"And it came to pass, that at midnight"

93. "And it came to pass, that at midnight Hashem smote all the firstborn..." (Shemot 12:29) Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were traveling from Usha to Lod and Rabbi Chiya was riding on a donkey. Rabbi Yosi said, Let us rest here and pray, for the time for Minchah ('the afternoon service') has come. And we have learned that one should always be punctual about the Minchah service. Why DOES HE HAVE TO BE punctual? Because it is the time when Judgment is impending over the world, and one must concentrate his mind. Rabbi Chiya got down FROM THE DONKEY and prayed.

94. While they were still traveling, the sun was setting. Rabbi Chiya said to Rabbi Yosi: Why are you silent? Rabbi Yosi said, I was contemplating that the world exists only because of the leaders of the people. If the leaders of the people are righteous, it is good for the world and good for the people. If they are not righteous, woe to the world, woe to the people.

95. Rabbi Chiya said, It is certainly so. How do we know? Because it is written, "I saw all Yisrael scattered upon the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd; and Hashem said, 'These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace'" (II Divrei Hayamim 18:16). HE ASKS, It says "Yashuvu" ('let them return') when it should say 'Yeshvu' ('let them sit'), and similarly, "to his house" should say 'in his house.' For THE PEOPLE were in their abode, AND WHERE WERE THEY TO RETURN?

96. HE ANSWERS, But this is what we learned. If the leader of the people is not worthy IN HIS DEEDS, the people is caught in his sin. Whence do we know - from the words, "And David spoke...Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done?" (II Shmuel 24:17). So David sinned and Yisrael suffered. If the chief of the people is caught in his sin, then the people is spared, as Judgment no longer dwells upon them, as the passage says, "And Hashem said, 'These have no master,'" meaning there are no leaders for the people, BECAUSE AHAB WAS SLAIN. THEREFORE, "let them return therefore every man to his house in peace" from the path, AND EVEN THOUGH JUDGMENT HAS RIDDEN ON THEM IN THIS PATH, SINCE THEIR LEADER WAS SLAIN AND CAUGHT IN HIS SIN, THEY WILL RETURN IN PEACE. They are all saved if their leader is caught. It was decreed that, because he joined with Ahab, even Yehoshafat would have been punished, were it not for his crying, as it is written, "And Yehoshafat cried out" (I Melachim 22:32).

97. While they were still traveling, it became dark. They said, What shall we do? If continue traveling, it is ALREADY dark and, if we stay IN OUR PLACE, it is frightening. They turned off from the road and sat under a tree. They rested and discussed Torah there, and did not sleep.

98. At midnight they saw a doe passing before them, shouting and crying out loud. When they heard it, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi got up and trembled. They heard a voice announcing and saying: Those who are awake rise, those who sleep awake. Worlds, prepare for Your Master. For your Master is going out to the Garden of Eden, which is His palace, NAMELY MALCHUT, to delight with the Righteous, as it is written, "And in His temple everyone speaks of His glory" (Tehilim 29:9).

99. Rabbi Chiya said, Now it is exactly midnight, and this voice THAT WE HEARD is the voice that emerges and causes pain to the doe above, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and below, as it is written, "The voice of Hashem makes the hinds to calve" (Ibid.). Fortunate are we to hear this.

100. Come and behold the secret of the matter. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, is revealed over the Garden, the whole Garden gathers, NAMELY ALL THE RIGHTEOUS IN THE GARDEN, but does not separate from Eden, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH. Springs emerge from this Eden, NAMELY THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, to many ways and paths, FOR THE CONCEPTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS. This Garden is called 'The Bundle of Life,' where the Righteous derive pleasure from the illumination of the World to Come. And at that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself to them.

101. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi sat down. Rabbi Yosi said, Many a time I asked about the words, "And it came to pass, that at midnight Hashem smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt..." Why did this not happen by day so the miracle would be visible to all? And why did all these weaklings behind the millstones and the lambs of the sheep die? And why did not only kings, princes and soldiers die, as it was by the episode of Sancheriv, of which it is written, "the Angel of Hashem went out and smote in the camp of Ashur..." (II Melachim 19:35). We learned that they were all kings, princes, ministers and officers, and the might of a single messenger of the Holy One, blessed be He, was seen there even greater THAN THIS MIRACLE THAT WAS DONE BY HIS OWN HAND. IT SEEMS THAT His miracle should have been even more GREAT.

