R. Hiya discoursed on the words: Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain (yeri’ah) (Ps. 104, 2). Said he: ‘These words have been interpreted as follows: When the Holy One was about to create the world He robed Himself in the primordial light and created the heavens.
At first the light was at the right and the darkness at the left. What, then, did the Holy One do? He merged the one into the other and from them formed the heavens: shamaim (heavens) is composed of esh and mayim (fire and water, i.e. right and left). He brought them together and harmonized them,
and when they were united as one, He stretched them out like a curtain, and formed them into the letter vau. From this letter the light spread, so that “curtain” became “curtains”, as it is written: “And thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains.”
Seven firmaments are stretched out and stored in the supernal treasure-house, as has been explained, and over them is one firmament which has no colour and no place in the world of cognition, and is outside the range of contemplation; but, though hidden, it diffuses light to all and speeds them each on its fitting orbit.
Beyond that firmament knowledge cannot penetrate, and man must close his mouth and not seek to reflect upon it. He who does so reflect is turned backwards, for it passes our knowledge-
The ten curtains of the Tabernacle symbolized the ten firmaments, and their mystery can be comprehended only by the wise of heart’ He who grasps this attains great wisdom and penetrates into the mysteries of the universe, for he contemplates in this that which is above in the region to which every one of them is attached, except those two that are at the right and at the left, and which are hidden with the Shekinah.’
Said R. Jose: ‘There are nine firmaments, and the Shekinah completes the number, bringing them up to ten. For if there are ten apart from the Shekinah, then She would be the eleventh, in addition to the ten. Thus really there are nine, and the nine days which come between New Year’s Day and the Day of Atonement are a symbol of them: nine days, which are completed by the tenth. The same is true of the ten curtains in the Tabernacle, corresponding to the ten firmaments.
Here is a mystery of mysteries, which none but the adepts in esoteric wisdom can fathom-one of those mysteries of the Holy Lamp (R. Simeon) who could expound the mystery of every firmament and of every being who officiates in each of them. There are seven firmaments above, and corresponding to them another seven below. There are seven firmaments in which the stars and planets have been placed to direct the world in its path.
רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים ק״ד:ב׳-ג׳) עוֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּכַד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, (פנחס רמ"ה ע"ב) אִתְעֲטָף בְּהַהוּא אוֹר קַדְמָאָה, וּבָרָא בֵּיהּ שָׁמַיִם.
R. Hiya discoursed on the words: Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain (yeri’ah) (Ps. 104, 2). Said he: ‘These words have been interpreted as follows: When the Holy One was about to create the world He robed Himself in the primordial light and created the heavens.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, אוֹר וְחֹשֶׁךְ (ד"א לאו) כַּחֲדָא הֲווֹ. אוֹר מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא, וְחֹשֶׁךְ מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא. מַאי עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, שִׁתֵּף לוֹן כַּחֲדָא, וּבָרָא מִנְהוֹן שָׁמַיִם. מַאי שָׁמַיִם. אֵשׁ וּמַיִם. שִׁתְפָן כַּחֲדָא, וְעָבִיד שְׁלָם בֵּינַיְיהוּ.
At first the light was at the right and the darkness at the left. What, then, did the Holy One do? He merged the one into the other and from them formed the heavens: shamaim (heavens) is composed of esh and mayim (fire and water, i.e. right and left). He brought them together and harmonized them,
וְכַד אִתְכְּלִילוּ כַּחֲדָא, וּמָתַח לוֹן, כַּיְרִיעָה מָתַח לוֹן, וְעָבִיד מִנְהוֹן אָת ו' וְדָא אִקְרֵי יְרִיעָה. יְרִיעוֹת, דְּהָא אָת דָּא אִתְפָּשִׁיט מִנֵּיהּ נְהִירוּ, וְאִתְעָבִידוּ יְרִיעוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן תַּעֲשֶׂה עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעוֹת.
and when they were united as one, He stretched them out like a curtain, and formed them into the letter vau. From this letter the light spread, so that “curtain” became “curtains”, as it is written: “And thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains.”
וְשֶׁבַע רְקִיעִין אִינּוּן מְתִיחִין, גְּנִיזִין בִּגְנִיזוּ עִלָּאָה, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ. וְחַד רְקִיעָא דְּקַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְהַהוּא רָקִיעַ לֵית בֵּיהּ גּוָֹון, וְלֵית לֵיהּ אֲתָר בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא וְלָא קַיָּימָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, (ס"א אלא בסוכלתנו) וְהַאי רָקִיעַ אִיהוּ גָּנִיז, וְנָהִיר לְכֻלְּהוּ, וְנָטִיל לוֹן בְּמַטְלָנֵיהוֹן, כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזִי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא קַיָּימָא בְּסוּכְלְתָנוּ.
