"And Elohim created the great crocodiles"

76. He opened the discussion, saying: "And Elohim created the great crocodiles, and every living creature that moves" (Beresheet 1:21). "And Elohim created." Every place of Judgment is called 'Elohim' and that supernal place, WHICH IS BINAH, the place from which THE JUDGMENTS issue, is called here "ELOHIM." Although BINAH is Mercy, Judgments issue from it and depend upon it; THEREFORE, IT IS CALLED "ELOHIM."

77. "The great crocodiles," are the Fathers - WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET - that are watered first FROM THE BINAH and spread their roots throughout TO DELIVER to all. "And every living creature (Heb. nefesh) that moves," is the Nefesh of THE FIRST MAN which that supernal earth, WHICH IS MALCHUT, issued from that supernal living creature THAT IS SUPERIOR above all, WHICH IS THE BINAH, as it is written: "Let the earth bring forth living creatures." This is the soul of the First Man, whom it drew into itself. "That moves," is the living creature, WHICH IS BINAH, which swarms AND DELIVERS to all the mountains, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET above, and below TO THE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT. "THE EARTH BRING FORTH," IS MALCHUT WHICH BRINGS FORTH THE SOUL OF THE FIRST MAN FROM THE LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES, WHICH IS BINAH. "Which the waters brought forth abundantly" (Ibid.) is THE CHASSADIM of that supernal river, WHICH IS BINAH, which issues from Eden, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, and waters that tree, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, so that it may spread its roots over all and provide food for all.

78. There is another interpretation of the verse: "The living creature that moves." It refers to King David, NAMELY TO MALCHUT, for it is written of him: "I shall not die but live" (Tehilim 118:17). "And every winged bird after its kind" (Beresheet 1:21). These are all those holy angels, whose function it is to sanctify the name of their Master every day. It is written: "Each one has six wings" with which to fly over the world to perform their Master's will, HIS ERRANDS, each one as is worthy. Rabbi Yehuda said: Assuredly, this is too much for a boy TO KNOW, but I foresee that he will be raised to eminency.

79. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Assuredly, the "living creature that moves," is the supernal creature which is above all, WHICH IS BINAH, for the other one, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is called "earth" in the scripture, as it is written: "And let birds multiply in the earth" (Ibid.). Surely it is "in the earth," WHICH IS MALCHUT, and not in the water, WHICH ARE THE CHASSADIM OF THE BINAH, for that river, WHICH IS BINAH, issues and comes out and waters without being divided up to that place called "earth," WHICH IS MALCHUT. From there DOWN, it is written: "And from thence it was parted" (Beresheet 2:10), FOR THERE ARE THE DIVIDED WORLDS. The birds, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF ANGELS THAT ARE FROM THE WORLD OF SEPARATION, depend upon that earth, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and are watered BY IT, as it is written: "Let the birds multiply in the earth." Then they rose and went on their way and Rabbi Yehuda said: Let us take this boy into our company and let each of us say words of the Torah.