depend on the flux of destiny425 and on no other power» — Rabbi Yitsḥak concede poder superno a las mandrágoras pero se lo niega para engendrar hijos.

«from here we learn of Leah’s modesty; for she did not speak in the presence of her sister, but instead she set out and told him secretly, informing him that he belonged to Rachel, as is written: for I have surely hired you—‘I have obtained permission from Rachel.’ To prevent Rachel’s distress, she told him outside, not in the house» — el Zohar salva del reproche la frase de Lía y la lee como recato hacia su hermana.

«When Israel were in Egypt, they were under alien authority» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee el pan de la aflicción como el grado pobre por el que Israel se acercó al salir de Egipto.

«I am one of the denizens of Arqa.”444 He asked, “Human beings live there?” “Yes,” he replied. “They sow and harvest. Some of them look different, stranger than me» — el relato hace salir de las grietas de la peña a un habitante de Arqa que dice que allí se siembra y se siega; el nombre va cotejado contra el crudo.

«When a person issues into the world, he knows nothing until he tastes bread» — Rabbi Ḥiyya trae de su abuelo la enseñanza de que el conocer empieza con el pan; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«Israel did not know or perceive supernal matters until they ate supernal bread, whereupon they knew and perceived that realm» — el mismo pasaje hace del maná el pan por el que Israel conoció el ámbito de arriba.

«Every single thing in the world corresponds to the pattern above, and everything above has its counterpart on earth,457 and everything on earth has its counterpart in the sea» — Rabbi Yose enuncia la triple correspondencia entre lo de arriba, la tierra y el mar.

«whoever engages in Torah inherits both the world that is coming and the inheritance of Jacob» — Rabbi Yehudah saca del nombre de Isacar la herencia doble del que se ocupa en la Torá.

«Six sons of Leah, embracing six others, totaling twelve—totaling six, each enfolded in his fellow—with Leah above them» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah cuenta doce montes de especias en los seis hijos de Lía doblados.

«He saw, as they have established, that Esau’s adversary had been born» — Rabbi El’azar explica la prisa de Jacob por irse al nacer José: había nacido el adversario de Esaú.

«If all those tribes are completed here, then I know supernal perfection will rest upon them fittingly—which should not happen here, only in the Holy Land» — el mismo pasaje hace esperar a Jacob para que las doce tribus se completen en la tierra santa.

«Leah was concealed in the Cave of Machpelah, while Rachel in revealment of the road; one secretly, one openly» — Rabbi El’azar opone las dos sepulturas, la oculta de Lía y la manifiesta de Raquel, como los dos mundos.

«So we call higher world הוא (Hu), He, and lower world אתה (Attah), You» — el mismo pasaje reparte los dos pronombres entre los dos mundos y hace bendecir por los dos; las palabras hebreas van tal cual las imprime la traducción.

«the donkey brayed, so Leah knew and went out toward him, bringing about the birth of Issachar, as is written: Issachar גרם‎ חמור (ḥamor garem), a strong-boned donkey» — el pasaje hace del rebuzno del asno la señal por la que Lía salió al encuentro, y de ahí el nombre de Isacar.

«Jacob feared that he wouldn’t let him go and twelve tribes would be completed in an alien land» — Rabbi Yehudah explica la huida de Jacob por el temor de que las doce tribus se completaran en tierra ajena.

«Certainly all words of Rabbi Yehudah are fine, but this transcends them all! “Now, you might ask ‘Why didn’t he set out on his way immediately?’514 Because as long as Rachel had not conceived Benjamin, he lingered there. As soon as Benjamin’s time approached, he fled without asking permission, so as not to delay, so Jacob could join all those tribes in a suitable site» — Rabbi Shim’on aprueba la explicación de Rabbi Yehudah y la lleva más lejos.

«Laban was a sorcerer, all his dealings toward Jacob steeped in sorcery» — Rabbi Abba explica por qué Jacob no pidió licencia a Labán como Moisés a Jetró: la hechicería de Labán y la orden ya recibida.

«The blessed Holy One fashioned the lower world corresponding to the higher world» — Rabbi Abba hace de los salmos de David y de los hijos de Coré un arreglo copiado del patrón superno; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«Just as there are watches on earth, so too there are watches in heaven, as the Companions have established» — el mismo pasaje pone turnos de canto en el cielo como los hay en la tierra.

«These nine arrays are conducted by engraved letters, upon which each of them gazes» — Rabbi Abba hace conducir las nueve formaciones del canto por letras grabadas.

«All those letters are male and female,543 merging as one in mystery of upper waters and lower waters» — Rabbi Shim’on reparte las letras entre varón y hembra y hace de su unión la unidad perfecta.

«Although they are twenty-two, the full complement of letters is twenty-seven» — el pasaje cuenta veintisiete letras donde el alfabeto tiene veintidós y arma con ellas las formaciones; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«Corresponding to supernal letters of the higher world, similarly other letters below. High letters, large; low letters, small; all corresponding to one another» — Rabbi Shim’on duplica las letras arriba y abajo, grandes y pequeñas.

«when Israel is in exile and She is disarrayed below, She is disarrayed above as well» — el mismo pasaje hace ir a la Shekhinah al exilio con Israel.

«This can be compared to a king whose son died. What did he do? In mourning for his son, he overturned his bed» — Rabbi Ḥiyya explica la zarza ardiente con la parábola del rey que tras la muerte del hijo se acuesta sobre espinas.

«If we were three, this would be fitting, for one could speak and two could respond.”593 He said, “This applies only to blessings, since one utters the name of the blessed Holy One, while two respond, as is written: When I proclaim the name of YHVH, render greatness to our God! When I proclaim the name of YHVH—the one who blesses; render greatness to our God!— the two others» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah objeta que hacen falta tres y Rabbi Yehudah reserva esa cuenta a las bendiciones, no a la Torá; los nombres van cotejados contra el crudo.

«Shekhinah above in twelve dominions, holy chariots, twelve supernal creatures» — Rabbi Ḥiyya reparte a la Shekhinah entre doce dominios supernos arriba y doce tribus abajo.

«there is remembering for good and remembering for evil, attending for good and attending for evil» — Rabbi Yehudah dobla el recordar y el atender del versículo en una versión para bien y otra para mal.

