Zohar, Yitro
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וַיְהִי קֹלֹת וּבְרָקִים, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא, קֹלת כְּתִיב חָסֵר. תְּרֵין קָלִין דְּאַהַדְרוּ לְחָד, דָּא נָפְקָא מִן דָּא, רוּחָא מִמַּיָּא. וּמַיָּא מֵרוּחָא. תְּרֵין דְּאִינּוּן חַד, וְחַד דְּאִיהוּ תְּרֵי.
AND THERE WERE THUNDERINGS (voices) AND LIGHTNINGS AND A THICK CLOUD UPON THE MOUNT, AND THE VOICE OF THE TRUMPET EXCEEDING LOUD. Said, R. Abba: ‘As koloth (voices) is written in a defective form, it indicates that there were two voices united as one, the one emanating from the other: air¹. from water² and water from air, two that were one and one that was two.’
footnotes: ¹ Tifereth ² Hesed.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, קֹלֹת חַד, וְאִיהוּ קָלָא רַבְרְבָא תַּקִּיפָא, דְּלָא פַּסְקַת לְעָלְמִין, הַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (דברים ה׳:י״ט) קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלא יָסָף דְּהָא שְׁאַר קָלִין אִתְפַּסְּקָן, דְּתַנְיָא, בְּאַרְבָּעָה תְּקוּפִין בַּשַׁתָּא, קָלָא אִתְפַּסְּקַת, וּכְדֵין דִּינִין מִתְעָרִין בְּעָלְמָא. וְהַאי קָלָא דְּכָלִיל שְׁאַר קָלִין בֵּיהּ, לָא אִתְפְּסָק לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא אִתְעֲבָר מִקּיּוּמָא שְׁלִים וְתּוּקְפָּא דִּילֵיהּ. תָּאנָא, הַאי קָלָא, קָלָא דְּקַלִין, קָלָא דְּכָלִיל כָּל שְׁאַר קַלִין.
R. Jose, however, was of the opinion that the defective form of the word, suggesting the singular, indicates that it is identical with the “great voice that did not cease” (Deut. 5, 19), for all other Divine voices do break off sometimes, for, as we have been taught, four times a year the “Voice” ceases, and chastisement is sent into the world, but this great and mighty Voice¹. never stops and never abates of its full force. We have been taught also that this Voice is “the voice of voices”, the voice which contains all other voices.
footnotes: ¹ Binah
אָמַר ר' יְהוּדָה, לֵית קָלָא, אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּחָא וּמַיָּא וְאֶשָּׁא. וְכֹלָּא (דבר אחר וכלא) עָבִיד קָלָא, וְאִתְכְּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב קֹלֹת. וּבְרָקִים, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים קל״ה:ז׳) בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה, שַׁלְהוֹבָא בְּעוּטְרֵי, קְטִירָא דְּרַחֲמֵי בְּחִיבָּתָא, דְּלָא (שקיע) שְׁכִיחוּ.
R. Judah said: ‘The “Voice” unites air, fire, and water, and one voice makes another; hence the plural “voices”.’ “And lightnings.” Said R. Jose: ‘Therefore it says: “He maketh lightnings for the rain” (Ps. 135, 7), flame being combined with moisture in a supernatural union of love and affection.’
תָּנָא, ר' יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בִּסְטַר גְּבוּרָה, אוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְיְיהִיבַת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִי הָכִי בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא הֲוִי. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִתְהַדַּר לִימִינָא. דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים לג) מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ. וּכְתִיב (שמות ט״ו:ו׳) יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' נְאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ וְגוֹ'. אַשְׁכְּחָן שְׂמָאלָא דְּאִתְחַזָּר לִימִינָא, וִימִינָא לִשְׂמָאלָא, הָא גְּבוּרָה לִשְׂמָאלָא (דבר אחר לימינא).
R. Judah said that the Torah was given from the side of Power. Said R. Jose: ‘In that case, it must have been given from the left side.’ ‘No,’ replied R. Judah: ‘the left was turned for the time into the right, for it is written: “From his right hand a fiery law to them” (Deut. 33, 2). Contrariwise we read concerning Egypt’s judgement: “Thy right hand, O Lord, glorified in power” (Ex. 15, 6); where the right hand has turned into the left (judgement).’
וְעָנָן כָּבֵד עַל הָהָר וְגוֹ', עֲנָנָא תַּקִּיף, דִּשְׁקִיעַ בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, דְּלָא נָטִיל. וְקֹל שֹׁפָר חָזָק מְאֹד, מִגּוֹ דַּעֲנָנָא תַּקִּיף הֲוָה, נָפִיק הַהוּא קָלָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (דברים ה׳:כ׳) וַיְהִי כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת הַקּוֹל מִתּוֹךְ הַחֹשֶׁךְ.
“And a thick cloud upon the mount”, that is, a mighty cloud which stayed in one spot without moving. “And the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud”: this voice issued from the midst of the heavy cloud, as it is written, “When ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness” (Deut. 5, 24).
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, תְּלַת חֲשׁוֹכֵי הֲווֹ, דִּכְתִּיב חֹשֶׁךְ עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל. וְהַהוּא קָלָא הֲוָה נָפִיק פְּנִימָאָה מִכֻּלְּהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, פְּנִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא הֲוָה, דְּבֵיהּ כְּתִיב, קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלֹא יָסָף.
According to R. Judah, there were three grades of darkness: darkness, cloud, and thick clouds (araphel), and the voice came forth from out of their innermost depths. R. Jose said that the innermost was the one referred to in the words “with a great and ceaseless voice” (Deut. 5, 19).