"Then sang Moses"

207. "Then sang Moses" (Shemot 15:1): Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion, saying: "Before I formed you in the belly I knew you" (Yirmeyah 1:5). Blessed is the portion Yisrael that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired them more than all the other nations. And for the great love that He had for them, He set up for them a true prophet and a faithful shepherd, and aroused over him a Holy Spirit, more than the other faithful prophets. He took him out of His own portion, MEANING from what Jacob had separated as a tithe of his sons to the Holy One, blessed be He, namely, the tribe Levi. Since Levi was His, the Holy One, blessed be He, received him and adorned him with many crowns, and anointed him with the holy anointing oil of above. And then he produced from his children a Holy Spirit into the world and girded him with his holy girdles of the great Faith, WHICH IS BINAH.

208. We learned that at that moment, the time had come for Moses, the faithful prophet, to descend to the world. The Holy One, blessed be He, withdrew a Holy Spirit from a hewn block of the precious stone, sapphire, WHICH IS MALCHUT, that was concealed within 248 lights, and shone on him. And He crowned him with 365 crowns and they stood before Him, and He appointed him over all that was His. He gave him 173 keys, and crowned him with five crowns. Every single crown ascended and illuminated in a thousand worlds that illuminate and in the candles that were concealed in the treasures of the Supernal Holy King.

209. Then He passed him through all the lights in the Garden of Eden and brought him into His Palace, and passed him by His hosts and camps. Then they all trembled, opened and said, Remove yourselves from his vicinity, for the Holy One, blessed be He, has aroused a spirit to dominate and provoke the worlds. A voice was heard saying, Who is this with all these keys in his hands? Another voice said, Accept him among you, he is the one who will descend among the people. And the Torah, which is the most concealed of everything that is concealed, is going to be given into his hands, to shake the worlds that are above and below through him. At that moment, they all became excited and traveled after him. They opened the discussion, saying: "You have caused a man to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water" (Tehilim 66:12).

210. Then that spirit OF MOSES rose and stood before the King. The open Mem rose and put on its crowns, while He crowned THE SPIRIT with 325 crowns and deposited His keys into his hands. The Shin ALLUDES to the three Patriarchs, who crowned him with these holy crowns, deposited all the keys of the King in his hands, and appointed him faithfully TO BE the trustee of the house. The Hei rose and crowned itself with its crowns, and received him from the King.

211. Then that spirit OF MOSES alighted on the ships that sail in that great Sea, WHICH IS MALCHUT, AND MALCHUT accepted him in order to raise him to the King. She gave him weapons from there with which to smite Pharaoh and his whole land. And on Shabbat and the first day of the month, She elevates him to the King, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN. Then his name is expressed in these letters that we etched, WHICH ARE MEM, SHIN, AND, HEI AS WRITTEN ABOVE.

212. At the moment that he emerged to descend to the earth to become clothed in a body in the seed of Levi, 425 candles were prepared for the King, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, and 425 appointed engravings escorted the spirit OF MOSES to his place. When he emerged in the world, the Hei, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, illuminated on him and the House became full with its shining. At that moment, the Holy One, blessed be He, read over him, "Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you did come out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations" (Yirmeyah 1:5).

213. Rabbi Yitzchak said, At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, slew the minister appointed over Egypt. Moses and Yisrael saw him, then recited the song. This is what is written, "And Yisrael saw Egypt dead...Then sang Moses and the children of the children of Yisrael."

214. "Then sang Moses and the children of Yisrael..." Rabbi Aba opened the discussion, saying: I examined all the praises with which they praised the Holy One, blessed be He, and they all started with: "Then (Heb. az):" "Then spoke Solomon" (I Melachim 8:12); "Then spoke Joshua" (Yehoshua 10:12); "Then sang Moses and Yisrael." What is the reason for this?

215. HE ANSWERS, This is what we learned. All the miracles and all the mighty deeds that were performed for Yisrael HAPPENED when the light of Atika Kadisha shone, WHICH IS ARICH ANPIN, with its crowns. They are engraved and imprinted by Aleph, SO THAT THE TOP YUD OF THE ALEPH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN AND THE LOWER LINE IS THE LEFT COLUMN, AND THE LINE BETWEEN THEM IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT MEDIATES. The Aleph penetrates the darkness, ALLUDING TO THE CENTRAL LINE COLUMN OF THE ALEPH THAT PENETRATES AND DIMINISHES THE LEFT COLUMN, WHICH IS DARKNESS, INTO THE ASPECT OF SIX ENDS OF THE FIRST THREE SFIROT. THEN IT shines to every side, MEANING BOTH WITH CHOCHMAH AND IN CHASSADIM. And when the light of the Aleph joins and reaches the Zayin, that Zayin (lit. 'weapon') is, "The sword of Hashem is filled with blood" (Yeshayah 34:6), NAMELY, MALCHUT WHEN IT IS STRETCHED TOWARDS THE LEFT. Then it performs miracles and mighty deeds, because the Aleph and Zayin have joined. And this is a song, a song that illuminates to all sides, BOTH CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM. And hence "Then (Heb. az, Aleph-Zayin) sang."