«For by stratagems you can wage war (Proverbs 24:6). Which war? The war against that evil side, whom a human being must combat and overpower, to be delivered from him» — Rabbi Yehudah lee el proverbio de la guerra por estratagemas como la guerra contra el lado malo.

«When a person prays, he should not exclaim: ‘Remember me! Attend to me!’ Because there is ‘remembering and attending for good,’ and ‘remembering and attending [160b] for evil,’ who are poised to snatch the word from his mouth and proceed to recite his sins and punish him—unless he is perfectly righteous, so when ‘remembering and attending for evil’ search for his sins they won’t find them, as with Ezra who said: Remember me, O my God, for good» — Rabbi Ḥizkiyah desaconseja pedir en la plegaria que a uno se le recuerde, no vaya a recordarlo el otro lado; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«Am I the one who kills human beings? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? So many gates stand open on that side,620 controlled by death—all concealed from humanity, who are unable to protect themselves from them and unaware of them» — el Zohar pone en boca del Santo Bendito la respuesta a Job sobre las puertas de la muerte.

«death, as has been said, Angel of Death, as has been established;621 צלמות (tsalmavet), darkness—מות‎ צל (tsel mavet), shadow of death,622 riding upon it, its shadow and potency, coupling as one in a single nexus, becoming one» — Rabbi Yehudah empareja las puertas de la muerte y las de la sombra de muerte como hembra y varón de un mismo lado.

«abiding in mystery of other gods, male and female as one: this, remembering; this, attending» — el mismo pasaje pone el recordar y el atender para mal en el Otro Lado, varón y hembra.

«to include myself in the multitude and not exclude myself from their entirety.’ Similarly, one should merge in totality of multitude and not isolate himself—so they won’t notice him, reciting his sins, as we have said» — el mismo pasaje lee la respuesta de la sunamita como la regla de no singularizarse ante el juicio.

«Jacob was examining the hour of his zodiacal constellation,646 for one is permitted to examine his hour before returning to his country. If his constellation rises in accord with his undertaking, fine; if not, he should not take a step until it ascends favorably» — Rabbi El’azar explica el trato de Jacob con Labán por el examen de su constelación antes de volver a su tierra.

«blessing from above is never less than a thousand» — Rabbi Abba fija en mil por especie la medida mínima de una bendición de arriba.

«Among supernal entities, some depend on action, some on speech, some on aspiration of the heart» — Rabbi El’azar reparte las cosas supernas entre las que dependen del acto, las de la palabra y las de la intención.

«The rods. What does rods mean? Rungs, courts of justice.663 “That he had peeled—stripping them of Judgment» — el mismo pasaje lee las varas peladas de Jacob como grados y tribunales despojados del Juicio.

«How many types of sorcery Laban employed, examining his zodiacal constellation on account of Jacob!650 He discovered every month in his flock a hundred extra sheep, a hundred lambs, a hundred goats, all because of Jacob» — el mismo pasaje hace adivinar a Labán por su constelación y le cuenta el aumento del rebaño por causa de Jacob.

«When the north wind blows, waters congeal—no longer flowing out, no one watered—since Judgment impends and the cold of the north freezes water» — el Zohar explica el celo de los rebaños del versículo por el hielo del norte y el deshielo del sur.

«So far, we don’t know who chose whom: if the blessed Holy One chose Jacob, or Jacob chose the blessed Holy One» — Rabbi El’azar deja la ambigüedad del salmo en pie antes de resolverla por otro versículo.

«rods of fresh לבנה (livneh), poplar681—namely, white rung of the right side;682 almond and plane—namely, red rung of the left side» — el mismo pasaje reparte las varas de Jacob entre el grado blanco de la derecha y el rojo de la izquierda; la palabra hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«Head of the righteous one is Holy Corona, as has been established.692 “Further, head of the righteous one is Jacob, who receives blessings and channels them to Righteous One, from where they are flung in every direction, so all worlds are blessed» — Rabbi Shim’on responde a Rabbi Yeisa el Menor sobre la cabeza del justo del proverbio y la hace canal de las bendiciones.

«one who succeeds in guarding the sign of the holy covenant and enacts the commandments of Torah is called Righteous, so called from his head to his feet» — el mismo pasaje da el nombre de Justo al que guarda la señal del pacto y cumple los mandamientos.

«There are two expanses—beginning and completion—corresponding to one another. Eighth expanse, in which all stars are embedded, small and large—supernal, concealed expanse sustaining all, from which all issues. This is eighth from below to above, beginning, generating all» — Rabbi Shim’on dobla el firmamento en un octavo de abajo arriba y otro de arriba abajo.

«Why is She called חסידה (ḥasidah), stork? Because this is the higher world—though called female726—for when it expands, all goodness and radiance issue. Since She is ḥasidah, חסד (Ḥesed) issues from Her, primordial light» — el pasaje deriva el nombre hebreo de la cigüeña del versículo de la bondad que sale de ella; la palabra hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«Do not read ברושים (beroshim), in the junipers, but rather בראשים (be-rashim), in the heads;728 for the other world has her home in lower realms and is Court of Justice of the world» — el mismo pasaje cambia la lectura de los enebros por la de las cabezas y hace del mundo de abajo el tribunal del mundo.

«Woe to the wicked of the world who neither know nor consider words of Torah! And if they do consider, words of Torah appear to them entirely empty and worthless, since they lack intelligence» — Rabbi El’azar reprocha a los que tienen por vacías las palabras de la Torá; el tramo se corta antes de un guion de fin de renglón.

«if it is empty, it is mi-kem, from you— because of you» — el mismo pasaje devuelve al lector la vacuidad que este atribuye a la Torá; la fórmula hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«when a person grows wise in Torah, this is his own benefit, since to Torah herself he cannot add even a single letter» — Rabbi El’azar lee el proverbio de Salomón como la ley de que el sabio se aprovecha a sí mismo sin añadir nada a la Torá.

«Jacob sought to inaugurate evening prayer, to illumine the moon, watering and blessing her from all directions» — el mismo pasaje hace de las varas de Jacob la institución de la plegaria de la tarde.

«when a person comes to cleave to the blessed Holy One, He grasps him, never abandoning him» — Rabbi Ḥiyya saca del salmo de David la regla de que quien se pega al Santo Bendito no es soltado.

