205. “This is that which is written, etc.” This is [the meaning of] that which is stated: “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together to one place” [Genesis 1:9]. This means: Let the levels under the heavens be gathered into one place, to be in wholeness for six extremities, as is appropriate. And yet, in that unification of “Hear O Israel,” one must connect fear to it, [which means] that one must protract the [letter] dalet* in *eḥad [“one”]. This is the reason that the dalet in eḥad is large, and this is [the meaning of] that which is stated: “And let the dry land appear” [Genesis 1:9] – that the dalet, which is “the dry land,” should appear and be connected to that unification.

It has already been explained above that the unification of Shema means to draw forth six extremities of maturity. [The Zohar] thus states: “This is [the meaning of] that which is stated: ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together to one place’; let the levels under the heavens be gathered into one place, to be in wholeness for six extremities, as is appropriate.” “One place” is the higher six extremities, where the light of Ein Sof, blessed be He, shines in [the form of] the light of Ḥokhma. [The Zohar] is saying that that “the levels under the heavens,” i. e., the six sides of Ze’er Anpin, which are “under” the Bina and called “heavens” in relation to Ze’er Anpin, will be gathered “into one place.” These are the “six higher sides, [which will be gathered] into one place, to be in wholeness for six extremities, as is appropriate,” so that they too will receive the light of Ḥokhma. Then six extremities of Ze’er Anpin will unite in the proper manner, although only “in wholeness for six extremities,” i. e., only [the level of] maturity of six extremities, as stated.

This is the meaning of: “And yet, in that unification one must connect fear to it, [which means] that one must protract the dalet in eḥad.” This refers to the lower [aspect of] fear, as stated above (section #201#): “The love that is called whole is that which is on both sides, whether in judgment or in mercy etc. Therefore, the light of the act of creation emerged and was subsequently concealed. When it was concealed, the harsh judgment emerged and the two sides were incorporated together, to become whole. This is appropriate love.” [The Zohar] subsequently stated (section #202#) that fear should be awakened in this love as well (see the Sulam on section #202#).

It was explained there that there are two kinds of love and fear: Higher love and fear, which are called Abba and Imma Ila’in, and lower love and fear, which are called Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna. Wholeness is achieved only through both aspects together. Therefore, the light is concealed in Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, in order to reveal the lower love, which is even [in a situation] when He takes your soul away; the fear must cleave to this lower love: “And fear his Master appropriately, and not harden his heart” [section #203#]. Then [the person] will have whole love and fear, and he will cleave to Abba and Imma Ila’in and to Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, and receive all the pleasantness and good in them.

This is what [the Zohar] is saying here, with regard to the unification of the reading of Shema. One first raises the [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba and incorporates them in the higher six sides, to draw forth the “great love” into [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba through the word eḥad, which is the light that was created on the first day, in the utterance of: “And God said, Let there be light.” “And yet, in that unification, one must connect fear to it.” One must also reveal and draw forth the aspect of concealment of this light that was performed in Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, in order [for the person] to become completed with the lower love and fear as well, since [without this, one] is not considered whole, as stated. This is the meaning of that statement here, “that one must protract the dalet in eḥad, that the dalet in eḥad is large,” as large letters are in Tevuna. Accordingly, “the dalet in eḥad is large,” for it alludes to the place of the concealment of the light, which was performed in Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod of [the aspect of] Tevuna [in Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna]. This is the reason why one must protract it, and direct one’s intent toward [thoughts of] the concealment [of the light] in it. This is in order [that the person] should also cleave to the lower love and fear, as [the Zohar] proceeds to explain.

[The Zohar] continues: “‘And let the dry land appear’ – that the dalet, which is ‘the dry land, ’ should appear and connect to that unification.” There is no wholeness in the higher love and fear that were drawn forth through the six words of the reading of the Shema (by means of the word eḥad, which is the mystical meaning of “Let there be light”) without the lower love and fear. [This lower love and fear] are revealed by means of the concealment of the light in Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod of [the aspect of] Tevuna [of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna], which are called dalet, as stated. Therefore, after “Let the waters be gathered together to one place,” which is the mystical meaning of the drawing forth of light of Ḥokhma to the six extremities of Ze’er Anpin, which are “under the heavens,” it is then written: “And let the dry land appear.” This is referring to the dalet in eḥad, that one must protract it and have the intention that it should become dry through the concealment of the light. This is in order “that the dalet, which is ‘the dry land, ’ should appear and connect to that unification,” [i. e., ] that this dalet, which is the mystical meaning of the [aspect of] Tevuna, should appear and connect to that unification of light in Abba and Imma Ila’in, which were drawn forth into the six extremities of [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, in order to complete the love on two sides, as explained.