זוהר, בראשית ח׳Zohar, Bereshit 8

Segment 1א׳

תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב וְגו' הַשְׁתָּא אַפִּיקַת חֵילָא בְּאִנּוּן מַיִּין דְּאִתְכְּנָשׁוּ לְאֲתַר חָד וְנַגְדִין בְּגַוֵויהּ גּוֹ טְמִירוּ סְתִימָאָה. וְנָפְקִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ טְמִירִין עִלָּאִין וְחַיָּילִין קַדִּישִׁין. דִּי כָּל אִנּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא מְתַקְנָן לוֹן בְּתִקּוּנָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא בְּהַהִיא פּוּלְחָנָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן.

LET THE EARTH PUT FORTH GRASS, HERB, ETC. At this behest the “earth” put forth a host through those waters which were gathered together in one place and flowed mysteriously through it, so that there issued in it hidden celestial beings and sacred existences which are upheld and sustained and constantly renewed by the faithful among mankind through the worship they offer to their Master.

Segment 2ב׳

וְרָזָא דָא (תהילים ק״ד:י״ד) מַצְמִיחַ חָצִיר לַבְּהֵמָה וְגו' דָא בְּהֵמָה דִּרְבִיעָאָה עַל אֶלֶף טוּרִין וּמְגַדְּלִין לָהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא הַהוּא חָצִיר. וְחָצִיר דָּא אִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין שַׁלִּיטִין לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ בַּשֵּׁנִי וְקַיָּימִין לְמֵיכָלָא דְהַאי בְּהֵמָה. בְּגִין דְּאִית אֶשָׁא אֶכְלָא אֶשָׁא.

This mystery is indicated by the verse: “Who causest the grass to spring up for the B’hema” (cattle), etc. (Ps. 104, 14). This refers to Behemoth that crouches on a thousand mountains and for whom these mountains produce each day what is here called “grass”, by which is meant those angelic beings whose existence is ephemeral, and who were created on the second day as destined food for that Behemoth, which is “fire consuming fire”.

Segment 3ג׳

וְעֵשֶׂב לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם עֵשֶׂב דָּא אִלֵּין אוֹפַנִּין וְחַיּוֹת וּכְרוּבִים. דְּכֻלְהוּ מְתַקְנָן גּוֹ תִּקּוּנַיְיהוּ וְקַיָּימִין לְאִתְתַּקְנָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּבְנֵי נְשָׁא אַתְיָין לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בְּקָרְבְּנֵיהוֹן וּבִצְלוֹתָא דְּדָא אִיהוּ עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם. וְעֵשֶׂב דָּא אִזְדַּמַּן וְאִתְעַתַּד לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא בְּתִקּוּנֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת.

The Psalmist continues, “and herb for the service of man”, indicating by “herb” the angelic orders named Ofanim (wheels), Hayyoth (animal-shaped), and Cherubim, all of whom are upheld, sustained, and confirmed whenever mortal beings come to worship their Master with sacrifices and prayers, in which consists the “service of man”, and as they are reinforced by virtue of that service of man,