«When Jacob came to array this rung, he selected the right side,759 befitting him; while the other side, unbefitting, parted from him, as is written: He set his own herds לבדו (levaddo), apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock (Genesis, ibid., 40).760 Levaddo—he was ‘by himself,’ so as not to utilize other gods, other sides» — Rabbi Ḥiyya lee el apartar los rebaños como el apartamiento de Jacob de los otros dioses.

«eventually the blessed Holy One will rebuild the Temple and establish the world upon its foundations. All things will be fittingly restored, and the impure aspect will be eliminated from the world» — Rabbi Abba difiere al Templo rehecho la desaparición del lado impuro; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«even the righteous one is called Ḥai, for Ḥai is Righteous One above769 and righteous one below» — Rabbi Yitsḥak reparte el nombre de Viviente entre el Santo Bendito arriba y el justo abajo.

«When the wicked no longer rule the world and are eliminated, Righteous One rules the world, as is written: He does not let the wicked live, but grants justice to the poor» — Rabbi Yeisa lee el versículo de Job como el turno del justo cuando cesa el dominio de los malvados.

«Daily offering of the blessed Holy One—to nourish the world, providing satisfaction above and below» — el judío del camino lee la ofrenda diaria como alimento de arriba y de abajo y enuncia la ley del despertar.

«one should never disparage anyone else in the world» — Rabbi Yeisa saca del encuentro la regla de no menospreciar a nadie.

«What are terafim? They were idolatry. Why are they called terafim? Out of disgrace, as we have learned: ‘place of תורף (toref), pudenda» — Rabbi Yose identifica los terafim con la idolatría y explica el nombre por infamia; la palabra hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«They speak constantly, offering evil counsel to one’s soul. Rachel feared they would offer advice on how to harm Jacob,817 so to disgrace idolatry she placed them underneath her and they could not speak» — Rabbi Yehudah hace hablar a los terafim y explica por qué Raquel se sentó encima de ellos.

«This verse contains supernal mysteries, within and without» — Rabbi Abba abre la última sección del tomo advirtiendo que el versículo del varón y la hembra guarda misterios por dentro y por fuera.

«blessing abides only where male and female are found» — el mismo pasaje condiciona la bendición a que haya varón y hembra.

«He saw they were the same ones he had seen in the dream» — el mismo pasaje explica el nombre de Majanáyim por los dos campamentos, el de arriba y el de abajo; el folio arameo entre corchetes es del impreso.

«When Jacob first set out on his journey to Haran, he was alone, unmarried. What is written? ויפגע (Va-yifga), He entreated» — Rabbi Abba opone al Jacob solo del principio el Jacob casado al que los campamentos de ángeles salen a suplicar; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«The moment a human being comes into the world, the evil impulse appears along with him, inciting him constantly, as is said: At the opening sin crouches (Genesis 4:7)—evil impulse» — Rabbi Yehudah abre la parashá Va-Yishlaḥ del tercer tomo enunciando que el impulso malo nace con la persona y no la deja nunca.

«whereas the good impulse accompanies a person from the day he begins to purify himself. When is that? When he becomes thirteen years old» — el mismo pasaje fecha la llegada del impulso bueno a los trece años.

«These are two real angels, empowered, accompanying a person constantly» — Rabbi Yehudah insiste en que los dos impulsos no son figuras sino ángeles de verdad.

«since he was saved from Laban and separated from him, Shekhinah coupled with him and sacred camps came to encircle him» — Rabbi El’azar explica los campamentos de ángeles de Jacob por el acoplamiento de la Shekhinah tras la separación de Labán.

«Because His angels are the other angels, whereas angel of YHVH is Shekhinah» — Rabbi Yitsḥak reparte los dos versículos: los ángeles en plural son los otros ángeles y el ángel de YHVH en singular es la Shekhinah.

«And when Shekhinah abides within a person, countless holy camps manifest there» — el mismo pasaje hace de la presencia de la Shekhinah la condición de que aparezcan los campamentos.

«Well, certainly She does not abide so as to be imbibed, but to protect—that is different» — Rabbi Yitsḥak enmienda la objeción de que la Shekhinah solo mora en la Tierra Santa distinguiendo morar para ser bebida de morar para proteger.

«Because he exposed himself to danger— after seeing the danger with his own eyes20—they separated from him» — Rabbi Yehudah explica por qué Jacob quedó solo: los campamentos se apartaron cuando él mismo se expuso al peligro.

«left alone because the moon was concealed from the sun» — Rabbi El’azar lee la soledad de Jacob como el ocultamiento de la luna respecto del sol.

«He looked to the right and saw Abraham; he looked to the left and saw Isaac» — el mismo pasaje reparte a los patriarcas entre los dos lados y pone a Jacob por cuerpo que los comprende.

«I know how deeply Esau cares about honoring Father and has never irritated him;35 so I know that as long as Father is alive, I don’t have to fear him» — Rabbi Abba pone en boca de Jacob el cálculo por el que se adelanta a Esaú mientras Isaac vive.

«This verse was uttered concerning the evil impulse,37 [166b] for he constantly incites a person, inflating his heart and desire with conceit, so that he follows him, curling his hair, until he overwhelms him and drags him to Hell» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el proverbio de la estima ligera como dicho del impulso malo, que hincha el corazón hasta arrastrar al Seol.

«Then that evil impulse is transformed into his servant, incapable of dominating him» — el mismo pasaje hace del impulso malo un siervo en cuanto la persona se humilla.

«while lacking food—lacking faith» — Rabbi Shim’on iguala en el mismo versículo la falta de alimento con la falta de fe.

«changed into lightly esteemed, displaying more tortuous cunning than in all his other dealings with Esau» — el pasaje atribuye a Jacob una astucia calculada, no una humillación sincera, ante Esaú.

«Laban the Aramean’s fame had spread throughout the world: no one was safe from him because he was a master magician, preeminent sorcerer, father of Beor who was father of Balaam» — Rabbi Yehudah traza la genealogía de la magia: Labán, padre de Beor, padre de Balaam.

«The entire world knew that Laban was the master wizard, magician, and sorcerer, and that whomever he wished to magically eliminate could not be saved» — Rabbi Abba repite la fama de Labán y hace de ella el arma del mensaje de Jacob a Esaú.

«two decrees of judgment that join together only to torment the world» — el mismo pasaje lee el buey y el asno del recado de Jacob como dos decretos de juicio que juntos atormentan al mundo.

«If he really had a deadly snake, he wouldn’t bow so much before me» — la parábola del jefe de bandidos, con la que Rabbi Abba explica por qué Esaú se envaneció ante las reverencias de Jacob.

«But Laban didn’t pursue Jacob with manly power to wage war against him, since Jacob and his sons would have overwhelmed him; rather, to kill him by mouth, annihilating him entirely» — el pasaje distingue el no hablar del no hacer del sueño de Labán: el arma era la boca.

«Laban wielded against Jacob all ten types of sorcery and divination from dazzling dross of nethermost crowns,69 yet he could not prevail» — el Zohar cuenta diez las clases de hechicería que Labán empleó contra Jacob y las hace escoria de las coronas de abajo.

«For there are ten types of sorcery and divination in the nethermost crowns, all of which he wielded against him—ten types, as is written: a diviner of divinations, a soothsayer, an augur, a sorcerer, one who casts a spell, or consults a ghost or a familiar spirit, or inquires of the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10–11), totaling ten» — el mismo pasaje saca del versículo del Deuteronomio la lista de las diez.

«Augury and divination are two types,73 attaining a single rung» — Rabbi Yose reparte el augurio a Labán y la adivinación a Balaam y los remonta a un mismo grado.

«Heaven forbid that Balaam knew anything at all of supernal sanctity!75 [167b] For the blessed Holy One wants no other nation or tongue to wield His glory» — Rabbi Yehudah niega a Balaam todo saber de la santidad de arriba.

«Those who are impure encounter impurity, becoming defiled» — el mismo pasaje instituye la regla de que lo impuro llama a lo impuro.

«a consummate man, for he dwells in two supernal dwellings, consummating this side and that» — Rabbi Abba lee el varón simple de Génesis como el hombre consumado que habita las dos moradas de arriba.

«Because the blessed Holy One constantly desires the prayers of the righteous95 and crowns Himself with their prayers» — el Zohar explica el miedo de Jacob por el deseo divino de la plegaria del justo.

«The prayer of a congregation ascends before the blessed Holy One, who crowns Himself with that prayer because it ascends in many colors, encompassing many facets. Interweaving many colors, it is made into a crown and placed upon the head of Righteous One, Vitality of the Worlds; whereas the prayer of an individual is not interwoven but monochromatic and so not as readily received as the prayer of a congregation» — Rabbi Shim’on prefiere la plegaria de la congregación, multicolor, a la del individuo, de un solo color.

«Because the righteous do not rely on this, but rather on their prayers and supplications to their Lord» — el mismo pasaje niega que el justo se confíe a los campamentos que lo acompañan.

«Whoever engages in Torah for her own sake does not die by means of the evil impulse,104 since he grasps the Tree of Life» — Rabbi El’azar hace del estudio desinteresado de la Torá un asimiento del Árbol de la Vida.

«Therefore bodies of the righteous who engage in Torah do not defile, since no impurity settles upon them» — el mismo pasaje saca de ahí la incorruptibilidad ritual del cuerpo del justo.

«Jacob didn’t want to rely on a miracle of the blessed Holy One, since he considered himself unworthy» — el pasaje explica el miedo de Jacob por su propio juicio de indignidad.

«when the children of Jacob suffer distress, the blessed Holy One gazes upon the image of Jacob and feels compassion for the world» — el Zohar hace de la imagen de Jacob el recurso al que mira el Santo Bendito cuando sus hijos penan.

«I have heard that whoever sees Jacob in a dream, scintillating in silver, will be granted prolonged life» — Rabbi Yeisa transmite de oídas la regla onírica de que ver a Jacob centelleante en plata alarga la vida.

«before King David existed, he had no life at all, but Adam gave him 70 years of his own» — Rabbi Shim’on cuenta los setenta años de David como donación de Adán; las cifras van tal cual las imprime la traducción.

«Because he is darkness, and David derives from the side of darkness» — Rabbi Shim’on explica por qué Isaac no lega años a David: los dos vienen del lado de la tiniebla.

«Joseph alone equals them all, since he is called Righteous, illumining the moon more than them all» — el mismo pasaje hace de José, llamado Justo, el que más ilumina a la luna y más vida lega.

«Jacob’s prayer protected him from Esau, since he preferred to reserve his merit for his children after him, not to exhaust it now confronting Esau» — el Zohar hace del mérito un caudal que Jacob prefiere guardar para su descendencia y sustituye por plegaria.

«Shekhinah did not depart from the tent of Leah or the tent of Rachel» — el mismo pasaje explica el reparto de los campamentos por la Shekhinah que no se aparta de las tiendas de Lea y Raquel.

«a prayer offered by a poor person before the blessed Holy One, a prayer preceding all prayers of the world» — Rabbi Yose pone la plegaria del pobre por delante de todas las del mundo.

«One is tefillah, phylactery, of the hand; the other, tefillah of the head139—and one should not separate tefillah of a poor person from tefillah of Moses, the man of God, which are equivalent» — el mismo pasaje reparte las dos plegarias del salterio entre las dos filacterias y las declara equivalentes.

«the prayer of a poor person is a prayer that rises before the blessed Holy One,145 breaking through gates and doors, penetrating to be received in His presence» — Rabbi Yose hace de la plegaria del pobre la que rompe puertas.

«Prayers of the righteous delight Assembly of Israel,147 [169a] crowning Her in the presence of the blessed Holy One» — Rabbi El’azar hace de las plegarias de los justos la corona de la Asamblea de Israel.

«God of my father Abraham—on the right; God of my father Isaac—on the left» — el mismo pasaje reparte a los dos patriarcas de la plegaria de Jacob entre la derecha y la izquierda y pone a Jacob en medio.

«From here we learn that one who prays should clarify his words fittingly» — el mismo pasaje instituye que quien ora ha de precisar sus palabras.

«So there must be a word expressed by the mouth and a word dependent on the heart, all a mystery: one corresponding to one rung, one corresponding to a supernal rung» — el pasaje reparte la palabra dicha y la meditada entre dos grados.

