"Let the waters swarm abundantly"

Synopsis

The Zohar explores the concept of angels, explaining how they enter and influence this world. Some angels appear in human form while others remain as unseen spiritual entities. Their function is to assist us in our spiritual growth. We arouse and draw positive angels into our lives through the influence of the letters composing this section.

Creation Living Creatures Nefesh (Soul) Righteous Soul (Nefesh) Soul, The Waters

405. "Let the waters swarm abundantly with moving creatures that have life..." (Beresheet 1:20). Rabbi Elazar said: These are the lower waters that produce living creatures (Heb. Nefesh), which correspond to those created by the upper WATERS. IN OTHER WORDS, JUST AS THE UPPER WATERS-BINAH - BRING FORTH THE SOULS OF THE MALE AND FEMALE PRINCIPLES, SO THE LOWER WATERS OF THE MALE AND FEMALE PRINCIPLES BRING FORTH THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. These UPPER WATERS BRING FORTH supernal SOULS, THE MALE AND FEMALE PRINCIPLES, and these LOWER WATERS BRING FORTH SOULS OF the lower beings, THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. Rabbi Chiya said: The upper brought forth the "moving creatures (lit. Nefesh) that have life." What is this? This is the soul of the first man, as it is written: "And man became a living soul" (Beresheet 2:7).

405. יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָה. אֲמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אִלֵּין מַיִין תַּתָּאִין, דְּרַחֲשִׁין זַיְינִין, כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא, אִינוּן עִלָּאֵי, וְאִינוּן תַּתָּאֵי. רַבִּי חִיָּיא אֲמַר, עִלָּאֵי אַפִּיקוּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, וּמַאי נִיהוּ, דָּא נֶפֶשׁ דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה.

Angels Birds Earth

406. "And let birds fly above the earth..." (Beresheet 1:20) refers to the emissaries from above, THE ANGELS, who appear before human beings in the image of human beings. This is understood from the phrase, "Fly above the earth," WHICH MEANS THAT THEIR SHAPE IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE PEOPLE OF EARTH. There are other ANGELS who appear in spirit only, according to an awareness that human beings have acquired. THUS, THE PHRASE: "ABOVE THE EARTH" INDICATES THAT THESE EMISSARIES ARE CONCEIVED IN THE IMAGE OF MAN. THEY ARE DESCRIBED AS "BIRDS FLY ABOVE THE EARTH," SINCE THE EARTH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT.

406. וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ, אִלֵּין שְׁלִיחֵי עִלָּאִין דְּאִתְחַזּוּן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, בְּחֵיזוּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב יְעוֹפֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ, בְּגִין דְּאִית אָחֳרָנִין, דְּלָא אִתְחַזּוּן, אֶלָא בְּרוּחָא מַמָּשׁ, לְפוּם סֻכְלְתָנוּ דִּבְנֵי נְשָׁא.

Angels Asiyah Birds Body Earth Form Grades Worlds Yetzirah Zeir Anpin

407. Because of THEIR ABILITY TO CHANGE THEIR FORM INTO THE IMAGE OF MAN, it is not written of them, "after its kind," as it is of the other ANGELS FROM ZEIR ANPIN. Of these others, it is written, "And every winged bird after its kind" (Ibid. 21). Those WHICH COME FROM ZEIR ANPIN never change from their "kind" INTO THE SHAPE OF A HUMAN BODY as do the other ANGELS, of whom it is not written, "after its kind," AND OF WHOM IT DOES SAY, "AND LET BIRDS FLY ABOVE THE EARTH." You might say that ANGELS assume different forms among themselves, and it is indeed so. There are among them those who are different from the others. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS AMONG THEM. This is why it is written, "And from thence it was parted" (Beresheet 2:10), ALLUDING TO THE WORLDS - BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH OF SEPARATION - WHERE THE ANGELS ARE.

407. בְּגִינֵי כָךְ לָא כְתִיב בְּאִלֵּין לְמִינֵהוּ, כְּאִינוּן אָחֳרָנִין דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹ, וְאֶת כָּל עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין לָא מְשַׁנְיָין מִמִּינַיְיהוּ לְעָלְמִין, כְּהָנֵי אָחֳרָנִין דְּלָא כְתִיב בְּהוֹ לְמִינֵהוּ וְאִי תֵימָא, אִית בְּהוֹ דִּמְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא, הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּהָא אִית בְּהוֹ דִּמְשַׁנְיָין אֵלִּין מֵאִלֵּין, בְּגִינֵי כָךְ כְּתִיב וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד.