- Zohar
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- Chapter 34
Mentioning the exodus from Egypt
Rabbi Shimon tells us that the upper and lower worlds could not be joined while the Shechinah was in exile. He speaks of the freedom of Malchut now united with Zeir Anpin. During the exile of the children of Yisrael the Shechinah always remained with them, but when she left the exile she asked God to redeem her four times (against the four exiles) so she would be free; she was thus redeemed four times by the Exodus. Therefore the four redemptions are repeated in the prayers, before and after "You have been the help of our fathers," to make them fortified and lasting. Lastly, Rabbi Shimon mentions the initiated who behold the holiness of their Master, saying that the mystery of surrendering the soul to one's Master is very important.
429. After THE MEDITATION OF SH'MA, there is a mystery of mentioning the Exodus from Egypt, since the Shechinah was in exile, and when She is in exile, there is no joining together the upper world, ZEIR ANPIN, and the lower world, MALCHUT. THEREFORE ONE NEEDS to demonstrate the freedom of that redemption FROM EGYPT carried out by several signs and miracles performed by the Holy One, blessed be He. This redemption ought to be mentioned and beheld, for though it occurred in exile, now it is free, since the day the bonds of Egypt were thrown open and several miracles were performed.
429. רָזָא לְאַדְכְּרָא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם לְבָתַר. בְּגִין דַּהֲוַות שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא, וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאִיהִי בְּגָלוּתָא, לָאו אִיהוּ חִבּוּרָא, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דָּא בְּדָא עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה בְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה, וּלְאַחֲזָאָה חֵירוּ דְּהַהִיא גְּאוּלָה, דַּהֲוַות בְּכַמָּה אָתִין, בְּכַמָּה נִסִּין דְּעֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאִצְטְרִיךְ הַהוּא פּוּרְקָנָא לְאִתְדַכְּרָא, וּלְאִתְחֲזָאָה דְּאַף עַל גַּב דַּהֲוַות בְּגָלוּתָא, הַשְׁתָּא חֵירוּ אִית לָהּ, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִינּוּן קִשְׁרִין בְּמִצְרַיִם אִשְׁתְּרִיאוּ, אִינּוּן אָתִין וְנִסִּין אִתְעָבִידוּ.
430. One ought to point at freedom OF MALCHUT, because she is united with her husband, ZEIR ANPIN; and also in order to bring nearer the uttering of the word redemption, YESOD, to the Amidah prayer, THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, so all will become one without separation or divorce, MEANING THAT MALCHUT IS DEVORCED IN EXILE FROM HER HUSBAND, ZEIR ANPIN. This is implied by "neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband" (Vayikra 21:7).
430. וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַחֲזָאָה חֵירוּ דִּילָהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּבַעְלָהּ וּבְגִין לְאַסְמְכָא גְּאוּלָה לִתְפִלָּה, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד בְּלָא פֵּרוּדָא, וְלָא לְאַחֲזָאָה תִּרוּכִין, וְסִימָנִיךְ וְאִשָּׁה גְּרוּשָׁה מֵאִישָׁהּ לֹא יִקְחוּ.
431. And you may say that she is in exile, and divorced FROM HER HUSBAND, ZEIR ANPIN. This is not so. She is in exile to dwell with Yisrael, FOR WHEREVER YISRAEL WERE EXILED, THE SHECHINAH IS WITH THEM, to protect them, but not put away BY ZEIR ANPIN. The Shechinah was not seen during the first Temple or the second Temple, WHEN YISRAEL SINNED, THEREFORE IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED AN EXILE, NOR SEPARATION. Before Yisrael went in exile, IF THEY SINNED, the Shechinah went up, and afterwards, WHEN THEY WENT IN EXILE, SHE DID NOT MOUNT UP, BUT Her abode was with Yisrael. But never was there separation.
431. וְאִי תֵּימָא, וְהָא בְּגָלוּתָא אִיהִי, וְהָא אִתְתַּרְכַת, לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי בְּגָלוּתָא אִיהִי, לְדַיְּירָא עִמְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְאַגָּנָא עָלַיְיהוּ, אֲבָל לָא אִתְתַּרְכַת. וְהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אִתְחָזֵי בְּבַיִת רִאשׁוֹן וּבְבֵית שֵׁנִי. עַד דְּלָא גָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל סַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וּלְבָתַר אִיהִי שָׁוִיאַת מָדוֹרָה עִמְּהוֹן. אֲבָל תִּרוּכִין לָא הֲוַות לְעָלְמִין.
432. For that reason we must display redemption, which enfolds four redemptions. The secret thereof is that when the Shechinah left the exile in Egypt, She asked the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem Her four times, four redemptions, against the four exiles, so She would be free and no longer put away. THEREFORE at the time OF THE REDEMPTION FROM EGYPT, She was redeemed four redemptions, by the Exodus. TO WIT, WHEN RECEIVING MOCHIN OF THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT, THE SHECHINAH WAS REDEEMED FROM ALL FOUR KINGDOMS, THAT IS, FROM ALL THE EXILES UP TO THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, IN A WAY THAT SHE WOULD NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED AS SEPARATED FROM HER HUSBAND ZEIR ANPIN. And now that the Shechinah needs to be prepared to be united with Her husband ZEIR ANPIN, we have to display that redemption from Egypt, that enfolds four redemptions. AND WITH THE AWAKENING OF MOCHIN OF THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT, SHE IS PREPARED TO BE UNITED WITH HER HUSBAND, BECAUSE THERE IS FREEDOM FROM ALL THE FOUR KINGDOMS.