216. HE ASKS, "Then will sing MOSES." Should it have been written, "Sang MOSES?" HE ANSWERS, This matter is suspended UNTIL THE TIME TO COME, for he perfected it for that time and perfected it for the future to come. For Yisrael will praise this song IN THE TIME TO COME. "Moses and the children of the children of Yisrael." From here we learned that even though the early righteous men ascended to the highest levels that are above and have been bound in the bond of life, they will all stand up to be resurrected in a body and recite this song. This is what is written, "Then will sing Moses and the children of Yisrael."

217. Rabbi Shimon said, Hence, "Hashem shall again, a second time stretch forth His hand to recover the remnant of His people" (Yeshayah 11:11). "To recover" (Heb. liknot)" has the meaning as in, "Hashem created me (Heb. kanani) as the beginning of His way" (Mishlei 8:22). "The remnant of His people" refers to the Righteous among them, who are called 'remnants (Heb. she'ar)' as it is written, "And there remained two men in the camp" (Bemidbar 11:26). We learned why they are called remnants, it is because the world exists only for the sake of those who make themselves into songs (Heb. shirim). THEREFORE, THE RIGHTEOUS ARE CALLED 'REMNANTS,' DERIVED FROM 'SONGS.'

218. You may ask, since they are a bundle in the bond of Life and delight in the supernal delight, why does the Holy One, blessed be He, lower them to the earth? Go and learn, even from the first time, THE TIME THEY WERE BORN AND EMERGED INTO THE WORLD, when all the spirits and souls were in the highest level above, the Holy One, blessed be He, lowered them to the earth below. All the more so now, since the Holy One, blessed be He, wants to straighten out that which is crooked BY SHOWING THEM THE MIRACLES AND MARVELS THAT HE WILL PERFORM FOR THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE RIGHTEOUS, NEVERTHELESS, it is written, "For there is no righteous man upon the earth who does good and does not sin" (Kohelet 7:20). And you may ask: what of those who died because of the advice of the serpent, WHO DID NO SIN, WHY SHOULD THEY ARISE? HE ANSWERS, Even they will arise and will be advisers to the Messiah.

219. Therefore, we learned Moses will sing the song in the future to come. What is the reason? Because it is written, "As in the days of your coming out the land of Egypt, I will show him marvelous things" (Michah 7:15). HE ASKS, Should "I will show him" have been said 'I will show you?' HE ANSWERS, Rather, I will show the very one who saw originally, NAMELY MOSES, for he will see a second time, and this is the meaning of "I will show him." It is written, "I will show him the salvation of Elohim" (Tehilim 50:23), and, "show him My salvation" (Tehilim 91:16). And "Then shall sing Moses and the children of Yisrael to Hashem."

220. It is the song of the Queen, WHICH IS MALCHUT, to the Holy One, blessed be He. We learned that every person who says this song daily and has the proper intention merits to say it in the time to come. It contains the world that has passed, and it contains the World to Come, and it contains the bonds of Faith, and it contains the days of King Messiah. And all the other praises of those above and those below stir from it.

221. HE ASKS, IT IS WRITTEN, "Hashirah" ('this song') which IS FEMININE, but should it not have said 'shir zeh' ('this song') IN THE MASCULINE FORM? HE ANSWERS, But this is the song with which the Queen praises the King, ZEIR ANPIN, and that Moses said from below to above, FROM MALCHUT TO ZEIR ANPIN. THEREFORE IT IS SAID SHIRAH (FEMININE), and it has already been explained. "To Hashem." SHE SINGS TO HASHEM because the King has welcomed Her. Rabbi Yosi said, All these ointments, MEANING THE LIGHTS that flowed, the Holy King poured to Her. Therefore, the Queen praised Him.

222. Rabbi Yehuda said, If so, THAT IT IS THE SONG OF THE QUEEN TO THE KING, why is it written, "Moses and the children of Yisrael," seeing that it is for the Queen to praise? HE ANSWERS, Blessed is the portion of Moses and Yisrael that they knew how to praise the King for the Queen's sake in the proper manner, because She inherited all Her strength and might from the King.

223. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion, saying: "Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches" (Eichah 2:19). "Arise, cry out," refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT; "in the night," means the Exile. Rabbi Yosi says, "In the night," refers to the time when She dominates and awakens, BECAUSE MALCHUT DOMINATES AT NIGHT. "In the beginning of the watches," should have been written, 'At the beginning.' HE ANSWERS, "In the beginning (lit. 'head')," is as it is written, "Upon the bed's head" (Beresheet 47.31). We have established that the head of the bed is Yesod. Also, here the head with which the Queen is blessed is Yesod. "Head ('beginning') of the watches" is the head of Netzach and Hod, WHICH IS YESOD.

224. Rabbi Yosi said, This is the beginning of all the crowns of the King and the end. FOR FROM THE ASPECT OF THE NINE SFIROT OF DIRECT LIGHT OF ZEIR ANPIN, IT IS THE BOTTOM ONE THAT ENDS. FROM THE ASPECT OF THE NINE SFIROT OF RETURNING LIGHT OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT ILLUMINATE FROM BELOW UPWARD, YESOD IS CONSIDERED THE KETER OF RETURNING LIGHT. SINCE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE SFIROT OF RETURNING LIGHT, THE TORAH THEREFORE CALLS IT "THE BEGINNING OF THE WATCHES." Rabbi Aba said, "Watches" is spelled without A VAV, WHICH ALLUDES TO MALCHUT, and this is YESOD, WHICH IS HER head, AND IS THUS CALLED "the bed's head." It is all said in reference to the Supernal Holy King, THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, MEANING YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, and this is THE MEANING OF, "THIS SONG to Hashem," MEANING TO YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN.

225. Rabbi Yisa said, "This song to Hashem" is the river, WHICH IS BINAH, that emerges from Eden, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, MEANING BINAH THAT EMERGED FROM THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN. For all the oil and greatness, MEANING ALL THE MOCHIN OF MALE AND FEMALE, AND BRIYAH, YETZIRAH, AND ASIYAH, emerge from it. This is understood from the following PASSAGE, which says: "I will sing to Hashem," which refers to the Supernal Holy King, ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore it is not written, 'I will sing to Him,' BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS "TO HASHEM," IN, "THIS SONG TO HASHEM," IS BINAH AND NOT ZEIR ANPIN.

226. "And spoke, saying," MEANING the following generations so that this will not ever be forgotten from them. Anyone who is worthy of this song in this world merits it in the World to Come, and will be worthy of praising with it in the days of King Messiah in the rejoining of the Congregation of Yisrael with the Holy One, blessed be He. It is written, "saying," meaning "saying" it at that time, "saying" it in the Holy Land in the time when Yisrael will be settled in the land, "saying" it during exile, "saying" it at the redemption of Yisrael, "saying" it in the World to Come.

227. "I will sing to Hashem." HE ASKS, It should have said, 'We will sing.' Why DOES IT SAY, "I will sing?" HE ANSWERS, It is because they were reciting the praises of the Queen, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, AND IT IS THEREFORE WRITTEN, "I WILL SING" IN THE SINGULAR. "To Hashem," refers to the Holy King, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN "for He has triumphed gloriously," meaning that He ascended and was crowned with His crowns to bring forth blessings and strength and mighty deeds, with all of which to be elevated. "For He has triumphed" in this world, "gloriously" in the World to Come. He triumphed gloriously at that time in order to be crowned AFTERWARDS, with His crowns in complete joy.

228. "The horse and his rider He cast into the sea" (Shemot 15:1), NAMELY, the dominion of below, WHICH IS THE HORSE, and the dominion of above they grasp onto, WHICH IS "HIS RIDER." Both of them were given over to that Great Sea and the great dominion, to take revenge on them. And we learned, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not execute Judgment below until He does so with their government above. This is the meaning: "Hashem will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth" (Yeshayah 24:21).

229. "He cast into the sea." Rabbi Yehuda said, That night, a mighty power was awakened, as it is written, "And Hashem caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night" (Shemot 14:21). At that time, the Queen requested of the King that all the multitudes OF THE EGYPTIANS below and all the Princes above be given over into Her hands. They were all given over into Her power to do vengeance with them. As it is written, "The horse and its rider He cast into the sea." Here, "Into the sea" IS WRITTEN without adjectives, ALLUDING BOTH TO THE SEA above and THE SEA below.