1. Regarding washing the hands in the morning upon awakening from sleep. This can be understood according to the Rebbe z"l's teaching in Likutei Moharan 250 regarding the necromancer who answered the question (Berakhot 59b) "What is an earthquake?" by saying "When Hashem recalls His children who are in distress among the nations, He sheds two tears into the great sea, and the sound reverberates through the world. See there. The essence of all of the tribulations that befall mankind, G-d forbid, is only from a lack of da'at/knowledge. He who has da'at and knows that everything is divine providence from Hashem Yisbarach has no tribulations and does not feel any suffering, etc. The essence of the Jewish people's pain in exile is only because they fell from da'at and attributed things to nature and fortune, G-d forbid {Note: R' Nassan means here that instead of believing that everything is determined by Hashem, we have relied upon the natural sciences}. Because of this they {we} have sadness/pain. And this is because we have dwelt among the gentiles and learned from them, etc. In truth, the Jewish people are above nature, only when they sin, G-d forbid, then, etc. {This sentence is unfinished}. When Hashem wants to save the Jewish people from their exile, he then bestows upon them divine providence from the ends of the earth. In the future, nature will be nullified completely and there will be nothing except divine providence alone, as it is written (Isaiah 51:6) "for the heavens shall vanish like smoke", etc. In other words, nature - which depends upon the arrangement of the constellations - will be no more, etc. Then the Jewish people will be above {nature}. Therefore even now, when Hashem Yisbarach wants to bring down the gentiles and lift up the Jewish people above, He evokes divine providence upon them from the ends of the earth, so then there will be nothing but providence. Because of this divine providence, Israel is elevated and makes, etc. See there very well. And this is 'G-d recalls', see there.
2. And when da'at disappears, as seen above - in other words, no one knows, G-d forbid - that everything {in the world} runs only on the providence of Hashem Yisbarach, and {they} believe that things take their natural course, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of sleep, which is the absence of da'at, the aspect of night and darkness. The essence of the light of day is the aspect of da'at, as shown. In other words, light is only {from} Hashen Yisbarach, so to speak, in the aspect of (Psalms 27:1) "The Lord is my light and my salvation", corresponding to (Psalms 118:27) "The Lord is G-d, and He gave us light". This is the essence of the sun's light, the aspect of (Psalms 84:12) "For a sun and a shield is the Lord G-d". In other words, when one knows that Hashem Yisbarach rules the world only with providence, this is the essence of light. For the essence of light, in every place where light is found, like the light of the sun and similar {places}, is only the Light of Hashem Yisbarach, so to speak, that illuminates us, as explained above. When we fall, G-d forbid, from this knowledge and we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the absence of light. Then it corresponds to night and darkness, G-d forbid. And this is the aspect of (Isaiah 13:10) "the sun has become dark in its going forth", etc., the aspect of (Joel 2:10) "the sun and moon darken", etc. and other similar verses like these. All of them were said regarding the time of the exile; in other words, because in exile it seems like the light of the sun has darkened because the exile is similar to night, as explained by Rashi. In other words, in the time of the exile, which is evoked only because we attributed things to nature, G-d forbid. Then 'the sun has become dark in its going forth' because immediately when we relied on nature, G-d forbid, then the light escaped from the sun, as if the sun actually darkened. For in reality, the sun has no light at all except from Hashem Yisbarach, as explained above. Therefore the exile resembles night and darkness. For the essence of the exile is only because we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid. The it is the aspect of night and darkness, the disappearance of the light, as explained above. This corresponds to sleep, the disappearance of da'at to know that everything is divine providence, which is the essence of the light, etc., as explained above. Therefore, at the time of sleep, the forces of evil descend upon a person, and the essence is on the hands, as is written in the Holy Zohar (Vayeshev 184b). For the essence of the Other Side is the aspect of the gentiles as is known, who draw nourishment only from the aspect of heresies, which is the essence of the Evil Inclination, which is called 'going after atheism', as is brought; in other words, they attribute {everything} to nature, as explained above. Then the aspect of the gentiles increases, the aspect of power of the exile which resembles night and sleep and which they absorbed from the aspect of the strengthening of nature, as explained above. This is the aspect of the spirit of impurity which rests upon a person {at night}. Therefore, the essence of the rectification of sleep in holiness is through faith, as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu, z"l (Likutei Moharan 35). In other words, when da'at disappears, corresponding to sleep, when man sees that his knowledge is confused and is not perfect, and he is not able to ascertain and to understand that everything is by divine providence from Hashem Yisbarach alone, as it is now in exile amidst the gentiles who resemble night and darkness, and when the knowledge of natural science has increased, G-d forbid - then it is incumbent upon every Jew to cast out and to remove his knowledge completely and to strengthen himself in faith alone, to believe with perfect faith that everything is only through divine providence alone and there is no nature in the world at all. This is the aspect of rectifying sleep through faith. In other words, at the time of sleep, as explained above one must enter into the midst of the aspect of faith, to rely on faith alone after his da'at has fled, just as now in the exile. We must always strengthen ourselves in faith alone, since now we have not elevated da'at perfectly to know that everything is done with divine providence. Therefore, one must clear his mind and rely only on faith alone, in the aspect of (Psalms 92:3) "and Your faith at night". And since at night, at the time of sleep, the disappearance of knowledge strengthens the knowledge of natural science, G-d forbid, which is the aspect of darkness, as explained above, in the aspect of (Genesis 15:12) "and a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness...", etc. This is demonstrated by the power of the exile. In other words, at the time of sleep, and deep sleep, the disappearance of da'at strengthens the power of the exile, from which they nourished, in the aspect of the strengthening of natural science, as explained above. And this is why a spirit of impurity rests upon a person at the time of sleep, as explained above. Therefore, as soon as one awakens from sleep one must wash his hands with water, because the spirit of impurity rests mainly upon the hands, as it is written in the Holy Zohar. For the hands corresponds to heaven, שָׁמַיִם - fire and water, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, on the right side and left side, corresponding to (Deuteronomy 32:40) "For I raise up My hand to heaven" as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu in another place (Likutei Moharan 56). This is the aspect of the grasp of the Other Side, the aspect of natural science, the aspect of hands, for they attribute causes to the arrangement of constellations, which corresponds to 'hands'. Therefore the essence of the strengthening of the Other Side is at the time of sleep, which corresponds to nature and is with the hands specifically, as explained above. Because the hands have 28 phalanges which correspond to the 28 letters of the act of creation, through which the heavens and the earth were created, in the aspect of (Isaiah 48:13) "Even My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens". And therefore the main way to subdue the forces of evil, represented by the gentiles of the world, the aspect of natural science through which they are strengthened, as explained above, the aspect of their submission is only through the hands of holiness, when one merits to elevate them to da'at. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:11) "It came to pass that when Moses would raise his hand, Israel would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail", etc. which was said regarding the war with Amalek. Because Amalek is in general all of the gentiles and the other side, in the aspect of “Amalek was the first of the nations“ (Numbers 24: 20). And Amalek was the essence of atheism and completely attributed everything to nature, G-d forbid. They would discern the hours based on their astrology as is brought in the explanation of Rashi and as shown in the words of Rabbeinu z"l. Therefore, the essence of their subjugation is through the raising of the hands. The raising of the hands, the 28 phalanges that are in the hands, to the head, in the aspect of (Psalms 134:2) "Lift your hands in the holy place". In other words, when the hands, with their 28 phalanges, are raised to da'at to know that all is divine providence, because Hashem Yisbarach created everything through the 28 letters of מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, as explained above. And then they are elevated - the aspect of heaven, because they are also the aspect of the hands, as explained above - to their root which is in knowledge, in the aspect of the 28 letters, as seen above. Because everything was created by G-d with the 28 letters and He gives life and established the heavens and all of their hosts and the land etc. through His divine providence alone and there is absolutely no nature or influence of the arrangements of the constellations at all. And then Amalek and the Other Side are subdued, as seen above. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:12) "so he was with his hands in faith until sunset". The essence of the subjugation of Amalek is through faith in divine providence which is drawn down through raising the hands, as explained above. Therefore at the time of sleep da'at disappears, for then nature is strengthened, G-d forbid. This is the root of the Other Side that is on a person. Therefore the essence of its grasp is with the hands, as seen above. Then, immediately after one wakes from sleep one must wash his hands with water with corresponds to the waters of da'at, the waters of Chesed/Loving-kindness, the aspect of (Isaiah 11:9) "for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water covers the sea bed". In other words, through the washing one brings down the purifying waters of the waters of knowledge, in the aspect of "The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge like water covers the sea bed". Then everyone will know that everything is only through divine providence alone, for {the concept of} nature will be nullified completely. And even now, at any time when one needs salvation and purification, to be saved from the midst of the Other Side, which is nourished from the aspect of the knowledge of nature, one draws down divine providence from the ends of the earth, as explained above in the lesson, as seem above. This corresponds to the water of washing the hands, which draws down the waters of knowledge from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of 'The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge', etc. This is the aspect of Mikveh, which corresponds to the World of the Future (because Mikveh, מִקְוֶה, in Gematria is 151, corresponding to Binah, the World of the Future, as is brought). This corresponds to (Jeremiah 14:8) "O hope, ,מִקְוֶה of Israel, his Savior at time of trouble". Because all of the troubles and tribulations are only due to the lack of knowledge, in the aspect of the knowledge of nature, as explained above. In other words, they do not know, G-d forbid, that everything is divine providence, etc. This is the essence of the impurity, as seen above. Therefore the salvation from the trouble and the purification from the impurity is through Mikveh, which is the aspect of 'the World of the Future', the aspect of the waters of wisdom, the aspect of 'for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water', etc. Through entering the mikveh and occluding the eyes it blocks out the world and one ignores {the world} and covers himself there in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the waters of knowledge, the aspect of 'the Future World'. Through this one is included within the aspect of da'at, in the aspect of providence for he covers his eyes to the world which strengthens the errors of the wisdom of nature, from whence comes all trouble and impurities. Through this the eyes are damaged, whose root and vitality are from the aspect of the Eyes of G-d, which are the aspect of divine providence, as is understood in the lesson above. And when one falls from da'at and believes that there is nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the damaging of the eyes and from this come all the troubles, etc., as seen above. Therefore one must cover his eyes completely from what goes on in this world and to lose himself and be included in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the knowledge of the World of the Future. For then the divine providence will be revealed and nature will disappear completely. And through this divine providence will be drawn down from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of mikveh. And through this salvation will come to him, for everything that he needs, the aspect of 'Hashem is the hope of Israel, his Savior in times of trouble', etc. This is the aspect of the washing of the hands in the morning, which draws down purified water which comes from the aspect of mikveh. Through this he purifies his hands, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, the aspect of the 28 letters of the act of creation. The essence of the defect of the aspect of the knowledge of nature, which is strengthened through sleep at night, and darkness afflicts them specifically, as seen above. For through the knowledge of nature the 28 letters are flawed, as seen above, and one associates with the order of the universe, G-d forbid, as seen above. This is the aspect of impurity which takes hold in the hands specifically at the time when da'at flees; in other words, at the time of sleep, as seen above. Therefore, we purify them through the waters of knowledge drawn down from the aspect of 'the World of the Future', etc., as explained above.
Therefore, before washing the hands in the morning, it is forbidden to touch the 7 openings in the head - the two eyes, two nostrils, the mouth and the two ears (Shulchan Aruch Siman 4 Seif 3). These seven openings are the aspect of da'at, as Rabbeinu z"l brought in a different place (Likutei Moharan 21). These 7 orifices of the head are the aspect of (Zechariah 4:10) "these, sevenfold; the eyes of the Lord are roving to and fro throughout all the earth". This corresponds to da'at and divine providence. Therefore it is forbidden to touch them with the hands prior to washing, in order to not blemish the holy knowledge of the aspect of divine providence through the impurity the knowledge of the natural sciences which take hold of the hands during sleep, as explained above. Therefore the essence of the power of the knowledge of nature which relies solely on the arrangement of the constellations in the sky is at night. It is thus called 'star-gazing', because natural science corresponds to night and darkness. For the essence of light is solely the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach, as explained above.
Therefore one must rise at midnight to break sleep, to break the aspect of darkness and night, which is the aspect of the exile, which resembles the night; in other words, the knowledge of natural science from which is the essence of the exile and the darkness, as explained above. Every Jew must awaken from sleep at midnight in order to break and nullify the knowledge of nature through breaking the sleep, etc., as explained above. Then, when one rises at midnight, one mourns over the exile which drove Israel from our land. For the essence of the exile is through the knowledge of natural science, which corresponds to night and sleep, as explained above. Therefore, that is the time to rectify this.
Therefore, the first redemption, which is the Exodus from Egypt, which includes all of the redemptions - because all of the redeemed are referred to by the name 'Egypt' as Rabbeinu z"l wrote in another place in Likutei Moharan 4. Therefore, the beginning of the redemption was in the middle of the night as it is written (Exodus 11:4) "Around midnight I will go out into Egypt". Because the essence of all the redemptions, especially the redemption from Egypt, came about through the aspect as seen above which was written in the lesson above. This was accomplished by means of divine providence which G-d drew down from the end of the earth, from the future world. At the time of the Exodus from Egypt, there was an upheaval in the constellations and then an overturning of nature, for G-d then revealed His divine providence through His awesome miracles and His overturning nature. All of this took place through the world of the future, for it came through the Yovel (Zohar I 21b, II 41b, 46b) which corresponds to the 50 gates of Binah, which corresponds to the world of the future. (Tikunei Zohar 79b). And therefore the redemption was specifically at midnight; in other words it broke the night and the darkness which are the aspect of the wisdom of nature, and it revealed divine providence in the world. Through this was the main essence of the revelation, as explained above. And this is the aspect of (Id.) “Every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, and G-d will pass over… And save the Israelites' first born”. Because the first born is first, the aspect of knowledge, the aspect of (Proverbs 1:7) “First thing, knowledge”. In other words, the knowledge of the Other Side, which is the aspect of natural sciences, was subdued, and the knowledge of holiness, the knowledge of divine providence, the aspect of "my firstborn, Israel" (Exodus 4:22) - which is the knowledge of faith in divine providence, from which the holy offspring of the Jewish people are drawn-was increased. The Jewish people are above nature, for they are rooted in "Look to the heavens and count the stars". G-d told him this will be your offspring (Genesis 15:5), upon which our sages comment G-d lifted Abraham above the heavens (Genesis Rabbah, there). Therefore, the Jewish people are above nature, for according to nature, according to the arrangement of the constellations, Abraham should not have been able to have any children. It was only because G-d said to him "let go of your astrology", and raised him above the heavens, that he was able to have a child, as in 'that will be your offspring'. Therefore Jewish offspring are drawn from its root from beyond nature, which is represented by 'My firstborn, Israel'. Because G-d struck the Egyptian first born at midnight to subdue and break the knowledge of natural sciences, and to intensify the knowledge of divine providence, the aspect of the firstborn of Israel, as explained above.
This is the aspect of "And he divided himself against them" (Genesis 14:15) which is said about Abraham at the time he chased after the kings. For Abraham revealed G-d's blessed providence in the world. Therefore, the essence of the fulfillment of the generations of the heavens and earth is through Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 2:4) "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, בְּהִבָּרְאָם - meaning, through Abraham בְּאַבְרָהָם (Genesis Rabbah 2:4). Abraham revealed His blessed providence to the world; for the essence of the existence of the world is through this. Therefore, Abraham had the power to divide the night, in other words to break the night, which is the aspect of nullification of nature, the aspect of rising at midnight, as explained above. Then {Abraham} overpowered the four kings, which are the aspect of the four Malchuyot, as brought. The essence of their subjugation is through the nullification of nature, as explained above. Therefore, because he erred {by saying} what was written there (Genesis 15:8) "how will I know that I will inherit it?", the exile was decreed because of this, for it was a blemish in knowledge, which is the aspect of divine providence. The essence of knowledge is the aspect of divine providence. And divine providence, this is the aspect of the Land of Israel, the aspect of (Deuteronomy 11:12) "the eyes of Lord your God are always upon it", as Rebbe Nachman wrote in another place. Therefore, because he blemished the da'at/knowledge and blemished the Land of Israel, which is the aspect of divine providence, (Genesis 15:12) "a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness was falling upon him". Because he saw the strength of the exile, which is the aspect of 'a deep sleep', the aspect of darkness, the essence of their subjugation through the natural sciences, through the blemishing of divine providence, as explained above.
This is the aspect of eating Matzah and the prohibition of Chametz. Matzah is the aspect of Da'at/knowledge, the aspect of the greatness of the mentalities, the aspect of divine providence, which is the essence of da'at. Chametz (unleavened bread) corresponds to the lesser mentalities, the aspect of "Elokim", the aspect of judgments, as is brought in the Kavanot. This corresponds to the knowledge of natural science, which is the source of judgments and problems, G-d forbid, as explained above. "Nature" in Gematria equals "Elokim", as is brought. From here is where judgments take hold, as explained above. Because Chametz corresponds to (Psalms 73:21) "For my heart was in ferment, יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי", etc. This is said about the problems that fall upon a person due by the command of Hashem Yisbarach. This is the aspect of the knowledge of nature, from where all of the atheism and problems stem. Matzah, however, corresponds to da'at, as explained above. It is called Matzah because they left in haste and there was not sufficient time for the dough from our fathers to leaven, until the The King of Kings, the Holy One Blessed Be He revealed Himself to them and redeemed them, as it is said (Exodus 12:39) "They baked the dough that they had taken out of Egypt as unleavened cakes, for it had not leavened, for they were driven out of Egypt, and they could not tarry, and also, they had not made provisions for themselves". They had faith in the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach and therefore they did not prepare any provisions, and we find they left in haste. Matzah is the knowledge of the faith of divine providence, which is the essence of the Greater knowledge, whereby a person merits the revelation of G-dliness, to see and know that everything is (by) the divine providence of Hashem alone. This is the aspect of 'haste', for 'haste' is the aspect of 'higher than time', which leaps over the end, and took them out with great haste, without any time except for a moment. And in a short while they came to Sukkot from Ra'amses and 600,000 people gathered together in a light hour, from all of the land of Egypt, as Rashi explains on the verse (Exodus 19:4) "I bore you on eagles' wings". All of this is the aspect of 'above time'; in other words, they were elevated beyond time. This is the aspect of divine providence which is above nature, above time. Through this they went out without any time, without any preparation - solely in a short while. The essence of the redemption was through the revelation of divine providence which is above time, the aspect of 'haste'. For haste is the aspect of quickness which is a very good trait, the aspect of faith, the aspect of nullification of the sleep that comes about through laziness, the aspect of (Proverbs 19:15) "Laziness causes one to fall into a deep sleep, and a deceitful soul shall suffer hunger", and as brought in the words of our Rabbi (Rebbe Nachman) in another place that quickness is the aspect of faith, see there. And this is the aspect of remembrance, the aspect of (Exodus 13:3) "Remember this day, when you went out of Egypt", etc., and as is written (Deuteronomy 16:3) "you shall remember the day when you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life", etc., and as seen in the words of Rabbeinu at the end of the lesson "And these are the judgments" (Likutei Moharan 7) that remembrance is the aspect of faith. The essence of forgetting is from the aspect of time, etc. And when you know and truly believe that everything operates solely by the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach alone, which is above time, then one need not worry about the aspect of forgetting at all, etc., see there and understand. This is the aspect of remembrance which is said about the Exodus from Egypt, the aspect of 'Remember the day', etc., 'so that you may remember', etc. For with the Exodus from Egypt His Blessed divine providence was revealed, as explained above. This is the aspect of remembrance which is above time, above nature, the aspect of 'haste', the aspect of 'quickness' which is the lifeforce of the mentalities and knowledge. The essence of their existence/fulfillment is when you know and believe in divine providence. And this is the aspect of Matzah made in haste, etc., etc., as explained above.
