Rabbi Hizqiya opened one of his discourses with the following exordium: It is written: “As the rose among the thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters.” What does the word rose designate? It designates the “community of Israel.” Just as the rose is red and white, so the community of Israel is at times subject to severity and at times to mercy; and just as the rose has thirteen petals, so the community of Israel is surrounded by thirteen paths of mercy. Thus, at the beginning of Genesis, between the first mention of the divine name “Elohim” (אלהים) and the second, there are thirteen words which, like the thirteen paths of mercy, surround the community of Israel and guard it. Then another mention of the divine name “Elohim” is made. Why this other mention? To indicate the mystery symbolized by the five strong petals that surround the rose. This number five designates the five paths of salvation and corresponds to the five gates of grace. It is to this mystery that the words of Scripture allude: “I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.”
The “cup of salvation” designates the “cup of blessings,” which must rest upon five fingers only, like the rose that sits upon five strong petals corresponding to the five fingers. Thus the rose symbolizes the “cup of blessings.” That is why, between the second “Elohim” and the third, there are five words. After the third “Elohim,” the word “light” is written. This light was created and then hidden and enclosed within the “covenant” (ברית), symbol of the fecundating principle that enters into the rose and makes it fruitful. And this is what Scripture calls “a fruit tree bearing seed within itself”; and this fecundating seed is found within the “covenant” itself. And just as the symbol of the “covenant” is formed of forty-two grains of fecundating matter, so the constituent parts of the engraved and ineffable name are the forty-two letters by which the work of creation was accomplished.
It is written: “In the beginning.” Rabbi Simeon opened one of his discourses with the following exordium: “The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.” “The flowers” are the work of creation. “Appear on the earth”—when? On the third day of creation, as it is said: on the third day “the earth brought forth”; therefore the flowers appeared on the earth that day. “The time of pruning is come” designates the fourth day of creation, on which the fall of the demons took place. It is on account of this event that the word “M’oroth” (= Lights) is written without a vav מְאֹרֹת and may be rendered “curse.” “And the voice of the turtle” designates the fifth day of creation; for concerning this day it is written: “Let us make man,” the man who would later, at the proclamation of the law, say: “We will do” before saying: “We will hear,” that is, who would pledge himself to observe the law before even hearing its proclamation. Indeed, the same expression is found in both passages: “We will do.” “In our land” designates the day of the Sabbath, symbol of the “land of life,” which is the future world, the world of souls, the world of consolations. “The flowers” are the souls of the Patriarchs, which pre-existed in the thought of God before creation and entered and were concealed in the other world, whence they emigrate and come to dwell in the body of a true prophet. Thus, when Joseph was born, they came to hide themselves in him; and when he went up “to the holy land,” he fixed them there. And this is the meaning of the words: “The flowers appear in the land”: the souls of the Patriarchs appear in this world. And when do they appear? Scripture answers: At the time when the rainbow appears in this world. For this is the time called “the time of pruning,” that is, the time to destroy the guilty of this world. But why are the guilty saved? Because “the flowers appear on the earth.” If they did not appear, the guilty could not endure, and the world would not endure. And who sustains the world and brings about the appearance of the Patriarchs? It is the voice of the little children who study the Torah; and it is thanks to the little children that the world is saved, as it is written: “We will make thee golden turtles,” that is, the very young children, as it is said elsewhere: “Thou shalt make two cherubim of gold.”
It is written: “In the beginning.” Rabbi Eleazar opened one of his discourses with the following exordium: “Lift up your eyes on high, and consider who created these things.” “Lift up your eyes on high”: toward what place? Toward the place whither all eyes are turned. And what is that place? It is the “opening of the eyes” (’Aïn raqia).
