Seven Firmaments and Seven Lands

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134) “And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament within the waters.’” When the Creator created the world, He created seven firmaments above, created seven lands below, seven seas, seven rivers, seven days, seven weeks, seven years, seven times, and seven thousand years—during which the world stands, in which it exists for six millennia and is ruined for one millennium. And the Creator is found in the seventh of each of them.

135) The seven firmaments are above and in each there are stars, signs, and suns that serve in each and every firmament. In all the firmaments, there are Merkavot [plural of Merkava—chariot/structure], one atop the other, to assume the burden of their Master’s kingdom. And in all the firmaments are Merkavot and suns that are different from one another, standing one atop the other. Some have six wings and some have four wings; some have four faces and some have two faces, and some have one face; some are burning fire, some are water, and some are wind, as it is written, “He makes the winds His messengers, flaming fire His ministers.”

136) All the firmaments are as onionskins, clothing one atop the other. The inner ones are considered below and the outer ones are above. Also, each firmament walks and makes noise for fear of its Master, by which they travel and by which they stand. And above all of them stands the Creator, who carries everything by His strength and might. Similarly, there are seven lands below, and all are settled, but these are higher and those are lower. And the land of Israel is above them all, and Jerusalem is the highest of all the settlements.

137) Thus, He divides all those lands that are below as those firmaments above. And in between each two lands is a firmament that divides between them. Hence, all the lands are specified by names, and among them are the Garden of Eden and Hell. Among them are creations that differ from one another, such as those above in the firmaments. Some of them have two faces; some have four faces, and some one. And the appearance of these is not as the appearance of those.

138) And yet, all the people in the world emerged from Adam. But did Adam ha Rishon come down to all those lands and procreate children? And how many women did he have? Rather, Adam is present only in this, the highest world of all, called “Universe,” as it is written, “And He commanded the universe, His land.” This universe grips to the firmament above and grips to the High Name, as it is written, “And He will judge the universe in righteousness,” where righteousness means Malchut. This is why Adam’s sons are in this high land, universe, above everyone, such as above, for the upper Adam is above everyone.

139) Adam below is as above. Above all the firmaments there is the highest firmament of all, on which the Creator’s throne is found, as it is written, “The appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above,” being HaVaYaH de MA, which is Adam in Gematria. Similarly, the King of everyone is here in the universe, and this is the Adam that is absent in all the lower ones.

140) And these lower ones came from the mist of the earth. And from the assistance of the firmament above emerge creatures that differ from one another, some in clothing, some in Klipot, like the worms in the earth. Some are in red Klipot, or dark or white, and some are of all the colors. So are all the people, and they live only ten years.

141) The whole world revolves in a circle like a ball, some are above and some are below. The people all around the earth stand opposite each other and the seven parts in the ball are the seven lands. And all the people in the six lands differ in their appearances according to the different air in each place. And they persist as the rest of the people.

142) Hence, there is a place in the world that when it shines for those on this side of the planet, it is dark for those on that side of the planet. It turns out that it is day for these and night for those. And there is a place in the world which is all day and there is night in it for only one short hour.

This is why he said in the books of the first and the book of Adam ha Rishon that the seven lands are one below the other and a firmament separates each two lands. And he does not dispute that they are all one ball divided into seven parts, for so it is written, “I will give thanks unto You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works.” It is also written, “How manifold are Your works, O Lord.” Thus, it is all good, for both are the words of the living God.

We could ask, “How can two interpretations be right, for they contradict each other?” This is a secret given to the wise, and not to the natural dividers of boundaries, for it is a profound secret in the Torah.

143) Similarly, there are several creatures in the sea, differing from one another, as it is written, “There is the sea, great and wide, in which are swarms innumerable, animals both small and great.” And all are as it is above. And in all the worlds, only man governs, and the Creator governs him.

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