AND THE PEOPLE TOOK THEIR DOUGH BEFORE IT WAS LEAVENED. On the strength of this is founded the precept that the leaven should be burned on the Passover Eve. “Leaven,’ and “unleaven” symbolize the evil and the good inclinations in man.
It is obligatory for every Israelite to relate the story of the Exodus on the Passover night. He who does so fervently and joyously, telling the tale with a high heart, shall be found worthy to rejoice in the Shekinah in the world to come, for rejoicing brings forth rejoicing; and the joy of Israel causes the Holy One Himself to be glad, so that He calls together all the Family above and says unto them: “Come ye and hearken unto the praises which My children bring unto Me! Behold how they rejoice in My Redemption!”
Then all the angels and supernal beings gather round and observe Israel, how she sings and rejoices because of her Lord’s own Redemption-and seeing the rejoicings below, the supernal beings also break into jubilation for that the Holy One possesses on earth a people so holy, whose joy in the Redemption of their Lord is so great and so powerful.
For all that terrestrial rejoicing increases the power of the Lord and His hosts in the regions above, just as an earthly king gains strength from the praises of his subjects, the fame of his glory being thus spread throughout the world. And similarly a man should acknowledge and proclaim any wonder that God has wrought for him.
This should he do, not in order that the Omniscient should become aware of all His wonderful acts, since to Him all things of the past, as well as of the future, are already known, but rather in order that the praises may ascend even unto the highest spheres and awaken among the supernal beings a responsive outburst of praise and worshipful delight in the faithfulness of His people and in the invincible greatness of His glory, who is Himself rejoiced at the rejoicings of His people and His heavenly hosts.
Conversely, with the confession of sin: the Holy One is aware of all man’s sins and needs no reminder thereof; yet, since Satan, the supernal adversary and accuser, continually lies in wait, ever ready to bring man’s sins before the Holy One, it is but a natural precaution to hasten on in advance of him, making full confession of one’s sins, so that the Accuser, when he comes, may find himself anticipated and left without ground for his denunciations, and so be discouraged and leave his intended victim alone.
Then, should the sinner carry out his repentance fully, he will be fully exonerated, and all will be well; and if not, Satan will thus obtain a just opportunity to rise up against the impious one, saying: “Here is a man who has had the audacity to appear before Thee, and yet has rebelled against his Lord!” Therefore man should at all times beware lest he falter in his fealty, and strive ever to be found a faithful servant before the Holy One, blessed be He.
Then follows the command that we should eat unleavened bread during Passover, it being a memorial, throughout the generations, of the true secret of Faith. For, as already stated elsewhere, Israel at that time emerged from the association with idolatry and entered into the mystery of Faith.
רעיא מהימנא (שמות י״ב:ל״ד) וְיִשָּׂא הָעָם אֶת בְּצֵקוֹ טֶרֶם יֶחְמָץ וְגוֹ'. כ"ה פִּקּוּדָא דָּא, לְבָעֵר חָמֵץ. דְּהָא פִּקּוּדָא דָּא, אִתְמְסַר לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִשָּׂא הָעָם אֶת בְּצֵקוֹ טֶרֶם יֶחְמָץ. וּכְתִיב שְּׂאוֹר לא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָתֵּיכֶם, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּא, וְרָזָא אוֹקִימְנָא, בֵּין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה דְּכַמָּה דּוּכְתֵּי, דָּא יֵצֶר רַע, וְדָא יֵצֶר טוֹב.
AND THE PEOPLE TOOK THEIR DOUGH BEFORE IT WAS LEAVENED. On the strength of this is founded the precept that the leaven should be burned on the Passover Eve. “Leaven,’ and “unleaven” symbolize the evil and the good inclinations in man.
