That the wicked often sing songs of lament and depression is due to their being an aspect of the soul of the mixed multitude. The mother of the mixed multitude is LYLyT (Lilith), who meYaLeLeT (whines) constantly. They therefore produce songs of lament.
The reason people are generally drawn to these songs is because their nourishment comes from the aspect of “Leah’s eyes were weak” (Genesis 29:17). This is the aspect of dimmed sight, the aspect of me’orot (luminaries) lacking [a vav ]. As it is written, “Let there be me’orot” (ibid. 1:14)—spelled “missing.” This is Lilith (Zohar III, 234a).
In the main, song comes from the aspect of the tribe of Levi, who were conductors of song. They were descendants of Leah. When LeVi was born, it was said, “This time my husband yeLaVeh (will become attached) to me” (Genesis 29:34). For with the birth of Levi, who is the element of music (Zohar II, 18b), came attraction; that [her husband] would be attached and attracted to her. Therefore song, which evolves and descends from there—from the aspect of “Leah’s eyes were weak”—has the power to attract, as in, “This time [my husband] will become attached,” as explained above.
When people sing the aforementioned songs on Shabbat, they elevate them. For on Shabbat the OR (light) is completed, in the aspect of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Haughty strides remove <one five-hundredth of> the me’OR (light) of his eyes… and it returns with the nighttime kiddush (Berakhot 43b). Thus it is that the light is perfected on Shabbat, corresponding to, “They walk on [Shabbat] with unpretentious steps” (Shabbat Table Song). They elevate the aforementioned songs, which are nourished from dimmed sight, by means of Shabbat, which is the aspect of the complete rectification of sight, as explained above.
מַה שֶּׁהָרְשָׁעִים עַל־פִּי רֹב הֵם מְזַמְּרִים נִגּוּנִים שֶׁל יְלָלָה וְעַצְבוּת, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינַת נִשְׁמַת עֵרֶב רַב, וְאִמָּא דְּעֵרֶב רַב הִיא לִילִית שֶׁהִיא מְיַלֶּלֶת תָּמִיד, וְעַל־כֵּן הֵם עוֹשִׂים נִגּוּנִים שֶׁל יְלָלָה כַּנַּ"ל.
That the wicked often sing songs of lament and depression is due to their being an aspect of the soul of the mixed multitude. The mother of the mixed multitude is LYLyT (Lilith), who meYaLeLeT (whines) constantly. They therefore produce songs of lament.
וּמַה שֶּׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם לִמְשֹׁךְ אֶל נִגּוּנִים הַלָּלוּ, כִּי יְנִיקָתָם מִבְּחִינַת: וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכּוֹת (בראשית כ״ט:י״ז), מִבְּחִינַת קִלְקוּל הָרְאוּת, בִּבְחִינַת מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם א): יְהִי מְאֹרֹת – חָסֵר, דָּא לִילִית (ת"ז תיקון מד דף עט:),
The reason people are generally drawn to these songs is because their nourishment comes from the aspect of “Leah’s eyes were weak” (Genesis 29:17). This is the aspect of dimmed sight, the aspect of me’orot (luminaries) lacking [a vav ]. As it is written, “Let there be me’orot” (ibid. 1:14)—spelled “missing.” This is Lilith (Zohar III, 234a).
וְעִקַּר הַנִּגּוּן הוּא מִבְּחִינַת שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי שֶׁהָיוּ מְנַצְּחִים בְּשִׁיר, שֶׁהֵם מִבְּנֵי לֵאָה, וְאָז כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד לֵוִי נֶאֱמַר (שם כט): הַפַּעַם יִלָּוֶה אִישִׁי אֵלַי, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנּוֹלַד לֵוִי שֶׁהוּא סִטְרָא דְּנִגּוּנָא (זוהר שמות דף יט), עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בְּחִינַת הַהַמְשָׁכָה, שֶׁיִּלָּוֶה וְיֻמְשַׁךְ אֵלֶיהָ, וְעַל כֵּן נְגִינָה שֶׁהוּא נִשְׁתַּלְשֵׁל וְיוֹרֵד מִשָּׁם, מִבְּחִינַת וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכּוֹת, יֵשׁ לוֹ כֹּחַ לִמְשֹׁךְ, בִּבְחִינַת הַפַּעַם יִלָּוֶה כַּנַּ"ל.
In the main, song comes from the aspect of the tribe of Levi, who were conductors of song. They were descendants of Leah. When LeVi was born, it was said, “This time my husband yeLaVeh (will become attached) to me” (Genesis 29:34). For with the birth of Levi, who is the element of music (Zohar II, 18b), came attraction; that [her husband] would be attached and attracted to her. Therefore song, which evolves and descends from there—from the aspect of “Leah’s eyes were weak”—has the power to attract, as in, “This time [my husband] will become attached,” as explained above.
וּכְשֶׁמְּזַמְּרִים אֵלּוּ הַנִּגּוּנִים הַנַּ"ל בְּשַׁבָּת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַעֲלִין אוֹתָם, כִּי בְּשַׁבָּת נִשְׁלָם הָאוֹר, בִּבְחִינַת מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות מג:): פְּסִיעָה גַּסָּה נוֹטֶלֶת מְאוֹר עֵינָיו וְכוּ' וּמְהַדְּרָא לֵהּ בְּקִדּוּשָׁא דְּבֵי שִׁמְשָׁא. נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּשַׁבָּת הָאוֹר בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, בִּבְחִינַת: פּוֹסְעִים בּוֹ פְּסִיעָה קְטַנָּה; וַאֲזַי מַעֲלִין הַנִּגּוּנִים הַנַּ"ל שֶׁיְּנִיקָתָם מִקִּלְקוּל הָרְאוּת כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי שַׁבָּת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּן הָרְאוּת בִּשְׁלֵמוּת כַּנַּ"ל:
When people sing the aforementioned songs on Shabbat, they elevate them. For on Shabbat the OR (light) is completed, in the aspect of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Haughty strides remove <one five-hundredth of> the me’OR (light) of his eyes… and it returns with the nighttime kiddush (Berakhot 43b). Thus it is that the light is perfected on Shabbat, corresponding to, “They walk on [Shabbat] with unpretentious steps” (Shabbat Table Song). They elevate the aforementioned songs, which are nourished from dimmed sight, by means of Shabbat, which is the aspect of the complete rectification of sight, as explained above.