The morning star
Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosi are traveling at dawn when they see two stars shooting cross the sky from opposite sides. After explaining that it is the time when the morning stars prepare to glorify God's Name, Rabbi Elazar proceeds to discuss the verse, "To the chief musician upon the morning star..." The "hind of the morning," we are told, indicates the time when the east lightens and the darkness of night disperses. An angel that oversees the east draws a thread of light from the south until the sun rises and illuminates the world. Then a black light comes to unite with the day, as the light of day (which signifies Zeir Anpin) draws the hind of the morning (which signifies the Nukva) to include it. David composed a psalm about this hind when it was separated from day after being included in it. Thus, we learn that the verse, "My El, my El, why have You forsaken me?" mourns the separation of the Nukva from Zeir Anpin.
In the opening few verses, our meditation draws threads of Light which crack the Klipot, the negative blockages in our soul, thus dispersing the darkness from our being along with the physical chaos in our lives. This super-radiant effect extends to the entire world as the Light shatters the darkness and overwhelms the evil that suffocates human existence. Next, King David, who is the personified will of our entire physical world, is called forth through the mysteries of these verses. He unites our world with paradise above, the source of all Light, commencing our ultimate destiny - eternal existence, song, merriment, joy, and bliss, as we bathe in the Light of the Creator.
159. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosi were walking on the road, and they left before the light of day. They saw a star flying on one side and another THAT WAS FLYING on another side. Rabbi Elazar said, The time has now arrived for the morning stars to praise their Master, and they are running, because of the fear and terror of their Master to praise and sing BEFORE HIM. This is what is written, "When the morning stars sang together and all the children of Elohim shouted for joy" (Iyov 38:7). Because all the stars together praise before Him.
159. ר' אֶלְעָזָר ור' יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, וּקְדִימוּ בִּנְהוֹרָא לְמֵיזָל. חָמוּ חַד כּוֹכָבָא דַּהֲוָה רָהִיט מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, וְכוֹכָבָא אַחֲרָא מִסִּטְרָא דָּא. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, הַשְׁתָּא מָטָא זִמְנָא דְּכוֹכְבֵי בֹּקֶר לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן, וְרַהֲטֵי מִדְּחִילוּ וְאֵימָתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, לְשַׁבְּחָא וּלְזַמְּרָא לֵיהּ, הה"ד, בְּרָן יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹּקֶר וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים. בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּיִחוּדָא חֲדָא קָא מְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ.
160. He opened the discussion saying: "To the chief musician upon Ayelet Hashachar ('the morning star' - lit. 'the hind of dawn'), a psalm of David" (Tehilim 22:1). 'The hind of dawn' MEANS when the east lights up and the darkness of night is dispersed, there is one overseer for the east side - WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN - that draws one thread of light from the south side, WHICH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN, until the sun rises, and cracks the windows of the firmament and illuminates the world. And the thread THAT IT DRAWS FROM THE SOUTH SIDE disperses the darkness of the night.
160. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד. אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר: דְּכָד נְהִירוּ אַנְפּוֹי דְּמִזְרָח, וְאִתְפַּרְשָׁא חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּלֵילְיָא, חַד מְמָנָא אִית לִסְטַר מִזְרָח, וּמָשִׁיךְ חַד חוּטָא דִּנְהִירוּ דִּסְטַר דָּרוֹם, עַד דְּאָתֵי וְנָפִיק שִׁמְשָׁא, וּבָקַע בְּאִינוּן כַּוֵּי רְקִיעָא, וְאַנְהִיר עָלְמָא, וְהַהוּא חוּטָא אַפְרִישׁ חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּלֵילְיָא.
161. Then comes the hind of dawn, MEANING THAT a black light comes - WHICH IS THE NUKVA IN THE SECRET OF THE HIND OF DAWN - to unite with the day, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and the day shines. The light of day includes and draws into it that hind, WHICH IS NUKVA. David composed a psalm about this hind, when she was separated from the day after she was already included in it, as is written, "To the chief musician upon the hind of dawn."
161. כְּדֵין אַיַּלְתָּא דְּשַׁחְרָא אָתֵי, וְאָתֵי נְהִירוּ אוֹכָמָא בְּקַדְרוּ, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בִּימָמָא, וְנָהִיר יְמָמָא. וּנְהִירוּ דִּימָמָא, כָּלִיל וְשָׁאִיב בְּגַוֵּיהּ, לְהַהוּא אַיַּלְתָּא וְעַל הַאי אַיַּלְתָּא, כַּד אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִיּוֹמָא, לְבָתַר דְּכָלִיל לָהּ, אָמַר דָּוִד שִׁירָתָא, דִּכְתִּיב לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר.
162. And DAVID said, "My El, my El, why have You forsaken me?" (Tehilim 22:2) because the hind of dawn, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, had separated from the light of day, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. THEREFORE, SHE HAD NOTHING TO BESTOW AND HAD LEFT HIM. While they were still walking, daylight appeared and the time for prayer arrived. Rabbi Elazar said, Let us pray and then go. They sat down and prayed, and afterwards they arose and went.
162. וּמָאי קָא אָמַר אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָּה עֲזַבְתָּנִי. דְּהָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ אַיַּלְתָּא דְּשַׁחְרָא, מִנְּהִירוּ דִּימָמָא. עַד דַּהֲווּ אַזְלֵי, נָהִיר יְמָמָא, וּמַטָּא עִידָן צְלוֹתָא, א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, נְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא וְנֵיזִיל, יָתְבוּ וְצַלּוּ. לְבָתַר קָמוּ וְאָזְלוּ.