There you will learn that the mysterious Ancient, the everlasting object of inquiry, created this. And who is He? “Mi” (= Who). He is the One who is called the “End of Heaven,” above, for all is in His power. And because He is the everlasting object of inquiry, because He is upon a mysterious path, and because He does not reveal Himself, He is called “Mi” (= Who); and beyond this one must not inquire. This upper End of Heaven is called “Mi” (= Who). But there is another end below, called “Ma” (= What). What difference is there between the one and the other? The first, mysterious, called “Mi,” is the everlasting object of inquiry; and, after a man has made inquiries, after he has striven to meditate and to ascend from rung to rung until the last, he ends by arriving at “Ma” (= What). What have you learned? What have you understood? What have you sought? For all is as mysterious as before. It is to this mystery that the words of Scripture allude: “Mi (= What), I shall take thee as witness; Ma (= What), I shall be like unto thee.” When the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed, a heavenly voice was heard, saying: “Ma (= What) shall bear witness for thee,” for every day, from the first days of creation, I have borne witness, as it is written: “I call Heaven and earth this day to witness.” “Ma shall be like unto thee,” that is, it shall confer upon thee holy crowns, altogether like its own, and make thee master of the world, as it is written: “Is this the city of perfect beauty, etc.,” and elsewhere: “Jerusalem, which is built like a city whose parts are all in perfect harmony with one another.” “Ma (= What) shall be thine equal,” that is, it shall assume above the same posture that thou shalt observe below; just as the holy people no longer enters today within the holy walls, so do I promise thee that I will not enter My dwelling above before all the hosts have entered thy walls below. Let this be a consolation to thee, since in this form of “What” (Ma), I shall be thine equal in all things. And if this be so, “the flood of thy afflictions is like the sea.” But if thou thinkest that thy affliction is without cure and without end, be not deceived: “Mi shall heal thee.” For Mi, He who is the upper rung of the mystery and upon whom all depends, shall heal thee and restore thee; Mi, the end of the Heaven above, and Ma, the end of the Heaven below. And this is the inheritance of Jacob, who forms the bond between the upper end Mi and the lower end Ma, for he stands between them. Such is the meaning of the verse: “Mi (= Who) created this.”
Addressing his son, Rabbi Simeon said: Eleazar, my son, continue to expound the verse, that the supreme mystery, which the children of this world do not yet know, may be revealed. Rabbi Eleazar kept silence. Then Rabbi Simeon spoke, saying: Eleazar, what does the word “Éléh” (= These) mean? It cannot designate the stars and other heavenly bodies, since they are always seen and since the celestial bodies were created by “Ma,” as it is written: “By the Word of God were the heavens created.” Nor can it designate secret things, seeing that the word “Éléh” can refer only to things that are visible.
This mystery had not yet been revealed to me until the day when, as I stood by the seashore, the prophet Elijah appeared to me. He said to me: Rabbi, knowest thou what the words “Who (Mi) created this (Éléh)?” signify? I answered him: The word “Éléh” designates the heavens and the heavenly bodies; Scripture enjoins man to contemplate the works of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written: “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, etc.,” and a little further on: “O Lord, our Master, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth.” Elijah replied to me: Rabbi, this word, which contains a mystery, was spoken before the Holy One, blessed be He, and its meaning was revealed in the Celestial School; it is this: When the Mystery of all Mysteries willed to manifest Himself, He first created a point, which became the Divine Thought; then He drew therein all manner of images, engraved therein all kinds of forms, and finally engraved therein the sacred and mysterious Lamp, an image representing the most sacred mystery, a profound work issuing from the Divine Thought. But this was only the beginning of the edifice, existing yet not as yet existing, hidden in the Name, and at that time called only “Mi.” Then, wishing to manifest Himself and to be called by His name, God clothed Himself in a precious and resplendent garment and created “Éléh” (This), which was added to His name. “Éléh,” added to “Mi,” formed “Elohim.” Thus the word “Elohim” did not exist before “Éléh” was created. It was this mystery to which the guilty ones who worshipped the golden calf alluded when they cried: “Éléh is thy God, O Israel.”
And just as in the creation “Mi” remains ever joined to “Éléh,” so likewise in God these two names are inseparable.
