43. "And Hashem went before them by day" (Shemot 13:21). Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion, saying: "To the Chief Musician upon the hind of dawn. A psalm of David" (Tehilim 22:1). How beloved is the Torah before the Holy One, blessed be He, for anyone who is occupied with Torah is beloved above and below. The Holy One, blessed be He, hearkens to his words, He does not forsake him in this world and He does not forsake him in the World to Come.
44. It is necessary to be occupied with the Torah by day and night, as it is written, "But you shall meditate therein day and night" (Yehoshua 1:8), and, "If my Covenant be not day and night..." (Yirmeyah 33:25). HE ASKS, It is justified by day, WHICH IS A TIME FOR WORK FOR EVERYBODY, but during the night, WHICH IS A TIME FOR REST, why IS IT NECESSARY TO BE OCCUPIED WITH TORAH? HE ANSWERS, So that a complete Holy Name will be present by him. For as there is no day without night, and it is only complete when one is with the other, so is it necessary for the Torah to be present with the person day and night. The completeness should be with the person day and night.
45. We have learned that the main part of the night is from midnight and further. Even though the first half of the night is part of the night, the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden at midnight to delight Himself with the Righteous WHO ARE THERE. Then a person should wake up and become occupied with Torah.
46. We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, hearkens to the voices of all the Righteous in the Garden of Eden, as it is written, "You who dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken to your voice; cause me to hear it" (Shir Hashirim 8:13). They have already explained it. "You who dwell in the gardens" is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT, that praises the Holy One, blessed be He, with the praise of the Torah during the night. Blessed is the portion of he who joins with Her to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, with the praise of Torah.
47. When the morning arrives, the Congregation of Yisrael comes, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and delights with the Holy One, blessed be He. And He extends the scepter of kindness not only to Her, but to all those who join her. We have learned it is written, "Yet Hashem will command His steadfast love in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me" (Tehilim 42:9). THIS MEANS THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, DRAWS A THREAD OF KINDNESS DURING THE DAY FOR HE WHO OCCUPIES HIMSELF WITH TORAH DURING THE NIGHT. THEREFORE, MALCHUT is called 'the hind of dawn,' SINCE SHE PRAISES THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, DURING THE NIGHT WITH THE PRAISE OF TORAH.
48. Rabbi Shimon said, At the time when morning is to light up, the light becomes darkened and blackened and the blackness is prevalent. Then a wife unites with her husband, for we have learned that at THE THIRD WATCH, a wife converses with her husband, NAMELY, MALE AND FEMALE, to mate with him and she enters his sanctuary.
49. When the sun must set, the night lights up and comes and takes him. Then all the gates are closed, the donkeys bray, and the dogs bark. At midnight, the King starts to arise and the Queen, WHICH IS MALCHUT STARTS, to sing. The King, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, comes and knocks on the gate of the sanctuary and says, "Open for Me, My Sister, My love..." (Shir Hashirim 5:2). Then He delights with the souls of the righteous.
50. Blessed is the portion of he who arose at that time with words of Torah. Therefore, all the inhabitants of the sanctuary of the Queen must arise at that time to praise the King, and they all praise before Him. The praise that rises from this world, which is far FROM HIM, is more acceptable to the Holy One, blessed be He, than all the rest.
51. When the night is gone, the morning comes and it becomes dark. The King and the Queen are in the secret of gladness, MEANING COUPLING. And He gives presents to Her and to all those in the sanctuary. Fortunate is he who is counted among THE MEMBERS OF THE SANCTUARY.
52. "And Hashem went before them by day." "AND HASHEM" MEANS the Holy One, blessed be He, and His court of law, WHICH IS MALCHUT, BECAUSE THE VAV (= 'AND') OF VAV YUD HEI VAV HEI ('AND HASHEM') INCLUDES MALCHUT. Rabbi Yitzchak said, We learned that the Shechinah travels with the Patriarchs, BECAUSE "went before them by day," is Abraham, "in a pillar of a cloud," is Isaac, and "to lead them the way," is Jacob, of whom it is written, "And Jacob went on his way" (Beresheet 32:2). "By night in a pillar of fire, to give them light" is King David.