Seven firmaments are stretched out and stored in the supernal treasure-house, as has been explained, and over them is one firmament which has no colour and no place in the world of cognition, and is outside the range of contemplation; but, though hidden, it diffuses light to all and speeds them each on its fitting orbit.
מֵהַאי רָקִיעַ וּלְהָלְאָה, לֵית מַאן דְּיֵדַע וְיִשְׁגַח, וְאִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמִסְתַּם פּוּמֵיהּ, וּדְלָא לְמַלְּלָא וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּסוּכְלְתָנוּ. מַאן דְּיִסְתָּכַּל אַהְדָּר לַאֲחוֹרָא, דְּלֵית מַאן דְּיָכִיל לְמִנְדַּע.
Beyond that firmament knowledge cannot penetrate, and man must close his mouth and not seek to reflect upon it. He who does so reflect is turned backwards, for it passes our knowledge-
עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעוֹת אִינּוּן, דְּאִינּוּן עֲשָׂרָה רְקִיעִין. וּמַאן אִינּוּן יְרִיעוֹת דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא דְּאִינּוּן עֶשֶׂר. וְקַיְימָן לְמִנְדַּע לְחַכִּימֵי לִבָּא. מַאן דְּיִנְדַּע בְּהוּ, אִסְתָּכַל בְּחָכְמְתָא סַגְיָא, וּבְרָזִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְאִסְתָּכַּל לְעֵילָּא בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, דְּכָל חַד וְחַד אִתְדַּבָּק בֵּיהּ, בַּר תְּרֵין אִינּוּן דְּקַיְימָן בִּימִינָא וּבִשְׂמָאלָא, וְאִינּוּן גְּנִיזִין בַּהֲדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא.
The ten curtains of the Tabernacle symbolized the ten firmaments, and their mystery can be comprehended only by the wise of heart’ He who grasps this attains great wisdom and penetrates into the mysteries of the universe, for he contemplates in this that which is above in the region to which every one of them is attached, except those two that are at the right and at the left, and which are hidden with the Shekinah.’
רַבִּי יוֹסִי אָמַר תֵּשַׁע רְקִיעִין אִינּוּן, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי עֲשִׁירָאָה. דְּאִי תֵּימָא בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב עֶשֶׂר, בַּר מִשְּׁכִינְתָּא אִיהוּ. אִי הָכִי, שְׁכִינְתָּא חַד סָרֵי אִיהִי דְּקַיְּימָא עַל עֶשֶׂר. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי תֵּשַׁע אִינּוּן, וְאִינּוּן תֵּשַׁע יוֹמִין שְׁבֵּין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וְאִיהִי עֲשִׁירָאָה. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, מִשְׁכָּן אִיהוּ עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעוֹת.
Said R. Jose: ‘There are nine firmaments, and the Shekinah completes the number, bringing them up to ten. For if there are ten apart from the Shekinah, then She would be the eleventh, in addition to the ten. Thus really there are nine, and the nine days which come between New Year’s Day and the Day of Atonement are a symbol of them: nine days, which are completed by the tenth. The same is true of the ten curtains in the Tabernacle, corresponding to the ten firmaments.
אִינּוּן עֶשֶׂר רְקִיעִין רָזָא דְּרָזִין דְּלָא אִתְמְסָר בַּר לְאִינּוּן דְּיַדְעֵי חָכְמְתָא, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ בְּרָזִין דְּבוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ גַּלֵּי רָזָא דְּכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא, וְאִינּוּן שַׁמָּשִׁין דִּמְשַׁמְשֵׁי בְּכָל חַד וְחַד. שֶׁבַע רְקִיעִין אִינּוּן לְעֵילָּא, שֶׁבַע רְקִיעִין אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. שֶׁבַע רְקִיעִין אִינּוּן, דְּבְּהוּ כֹּכָבַיָא וּמַזָּלֵי לְאַנְהָגָא עָלְמָא דָּא כְּפוּם אָרְחֵיהּ, כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ.
Here is a mystery of mysteries, which none but the adepts in esoteric wisdom can fathom-one of those mysteries of the Holy Lamp (R. Simeon) who could expound the mystery of every firmament and of every being who officiates in each of them. There are seven firmaments above, and corresponding to them another seven below. There are seven firmaments in which the stars and planets have been placed to direct the world in its path.