102. He said to him, You asked well, and I have heard nothing about this. So I have nothing to say. But since we were worthy of all this, and the way was set before us, let us go to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai as I have heard he is cleansing the market places of the city of Tiberias. They stayed until daybreak. When it became light, they got up and went. When they reached him, they found him sitting with a book of homiletics in his hand.

103. He opened the discussion, saying: "All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity" (Yeshayah 40:17). HE ASKS, Since it said, "All nations before Him are as nothing," why is it written also, "And they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity?" AND HE ANSWERS, I have learned the philosophies of all the nations of the world, whose Faith is as nothing. They conceive neither the upper LEVELS nor the lower. They place for themselves a Faith of foolishness; "and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity" like chaff that turns in the wind and rolls during the summer IN THE FIELDS empty, FOR IT HAS NO CONTENTS AT ALL. This is the meaning of, "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing" (Daniel 4:32).

104. He again opened the discussion, saying: "In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth" (Beresheet 1:1). The first "Et" ('the') is the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, and that Et ('the') is His left hand. I learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, stretched His right hand - WHICH IS CHESED - and created the heavens, and stretched His left hand - WHICH IS JUDGMENT - and created the earth. This is the meaning of, "My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has spanned the heavens, when I call to them, they stand up together" (Yeshayah 48:13).

105. HE ASKS, What is the meaning of THE VERSE, "They stand up together?" HE ANSWERS, If you think that these are heaven and earth THAT ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND HIS NUKVA, it is not so. THEY DO NOT STAND TOGETHER. Rather, THEY ARE right and left, SEPARATE, which are the (et) and the (et) AS MENTIONED ABOVE. THEREFORE, THE VERSE SAYS, "THEY STAND UP TOGETHER." How do they stand together? By means of "this," WHICH IS MALCHUT that rules at midnight, for then Et WHICH IS CHESED is combined with "this," WHICH IS MALCHUT, SO THEY STAND TOGETHER.

106. We learned that it is written, "He has made every (Heb. kol) thing beautiful in its time" (Kohelet 3:11). Et MEANS CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN as we said. "kol" is as is said, "And Hashem blessed Abraham in all (Heb. kol) things" (Beresheet 24:1). We learned that "kol" is the Sfirah that is called "this," NAMELY MALCHUT that includes Et and Et AS MENTIONED EARLIER, and rules at midnight in two aspects, Mercy and Judgment - Mercy for Yisrael and Judgment for the heathen nations. AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "HE HAS MADE ET KOL," SO THAT THEY WOULD BE UNITED TOGETHER, "BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME," NAMELY AT MIDNIGHT.

107. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion, saying: If it pleases my master, I will say one thing, why I came. It is written, "And it came to pass, that at midnight Hashem smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt..." From this THING that Sir said, it is understood that this passage is ALSO explained in that manner. As for us, the way was propitious before us, to come and ask before you.

108. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion, saying: "Who is like Hashem our Elohim, Who is enthroned on high...?" (Tehilim 113:5) MEANING, "Who is like Hashem our Elohim," WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, that ascends and is crowned to settle in the holy upper crown, WHICH IS BINAH, which illumination is above all the shining lights, crowns and wreaths, FOR ALL THE MOCHIN IN THE WORLDS ARE DRAWN FROM BINAH. "And yet looks far down" (Ibid.), descending in His Sfirot from crown to crown, MEANING FROM THE RIGHT COLUMN OF BINAH TO HIS OWN RIGHT, from diadem to diadem, FROM THE LEFT COLUMN OF BINAH TO HIS OWN LEFT; from illumination to illumination, FROM THE CENTRAL COLUMN OF BINAH TO HIS OWN CENTRAL COLUMN; from luminary to luminary, FROM MALCHUT OF BINAH TO HIS OWN MALCHUT, to supervise over the upper beings IN THE HEAVENS and the lower beings ON EARTH. This is the meaning of, "Hashem looked down from heaven upon the children of man" (Tehilim 14:2).

