The Two Creations
(Translated from the Yiddish)
I.
THE DESCENT.
In the beginning, the Heavens and Earth and—Chaos.
The Heavens and Earth were fused in a formless mass, moving over the face of the depths; and Chaos was hidden in a dazzling, blazing fire.
From arc to arc of the firmament, flame and fire. From end to end of earth, flame and fire. And flame and fire from verge to verge of the universe.
Everywhere, torrents of flame, fascines of light, sheaves of beams, great clusters of sparks, all glowing in an immense void; refulgent suns and sections of suns; shimmering moons and segments of moon; and unfinished stars strewn on the Milky Way, radiated in infinite space.
In the Work-room, stood the Creator at the vibrating disk. About Him, in confusion, were entangled star splinters, ray threads, flame and lightning, heaped up high, infinite material for the making of the future world. The dynamos of light throbbed and thundered; the wheels of fire revolved and shrieked, a hissing and a humming and a grating of conflict. The flames leaped madly, embraced, melted, fused and, expiring, descended into the seething deep, a cyclone of roaring heat.
And ceaselessly the clamor ascended from the boundless crater.
And the Spirit of Creation fused and transmuted the mass, tossing the stuff, intent on the creation of the first Being.
Wheels creaked, rods groaned and rushed and hissed and seethed and shrieked. The First Born of Creation scared forth from the crater, and behold, he was an Angel, ineffably beautiful.
The Angel was the First whom the Lord created. He was all light and glory, perfect in form and flawless from head to foot.
But in the eyes of the Perfect One, not even an Angel is perfect, and not even the Seraphim are complete.
The Angel found no grace in the eyes of his Maker, and fell into sin. Then the Lord drove him forth before him and hurled him downward. And he fell into the pit of Sin.
Centuries was he in falling, cycles of years. Then gained he a footing on the face of the Earth, where he became the meanest of creatures, pitiable, sin-laden, worthless Man!
II.
THE ASCENT.
In the beginning, the Heavens and Earth and—Chaos.
The Heavens and Earth were fused in a formless mass, moving over the face of the depths; and Chaos was hidden in darkness and night.
From arc to arc of the firmament, darkness and night. From end to end of Earth, darkness and night. And darkness and night from verge to verge of the universe.
Everywhere torrents of obscuring