5. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion saying, "Happy are the people that know the joyful note: they shall walk, O Hashem, in the light of Your countenance" (Tehilim 89:16). This verse has been explained. However, come and behold: praised are Yisrael, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the holy Torah and taught His ways, to adhere to Him and keep the commandments of the Torah in order to achieve merit through them in the World to Come. And He drew them near when they came out from Egypt, since He withdrew them from another dominion and raised them to unite with His name. Only then Yisrael were called 'free men' in every respect, in that they no longer sojourned under someone else's authority. He raised them to unite with His Name, which is loftier above all and has dominion over the highest and the lowest.
6. In His love for them, He called them: "Yisrael is My son, My firstborn" (Shemot 4:22), similar to the above, LIKE ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED 'FIRSTBORN.' He killed all the firstborn above and below, FROM THE OTHER SIDE, and He loosened and untied the knots and shackles, WHICH THE EGYPTIANS TIED SO THAT YISRAEL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE EGYPT, in order to take them out. He made them free of everything. Thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not wish TO TAKE THEM OUT THROUGH an angel through a seraph, but only through He Himself. Moreover, only He could distinguish BETWEEN A FIRSTBORN AND A NON-FIRSTBORN, and know everything and release the bond. It is not within the authority of any other emissary, but rather in His hand.
7. Come and behold: on the night that the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to slaughter all these firstborn, as we have learned, the singers came to sing for Him when night fell. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, told them that the time was not opportune TO SING ANY SONG, since the inhabitants of the earth were singing another song. At midnight, the north wind was stirring and the Holy One, blessed be He, was wreaking vengeance FOR YISRAEL. Yisrael were singing their song with loud voices and, at that moment, He made them free from everyone. The supernal angels and all the HIGHEST camps together were listening to the voices of Yisrael after they were circumcised, and marked their houses with that blood and the blood of the Paschal lamb with three marks, "upon the lintel, and on the two side posts" (Shemot 12:23).
8. What is the reason THAT THEY MARKED THE BLOOD OVER THE DOOR LINTEL AND THE TWO SIDE POSTS? It has already been explained. It is because it is a holy mark, and the Angel of Destruction had mercy upon Yisrael when he saw this blood that was marked on the opening. This is what is written: "Hashem will pass over the door..." (Ibid.). We must look closely here. If the Holy One, blessed be He, and no other messenger came and slew in the land of Egypt, what is the purpose of this mark over the door opening, since all is revealed to Him? In addition, what is the meaning of: "and will not allow the Destroyer" (Ibid.), WHICH MEANS IT WAS A MESSENGER? It should have said, 'and will not destroy.'
9. It most certainly is so, as it is written: "And Hashem smote all the firstborn" (Ibid. 29). "And Hashem" INDICATES Him, ZEIR ANPIN, and His courthouse, MALCHUT. That courthouse is present here. THEREFORE, IT SAYS, "THE DESTROYER." It is always imperative to show a deed BELOW in order TO AWAKEN A CORRESPONDING ONE ABOVE to be saved. BECAUSE OF THAT, IT WAS NECESSARY TO PLACE THE BLOOD OVER THE DOOR LINTEL AND THE TWO SIDE POSTS, TO AROUSE MERCY FOR THEM ABOVE. Similar to that are THE OFFERINGS on the altar; this is in order that the Destroyer shall not come there.
10. This is by means of a deed, MEANING OFFERINGS. When it is not needed, for example, on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), which is the Day of Judgment, which those of wicked tongues stand ready to DENOUNCE YISRAEL, IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO GIVE MERE OFFERINGS. Speech is required; that is, prayers and petitions. It is necessary to demonstrate deeds, as we have explained. And we learned with what these must be demonstrated. It is with the Shofar, in order to invoke another Shofar, WHICH IS BINAH. We produce through the sound OF THIS SHOFAR Mercy and Judgment together, all as is required. This is just like that highest Shofar, WHICH IS BINAH, that emitted a sound, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, which is the inclusion OF CHESED, JUDGMENT AND MERCY together - SINCE TIFERET, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, IS INCLUSIVE OF CHESED, JUDGMENT AND MERCY. To awaken Mercy, we awaken WITH THE BLOWING OF THE SHOFAR and break down the Prosecutors so that they shall have no dominion on that day. When Mercy is awakened, all the upper luminaries, THE SFIROT, illuminate from this side and from that side, MEANING FROM THE RIGHT AND LEFT. Then, "in the light of the King's countenance is life" (Mishlei 16:15).
11. Come and behold: the priest intended to light the lamps below and brought the offering of spiced incense. During that moment, the upper candles are shining, THAT IS, THE SFIROT, and everything connects together. Happiness and gladness prevail in all the worlds, and it is written: "ointment and perfume rejoice the heart" (Mishlei 27:9). Therefore, IT IS WRITTEN: "when you kindle the lamps" (Bemidbar 8:2).