«space was provided for all spirits, demons, and whirlwinds to prevail —all spirits of defilement ruling, roaming the world seductively» — el mismo pasaje hace de la falta de la letra en la palabra lights el hueco por donde entran los espíritus.

«Whoever comes to defile himself attracts that impure spirit, which abides within him, clings to him» — el Zohar enuncia la ley de la atracción: quien viene a contaminarse atrae al espíritu impuro.

«No evil will befall you—Lilith;173 no plague come near your tent—other demons, as has been established and explained» — Rabbi Yose identifica el mal del salmo con Lilith y la plaga con los otros demonios.

«one should not go out alone at night, especially at the time when the moon was created defectively» — Rabbi El’azar prohíbe salir solo de noche por el dominio del espíritu impuro.

«For during all those years that Adam didn’t approach his wife, impure spirits came and were inflamed by him, engendering from him, and these are called plagues of the children of Adam» — el mismo pasaje engendra las plagas de los hijos de Adán de los ciento treinta años en que Adán no se acercó a su mujer.

«For everyone who sleeps in bed at night tastes a taste of death, his soul departing from him» — el Zohar hace del sueño un sabor de muerte y del cuerpo sin alma el sitio que ocupa el espíritu impuro.

«So Balaam went alone. Why? To draw upon himself impure spirit» — Rabbi Shim’on lee el ir solo de Balaam como maniobra para atraerse el espíritu impuro.

«Ash, residue of fire, never generating fruit; dust, yielding all fruit, totality of above and below» — Rabbi Shim’on opone la ceniza al polvo para leer el verbo con que el texto nombra la lucha de Jacob.

«that ash rules over Israel, who lie in alien dust,199 until morning rises and day brightens» — el mismo pasaje hace del exilio la noche en que la ceniza domina.

«He will then open for them a tiny crack of light, then another opening, wider, until the blessed Holy One opens for them supernal gates facing the four directions of the world» — Rabbi Yehudah lee la aurora del Cantar como la redención que se abre poco a poco.

«Since he blazed all at once, he is annihilated completely, whereas Israel’s light increases little by little» — el mismo pasaje opone el fogonazo de Esaú al crecimiento lento de Israel.

«If this power point of Jacob had not been weakened, he would have withstood him; Esau’s power would have been broken above and below» — Rabbi Ḥiyya condiciona la derrota de Esaú a un nervio que no se hubiera dañado.

«Moses gazed into a speculum that shines, while other prophets gazed only into a speculum» — Rabbi Shim’on distingue a Moisés de los demás profetas por el espejo que brilla; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«None of those prophets could comprehend what the blessed Holy One intends to do to Esau except for Obadiah, who was a convert, deriving from the side of Esau» — el mismo pasaje exceptúa a Abdías, converso del lado de Esaú, del límite de los profetas.

«Come and see how tortuously and cunningly the serpent-rider229 schemed against Jacob that night! For he knew what is written: The voice is the voice of Jacob—and if Jacob’s voice is interrupted, then the hands are the hands of Esau (ibid. 27:22).230 So he looked in every direction, trying to harm Jacob and interrupt his voice» — el mismo pasaje explica la lucha nocturna como intento de cortar la voz de Jacob; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Once the supports of Torah are broken, Torah will be powerless» — el jinete de la serpiente calcula que rotos los sostenes de la Torá la Torá queda sin fuerza.

«not Ya’aqov, Jacob, deceitful, but rather, majestic and powerful, for no one can prevail against you» — el Zohar glosa el cambio de nombre de Jacob a Israel como paso del engaño a la majestad.

«So we must not let any creature of the world eat it; it must not be eaten at all» — Rabbi Shim’on deriva de ahí la prohibición absoluta de comer el nervio del muslo.

«Just as there impure, so here impure, for he defiled that site» — Rabbi Yeisa iguala el tocar del ángel al tocar del cadáver y declara impuro el sitio.

«So how could he bow to that wicked Esau, who derives from the side of another god?247 Whoever bows to him bows to another god» — Rabbi El’azar objeta que Jacob se inclinara ante Esaú y niega que lo hiciera.

«Rather, he bowed to the site of Shekhinah» — el mismo pasaje resuelve la objeción poniendo la reverencia en la Shekhinah que iba delante.

«one should first array the praise of his Lord and then present his request» — el Zohar saca de la plegaria de Jacob la regla del orden: primero la alabanza, después la petición.

«On the fourth day He made lights, and the moon was created defectively, a light that diminished itself» — Rabbi Ḥiyya remonta el poder de los espíritus impuros a la luna creada defectuosa del cuarto día.

«We have established that one should not pass his hands over his eyes in the morning» — el mismo pasaje saca de ahí la regla de no pasarse las manos por los ojos al despertar; el tramo se corta al cambiar de plana.

«So Torah is forgotten in every generation, her power weakened every day, since those engaged in her have nothing to rely on» — Rabbi Shim’on liga el olvido de la Torá a la falta de quien sostenga a los que la estudian.

«words of Torah contain countless secrets, differing from one another, all of them one» — Rabbi Yitsḥak enuncia el principio de lectura del propio Zohar: los secretos de la Torá difieren entre sí y son uno.

«And he kissed him—dotted above, for he kissed him reluctantly» — el Zohar saca de los puntos que el impreso pone sobre la palabra el beso de mala gana de Esaú.

«this one wept because he didn’t think he could escape him, and that one wept because his father was still alive» — el pasaje reparte el llanto del encuentro entre el miedo de Jacob y el cálculo de Esaú.

«all matters of this world depend upon above: Once they have concurred above, they concur below; dominion cannot prevail below until dominion is granted above. All is interdependent» — Rabbi Abba enuncia la dependencia de lo de abajo respecto de lo de arriba para explicar que la ira de Esaú amainara.

«You rule first, while I proceed slowly—I reserve myself for that world that is coming» — Rabbi El’azar pone en boca de Jacob el aplazamiento de sus bendiciones al fin de los días.

«This house stands in the center of all, countless doors and chambers round and round—supernal sacred sites, where birds of heaven nest, each according to its species» — el mismo pasaje describe la casa del mundo con sus puertas y sus pájaros.

«That tree is revealed by day, concealed by night; this house rules by night, is concealed by day» — el pasaje reparte el turno del árbol y el de la casa entre el día y la noche.