109. Come and behold, it is written, "And it came to pass, that at midnight..." It should have said, 'approximately midnight' or "About midnight" (Shemot 11:4), as Moses had said. And YOU MAY CONTEND, as the friends said, that this is because the astrologers of Pharaoh might say that Moses was a liar, BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT MOMENT OF MIDNIGHT. So the difficult question remains in three forms, and even the children of Yisrael will agree. 1) If so, it should have said, 'And Moses said, about midnight.' Why does it say, "Thus says Hashem," if Hashem said, "At midnight?" No matter how punctual he will be, they will not blame Moses, but rather the Master, because he said, "Thus says Hashem." 2) Moses said, "Even to the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill" (Ibid. 5), yet it was not so, but "to the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon" (Shemot 12:29). Regardless, even Yisrael will agree THAT HE IS A LIAR, because these things did not occur exactly AS HE SAID. 3) He said in the name of the Master, 'About midnight' but it is written, "And it came to pass, that at midnight" AND NOT 'ABOUT MIDNIGHT,' AS MOSES SAID.

110. And also regarding your question, WHICH IS HEAVIER than a load an animal can carry. YOU ASK, Why was the smiting of the firstborn at night and not by day? And why did the weaklings who were behind the millstone die? This is all a supernal secret among the reapers of the field, MEANING THOSE WHO MERITED THE PLANTS OF THE HIDDEN LIGHT THAT WERE SOWN IN MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'FIELD.' And it is all correct according to THE WORDS OF the faithful prophet.

111. Praiseworthy is the portion of Moses, about whom it is written, "You are fairer than the children of men, grace is poured into your lips, therefore Elohim has blessed you forever" (Tehilim 45:3). "You love righteousness, and hate wickedness. Therefore Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows" (Ibid. 8). "You are fairer than the children of men," MEANS more than Seth and Enoch. "Grace is poured into you lips," more so than Noah and his sons, OF WHOM IT SAYS, "AND NOAH FOUND FAVOR" (BERESHEET 6:8). "Therefore Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you," more than Abraham and Isaac. "With the oil of gladness" more than Jacob. "Above your fellows," refers to the other prophets. Is it possible that a man who rose to the highest levels, to which no other man rose did not know what he was saying?

112. But this is what we learned. This Sfirah that is called "zot ('this' fem.)" - NAMELY MALCHUT - is called 'woman,' as it is written, "She (Heb. zot fem.) shall be called woman" (Beresheet 2:23). And why IS SHE CALLED SO? BECAUSE "she (zot) was taken out of man" (Ibid.). Who is this man? He is the one who is called "zeh ('this')" and is a male man, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written, "for as for this (Heb. zeh masc.) Moses, the man" (Shemot 32:23) SO 'man' is called 'zeh,' and 'zeh' is called 'man.' And zot is taken from zeh that is called 'male.'

113. Therefore, she, NAMELY MALCHUT, is CALLED "a palm tree" (Heb. tamar), WHICH DENOTES male and female, because the palm tree does not grow one without the other, MALE WITHOUT FEMALE. SHE IS THEREFORE CALLED Tamar, as it is written, "like pillars (Heb. timrot) of smoke" (Shir Hashirim 3:6). The same way as smoke rises with both white and black, so here too WITH MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'ZOT.' Everything is included in her at midnight, so she will perform her deeds together AT ONCE, white for Yisrael, WHICH IS MERCY, and black for the heathen nations, WHICH IS JUDGMENT.

114. Before the night is divided in half at midnight, it does not perform its functions. Whence do we know this? From Abraham, as it is written, "And he divided himself against them...night" (Beresheet 14:15), WHICH MEANS that it was divided in order to do its functions. Here too, Moses said, "About midnight," MEANING when THE NIGHT reaches the middle, for Moses knew only then would its functions be performed.

