Zohar from Scratch #13 Fear and Awe of the Creator and Shavuot

(6) 6. בְּרֵאשִׁית. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "The fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom; good understanding have all they who do His commandments; His praise endures forever" (Ps. 111:10). Of the phrase, "the beginning of wisdom," this verse have read 'the fear of Hashem is the end of wisdom,' because the fear of Hashem (is the secret of Malchut), which is at the end of Chochmah! She (Malchut) is the beginning or the first stage that opens the entrance to the level of the supernal Chochmah (Wisdom). So it is written, "Open to me the gates of righteousness" (Ibid. 118:19), "this is the gate to Hashem" (Ibid. 20). Assuredly, if he does not enter this gate, he shall never reach the Supernal King, because He is exalted, hidden, and concealed, and has made gates for Himself, one behind the other. At the end of all those gates, He set up a gate with many locks, many openings, and many chambers one on top of the other. He said, "Whoever wants to reach Me must first pass through this gate. Whoever enters this gate, may enter!" The same applies here, as the first gate to Supernal Wisdom is the "Fear of Hashem," (Malchut). This is why it is called 'The beginning'.

(7) 7. The letter Bet (indicates) two points that are joined together (in Malchut). And of these two Points, one is concealed and treasured, while the other is revealed and out in the open. But because they are not separated, they are called 'The Beginning (Heb. רִאשִׁית)', one and not two. Whoever takes one, takes the other as well, and all is one; because "He and His Name are One," as it is written, "that men may know that You alone, whose name is Hashem" (Ps. 83:19). Why is (Malchut) called "the fear of Hashem?" Because it is the Tree of Good and Evil, If a person is deserving, then it is good; but if he is not deserving, then it is bad.

(1) Why is Malchut called “fear of the Creator?” It is because Malchut is the Tree of Good and Evil: If man merits, it is good, but if he does not, it is evil. This is why fear dwells in that place. And this gate leads to all the goodness that exists in the world. ALL THE GOODNESS signifies two gates, two points that are as one.

(2) Rabbi Yosi said that ALL THE GOODNESS refers to the Tree of Life, for it is entirely good and completely without evil. And because it is without evil, it is entirely good, without evil. To all those who act, it is the faithful mercy of David that upholds the Torah. Those who keep the Torah seemingly create it themselves. All those who study the Torah – there is no action in them as they study, but those who keep the Torah – in them there is action. And the world exists by this force, eternal are the wisdom and the Torah, and the throne stands just as it should stand.

(3) Rabbi Shimon was sitting and studying the Torah on the night when the Bride, Malchut, unites with her husband, Zeir Anpin. And all the friends present in the bridal chamber on that night, the eve of the holiday of Shavuot, must stand together with the bridegroom under the Huppah, and be with him this whole night, and rejoice with him in the corrections of the Bride, i.e., study the Torah, then Prophets, then Holy Scriptures, and finally the wisdom, for these corrections are the Bride’s adornments. And the Bride receives corrections, adorns herself with them, and rejoices with them all of that night. And on the next day, on the holiday of Shavuot, she only comes to the Huppah together with them. And her friends, who studied the Torah all night long, are called the sons of the Huppah. And as she approaches the Huppah, the Creator asks about them, blesses and adorns them with the Bride’s adornments. Happy are those who merit this!

(4) This is why Rabbi Shimon and all of his friends stayed up that night, and each of them renewed the Torah again and again. Rabbi Shimon was joyous, and so were his friends. Rabbi Shimon said to them: “My sons, how blessed is your lot, for it is you who shall accompany the Bride tomorrow to the Huppah, for all those who correct Her and rejoice in Her this night shall have their names recorded in the Book of Remembrance. And the Creator shall bless them with seventy blessings and adornments of crowns of the Upper World.”

(5) Rabbi Shimon opened and said, (Ps. 19:2) “The Heavens declare the Creator’s greatness. I have already explained this, but when the bride awakens to enter the Huppah on the following day, with all the friends who rejoiced with her through that night, she rejoices with them, corrects herself and shines with her adornments.” And on the following day, a multitude of masses, hosts, and legions join her. And she, together with all these masses, hosts and legions, awaits all those who corrected her by studying the Torah on that night. This is so because Zeir Anpin unites with Malchut, and she sees her husband, and it is said: “The Heavens declare the Creator’s greatness.” “The Heavens” alludes to the Bridegroom (ZA), who enters the Huppah. “The Heavens declare,” i.e., shine, like the luminescence of a sapphire, upon the entire Malchut, from end to end.

(6) The Creator’s glory = EL – is the bride, Malchut, called EL, as it is written: (Ps. 7:12) “ EL rages each day.” She is called EL on all the days of the year. And now, on the holiday of Shavuot, when she already entered the Huppah, she is called GREATNESS and she is called EL, greatest of the great, luminescent out of the luminescent, dominion over dominions. The hour when the Heaven (ZA) enters the Huppah and shines upon Malchut, all of her friends, who corrected her by studying the Torah, are known by their names, as it is said: “The Heavens declare the work of His hands.” “The work of His hands” refers to the members of this covenant, called “the work of His hands.” As you say: “Confirm for us the work of our hands,” which is the mark of the covenant, imprinted on man’s body.