«Then countless spirits soar through the air, desirous to know, to enter» — el mismo pasaje pone a los espíritus rondando la casa en cuanto entra la tiniebla.

«uncircumcised and impure, the one by whom Adam and his wife were seduced, inflicting death upon the world» — el Zohar identifica al incircunciso e impuro del versículo de Isaías con el seductor de Adán.

«But each one diverged to his own side. Esau, to the side of Seir. Who is Seir? Strange woman, alien god» — el pasaje reparte los dos destinos del relato entre el dios ajeno y la fe de arriba.

«He instituted evening prayer fittingly» — Rabbi El’azar hace de la casa que Jacob construye la institución de la plegaria de la tarde.

«This is shalem—complete above, complete below; complete in heaven, complete on earth» — el mismo pasaje desdobla en cuatro la palabra con que el texto dice que Jacob llegó entero.

«The sole craving of impure rungs is to attack holy sides» — el Zohar enuncia el apetito de los grados impuros como ley.

«Simeon, who was an ox—his zodiacal sign, Taurus—struck Hamor» — el pasaje reparte los signos del zodiaco entre los hijos de Jacob para leer la matanza de Siquem.

«These were idols made of silver and gold, and Jacob hid them there so that he wouldn’t derive benefit from the aspect of idolatry» — Rabbi Yehudah explica el enterramiento de los dioses ajenos por la prohibición de aprovecharse de la idolatría.

«But Ittai the Gittite, before converting, broke the image engraved on that crown, rendering it defective and thus permissible for use» — Rabbi Yehudah salva la corona de Milcom sobre la cabeza de David por la rotura previa de la imagen grabada.

«Abomination of the Ammonites was a serpent engraved by incision on that crown» — el mismo pasaje explica el nombre de abominación por la serpiente incisa en la corona.

«From here we learn that one should praise the blessed Holy One and thank Him for the miracles and goodness He has performed for him» — Rabbi Yitshak saca del altar de Betel la regla de agradecer los milagros propios.

«From here we learn that the one for whom a miracle has been performed should himself offer thanks» — Rabbi El’azar precisa que el agradecimiento no se delega, como no se delega la bendición del pan.

«There are seventy, appearing constantly together with Shekhinah—thrones surrounding Shekhinah» — el pasaje cuenta setenta los elohim que acompañan a la Shekhinah.

«From here we learn that he became a holy chariot together with the patriarchs» — Rabbi Shim’on hace de Jacob el cuarto carro, junto a los patriarcas.

«when righteous abound in the world, His name is YHVH, called by the name of compassion; when wicked abound in the world, His name is Elohim» — el Zohar hace depender el nombre divino del estado del mundo.

«when Jacob was not in the midst of enemies or in a foreign land, he was called Israel; when he was among enemies or in a foreign land, he was called Jacob» — el mismo pasaje reparte los dos nombres del patriarca según dónde esté.

«So that Shekhinah would be crowned properly, becoming mother of children» — Rabbi El’azar explica la muerte de Raquel por la coronación de la Shekhinah como madre de los hijos.

«Any beginning about to manifest is strained, so it entails a sentence of death, thereby settling» — el mismo pasaje enuncia la ley de que todo comienzo pide una sentencia de muerte para asentarse.

«Every beginning is harsh;374 later, gentleness» — el pasaje aplica la misma ley a Rosh ha-Shaná, duro al principio y suave después.

«For beginning issues from the left, so its judgments are harsh. Later, right arouses; so, gentleness» — el mismo pasaje remonta la dureza del comienzo a la izquierda y la suavidad posterior a la derecha.

«How does one grasp the blessed Holy One firmly? By grasping Torah» — Rabbi Yehudah hace del asimiento de la Torá el modo de asirse al Santo Bendito.

«On a day when trouble assails him, it is as if he constricts Shekhinah, strength of the world» — el mismo pasaje hace del aflojar en la Torá un estrechamiento de la Shekhinah.

«However, one among a thousand is the evil impulse, who is one of those on the left, since he ascends and obtains authorization» — Rabbi Abba identifica con el impulso malo al ángel abogado uno entre mil del libro de Job.

«Then he ascends and is transformed into an advocate, declaring that person’s merit in the presence of the blessed Holy One» — el mismo pasaje hace del acusador un abogado cuando la persona anda en verdad.

«Similarly, on Yom Kippur, Israel gives him something, preoccupying him until he turns into their servant» — el pasaje lee el rito del Día de la Expiación como la maniobra de ocupar al acusador.

«The Accuser confronts a person only in time of danger» — el Zohar enuncia la regla de que el acusador ataca en la hora del peligro.

«Because Jacob delayed fulfilling the vow he had made before the blessed Holy One, judgment was empowered by the Accuser» — el mismo pasaje explica la muerte de Raquel por el voto que Jacob no cumplió.

«Because he feared for Rachel—lest that wicked one gaze upon her beauty and attack him because of her» — el pasaje explica el orden de las mujeres ante Esaú por el temor a su mirada sobre Raquel.

«Once the curse of a righteous man issues from his mouth —even unintentionally—that evil impulse snatches it and accuses with it in time of danger» — Rabbi Yose enuncia la fuerza de la maldición involuntaria del justo.

«A person should never open his mouth for Satan» — el mismo pasaje cita la máxima rabínica de no abrir la boca al Satán.

«But this is necessary, because it returned no more to the body and she died a bodily death» — Rabbi Abba explica la fórmula doble del versículo por el alma que no volvió al cuerpo.

«Although he is אוני‎ בן (Ben oni), son of my sorrow, side of harsh judgment, yet he is ימין‎ בן (Ben yamin), Benjamin, son of the right, for he was bound to the right» — el mismo pasaje enmienda el nombre que Raquel da al hijo y lo ata a la derecha.

«So her site would never be concealed until the day that the blessed Holy One intends to revive the dead» — Rabbi Yose explica el pilar sobre la tumba de Raquel por la resurrección.

«as they return from exile, Israel are destined to stand by Rachel’s grave and weep there, just as she wept over Israel’s exile» — Rabbi Yehudah difiere el llanto de Raquel al regreso del exilio.

«Now, would you ever imagine that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah? Rather, as long as Leah and Rachel were alive, Shekhinah hovered over them; now that they had died, Shekhinah did not depart from the house, but dwelled there with Bilhah, although Shekhinah should have possessed the house fittingly» — Rabbi El’azar niega el sentido literal del versículo sobre Rubén y lo reduce a deshacer el lecho.

