134. Rabbi Yosi said, Why should we bother so much? There is a whole verse to the effect that that night the supernal holy union is awakened and is present. This is the meaning of, "It is a night of watchfulness to Hashem." Why is watchfulness WITH A PLURAL SUFFIX? HE ANSWERS THAT IT ALLUDES TO two, which are the union of the moon with the sun, MALCHUT AND ZEIR ANPIN. "For all the children of Yisrael in their generations" (Ibid.) MEANS THAT from now on YISRAEL are united and connected with the bond of the Holy Name, and have come out from another dominion. For that reason, they prepare themselves on the fourteenth and burn all the leaven among them and enter into a holy dominion. Then the groom and bride, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, are crowned with the crowns of supernal Ima, BINAH, and man should show himself free, SINCE THE MOCHIN OF SUPERNAL IMA ARE CALLED FREEDOM.
135. Rabbi Yosi said, What is the purpose of the four cups on that night? Rabbi Aba said, The friends explained they correspond to the four redemptions, "AND I WILL BRING...AND I WILL DELIVER... AND I WILL REDEEM...AND I WILL TAKE" (SHEMOT 6:6-7). This is well EXPLAINED in the book of Rav Yesa Saba, who said that since the holy union abounds that night in all directions, BOTH IN CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM, the union is formed with four bonds, or four grades that are inseparable when this union is present, WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT. And we are awakened by their joy, AND DRINK FOUR CORRESPONDING CUPS, because we attained them, since whoever is attached to it, TO THE ILLUMINATION OF THE UNION, attains all FOUR GRADES, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT. For that reason this night is different than all other nights, and it behooves us to make AND UNIFY this name in every way, and rejoice that night since it is joy above and below.
136. He further said that these four, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, are called four redemptions. The reason is that the last grade, MALCHUT, is called 'redeemer,' NAMELY the redeeming angel. It is only called redeemer through a higher superior grade, TIFERET, that is situated over it and shines upon it. It, TIFERET, only brings light upon it by means of the two grades above it, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, FROM WHICH TIFERET RECEIVES. Thus these four, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, are the four redemptions, SINCE THEY ARE CONNECTED TO MALCHUT CALLED REDEEMER.
137. Rabbi Yehuda asked Rabbi Aba: It says, "Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses" (Shemot 12:19), and there is joy all those seven. Why is no complete Hallel (Prayer of Thanksgiving) recited throughout the seven days OF PESACH as in Sukkot, where we daily recite Hallel with complete joy?
138. He said to him, Well asked. But it is known that here, ON PESACH, Yisrael are not bonded as wholly as they were later, because on that FIRST night when the union OF MALE AND FEMALE is present and overall joy, and Yisrael are bonded with that joy, we bring about perfection and the Hallel is complete. But later, THROUGHOUT THE DAYS OF PESACH, even though they are all present, ALL SEVEN GRADES, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT THAT SHINE IN THE SEVEN DAYS OF PESACH, Yisrael have not yet connected to them, nor uncovered the corona so the holy imprint will be revealed in them. Nor did they receive the Torah or enter those GRADES, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, as they did later. For that reason on Sukkot there is overall perfection and overall joy IS IN IT to the utmost. But here ON PESACH they have not yet attained, and there was not so much perfection in them. Even though all seven are present, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN DURING THE SEVEN DAYS OF PESACH, they are not revealed, and Yisrael were not well connected with them yet, UNTIL AFTER THE GIVING OF THE TORAH.
139. Therefore there is overall joy and the Hallel is recited in full that FIRST night OF PESACH, because of that portion Yisrael are attached to. The reason is that union is there that night, and all the bond OF ALL THE GRADES is present from the side of union, FROM THE ASPECT OF AWAKENING ABOVE, but not from the side of Yisrael. When the union OF ZEIR ANPIN is in her, IN MALCHUT, the two grades CHOCHMAH AND BINAH were situated over her AS WELL. When these are present, the whole body, THE WHOLE STATURE OF ZEIR ANPIN, is with them. Then everything is perfected and joyous, and the Hallel is recited in full, for then the moon, MALCHUT, is adorned with everything. But this is not so after THE FIRST NIGHT, since every day OF THE SEVEN DAYS GRADES, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, is there, but Yisrael have not yet attained them. Thus the Hallel is not complete as in other times.
140. Rabbi Yehuda said, This is well and assuredly it is so. I have already heard this another time this way but I forgot. Now I wish to know something else. We see that on Pesach THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS, and on Sukkot THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS, with the wholeness of joy OF SUKKOT on another day, SHMINI ATZERET. But why are there not seven days to Shavuot? It is worthy TO EXTEND SEVEN DAYS more than all others.
141. He opened by quoting, "And what one nation in the earth is like Your people, like Yisrael" (II Shmuel 7:23). HE ASKS, What is the difference that here Yisrael are called one rather than in other places, AND HE ANSWERS, Since its purpose here is to specify Yisrael's praise, it called them 'one.' For the place of praise of Yisrael is one. The reason is that the whole bond of the upper and lower beings is in the place called Yisrael, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN CALLED YISRAEL, since it is connected with that which is above, THAT IS, ABOVE ITS CHEST, WHICH IS CHASSADIM, and is connected to that which is below, THAT IS, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD BELOW HIS CHEST, WHENCE THE PLENTY OF CHOCHMAH COMES. And it is connected with the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, WHERE CHOCHMAH IS REVEALED. Therefore, SINCE IT CONNECTS THE THREE PLACES, all is called one. Faith is known in that place, MALCHUT, and the whole bond, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, and the supernal holy union IN THE FIRST THREE SFIROT.
142. This is why this day OF SHAVUOT, THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT CORRESPONDS TO ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED YISRAEL, is the bond of Faith that bonds everything. Also, it is written, "She is a Tree of Life to those who lay hold on her" (Mishlei 3:18), SINCE THE TREE OF LIFE, ZEIR ANPIN, is a tree called one. Hence, since YISRAEL BELOW are attached AND HOLD to this place, THE TREE OF LIFE, ZEIR ANPIN, they are called ONE. For the Tree of Life is called one, since everything is attached to it, and its day, SHAVUOT, is assuredly one, bonding everything and being the center of everything, SINCE IT IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN.
143. This is the meaning of, "the Tree of Life also in the midst of the Garden" (Beresheet 2:9), AS ZEIR ANPIN CALLED THE TREE OF LIFE is actually inside, in the center and includes all directions, NAMELY, THE RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS, and is attached to them - hence, Pesach and Sukkot, and it, SHAVUOT, between them, SINCE PESACH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN, SUKKOT THE LEFT COLUMN, AND SHAVUOT THE CENTRAL COLUMN. For it is central to everything, which is why that day is to the praise of the Torah, BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME OF THE GIVING OF OUR TORAH, and no more. FOR TORAH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, and it is the praise of Faith, MALCHUT, and the bonding of everything, NAMELY THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, FOR ALL THOSE ARE CONNECTED TO THE CENTRAL COLUMN. Rabbi Yehuda said, Blessed is the Merciful One that I have asked and attained these matters.