And this is the aspect of Shabbat HaGadol, which is the name of the Shabbat before Passover, on account of the miracle, etc. The essence of the miracles and wonders that took place during the Exodus from Egypt - which crumbled the battles and nullified nature and revealed His Blessed Providence to the world - all of it was drawn from the aspect of Shabbat, which is the Future World which is totally Shabbat. From there, Hashem Yisbarach drew, so to speak, divine providence from the ends of the earth, etc., corresponding to (Ezekiel 7:2) "an end! The end has come", etc., as is brought there in the lesson as seen above. The essence of the Exodus from Egypt is drawn from Shabbat, which is the aspect of the World to Come. Therefore, Pesach is also called Shabbat, as it is written (Leviticus 23:15) "And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day"; in other words, Pesach, which our Sages of Blessed Memory said (Menachos 65b) that the essence of the power of the miracle of Passover is drawn from Shabbat, as explained above. This is the aspect of the Shabbat that is before Passover, which is called Shabbat HaGadol because of the miracle. For all of the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt were drawn from the aspect of Shabbat, as explained above. Therefore it is called "Gadol" because of the miracles which were called the aspect of Gadol (great), as it is written (II Kings 8:4) "Please tell me all the great things that Elisha performed". As Rabbeinu z"l wrote there in the lesson as seen above, 'And 2 tears went down into the great sea', see there.
This corresponds to (Pesachim 2a) "On the evening [אוֹר] of the fourteenth of the month of Nisan, one searches for leavened bread in his home by candlelight", and the Tanna read אוֹר as evening, employing a euphemism, etc. The essence of the search for Chametz and its burning is the aspect of elimination, the aspect of the nature from the world, which corresponds to Chametz, as explained above. When nature is nullified and providence is revealed, this is the aspect of nullification of the darkness and the night, as explained above. They are the aspect of the power of the exile which is drawn from the aspect of knowledge of natural science, as explained above. For when His Blessed Divine Providence is revealed in the world, then there is no darkness there at all. The essence of light is Hashem Yisbarach, so to speak, as explained above. Then, night is illuminated like the day, etc. As it is written (Psalms 139:12) "Even darkness will not obscure [anything] from You, and the night will light up like day", as it will be in the future, as it is written (Zechariah 14:7) "and it shall come to pass that at eventide it shall be light", as we request (Passover Haggadah ) "illuminate like the light of the day, the darkness of the night". The essence of the darkness of night is from the knowledge of natural science, which is the essence of darkness, while faith in divine providence is the essence of light, as explained above. Therefore, the night of searching for Chametz nullifies nature, as the Tanna was using a euphemism regarding the nullification of nature, which is the aspect of Chametz which was searched for on that night. By this, night corresponds to day, the aspect of (Psalms 139:12) "and the night will light up like day", etc., as explained above. And therefore the Tanna called that night 'light', אוֹר.
1. This corresponds to “a night of guarding” (Exodus 12:42) - of guarding from harmful powers. Yalkut Shimoni II 210. These harmful powers correspond to natural sciences, to judgments, to the nations which harm the world. Then, on the night of the exodus from Egypt, when nature was eliminated specifically at night in order to break and eliminate the power of night, corresponding to natural sciences, therefore that night was guarded from all harm for powers, from all judgments, since providence was revealed, through which all harm and all judgments are eliminated.
1. This corresponds to the filling of the moon, as in, "the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, like the light of the seven days of creation" (Isaiah 30:26), which will take place in the future, when divine providence will be revealed in the world. The darkness of night will then be eliminated and the moon will be filled of it’s waning, for the waning of the moon corresponds to the darkness of night, to natural sciences, which are attached to it since their main power is from the waning of the moon as is known. In the future though, the moon will be filled and darkness will be eliminated, for nature itself will be eliminated and Providence will be revealed. And then 'the night will be as bright as the day', corresponding to, 'the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun'. Therefore, the commandment to sanctify each new month is the first commandment given to the Jews in Egypt during the redemption, for the essence of redemption is the elimination of nature, corresponding to the filling of the moon, which corresponds to the sanctification of the month.
This corresponds to "elimination of leaven is only by burning" (Pesachim 5b). For, "they emerged from fire and fire will consume them". (Ezekiel 15:7). Providence in nature corresponds to day and night, light and darkness, as said, and also corresponds to luminaries of light and luminaries fire. Luminaries of fire dominate when the luminaries of light disappear, which is at night and in darkness. For, 'they emerged from fire and fire will consume them'. Ezekiel 15:7. Providence in nature corresponds to day and night, light and darkness, as said, and also corresponds to luminaries of light and luminaries of fire. Luminaries of fire dominate when the luminaries of light disappear, which is at night and in darkness. See LM I 67. Fire corresponds to the intensity of judgment that is drawn from nature, which is why G-d created fire after the Sabbath, through Adam, as our sages said (Pesachim 54a). This alludes to nature, in that providence disappeared. Nature corresponds to (Deuteronomy 8:17), "my power and the make of my hand have accomplished", like fire, which was created by a human act. Therefore nature is most strongly attached to fire, which represents the intensity of judgment. And therefore we recite the havdalah after Shabbat over fire. Because this is the essence of differentiation and separation. The power of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is mainly from the power of nature, which corresponds to fire, and by our reciting the havdalah over fire, we thereby separate the good and subdue the bad that is attached to the fire as nature, and then the fire itself is transformed into holy nature. For the truth is that even nature is Providence, since G-d himself guides nature as He wills, and when we believe and know that everything is Providence, and even nature becomes Providence, and then even fire is sacred. This is represented in 'who creates the luminaries a fire', which we recite after the Sabbath during havdalah, declaring that we believe everything to be from G-d and that fire is an aspect of the nature that G-d himself created, for nature is Providence. Then, everything is sacred, representing the rectification of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Specifically through this, evil falls away, as in, 'they emerged from fire and fire will consume them', for its main power is from fire, from nature, and when it becomes evident that even fire, nature, is also from G-d this itself subdues it. This corresponds to burning leaven with fire, for divine providence has been revealed, and then we know that everything is from G-d, and that even nature, represented by fire, was created by G-d alone. Then leaven, representing natural sciences, corresponding to the power of the nations, is subdued and eliminated specifically by its own source, by fire, for 'they emerge from fire and fire will consume them'.
Therefore leaven is permissible throughout the year, and only on Passover must we eat unleavened bread, while leaven is very strictly forbidden, even in the minutest amount. This is because on Passover, which represents the Exodus from Egypt, we must eat only unleavened bread, representing Providence, while leaven, which represents nature, we must completely eliminate so that it will not be seen or found in our homes. For the truth is that nature itself is also divine providence, but since pharaoh and the Egyptians greatly overpowered us and denied G-d by saying (Exodus 5:2) "who is G-d?", therefore it is impossible to take leave of Egypt other than by means of a very great revelation of providence. Therefore, during the Exodus, G-d revealed His providence with a very great revelation, performing for us awesome wonders. For this reason, we must eat on Passover only unleavened bread, which corresponds to Providence and not leaven, which corresponds to nature. On account of the intensity of the exile in Egypt, which comprised all the exiles, it is impossible to take leave of it other than by a revelation of Providence alone. Nature though, represented by leaven, must be completely eliminated, not to be seen or found. Nature would have empowered the Egyptians and then, due to their great power over the Israelites at the time, it would have been impossible to leave. For this reason, we must eat on Passover only unleavened bread, which corresponds to Providence and not leaven, which corresponds to nature. But since for seven days we eat unleavened bread, corresponding to Providence, we can then eat leaven throughout the year. Once we have already left Egypt and the knowledge of providence has been revealed by having eaten unleavened bread, we are then allowed to eat leaven, corresponding to nature. By means of the great revelation of providence we truly know that nature is itself providence, that G-d created everything and guides everything according to His will, and therefore we may eat leaven for the rest of the year. Only at the beginning, during the Exodus, it is completely for bidden to eat leaven, for at that time, due to their great power, it was forbidden to acknowledge nature at all, for that would have even further empowered them and we would not have been able to be redeemed. But after having left Egypt and Providence was revealed, we know that even leaven, representing nature, is also divine providence, and we are then allowed to eat leaven after Passover. This corresponds to what is stated in the holy Zohar, that once we received the matzo, the medicine, we may then eat leaven (Zohar II 183b). This means that after providence was revealed, we may eat leaven, for knowledge was increased and we know that even nature is really Providence. Therefore, leaven only became permissible after the splitting of the Red Sea on the seventh day of Passover, for that was the ultimate fall of Egypt. Providence was then revealed more than ever by the many miracles that took place then. Natural sciences, corresponding to the great power of the nations, were then subdued and eliminated, for they all were very terrified by the revelation of providence that took place, as written (Exodus 15:15) "then the princes of Edom were terrified". Thus the revelation of providence also revealed that nature itself is really providence and therefore, after the seventh day of Passover, it became permissible to eat leavened bread.
The splitting of the Red Sea corresponds to Rabbeinu z"l's teaching in this lesson on 'G-d shed two tears into the great sea'. This means that He draws providence to subdue the nations, which correspond to the sea, as written (Isaiah 57:20) "the wicked are swept away like the sea", which brings about miracles and wonders, which are called 'great' as written (II Kings 8:6) "tell me of the great deeds". This is represented by the splitting of the Red Sea when there was a great revelation of providence. By means of providence came the miracle, providence that G-d drew came upon the sea which corresponds to the nations and the sea split. In other words, the splitting of the Red Sea took place on two levels, two that are one, for they are inter-dependent. The splitting of the Red Sea alludes that the sea of wisdom above was split, and knowledge, corresponding to providence, was revealed, for providence is the quintessential knowledge. This same dynamic also split the sea below, which alludes to the nations of the world who are swept away like the sea-they were all split, broken and eliminated, while Israel passed through the sea on dry land. The waters, representing the nations, could not wield power over Israel, since providence was revealed, as in, 'G-d shed two tears into the great sea'. For Pharaoh had gained power through the two letters מ'י' which spells י"ם (sea) and therefore he said "who is G-d that I should listen to him?} (Exodus 5:2) as stated in the Ari z"l's writings. Therefore Pharaoh was subdued mainly by the revelation of Providence with the splitting of the Red Sea as in, 'G-d sheds two tears', which is Providence, into the great sea.
This corresponds to the sons' question at the Passover Seder, when the son must ask 'why is this night different from all other nights'? On the night of Passover we must specifically ask questions about the difference in order to answer 'we were slaves', meaning that G-d performed for us miracles and revealed His providence in the world. By asking this question about the difference, we subdue and eliminate and answer all questions of natural sciences, for that is how providence is revealed. That is why we ask the questions about the difference on the night of Passover, to eliminate with this question all the questions of the natural scientists, for by means of this question providence is revealed and all of their questions are completely eliminated. For this reason, the Torah speaks about four sons asking questions about the difference. These four sons correspond to the four kingdoms, for all of the four kingdoms, which represent all of the exiles, draw power solely from natural sciences, as explained in the lesson, and they are all subdued and eliminated by the questions of the four sons which revealed Providence, thus eliminating the four kingdoms that comprise all the exiles. Therefore 'why is this night different'? Why is it that on this night, which alludes to all the exiles, corresponding to nature, there should be such a great revelation of Providence? The answer is 'we were slaves' and we could not leave there other by the revelation of Providence, and it was imperative to completely eliminate nature. Therefore the miracle was specifically at night, in order to subdue them at their root and to transform night into day, for nature was completely eliminated and night became day as in (Psalms 139:12) "the night was bright as day". This was the essence of the miracle, that nature, corresponding to the night, should be completely eliminated. Therefore the miracle had to be at night.
This corresponds to the immersing of vessels: a vessel that is purchased from a non-Jew must be immersed in the ritual bath so that a Jew will be able to eat with it. (Yoreh Deah 120:1). When a vessel is in the possession of a non-Jew, who corresponds to nature, to the essence of impurity, the vessel cannot leave it to enter into the possession of a Jew, into holiness, other than by immersion in a ritual bath, corresponding to providence, to knowledge, as in (Isaiah 11:9) "for the earth will be filled with knowledge as the sea". This is because the food of a Jew must be very holy, and food is sanctified mainly by knowledge, which is a revelation of providence. This corresponds to eating matzo on Passover, because we reveal providence specifically by eating matzo. Adam caused a blemish when he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which corresponds to natural sciences, which are comprised of good and evil. This knowledge is of the realm of evil, a blemish of holy knowledge. This blemish was caused mainly by eating, for the main rectification of eating is specifically through faith, as in "remain faithful" (Psalms 37:3) as mentioned elsewhere. LM I 62. When a person does not eat with sanctity, knowledge, which corresponds to Providence, is blemished and the person falls into the mistaken belief of natural science, as written, (Deuteronomy 8:12) "lest you eat, be satiated and your heart becomes haughty and you forget G-d your Lord and you say in your heart my power and the might of my hand have accomplished this for me". In other words, the person attributes it to nature, as if his sustenance comes from his own power in the mind of his hand and he does not acknowledge Providence. This is the meaning of 'my power and the might of my hand', a blemish in the hands, in the 28 phalanges of the hands, in the 28 letters of creation. This is the meaning of (Deuteronomy 8:18) "remember G-d your Lord for He gives you power". Indeed, everything is the providence of G-d, who created everything with the 28 letters of creation, who oversees everything at all times, and who gives power, for G-d oversees and sustains the world through the 28 letters of creation. Therefore the Jewish people must greatly sanctify their food and eating. This is represented by many Commandments connected with eating and drinking, for the revelation of providence is mainly dependent upon the sanctity of foods. Thus, 'and be satiated and blessed G-d your Lord over the good land': bless G-d after eating, through knowing that everything is from His providence. And over the good land, for the land of Israel corresponds to Providence, as written (Deuteronomy 11:12) "the eyes of G-d your Lord are always upon it". This corresponds to the eating of the manna, as in (Exodus 16:4), "I will rain down for you bread from heaven", for it came down slowly through Providence each and every day, besides other miracles connected with it. Believing that sustenance comes only from G-d, solely in His providence, without any natural causes at all, for He gives power - this is eating manna, as in, the Torah was only given to those who eat manna. Mekhilta B’Shalach 17:17. Therefore when the Israelites first came near to their Father in heaven during Passover of the Exodus from Egypt, they had to eat matzoh, which represents the mind, knowledge, corresponding to manna for by eating matzoh on Passover great knowledge is evoked and we come to know that everything is only providence. This is the essential closeness of the Jewish people to their Father in heaven. And therefore a vessel that has been in the possession of a non-Jew, who represents the realm of impurity, for they attribute things to nature, which is from where judgments and the forces of evil draw their main power, that vessel is unusable for a Jewish meal unless it has been immersed in a ritual bath. In this way, the vessel leaves the realm of nature and enters the realm of knowledge, of providence, of the world of the future, represented by the ritual bath, as explained above. This corresponds to the purification of vessels (Numbers 31:23) "whatever passes through fire you shall pass through fire, for they emerged from fire and fire will consume them". Since forbidden food, which is impure, has been absorbed into the vessel, corresponding to nature, for all impurities and forbidden things are drawn from heresies, that vessel has no purification other than by fire, which is the source of nature, as said, for they have emerged from fire. But as long as forbidden food has not been absorbed into the vessel but has only left the possession of a non-Jew, thereby also leaving his knowledge, for a person's greatest possession is his knowledge, with which he aquires all of his belongings, as in "if you have acquired knowledge what do you lack"? (Nedarim 41a), therefore when the vessel leaves the possession, the knowledge, of a non-Jew, representing the realm of nature, then immersion in a ritual bath is sufficient. A ritual bath represents the world of the future, from where providence is drawn to break and eliminate the realm of nature, through which we move from impurity to purity, from the possession of a non-Jew to the possession of a Jew, who is above nature.
This corresponds to the 4 cups of wine at the Passover Seder. Wine has two parts, as our Rabbis Z"L said, "if a person is worthy it makes him a head and if he is not worthy it makes him a poor person". Yoma 76b. This means that a person's knowledge is elevated by the wine, and being that the essence of knowledge is the revelation of providence, knowledge of providence is enhanced by drinking wine and one becomes a 'head'. But when a person is not worthy, the opposite happens and one becomes poor, for the true pauper is he who lacks knowledge, which is the main cause of material poverty. When a person lacks knowledge of providence, which is the essence of knowledge, this causes poverty, as in, "you shall eat it with despair" (Genesis 3:17), representing oppression and poverty that come on account of the blemish of eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which corresponds to natural sciences. Furthermore, nature corresponds to darkness and night, corresponding to the blemish of the moon, which is the root source of poverty, as is known. Wine is therefore comprised of both elements: it brings on sleep, which corresponds to nature, which corresponds to night and sleep, and when one is worthy, it arouses from sleep, as in, "your pallet is like good wine which makes the lips of the sleeping speak". Song of songs 7:10. Good wine, which comes from the realm of holiness, arouses a person from sleep, represented by speech. During sleep, speech disappears, while good wine arouses from sleep and evokes speech, which comes from knowledge, as in 'makes the lips of the sleeping speak', which corresponds to providence, corresponding to the arousal from sleep. And since wine is comprised of both elements, when a person is worthy it represents knowledge, Providence, as in, "wine that makes glad", corresponding to the world of the future, as in "wine makes glad" (Psalms 104:15). And when one is not worthy it is an intoxicating wine, which confuses knowledge and errs with natural sciences, which corresponds to sleep. Therefore wine must be carefully guarded from the touch of a non-Jew, more than anything else. Nothing else in the world besides wine becomes forbidden by the touch of a non-Jew. As soon as a non-Jew touches wine, and touch is with the hands, the wine is drawn into the realm of nature, which corresponds to the non-Jew, since the wine itself is comprised of both aspects. Therefore a non-Jew, who corresponds to nature, makes the wine impure with the touch of his hand, for the wine is immediately drawn into the realm of nature, and is therefore unsuitable for a Jew, who is above nature, and whose food and drink should be holy, since the knowledge of providence is drawn through food and drink. Therefore, the blemish of the wine is specifically by their touch with the hands, for the blemish of the knowledge of providence is mainly through a blemish of the hands, of the 28 phalanges of the hands, which correspond to the 28 letters of creation. The hands of the non-Jews though, are the opposite of this, and are in the category of "the hands are the hands of Esau" (Genesis 27:22), corresponding to the mistaken belief in nature, corresponding to "my power and the might of my hand", and therefore wine is blemished by the hand of a non-Jew. This forbidden wine is then in the category of the mistaken belief in natural sciences, which corresponds to sleep. This is alluded to in the word Nesekh, נֶסֶךְ, the term for forbidden wine, as in, "For G-d Nasakh נָסַךְ (poured) a spirit of slumber" (Isaiah 29:10), which refers to stargazers who have a mistaken belief in the constellations. Therefore at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, when Providence was revealed, it is a commandment to drink 4 cups of wine, for wine is then in the category of 'if one is worthy the one becomes a head', for now at the Passover Seder, knowledge is elevated and providence is greatly revealed through the wine, for G-d drew Providence and broke the night, the sleep, as in "around midnight I will go out within Egypt". Wine is then in the category of 'wine makes glad' and a person is able to speak and tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt on this night, by means of the wine as in 'wine makes the lips of the sleeping speak'. This corresponds to "song is only recited on wine". Berachot 35b. For all songs are drawn from the world of the future, when song will be aroused in the world, as stated in the holy Zohar III 286b, as in, "Then Moses will sing". Exodus 15:1. It does not say 'sang', in the past tense, but 'will sing' in the future, teaching us that he will sing in the world of the future. Sanhedrin 91b. This is because the essence of song comes from the world of the future, when Moses will sing, for song will then be aroused in the world. This is the source of all songs - song in this world over miracles, for all miracles come about by G-d drawing providence from the end of the world, from the world of the future, into this world. And when a miracle takes place, we draw song from the world of the future into this world, which is all the songs for the miracles that we sing. Therefore, song is only recited over wine, for wine will then be absorbed into holiness, corresponding to knowledge of providence, for the essence of song is drawing providence, which is the song for the miracle, into this world, which is why song should be over wine. This is represented by the 4 cups of wine at the Passover Seder, corresponding to the Four Kingdoms. When wine is absorbed into holiness, corresponding to Providence, all exiles of the Four Kingdoms are subdued, for their main power is through nature, and by means of the Providence that is revealed by the knowledge that is drawn by the 4 cups of wine, they are all eliminated.