It is through this mystery that the world exists. Having spoken thus, the prophet Elijah flew away, and I saw him no more. And it is from him that I learned the explanation of this mystery. Rabbi Eleazar and all the companions then drew near to Rabbi Simeon and prostrated themselves before him, weeping. “If we had come into this world for no other purpose than to hear these words,” they said, “that would have been enough for us.” Continuing his discourse, Rabbi Simeon said: Thus heaven and all the heavenly bodies were created by means of “Mâ,” for it is written: “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, etc.,” and a little farther on: “O Lord our God, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, Thou who givest Thy splendour to heaven.” “To heaven,” that it may be added to His name, for one light creates another; one clothes the other, and it is added to the Name above. Such is the meaning of the words: “In the beginning God created Elohim.” “Éléh,” being added to “Mi,” which is above, formed “Elohim”; for “Mâ,” which is below, did not yet exist, and was created only when the letters emanated one from another, “Éléh” from above toward “Éléh” below; and the mother lends her garments to the daughter and adorns her with her jewels. And when will she adorn her with her jewels as is fitting? When all the males appear before the Lord Almighty, as it is written: “All the males shall appear three times a year before the Lord God.” Now this One is called “Lord,” as it is written: “The ark of the covenant, Lord of all the earth.” Thus, if one replaces the n (he) of Mâ (A), which is the image of the female principle, with the letter “i” of “Mi,” which is the image of the male principle, and adds to it the letters of “Éléh,” emanated from above, through Israel, one forms Elohim below. Such is the meaning of the words of Scripture: “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy Elohim?” I remembered That (Éléh), and poured out my soul within me. “I remembered that and shed tears,” to make the letters emanate one from another, to make “Éléh” emanate and form “Elohim,” as it is said: “I will bring them down” from above “unto the house of Elohim,” below, to form an “Elohim” like “Elohim” above. By what means? “With songs and with thanksgiving.”
At these words, Rabbi Siméon began to weep and interrupted his discourse. Taking advantage of this brief pause, Rabbi Éléazar said: My silence has earned me a discourse from my father concerning the building of the Temple above and the Temple below; and thus is fulfilled the proverb which says: “A word is worth a sela, but silence is worth two”; for the words I spoke before are worth one sela, but the silence I kept afterward is worth two, since through this silence I learned that God created both worlds, that above and that below, at once.
Rabbi Siméon said: We shall now explain the second part of the verse cited above: “Who brings forth.” Scripture speaks of the two hypostases, one of which—that is, “Mi”—brings forth the other, that is, “Mâ.” Although Scripture uses the word “brings forth,” the “Mi” above and the “Mâ” below are in truth one and the same thing; and when it is said that “Mâ” comes forth from “Mi,” the word “comes forth” is not to be taken literally. Likewise, in the blessing recited before eating bread, it is said: “Blessed be God, our Master, King of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.” Here too the word “brings forth” is not to be taken literally.
Rabbi Siméon said: We shall now explain the second part of the verse cited above: “Who brings forth.” Scripture speaks of the two hypostases, one of which—that is, “Mi”—brings forth the other, that is, “Mâ.” Although Scripture uses the word “brings forth,” the “Mi” above and the “Mâ” below are in truth one and the same thing; and when it is said that “Mâ” comes forth from “Mi,” the word “comes forth” is not to be taken literally. Likewise, in the blessing recited before eating bread, it is said: “Blessed be God, our Master, King of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.” Here too the word “brings forth” is not to be taken literally.
“Their hosts, in number,” that is, the number of six hundred thousand, who all stand as one man: these are the hosts of “Mi” and those of “Mah.” Here we speak only of the classes, for their subdivisions are innumerable. “He called by name.” What do these words mean? Wilt thou say that He called them by their names? In that case it should be: by his name (each by his own name); but this is what it means: when this degree had not yet entered into the name, and was called only “Mi,” it neither begot nor brought forth the hidden things, each after its kind, although all were hidden within it. But as soon as it had created Éleh, and Éleh had been added to its name, and it was called Elohim (Éleh + Mi), then, by virtue of this name, it brought them all forth. This is the meaning of: “He called by name”; by his name He called forth and brought forth all the kinds destined to exist. In like manner it is written: “See: I have called by name (Beçalel),” that is to say: I have uttered my name so that Beçalel might be established in his office. “Of great might.” What do the words “Of great might” mean? This means that the will of God, which is fulfilled at the first scale, is likewise fulfilled below by a mysterious way. “And mighty in strength.” This is the mystery of the celestial world, namely, that it (the word Éleh) entered into the name Elohim, as we have said. “No man is missing,” that is to say, “none is missing” from those six hundred thousand whom He brought forth by virtue of the name. Just as the Israelites, even when decimated on account of their sins, always retained the number of six hundred thousand at every numbering, with not a single man missing, so none of the worlds below will ever be missing, because they correspond to the celestial hosts.
It is written: “In the Beginning.” Rab Hammenouna, the Elder, said: We find at the beginning of Genesis a reversal in the order of the initial letters. Thus, the first two words of Genesis have the letter Beth for their initials: Bereschith (= in the beginning), Bara (= created), and the next two words have the letter Aleph for their initials: Élohim (= God), Eth (= the). Here is the reason for this inversion: already, two thousand years before the creation of the world, the letters were hidden, and the Holy One, blessed be He, contemplated them and took delight in them. When He wished to create the world, all the letters, but in reverse order, came before Him. The letter Thav presented itself first. “Master of the worlds,” it said, “may it please Thee to use me to bring about the creation of the world, seeing that I form the final letter of the word Émeth (= Truth), engraved upon Thy seal; and, since Thou Thyself art called Émeth, it is fitting for the King to begin with the final letter of the word Émeth and use it to bring about the creation of the world.” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered it: “Thou art indeed worthy; but it is not fitting that I use thee to bring about the creation of the world, because thou art destined to be marked upon the foreheads of the faithful who have observed the law from Aleph to Thav, and thus to be associated with death, and also because thou formest the final letter of the word Maveth (= Death). For these reasons, it is not fitting that I…”
The letter Thau went forth immediately. The letter Schin (ש) then entered and, after making the same request, put forward as her claim the initial of the Divine Name Schadaï, which is a Schin; it is fitting, she said, that the initial of the sacred Name Schadaï should be used to bring the world into being. God answered her: Indeed, Thou art worthy, thou art good, and thou art true. But forgers will use thee to proclaim their falsehoods, joining to thee the two letters Qoph (ק) and Resch (ר), so as to form the word Schéqer (= Falsehood). From these words it follows that, in order to make their falsehoods accepted, liars must also mingle therein a principle of truth. This is why the word Schéqer (= Falsehood) is an anagram of the word Qéscher (= Knot, Bundle), because, in order to make falsehoods accepted, the liar must begin by speaking a truth (Sch), to which he then adds the falsehood (Q and R), so as to bind the two together. Therefore, although thou art true, O letter Schin, since the three patriarchs shall be united in thee, it is not fitting to use thee to bring the world into being, because thou shalt often be joined to the two letters Q and R, which are on the evil side, the side of the demon. When the letter Schin had heard these words, she went forth. Seeing this, the letters Q and R dared not present themselves.
The letter Çaddi (צ) then entered and made the same request, invoking the fact that the word for righteous (Çaddiqim), applied to men and to God, begins with the letter Çaddi, as it is written: “For the Lord is righteous (Çaddiq), and He loveth righteousness (Çedaqoth).” God answered her: Indeed, thou art righteous, O letter Çaddi, but it is not meet for Me to use thee in bringing the world into being, since thou must be hidden, lest thou give occasion to error. For thy original form is a bent Noun, the female principle, upon which a Yod, the male principle, is added. And this is the mystery of the creation of the first man, who was created with two faces, two figures turned in opposite directions, back to back; and this is why the Yod is presented from behind, not from the front, whether it look upward or downward. Thou also, God said to Çaddi, shalt one day be divided in two, but thou shalt go elsewhere. The letter Çaddi went out and departed.
The letter Pe (פ) then entered and made the same request, adducing the fact that the word “Pedouth” (= Redemption, which God is one day to accomplish in the world) begins with a Pe. God answered her: Thou art indeed worthy; but the word “Péscha” (= Sin) also begins with a Pe. Moreover, thy head is bowed, a symbol of the sinner who, in shame, bows his head and stretches out his arms. To the letter Ayin (ע), God answered that it begins the word “Avon” (= Crime); although she pointed out that it also begins the word “Anava” (= Modesty), the Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: I shall not make use of thee to bring the creation of the world to pass.
When she went out, the letter Samekh (ס) entered and made the same request as the preceding letters, appealing to the fact that the verse which says: “The Lord upholdeth all that are falling,” begins with a word whose initial letter is a Samekh (Samekh = Support). God answered her: It is precisely because of thy purpose that thou must remain in thy place; for, were I to remove thee from thy place and make use of thee to bring the creation of the world to pass, what would become of those who are near falling, since they lean upon thee? The letter went out at once.
When she went out, the letter Samekh (ס) entered and made the same request as the preceding letters, appealing to the fact that the verse which says: “The Lord upholdeth all that are falling,” begins with a word whose initial letter is a Samekh (Samekh = Support). God answered her: It is precisely because of thy purpose that thou must remain in thy place; for, were I to remove thee from thy place and make use of thee to bring the creation of the world to pass, what would become of those who are near falling, since they lean upon thee? The letter went out at once.
To the letter Noun (נ), who pleaded that the words “Nora” (= terrible) and “Nava” (= beautiful) begin with this letter, God replied: Return to thy place, for it is because of thee that Samekh returned to its place and leans upon it (Noun being the initial letter of “Nophelim,” “those who stumble,” from the verse cited above). Immediately, returning to its place, it withdrew.
The letter Mém (מ) pleaded that it is the initial letter of the word
“Mélekh” (= King). “That is true,” God replied; “but I shall not make use of thee to bring the creation of the world to pass, since the world needs a King; therefore remain in thy place with the other letters forming the word ‘Mélekh,’ that is, with the letter Lamed and with the letter Caph, for it is not fitting for the world to remain without a King.
The letter Mém (מ) pleaded that it is the initial letter of the word
“Mélekh” (= King). “That is true,” God replied; “but I shall not make use of thee to bring the creation of the world to pass, since the world needs a King; therefore remain in thy place with the other letters forming the word ‘Mélekh,’ that is, with the letter Lamed and with the letter Caph, for it is not fitting for the world to remain without a King.
At that moment, the letter Caph, deeply moved, descended from the glorious throne and cried out: Master of the Universe, may it please Thee to use me in the creation of the world, seeing that I am the initial letter of the word expressing Thy glory (Cabod = Glory). When the letter Caph left the throne, two hundred thousand worlds, as well as the throne itself, were shaken; the shock was so violent that it threatened all the worlds with collapse. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to this letter: O Caph, Caph, why dost thou persist in remaining here? Return to thy place, for I shall not use thee in the creation of the world, because thou art the initial letter of the word expressing extermination (Cala = to exterminate). Return therefore to thy throne and remain there. At once the letter departed and returned to its place.
The letter Yod then entered and made the same request, pointing out that it forms the initial letter of the sacred Name. God replied to it: It is enough for thee to be engraved and marked in My very being, and to be the starting point of all My will; it is not fitting to remove thee from My Name.
The letter Yod then entered and made the same request, pointing out that it forms the initial letter of the sacred Name. God replied to it: It is enough for thee to be engraved and marked in My very being, and to be the starting point of all My will; it is not fitting to remove thee from My Name.
The letter Teth entered in its turn and made the same request as the preceding letters, pointing out that it is the initial of the word Tob (= Good), which is one of the attributes of God, called: the Good and the Just. God answered her: Thou shalt not serve in the creation of the world; first, because the good thou representest is enclosed and hidden within thee, as it is written: “O how great is the abundance of Thy goodness, which Thou hast hidden for those who fear Thee”; therefore, good is reserved for the world to come; consequently, thou hast nothing in common with the world that I wish to create now. Secondly, because it is precisely on account of the good thou hidest within thee that the gates of the Temple shall be sunk into the earth, as it is written: “Her gates are sunk into the earth.” And finally, because the letter Heth is thy neighbour, with whom thou formest the word that denotes sin: Ileth. It is also for this reason that these two letters shall appear in none of the names of the twelve holy tribes. The letter Heth then immediately went out.
Then the letter Zayin entered and made the same request as the preceding letters, pointing out that it is the initial of the word that begins the verse concerning the ordinance of the Sabbath rest, as it is written: “Remember to sanctify the Sabbath day.” God answered her: I will not make use of thee to bring the creation of the world to pass, because thou art the image of war, since thou hast the form of a sharp sword and a weapon of war, like that of the final letter Nun. The letter Zayin then went out immediately.
The letter Vav entered and made the same request as the preceding letters, pointing out that it forms part of the sacred name. God answered her: It is enough for thee and for thy neighbour, the letter He, to appear in My name, to constitute the mystery contained in My name, and to be engraved and marked in My name. Therefore I will not make use of you to bring the creation of the world to pass.
The letter Vav entered and made the same request as the preceding letters, pointing out that it forms part of the sacred name. God answered her: It is enough for thee and for thy neighbour, the letter He, to appear in My name, to constitute the mystery contained in My name, and to be engraved and marked in My name. Therefore I will not make use of you to bring the creation of the world to pass.
The letters Daleth and Ghimmel then entered and in their turn made the same request as the preceding letters. God answered them: It is enough for you also to remain together, one beside the other; for there will always be poor men in the world who must be succoured; now Daleth (= Poverty) designates the poor man, and Ghimmel (= to succour) designates the benefactor who assists the former. Therefore remain one beside the other, that the one may nourish the other.
