Seven dwellings of the lower earth

Synopsis

The physical realm includes seven compartments, or worlds. These are called, Eretz, Adamah, Gey, Neshiyah, Tziyah, Arka, Tevel. Our physical earth corresponds to Tevel. When Rabbi Yosi inquires as to the nature of the world called Tziyah, Rabbi Abba replies that this realm is the location of Hell.

The world of Neshiyah, the Zohar explains, is called oblivion. It is totally forgotten, for it is without any form.

Adamah (Soil) Arka (Ground) Darkness Dryness Dryness (Tziyah) Dwellings Earth Earth (Eretz) Eretz (Earth) Gey (Valley) Grades Ground Ground (Arka) Neshiyan (Oblivion) Oblivion (Neshiyan) Soil Soil (Adamah) Tevel (World) Tziyah (Dryness) Valley Valley (Gey) Void World (Tevel)

36. Another explanation of "and the earth" is that the words include the lower earth, which was made of compartments as was the upper EARTH. And this is WHAT IS MEANT BY, "and the earth was without form and void; and darkness... And the wind..." And the compartments of the earth are called Eretz (earth), adamah (soil), Gey (valley), Neshiyah (oblivion), Tziyah (dryness), Arka (ground), and Tevel (world). The major level of earth is Tevel, about which it is written: "And He will judge the world (Heb. tevel) in righteousness" (Tehilim 9:8). THIS IS NOT SAID ABOUT ANY OTHER LEVEL OF EARTH, AND THUS WE INFER THAT IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.

36. דָּבָר אֲחֵר, וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן, לְאַסְגָּאָה אַרְעָא דִלְתַתָּא, דְּאִיהִי אִתְעֲבִידַת בְּכַמָּה מְדוֹרִין, כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה, וְדָא הוּא, וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ וְרוּחַ. אִלֵין אִינוּן מְדוֹרֵי אַרְעָא: אֶרֶץ, אֲדָמָה, גֵּיא, נְשִׁיָּה, צִיָה, אַרְקָא, תֵּבֵל. וְגָדוֹל שֶׁבְּכוּלָם תֵּבֵל, דִּכְתִיב וְהוּא יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק.

Abyss Angel of Death Angels Darkness Death Death and the Afterlife Dryness (Tziyah) Earth Face Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Jeremiah Shadow Tziyah (Dryness)

37. Rabbi Yosi asks: What is THE NATURE OF THIS EARTH THAT IS CALLED Tziyah? RABBI ABA said to him: This is the location of Gehenom, as is said "a land of drought" (Heb. tziyah) and "the shadow of death" (Yirmeyah 2:6). AND AS "THE SHADOW OF DEATH" IS THE PLACE OF GEHENOM, SO IS TZIYAH. This is the secret of the words "and darkness on the face of the deep (Heb. tziyah)" (Beresheet 1:2), alluding to the place of Gehenom. This is the wilderness, the place of the Angel of Death, of whom it says, that he darkens the faces of all creatures. This is also the place of the upper darkness REFERRED TO IN THE WORDS "AND THE EARTH..."

37. אֲמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, מָאן הוּא צִיָּה, אֲמַר לֵהּ דָּא הוּא אֲתַר דְּגֵיהִנֹּם, כד"א צִיָּה וְצַלְמָוֶת. וְרָזָא דָא כְּתִיב, וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם, דָּא רָזָא אֲתַר דְּגֵיהִנֹּם, דָּא הוּא צִיָּה, אֲתַר דְּמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן, דְּאִיהוּ מַחְשִׁיךְ אַנְפַּיְיהוּ דִּבְרִיָּיתָא, וְדָא הוּא אֲתַר דְּחֹשֶׁךְ עִלָּאָה.

Arka (Ground) Earth Gey (Valley) Grades Ground Ground (Arka) Neshiyan (Oblivion) Oblivion (Neshiyan) Tevel (World) Valley Valley (Gey) Void World (Tevel)

38. "Formlessness" is the earth called Neshiyah (oblivion). IT IS SO CALLED BECAUSE it has no appearance so that it is completely forgotten. It is therefore called oblivion. "Void" is Arka (ground), a place that cannot be forgotten. Rabbi Chiya DISAGREES AND says, "this earth called Gey (valley) IS VOID, NOT ARKA (GROUND)." And the words, "a wind (also: 'spirit') of Elohim hovers," allude to the EARTH CALLED Tevel (world), which feeds from the spirit of Elohim, NAMELY FROM THE SPIRIT OF BINAH CALLED ELOHIM. They are all parts of the same level.

38. תֹּהוּ דָּא נְשִׁיָּה, דְּלָא אִתְחַזְיָיא בָּהּ חֵיזוּ כְּלָל, עַד דְּאִתְנְשֵׁי מִכֹּלָּא. וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי נְשִׁיָּה. וָבֹהוּ דָּא אַרְקָא אֲתַר דְּלָא אִתְנְשֵׁי. ר' חִיָּיא אֲמַר דָּא גֵיא. וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת דָּא לָקֳבֵל תֵּבֵל דְּאִתְּזָן מֵרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים, וְכֹלָּא כְּחַד הוּא.