עִנְיַן נְטִילַת יָדַיִם בְּשַׁחֲרִית בְּעֵת שֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר מִשֵּׁינָתוֹ עַל פִּי מַה שֶּׁאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל בְּסִימָן רנ עַל שְׁאֵלַת הַהוּא אובי טמיא (ברכות נט) מאי גוהא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא זוֹכֵר אֶת בָּנָיו שֶׁהֵן שְׁרוּיִין בְּצַעַר בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת אֲזַי מוֹרִיד שְׁנֵי דְּמָעוֹת לַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל וְקוֹלָן נִשְׁמַע מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ עַיֵּן שָׁם, כִּי עִקַּר כָּל הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָאָדָם ח"ו, הוּא רַק מֵחֶסְרוֹן הַדַּעַת, כִּי מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ דַּעַת וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם יִסּוּרִים וְאֵינוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ שׁוּם צַעַר וְכוּ' וְעִקַּר הַצַּעַר שֶׁל יִשְֹרָאֵל בַּגָּלוּת הוּא רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ מֵהַדַּעַת וְתוֹלִין בַּטֶּבַע וּבַמַּזָּל ח"ו, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה יֵשׁ לָהֶם צַעַר וְזֶה מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהֵם שְׁרוּיִין בֵּין הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְלָמְדוּ מֵהֶם וְכוּ' וּבֶאֱמֶת יִשְֹרָאֵל הֵם לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע, רַק כְּשֶׁהֵם חוֹטְאִים ח"ו, אֲזַי וְכוּ' וכשהקב"ה רוֹצֶה לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִגָּלוּתָם אֲזַי מַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהֶם הַשְׁגָּחָה מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם, כִּי לֶעָתִיד יְבַטֵּל הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה רַק הַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו נ״א:ו׳), "כִּי הַשָּׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ וְכוּ'" הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּתְבַּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע שֶׁהוּא עַל פִּי מַעֲרֶכֶת הַמַּזָּלוֹת וְכוּ' וְאָז יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעְלָה וְעַל-כֵּן גַּם עַתָּה כְּשֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ רוֹצֶה לְהַפִּיל אֶת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּלְהַגְבִּיהַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעְלָה, אֲזַי מַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהֶם הַשְׁגָּחָה מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם שֶׁאָז לֹא יִהְיֶה רַק הַשְׁגָּחָה. וְעַל-יְדֵי זֹאת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה נִתְעַלִּים יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנַעֲשָֹה וְכוּ', עַיֵּן שָׁם כָּל זֶה הֵיטֵב וְזֶהוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁזּוֹכֵר וְכוּ', עַיֵּן שָׁם:
1. Regarding washing the hands in the morning upon awakening from sleep. This can be understood according to the Rebbe z"l's teaching in Likutei Moharan 250 regarding the necromancer who answered the question (Berakhot 59b) "What is an earthquake?" by saying "When Hashem recalls His children who are in distress among the nations, He sheds two tears into the great sea, and the sound reverberates through the world. See there. The essence of all of the tribulations that befall mankind, G-d forbid, is only from a lack of da'at/knowledge. He who has da'at and knows that everything is divine providence from Hashem Yisbarach has no tribulations and does not feel any suffering, etc. The essence of the Jewish people's pain in exile is only because they fell from da'at and attributed things to nature and fortune, G-d forbid {Note: R' Nassan means here that instead of believing that everything is determined by Hashem, we have relied upon the natural sciences}. Because of this they {we} have sadness/pain. And this is because we have dwelt among the gentiles and learned from them, etc. In truth, the Jewish people are above nature, only when they sin, G-d forbid, then, etc. {This sentence is unfinished}. When Hashem wants to save the Jewish people from their exile, he then bestows upon them divine providence from the ends of the earth. In the future, nature will be nullified completely and there will be nothing except divine providence alone, as it is written (Isaiah 51:6) "for the heavens shall vanish like smoke", etc. In other words, nature - which depends upon the arrangement of the constellations - will be no more, etc. Then the Jewish people will be above {nature}. Therefore even now, when Hashem Yisbarach wants to bring down the gentiles and lift up the Jewish people above, He evokes divine providence upon them from the ends of the earth, so then there will be nothing but providence. Because of this divine providence, Israel is elevated and makes, etc. See there very well. And this is 'G-d recalls', see there.
וּכְשֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַדַּעַת הַנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין יוֹדְעִין, ח"ו, שֶׁהַכֹּל מִתְנַהֵג רַק בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד וְסוֹבְרִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ טֶבַע ח"ו, זֶה בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָּה שֶׁהִיא הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת, בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה וְחשֶׁךְ, כִּי עִקַּר הָאוֹר יוֹם הוּא בְּחִינַת דַּעַת כַּמּוּבָא (א) הַיְנוּ כִּי הָאוֹר הוּא רַק הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים כ״ז:א׳) ה' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי, בְּחִינַת (שם קיח) אֵל ה' וַיָּאֶר לָנוּ וְזֶה עִקַּר אוֹר הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, בְּחִינַת (שם פד) כִּי שֶׁמֶש וּמָגֵן ה' צְבָאוֹת, הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁיּוֹדְעִין שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַנְהִיג הָעוֹלָם בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד זֶה עִקַּר הָאוֹר, כִּי עִקַּר הָאוֹר בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּמְצָא אוֹר כְּמוֹ אוֹר הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְכַיּוֹצֵא הוּא רַק אוֹר הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, שֶׁמֵּאִיר לָנוּ כַּנַּ"ל וּכְשֶׁנּוֹפְלִין ח"ו, מִזֶּה הַדַּעַת וְתוֹלִין בַּטֶּבַע, ח"ו, זֶה בְּחִינַת הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הָאוֹר וַאֲזַי הִיא בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה וְחֹשֶׁךְ ח"ו, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו י״ג:י׳) חֹשֶׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּצֵאתוֹ וְכוּ', בְּחִינַת (יואל ב׳:י׳) שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ קדרו וְכוּ' וְכַיּוֹצֵא בַּפְּסוּקִים כָּאֵלּוּ וְכֻלָּן נֶאֱמְרוּ עַל זְמַן הַגָּלוּת, הַיְנוּ כִּי בַּגָּלוּת נֶחְשַׁב כְּאִלּוּ נֶחֱשַׁךְ אוֹר הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, כִּי הַגָּלוּת נִמְשָׁל לְלַיְלָה, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּפֵרוּשׁ רש"י, (ב) הַיְנוּ כִּי בְּעֵת הַגָּלוּת שֶׁנִּמְשַׁךְ רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁתּוֹלִין בַּטֶּבַע ח"ו, וַאֲזַי חשֶׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּצֵאתוֹ כִּי תֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁתּוֹלִין בַּטֶּבַע ח"ו אֲזַי נִסְתַּלֵּק הָאוֹר מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּכְאִלּוּ נֶחֱשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת אֵין לְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אוֹר כְּלָל רַק מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל-כֵּן הַגָּלוּת נִמְשָׁל לְלַיְלָה וְחשֶׁךְ, כִּי עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת הוּא רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁתּוֹלִין בַּטֶּבַע ח"ו, וַאֲזַי הוּא בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה וְחשֶׁךְ, הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הָאוֹר כַּנַּ"ל, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָּה הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת לֵידַע שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִקַּר הָאוֹר וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה סִטְרָא דמסאבא שריא עַל בַּר נָשׁ וְהָעִקָּר עַל הַיָּדַיִם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (וישב קפד ע"ב), כִּי עִקַּר הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, הֵם בְּחִינַת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁיְּנִיקָתָם רַק מִבְּחִינַת כְּפִירוֹת, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר שֹׁרֶשׁ הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע שֶׁנִּקְרָא אל אַחַר כְּפִירוֹת, כַּמּוּבָא, (ג) הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁתּוֹלִין בַּטֶּבַע ח"ו, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם עִקַּר יְנִיקַת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא וְעַל-כֵּן בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת כַּנַּ"ל. וְאָז מִתְגַּבֵּר ח"ו, בְּחִינַת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, בְּחִינַת תֹּקֶף הַגָּלוּת שֶׁנִּמְשָׁל לְלַיְלָה וְשֵׁנָּה שֶׁיְּנִיקָתָם מִבְּחִינַת הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת סִטְרָא דמסאבא דְּשַׁרְיָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הַשֵּׁנָּה בִּקְדֻשָּׁה הוּא עַל-יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה, כַּמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל (סימן לה), הַיְנוּ בִּשְׁעַת הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת, בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָּה, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה אָדָם שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ מְבֻלְבָּל וְאֵינוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵידַע וּלְהָבִין שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד כְּמוֹ עַכְשָׁיו בַּגָּלוּת בֵּין הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לְלַיְלָה וְחשֶׁךְ שֶׁמִּתְגַּבֶּרֶת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע בָּעוֹלָם ח"ו, אֲזַי מְחֻיָּב כָּל אֶחָד מִיִּשְֹרָאֵל לְהַשְׁלִיךְ וּלְסַלֵּק דַּעְתּוֹ לְגַמְרֵי וּלְהִתְחַזֵּק אֶת עַצְמוֹ בֶּאֱמוּנָה לְבַד, לְהַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד וְאֵין שׁוּם טֶבַע בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּן הַשֵּׁנָּה עַל-יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה, הַיְנוּ בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה כַּנַּ"ל צְרִיכִין לִכְנֹס לְתוֹךְ בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה לִסְמֹךְ עַל אֱמוּנָה לְבַד מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַדַּעַת כְּמוֹ עַכְשָׁיו בַּגָּלוּת שֶׁאָנוּ צְרִיכִין תָּמִיד לְהִתְחַזֵּק בֶּאֱמוּנָה לְבַד מֵאַחַר שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נִתְגַּלָּה הַדַּעַת בִּשְׁלֵמוּת לֵידַע בֶּאֱמֶת שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה, עַל-כֵּן צְרִיכִין לְסַלֵּק דַּעְתּוֹ וְלִסְמֹךְ עַל אֱמוּנָה לְבַד בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים צ״ב:ג׳) וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַּלֵּילוֹת וּמֵחֲמַת שֶׁבַּלַּיְלָה בִּשְׁעַת הַשֵּׁנָּה, הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת מִתְגַּבֶּרֶת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע ח"ו, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חֹשֶׁךְ כַּנַּ"ל, בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית ט״ו:י״ב) וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם וְהִנֵּה אימה חשכה וְכוּ' שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ תֹּקֶף הַגָּלוּת, הַיְנוּ בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה וְתַרְדֵּמָה הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת מִתְגַּבְּרִין תֹּקֶף הַגָּלֻיּוֹת שֶׁיְּנִיקָתָן מִבְּחִינַת הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶהוּ סִטְרָא דמסאבא דְּשַׁרְיָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה כַּנַּ"ל, עַל-כֵּן תֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר מִשֵּׁינָתוֹ צָרִיךְ לִטֹּל יָדָיו בְּמַיִם, כִּי עִקַּר סִטְרָא דמסאבא שַׁרְיָא עַל יָדָיו דְּבַר נָשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (שם), כִּי הַיָּדַיִם הֵם בְּחִינַת שָׁמַיִם-אֵשׁ וּמַיִם יַד יָמִין וְיַד שְֹמֹאל, בְּחִינַת כִּי אֶשָֹּא אֶל שָׁמַיִם ידי, כַּמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (בסימן נו). וְשָׁם עִקַּר אֲחִיזַת הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם, כִּי הֵם תּוֹלִין בְּמַעֲרֶכֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם. וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, הוּא בַּיָּדַיִם דַּיְקָא כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הַיָּדַיִם הֵם כ"ח פִּרְקִין כְּנֶגֶד כ"ח אַתְוָון שֶׁבְּמַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית שֶׁבָּהֶם נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו מ״ח:י״ג) אַף יָדִי יסדה ארץ וִימִינִי טפחה שמים וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר הַכְנָעַת הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, שֶׁהֵם הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים דְּעַלְמָא, בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁמִּשָּׁם הִתְגַּבְּרוּתָם כַּנַּ"ל, עִקַּר הַכְנָעָתָם הוּא רַק עַל-יְדֵי הַיָּדַיִם דִּקְדֻשָּׁה כְּשֶׁזּוֹכִין לְהָרִים אוֹתָם אֶל הַדַּעַת וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שמות י״ז:י״א) וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ וְכוּ' הַנֶּאֱמַר בְּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק, כִּי עֲמָלֵק הוּא כְּלָלִיּוּת כָּל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא בְּחִינַת רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק וַעֲמָלֵק הָיָה כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָּר וְתָלָה הַכֹּל בַּטֶּבַע ח"ו, וְהָיוּ מְחַשְּׁבִין הַשָּׁעוֹת באיצטרוליגאה שֶׁלָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא בְּפֵרוּשׁ רש"י (ה) וְכַמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל (ו) וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר הַכְנָעָתוֹ עַל-יְדֵי הֲרָמַת הַיָּדַיִם שֶׁמְּרִימִין הַיָּדַיִם כ"ח פִּרְקִין שֶׁבַּיָּדַיִם אֶל הָרֹאשׁ, בִּבְחִינַת שְֹאוּ יְדֵיכֶם קֹדֶש, (ו) הַיְנוּ שֶׁמַּגְבִּיהִין הַיָּדַיִם כ"ח פִּרְקִין אֶל הַדַּעַת לֵידַע שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּרָא הַכֹּל עַל-יְדֵי כ"ח אַתְוָון שֶׁבְּמַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת כ"ח פִּרְקִין כַּנַּ"ל וַאֲזַי מַגְבִּיהִין בְּחִינַת הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהֵם גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם כַּנַּ"ל לְשָׁרְשָׁם שֶׁבַּדַעַת לִבְחִינַת כ"ח אַתְוָון הַנַּ"ל, כִּי הַכֹּל בָּרָא הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בכ"ח אַתְוָון וְהוּא מְחַיֶּה וּמְקַיֵּם הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכָל צְבָאָם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכוּ', בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ לְבַד וְאֵין שׁוּם טֶבַע וּמַעֲרֶכֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּלָל וַאֲזַי נִכְנַע עֲמָלֵק וְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שם) ויהי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה עַד בֹּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, כִּי עִקַּר הַכְנָעַת עֲמָלֵק עַל-יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה בְּהַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁנִּמְשַׁךְ עַל-יְדֵי הֲרָמַת הַיָּדַיִם כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת שֶׁאָז הוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַטֶּבַע ח"ו, וְאָז שׁוֹרָה סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ, עַל-כֵּן עִקַּר אֲחִיזָתָהּ בַּיָּדַיִם כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן תֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר מִשְּׁנָתוֹ צָרִיךְ לִטֹּל יָדָיו בְּמַיִם שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מֵימֵי הַדַּעַת, מֵימֵי הַחֶסֶד, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו י״א:ט׳) כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת ה' כַּמַּיִם לים מְכַסִּים, הַיְנוּ שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי הַנְּטִילָה מַמְשִׁיכִין מַיִם טְהוֹרִים מֵימֵי הַדַּעַת מִבְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי שֶׁאָז תִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה כַּמַּיִם לים וְכוּ'. וְאָז יֵדְעוּ הַכֹּל שֶׁהַכֹּל רַק בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד, כִּי יִתְבַּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי וְגַם עַכְשָׁיו בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁצְּרִיכִין יְשׁוּעָה וְטָהֳרָה לְהִנָּצֵל מִתֹּקֶף הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא שֶׁיְּנִיקָתָם מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, אֲזַי מַמְשִׁיכִין הַשְׁגָּחָה מִסּוֹף עוֹלָם כַּנַּ"ל בַּמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַיִם שֶׁל הַנְּטִילָה שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיכִין מֵימֵי הַדַּעַת מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם מִבְּחִינַת עָלְמָא דאתד שֶׁתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה וְכוּ' וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מִקְוֶה שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי כַּיָּדוּעַ, (כִּי מִקְוֶה בְּגֵימַטְרְיָא קנ"א, בְּחִינַת בִּינָה עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי כַּמּוּבָא), (ח) בְּחִינַת (ירמיהו י״ד:ח׳) מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' מוֹשִׁיעוֹ בְּעֵת צָרָה כִּי כָּל הַצָּרוֹת וְהַיִּסּוּרִין הֵם רַק מֵהֶעְדֵּר הַדַּעַת, מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין יוֹדְעִין ח"ו, שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה וְכוּ' וְזֶה עִקַּר הַטֻּמְאָה כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן הַיְּשׁוּעָה מֵהַצָּרָה וְהַטָּהֳרָה מֵהַטֻּמְאָה הוּא עַל-יְדֵי מִקְוֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, בְּחִינַת מֵימֵי הַדַּעַת, בְּחִינַת כִּי תִמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה כַּמַּיִם וְכוּ', כִּי עַל-יְדֵי שֶׁנִּכְנָסִין לַמִּקְוֶה וְסוֹתְמִין הָעֵינַיִם מֵחֵיזוּ דְּהָאי עָלְמָא וְנִתְעַלֵּם וְנִתְכַּסֶּה שָׁם בְּתוֹךְ מֵימֵי הַמִּקְוֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מֵימֵי הַדַּעַת, בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, עַל-יְדֵי זֶה הוּא נִכְלַל בְּתוֹךְ בְּחִינַת הַדַּעַת בִּבְחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי סוֹתֵם עֵינָיו מֵחֵיזוּ דְּהַאי עָלְמָא שֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר הַטָּעוּת שֶׁל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁמִּשָּׁם בָּאִים כָּל הַצָּרוֹת וְכָל הַטֻּמְאוֹת, שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִפְגָּמִין הָעֵינַיִם שֶׁשָׁרְשָׁם וְחִיּוּתָם מִבְּחִינַת עֵינֵי ה', שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה כַּמּוּבָן בַּמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל וּכְשֶׁנּוֹפְלִין מֵהַדַּעַת וְסוֹבְרִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ טֶבַע ח"ו, זֶה בְּחִינַת פְּגַם הָעֵינַיִם וּמִזֶּה בָּאִין כָּל הַצָּרוֹת וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן צְרִיכִין לִסְתוֹם אֶת עֵינָיו לְגַמְרֵי מֵחֵיזוּ דְּהַאי עָלְמָא וְלִהְיוֹת מִתְעַלֵּם וְנִכְלָל בְּתוֹךְ הַמִּקְוֶה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הַדַּעַת שֶׁל עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי שֶׁאָז יִתְגַּלֶּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם וְיִתְבַּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה מַמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם מִבְּחִינַת הַמִּקְוֶה וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה בָּא לוֹ יְשׁוּעָה לְכָל מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ, בְּחִינַת מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' מוֹשִׁיעוֹ בְּעֵת צָרָה וְכוּ'. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת הַנְּטִילָה שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיךְ מַיִם טְהוֹרִים שֶׁנִּמְשָׁכִין מִבְּחִינַת מִקְוֶה וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה מְטַהֵר אֶת יָדָיו, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת כ"ח פִּרְקִין, בְּחִינַת כ"ח אַתְוָון שֶׁל מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁעִקַּר הַפְּגָם שֶׁל בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר בְּשֵׁנָּה בַּלַּיְלָה וְחשֶׁךְ נוֹגֵע בָּהֶם דַּיְקָא כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי עַל-יְדֵי חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע פּוֹגֵם בכ"ח אַתְוָון הַנַּ"ל וְתוֹלֶה בְּמַעֲרֶכֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם ח"ו, כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַטֻּמְאָה שֶׁנֶּאֱחַז בְּהַיָּדַיִם דַּיְקָא בִּשְׁעַת הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת, דְּהַיְנוּ בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן מְטַהֲרִין אוֹתָם עַל-יְדֵי מֵימֵי הַדַּעַת נִמְשָׁכִין מִבְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