The letter Beth then entered and said: “Master of the Universe, may it please Thee to use me in bringing the world into being, seeing that I am the initial letter of the word used to bless Thee (Baroukh = blessed be) above and below.” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered her: “It is indeed thou whom I shall use in bringing the world into being, and thou shalt thus be the foundation of the work of creation.” The letter Aleph remained in its place, without presenting itself. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to it: “Aleph, Aleph, why hast thou not presented thyself before Me, like all the other letters?” It answered: “Master of the Universe, seeing all the letters present themselves before Thee to no purpose, why should I have presented myself as well? Moreover, seeing that Thou hast already bestowed this precious gift upon the letter Beth, I understood that it is not seemly for the heavenly King to take back a gift He has given to one of His servants, in order to give it to another.” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered it: “O Aleph, Aleph, although it is the letter Beth that I shall use in bringing the world into being, thou shalt receive compensation, for thou shalt be first of all the letters, and I shall have unity only in thee; thou shalt be the foundation of all calculations and of all acts done in the world, and unity can be found nowhere save in the letter Aleph.” From the foregoing it follows that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the forms of the great heavenly letters, to which correspond the small letters here below. That is why the first two words of Scripture begin with two Beths (Bereschith Bara), and the next two words with two Alephs (Elohim Eth), in order to indicate the heavenly letters and those of this lower world, which are in truth one and the same letters, by means of which all things are wrought in the heavenly world and in the world here below.
It is written: “In the beginning.” Rabbi Youdaï said: What is the anagogical interpretation of the word “Bereschith”? Bereschith, in the anagogical sense, signifies Hocmâ (Wisdom); that is to say, the world exists through the sublime and unfathomable mystery of Hocmâ. Scripture designates the Word by the word Bereschith, because, in order to bring creation to pass, it was engraved in the form of a revolving wheel representing the six great heavenly directions, from which all that exists in the six directions of this world proceeds: the four cardinal points, above and below. These six heavenly directions give rise to six springs, whose waters, though they flow in different directions, all at once pour into the great ocean. The meaning of the word Bereschith is therefore this: Bara schith (= He created six), and this is the meaning of Bereschith. And who created it? The Ineffable, the Mysterious, the Unknown.
Rabbi Hiyâ and Rabbi Yossé were travelling together. When they came to a country house, Rabbi Hiyâ said to Rabbi Yossé: The interpretation Bara schith is certainly well founded, since we find in Genesis the works created during six days, no more; there are other hidden works spoken of in a treatise on the mysteries of Genesis. The mysterious Holy One engraved a point, and within that point He enclosed all the works of creation, as one encloses everything with a key; and this key encloses the whole within a palace. Although it is the palace that encloses everything, it is the key that is essential; it is that which opens and closes. This palace contains mysteries, some greater than others. The Palace of Creation is furnished with fifty gates. Ten gates open toward each of the four cardinal points: making forty gates. Nine gates open toward heaven and one
“Bereschith bara Elohim.” Bereschith is the key that encloses everything. It is she who opens and closes the six gates giving access to the six directions, and who consequently contains them within herself. Bereschith contains an open word, that is, a fertile one: schith, and at the same time a closed word, that is, a sterile one: bara.
Yossé said: This is indeed the explanation of the verse. I heard it from the Holy Lamp, who said that God had created a closed word. So long as creation was closed by the word “bara,” the world could not yet exist, and Tohou hovered over all. And while Tohou prevailed, the world did not exist. So long as the fifty gates of the palace were closed, the works of creation remained barren and fruitless. And when did this key open and make the world fruitful? — When Abraham came, as the verse says: “These (Éléh) are the products of heaven and earth, behibaram (when they were created)”; now we have learned that “behibaram” is the anagram of the word beabraham (by Abraham). Creation, which was at first closed by the word Bara, was opened and made fruitful by transposing the letters of the word “bara” into “Eber” (עבר), the sacred principle upon which the world rests. The name of God, Elohim, as well as that of Abraham, were completed in the same way. The first aspect of “Eber” (the beginning of Abraham’s name) is “Bara”; the first aspect of the Hidden Mystery (God = Élohim) is “Mi”; “Mi” created “Éléh”; “Ma,” which proceeds from it, is likewise one of the aspects of the divine name. If, detaching the M from “Mi” and “Ma,” we add the remaining Iod and Hé, the one to “Éléh,” the other to “Eber,” only the same final M will remain to complete the two names “Élohim” and “Abraham.”