## Zohar, Bereshit

###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:1
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:1)

אֵי"ן סוֹ"ף לֵית בֵּיהּ רִשּׁוּמָא כְּלָל וְלָא תַּלְיָא שְׁאֵלְתָּא בֵּיהּ וְלָא רַעֲיוֹנָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה כְּלָל. מִגּוֹ סְתִימָא דִסְתִימָא, מֵרִישׁ נְחִיתוּ דְּאֵין סוֹף, נְהִיר נְהִירוּ דַּקִּיק וְלָא יְדִיעַ. סָתִים בִּסְתִּימוּ (נ"א ברשימו) כְּחִדּוּדָא דְמַחֲטָא. רָזָא סְתִימָא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה לָא יְדִיעַ עַד דְּאִתְפְּשַׁט נְהִירוּ מִנֵּיהּ. בְּאֲתַר דְּאִית בֵּיהּ רְשִׁימִין דְּאַתְוָון כֻּלְהוּ. מִתַּמָּן נַפְקָן.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
much less can one know the *En Sof*, of which no trace can be found and to which thought cannot reach by any means. But from the midst of the impenetrable mystery, from the first descent of the *En Sof* there glimmers a faint undiscernible light like the point of a needle, the hidden recess of thought, which even yet is not knowable until there extends from it a light in a place where there is some imprint of letters, and from which they all issue.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:2
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:2)

בְּרֵישׁ כֹּלָּא. א רֵישָׁא וְסוֹפָא דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין. רְשִׁימוּ דְּאִתְרְשִׁים בֵּיהּ דַּרְגִּין כֻּלְהוּ. וְלָא אִקְרֵי אֶלָּא אֶחָד. לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִית בֵּיהּ דִּיוּקְנִין סַגִּיאִין לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָא חַד. וַדַּאי אִיהוּ אָת דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
First of all is *Aleph*, the beginning and end of all grades, that on which all the grades are imprinted and which yet is always called “one”, to show that although the Godhead contains many forms, it is still only one. This is the letter on which depend both the lower and the upper entities.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:3
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:3)

רֵאשִׁיתָא דְּאָלֶ"ף טְמִירוּ דְּרָזָא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה עִלָּאָה. וְהַהוּא אִתְפַּשְׁטוּ דְּהַהוּא רָקִיעַ עִלָּאָה כֹּלָּא סָתִים בְּהַהוּא רֵישָׁא. בְּגִין דְּכַד נָפִיק א' מֵהַאי רָקִיעַ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּרָזָא דְּרִישָׁא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה נַפְקָא. בְּהַהוּא אֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּאָלֶ"ף שִׁית דַּרְגִּין כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ רָזָא דְּכֻלְהוּ חַיּוֹת טְמִירִין עִלָּאִין (ס"א דסליקן) (ס"א דתליין) מִגּוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
The top point of the *Aleph* symbolises the hidden supernal thought, in which is contained potentially the extension of the supernal firmament. When *Aleph* issues from that firmament in a form symbolising the commencement of Thought, there issue in its middle bar six grades, corresponding to the hidden supernal *Hayyoth* which are suspended from the Thought.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:4
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:4)

חַד נְהִירוּ דְּנָהִיר וְאִתְגְּנִיז. דְהָא נְהִירוּ דְּאָת (ט) דִבְרֵאשִׁית (ס"א ב' דבראשית). חוֹם הַיּוֹם דְּהֲוָה אַבְרָהָם יָתִיב פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל דְּאִיהִי פִּתְחָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא. וְחוֹם הַיּוֹם נָהִיר עַל הַהוּא פִּתְחָא וְנָהֲרָא מִתַּמָּן.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
One is the light which shone and was withdrawn. This is the “heat of the day” which Abraham felt when he was sitting at “the door of his tent”, the door which opens the way from below to above, and on which shone “the heat of the day”.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:5
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:5)

תִּנְיָנָא נְהִירוּ דְּאֲזִיל לְאִתְחַשְׁכָא לְעֵת פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב. רָזָא דִצְלוֹתָא דְיִצְחָק לְאַתְקָנָא הַאי דַרְגָא דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ד:ס״ג) וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב. אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דְּעֶרֶב וַחֲשׁוֹכָן כֻּלְהוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ. בְּהַאי פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב וְאִסְתַּכַּל נ"א אִסְתְּחָן יַעֲקֹב בְּהַהוּא מְמַנָּא דְעֵשָׂו.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
A second light is that which fades away at eventide, to restore which was the object of Isaac’s prayer, as it is written, “Isaac went forth into the field to meditate at eventide” (Gen. 24, 63).


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:6
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:6)

תְּלִיתָאָה נְהִירוּ דְּכָלִיל תְּרֵין אִלֵין. נְהִירוּ דְּנָהִיר בְּאַסְוָותָא. רָזָא דִּכְתִיב בְּיַעֲקֹב (בראשית לכ) וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְגו'. וַדַּאי כַּד אִתְכְּלִיל בְּהַהוּא פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה וְהוּא צוֹלֵעַ עַל יְרֵכוֹ. דָּא אִיהוּ נְצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
A third light is that which combines these other two, and shines for healing, and it is hinted at in the verse which says of Jacob that “the sun rose upon him, etc.” (Gen. 32, 32). Of a surety it was after he had attained the degree of “eventide”. From this point he was “halting on his thigh”, i.e. he attained imperfectly to the conception of the “strength (*Nezah*) of Israel”.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:7
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:7)

עַל יְרֵכוֹ יְרֵכוֹ כְּתִיב וְלא יְרֵכָיו, דָּא דַרְגָא רְבִיעָאָה. דְּלָא (קעא א) אִתְנַבֵּי בַּר נָשׁ מִתַּמָּן עַד דְּאֲתָא שְׁמוּאֵל, וְעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (שמואל א טו) וְגַם נֵצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו', כְּדֵין אִתְקַן דְּהֲוָה חָלְשָׁא מִכַּד אִסְתַּכֵּן יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ בִּמְמַנָּא דְעֵשָׂו.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
It is written “on his thigh” and not “on his thighs”; this is the fourth degree, by which no prophet was inspired till Samuel came, of whom it is written, “and also the strength (*Nezah*) of Israel, etc.” (I Sam. 15, 29). Thus he restored to its pristine strength that which was weak from the time that Jacob was injured by the guardian angel of Esau.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:8
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:8)

(תקונים כ"ה) וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ כַּד אֲתָא לְגַבֵּי דְיַעֲקֹב נְטַל תּוּקְפָא מֵהַהוּא פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב בְּדִינָא תַּקִּיפָא. וְיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ וְלָא יָכִיל לֵיהּ. וַיַּרְא כִּי לא יָכוֹל לוֹ וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ. נָטַל תּוּקְפָא דְדִינָא מִתַּמָּן. בְּגִין (קמו א, קסו א, קעא א) דְּיַרְכָא אִיהוּ לְבַר מִגּוּפָא. דְּיַעֲקֹב גּוּפָא הֲוָה, וְגוּפֵּיהּ הֲוָה כָּלִיל בְּרָזָא דִתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין בְּרָזָא דְאִקְרֵי אָדָם. כֵּיוָן דְּנָטַל תּוּקְפָא לְבַר מִגּוּפָא, מִיָּד וַתֵּקַע כַּף יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
“He touched the hollow of his thigh.” When he came to Jacob, he derived strength from that “eventide” which is associated with the attribute of stern justice. Jacob, however, being embraced in that grade, was proof against him. “He saw that he could not prevail against him and he touched the hollow of his thigh.” He found a weak spot in the thigh, because that is outside of the trunk, which is the symbolical name of Jacob, whose body was therefore under the protection of two degrees symbolised by the name “man”. So when the angel found a point of attack outside the trunk, straightway “the hollow of Jacob’s thigh sank”,


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:9
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:9)

וְלָא אִתְנַבֵּי בַּר נָשׁ מִתַּמָּן עַד דְּאֲתָא שְׁמוּאֵל. וְעַל דָּא נֶצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ כִּי לא אָדָם הוּא. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אִתְנַבֵּי מֵהוֹדוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה דִּכְתִיב (במדבר כ״ז:כ׳) וְנָתַתָּ מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו. הוֹד. וְדָא דַרְגָא חֲמִישָׁאָה. נְצַח יַרְכָא שְׂמָאלָא דְּיַעֲקֹב. וּבְגִין כַּךְ אֲתָא דָוִד וְכָלִיל לֵיהּ בְּיָמִינָא דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים ט״ז:י״א) נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נְצַח. יְמִינְךָ לָא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא בִּימִינְךָ.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
and no man received prophetic inspiration from that source till Samuel came. Joshua derived prophetic inspiration from the majesty of Moses, as it is written, “thou shalt confer of thy majesty upon him” (Num. 27, 20); this, then, is the fifth grade. *Nezah* is the left thigh, the grade of Jacob, and therefore David came and united it with the right, as it is written, “bliss in thy right hand is *Nezah״*.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:10
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:10)

מַאי טַעְמָא אִתְחַלַּשׁ יַרְכָא דְּיַעֲקֹב, בְּגִין דְּאִתְקָרַב בֵּיהּ סְטַר מְסָאָבָא וְנָקִיט תּוּקְפָא מִנֵּיהּ וְאִתְעַכֵּב עַד שְׁמוּאֵל, וְעַל דָּא (שמות קיא ע"א) אֲתָא לְאַדְכָּרָא דְּדָא אִיהוּ יַרְכָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דִּכְתִיב וְגַם נֶצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעַל דָּא כָּל מִילוֹי הֲווּ בְּדִינָא בְּשֵׁירוּתָא וּבְסוֹפָא.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
The reason why Jacob’s thigh was weak was because the side of impurity touched it and deprived it of its strength; and it remained weak till the time of Samuel. Hence Samuel spoke of the *Nezah* of Israel; and hence, too, he spoke always with severity.


###### Zohar, Bereshit 12:11
[Zohar, Bereshit 12:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Bereshit/r/12:11)

וְתוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּלִיל לֵיהּ לְבָתַר בְּהוֹד. אֵימָתַי לְבָתַר דְּמָשַׁח מַלְכִין. וְעַל דָּא שָׁקִיל אִיהוּ (תרומה קמח ע"א) כְּמשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן. מַה מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין דִּלְעֵילָא, אַף הוּא לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִנּוּן תְּרֵין סִטְרֵי. וּמָאן אִנּוּן. נֶצַח וְהוֹד. כְּגַוְונָא דְמשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן דִּלְעֵילָא. וְכֻלְהוּ דַּרְגִין אֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים צ״ט:ו׳) משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקוֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ. דְּהָא שִׁית סִטְרִין אִתְכְּלִילוּ וְאֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
Later, however, God brought him under the aegis of *Hod*, after he had anointed kings. On this account he is ranked with Moses and Aaron, since he combined two lower grades, as they combined two upper grades, though all the grades are linked with one another.¹, p. 22a) dealing with the prophetic grades of Moses and Jacob as typified respectively by the ‘Jubilee’ and the ‘Shemitah’. It has been omitted from the translation as being both highly technical and in the nature of a digression.²

footnotes:
¹ Here in the text follows a passage (up to behai’ alma
² The first 16 lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in our translation.