2. And when da'at disappears, as seen above - in other words, no one knows, G-d forbid - that everything {in the world} runs only on the providence of Hashem Yisbarach, and {they} believe that things take their natural course, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of sleep, which is the absence of da'at, the aspect of night and darkness. The essence of the light of day is the aspect of da'at, as shown. In other words, light is only {from} Hashen Yisbarach, so to speak, in the aspect of (Psalms 27:1) "The Lord is my light and my salvation", corresponding to (Psalms 118:27) "The Lord is G-d, and He gave us light". This is the essence of the sun's light, the aspect of (Psalms 84:12) "For a sun and a shield is the Lord G-d". In other words, when one knows that Hashem Yisbarach rules the world only with providence, this is the essence of light. For the essence of light, in every place where light is found, like the light of the sun and similar {places}, is only the Light of Hashem Yisbarach, so to speak, that illuminates us, as explained above. When we fall, G-d forbid, from this knowledge and we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the absence of light. Then it corresponds to night and darkness, G-d forbid. And this is the aspect of (Isaiah 13:10) "the sun has become dark in its going forth", etc., the aspect of (Joel 2:10) "the sun and moon darken", etc. and other similar verses like these. All of them were said regarding the time of the exile; in other words, because in exile it seems like the light of the sun has darkened because the exile is similar to night, as explained by Rashi. In other words, in the time of the exile, which is evoked only because we attributed things to nature, G-d forbid. Then 'the sun has become dark in its going forth' because immediately when we relied on nature, G-d forbid, then the light escaped from the sun, as if the sun actually darkened. For in reality, the sun has no light at all except from Hashem Yisbarach, as explained above. Therefore the exile resembles night and darkness. For the essence of the exile is only because we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid. The it is the aspect of night and darkness, the disappearance of the light, as explained above. This corresponds to sleep, the disappearance of da'at to know that everything is divine providence, which is the essence of the light, etc., as explained above. Therefore, at the time of sleep, the forces of evil descend upon a person, and the essence is on the hands, as is written in the Holy Zohar (Vayeshev 184b). For the essence of the Other Side is the aspect of the gentiles as is known, who draw nourishment only from the aspect of heresies, which is the essence of the Evil Inclination, which is called 'going after atheism', as is brought; in other words, they attribute {everything} to nature, as explained above. Then the aspect of the gentiles increases, the aspect of power of the exile which resembles night and sleep and which they absorbed from the aspect of the strengthening of nature, as explained above. This is the aspect of the spirit of impurity which rests upon a person {at night}. Therefore, the essence of the rectification of sleep in holiness is through faith, as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu, z"l (Likutei Moharan 35). In other words, when da'at disappears, corresponding to sleep, when man sees that his knowledge is confused and is not perfect, and he is not able to ascertain and to understand that everything is by divine providence from Hashem Yisbarach alone, as it is now in exile amidst the gentiles who resemble night and darkness, and when the knowledge of natural science has increased, G-d forbid - then it is incumbent upon every Jew to cast out and to remove his knowledge completely and to strengthen himself in faith alone, to believe with perfect faith that everything is only through divine providence alone and there is no nature in the world at all. This is the aspect of rectifying sleep through faith. In other words, at the time of sleep, as explained above one must enter into the midst of the aspect of faith, to rely on faith alone after his da'at has fled, just as now in the exile. We must always strengthen ourselves in faith alone, since now we have not elevated da'at perfectly to know that everything is done with divine providence. Therefore, one must clear his mind and rely only on faith alone, in the aspect of (Psalms 92:3) "and Your faith at night". And since at night, at the time of sleep, the disappearance of knowledge strengthens the knowledge of natural science, G-d forbid, which is the aspect of darkness, as explained above, in the aspect of (Genesis 15:12) "and a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness...", etc. This is demonstrated by the power of the exile. In other words, at the time of sleep, and deep sleep, the disappearance of da'at strengthens the power of the exile, from which they nourished, in the aspect of the strengthening of natural science, as explained above. And this is why a spirit of impurity rests upon a person at the time of sleep, as explained above. Therefore, as soon as one awakens from sleep one must wash his hands with water, because the spirit of impurity rests mainly upon the hands, as it is written in the Holy Zohar. For the hands corresponds to heaven, שָׁמַיִם - fire and water, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, on the right side and left side, corresponding to (Deuteronomy 32:40) "For I raise up My hand to heaven" as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu in another place (Likutei Moharan 56). This is the aspect of the grasp of the Other Side, the aspect of natural science, the aspect of hands, for they attribute causes to the arrangement of constellations, which corresponds to 'hands'. Therefore the essence of the strengthening of the Other Side is at the time of sleep, which corresponds to nature and is with the hands specifically, as explained above. Because the hands have 28 phalanges which correspond to the 28 letters of the act of creation, through which the heavens and the earth were created, in the aspect of (Isaiah 48:13) "Even My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens". And therefore the main way to subdue the forces of evil, represented by the gentiles of the world, the aspect of natural science through which they are strengthened, as explained above, the aspect of their submission is only through the hands of holiness, when one merits to elevate them to da'at. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:11) "It came to pass that when Moses would raise his hand, Israel would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail", etc. which was said regarding the war with Amalek. Because Amalek is in general all of the gentiles and the other side, in the aspect of “Amalek was the first of the nations“ (Numbers 24: 20). And Amalek was the essence of atheism and completely attributed everything to nature, G-d forbid. They would discern the hours based on their astrology as is brought in the explanation of Rashi and as shown in the words of Rabbeinu z"l. Therefore, the essence of their subjugation is through the raising of the hands. The raising of the hands, the 28 phalanges that are in the hands, to the head, in the aspect of (Psalms 134:2) "Lift your hands in the holy place". In other words, when the hands, with their 28 phalanges, are raised to da'at to know that all is divine providence, because Hashem Yisbarach created everything through the 28 letters of מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, as explained above. And then they are elevated - the aspect of heaven, because they are also the aspect of the hands, as explained above - to their root which is in knowledge, in the aspect of the 28 letters, as seen above. Because everything was created by G-d with the 28 letters and He gives life and established the heavens and all of their hosts and the land etc. through His divine providence alone and there is absolutely no nature or influence of the arrangements of the constellations at all. And then Amalek and the Other Side are subdued, as seen above. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:12) "so he was with his hands in faith until sunset". The essence of the subjugation of Amalek is through faith in divine providence which is drawn down through raising the hands, as explained above. Therefore at the time of sleep da'at disappears, for then nature is strengthened, G-d forbid. This is the root of the Other Side that is on a person. Therefore the essence of its grasp is with the hands, as seen above. Then, immediately after one wakes from sleep one must wash his hands with water with corresponds to the waters of da'at, the waters of Chesed/Loving-kindness, the aspect of (Isaiah 11:9) "for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water covers the sea bed". In other words, through the washing one brings down the purifying waters of the waters of knowledge, in the aspect of "The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge like water covers the sea bed". Then everyone will know that everything is only through divine providence alone, for {the concept of} nature will be nullified completely. And even now, at any time when one needs salvation and purification, to be saved from the midst of the Other Side, which is nourished from the aspect of the knowledge of nature, one draws down divine providence from the ends of the earth, as explained above in the lesson, as seem above. This corresponds to the water of washing the hands, which draws down the waters of knowledge from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of 'The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge', etc. This is the aspect of Mikveh, which corresponds to the World of the Future (because Mikveh, מִקְוֶה, in Gematria is 151, corresponding to Binah, the World of the Future, as is brought). This corresponds to (Jeremiah 14:8) "O hope, ,מִקְוֶה of Israel, his Savior at time of trouble". Because all of the troubles and tribulations are only due to the lack of knowledge, in the aspect of the knowledge of nature, as explained above. In other words, they do not know, G-d forbid, that everything is divine providence, etc. This is the essence of the impurity, as seen above. Therefore the salvation from the trouble and the purification from the impurity is through Mikveh, which is the aspect of 'the World of the Future', the aspect of the waters of wisdom, the aspect of 'for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water', etc. Through entering the mikveh and occluding the eyes it blocks out the world and one ignores {the world} and covers himself there in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the waters of knowledge, the aspect of 'the Future World'. Through this one is included within the aspect of da'at, in the aspect of providence for he covers his eyes to the world which strengthens the errors of the wisdom of nature, from whence comes all trouble and impurities. Through this the eyes are damaged, whose root and vitality are from the aspect of the Eyes of G-d, which are the aspect of divine providence, as is understood in the lesson above. And when one falls from da'at and believes that there is nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the damaging of the eyes and from this come all the troubles, etc., as seen above. Therefore one must cover his eyes completely from what goes on in this world and to lose himself and be included in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the knowledge of the World of the Future. For then the divine providence will be revealed and nature will disappear completely. And through this divine providence will be drawn down from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of mikveh. And through this salvation will come to him, for everything that he needs, the aspect of 'Hashem is the hope of Israel, his Savior in times of trouble', etc. This is the aspect of the washing of the hands in the morning, which draws down purified water which comes from the aspect of mikveh. Through this he purifies his hands, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, the aspect of the 28 letters of the act of creation. The essence of the defect of the aspect of the knowledge of nature, which is strengthened through sleep at night, and darkness afflicts them specifically, as seen above. For through the knowledge of nature the 28 letters are flawed, as seen above, and one associates with the order of the universe, G-d forbid, as seen above. This is the aspect of impurity which takes hold in the hands specifically at the time when da'at flees; in other words, at the time of sleep, as seen above. Therefore, we purify them through the waters of knowledge drawn down from the aspect of 'the World of the Future', etc., as explained above.
וְעַל-כֵּן קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה אָסוּר לִגַּע בְּיָדָיו לְהַשִׁבְעָה נְקָבִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּהָרֹאשׁ, דְּהַיְנוּ לִשְׁנֵי עֵינָיו וּשְנֵי נִקְבֵי הַחֹטֶם וּלְפִיו וְלִשְׁתֵּי אָזְנָיו (שולחן ערוך סימן ד' סעיף ג'), כִּי הַז' נְקָבִים אֵלּוּ הֵם בְּחִינַת דַּעַת, כַּמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (בסימן כא). וְאֵלּוּ הַז' נִקְבֵי הָרֹאשׁ הֵם בִּבְחִינַת (זכריה ד׳:י׳) שִׁבְעָה אֵלֶּה עֵינֵי ה' הֵמָּה מְשׁוֹטְטוֹת בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ, בְּחִינַת דַּעַת, בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה. וְעַל-כֵּן אָסוּר לִגַּע בָּהֶם בְּיָדָיו קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לִפְגֹם הַדַּעַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁל בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה עַל-יְדֵי הַזֻּהֲמָא שֶׁל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע הַנֶּאֱחֶזֶת בַּיָּדַיִם בְּעֵת שֵׁנָּה כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר שְׁלִיטַת שֶׁל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁמַּסְתַּכְּלִין רַק עַל מַעֲרֶכֶת שָׁמַיִם הוּא בַּלַּיְלָה, כִּי נִקְרָאִים חוֹזִים בַּכּוֹכָבִים, כִּי חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע הוּא בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה וְחשֶׁךְ, כִּי עִקַּר הָאוֹר הוּא הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד כַּנַּ"ל:
Therefore, before washing the hands in the morning, it is forbidden to touch the 7 openings in the head - the two eyes, two nostrils, the mouth and the two ears (Shulchan Aruch Siman 4 Seif 3). These seven openings are the aspect of da'at, as Rabbeinu z"l brought in a different place (Likutei Moharan 21). These 7 orifices of the head are the aspect of (Zechariah 4:10) "these, sevenfold; the eyes of the Lord are roving to and fro throughout all the earth". This corresponds to da'at and divine providence. Therefore it is forbidden to touch them with the hands prior to washing, in order to not blemish the holy knowledge of the aspect of divine providence through the impurity the knowledge of the natural sciences which take hold of the hands during sleep, as explained above. Therefore the essence of the power of the knowledge of nature which relies solely on the arrangement of the constellations in the sky is at night. It is thus called 'star-gazing', because natural science corresponds to night and darkness. For the essence of light is solely the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach, as explained above.
וְעַל-כֵּן צָרִיךְ לָקוּם בַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה לְשַׁבֵּר הַשֵּׁנָּה לְשַׁבֵּר בְּחִינַת הַחֹשֶׁךְ וְהַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תֹּקֶף הַגָּלוּת הַנִּמְשָׁל לְלַיְלָה, הַיְנוּ חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁמִּשָּׁם עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ כַּנַּ"ל. וְצָרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד מִיִּשְֹרָאֵל לְהִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהַשֵּׁנָּה בַּחֲצוֹת כְּדֵי לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע עַל-יְדֵי שֶׁמְּשַׁבֵּר אֶת הַשֵּׁנָּה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן כְּשֶׁקָּמִים בַּחֲצוֹת אָז מִתְאַבְּלִין עַל הַגָּלוּת שֶׁגָּלוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל מֵאַרְצָם, כִּי עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת עַל-יְדֵי חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה וְשֵׁנָּה כַּנַּ"ל וְ עַל-כֵּן אָז הַזְּמַן לְתַקֵּן זֹאת:
Therefore one must rise at midnight to break sleep, to break the aspect of darkness and night, which is the aspect of the exile, which resembles the night; in other words, the knowledge of natural science from which is the essence of the exile and the darkness, as explained above. Every Jew must awaken from sleep at midnight in order to break and nullify the knowledge of nature through breaking the sleep, etc., as explained above. Then, when one rises at midnight, one mourns over the exile which drove Israel from our land. For the essence of the exile is through the knowledge of natural science, which corresponds to night and sleep, as explained above. Therefore, that is the time to rectify this.