«When any person who engages in Torah leaves this world, his soul ascends by those ways and paths of Torah» — Rabbi Yehudah hace de los caminos de la Torá los caminos del alma tras la muerte.

«When you lie down in the grave, Torah will protect you from the judgment of that world» — el mismo pasaje hace de la Torá la protectora en la tumba.

«At that time the blessed Holy One will arouse a single wind comprising four winds» — el pasaje anuncia el viento compuesto de cuatro con que serán revividos los que se ocuparon en la Torá.

«namely, Jerusalem, neck of the world» — Rabbi Yitsḥak lee el cuello singular sobre el que Esaú se echa como Jerusalén.

«his neck—not צואריו (tsavvarav), his necks, because the Temple was destroyed twice, once by Babylonia and once by the seed of Esau» — el mismo pasaje cuenta en el número del sustantivo las dos destrucciones del Templo; la palabra hebrea va tal cual la imprime la traducción.

«the spark of impenetrable darkness281 a single vaporous cluster,282 flashing from the dark, lingering in ascension. The darkness descended, gleaming—flaring in a hundred paths, ways, narrow, broad,283 constructing the house of the world» — Rabbi Ḥiyya arranca la cosmogonía del tercer tomo en la chispa de la tiniebla impenetrable y llega a la casa del mundo; el tramo empieza al cambiar de plana.

«Perish the thought that they committed this sin—especially in that sacred place! All of Israel would have risen up and killed them. Rather, they delayed their entrance into the sanctuary» — Rabbi Ḥiyya niega el sentido literal del pecado de los hijos de Elí y lo reduce a una demora del ingreso al santuario.

«wherever conjugal enjoinment is fulfilled, Shekhinah hovers over that place, manifesting there; and whoever prevents conjugal relations causes Shekhinah to depart from the world» — el mismo pasaje hace del deber conyugal el sitio donde mora la Shekhinah y de su estorbo su partida.

«Father was supposed to raise twelve tribes in the world, no more; yet now he wants to engender sons. Are we defective, so that he wants to engender others all over again» — Rabbi El’azar pone en boca de Rubén el cálculo de las doce tribus como motivo de deshacer el lecho.

«Come and see how decisive human action is! For everything a person does is inscribed enduringly before the blessed Holy One» — el pasaje enuncia que todo acto humano queda inscrito.

«When Jacob entered into Leah, all that night his heart’s desire focused on Rachel, since he thought she was Rachel. From that conjugal union, from that first drop, from that desire, Leah conceived» — el mismo pasaje hace del deseo de Jacob por Raquel la causa de que la primogenitura acabe en José.

«When they were walking in the wilderness, Shekhinah walked in front of them and they followed Her» — Rabbi Yose lee la columna de nube del éxodo como la Shekhinah que va delante.

«Because the fire kindled by Abraham for his son Isaac clung to Her, never leaving, merging with Her—so smoke arose» — el mismo pasaje explica el humo de la nube por el fuego del sacrificio de Isaac adherido a la Shekhinah.

«Because just as the hands of a merchant are filled with bundles of costus and powdered clay,459 so Joseph is fulfillment of Torah» — el pasaje lee al mercader del Cantar como José y liga todos los mandamientos a la guarda del pacto.

«Ever since the Temple was destroyed, not a single day passes without wrath and rage» — el Zohar fecha en la destrucción del Templo el comienzo de la ira diaria.

«only Jacob and his sons partake of his share, his allotted portion» — el pasaje explica por qué los hijos de Esaú se cuentan solo después de muerto Isaac.

«He sold him his share of the cave of Machpelah474 and left the land, the faith, and his share— abandoning all» — el mismo pasaje hace del apartamiento de Esaú una renuncia a la tierra, a la fe y a la cueva.

«When the blessed Holy One fashioned the world, He divided earth into seven regions, subdivided according to seventy appointed princes» — Rabbi Yeisa reparte la tierra en siete climas y setenta príncipes sobre setenta naciones.

«Of all those princes rendered to other nations, none is as despised before Him as the Archon of Esau» — el mismo pasaje pone al arconte de Esaú por el más despreciable de los setenta.

«Within lower rungs lie rungs upon rungs, all differing from one another, all concatenated, linked with one another» — el pasaje describe la concatenación de los grados de abajo, reino trabado con reino.

«Once these rungs terminated, Kingdom of Heaven aroused to reign over those below. Beginning, it began with the youngest of all the tribes, Benjamin» — el Zohar hace suceder a los reyes de Edom el reino de los cielos, empezando por Benjamín.

«Three rungs here: first Jacob, then Israel, then Jeshurun» — Rabbi Ḥiyya cuenta tres grados en los tres nombres del versículo de Isaías.

«Israel has no power to overcome them except through its mouth—like a worm whose only power and strength lies in its mouth» — Rabbi Yehudah explica el nombre de gusano dado a Israel por la fuerza que reside en la boca.

«no creature in the world resembles a tusser silkworm, from which all garments of glory exude: royal tusser» — el mismo pasaje pone al gusano de seda por figura de la resurrección de Israel.

«before a person sets out on the way, he should obtain permission from his Lord and pray his prayer» — Rabbi Yitsḥak recuerda la regla de pedir permiso y orar antes de salir al camino.

«because as darkness of dawn appears, a wife converses with her husband, in mystery as one» — Rabbi El’azar explica por qué no se ora en la oscuridad del alba: la esposa conversa entonces con su esposo.

«If someone is frightened, it is the sins he possesses of which he should be frightened» — Rabbi El’azar devuelve el miedo del camino a los propios pecados.

«when Cain was banished from the face of the earth—as is said: Here, You have driven me today from the face of the earth (Genesis 4:14), and similarly: He dwelled in the land of Nod (ibid., 16), as they have established—among his descendants were those inhabiting the side of spirits, whirlwinds, and demons» — el pasaje hace descender de Caín a los habitantes del lado de los espíritus.

«These existed because as the day was about to be sanctified, enduring spirits were created from that side—bodiless specters» — el mismo pasaje fecha la creación de esos espectros sin cuerpo en el borde del sábado.

