זוהר, יתרו י״חZohar, Yitro 18

Segment 1א׳

וַיְהִי קֹלֹת וּבְרָקִים, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא, קֹלת כְּתִיב חָסֵר. תְּרֵין קָלִין דְּאַהַדְרוּ לְחָד, דָּא נָפְקָא מִן דָּא, רוּחָא מִמַּיָּא. וּמַיָּא מֵרוּחָא. תְּרֵין דְּאִינּוּן חַד, וְחַד דְּאִיהוּ תְּרֵי.

AND THERE WERE THUNDERINGS (voices) AND LIGHTNINGS AND A THICK CLOUD UPON THE MOUNT, AND THE VOICE OF THE TRUMPET EXCEEDING LOUD. Said, R. Abba: ‘As koloth (voices) is written in a defective form, it indicates that there were two voices united as one, the one emanating from the other: air from water and water from air, two that were one and one that was two.’

Segment 2ב׳

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, קֹלֹת חַד, וְאִיהוּ קָלָא רַבְרְבָא תַּקִּיפָא, דְּלָא פַּסְקַת לְעָלְמִין, הַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (דברים ה׳:י״ט) קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלא יָסָף דְּהָא שְׁאַר קָלִין אִתְפַּסְּקָן, דְּתַנְיָא, בְּאַרְבָּעָה תְּקוּפִין בַּשַׁתָּא, קָלָא אִתְפַּסְּקַת, וּכְדֵין דִּינִין מִתְעָרִין בְּעָלְמָא. וְהַאי קָלָא דְּכָלִיל שְׁאַר קָלִין בֵּיהּ, לָא אִתְפְּסָק לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא אִתְעֲבָר מִקּיּוּמָא שְׁלִים וְתּוּקְפָּא דִּילֵיהּ. תָּאנָא, הַאי קָלָא, קָלָא דְּקַלִין, קָלָא דְּכָלִיל כָּל שְׁאַר קַלִין.

R. Jose, however, was of the opinion that the defective form of the word, suggesting the singular, indicates that it is identical with the “great voice that did not cease” (Deut. 5, 19), for all other Divine voices do break off sometimes, for, as we have been taught, four times a year the “Voice” ceases, and chastisement is sent into the world, but this great and mighty Voice never stops and never abates of its full force. We have been taught also that this Voice is “the voice of voices”, the voice which contains all other voices.

Segment 3ג׳

אָמַר ר' יְהוּדָה, לֵית קָלָא, אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּחָא וּמַיָּא וְאֶשָּׁא. וְכֹלָּא (דבר אחר וכלא) עָבִיד קָלָא, וְאִתְכְּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב קֹלֹת. וּבְרָקִים, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים קל״ה:ז׳) בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה, שַׁלְהוֹבָא בְּעוּטְרֵי, קְטִירָא דְּרַחֲמֵי בְּחִיבָּתָא, דְּלָא (שקיע) שְׁכִיחוּ.

R. Judah said: ‘The “Voice” unites air, fire, and water, and one voice makes another; hence the plural “voices”.’ “And lightnings.” Said R. Jose: ‘Therefore it says: “He maketh lightnings for the rain” (Ps. 135, 7), flame being combined with moisture in a supernatural union of love and affection.’