AND ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE SAME MONTH. At the hour of wedlock, when the moon is in full union with the sun and the lower crowns are not found in such numbers in the world (for the evil species abound at new moon and spread throughout the world, but when the moon enjoys the full light of the sun they all withdraw to a certain place and the sanctifications of the King are aroused), of that time it is written, “a night of vigils for the Lord”, for then the holy wedlock takes place which is protection for all.’
R. Abba said: ‘Therefore the adornment of the bride is on that day, and at night is the visiting of the house. Woe to those that are not of the household when the two Torahs come to unite, woe to them that are not present! Therefore holy Israel prepare for them the house all that day, and through them the visitors enter, and they rejoice and sing gleefully. ‘
Said R. Jose: ‘The verse says as much distinctly in the word “vigils”, which implies two-the union of the moon with the sun. It is “for all the children of Israel for their generations”, since from that time they were linked to the holy Name and emerged from the dominion of another power. Therefore on the fourteenth day they prepare themselves and remove leaven from among them and enrol themselves under holy power, and then the bridegroom and the bride are crowned with the crowns of the Supernal Mother, and a man should show that he is free.’
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּאַרְבֵּיסַר (נ"א בחמיסר) בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּזִוּוּגָא דְּסִיהֲרָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּשְׁלִימוּ עִם שִׁמְשָׁא, וְכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין כָּל כַּךְ בְּעָלְמָא, דְּהָא בְּחַדְתּוּתֵי דְּסִיהֲרָא, זִינִין בִּישִׁין מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין, וּמִתְעָרֵי לְאִתְפַּשְׁטָא בְּעָלְמָא. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּזִוּוּגָא דְּסִיהֲרָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּנְהִירוּ דְּשִׁמְשָׁא בִּשְׁלִימוּ, מִתְכַּנְּשֵׁי כֻּלְּהוּ לַאֲתַר חַד, וְקִדּוּשֵׁי מַלְכָּא אַתְּעֲרוּ. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב (שמות י״ב:מ״ב) לֵיל שִׁמּוּרִים הוּא לַיְיָ', דְּהָא זִוּוּגָא קַדִּישָׁא אִשְׁתְּכַח, וְהוּא שִׁמּוּרִים בְּכֹלָּא.
AND ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE SAME MONTH. At the hour of wedlock, when the moon is in full union with the sun and the lower crowns are not found in such numbers in the world (for the evil species abound at new moon and spread throughout the world, but when the moon enjoys the full light of the sun they all withdraw to a certain place and the sanctifications of the King are aroused), of that time it is written, “a night of vigils for the Lord”, for then the holy wedlock takes place which is protection for all.’
רִבִּי אַחָא אָמַר, בְּגִין כַּךְ תִּקּוּנָא דְּכֹלָּא (נ"א דכלה) בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, וּבְלֵילְיָא אִשְׁתְּכַח יִשּׁוּבָא דְּבֵיתָא, וַוי לְאִינּוּן דְּלָאו מִבְּנֵי בֵּיתָא נִינְהוּ, כַּד אָתָאן לְאִזְדָוְוגָא אוֹרַיְיתָא (ס"א אריוותא) כַּחֲדָא, וַוי לְאִינּוּן דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן גַּבַּיְיהוּ. בְּגִין כַּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין מְתַקְּנִין לוֹן בֵּיתָא, כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא, וְעַל יְדַיְיהוּ, עַיְילֵי מַאן דְּעַיְילֵי, וְאִינּוּן חַדָּאן וְזַמְּרָן תַּרְוַויְיהוּ זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
R. Abba said: ‘Therefore the adornment of the bride is on that day, and at night is the visiting of the house. Woe to those that are not of the household when the two Torahs come to unite, woe to them that are not present! Therefore holy Israel prepare for them the house all that day, and through them the visitors enter, and they rejoice and sing gleefully. ‘
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לָמָּה לָן לְאַטְרְחָא כּוּלֵי הַאי, קְרָא שְׁלִים הוּא, דְּהָא בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא, זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא אִתְּעַר וְאִשְׁתְּכַח, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שמות י״ב:מ״ב) הוּא הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַיְיָ' שִׁמּוּרִים, מַאי שִׁמּוּרִים. תְּרֵי, זִוּוּגָא דְּסִיהֲרָא בְּשִׁמְשָׁא. לְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדוֹרֹתָם, דְּהָא מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, אִתְאֲחָדוּ וְאִתְקַשָּׁרוּ בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְנָפְקוּ מֵרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא. בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ בְּאַרְבָּעָה עֲשַׂר, מְתַקְּנֵי גַּרְמַיְיהוּ, וּמְבַעֲרֵי חָמֵץ מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְעַיְילֵי בִּרְשׁוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא, וּכְדֵין מִתְעַטְּרֵי חָתָן וְכַלָּה, בְּעִטְרוֹי דְּאִימָא עִלָּאָה, וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ בַּר חוֹרִין.
Said R. Jose: ‘The verse says as much distinctly in the word “vigils”, which implies two-the union of the moon with the sun. It is “for all the children of Israel for their generations”, since from that time they were linked to the holy Name and emerged from the dominion of another power. Therefore on the fourteenth day they prepare themselves and remove leaven from among them and enrol themselves under holy power, and then the bridegroom and the bride are crowned with the crowns of the Supernal Mother, and a man should show that he is free.’