«Roaming the mountains, they assume a body once a day, then strip themselves» — el pasaje describe a las criaturas del desierto tomando cuerpo una vez al día.

«This one issued from the side of impure spirit that clung to him, so he found them, and they taught him all species of the side of defilement» — el Zohar hace del hallazgo de Aná en el desierto un aprendizaje de las artes del lado impuro.

«So whoever walks in the ways of the blessed Holy One, and fears Him, has no fear of them» — el mismo pasaje exime del miedo a quien anda en los caminos del Santo Bendito.

«All his days, King David would engage in the worship of the blessed Holy One, rising at midnight, praising and offering thanks in hymns of praise, to array his site in kingdom above» — Rabbi El’azar hace de la vigilia de medianoche de David un arreglo del reino de arriba.

«Because it embraces name and praise as one» — el mismo pasaje explica por qué Haleluyah es la más alta de las alabanzas de David.

«with the good impulse and the evil impulse; for they constantly accompany a person» — el pasaje reparte entre los dos impulsos la doble letra de la palabra corazón del Deuteronomio.

«Were it not for the evil impulse, a person wouldn’t find a foe in the world» — Rabbi Yose hace del impulso malo el único enemigo verdadero, arriba y abajo.

«Within these songs of praise—uttered by David— lie mysteries, supernal words of mysterious wisdom,554 since they all were uttered through the Holy Spirit» — el mismo pasaje atribuye los salmos al Espíritu Santo posado sobre David.

«This is the Other Side,557 who constantly pushes a person, seeking to push him away and lead him astray from the blessed Holy One» — Rabbi El’azar identifica con el Otro Lado al que empuja en el salmo.

«as clay, mean? The ḥomer, material, of glass—which even if broken can be recast, mended as before» — Rabbi Yehudah lee el barro del alfarero de Jeremías como el vidrio, que roto se refunde; las palabras hebreas van tal cual las imprime la traducción.

«For animals all protect themselves from the day they are born, fleeing from fire and all menacing sites; yet a human being is ready at once to fling himself into fire» — Rabbi Ḥiyya abre la parashá Va-Yeshev oponiendo el instinto del animal a la imprudencia del hombre, y culpa de esta al impulso malo.

«Than a king—the evil impulse, who is called king, ruling over humanity in the world» — el mismo pasaje reparte el proverbio del Eclesiastés entre el niño pobre y sabio, que es el impulso bueno, y el rey viejo y necio, que es el malo.

«Why is he called youth? Because he is renewed, for the moon renews herself constantly» — Rabbi Shim’on explica el nombre de mozo por la renovación de la luna.

«This is why he hastens to be with a person from the day he is born, so that he will trust him» — el mismo pasaje explica la ventaja del impulso malo por su llegada anticipada.

«he arrives first, dwelling with a person before his counterpart comes to rest upon him» — el pasaje compara esa anticipación con la del litigante que alega antes de que llegue la otra parte.

«a righteous person does not believe that cunningly wicked evil impulse before his counterpart, the good impulse, arrives» — el Zohar hace del aplazamiento del juicio la conducta del justo.

«How Jacob suffered» — el pasaje reparte el versículo de Job entre las cuatro aflicciones de Jacob: Labán, Esaú, Dina y José.

«the blessed Holy One removes the righteous one from among them, so that judgment will befall all the others and no one will be found to shield them» — Rabbi Yose explica la muerte del justo como retirada del escudo antes del juicio.

«For as long as a righteous person dwells in the world, judgment cannot dominate the generation» — el mismo pasaje enuncia la regla del justo que detiene el juicio de su generación.

«because all his days he was terribly frightened» — Rabbi Yose lee las peregrinaciones del padre de Jacob como el terror en que vivió.

«Anyone gazing at the image of Joseph would say, ‘This is the image of Jacob!’» — Rabbi El’azar explica por qué el versículo llama a José la descendencia de Jacob: por el parecido de las dos imágenes.

«Joseph was seventeen years old when he lost him, and for the rest of his days, not seeing Joseph, he wept over those seventeen years» — Rabbi Abba cuenta dos veces diecisiete los años de José: los del llanto y los de Egipto; las cifras van tal cual las imprime la traducción.

«When the blessed Holy One created the world, He based it on justice, and through justice it endures» — Rabbi Ḥiyya funda el mundo en la justicia y lo conserva por la compasión que la refrena.

«He crushes the body to empower the soul; then the person is drawn to Him in love fittingly» — el mismo pasaje explica el sufrimiento del inocente por el amor que quiebra el cuerpo para fortalecer el alma.

«One needs a weak body and a strong soul, invigorated vitally; then he becomes the beloved of the blessed Holy One» — el pasaje invierte la medida corriente del bien: cuerpo débil y alma fuerte.

«Shekhinah does not dwell in a place of sorrow, in a place without joy» — el mismo pasaje enuncia que la Shekhinah no mora en la tristeza y lo apoya en el músico de Eliseo.

«Because he grieved over Joseph, Shekhinah departed from him» — el pasaje aplica la regla a Jacob: el duelo por José le apartó la Shekhinah.

«For there are times when the moon is defective, abiding in judgment, unaccompanied by the sun» — el Zohar explica la desgracia del justo por el momento lunar en que su alma fue emitida.

«except that prayer annuls all decrees, so through prayer he can ascend» — el mismo pasaje deja abierta la salida: la plegaria anula el decreto.

«Children, life, and sustenance do not depend on merit, but on» — el pasaje cita la máxima talmúdica que hace depender hijos, vida y sustento del flujo del destino y no del mérito.

«Everything done by the blessed Holy One is just, in order to purify that soul and bring her to the world that is coming» — Rabbi El’azar hace del sufrimiento del justo una limpieza del alma.

«when the moon is tainted by the aspect of that evil serpent, all souls then issuing—although all pure, all holy—issue defectively» — Rabbi Shim’on liga el defecto de las almas al momento en que la luna está manchada por la serpiente.

«These are called ‘chastenings of love’94—of love, not of that person» — el mismo pasaje enmienda la fórmula rabínica: el amor es el de la luz menor, no el de la persona castigada.

«When the blessed Holy One created the world, He fashioned the moon and diminished her light, for she has nothing at all of her own» — el pasaje remonta a la disminución de la luna en la creación la dependencia de esta respecto del sol.