זוהר, בראשית ה׳Zohar, Bereshit 5

Segment 1א׳

, (בראשית א׳:ג׳) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר. מֵהָכָא אִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא לְאַשְׁכָּחָא גְּנִיזִין הֵיךְ אִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא בִּפְרָט. דְּעַד הָכָא הֲוָה בִּכְלָל. וּבָתַר אִתְהַדַּר כְּלַל. לְמֶהוֵי כְּלַל וּפְרַט וּכְלָל.

AND GOD SAID, LET THERE BE LIGHT; AND THERE WAS LIGHT. From this point we can begin to discover hidden things relating to the creation of the world in detail. For up to this point the Creation has been described in general, and lower down the general description is repeated, so that we have a combination of general-particular-general.

Segment 2ב׳

עַד הָכָא הֲוָה כֹּלָּא תַּלְיָיא בַּאֲוִירָא מֵרָזָא דְאֵין סוֹף, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפְּשַׁט חֵילָא בְּהֵיכָלָא עִלָּאָה רָזָא דְּאֱלהִים, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ אֲמִירָה (דכתיב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים. דְּהָא לְעֵילָא לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ אֲמִירָה בִּפְרָט. וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְרִאשִׁית מַאֲמָר הוּא, אֲבָל לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ וַיֹּאמֶר.

Up to this point the whole was suspended in the void in direct dependence on the limitless. When, however, energy had been extended through the supernal palace alluded to in the name Elohim, the term “saying” is used in connection with it, in the words “And God said”. For to that which is beyond no detailed “saying” is ascribed; for although the word Bereshith is a creative utterance (maamar), the actual words “and said” are not used in connection with it.

Segment 3ג׳

דָּא וַיֹּאמֶר אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא לְמִשְׁאַל וּלְמִנְדַע. וַיֹּאמֶר חֵילָא דְאִתְרָם וְאֲרָמוּתָא בַּחֲשַׁאי (ויחי רל"ד ב) מֵרָזָא דְאֵין סוֹף בְּרָזָא (נ"א ברישא) דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלהִים הַשְׁתָּא (לעיל ט"ו ע"ב) אוֹלִיד הַהוּא הֵיכָלָא מִמַּה דְּאִתְעֲדִיאַת מִזַּרְעָא דְקֹדֶשׁ, וְאוֹלִיד בַּחֲשַׁאי. וְהַהוּא דְּאִתְיְלַד (דאתייליד) אִשְׁתְּמַע לְבַר. מָאן דְּאוֹלִיד לֵיהּ אוֹלִיד בַּחֲשַׁאי דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע כְּלָל, כֵּיוָן דְּנָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, מָאן דְּנָפַק, אִתְעֲבִיד קוֹל דְּאִשְׁתְּמַע לְבָר.

This expression “and said” (vayomer) opens the door to inquiry and understanding. We define this “saying” as an energy that was culled, as it were, in silence from the mystic limitless through the mystic power of thought. Hence “and God said” means that now the above-mentioned palace generated from the holy seed with which it was pregnant. While it brought forth in silence, that which it bore was heard without. That which bore, bore in silence without making a sound, but when that issued from it which did issue, it became a voice which was heard without, to wit, “Let there be light.”