וְעַל-כֵּן הַגְּאֻלָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁהִיא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם שֶׁכּוֹלֵל כָּל הַגְּאֻלּוֹת, כִּי כָּל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת מְכוּנִים בְּשֵׁם מִצְרַיִם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר בְּסִימָן ד', עַל-כֵּן הִתְחִילָה הַגְּאֻלָּה בַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות י״א:ד׳), "כַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה אֲנִי יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרַיִם" כִּי עִקַּר כָּל הַגְּאֻלּוֹת, בִּפְרַט גְּאֻלַּת מִצְרַיִם הָיָה עַל-יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַנַּ"ל הַנֶּאֱמַר בַּמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל עַל-יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם מֵעַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, כִּי אָז בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הָיָה שִׁדּוּד הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת וּבִטּוּל הַטֶּבַע, כִּי אָז גִּלָּה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ עַל-יְדֵי הַמּוֹפְתִים נוֹרָאִים שֶׁעָשָֹה אָז וּבִטֵּל הַטֶּבַע וְכָל זֶה הָיָה עַל-יְדֵי בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, כִּי מִסִּטְרָא דיובלא נַפְקוּ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חַמִשִּׁים שַׁעֲרֵי בִּינָה, בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי כַּיָּדוּעַ (י) וְעַל-כֵּן הָיְתָה הַגְּאֻלָּה בַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה דַּיְקָא, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁשִּׁבֵּר אֶת הַלַּיְלָה וְהַחשֶׁךְ, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, וְגִלָּה הַשְׁגָּחָה בָּעוֹלָם וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה הָיָה עִקַּר הַגְּאֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שם) וּמֵת כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וּפָסַח ה' וְכוּ' וְהִצִּיל בְּכוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי בְּכוֹר הוּא רֵאשִׁית בְּחִינַת דַּעַת, בְּחִינַת (משלי א׳:ז׳) רֵאשִׁית דַּעַת, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהִכְנִיעַ הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע וְהִגְבִּיר אֶת הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בְּחִינַת הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת (שם ד') בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיְנוּ הַדַּעַת שֶׁל אֱמוּנַת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִמְשָׁכִין זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי יִשְֹרָאֵל הֵם לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הֵם נִמְשָׁכִין מִשָּׁם בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית ט״ו:ה׳) הַבֵּט נָא הַשָׁמַיְמָה וּסְפוֹר הַכּוֹכָבִים וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ וְכוּ' וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש רבה שם) שֶׁהִגְבִּיהוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכוּ' נִמְצָא, שֶׁזֶּרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל נִמְשָׁכִין לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע, כִּי עַל-פִּי הַטֶּבַע כְּפִי מַעֲרֶכֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא הָיָה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, רָאוּי לְהוֹלִיד, רַק עַל-יְדֵי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, צֵא מֵאִצְטַגְנִינוּת שֶׁלְּךָ וְהִגְבִּיהוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, הַיְנוּ לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע, עַל-יְדֵי זֶה זָכָה לְהוֹלִיד בְּחִינַת (שם) כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ נִמְצָא, שֶׁזֶּרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל נִמְשָׁכִים בְּשָׁרְשָׁם מִבְּחִינַת לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהִצִּיל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְהֵמִית בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם בַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה, לְהַכְנִיעַ וּלְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל הַדַּעַת שֶׁל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע וּלְהַגְבִּיר הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת בְּכוֹרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּנַּ"ל:
Therefore, the first redemption, which is the Exodus from Egypt, which includes all of the redemptions - because all of the redeemed are referred to by the name 'Egypt' as Rabbeinu z"l wrote in another place in Likutei Moharan 4. Therefore, the beginning of the redemption was in the middle of the night as it is written (Exodus 11:4) "Around midnight I will go out into Egypt". Because the essence of all the redemptions, especially the redemption from Egypt, came about through the aspect as seen above which was written in the lesson above. This was accomplished by means of divine providence which G-d drew down from the end of the earth, from the future world. At the time of the Exodus from Egypt, there was an upheaval in the constellations and then an overturning of nature, for G-d then revealed His divine providence through His awesome miracles and His overturning nature. All of this took place through the world of the future, for it came through the Yovel (Zohar I 21b, II 41b, 46b) which corresponds to the 50 gates of Binah, which corresponds to the world of the future. (Tikunei Zohar 79b). And therefore the redemption was specifically at midnight; in other words it broke the night and the darkness which are the aspect of the wisdom of nature, and it revealed divine providence in the world. Through this was the main essence of the revelation, as explained above. And this is the aspect of (Id.) “Every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, and G-d will pass over… And save the Israelites' first born”. Because the first born is first, the aspect of knowledge, the aspect of (Proverbs 1:7) “First thing, knowledge”. In other words, the knowledge of the Other Side, which is the aspect of natural sciences, was subdued, and the knowledge of holiness, the knowledge of divine providence, the aspect of "my firstborn, Israel" (Exodus 4:22) - which is the knowledge of faith in divine providence, from which the holy offspring of the Jewish people are drawn-was increased. The Jewish people are above nature, for they are rooted in "Look to the heavens and count the stars". G-d told him this will be your offspring (Genesis 15:5), upon which our sages comment G-d lifted Abraham above the heavens (Genesis Rabbah, there). Therefore, the Jewish people are above nature, for according to nature, according to the arrangement of the constellations, Abraham should not have been able to have any children. It was only because G-d said to him "let go of your astrology", and raised him above the heavens, that he was able to have a child, as in 'that will be your offspring'. Therefore Jewish offspring are drawn from its root from beyond nature, which is represented by 'My firstborn, Israel'. Because G-d struck the Egyptian first born at midnight to subdue and break the knowledge of natural sciences, and to intensify the knowledge of divine providence, the aspect of the firstborn of Israel, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שם יד) ויחלק עֲלֵיהֶם הַנֶּאֱמַר בְּאַבְרָהָם בְּעֵת שֶׁרָדַף אֶת הַמְלָכִים, כִּי אַבְרָהָם גִּלָּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר קִיּוּם תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ הוּא עַל-יְדֵי אַבְרָהָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם ב), "אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם-בְּאַבְרָהָם (בראשית רבה שם), כִּי הוּא גִּלָּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁעִקַּר קִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם הוּא עַל-יְדֵי זֶה וְעַל-כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ כֹּחַ לְאַבְרָהָם לְחַלֵּק אֶת הַלַּיְלָה דְּהַיְנוּ לְשַׁבֵּר אֶת הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת בִּטּוּל הַטֶּבַע, בְּחִינַת קִימַת חֲצוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. וְאָז הִכְנִיעַ אֶת הד' מְלָכִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת ד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת, כַּמּוּבָא. (יא) כִּי עִקַּר הַכְנָעָתָם עַל-יְדֵי בִּטּוּל הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן עַל-יְדֵי שֶׁפָּגַם בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר (שם טו), "במה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה", נִגְזַר עַל-יְדֵי זֶה הַגָּלוּת כִּי פָּגַם בְּהַדַּעַת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי עִקַּר הַדַּעַת הוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה וְהַשְׁגָּחָה זֶה בְּחִינַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּבְחִינַת (דברים י״א:י״ב) תָּמִיד עֵינֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב רַבֵּנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (יב) וְעַל-כֵּן עַל-יְדֵי שֶׁפָּגַם בְּהַדַּעַת וּפָגַם בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, עַל-יְדֵי זֶה (בראשית ט״ו:י״ב), "וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם וְהִנֵּה אימה חשיכה גְּדוֹלָה נוֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו" שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ תֹּקֶף הַגָּלֻיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תַּרְדֵּמָה, בְּחִינַת חֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁעִקַּר הִתְגַּבְּרוּתָם עַל-יְדֵי חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, עַל-יְדֵי פְּגַם הַשְׁגָּחָה כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the aspect of "And he divided himself against them" (Genesis 14:15) which is said about Abraham at the time he chased after the kings. For Abraham revealed G-d's blessed providence in the world. Therefore, the essence of the fulfillment of the generations of the heavens and earth is through Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 2:4) "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, בְּהִבָּרְאָם - meaning, through Abraham בְּאַבְרָהָם (Genesis Rabbah 2:4). Abraham revealed His blessed providence to the world; for the essence of the existence of the world is through this. Therefore, Abraham had the power to divide the night, in other words to break the night, which is the aspect of nullification of nature, the aspect of rising at midnight, as explained above. Then {Abraham} overpowered the four kings, which are the aspect of the four Malchuyot, as brought. The essence of their subjugation is through the nullification of nature, as explained above. Therefore, because he erred {by saying} what was written there (Genesis 15:8) "how will I know that I will inherit it?", the exile was decreed because of this, for it was a blemish in knowledge, which is the aspect of divine providence. The essence of knowledge is the aspect of divine providence. And divine providence, this is the aspect of the Land of Israel, the aspect of (Deuteronomy 11:12) "the eyes of Lord your God are always upon it", as Rebbe Nachman wrote in another place. Therefore, because he blemished the da'at/knowledge and blemished the Land of Israel, which is the aspect of divine providence, (Genesis 15:12) "a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness was falling upon him". Because he saw the strength of the exile, which is the aspect of 'a deep sleep', the aspect of darkness, the essence of their subjugation through the natural sciences, through the blemishing of divine providence, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אֲכִילַת מַצָּה וְאִסּוּר חָמֵץ, כִּי מַצָּה זֶה בְּחִינַת דַּעַת, בְּחִינַת מֹחִין דְּגַדְּלוּת, בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר הַדַּעַת. וְחָמֵץ זֶה בְּחִינַת מֹחִין דְּקַטְנוּת, בְּחִינַת אֱלֹקִים, בְּחִינַת דִּינִין, כַּמּוּבָא בְּכַוָּנוֹת (יג) זֶה בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁמִּשָּׁם עִקַּר הַדִּינִים וְהַצָּרוֹת ח"ו, כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הַטֶּבַע בְּגֵימַטְרִיָּא אֱלֹקִים, כַּמּוּבָא (יד) שֶׁמִּשָּׁם אֲחִיזַת הַדִּינִים כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי חָמֵץ זֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים ע״ג:כ״א) כִּי יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי וְכוּ', שֶׁזֶּה נֶאֱמַר עַל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁנּוֹפְלִין לְהָאָדָם עַל הַנְהָגַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁמִּשָּׁם כָּל הַכְּפִירוֹת וְהַקֻּשְׁיוֹת, אֲבָל מַצָּה זֶה בְּחִינַת דַּעַת, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנַת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר הַדַּעַת כַּנַּ"ל כִּי מַצָּה עַל שֵׁם שֶׁיָּצְאוּ בְּחִפָּזוֹן וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק בְּצֵקָם שֶׁל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהַחֲמִיץ עַד שֶׁנִּגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּגְאָלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות י״ב:ל״ט), "ויאפו אֶת הַבָּצֵק אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם עֻגּוֹת מַצּוֹת כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ כִּי גֹּרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ וְגַם צֵדָה לֹא עָשׂוּ לָהֶם" (טו) כִּי הָיָה לָהֶם אֱמוּנָה בְּהַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְעַל-כֵּן לֹא הֵכִינוּ לָהֶם שׁוּם צֵדָה וְיָצְאוּ בְּחִפָּזוֹן נִמְצָא, שֶׁמַּצָּה הוּא בְּחִינַת דַּעַת שֶׁל אֱמוּנַת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר גְּדוּלַת דַּעַת כְּשֶׁזּוֹכִין לְהִתְגַּלּוּת אֱלֹקוּת לִרְאוֹת וְלֵידַע שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד וְזֶה בְּחִינַת חִפָּזוֹן, כִּי חִפָּזוֹן זֶה בְּחִינַת לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן שֶׁדִּלֵּג עַל הַקֵּץ וְהוֹצִיאָם בְּחִפָּזוֹן גָּדוֹל בְּלִי שׁוּם זְמַן רַק בְּרֶגַע אַחַת וּבְשָׁעָה קַלָּה בָּאוּ מֵרַעַמְסֵס לְסֻכּוֹת וְנִתְקַבְּצוּ יַחַד בְּשָׁעָה קַלָּה שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף מִכָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רש"י עַל פָּסוּק (שם יט), "ואשא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים" שֶׁכָּל זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, הַיְנוּ כִּי הִגְבִּיהָם לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁהוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה יָצְאוּ בְּלִי שׁוּם זְמַן, בְּלִי שׁוּם הֲכָנָה, רַק בְּשָׁעָה קַלָּה, כִּי עִקַּר הַגְּאֻלָּה הָיָה עַל-יְדֵי הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁהִיא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, בְּחִינַת חִפָּזוֹן, כִּי חִפָּזוֹן זֶה בְּחִינַת זְרִיזוּת שֶׁהוּא מִדָּה טוֹבָה מְאֹד, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, בְּחִינַת בִּטּוּל הַשֵּׁנָּה שֶׁבָּא עַל-יְדֵי עַצְלוּת, בְּחִינַת (משלי י״ט:ט״ו) עצלה תַּפִּיל תַּרְדֵּמָה וְכַמּוּבָא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ (טז) שֶׁזְּרִיזוּת הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, עַיֵּן שָׁם וְזֶה בְּחִינַת זִכָּרוֹן, בְּחִינַת (שם יג) זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם וְכוּ' וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ט״ז:ג׳), "לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ וְכוּ'" כִּי אִיתָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ בְּסוֹף מַאֲמַר "וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים" הַמְדַבֵּר מֵאֱמוּנָה (בסימן ז') שֶׁזִּכָּרוֹן הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כִּי עִקַּר הַשִּׁכְחָה הוּא מִבְּחִינַת הַזְּמַן וְכוּ' וּכְשֶׁיּוֹדְעִין וּמַאֲמִינִים בֶּאֱמֶת שֶׁהַכֹּל מִתְנַהֵג רַק עַל פִּי הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד שֶׁהוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, אֲזַי אֵין שַׁיָּךְ בְּחִינַת שִׁכְחָה כְּלָל וְכוּ', עַיֵּן שָׁם וְהָבֵן וְזֶה בְּחִינַת זִכָּרוֹן הַנֶּאֱמַר אֵצֶל יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, בְּחִינַת זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם וְכוּ' לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר וְכוּ', כִּי בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם נִתְגַּלָּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת זִכָּרוֹן לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע, בְּחִינַת חִפָּזוֹן, בְּחִינַת זְרִיזוּת שֶׁהוּא מְחַיֶּה הַמֹּחִין וְהַדַּעַת, שֶׁעִקַּר קִיּוּמוֹ הוּא כְּשֶׁיּוֹדְעִין וּמַאֲמִינִים בַּהַשְּׁגָּחָה. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת מַצָּה עַל שֵׁם הַחִפָּזוֹן וְכוּ' וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the aspect of eating Matzah and the prohibition of Chametz. Matzah is the aspect of Da'at/knowledge, the aspect of the greatness of the mentalities, the aspect of divine providence, which is the essence of da'at. Chametz (unleavened bread) corresponds to the lesser mentalities, the aspect of "Elokim", the aspect of judgments, as is brought in the Kavanot. This corresponds to the knowledge of natural science, which is the source of judgments and problems, G-d forbid, as explained above. "Nature" in Gematria equals "Elokim", as is brought. From here is where judgments take hold, as explained above. Because Chametz corresponds to (Psalms 73:21) "For my heart was in ferment, יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי", etc. This is said about the problems that fall upon a person due by the command of Hashem Yisbarach. This is the aspect of the knowledge of nature, from where all of the atheism and problems stem. Matzah, however, corresponds to da'at, as explained above. It is called Matzah because they left in haste and there was not sufficient time for the dough from our fathers to leaven, until the The King of Kings, the Holy One Blessed Be He revealed Himself to them and redeemed them, as it is said (Exodus 12:39) "They baked the dough that they had taken out of Egypt as unleavened cakes, for it had not leavened, for they were driven out of Egypt, and they could not tarry, and also, they had not made provisions for themselves". They had faith in the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach and therefore they did not prepare any provisions, and we find they left in haste. Matzah is the knowledge of the faith of divine providence, which is the essence of the Greater knowledge, whereby a person merits the revelation of G-dliness, to see and know that everything is (by) the divine providence of Hashem alone. This is the aspect of 'haste', for 'haste' is the aspect of 'higher than time', which leaps over the end, and took them out with great haste, without any time except for a moment. And in a short while they came to Sukkot from Ra'amses and 600,000 people gathered together in a light hour, from all of the land of Egypt, as Rashi explains on the verse (Exodus 19:4) "I bore you on eagles' wings". All of this is the aspect of 'above time'; in other words, they were elevated beyond time. This is the aspect of divine providence which is above nature, above time. Through this they went out without any time, without any preparation - solely in a short while. The essence of the redemption was through the revelation of divine providence which is above time, the aspect of 'haste'. For haste is the aspect of quickness which is a very good trait, the aspect of faith, the aspect of nullification of the sleep that comes about through laziness, the aspect of (Proverbs 19:15) "Laziness causes one to fall into a deep sleep, and a deceitful soul shall suffer hunger", and as brought in the words of our Rabbi (Rebbe Nachman) in another place that quickness is the aspect of faith, see there. And this is the aspect of remembrance, the aspect of (Exodus 13:3) "Remember this day, when you went out of Egypt", etc., and as is written (Deuteronomy 16:3) "you shall remember the day when you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life", etc., and as seen in the words of Rabbeinu at the end of the lesson "And these are the judgments" (Likutei Moharan 7) that remembrance is the aspect of faith. The essence of forgetting is from the aspect of time, etc. And when you know and truly believe that everything operates solely by the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach alone, which is above time, then one need not worry about the aspect of forgetting at all, etc., see there and understand. This is the aspect of remembrance which is said about the Exodus from Egypt, the aspect of 'Remember the day', etc., 'so that you may remember', etc. For with the Exodus from Egypt His Blessed divine providence was revealed, as explained above. This is the aspect of remembrance which is above time, above nature, the aspect of 'haste', the aspect of 'quickness' which is the lifeforce of the mentalities and knowledge. The essence of their existence/fulfillment is when you know and believe in divine providence. And this is the aspect of Matzah made in haste, etc., etc., as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שַׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁקּוֹרִין לַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁלִּפְנֵי פֶּסַח שַׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל עַל שֵׁם הַנֵּס וְכוּ', (יז) כִּי עִקַּר הַנִּסִּים וְהַנִּפְלָאוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם שֶׁשִּׁדֵּד הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת וּבִטֵּל הַטֶּבַע וְגִלָּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם, הַכֹּל נִמְשָׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת שַׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שַׁבָּת, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם מַמְשִׁיךְ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, הַהַשְׁגָּחָה מִבְּחִינַת סוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְכוּ', בִּבְחִינַת קֵץ בָּא הַקֵּץ וְכוּ', כַּמְבֹאָר שָׁם בַּמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל נִמְצָא, שֶׁעִקַּר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם נִמְשָׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת שַׁבָּת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עוֹלָם הַבָּא וְעַל-כֵּן גַּם פֶּסַח נִקְרֵאת שַׁבָּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ויקרא כ״ג:ט״ו), "וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת" דְּהַיְנוּ פֶּסַח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות סה), כִּי עִקַּר תֹּקֶף הַנֵּס שֶׁל פֶּסַח נִמְשָׁךְ מִשַּׁבָּת כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת הַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁלִּפְנֵי פֶּסַח שֶׁקּוֹרִין אוֹתוֹ שַׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל עַל שֵׁם הַנֵּס, כִּי כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁל יְצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם נִמְשָׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת שַׁבָּת כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן נִקְרָא גָּדוֹל עַל שֵׁם הַנִּסִּים שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בְּחִינַת גָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלכים ב ח׳:ד׳), "ספרה לִי אֶת הגדולות שֶׁעָשָֹה אֱלִישָׁע" כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב רַבֵּנוּ שָׁם בַּמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל עַל מַאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל, וּמוֹרִיד שְׁנֵי דְּמָעוֹת לַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל, עַיֵּן שָׁם:
And this is the aspect of Shabbat HaGadol, which is the name of the Shabbat before Passover, on account of the miracle, etc. The essence of the miracles and wonders that took place during the Exodus from Egypt - which crumbled the battles and nullified nature and revealed His Blessed Providence to the world - all of it was drawn from the aspect of Shabbat, which is the Future World which is totally Shabbat. From there, Hashem Yisbarach drew, so to speak, divine providence from the ends of the earth, etc., corresponding to (Ezekiel 7:2) "an end! The end has come", etc., as is brought there in the lesson as seen above. The essence of the Exodus from Egypt is drawn from Shabbat, which is the aspect of the World to Come. Therefore, Pesach is also called Shabbat, as it is written (Leviticus 23:15) "And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day"; in other words, Pesach, which our Sages of Blessed Memory said (Menachos 65b) that the essence of the power of the miracle of Passover is drawn from Shabbat, as explained above. This is the aspect of the Shabbat that is before Passover, which is called Shabbat HaGadol because of the miracle. For all of the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt were drawn from the aspect of Shabbat, as explained above. Therefore it is called "Gadol" because of the miracles which were called the aspect of Gadol (great), as it is written (II Kings 8:4) "Please tell me all the great things that Elisha performed". As Rabbeinu z"l wrote there in the lesson as seen above, 'And 2 tears went down into the great sea', see there.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (פסחים ב') אוֹר לְאַרְבָּעָה עָשָֹר בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הֶחָמֵץ לְאוֹר הַנֵּר וְקָרֵי הַתַּנָּא לאורתא אוֹר לִישָׁנָא מַעַלְיָא וְכוּ' כִּי עִקַּר בְּדִיקַת הֶחָמֵץ וּבִעוּרוֹ הוּא בְּחִינַת בִּעוּר, בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע מֵהָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חָמֵץ כַּנַּ"ל וּכְשֶׁנִּתְבַּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע וְנִתְגַּלֶּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה זֶה בְּחִינַת בִּטּוּל הַחֹשֶׁךְ וְהַלַּיְלָה כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תֹּקֶף הַגָּלֻיּוֹת הַנִּמְשָׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי כִּשֶׁנִּתְגַּלֶּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם אֲזַי אֵין שׁוּם חֹשֶׁךְ כְּלָל, כִּי עִקַּר הָאוֹר הוּא הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, כַּנַּ"ל וַאֲזַי לַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר כו', כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים קל״ט:י״ב), "גַּם חֹשֶׁךְ לֹא יחשיך ממך ולילה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר כַּחֲשֵׁכָה כָּאוֹרָה" כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לֶעָתִיד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (זכריה י״ד:ז׳), "וְהָיָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב יִהְיֶה אוֹר" כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים (בהגדה של פסח), "תָּאִיר כְּאוֹר יוֹם חֶשְׁכַּת לַיְלָה" כִּי עִקַּר הַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁל לַיְלָה הוּא מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁהֵם הֵם עִקַּר הַחֹשֶׁךְ וֶאֱמוּנַת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה זֶה עִקַּר הָאוֹר וְכַנַּ"ל, וְעַל-כֵּן הַלַּיְלָה שֶׁל בְּדִיקַת הֶחָמֵץ בִּטּוּל הַטֶּבַע, קָרָא הַתַּנָּא אוֹר לִישָׁנָא מְעַלְיָא ע"ש בִּטּוּל הַטֶּבַע שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הֶחָמֵץ שֶׁבּוֹדְקִין בְּאוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה הַלַּיְלָה בִּבְחִינַת אוֹר, בְּחִינַת (תהילים קל״ט:י״ב) לַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן קָרָא הַתַּנָּא אוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה אוֹר:
This corresponds to (Pesachim 2a) "On the evening [אוֹר] of the fourteenth of the month of Nisan, one searches for leavened bread in his home by candlelight", and the Tanna read אוֹר as evening, employing a euphemism, etc. The essence of the search for Chametz and its burning is the aspect of elimination, the aspect of the nature from the world, which corresponds to Chametz, as explained above. When nature is nullified and providence is revealed, this is the aspect of nullification of the darkness and the night, as explained above. They are the aspect of the power of the exile which is drawn from the aspect of knowledge of natural science, as explained above. For when His Blessed Divine Providence is revealed in the world, then there is no darkness there at all. The essence of light is Hashem Yisbarach, so to speak, as explained above. Then, night is illuminated like the day, etc. As it is written (Psalms 139:12) "Even darkness will not obscure [anything] from You, and the night will light up like day", as it will be in the future, as it is written (Zechariah 14:7) "and it shall come to pass that at eventide it shall be light", as we request (Passover Haggadah ) "illuminate like the light of the day, the darkness of the night". The essence of the darkness of night is from the knowledge of natural science, which is the essence of darkness, while faith in divine providence is the essence of light, as explained above. Therefore, the night of searching for Chametz nullifies nature, as the Tanna was using a euphemism regarding the nullification of nature, which is the aspect of Chametz which was searched for on that night. By this, night corresponds to day, the aspect of (Psalms 139:12) "and the night will light up like day", etc., as explained above. And therefore the Tanna called that night 'light', אוֹר.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שמות י״ב:מ״ב) לֵיל שִׁמּוּרִים, שֶׁמְּשֻׁמָּר מִן הַמַּזִּיקִים, (יט) כִּי עִקַּר הַמַּזִּיקִים הֵם מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת דִּינִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים מַזִּיקֵי עַלְמָא וְאָז בְּלֵיל יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם שֶׁהָיָה בִּטּוּל הַטֶּבַע בַּלַּיְלָה דַּיְקָא כְּדֵי לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, עַל-כֵּן אוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה הוּא מְשֻׁמָּר מִכָּל הַמַּזִּיקִין וּמִכָּל הַדִּינִים, כִּי אָז נִתְגַּלֶּה הַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִתְבַּטְּלִין כָּל הָהֶזֵיקוֹת וְכָל הַדִּינִים כַּנַּ"ל:
1. This corresponds to “a night of guarding” (Exodus 12:42) - of guarding from harmful powers. Yalkut Shimoni II 210. These harmful powers correspond to natural sciences, to judgments, to the nations which harm the world. Then, on the night of the exodus from Egypt, when nature was eliminated specifically at night in order to break and eliminate the power of night, corresponding to natural sciences, therefore that night was guarded from all harm for powers, from all judgments, since providence was revealed, through which all harm and all judgments are eliminated.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מִלּוּי הַלְּבָנָה, בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו ל׳:כ״ו) וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית וְכוּ' שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא כְּשֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם כִּי אָז יִתְבַּטֵּל חֶשְׁכַּת לַיְלָה וְאָז תִּתְמַלֵּא הַלְּבָנָה מִפְּגִימָתָהּ, כִּי פְּגָם וּמִעוּט הַלְּבָנָה זֶה בְּחִינַת חֶשְׁכַּת לַיְלָה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר אֲחִיזָתָם, כִּי כָּל אֲחִיזָתָם הוּא מִבְּחִינַת פְּגַם הַלְּבָנָה כַּיָּדוּעַ (כ) וּלֶעָתִיד תִּתְמַלֵּא הַלְּבָנָה וְיִתְבַּטֵּל הַחֹשֶׁךְ, כִּי יִתְבַּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע וְתִתְגַּלֶּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה, וַאֲזַי, 'לַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר' וְזֶה בְּחִינַת וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל-כֵּן פָּרָשַׁת קִדּוּשׁ הַחֹדֶשׁ הוּא מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם בִּשְׁעַת הַגְּאֻלָּה, כִּי עִקַּר הַגְּאֻלָּה, שֶׁהוּא בִּטּוּל הַטֶּבַע, זֶה בְּחִינַת מִלּוּי הַלְּבָנָה, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת קִדּוּשׁ הַחֹדֶשׁ וְכַנַּ"ל:
1. This corresponds to the filling of the moon, as in, "the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, like the light of the seven days of creation" (Isaiah 30:26), which will take place in the future, when divine providence will be revealed in the world. The darkness of night will then be eliminated and the moon will be filled of it’s waning, for the waning of the moon corresponds to the darkness of night, to natural sciences, which are attached to it since their main power is from the waning of the moon as is known. In the future though, the moon will be filled and darkness will be eliminated, for nature itself will be eliminated and Providence will be revealed. And then 'the night will be as bright as the day', corresponding to, 'the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun'. Therefore, the commandment to sanctify each new month is the first commandment given to the Jews in Egypt during the redemption, for the essence of redemption is the elimination of nature, corresponding to the filling of the moon, which corresponds to the sanctification of the month.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (פסחים ה), אֵין בִּעוּר חָמֵץ אֶלָּא שְֹרֵפָה כִּי (יחזקאל ט״ו:ז׳), "מֵהָאֵשׁ יָצָאוּ וְהָאֵשׁ תֹּאכְלֵם", כִּי הַהַשְׁגָּחָה וְהַטֶּבַע הֵם בְּחִינַת יוֹם וְלַיְלָה אוֹר וְחשֶׁךְ כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מְאוֹרֵי אוֹר וּמְאוֹרֵי אֵשׁ, כִּי מְאוֹרֵי אֵשׁ שׁוֹלְטִין בִּשְׁעַת הִסְתַּלְּקוּת מְאוֹרֵי אוֹר, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּלַיְלָה וְחשֶׁךְ (וכמבואר מזה במקום אחר בדברי רבינו ז"ל במאמר "בראשית-לעיני כל ישראל" בסימן ס"ז בלקוטי תנינא) כִּי הָאֵשׁ זֶה בְּחִינַת תֹּקֶף הַדִּין שֶׁנִּמְשַׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל-כֵּן בָּרָא הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אֶת הָאֵשׁ בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת עַל-יְדֵי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים נד) זֶה רֶמֶז עַל בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁנִּתְעַלֵּם הַהַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי הַטֶּבַע זֶה בְּחִינַת (דברים ח׳:י״ז) כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי עָשָֹה לִי וְכוּ' כְּמוֹ הָאֵשׁ שֶׁעִקַּר בְּרִיָּיתוֹ הָיָה עַל-יְדֵי מַעֲשֵֹה יְדֵי אָדָם, וְעַל-כֵּן מִשָּׁם עִקַּר אֲחִיזַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהוּא תֹּקֶף הַדִּין, וְעַל-כֵּן מַבְדִּילִין עָלָיו בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת, כִּי שָׁם עִקַּר בְּחִינַת הַהַבְדָּלָה וְהַבֵּרוּר, כִּי עִקַּר אֲחִיזַת עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וְרָע הוּא מִבְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֵשׁ כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-יְדֵי שֶׁאָנוּ מַבְדִּילִין עָלָיו עַל-יְדֵי זֶה אָנוּ מְבָרְרִין הַטּוֹב וּמַכְנִיעִין הָרַע הַנֶּאֱחַז בְּהָאֵשׁ בִּבְחִינַת הַטֶּבַע וְנִכְלָל גַּם הָאֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע בַּקְּדֻשָּׁה, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת גַּם הַטֶּבַע הוּא הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ מַנְהִיג אֶת הַטֶּבַע כִּרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וּכְשֶׁמַּאֲמִינִים וְיוֹדְעִים שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה וְגַם הַטֶּבַע הִיא הַשְׁגָּחָה, אֲזַי נִכְלָל גַּם הָאֵשׁ בַּקְּדֻשָּׁה וְזֶה בְּחִינַת בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ שֶׁמְּבָרְכִין בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת בִּשְׁעַת הַבְדָּלָה. שֶׁמַּאֲמִינִים שֶׁהַכֹּל מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְגַם הָאֵשׁ בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע בָּרָא גַּם כֵּן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ, כִּי גַּם הַטֶּבַע הִיא הַשְׁגָּחָה כַּנַּ"ל וַאֲזַי נִכְלָל הַכֹּל בַּקְּדֻשָּׁה וְזֶה בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּן עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע כַּנַּ"ל וַאֲזַי עַל-יְדֵי זֶה דַּיְקָא הֵם נוֹפְלִים בִּבְחִינַת מֵהָאֵשׁ יָצָאוּ וְהָאֵשׁ תֹּאכְלֵם, כִּי עִקַּר אֲחִיזָתָם מִבְּחִינַת הָאֵשׁ, בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע וּכְשֶׁנִּתְגַּלֶּה שֶׁגַּם הָאֵשׁ, בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, הוּא מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל-יְדֵי זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ הֵם נִכְנָעִים וְזֶה בְּחִינַת בִּעוּר חָמֵץ עַל-יְדֵי הָאֵשׁ, כִּי אָז נִתְגַּלֶּה הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאָז יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהַכֹּל מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וַאֲפִלּוּ הַטֶּבַע בְּחִינַת הָאֵשׁ הַכֹּל בָּרָא הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד וַאֲזַי הֶחָמֵץ, בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, בְּחִינַת אֲחִיזַת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, נִכְנַע וְנִתְבַּטֵּל עַל-יְדֵי שָׁרְשׁוֹ דַּיְקָא, דְּהַיְנוּ עַל-יְדֵי הָאֵשׁ, כִּי מֵהָאֵשׁ יָצָאוּ וְהָאֵשׁ תֹּאכְלֵם כַּנַּ"ל:
This corresponds to "elimination of leaven is only by burning" (Pesachim 5b). For, "they emerged from fire and fire will consume them". (Ezekiel 15:7). Providence in nature corresponds to day and night, light and darkness, as said, and also corresponds to luminaries of light and luminaries fire. Luminaries of fire dominate when the luminaries of light disappear, which is at night and in darkness. For, 'they emerged from fire and fire will consume them'. Ezekiel 15:7. Providence in nature corresponds to day and night, light and darkness, as said, and also corresponds to luminaries of light and luminaries of fire. Luminaries of fire dominate when the luminaries of light disappear, which is at night and in darkness. See LM I 67. Fire corresponds to the intensity of judgment that is drawn from nature, which is why G-d created fire after the Sabbath, through Adam, as our sages said (Pesachim 54a). This alludes to nature, in that providence disappeared. Nature corresponds to (Deuteronomy 8:17), "my power and the make of my hand have accomplished", like fire, which was created by a human act. Therefore nature is most strongly attached to fire, which represents the intensity of judgment. And therefore we recite the havdalah after Shabbat over fire. Because this is the essence of differentiation and separation. The power of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is mainly from the power of nature, which corresponds to fire, and by our reciting the havdalah over fire, we thereby separate the good and subdue the bad that is attached to the fire as nature, and then the fire itself is transformed into holy nature. For the truth is that even nature is Providence, since G-d himself guides nature as He wills, and when we believe and know that everything is Providence, and even nature becomes Providence, and then even fire is sacred. This is represented in 'who creates the luminaries a fire', which we recite after the Sabbath during havdalah, declaring that we believe everything to be from G-d and that fire is an aspect of the nature that G-d himself created, for nature is Providence. Then, everything is sacred, representing the rectification of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Specifically through this, evil falls away, as in, 'they emerged from fire and fire will consume them', for its main power is from fire, from nature, and when it becomes evident that even fire, nature, is also from G-d this itself subdues it. This corresponds to burning leaven with fire, for divine providence has been revealed, and then we know that everything is from G-d, and that even nature, represented by fire, was created by G-d alone. Then leaven, representing natural sciences, corresponding to the power of the nations, is subdued and eliminated specifically by its own source, by fire, for 'they emerge from fire and fire will consume them'.
וְעַל-כֵּן בְּכָל הַשָּׁנָה מֻתָּר הֶחָמֵץ רַק בְּפֶסַח צְרִיכִים לֶאֱכֹל מַצָּה וְחָמֵץ אָסוּר וְאִסּוּרוֹ חָמוּר מְאֹד אֲפִלּוּ בְּמַשֶּׁהוּ, (כא) כִּי בְּפֶסַח, שֶׁהוּא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, צְרִיכִים רַק לֶאֱכֹל מַצָּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה וּבְחִינַת הֶחָמֵץ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, צְרִיכִים עַכְשָׁיו לְבַעֵר לְגַמְרֵי בְּבַל יֵרָאֶה וּבַל יִמָּצֵא, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת גַּם הַטֶּבַע בְּעַצְמָהּ הִיא גַּם כֵּן הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל, אֲבָל מֵאַחַר שֶׁהִתְגַּבְּרוּ פַּרְעֹה וּמִצְרַיִם אָז עָלֵינוּ מְאֹד וְכָפְרוּ בַּה' וְאָמְרוּ, "מִי ה' וְכוּ', (שמות ה'), עַל-כֵּן אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָצֵאת מִמִּצְרָיִם כִּי אִם עַל-יְדֵי הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה מְאֹד מְאֹד כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בִּשְׁעַת יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם שֶׁגִּלָּה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, כִּי עָשָֹה עִמָּנוּ אוֹתוֹת נוֹרָאוֹת וְעַל-כֵּן צְרִיכִים אָז בְּפֶסַח לֶאֱכֹל רַק מַצָּה וְלֹא חָמֵץ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, רַק מַצָּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי מֵחֲמַת תֹּקֶף הַגָּלוּת שֶׁהָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁכּוֹלֵל כָּל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָצֵאת מִשָּׁם כִּי אִם עַל-יְדֵי הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד וּבְחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהוּא הֶחָמֵץ, צָרִיךְ לְבַעֵר לְגַמְרֵי בְּבַל יֵרָאֶה וּבַל יִמָּצֵא, כִּי עַל-יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע הֵם יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְגַּבֵּר וְלֹא יִהְיֶה אֶפְשָׁר לָצֵאת מֵחֲמַת גֹּדֶל אֲחִיזָתָם שֶׁנִּתְאָחֲזוּ אָז מְאֹד בְּיִשְֹרָאֵל, אֲבָל מֵאַחַר שֶׁאוֹכְלִים מַצָּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, אֲזַי אַחַר כָּךְ הוּתַּר הֶחָמֵץ, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר יָצָאנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְנִתְגַּלֶּה הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָה עַל-יְדֵי אֲכִילַת מַצָּה, אֲזַי אַחַר כָּךְ יְכוֹלִים לֶאֱכֹל גַּם הֶחָמֵץ שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, כִּי עַל-יְדֵי גֹּדֶל הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה יוֹדְעִים הָאֱמֶת שֶׁגַּם הַטֶּבַע הוּא הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּרָא הַכֹּל וּמַנְהִיג בִּרְצוֹנוֹ הַכֹּל, עַל-כֵּן יְכוֹלִים לֶאֱכֹל חָמֵץ גַּם כֵּן אֲבָל בַּתְּחִלָּה בִּשְׁעַת יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לֶאֱכֹל חָמֵץ כְּלָל, כִּי אָז מֵחֲמַת גֹּדֶל אֲחִיזָתוֹ כַּנַּ"ל אָסוּר לְהַזְכִּיר שָׁם טֶבַע כְּלָל שֶׁלֹּא יִתְאָחֲזוּ בְּיוֹתֵר וְלֹא יוּכְלוּ לְהִגָּאֵל ח"ו, אֲבָל אַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁכְּבָר יָצָאנוּ מֵהֶם וְנִתְגַּלָּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה אֲזַי יוֹדְעִים שֶׁגַּם הֶחָמֵץ בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע הַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְעַל-כֵּן הוּתַּר הֶחָמֵץ אַחַר הַפֶּסַח כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (כב) שֶׁמֵּאַחַר שֶׁקִּבַּלְנוּ הַמַּצָּה, שֶׁהִיא אַסְוָתָא, יְכוֹלִים אַחַר כָּךְ לֶאֱכֹל הֶחָמֵץ, הַיְנוּ כַּנַּ"ל שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה יְכוֹלִים לֶאֱכֹל הֶחָמֵץ גַּם כֵּן, כִּי נִתְגַּדֵּל הַדַּעַת וְיוֹדְעִים שֶׁגַּם הַטֶּבַע הִיא הַשְׁגָּחָה בֶּאֱמֶת כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן לֹא הוּתַּר הֶחָמֵץ עַד אַחַר קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף שֶׁהָיָה בִּשְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח, כִּי אָז הָיָה עִקַּר מַפָּלַת מִצְרַיִם וְאָז הָיָה בְּיוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה מְאֹד מְאֹד עַל-יְדֵי קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וְנִסִּים הַרְבֵּה שֶׁהָיוּ אָז וְעַל-כֵּן אָז נִכְנַע וְנִתְבַּטֵּל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם אֲחִיזַת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים מְאֹד, כִּי כֻּלָּם נִבְהֲלוּ אָז מְאֹד עַל-יְדֵי הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁהָיָה אָז מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות ט״ו:ט״ו), "אָז נִבְהֲלוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם וְכוּ'" וּמִגֹּדֶל הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה אָז נִתְגַּלָּה שֶׁגַּם בֶּאֱמֶת הַטֶּבַע הִיא הַשְׁגָּחָה. וְעַל-כֵּן אַחַר שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח הוּתַּר הֶחָמֵץ וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
Therefore leaven is permissible throughout the year, and only on Passover must we eat unleavened bread, while leaven is very strictly forbidden, even in the minutest amount. This is because on Passover, which represents the Exodus from Egypt, we must eat only unleavened bread, representing Providence, while leaven, which represents nature, we must completely eliminate so that it will not be seen or found in our homes. For the truth is that nature itself is also divine providence, but since pharaoh and the Egyptians greatly overpowered us and denied G-d by saying (Exodus 5:2) "who is G-d?", therefore it is impossible to take leave of Egypt other than by means of a very great revelation of providence. Therefore, during the Exodus, G-d revealed His providence with a very great revelation, performing for us awesome wonders. For this reason, we must eat on Passover only unleavened bread, which corresponds to Providence and not leaven, which corresponds to nature. On account of the intensity of the exile in Egypt, which comprised all the exiles, it is impossible to take leave of it other than by a revelation of Providence alone. Nature though, represented by leaven, must be completely eliminated, not to be seen or found. Nature would have empowered the Egyptians and then, due to their great power over the Israelites at the time, it would have been impossible to leave. For this reason, we must eat on Passover only unleavened bread, which corresponds to Providence and not leaven, which corresponds to nature. But since for seven days we eat unleavened bread, corresponding to Providence, we can then eat leaven throughout the year. Once we have already left Egypt and the knowledge of providence has been revealed by having eaten unleavened bread, we are then allowed to eat leaven, corresponding to nature. By means of the great revelation of providence we truly know that nature is itself providence, that G-d created everything and guides everything according to His will, and therefore we may eat leaven for the rest of the year. Only at the beginning, during the Exodus, it is completely for bidden to eat leaven, for at that time, due to their great power, it was forbidden to acknowledge nature at all, for that would have even further empowered them and we would not have been able to be redeemed. But after having left Egypt and Providence was revealed, we know that even leaven, representing nature, is also divine providence, and we are then allowed to eat leaven after Passover. This corresponds to what is stated in the holy Zohar, that once we received the matzo, the medicine, we may then eat leaven (Zohar II 183b). This means that after providence was revealed, we may eat leaven, for knowledge was increased and we know that even nature is really Providence. Therefore, leaven only became permissible after the splitting of the Red Sea on the seventh day of Passover, for that was the ultimate fall of Egypt. Providence was then revealed more than ever by the many miracles that took place then. Natural sciences, corresponding to the great power of the nations, were then subdued and eliminated, for they all were very terrified by the revelation of providence that took place, as written (Exodus 15:15) "then the princes of Edom were terrified". Thus the revelation of providence also revealed that nature itself is really providence and therefore, after the seventh day of Passover, it became permissible to eat leavened bread.
