זוהר, בראשית ע״גZohar, Bereshit 73

Segment 1א׳

יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם (ד"א מארת כתיב חסר), לְאַכְלָלָא חִוְיָא בִישָׁא דְּאַטִּיל זוּהֲמָא וְעֲבַד פִּירוּדָא דְּלָא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ שִׁמְשָׁא בְּסִיהֲרָא. מְאֹרֹת לְוָוטִין, וְעַל דָּא גָּרִים דְּאִתְלַטְיָיא אַרְעָא דִּכְתִיב אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה, וּבְגִין כָּךְ מְאֹרֹת כְּתִיב, (חד),

LET THERE BE LIGHTS IN THE FIRMAMENT OF THE HEAVEN. The omission of the vau from the word meoroth (so that it can be read meeroth (curses)) indicates the inclusion of the evil serpent which befouled the moon and separated it from the sun, thus causing the earth to be cursed (Gen. 3, 17).

Segment 2ב׳

יְהִי מְאֹרֹת דָּא סִיהֲרָא. רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם דָּא שִׁמְשָׁא, וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ בִּכְלָלָא חָדָא לְאִזְדַּוְוגָא לְאַנְהָרָא עָלְמִין לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב עַל הָאָרֶץ וְלָא כְּתִיב בָּאָרֶץ דְּמַשְׁמַע לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, חוּשְׁבַּן דְּכֹלָּא בְּסִיהֲרָא הוּא.

The word yehi, being in the singular, shows that the word ‘lights’ refers to the moon, while ‘the firmament of the heaven’ refers to the sun. Thus the whole expression indicates that both were meant to be coupled together so as to illumine worlds both above and below, as shown by the expression ‘above’ (‘al) the earth. All calculation (of time) is by the moon.

Segment 3ג׳

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר גִּימַטְרִיָּאוֹת וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן תְּקוּפוֹת וְעִבּוּרִין כֹּלָּא הוּא בְּסִיהֲרָא, דְּהָא לְעֵילָא לָאו אִיהוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְלָא וְהָא כַּמָּה חוּשְׁבְּנִין וְשִׁיעוּרִין קָעָבְדֵי חַבְרַיָיא. אָמַר לֵיהּ לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא קָיְימָא בְּסִיהֲרָא וּמִתַּמָּן יֵעוּל בַּר נָשׁ לְמִנְדַע לְעֵילָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ וְהָא כְּתִיב וְהָיוּ לְאוֹתוֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים. אָמַר לֵיהּ לְאֹתֹת כְּתִיב חָסֵר. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא כְּתִיב וְהָיוּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ הַוְיָין כֻּלְהוֹן דִּיהָווֹן בֵּיהּ, כְּאִסְפּוּקָא דָּא דְּאִתְמַלְיָיא מִכֹּלָּא, אֲבָל חוּשְׁבְּנָא דְּכֹלָּא בְּסִיהֲרָא הוּא.

R. Simeon said: ‘Measurements and the determination of seasons and intercalary days are all made by the moon, and not by the higher spheres.’ Said R. Eleazar to him: ‘Is that so? Do not our colleagues make all kinds of calculations and measurements (by the higher spheres)?’ He answered, ‘No. Calculation is made by the moon, and this is a basis for proceeding further.’ R. Eleazar further objected that it is written ‘and they shall be for signs‘. R. Simeon answered that the word for signs (othoth) is written defectively (showing that only one is meant), while the expression ‘they shall be’ alludes to the many phases of the moon, which make it as it were a storehouse full of various objects, though it is always the one moon which is the basis of reckoning.