Daf 40a (דַּף מ׳ ע״א)

Why “between the evenings”? (אֲמַאי בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם) Because it is at the time when judgment hangs (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא), and at the time when this matter was entrusted to him (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְּמְסַר מִלָּה דָּא לֵיהּ), to the hand of Avraham (עַל יְדוֹי דְּאַבְרָהָם), as it is written: “And it came to pass, when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Avram, and lo, a dread, a great darkness fell upon him” (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה חֲשֵׁכָה גְּדוֹלָה נוֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו) (Bereshit 15). Eimah [Terror] (אֵימָה): one Crown (ketra chada) (כִּתְרָא חֲדָא). Choshekh [Darkness] (חֲשֵׁכָה): another Crown (ketra achra) (כִּתְרָא אַחֲרָא). Gedolah [Greatness] (גְּדוֹלָה): this one is greater than all (הַאי דְּהִיא רַבְרְבָא מִכֹּלָּא). And even though we have already established this verse as referring to the other bondages of Yisrael (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאוֹקִימְנָא קְרָא דָּא עַל שְׁאַר שִׁעְבּוּדַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), nevertheless, all is one (וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה), in this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא): “For I shall utterly blot out...” (כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה) (Exodus 17) you below (אַתּוּן מִתַּתָּא), and I above (וַאֲנָא מֵעֵילָּא).

It was taught (תָּנָא): Yisrael did not go out from Egypt until all the supernal dominions were shattered (לָא נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם עַד דְּאִתְּבָּרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ שִׁלְטוֹנִין דִּלְעֵילָּא), and their offshoots from their powers (מִשּׁוּלְטָנִיהוֹן מִשְׁלָשׁוּלְיֵיהוֹן), and Yisrael left their domain (וְנַפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרְשׁוּתְהוֹן), and entered into the supernal holy domain of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאָעֲלוּ לִרְשׁוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and were bound to Him (וְאִתְקָטִירוּ בֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “For the children of Yisrael are slaves to Me; they are My slaves” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים, עֲבָדַי הֵם) (Leviticus 25). Why does it say “they are My slaves”? (מַאי טַעֲמָא עֲבָדַי הֵם) Because I brought them out of the land of Egypt (אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם), meaning, I brought them out from another domain (דְּאַפָּקִית לְהוּ מֵרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), and brought them into My domain (וְעָאַלִית לוֹן בִּרְשׁוּתִי). And this is what Rabbi Shimon said (וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): what is the meaning of what is written, “But on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses, for whoever eats that which is leavened…” (מַאי דִּכְתִּיב: אַךְ בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שְׂאוֹר מִבָּתֵּיכֶם כִּי כָּל אוֹכֵל מַחְמֶצֶת) (Exodus 12). I establish it thus (אֲנָא הָכִי אוֹקִימְנָא): leaven and this ferment are one single level (הַאי שְׂאוֹר וְהַאי מַחְמֶצֶת דַּרְגָּא חַד אִינּוּן), and all of them are one (וְכֻלְּהוּ חַד).

Another domain (רְשׁוּ אוֹחֲרֵי), these are the powers that rule over the other nations (אִינּוּן שָׁלְטָנִין דִּמְמָנָן עַל שְׁאַר עַמִּין), and we call them Evil inclination, Another authority, a foreign god, other gods (וְקָרֵינָן לְהוּ: יֵצֶר הָרָע, רְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא, אֵל נֵכָר, אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים). So too, leaven and ferment and chametz and all are one (אוּף הָכִי שְׂאוֹר וּמַחְמֶצֶת וְחָמֵץ וְכֹלָּא חַד). Said Kudsha Berikh Hu (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): all these years you stood under another domain (כָּל הָנֵי שָׁנֵי קַיְימִתוּ בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), serving another people (עַבְדִין לְעַם אַחֲרָא). From now on, you are free men (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה דְּאַתּוּן בְּנִי חוֹרִין). “But on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses… no leaven shall you eat, and no chametz shall be seen by you” (אַךְ בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שְׂאוֹר מִבָּתֵּיכֶם… כָּל מַחְמֶצֶת לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ, וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה לְךָ חָמֵץ) (Exodus 12–13).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): if so, why not all days of the year as well? Why specifically seven days? (אִי הָכִי כָּל יְמֵי שַׁתָּא נָמֵי. אֲמַאי שִׁבְעַת יוֹמִין) For it is written: “Seven days leaven shall not be found in your houses” (דִּכְתִּיב: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים שְׂאוֹר לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָתֵּיכֶם), seven days and no more (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְלָא יַתִּיר). He said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ): whenever a person is obligated to be seen as a free man, it is required so (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּאִתְחַיָּיב בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בֶּן חוֹרִין, הָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ); but when he is not obligated, it is not required (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּלָא אִתְחַיֵּיב, לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ). It is like a king who made one man a rufinus (nobleman) (לְמַלְכָּא דְּעָבַד לְחַד בַּר נָשׁ רוּפִינוּס): all the days that he ascended to this rank, he rejoiced and wore garments of honor (כָּל אִינּוּן יוֹמִין דְּסָלִיק לְהַאי דַּרְגָּא חַדֵּי וְלָבִישׁ לְבוּשֵׁי יְקַר). Afterwards, it was no longer required (לְבָתַר לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ).

The next year, he reserved those same days for the honor of this appointment and wore those garments again (לְשַׁתָּא אַחֲרָא נָטִיר אִינּוּן יוֹמִין דְּסָלִיק לְיָקִירוּ דָּא, וְלָבַשׁ אִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין). So too every year and year, Yisrael (וְכֵן כָּל שַׁתָּא וְשַׁתָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל): it is written: “Seven days leaven shall not be found” (כְּתִיב: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים שְׂאוֹר לֹא יִמָּצֵא). These are days of joy (דְּאִינּוּן יוֹמֵי חֶדְוָותָא), days that ascended to this honor (יוֹמִין דְּסָלִיקוּ לִיקָרָא דָּא), and they went out from another servitude (וְנַפְקוּ מִשִּׁעְבּוּדָא אַחֲרָא). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כַּךְ), every year they preserve these days which ascended to this honor (נַטְרִין בְּכָל שַׁתָּא וְשַׁתָּא יוֹמִין דְּסָלִיקוּ לְהַאי יְקַר), and left the other domain (וְנַפְקוּ מֵרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), and entered the supernal domain (וְעָאלוּ בִּרְשׁוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא). And on this it is written: “Seven days you shall eat matzot” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מַצּוֹת תֹאכֵלוּ) (Exodus 12).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): It is written “matzat” (מַצַּת כְּתִיב), just as you say: “The visions of Elohim” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: מַרְאֹת אֱלֹהִים) (Ezekiel 1). And why is it called Matzat? Because of judgment (וְלָמָּה אִתְקְרֵי מַצַּת דִּינָא). (Daf 223b) Holy judgment (דִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא), judgment that is unified in the holy Name (דִּינָא דְּאִתְאַחֲדָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), judgment that was not overpowering at that time within Yisrael (דִּינָא דְּלָא הֲוָה תַּקִּיפָא כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּגַוַויְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), for the moon stood in deficiency (דְּהָא קַיְּימָא סִיהֲרָא בִּפְגִימוּתָא). And because the moon stood in deficiency, it is written: “Bread of affliction” (וְעַל דְּקַיְּימָא סִיהֲרָא בִּפְגִימוּתָא: לֶחֶם עֹנִי כְּתִיב) (Deuteronomy 16). What is the reason it stood in deficiency? (מַאי טַעְמָא קַיְּימָא בִּפְגִימוּתָא) Because judgment had not been fulfilled, and that holy letter had not been revealed (בְּגִין דְּלָא אִתְפְּרָעוּ, וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָא הַאי אָת קַדִּישָׁא). Decrees existed but were not fulfilled (גְּזִירִין הֲווֹ וְלָא אִתְפְּרָעוּ). When were they fulfilled? (אֵימָתַי אִתְפְּרָעוּ) At the time it is written: “There He placed for them statute and judgment, and there He tested them” (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּכְתִּיב: שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ) (Exodus 15). And even though we have previously established that verse with another matter (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאוֹקִימְנָא הַאי קְרָא בְּמִלָּה אַחֲרָא), all is valid and fitting (כֹּלָּא הֲוָה וְיֵאוֹת). And if you should say that in the days of Yehoshua it was fulfilled (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּבִימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אִתְפְּרָעוּ), not so (לָאו הָכִי), but rather those about whom it is written: “All the people who were born in the wilderness on the way, etc.” (אֶלָּא אִינּוּן דִּכְתִּיב: וְכָל הָעָם הַיִּלּוֹדִים בַּמִּדְבָּר בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְגוֹ') (Joshua 5).

After they were fulfilled (בָּתַר דְּאִתְפְּרָעוּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu said (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): at first you ate matzot when the moon was in deficiency (בְּקַדְמִיתָא אֲכַלְתּוּן מַצּוֹת דְּקַיְּימָא סִיהֲרָא בִּפְגִימוּתָא), and it was called “bread of affliction” (וְאִקְרֵי לֶחֶם עֹנִי). From now on, this bread shall be from another place (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה הַאי לֶחֶם מֵאֲתָר אַחֲרָא לֶהֱוֵי).

What is that? (מַאי הוּא) As it is written: “Behold, I will rain down for you bread from the heavens” (דִּכְתִּיב: הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם) (Exodus 16). Not from the moon as in that time (לָא מִן סִיהֲרָא כְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), but from the heavens truly (אֶלָּא מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם מַמָּשׁ), as it is written: “May Elohim give you from the dew of the heavens” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב: וְיִתֵּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם) (Bereshit 27). And Yisrael, who are holy (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין), guard those days in which they entered under the wings of the Shekhinta (נַטְרִין אִינּוּן יוֹמִין דְּעָאלוּ תְּחוֹת גַּדְפוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), and guard that bread which came from that side (וְנַטְרִין הַהוּא נַהֲמָא דְּאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָהָא). And on this it is written: “The festival of matzot shall you observe…” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: אֶת חַג הַמַּצּוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר וְגוֹ') (Exodus 23), and it is written: “You shall guard the matzot” (וּכְתִיב: וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת) (Exodus 12). What is the meaning of “You shall guard the matzot”? (מַהוּ וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת) Just as it is said: “And you shall guard My covenant” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת בְּרִיתִי) (Exodus 19). And all is one level, rising and unified (וְכֹלָּא בְּחַד דַּרְגָּא סַלְּקָא וְאִתְאֲחָד).