כִּי קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף הוּא בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל שָׁם בַּמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל עַל מַאֲמַר "וּמוֹרִיד שְׁנֵי דְּמָעוֹת לַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל", דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה לְהַכְנִיעַ אֶת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת יָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו נ״ז:כ׳), "וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נגרש" וַאֲזַי נַעֲשִֹין נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת גָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלכים ב ח׳:ד׳), "ספרה לִי אֶת הגדולות וְכוּ'", עַיֵּן שָׁם וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף שֶׁאָז הָיָה הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה מְאֹד כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-יְדֵי הַהַשְׁגָּחָה הָיָה הַנֵּס שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ בְּחִינַת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה לִבְחִינַת יָם שֶׁמְּרַמֵּז עַל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְאָז נִבְקַע הַיָּם, הַיְנוּ כִּי קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף הוּא בִּשְׁנֵי בְּחִינוֹת וּשְׁנֵיהֶם אֶחָד, כִּי זֶה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה, כִּי קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף מְרַמֵּז שֶׁנִּבְקַע יַם הֶחָכְמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה וְנִתְגַּלָּה הַדַּעַת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי זֶה עִקַּר הַדַּעַת כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ נִבְקַע הַיָּם שֶׁלְּמַטָּה, שֶׁמְּרַמֵּז עַל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים דְּעַלְמָא, שֶׁהֵם כַּיָּם נגרש, שֶׁכֻּלָּם נִבְקְעוּ וְנִשְׁבְּרוּ וְנִתְבַּטְּלוּ וְיִשְֹרָאֵל עָבְרוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, כִּי לֹא יָכְלוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁהֵם הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, לִשְׁלוֹט עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה כַּנַּ"ל בִּבְחִינַת וּמוֹרִיד שְׁנֵי דְּמָעוֹת לַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל הַנַּ"ל, (כִּי פַּרְעֹה הִתְגַּבֵּר עַל-יְדֵי ב' אוֹתִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֵם מ'י' אוֹתִיּוֹת י"ם וְעַל-כֵּן אָמַר (שמות ה׳:ב׳) מ'י' ה' אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע בְּקוֹלוֹ כַּמּוּבָא בְּכִתְבֵי האר"י ז"ל) (כג) וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר הַכְנָעָתוֹ שֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה עַל-יְדֵי קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף בִּבְחִינַת וּמוֹרִיד שְׁנֵי דְּמָעוֹת. דְּהַיְנוּ הַשְׁגָּחָה לַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל כַּנַּ"ל:
The splitting of the Red Sea corresponds to Rabbeinu z"l's teaching in this lesson on 'G-d shed two tears into the great sea'. This means that He draws providence to subdue the nations, which correspond to the sea, as written (Isaiah 57:20) "the wicked are swept away like the sea", which brings about miracles and wonders, which are called 'great' as written (II Kings 8:6) "tell me of the great deeds". This is represented by the splitting of the Red Sea when there was a great revelation of providence. By means of providence came the miracle, providence that G-d drew came upon the sea which corresponds to the nations and the sea split. In other words, the splitting of the Red Sea took place on two levels, two that are one, for they are inter-dependent. The splitting of the Red Sea alludes that the sea of wisdom above was split, and knowledge, corresponding to providence, was revealed, for providence is the quintessential knowledge. This same dynamic also split the sea below, which alludes to the nations of the world who are swept away like the sea-they were all split, broken and eliminated, while Israel passed through the sea on dry land. The waters, representing the nations, could not wield power over Israel, since providence was revealed, as in, 'G-d shed two tears into the great sea'. For Pharaoh had gained power through the two letters מ'י' which spells י"ם (sea) and therefore he said "who is G-d that I should listen to him?} (Exodus 5:2) as stated in the Ari z"l's writings. Therefore Pharaoh was subdued mainly by the revelation of Providence with the splitting of the Red Sea as in, 'G-d sheds two tears', which is Providence, into the great sea.
וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת שְׁאֵלַת הַבֵּן, שֶׁמִּצְוָה שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל הַבֵּן, מַה נִשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת כִּי צְרִיכִים אָז בְּלֵיל פֶּסַח לִישְׁאֹל דַּוְקָא קֻשְׁיוֹת מַה נִשְׁתַּנָּה כְּדֵי לְהָשִׁיב עַל זֶה עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ וְכוּ' דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָשָֹה עִמָּנוּ נִסִּים וְגִלָּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם וְעַל-יְדֵי קֻשְׁיָא זוֹ שֶׁל מַה נִשְׁתַּנָּה. עַל-יְדֵי זֶה מַכְנִיעִין וּמְבַטְּלִין וּמְתַרְצִין כָּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, כִּי עַל-יְדֵי זֶה מְגַלִּין הַהַשְׁגָּחָה כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן צְרִיכִין דַּיְקָא לִישְׁאֹל קֻשְׁיוֹת מַה נִשְׁתַּנָּה בְּלֵיל פֶּסַח כְּדֵי לְבַטֵּל עַל-יְדֵי קֻשְׁיָא זוֹ כָּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁל הַמֶּחְקָרִים שֶׁבָּאִים מֵחָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע כִּי עַל-יְדֵי קֻשְׁיָא זוֹ נִתְגַּלֶּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה וְנִתְבַּטֵּל לְגַמְרֵי כָּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם וְעַל-כֵּן דִּבְּרָה תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה בָּנִים שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין קֻשְׁיוֹת מַה נִשְׁתַּנָּה הַנַּ"ל כִּי הַד' בָּנִים הֵם כְּנֶגֶד ד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת כַּמּוּבָא (כד) כִּי כָּל הד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת שֶׁהֵם כְּלַל כָּל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת שֶׁכֻּלָּם מִתְגַּבְּרִים רַק עַל-יְדֵי בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל כַּמְבֹאָר בַּמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל וְכֻלָּם נִכְנָעִים וְנִתְבַּטְּלִים עַל-יְדֵי שְׁאֵלַת הד' בָּנִים שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִתְגַּלֶּה הַשְׁגָּחָה כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִתְבַּטְּלִין כָּל הד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת שֶׁהֵם כְּלַל כָּל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶהוּ מַה נִשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַקֻּשְׁיָא מַה זֶה הָיָה שֶׁבַּלַּיְלָה שֶׁמְּרַמֵּז עַל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע יִהְיֶה הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה כָּל כַּךְ, וְהַתֵּרוּץ עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ וְכוּ' וְלֹא יָכֹלְנוּ לָצֵאת מִשָּׁם כִּי אִם עַל-יְדֵי הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד וְהָיָה מֵהַהֶכְרַח לְבַטֵּל אָז הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי וְעַל-כֵּן הָיָה הַנֵס בַּלַּיְלָה דַּיְקָא כְּדֵי לְהַכְנִיעֵם בְּשָׁרְשָׁם לַהֲפֹךְ הַלַּיְלָה לְיוֹם כִּי בִּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי וְאָז נִתְהַפֵּךְ לַיְלָה לְיוֹם בְּחִינַת (תהילים קל״ט:י״ב) לַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר וְזֶה עִקַּר הַנֵּס שֶׁיִּתְבַּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה לְגַמְרֵי כַּנַּ"ל עַל-כֵּן הָיָה הַנֵּס בַּלַּיְלָה דַּיְקָא כַּנַּ"ל:
This corresponds to the sons' question at the Passover Seder, when the son must ask 'why is this night different from all other nights'? On the night of Passover we must specifically ask questions about the difference in order to answer 'we were slaves', meaning that G-d performed for us miracles and revealed His providence in the world. By asking this question about the difference, we subdue and eliminate and answer all questions of natural sciences, for that is how providence is revealed. That is why we ask the questions about the difference on the night of Passover, to eliminate with this question all the questions of the natural scientists, for by means of this question providence is revealed and all of their questions are completely eliminated. For this reason, the Torah speaks about four sons asking questions about the difference. These four sons correspond to the four kingdoms, for all of the four kingdoms, which represent all of the exiles, draw power solely from natural sciences, as explained in the lesson, and they are all subdued and eliminated by the questions of the four sons which revealed Providence, thus eliminating the four kingdoms that comprise all the exiles. Therefore 'why is this night different'? Why is it that on this night, which alludes to all the exiles, corresponding to nature, there should be such a great revelation of Providence? The answer is 'we were slaves' and we could not leave there other by the revelation of Providence, and it was imperative to completely eliminate nature. Therefore the miracle was specifically at night, in order to subdue them at their root and to transform night into day, for nature was completely eliminated and night became day as in (Psalms 139:12) "the night was bright as day". This was the essence of the miracle, that nature, corresponding to the night, should be completely eliminated. Therefore the miracle had to be at night.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת טְבִילַת כֵּלִים כִּי הַכְּלִי שֶׁיָּצָא מֵרְשׁוּת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים צְרִיכִים לְטוֹבְלָן בַּמִּקְוֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָאוּי שֶׁיֹּאכַל בּוֹ הַיִּשְֹרָאֵל (שולחן ערוך יורה דעה סימן ק"כ סעיף א') כִּי הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע זֶה עִקַּר הַטֻּמְאָה כַּנַּ"ל וּכְשֶׁהַכֹּל בִּרְשׁוּתָם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לָצֵאת לִרְשׁוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה כִּי אִם עַל-יְדֵי טְבִילָה בַּמִּקְוֶה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה בְּחִינַת דַּעַת בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו י״א:ט׳) כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה כַּמַּיִם וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל כִּי מַאֲכַל יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד. וְעִקַּר קְדֻשַּׁת הָאֲכִילָה הוּא עַל-יְדֵי הַדַּעַת שֶׁהוּא הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אֲכִילַת מַצָּה בְּפֶסַח שֶׁמְּגַלִּין הַהַשְׁגָּחָה עַל-יְדֵי הָאֲכִילָה דַּיְקָא עַל-יְדֵי שֶׁאוֹכְלִין מַצָּה כַּנַּ"ל כִּי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן פָּגַם בַּאֲכִילַת עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע זֶה בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁשָּׁם מְעֹרָב טוֹב וָרָע. וְהוּא דַּעַת דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא פְּגַם הַדַּעַת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְעִקַּר הַפְּגַם הָיָה עַל-יְדֵי הָאֲכִילָה כִּי עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הָאֲכִילָה הוּא עַל-יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה דַּיְקָא בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים ל״ז:ג׳) וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה כַּמּוּבָא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (בסימן ס"ב) כִּי כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, עַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִפְגַּם הַדַּעַת שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה וְנוֹפֵל לְטָעוּת שֶׁל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ח׳:י״ד), "פֶּן תֹּאכַל וְשָֹבָעְתָּ וְרָם לְבָבְךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְכוּ' וְאָמַרְתָּ בִּלְבָבְךָ כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי עָשָֹה לִי וְכוּ'" דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁתּוֹלֶה בַּטֶּבַע ח"ו, כְּאִלּוּ הַפַּרְנָסָה בְּכֹחוֹ וְעֹצֶם יָדוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מוֹדֶה בַּהַשְׁגָּחָה וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי, בְּחִינַת פְּגַם הַיָּדַיִם הַנַּ"ל פְּגַם כ"ח פִּרְקִין דידים כ"ח אַתְוָן שֶׁל מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית וְזֶהוּ (שם), "וְזָכַרְתָּ אֶת ה' אֶלֹקֶיךָ כִּי הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן לְךָ כ"ח וְכוּ'" הַיְנוּ כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת הַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁבָּרָא הַכֹּל בכ"ח אַתְוָן שֶׁל מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית כַּנַּ"ל וְהוּא מַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּכָל עֵת וְנוֹתֵן כ"ח, 'כ"ח' דַּיְקָא כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַשְׁגִּיחַ וּמְקַיֵּם הָעוֹלָם עַל-יְדֵי כ"ח אַתְוָן שֶׁל מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן צְרִיכִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַאֲכָלָם מְאֹד וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיִם בְּמַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, כִּי עִקַּר הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה תְּלוּיָה בִּקְדֻשַּׁת הַמַּאֲכָלִים וְכַנַּ"ל וְזֶהוּ (שם ח'), "וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָֹבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה' אֶלֹקֶיךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה וְכוּ'" הַיְנוּ שֶׁתְּבָרֵךְ אֶת ה' אַחַר הָאֲכִילָה, שֶׁתֵּדַע שֶׁהַכֹּל מֵאִתּוֹ בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְזֶהוּ, "עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה" כִּי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם יא), "תָּמִיד עֵינִי ה' אֶלֹקֶיךָ בָּהּ'" כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אֲכִילַת מָן, בְּחִינַת (שמות ט״ז:ד׳) הִנְּנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהָיָה יוֹרֵד בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד דְּבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ וְכַמָּה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ בּוֹ וּכְשֶׁמַּאֲמִינִים שֶׁהַפַּרְנָסָה הַכֹּל בָּא מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ לְבַד בְּלִי שׁוּם דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע כְּלָל, כִּי הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן כ"ח וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל, זֶה בְּחִינַת אֲכִילַת מָן, בִּבְחִינַת לֹא נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְאוֹכְלֵי הַמָּן (כה) וְעַל-כֵּן בִּתְחִלַּת הִתְקָרְבוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּפֶסַח בִּשְׁעַת יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֵם צְרִיכִים לֶאֱכֹל מַצָּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מֹחִין וְדַעַת, בְּחִינַת מָן, (כו) כִּי עַל-יְדֵי אֲכִילַת מַצָּה בְּפֶסַח נִמְשָׁךְ דַּעַת גָּדוֹל וְיוֹדְעִין שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה לְבַד וְעַל-יְדֵי זֶה עִקַּר הִתְקָרְבוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן הַכְּלִי שֶׁהָיָה בִּרְשׁוּת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁהֵם מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאָבוּתָא, כִּי הֵם תּוֹלִין בַּטֶּבַע שֶׁמִּשָּׁם עִקַּר אֲחִיזַת הַדִּינִים וְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא וְעַל-כֵּן אֵין הַכְּלִי רָאוּי לִסְעֻדַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אִם עַל-יְדֵי טְבִילָה בַּמִּקְוֶה, שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה יוֹצֵא הַכְּלִי מִבְּחִינַת טֶבַע לִבְחִינַת דַּעַת, בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת מִקְוֶה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הֶכְשֵׁר כֵּלִים (במדבר ל״א:כ״ג) "כָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא בָּאֵשׁ תַּעֲבִירוּ בָּאֵשׁ כִּי מֵהָאֵשׁ יָצָאוּ וְהָאֵשׁ תֹּאכְלֵם וְכוּ'" וְכַנַּ"ל כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר נִבְלַע הָאִסּוּר, שֶׁהוּא הַטֻּמְאָה, בַּכְּלִי, שֶׁכָּל זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּפִירוֹת שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִמְשָׁכִין כָּל הַטֻּמְאוֹת וְכָל הָאִסּוּרִים וּכְשֶׁכְּבָר נִבְלַע הָאִסּוּר בַּכְּלִי אֵין לוֹ טָהֳרָה כִּי אִם עַל-יְדֵי הָאֵשׁ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שֹׁרֶשׁ הַטֶּבַע וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי מֵהָאֵשׁ יָצָאוּ וְכוּ' וְכַנַּ"ל, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נִבְלַע הָאִסּוּר בַּכְּלִי רַק שֶׁיָּצָא מֵרְשׁוּת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיָּצָא מִדַּעְתּוֹ וּרְשׁוּתוֹ, כִּי עִקַּר בְּחִינַת רְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הוּא הַדַּעַת שֶׁהוּא קוֹנֶה כָּל הַחֲפָצִים תַּחַת רְשׁוּתוֹ בִּבְחִינַת (נדרים מא) דַּעַת קָנִיתָ מה חָסַרְתָּ וְכוּ', כִּי עִקַּר הָאָדָם הוּא הַדַּעַת וְעַל-כֵּן כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵא הַכְּלִי מֵרְשׁוּת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, הַיְנוּ מֵרְשׁוּת דַּעַת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל, אֲזַי דַּי לוֹ בִּטְבִילָה בְּמִקְוֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי שֶׁמִּשָּׁם מְקַבְּלִין וּמַמְשִׁיכִין בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה יוֹצְאִין מִטֻּמְּאָה לְטָהֳרָה, מֵרְשׁוּת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים לִרְשׁוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהֵם לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