115. And so it was that the night did not perform its functions until midnight, for it performed its functions in the second half of the night. This is the meaning of, "And it came to pass, that at midnight." What is the connotation of "mid?" IT MEANS that during the second half, when MALCHUT, rules, zot, MALCHUT is always present to perform actions, and every action that was done at night was done in the second half.

116. "And Hashem smote every firstborn." "And Hashem" IS DEFINED AS Him, ZEIR ANPIN, and His court, WHICH IS MALCHUT. "And Hashem," REFERS TO Him and His actions. "Smote every firstborn" - HE ASKS, Moses only said, "And all the firstborn...shall die" (Shemot 11:5). Why DOES IT SAY HERE "smote?" HE ANSWERS, But MALCHUT OF THE ASPECT OF JUDGMENT, WHICH IS CALLED ''KOH,' became aroused and Moses threatened him, as it is written, "Behold, till now (Lit. 'to koh) you would not hear." THEREFORE, IT IS SAID, "HASHEM SMOTE (HEB. HIKAH)," WHICH IS THE NAME KOH THAT SLEW ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT.

117. We learned that Pharaoh was wiser than all his sorcerers, and observed that zot, NAMELY MALCHUT, would execute Judgment upon him and destroy his land, as Moses said, "In this (zot) you shall know that I am Hashem" (Shemot 7:17). It is written about him, "And Pharaoh turned" (Ibid. 23), "turned" MEANING that he turned his heart away from this thought, as it is written, "And Ahab turned" (Bemidbar 12:10). "And went to his house, neither did set his heart even to this (Heb. zot)" (Ibid.) THE WORD "also," WHICH IS SUPERFLUOUS, is to add that one which will destroy his land, "neither did set his heart even to this," MEANING THE WORD "ALSO" IMPLIES THAT EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW THAT THE NAME 'ZOT,' WHICH IS MALCHUT, WOULD DESTROY HIS LAND, HE DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

118. IT IS WRITTEN, "All the firstborn." "FIRSTBORN" IS THE ASPECT CHOCHMAH, AND "ALL THE FIRSTBORN" DENOTES THAT even upper and lower levels were broken in power - MEANING all those levels that rule by THE POWER OF their wisdom, WHICH IS THE WISDOM OF EGYPT as it is written, "ALL THE FIRSTBORN in the land of Egypt." All the upper and lower levels that were broken in power are all alluded to in the verse, "From the firstborn of Pharaoh that sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of cattle" (Shemot 11:5). So we see that they are all alluded to in the passage.

119. In brief, "From the firstborn of Pharaoh that sits on his throne," REFERS TO the power of the lowest Sfirah OF THE KLIPOT, WHICH RECEIVE from the upper Malchut. "Even to the firstborn of the maidservant," refers to the left Sfirah, which is under the power MENTIONED EARLIER, from behind four mills, which are the four legions OF THE KLIPOT. This is understood, because it is written, "behind the millstone," and not 'from the millstone.' "And all the firstborn of cattle," REFERS TO THOSE below the lower beings MENTIONED EARLIER. It is a female, of the females of donkeys, cattle and donkeys, large and small animals, WHICH ARE THE LEVELS OF IMPURITY. Males and females come out from them. "To the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon," MEANS those that descend from the maidservant, for with them, SORCERY is performed on the prisoners in order to enslave them forever and ensure they never go free.

120. Because they relied upon these levels, the Egyptians refused TO LET THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL GO, for they formed a knot OF SORCERY against Yisrael so they would never be able to leave their bondage. The strength and dominion of the Holy One, blessed be He, is seen in this, and this memory will never cease from Yisrael for generations and generations. If not for the strength and power of the Holy One, blessed be He, none the kings of the nations and all the sorcerers of the world would be able to deliver Yisrael from bondage. For He opened their bonds and smashed all these crowns OF THE FIRSTBORN OF THE CAPTIVE MENTIONED EARLIER in order to take them out TO FREEDOM. Referring to this, it is written, "Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For to You it is fitting. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdom, there is none like You" (Yirmeyah 10:7).

