משלי, פרק ח׳, פסוק כ״ז

The voice of divine wisdom echoes from the dawn of existence, bearing witness to its active presence during the design and planning of the universe. Even before the world took its final shape, wisdom already existed, serving as the ultimate foundation for exact cosmic and earthly order. At the precise time when God established and created the heavens, wisdom was already there [אבן עזרא]. It predated the creation of the skies and stood present at the exact moment they were formed [מצודת דוד].

Views differ on the exact nature of these heavens. Some identify them as the firmament and the realm of the clouds [מלבי״ם]. However, the primary approach among commentators is that this refers to the complete system of celestial spheres, stars, and their orbits. God prepared the stars in their precise number, size, and complex movement to influence the world below, establishing a wondrous order made possible only through His immense wisdom [רלב״ג, אמרי דעת]. By emphasizing its own presence, wisdom clarifies that God did not rely on angels to create the heavens. Instead, He acted completely alone, as God and His wisdom are one inseparable essence [אלשיך, אמרי דעת]. Alternatively, a different perspective suggests this hints at the creation of the celestial spheres through separate spiritual intellects [עמנואל הרומי].

A divine act of drafting then took place. God engraved the spherical orbits of the universe as if using a compass to draw exact circles around a central point, charting sphere within sphere [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון, רלב״ג, עמנואל הרומי]. At the same time, this careful drafting established the physical boundaries of the earth. It confined the sea within the dry land, ensuring the waters would never cross their designated borders [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The center point of this cosmic drafting was set upon the face of the deep [אבן עזרא]. This deep is understood either as planet Earth itself, serving as the center of the universe [רלב״ג, אמרי דעת], or as the lower waters that remained after God separated them from the upper waters to form the firmament [אלשיך]. Water is specifically highlighted over other elements like earth, fire, or air due to the physical state of the early universe. At the beginning of creation, the earth was entirely submerged and hidden from view, while fire and air are naturally invisible. Therefore, water was the most tangible and visible element present, serving as the physical canvas upon which God carved the boundaries of the world [עמנואל הרומי].