This corresponds to the immersing of vessels: a vessel that is purchased from a non-Jew must be immersed in the ritual bath so that a Jew will be able to eat with it. (Yoreh Deah 120:1). When a vessel is in the possession of a non-Jew, who corresponds to nature, to the essence of impurity, the vessel cannot leave it to enter into the possession of a Jew, into holiness, other than by immersion in a ritual bath, corresponding to providence, to knowledge, as in (Isaiah 11:9) "for the earth will be filled with knowledge as the sea". This is because the food of a Jew must be very holy, and food is sanctified mainly by knowledge, which is a revelation of providence. This corresponds to eating matzo on Passover, because we reveal providence specifically by eating matzo. Adam caused a blemish when he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which corresponds to natural sciences, which are comprised of good and evil. This knowledge is of the realm of evil, a blemish of holy knowledge. This blemish was caused mainly by eating, for the main rectification of eating is specifically through faith, as in "remain faithful" (Psalms 37:3) as mentioned elsewhere. LM I 62. When a person does not eat with sanctity, knowledge, which corresponds to Providence, is blemished and the person falls into the mistaken belief of natural science, as written, (Deuteronomy 8:12) "lest you eat, be satiated and your heart becomes haughty and you forget G-d your Lord and you say in your heart my power and the might of my hand have accomplished this for me". In other words, the person attributes it to nature, as if his sustenance comes from his own power in the mind of his hand and he does not acknowledge Providence. This is the meaning of 'my power and the might of my hand', a blemish in the hands, in the 28 phalanges of the hands, in the 28 letters of creation. This is the meaning of (Deuteronomy 8:18) "remember G-d your Lord for He gives you power". Indeed, everything is the providence of G-d, who created everything with the 28 letters of creation, who oversees everything at all times, and who gives power, for G-d oversees and sustains the world through the 28 letters of creation. Therefore the Jewish people must greatly sanctify their food and eating. This is represented by many Commandments connected with eating and drinking, for the revelation of providence is mainly dependent upon the sanctity of foods. Thus, 'and be satiated and blessed G-d your Lord over the good land': bless G-d after eating, through knowing that everything is from His providence. And over the good land, for the land of Israel corresponds to Providence, as written (Deuteronomy 11:12) "the eyes of G-d your Lord are always upon it". This corresponds to the eating of the manna, as in (Exodus 16:4), "I will rain down for you bread from heaven", for it came down slowly through Providence each and every day, besides other miracles connected with it. Believing that sustenance comes only from G-d, solely in His providence, without any natural causes at all, for He gives power - this is eating manna, as in, the Torah was only given to those who eat manna. Mekhilta B’Shalach 17:17. Therefore when the Israelites first came near to their Father in heaven during Passover of the Exodus from Egypt, they had to eat matzoh, which represents the mind, knowledge, corresponding to manna for by eating matzoh on Passover great knowledge is evoked and we come to know that everything is only providence. This is the essential closeness of the Jewish people to their Father in heaven. And therefore a vessel that has been in the possession of a non-Jew, who represents the realm of impurity, for they attribute things to nature, which is from where judgments and the forces of evil draw their main power, that vessel is unusable for a Jewish meal unless it has been immersed in a ritual bath. In this way, the vessel leaves the realm of nature and enters the realm of knowledge, of providence, of the world of the future, represented by the ritual bath, as explained above. This corresponds to the purification of vessels (Numbers 31:23) "whatever passes through fire you shall pass through fire, for they emerged from fire and fire will consume them". Since forbidden food, which is impure, has been absorbed into the vessel, corresponding to nature, for all impurities and forbidden things are drawn from heresies, that vessel has no purification other than by fire, which is the source of nature, as said, for they have emerged from fire. But as long as forbidden food has not been absorbed into the vessel but has only left the possession of a non-Jew, thereby also leaving his knowledge, for a person's greatest possession is his knowledge, with which he aquires all of his belongings, as in "if you have acquired knowledge what do you lack"? (Nedarim 41a), therefore when the vessel leaves the possession, the knowledge, of a non-Jew, representing the realm of nature, then immersion in a ritual bath is sufficient. A ritual bath represents the world of the future, from where providence is drawn to break and eliminate the realm of nature, through which we move from impurity to purity, from the possession of a non-Jew to the possession of a Jew, who is above nature.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַיַּיִן שֶׁל ד' כּוֹסוֹת, כִּי הַיַּיִן כָּלוּל מִשְּׁנֵי בְּחִינוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יומא עו), זָכָה נַעֲשֶֹה רֹאשׁ לֹא זָכָה נַעֲשֶֹה רָשׁ הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁזּוֹכִין נִתְרוֹמֵם הַדַּעַת עַל-יְדֵי הַיַּיִן וְעִקַּר הַדַּעַת הוּא הִתְגַּלּוּת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּתְגַּלֶּה בְּיוֹתֵר הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַהַשְׁגָּחָה עַל-יְדֵי שְׁתִיַּת הַיַּיִן כְּשֶׁזּוֹכִין בְּחִינַת זָכָה נַעֲשֶֹה רֹאשׁ, אֲבָל אִם אֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה הוּא לְהֵפֶךְ כִּי נַעֲשֶֹה רָשׁ וְאֵין עָנִי אֶלָּא מִן הַדַּעַת (כז) וּמִשָּׁם עִקַּר הָעֲנִיּוּת מַמָּשׁ דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁאֵין לוֹ הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁהוּא עִקַּר הַדַּעַת, מִשָּׁם בָּא עֲנִיּוּת, בְּחִינַת (בראשית ג׳:י״ז) בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכְלֶנָּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת דַּחְקוּת וַעֲנִיּוּת שֶׁבָּא עַל-יְדֵי פְּגַם אֲכִילַת עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וְרָע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הַטֶּבַע הוּא בְּחִינַת חֹשֶׁךְ וְלַיְלָה, בְּחִינַת פְּגַם הַלְּבָנָה כַּנַּ"ל שֶׁמִּשָּׁם עִקַּר הָעֲנִיּוּת כַּיָּדוּעַ (כח) וּשְׁנֵי בְּחִינוֹת אֵלּוּ כְּלוּלִים בַּיַּיִן, כִּי הַיַּיִן מֵבִיא שֵׁנָּה וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת לַיְלָה וְשֵׁנָּה כַּנַּ"ל וּלְהֵפֶךְ כְּשֶׁזּוֹכִין, אֲזַי הַיַּיִן מְעוֹרֵר מֵהַשֵּׁנָּה בִּבְחִינַת (שיר השירים ז׳:י׳) וְחִכֵּךְ כַּיַּיִן הַטּוֹב דּוֹבֵב שִֹפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיַּיִן הַטּוֹב מִסִּטְרָא דְּטוֹב מְעוֹרֵר מֵהַשֵּׁנָּה, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר, כִּי בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָּה אֲזַי נִסְתַּלֵּק הַדִּבּוּר וְעַל-יְדֵי הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב נִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהַשֵּׁנָּה וְנִמְשָׁךְ הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁבָּא מֵהַדַּעַת כַּיָּדוּעַ, (כט) בְּחִינַת דּוֹבֵב שִֹפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים (ל) וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָּה כַּנַּ"ל וּמֵחֲמַת שֶׁהַיַּיִן כָּלוּל מִשְּׁנֵי הַבְּחִינוֹת, מִבְּחִינַת דַּעַת, בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת יַיִן הַמְשַֹמֵּחַ, בְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, בְּחִינַת (תהילים ק״ד:ט״ו) וְיַיִן יְשַֹמַּח וְכוּ' וְזֶה כְּשֶׁזּוֹכֶה כַּנַּ"ל וְאִם לֹא זָכָה הוּא בִּבְחִינַת יַיִן הַמְשַׁכֵּר שֶׁמְּעָרֵב הַדַּעַת וְטוֹעֶה בְּחָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע ח"ו, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָּה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל עַל-כֵּן צְרִיכִין לִשְׁמֹר אֶת הַיַּיִן מְאֹד מִמַּגַּע עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים יוֹתֵר מִכָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, כִּי שׁוּם דָּבָר אֵינוֹ נֶאֱסַר בְּמַגַּע עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, רַק הַיַּיִן נַעֲשֶֹה נֶסֶךְ עַל-יְדֵי מַגַּע עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, כִּי תֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁנּוֹגֵעַ הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים בַּיַּיִן וּסְתַם נְגִיעָה הִיא בְּיָדַיִם, אֲזַי נִמְשָׁךְ הַיַּיִן לִבְחִינַת טֶבַע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים דְּעַלְמָא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהַיַּיִן כָּלוּל מִשְּׁנֵי הַבְּחִינוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, עַל-כֵּן הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת טֶבַע, הֵם יְכוֹלִין לְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיַּיִן בִּנְגִיעָתָם בַּיָּד, כִּי נִמְשָׁךְ מִיַּד לִבְחִינַת טֶבַע וְעַל-כֵּן אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְיִשְֹרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע וְכָל מַאֲכָלֵיהֶם וּמַשְׁקֵיהֶם צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת קֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי הַמַּאֲכָל וְהַמַּשְׁקֶה יוּמְשַׁךְ הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָה כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר הַפְּגָם שֶׁל הַיַּיִן הוּא עַל-יְדֵי נְגִיעָתָם וּסְתַם נְגִיעָה הִיא בְּיָדַיִם, כִּי עִקַּר הַפְּגַם הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָה הִיא עַל-יְדֵי פְּגַם הַיָּדַיִם פְּגַם כ"ח פִּרְקִין דידים, שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד כ"ח אַתְוָן שֶׁל מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל וִידֵי עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים הֵם בְּהֵפֶךְ מִזֶּה וְהֵם בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית כ״ז:כ״ב) הַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָֹו, בְּחִינַת הַטָּעוּת שֶׁל הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל-כֵּן הַיַּיִן נִפְגַּם עַל-יְדֵי עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְכַנַּ"ל וַאֲזַי נַעֲשֶֹה נֶסֶךְ זֶה בְּחִינַת טָעוּת שֶׁל חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָּה וְזֶה בְּחִינַת נֶסֶךְ, בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו כ״ט:י׳) כִּי נָסַךְ ה' רוּחַ תַּרְדֵּמָה וְכוּ', שֶׁזֶּה נֶאֱמַר שָׁם עַל הַחוֹזִים בַּכּוֹכָבִים הַטּוֹעִים בְּמַעֲרֶכֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכַנַּ"ל וְעַל-כֵּן בְּעֵת גְּאֻלַּת מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁאָז נִתְגַּלָּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה, אָז הוּא מִצְוָה לִשְׁתּוֹת ד' כּוֹסוֹת שֶׁל יַיִן, כִּי אָז הַיַּיִן הוּא בְּחִינַת זָכָה נַעֲשֶֹה רֹאשׁ, כִּי עַכְשָׁיו בְּלֵיל פֶּסַח נִתְרוֹמֵם הַדַּעַת וְנִתְגַּלֶּה הַהַשְׁגָּחָה בְּיוֹתֵר עַל-יְדֵי הַיַּיִן, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הִמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה וְשָׁבַר אֶת הַלַּיְלָה וְהַשֵּׁנָּה בִּבְחִינַת (שמות י״א:ד׳) כַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה אֲנִי יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרַיִם. וַאֲזַי הַיַּיִן בְּחִינַת יַיִן הַמְּשַֹמֵּחַ וִיכוֹלִין לְדַבֵּר וּלְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה עַל-יְדֵי הַיַּיִן, בִּבְחִינַת דּוֹבֵב שִֹפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים וְכַנַּ"ל וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (ברכות לה) אֵין אוֹמְרִים שִׁיר אֶלָּא עַל הַיַּיִן, כִּי כָּל הַשִּׁירוֹת------הֵם נִמְשָׁכִין מִבְּחִינַת עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי שֶׁאָז יתער שִׁיר בְּעָלְמָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (לא) בִּבְחִינַת אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה 'שָׁר' לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא "יָשִׁיר" מִכַּאן שֶׁעָתִיד לָשִׁיר לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, (לב) כִּי עִקַּר הַשִּׁירָה מִבְּחִינַת עוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁאָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה וְכוּ', כִּי אָז יתער שִׁיר בְּעָלְמָא וּמִשָּׁם נִמְשָׁכִין כָּל הַשִּׁירוֹת לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה שֶׁמְּשׁוֹרְרִין וּמְזַמְּרִין עַל הַנִּסִּים, כִּי כָּל הַנִּסִּים נַעֲשִֹין עַל-יְדֵי שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַמְשִׁיךְ בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם מֵעוֹלָם הַבָּא לְזֶה הָעוֹלָם כַּנַּ"ל, וַאֲזַי כְּשֶׁנַּעֲשֶֹה הַנֵּס, אָנוּ מַמְשִׁיכִין גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת שִׁירָה מֵעוֹלָם הַבָּא לְזֶה הָעוֹלָם וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כָּל הַשִּׁירוֹת שֶׁל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל-כֵּן אֵין אוֹמְרִים שִׁיר אֶלָּא עַל הַיַּיִן, (לג) כִּי אָז הַיַּיִן נִכְלָל בִּקְדֻשָּׁה בִּבְחִינַת דַּעַת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָה וְזֶה עִקַּר בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁיר שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיכִין בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁיר שֶׁל הַנֵּס לְזֶה הָעוֹלָם וְעַל-כֵּן אוֹמְרִים הַשִּׁיר עַל הַיַּיִן וְכַנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת ד' כּוֹסוֹת יַיִן שֶׁל פֶּסַח כְּנֶגֶד ד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת, כִּי כְּשֶׁנִּכְלָל הַיַּיִן בַּקְּדֻשָּׁה בִּבְחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, עַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִכְנָעִין כָּל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת שֶׁל כָּל הַד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת, שֶׁעִקַּר כֹּחָם הוּא עַל-יְדֵי הַטֶּבַע כַּנַּ"ל וְעַל-יְדֵי הַהַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁנִּתְגַּלֶּה עַל-יְדֵי הַדַּעַת שֶׁנִּמְשַׁךְ עַל-יְדֵי ה' כּוֹסוֹת יַיִן, עַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִתְבַּטְּלִים כֻּלָּם וְכוּ' וְכַנַּ"ל:
This corresponds to the 4 cups of wine at the Passover Seder. Wine has two parts, as our Rabbis Z"L said, "if a person is worthy it makes him a head and if he is not worthy it makes him a poor person". Yoma 76b. This means that a person's knowledge is elevated by the wine, and being that the essence of knowledge is the revelation of providence, knowledge of providence is enhanced by drinking wine and one becomes a 'head'. But when a person is not worthy, the opposite happens and one becomes poor, for the true pauper is he who lacks knowledge, which is the main cause of material poverty. When a person lacks knowledge of providence, which is the essence of knowledge, this causes poverty, as in, "you shall eat it with despair" (Genesis 3:17), representing oppression and poverty that come on account of the blemish of eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which corresponds to natural sciences. Furthermore, nature corresponds to darkness and night, corresponding to the blemish of the moon, which is the root source of poverty, as is known. Wine is therefore comprised of both elements: it brings on sleep, which corresponds to nature, which corresponds to night and sleep, and when one is worthy, it arouses from sleep, as in, "your pallet is like good wine which makes the lips of the sleeping speak". Song of songs 7:10. Good wine, which comes from the realm of holiness, arouses a person from sleep, represented by speech. During sleep, speech disappears, while good wine arouses from sleep and evokes speech, which comes from knowledge, as in 'makes the lips of the sleeping speak', which corresponds to providence, corresponding to the arousal from sleep. And since wine is comprised of both elements, when a person is worthy it represents knowledge, Providence, as in, "wine that makes glad", corresponding to the world of the future, as in "wine makes glad" (Psalms 104:15). And when one is not worthy it is an intoxicating wine, which confuses knowledge and errs with natural sciences, which corresponds to sleep. Therefore wine must be carefully guarded from the touch of a non-Jew, more than anything else. Nothing else in the world besides wine becomes forbidden by the touch of a non-Jew. As soon as a non-Jew touches wine, and touch is with the hands, the wine is drawn into the realm of nature, which corresponds to the non-Jew, since the wine itself is comprised of both aspects. Therefore a non-Jew, who corresponds to nature, makes the wine impure with the touch of his hand, for the wine is immediately drawn into the realm of nature, and is therefore unsuitable for a Jew, who is above nature, and whose food and drink should be holy, since the knowledge of providence is drawn through food and drink. Therefore, the blemish of the wine is specifically by their touch with the hands, for the blemish of the knowledge of providence is mainly through a blemish of the hands, of the 28 phalanges of the hands, which correspond to the 28 letters of creation. The hands of the non-Jews though, are the opposite of this, and are in the category of "the hands are the hands of Esau" (Genesis 27:22), corresponding to the mistaken belief in nature, corresponding to "my power and the might of my hand", and therefore wine is blemished by the hand of a non-Jew. This forbidden wine is then in the category of the mistaken belief in natural sciences, which corresponds to sleep. This is alluded to in the word Nesekh, נֶסֶךְ, the term for forbidden wine, as in, "For G-d Nasakh נָסַךְ (poured) a spirit of slumber" (Isaiah 29:10), which refers to stargazers who have a mistaken belief in the constellations. Therefore at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, when Providence was revealed, it is a commandment to drink 4 cups of wine, for wine is then in the category of 'if one is worthy the one becomes a head', for now at the Passover Seder, knowledge is elevated and providence is greatly revealed through the wine, for G-d drew Providence and broke the night, the sleep, as in "around midnight I will go out within Egypt". Wine is then in the category of 'wine makes glad' and a person is able to speak and tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt on this night, by means of the wine as in 'wine makes the lips of the sleeping speak'. This corresponds to "song is only recited on wine". Berachot 35b. For all songs are drawn from the world of the future, when song will be aroused in the world, as stated in the holy Zohar III 286b, as in, "Then Moses will sing". Exodus 15:1. It does not say 'sang', in the past tense, but 'will sing' in the future, teaching us that he will sing in the world of the future. Sanhedrin 91b. This is because the essence of song comes from the world of the future, when Moses will sing, for song will then be aroused in the world. This is the source of all songs - song in this world over miracles, for all miracles come about by G-d drawing providence from the end of the world, from the world of the future, into this world. And when a miracle takes place, we draw song from the world of the future into this world, which is all the songs for the miracles that we sing. Therefore, song is only recited over wine, for wine will then be absorbed into holiness, corresponding to knowledge of providence, for the essence of song is drawing providence, which is the song for the miracle, into this world, which is why song should be over wine. This is represented by the 4 cups of wine at the Passover Seder, corresponding to the Four Kingdoms. When wine is absorbed into holiness, corresponding to Providence, all exiles of the Four Kingdoms are subdued, for their main power is through nature, and by means of the Providence that is revealed by the knowledge that is drawn by the 4 cups of wine, they are all eliminated.