48. Bereshit — Abarbanel on the Torah, Section 48
The Five Lights of Divine Effluence
Previous section → The Hidden Light of the First Day
I have also seen in the writings of Abraham bar Hiyya, in the work previously mentioned, that he notes that the word or (‘light’) appears five times in this section, while choshekh (‘darkness’) appears twice. He understands this as an allusion to the divine effluence that proceeds from God1.
The levels of that effluence are five, and therefore the word or is mentioned five times.
The first is the effluence bestowed upon the separate intellects; corresponding to this is: ‘And God said: Let there be light.’
The second is the effluence bestowed upon the celestial spheres when He moves them in their first universal motion; corresponding to this is: ‘And there was light.’
The third is the effluence bestowed upon prophets through prophecy; corresponding to this is: ‘And God saw the light, that it was good.’
The fourth is the effluence bestowed upon the true sages, through which they distinguish truth from falsehood; corresponding to this is: ‘And God separated between the light and the darkness.’
The fifth is the effluence bestowed upon souls after death, whether for reward or punishment; corresponding to this is: ‘And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.’
These are the words of the Nasi. Though they are far removed from the plain meaning of the passage and from the subject of light, there is no doubt that they are the words of a wise and gracious sage.
For the light of true beliefs and praiseworthy deeds performed according to the Torah becomes ‘day,’ that is, the reward of Paradise; whereas the darkness of false beliefs and shameful deeds becomes ‘night,’ that is, the punishment of Gehinnom.
As for the darkness mentioned earlier in the second verse, it alludes, according to him, to time itself—which has no independent substance or existence except in the human mind.
These are the words of the Nasi. Though they are far removed from the plain meaning of the passage and from the subject of light, there is no doubt that they are the words of a wise and gracious sage. For although the true plain sense of Scripture is one, it is not impossible that it should also allude to other meanings among the seventy faces of the Torah.
(Why the name Elohim is mentioned in Bereishit Rabbah)
It now remains to answer the sixth question: why throughout the account of creation the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) is not mentioned, and only the name Elohim appears.
Although this question applies to all six days of creation, I shall answer it here in general terms.
From what I have already explained concerning the various meanings of the divine names, the name YHWH signifies His essence and being, whereas the name Elohim signifies His influence, through which existence and goodness are bestowed upon things other than Himself.
Therefore, in the account of creation—which narrates His influence in bringing the world into existence—the name Elohim is employed, for it denotes the First Cause, the absolute power, and the possessor of all capacities.
As for why, in the sections following ‘And the heavens and the earth were finished,’ the sacred names are used in a different manner, I shall investigate that matter in its proper place.
(Parashat Bereshit — Genesis 1:5, The Five Lights of Divine Effluence in the Commentary of Don Isaac Abarbanel)
Next section →