121. Rabbi Shimon wept, raised his voice and sighed. He said, There is an attachment formed. Have you thought HOW MUCH the Holy One, blessed be He, ATTACHED HIMSELF, AND praised HIMSELF SO many times FOR THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT? It is written, "Who brought you out of the Land of Egypt" (Devarim 5:6); "Hashem your Elohim brought you forth out of Egypt" (Devarim 16:1); "Hashem your Elohim brought you out from there" (Devarim 5:15); "I brought your hosts out" (Shemot 12:17); "Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt" (Shemot 13:3); "and brought you out, He Himself being present, with His mighty power out of Egypt" (Devarim 4:37); "Hashem brought you out from this place" (Shemot 13:3). THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT IS MENTIONED IN THE TORAH FIFTY TIMES.

122. HE ANSWERS, Yet we learned that there are ten crowns, MEANING SFIROT, below IN THE KLIPOT, as above IN HOLINESS. They are all blocked by the three KLIPOT we mentioned, NAMELY THE FIRSTBORN OF PHARAOH, THE FIRSTBORN OF THE MAIDSERVANT AND THE FIRSTBORN OF CATTLE. They formed three ties on these three levels, with which they caused that Yisrael would never leave their bondage.

123. Fortunate are you, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for the ties were untied for your sakes, and the Holy One, blessed be He, remembered your three ties of Faith. This is the meaning of, "And Elohim remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob" (Shemot 2:24). "With Abraham," is one tie of Abraham, "with Isaac," is the second tie of Isaac, and "with Jacob," is the third whole tie of Jacob.

124. We learned that every holiday, festival and Shabbat is in memory of this, THE EXODUS OUT OF EGYPT. They are all based on this and were it not for this, there would be no observance of the holidays, festivals and Shabbat. Therefore, the memory of Egypt has not ceased from all holidays, festivals and Shabbatot. Come and behold, this Judgment IN THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT is the foundation and source of the Torah and all the commandments and the complete Faith of the children of Yisrael. THEREFORE, THE EXODUS OUT OF EGYPT IS MENTIONED MANY TIMES IN THE TORAH.

125. Also regarding your question why the Judgment of Egypt did not occur by day, we learned that it is written, "This day you came out" (Shemot 13:4), and, "Hashem your Elohim brought you forth out of Egypt by night" (Devarim 16:1). But we learned that the redemption of the children of Yisrael was mainly by night, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT CALLED 'NIGHT,' for the night opened the ties and wreaked revenge, while the day brought them out with a high hand. This is the meaning of, "The children of Yisrael went out with a high hand in the sight of all Egypt. And Egypt was burying all their firstborn whom Hashem had smitten among them" (Bemidbar 33:3). This was in order to make the miracle famous.

126. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi came and prostrated before him, and kissed his hands. They wept and said, Upper and lower images raise their heads through your merit. The Holy One, blessed be He, made terrestrial Jerusalem, WHICH IS MALCHUT, in the likeness of celestial Jerusalem, WHICH IS BINAH. And He made the outer walls of the Holy City and its gates. One cannot enter until the gates are opened for him. One cannot ascend until the steps to the outer walls are prepared. Who can open the gates of the Holy City? And who can repair the steps to the outer walls? This is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who opens the gates of the secrets of Wisdom and repairs the upper levels. And it is written, "Every one of your males shall appear before the Master Hashem" (Shemot 34:23). Who is before the Master Hashem? This is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. For he who is a memory (Heb. zecher) of the remembrances, THAT IS, HE IS THE ASPECT OF THE MALE (HEB. ZACHAR) OF THE SUPERNAL MOCHIN THAT ARE CALLED 'REMEMBRANCES (HEB. ZICHRONOT),' WHICH ARE OF THE MOCHIN OF ABA AND IMA, has to appear before Him.

127. He said to them, Even now, I have still not finished ANSWERING your questions. For we learned, "And Hashem smote all the firstborn." "All the firstborn" is general; IT DOES NOT SAY 'THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT,' BECAUSE IT REFERS ALSO TO THE LEVELS THE EGYPTIANS WERE ATTACHED TO, WHICH ARE THE FOUR LEVELS OF THE KLIPOT, of which we spoke before. For everyone it was the same as for those that died, MEANING THAT WHATEVER WAS DONE TO THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT WHO DIED WAS LIKEWISE DONE TO THE LEVELS OF KLIPOT. Of those who tied the ties and used these crowns in their witchcraft, some employed the upper, and some the lower, and even though they were all lower, THEY ALSO EMPLOYED THE UPPER. And the whole land of Egypt was full of sorcery, as it is written, "For there was not a house where there was not one dead" (Shemot 12:30).

128. And Judgment was executed against them all. When they were all gathered in their homes, and were not scattered in the wilderness or in the field, the night, WHICH IS MALCHUT, executed its Judgments. And we learned that "the night shone just like the day" is the solstice of Tammuz, and the whole people saw the Judgments of the Holy One, blessed be He. This is the meaning of, "But the night shines like the day, the darkness and the light are both alike" (Tehilim 139:12).

129. When YISRAEL left, they were all found dead in the marketplace before everyone's sight. They wanted to bury them but could not find them, BECAUSE THE DOGS HAD EATEN THEM. HOWEVER, NOT ALL OF THEM WERE EATEN UP. SOME OF THEM DID REMAIN, OF WHOM IT IS SAID, "AND EGYPT WAS BURYING" (BEMIDBAR 33:4). This was the most difficult thing for them, as from one side they saw Yisrael leaving and from the other side they saw their dead. It was all in order to publicize the miracle, for there was nothing like it since the day the world was created.

130. Come and behold, it is written, "It is a night of (Heb. leil) watchfulness to Hashem for bringing them out...this is Hashem's watch night (Heb. lailah) for all the children of Yisrael" (Shemot 12:42). This passage is difficult. Since it says "leil," why does it say "watchfulness" using the plural suffix instead of the singular? MOREOVER, it is also written "lailah." Why does it first say "leil" and afterwards "lailah?"

131. HE ANSWERS, But this is what we learned. It is written, "If there is a virgin maiden (Heb. na'ara)" (Devarim 22:23). It is spelled "na'ara" without Hei. What is the reason thereof? Because as long as she does not accept a male, she is called "na'ara." After she receives a male, she is considered "na'arah." Also, MALCHUT IS CALLED "leil" before she receives a male, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. Even though it is written, "night of watchfulness" IN THE PLURAL, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT IT ALSO INCLUDES ZEIR ANPIN, IT IS because the male - WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN - was going to unite with her, BUT DID NOT YET. When the male united with her, it is written, "This is Hashem's watch night (plural)," WHICH INDICATE male and female, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT. Therefore, it is spelled "lailah" with Hei.

132. And wherever male and female are together, the praise is directed only to the male. The children of Yisrael also directed their praises to the male and not the female. This is the meaning of, "This (zeh masc.) is my El and I shall glorify Him" (Shemot 15:2). When both male and female are present, then the praise is directed only to the male. And this is what the children of Yisrael await, as it is written, "This (zeh) is Hashem; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" (Yeshayah 25:9). For He will do so for them, as it is written, "As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show him marvelous things" (Michah 7:15).

133. Such is this secret, as it is written here, "leil" and "lailah." So will the Holy One, blessed be He, do for them in the future, as it is written, "Watchman what is of the night (Heb. lailah), Watchman what is of the night (Heb. leil)" (Yeshayah 21:11). As there was watching and "leil" there, so here is also watching and "leil." As there was watching and "lailah" there, so here also is watching and "lailah."

134. It is called "lailah" because of the male THAT IS INCLUDED IN HER AS MENTIONED. This is as it is written, "The morning comes, and also the night" (Ibid. 12), WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, because morning MEANS as it is written, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning" (Beresheet 22:3). This is his own attribute, NAMELY CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CALLED 'MORNING.' It is written, "My voice shall you hear in the morning, O Hashem" (Tehilim 5:4), NAMELY ALSO the morning itself, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN IN THE ASPECT OF CHESED.

135. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were sitting. RABBI SHIMON was teaching them the secret of the Laws of Priests. They came back every day and sat before him. One day, Rabbi Shimon went out. They went with him until they reached a field and sat down.