כ"ו פִּקּוּדָא בָּתַר דָּא, לְסַפֵּר בִּשְׁבָחָא דִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, דְּאִיהוּ חִיּוּבָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ, לְאִשְׁתָּעֵי בְּהַאי שְׁבָחָא לְעָלְמִין. הָכִי אוֹקִימְנָא, כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִשְׁתָּעֵי בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, וּבְהַהוּא סִפּוּר חַדֵּי בְּחֶדְוָה, זַמִּין אִיהוּ לְמֶחדֵי בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי דְּהוּא חֵדוּ מִכֹּלָּא, דְּהַאי אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּחַדֵּי בְּמָרֵיהּ, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַדֵּי בְּהַהוּא סִפּוּר.
It is obligatory for every Israelite to relate the story of the Exodus on the Passover night. He who does so fervently and joyously, telling the tale with a high heart, shall be found worthy to rejoice in the Shekinah in the world to come, for rejoicing brings forth rejoicing; and the joy of Israel causes the Holy One Himself to be glad, so that He calls together all the Family above and says unto them: “Come ye and hearken unto the praises which My children bring unto Me! Behold how they rejoice in My Redemption!”
בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא, כָּנִישׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכָל פָּמַלְיָיא דִּילֵיהּ, וְאָמַר לוֹן, זִילוּ וּשְׁמָעוּ סִפּוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחָא דִּילִי, דְּקָא מִשְׁתָּעוּ בָּנַי, וְחַדָּאן בְּפוּרְקָנִי. כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין, וְאַתְיָין וּמִתְחַבְּרִין בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּשְׁמָעוּ סִפּוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחָא, דְּקָא חַדָּאן בְּחֶדְוָא דְּפוּרְקָנָא דְמָרֵיהוֹן, כְּדֵין אַתְיָין וְאוֹדָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל כָּל אִינּוּן נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָן וְאוֹדָאן לֵיהּ עַל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִית לֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא, דְּחַדָּאן בְּחֶדְוָה דְּפוּרְקָנָא דְּמָארִיהוֹן.
Then all the angels and supernal beings gather round and observe Israel, how she sings and rejoices because of her Lord’s own Redemption-and seeing the rejoicings below, the supernal beings also break into jubilation for that the Holy One possesses on earth a people so holy, whose joy in the Redemption of their Lord is so great and so powerful.
כְּדֵין אִתּוֹסָף לֵיהּ חֵילָא וּגְבוּרְתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַהוּא סִפּוּרָא יַהֲבֵי חֵילָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן, כְּמַלְכָּא, דְּאִתּוֹסָף חֵילָא וּגְבוּרְתָּא, כַּד מְשַׁבְּחִין גְּבוּרְתֵּיהּ, וְאוֹדָן לֵיהּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ דַּחֲלִין מִקָמֵיהּ, וְאִסְתַּלָּק יְקָרֵיהּ עַל כֻּלְּהוּ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אִית לְשַׁבְּחָא וּלְאִשְׁתָּעֵי בְּסִפּוּר דָּא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, חוֹבָה אִיהוּ עַל בַּר נָשׁ, לְאִשְׁתְּעֵי תָּדִיר קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְפַרְסוּמֵי נִיסָא בְּכָל אִינּוּן נִיסִּין דְּעָבַד.
For all that terrestrial rejoicing increases the power of the Lord and His hosts in the regions above, just as an earthly king gains strength from the praises of his subjects, the fame of his glory being thus spread throughout the world. And similarly a man should acknowledge and proclaim any wonder that God has wrought for him.
וְאִי תֵּימָא, אֲמַאי אִיהוּ חוֹבָתָא, וְהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָדַע כֹּלָּא, כָּל מַה דְּהֲוָה, וְיֶהוֵי לְבָתַר דְּנָא, אֲמַאי פִּרְסוּמָא דָּא קָמֵיהּ, עַל מַה דְּאִיהוּ עָבַד, וְאִיהוּ יָדַע. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ לְפַרְסוּמֵי נִיסָא, וּלְאִשְׁתָּעֵי קָמֵיהּ בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ עָבַד, בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן מִלִּין סַלְּקִין, וְכָל פָּמַלְיָא דִּלְעֵילָּא מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין, וְחָמָאן לוֹן, וְאוֹדָאן כֻּלְּהוּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִסְתַּלָּק יְקָרֵיהּ עָלַיְיהוּ עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא.