432. וּבג"ד בָּעֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה פּוּרְקָנָא, דְּאִית בָּה אַרְבַּע גְאוּלוֹת. וְרָזָא הָכָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָפְקָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מִגָּלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם, תַּבְעַת מְקּוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּיִפְרוֹק לָהּ הַשְׁתָּא ד' זִמְנִין, דְּאִינּוּן ד' גְאוּלוֹת, לָקֳבֵל אַרְבַּע גָּלִיוֹת. בְּגִין דִּתְהֵא בַּת חוֹרִין, וְלָא תְּהֵא מִתְתַּרְכָא. וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא קַיְּימָא וְאִתְפָּרְקַת אַרְבַּע גְאוּלוֹת, בְּהַהִיא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם. וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּאִצְטְרִיכַת בְּתִקּוּנָהָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּבַעְלָהּ, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַחֲזָאָה הַהִיא גְּאוּלַת מִצְרַיִם, דְּאִית בָּה אַרְבַּע גְאוּלוֹת.
433. Therefore we mention that redemption four times: true, true, true, true, until the passage "You have been the help of our fathers," AGAINST THE FOUR REDEMPTIONS, for they are help and support for all Yisrael. And from "THE HELP OF OUR FATHERS" there are four more 'true', REPEATED, so the four redemptions would be fortified and lasting, sealed by the signet of the King. Therefore the four redemptions are repeated.
433. וְעַל דָּא אִית לְאַדְכְּרָא בְּהַהִיא גְּאוּלָה, ד' זִמְנִין אֱמֶת. אֱמֶת. אֱמֶת. אֱמֶת. עַד עֶזְרַת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ. דְּדָא הוּא עֶזְרָה וְסֶמֶךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ. וּמִתַּמָּן וּלְהָלְאָה אַרְבַּע זִמְנִין אַחֲרָנִין, אֱמֶת, אֱמֶת, אֱמֶת, אֱמֶת. לְמֶהֱוֵי אַרְבַּע גְאוּלוֹת אִלֵּין בְּקִיּוּמָא תַּקִּיף, בְּחוֹתָמָא תַּקִּיף דְּגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְּמַלְכָּא. ד' גְאוּלוֹת כְּפוּלִין בְּקִיּוּמָא.
434. All FOUR REDEMPTIONS concern the Exodus from Egypt, because were there not four redemptions in that exodus from Egypt, She would not be able to unite, together in her decorations WITH ZEIR ANPIN, whenever there is an exile, for the unification of the Holy Name. Therefore one should mention the redemption from Egypt always, in every sanctification (Heb. kedusha) of the Holy One, blessed be He. Blessed be His name for ever and ever.
434. וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּהַהִיא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, דְּאִילּוּ לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ אִינּוּן ד' גְאוּלוֹת בְּהַהִיא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּלִהֱוֵי גָּלוּתָא, לָא אִתְחַבְּרַת בְּתִקּוּנָהָא לְאִתְיַיחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. וְע"ד אִית לְאַדְכְּרָא גְּאוּלָה דְּמִצְרַיִם תָּדִיר, בְכָל קִדּוּשִׁין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּרִיךְ שְׁמֵיהּ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּיא.
435. This is the mystery of sanctification, THAT IS, HOLY HOLY HOLY, THAT WE SAY. We explained that during sanctification, everything is sanctified above and below, THE ANGELS AND YISRAEL, and all the grades and the Chariots, upper and lower. We already explained its high mysteries to the initiated who behold the holiness of their Master, happy is their portion.
435. רָזָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה הָא אוֹקִימְנָא, דְּהָא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה מִתְקַדְּשֵׁי כֹּלָּא, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, וְכָל דַּרְגִּין, וְכָל רְתִיכִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְקַדְּשֵׁי בִּקְדוּשָׁתָא דָּא. וּבִקְדוּשָּׁה דָּא, אוֹקִימְנָא רָזִין עִלָּאִין, לְאִינּוּן מָארֵי רָזִין דְּמִסְתַּכְּלִין בִּקְדוּשָּׁה דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן.
436. The mystery of surrendering the soul to one's Master, that you expounded upon is very well. Friends, happy is your portion, and happy are my eyes to behold, while still alive, holy matters awakened in this world, written above before the Holy King.
436. רָזָא לְמִמְסַר נַפְשָׁא לְמָארֵיהּ, שַׁפִּיר אִיהוּ, דְּקָא אֲמַרְתּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן, וְזַכָּאִין עֵינַי דְּחָמוּ כַּךְ, דְּזָכֵינָא בְּחַיֵּי, דְּמִתְעָרִין מִלִּין קַדִּישִׁין אִלֵּין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ כְּתִיבֵי לְעֵילָּא קַמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא.