59. Come and behold: it is written, "And when the people saw that Moses delayed" (Shemot 32:1). Who are "the people?" HE ANSWERS: They are the mixed multitude. And who was the mixed multitude? Were they Ludim and Kushim and Kaftorim and Togarmin, who are called mixed multitude? They were Egyptian and traveled from Egypt. And if they were a mixture of many nations, it should have stated so. "And a mixed multitude went up also with them" (Shemot 12:38) - LUDIM, KUSHIM, ETC., according to their mixture.

60. HE ANSWERS: But THE VERSE SAYS, "And a mixed multitude went up also with them," YET DOES NOT MENTION THE NAMES OF THE NATIONS because they were all of one nation and one language. But all the magicians and sorcerers of Egypt were there, as it is written: "And the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner..." (Shemot 7:11), because they wanted to stand up against the wonders of the Holy One, blessed be He, AND SHOW THAT THEY ALSO COULD DO AS HE DOES. But when they saw the miracles and wonders that Moses performed in Egypt, they returned to Moses. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: 'Do not accept them.' Moses said: 'Master of the universe, since they saw Your mighty deeds they want to convert. Let them see Your mighty deeds every day and then they will know that there is no Elohim except You.' And Moses accepted them.

61. HE ASKS: Why did he call them a mixed multitude? HE ANSWERS: Because all the magicians of Egypt were present, and at their head were Yunus and Yambrus. They practiced magic FROM THE SIXTH HOUR after sunrise. The greater magicians would start to perform their magic at six-and-a-half hours after sunrise, when the sun started TO SET, until the beginning of nine-and-a-half hours, namely the full setting of the sun, WHEN IT IS TIME FOR EARLY MINCHAH. But all the minor magicians WOULD PRACTICE MAGIC from nine-and-a-half hours until midnight.

62. The greater ones among them practiced from the time the sun started to set, because then nine hundred and ninety-five grades start to float over the Mountains of Darkness, and their spirit hovered over all these magicians in their magic. They were able to do whatever they desired, so much so that all the Egyptians placed their trust in them. They were called a mixed multitude (or: 'a great evening'), because there is also a small evening, which is before nine and a half. And since there are two kinds of evening, it says, "And a mixed multitude ('a great evening') went up also with them."

63. The wisdom OF THE MIXED MULTITUDE was great. They observed the hours of the day, and they observed the level of Moses and saw that on all sides Moses was of six, during the first six hours of daytime. They had no power over the six higher levels to which MOSES was connected. And in every direction he was of six (Heb. beshesh), THAT IS, HE WAS COMBINED OF SIX EXTREMITIES, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. And with these six crowns OF THE SIX HOURS OF THE DAY, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, AND YESOD, he was destined to descend from the mountain, as it is written: "Moses delayed (Heb. boshesh) to come down from the mountain" (Shemot 32:1).

64. Immediately: "the people gathered themselves together to Aaron" (Ibid.). HE ASKS: Why to Aaron? HE ANSWERS: in order to become included in the Right Side, BECAUSE THE LEFT EMERGES FROM THE RIGHT. But they actually wanted from him the Left, NOT THE RIGHT, in order to become included in the Right Side, MEANING HIS ROOT. Thus, they gathered to Aaron, WHO IS THE RIGHT, CHESED. And they said to him: "Rise up, make for us Elohim" (Ibid.).

65. Come and behold: the entire time Moses was in Egypt, he did not mention the name Elohim, just the Name Yud Hei Vav Hei. Therefore, Pharaoh was angry AND SAID: "I KNOW NOT HASHEM" (SHEMOT 5:2). The reason was not to empower the Other Side in this world, BECAUSE THE OTHER SIDE IS ALSO CALLED OTHER ELOHIM. Now THE MIXED MULTITUDE wanted that, NAMELY THE POWER OF THE LEFT, THAT IS CALLED 'ELOHIM'. And that is the meaning of: "Rise up, make for us Elohim." "Us" is exact, FOR THE MIXED MULTITUDE SAID THAT they needed this in order to strengthen their side that had been thrust aside until now, BECAUSE MOSES DID NOT MENTION THE NAME 'ELOHIM.'

66. "Which shall go before us" (Ibid.). HE ASKS: what did they mean by this? HE ANSWERS: This is what they meant. We saw that you, the children of Yisrael, have all that is good and precious in the world, but we are put aside. For you, "Hashem went before them by day" (Shemot 13:21). We too WANT THAT, Elohim to go before us, the same way Yud Hei Vav Hei goes before you. Our side also has the power to go before us if we summon it by an action, NAMELY, MAKING THE GOLDEN CALF.

67. Come and behold: all the clouds of glory that traveled in the wilderness covered the children of Yisrael alone. And that precious cloud about which it is written, "And Hashem went before them by day," went before them, but the mixed multitude and cattle and sheep and animals were traveling outside the camp, in the rear. Come and behold: all those forty years that Yisrael traveled in the wilderness, there was no dirt or dust within the place where the clouds were. Therefore, the sheep and cattle that ate grass were outside with all those who guarded them.

68. Rabbi Elazar said: Father, if so then the mixed multitude did not eat of the manna. He said to him: Certainly it is so, except what Yisrael gave them as one gives to his servant. And what did they eat? They ate the leftovers, whatever was left behind the millstones, the inferior quality. The Torah proclaims and says: "And the children of Yisrael did eat the manna (Heb. mah) for forty years" (Shemot 16:35), the children of Yisrael and no other. "And when the children of Yisrael saw it, they said... 'What (Heb. man) is it?'" (Ibid. 15), but not the mixed multitude, or the sheep and cattle that were among them.