This should he do, not in order that the Omniscient should become aware of all His wonderful acts, since to Him all things of the past, as well as of the future, are already known, but rather in order that the praises may ascend even unto the highest spheres and awaken among the supernal beings a responsive outburst of praise and worshipful delight in the faithfulness of His people and in the invincible greatness of His glory, who is Himself rejoiced at the rejoicings of His people and His heavenly hosts.
כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, מַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּעֵי וּמְפָרֵט חֶטְאוֹי עַל כָּל מַה דְּעָבַד, אִי תֵּימָא לְמָאי אִצְטְרִיךְ. אֶלָּא מְקַטְרְגָא קָאִים תָּדִיר קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתְּעֵי וּלְמִתְבַּע חוֹבֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וּלְמִתְבַּע עֲלֵיהוֹן דִּינָא. כֵּיוָן דְּאַקְדִּים בַּר נָשׁ, וּמְפָרֵיט חֶטְאוֹי, כָּל חַד וְחַד, לָא אַשְׁאִיר פִּטְרָא דְּפוּמָא לְהַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמִתְבַּע עָלֵיהּ דִּינָא. דְּהָא תָּדִיר תָּבַע דִּינָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר מִשְׁתָּעֵי וּמְקַטְרֵג פְּלוֹנִי עָבֵד כַּךְ. וְעַל דָּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַקְדְּמָא, וּלְפָרֵט חֶטְאוֹי.
Conversely, with the confession of sin: the Holy One is aware of all man’s sins and needs no reminder thereof; yet, since Satan, the supernal adversary and accuser, continually lies in wait, ever ready to bring man’s sins before the Holy One, it is but a natural precaution to hasten on in advance of him, making full confession of one’s sins, so that the Accuser, when he comes, may find himself anticipated and left without ground for his denunciations, and so be discouraged and leave his intended victim alone.
כֵּיוָן דִּמְקַטְרְגָא חָמֵי דָּא, לֵית לֵיהּ פִּטְרָא דְּפוּמָא עָלֵיהּ, וּכְדֵין אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵיהּ מִכֹּל וָכֹל. אִי תָּב בְּתִיוּבְתָּא יֵאוֹת, וְאִי לָאו, הָא מְקַטְרְגָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עָלֵיהּ, וְאָמַר פְּלוֹנִי דְּאָתָא לְקָמָךְ בְּתּוּקְפָא דְּאַפִּין, בָּעִיט בְּמָרֵיהּ, חוֹבוֹי כַּךְ וְכָךְ. עַל דָּא יֵאוֹת לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא בַּר נָשׁ בְּכָל הָנֵי, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח עַבְדָּא מְהֵימָנָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Then, should the sinner carry out his repentance fully, he will be fully exonerated, and all will be well; and if not, Satan will thus obtain a just opportunity to rise up against the impious one, saying: “Here is a man who has had the audacity to appear before Thee, and yet has rebelled against his Lord!” Therefore man should at all times beware lest he falter in his fealty, and strive ever to be found a faithful servant before the Holy One, blessed be He.
כ"ז פִּקּוּדָא בָּתַר דָּא, לֶאֱכוֹל מַצָּה בְּפֶסַח, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ דּוּכְרָנָא לְדָרֵי דָּרִין, עַל רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל נָפְקוּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא מֵרָזָא דְּטַעֲוָון אַחֲרָן, וְעָאלוּ בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ רָזָא דְּנָא בְּכַמָּה דּוּכְתֵּי.
Then follows the command that we should eat unleavened bread during Passover, it being a memorial, throughout the generations, of the true secret of Faith. For, as already stated elsewhere, Israel at that time emerged from the association with idolatry and entered into the mystery of Faith.