Chapter II

Creation ex nihilo comes about through a combination of two opposite factors. On one hand, the Divine creative force must constantly be vested in what is created.1 Creation ex nihilo is very different from the process by which an artisan makes a vessel, for once the vessel is complete, its continued existence is not dependent on the artisan. Every created being, however, must constantly have within it the creative force that caused it to come into being, since it has no independent existence. At the very moment that the G-dly creative force departs from it, it ceases to exist; it is as if it never existed.

Though every created being's continuing existence is dependent upon the creative force remaining within it, this investiture must be totally concealed. This is known as the "concealment of the Creator from the created." Thus, creation ex nihilo comes about through a combination of two opposites. The creative force must be vested in every created being, and at the same time this investiture is so concealed that the created beings are unable to grasp what sustains them, and for this reason call it ayin or "unknown."

Herein lies one of the [major] differences between creation ex nihilo and the process of an olul (or "effect") emerging from its ilah (or "cause"), this latter process being known as ilah v'olul.2

Ilah refers to that which causes another matter to appear, and olul refers to what is brought into being by the ilah. Intellect and emotion, as well as thought and speech, are similar in that they are all examples of ilah and olul. Intellect is the ilah from whence emanates the olul of emotion, and speech is the olul of the ilah of thought. The olul of emotion apprehends the ilah of intellect, and the olul of speech cannot be greater than its ilah of thought. The reason for this is that the relationship between ilah and olul is such that the ilah is revealed within and apprehended by its olul.

However, when a created being or yesh springs from the divine life-force of ayin, the yesh does not apprehend the ayin, for the ayin creates the world and all creatures within it in such a way that it remains entirely concealed from the yesh; we cannot possibly apprehend it. Though it is generally true that in any causal relationship one is able to describe the cause by considering the effect, all that we know of the divine force that vivifies the world and all its creatures is that it exists.

With regard to the soul's powers,3 it is possible to discern their functional nature by examining their effect on the organs of the body. Concerning the soul itself, however, all that we know from its effect on the body is that the soul exists [and that it endows the body with life].

The reason for this difference is that the soul's powers have a narrowly defined role, so that, although it is not possible to discern the essence of the powers, one can still define their functional nature when enclothed in a body. The soul itself, however, whose function in the body is to give life itself, cannot be discerned at all.

The same holds true with regard to the divine life-force that enlivens the world. Not only is it of a general nature in that it animates so many widely divergent creatures at the same time, but the force itself is very much concealed. For this reason our world is called olam, which means "concealment. "4

In summary: Creation ex nihilo is not similar to the process by which an artisan makes a vessel. The divine life-force is very much concealed within created beings. It is unlike ilah v'olul, examples of which include intellect and emotion, thought and speech. The ilah is close to the olul and the olul apprehends the ilah. Created beings know only that the divine life-force exists [and animates everything].