There is a time at sunset when it is neither day or night. This twilight period of the sixth day therefore pertained neither to the six days of creation, nor to the ensuing Shabbat. Chazal teach that the following ten things were created during this twilight period preceding the Shabbat (Avot 5:4)
- The "mouth of the earth" which swallowed Korach and his followers. (Bamidbar 16:32)
- The "mouth" of Miriam's well. This followed the Benei Yisrael throughout their wanderings in the desert.
- The mouth of Balaam's donkey, which was destined to speak to him at the appointed time. (Ibid. 22:28)
- The rainbow which was seen by Noach. (Bereishit 9:13)
- The grave of Moshe. (Devarim 34:6)
- The Shamir. This is a worm the size of a barleycorn, which has the power to split the largest mountains. King Shlomo made use of it to cut the stones of the Holy Temple.
- The writing [of the Ten Commandments] on the two Tablets. This writing was miraculous, since it could be read from all four sides.
- The Tablets themselves. These were two blocks made from the substance of the sun. Their length and breadth was six handbreadths (approx. 20 inches), while their thickness was three handbreadths (approx. ten inches).
- The staff of Moshe
- The ram that Avraham sacrificed in place of Yitzchak.
Some say that the shedim (demons) were also created on the twilight of the first Shabbat. These shedim were created to punish the wicked. Since they were created so late, they consist of spirits without bodies. They approach people quietly, intending to harm them. (Zohar, Bereshit p. 47. Cf. Zohar, Nasa p. 142b; Bereishit Rabbah 7:7) The shedim resemble angels in three ways, and man in three ways. (Chagigah 16a; Shalshelet HaKabbalah 3, quoting Ramban):
- Like angels they have wings
- Fly from one end of the world to the other
- They have knowledge of the future
They resemble man insofar as:
- They eat and drink
- have children
- and die
Some say that they have the ability to make themselves appear in any form that they desire. They can also remain invisible. (Avot DeRabbi Natan 37:3) They were not created from all four elements like man, but only from two, fire and air. When the Talmud says that they "eat and drink," it means that they can be nourished by the smoke of a fire. It is for this reason that sorcerers would burn incense to the shedim.
There are some authorities that include the caves in which Moshe and Eliyahu beheld the Divine Presense, the grave of Ahron, and the garments of Adam among the things created on the twilight of the first Shabbat.
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Sources: Me'am Lo'ez
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