Matzot [unleavened bread] of Judgment

169) Matzot is written without the Vav [in Hebrew], as in “visions of God,” which lacks Vav, which therefore implies judgment. They are called Matzot since they are holy judgment, judgment that is gripped to the Holy Name, judgment that was not strong all that time within Israel because the moon was flawed. And because the moon was flawed, it is written, “bread of affliction.”

First, Nukva was in the state of the two great lights, when both ZA and Malchut were of equal level. ZA clothed Bina’s right line and Malchut was to the left side of Bina. At that time, they were discerned as, “a small face,” since they are posterior Mochin that do not shine, and they are considered judgment.

Later, through MAN raised by the lower ones, Malchut diminishes and returns to being a dot. Afterwards, she is built as a big structure through AVI and returns to Mochin of Gadlut [adulthood]. And although ZA and Malchut already stand in Mochin of Gadlut, the posterior Mochin are not cancelled but return to shine in the form of mercy. And all the illumination of Hochma in the degree comes from these Mochin. Matza [singular for Matzot] is those posterior Mochin that are already corrected in Mochin of Gadlut.

They are called Matzot without Vav because they are judgment, because they are posterior Mochin, while ZON were in Mochin of Katnut [infancy]. However, it is holy judgment, judgment that is gripped to the holy name, since they have already returned and came in Mochin of Gadlut, which are sanctity, united in three lines, which are the Yod-Hey-Vav of the Holy Name.

Two corrections are required of Malchut to achieve Mochin of Gadlut: 1) To be diminished into a dot; and 2) the construction of Gadlut. There are two actions in this regard, in the awakening from below: 1) circumcision; and 2) Priah [exposure of the glans].

And since Israel circumcised themselves at that time, Malchut had already been corrected in the first correction, when she was diminished into a dot, as in the waning of the moon. This sweetened the judgment of the Mochin of Katnut in the Matza. And through the Priah, which consists of the letters Parah Yah [the Lord repaid], the construction of Malchut through AVI is evoked, and the Mochin of Gadlut appear.

They are called Matzot since they are holy judgment, a judgment that grips to the holy name, a judgment that was not strong that whole time within Israel since the moon was blemished. Once they circumcised themselves, and the moon, which is Malchut, had already waned, the power of judgment in the Mochin of Katnut weakened. Later, when the Priah will be carried out, the Mochin of Gadlut will emerge.

It is no wonder that on Passover, the Mochin of Gadlut already shines, although Israel had not done Priah yet, since this is done through an awakening from below, while on Passover night was the illumination of Mochin only by awakening from above. This is why they did not shine only on that night, as was said, “And because the moon was blemished, it is written, “Bread of affliction,” since concerning the awakening from below, they still had not extended the Mochin of Gadlut.

170) What is the reason that the moon, Malchut, stood in her diminution? It is because they did not perform Priah [exposure], and the holy sign was not apparent in them. This is so because the extension of Mochin of Gadlut is done through Priah, and then the moon is full. Israel were circumcised, but they did not perform Priah. When did they perform Priah? When it is written, “He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.”

171) In the days of Joshua, they did perform Priah. Rather, as it is written, they did, as it is written, “All the people born in the desert, on the way, as they came out of Egypt, were not circumcised.”

After they were circumcised, the Creator said, “In the beginning, you will eat Matzot,” since the moon had been diminished. This is called, “bread of affliction.” From here on, this break will be from another place, as it is written, “I will rain bread from heaven for you.” Not from the moon, Malchut, as on the time before they had done Priah, but actually from heaven, from ZA, as it is written, “Now may God give you of the dew of heaven.”

172) And the holy Israel keep those days that have come under the wings of the Shechina. They keep the bread that comes from her side, the Matzot, as it is written, “'You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread,” and as it is written, “And keep My covenant,” which is the circumcision. And everything rises and clings to one degree.

173) Why did Moses not expose [commit Priah on] them, but left them circumcised without Priah? It was so that Israel would not wait there until they were healed. This is why he did not expose them. It is written about that, “Seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, for you came out from the land of Egypt in haste.” It is also written that they “could not delay,” and hence were not exposed. And circumcision without Priah draws bread of affliction.

174) When Israel came to the land, they came circumcised and exposed. It is written, “A land where you shall eat bread without scarceness.” “Scarceness” is bread of affliction. It is called, “bread of affliction” because the moon, Malchut, has been waned and is not blessed by the sun, ZA, and does not shine from the sun, as it is written, “For all that is in the heaven and in the earth.” This means that, “All,” which is Yesod ZA, clings to the heaven, ZA, and to the earth, Malchut, receiving from the heaven and giving to the earth.

And why did she not shine from the Yovel [jubilee, and also 50^th anniversary], which is Bina? Because they did not expose themselves. But here, in the coming to the land, when Israel were circumcised and exposed, it is written, “You shall not lack anything in it,” meaning Yesod of ZA that shines to Malchut. This is why it is written, “A land where you shall eat bread without scarceness,” since, “You will not lack anything in it,” as you were lacking in Egypt.

175) Each year, Israel remembers Egypt and eats Matzot. They have not stopped for generations. And since they did not expose themselves in Egypt, they lacked this, “Anything,” and the moon remained diminished. This is called, “bread of affliction.”

Affliction means poverty. And the reason for eating bread of affliction in Israel, although they had already exposed themselves, is to remember Egypt. This has been the custom for generations. In the future, the writing says, “Your sun shall no more go down, neither shall your moon withdraw itself,” meaning there will not be another diminution in the moon, which is Malchut.

176) It is written, “On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses.” It is written, “But the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement.” Taking the lamb depends on the tenth, which is Bina that shines in Malchut. It is written, “Of this month.” Should it not have said, “In this month”? Because when the illumination came to Malchut, it is written, “Of this month,” precisely, “Month,” which is Malchut, called “Month.”

177) “They shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses.” They are three knots: the firstborn of the cattle, the firstborn of the captive, and the firstborn of the maidservant. And all the other degrees of shell connect to these three above manners. Everyone ties to the one called, “Flock,” and everything is included in the flock, which is the highest degree among all of them. Also, the flock below connects to the flock above and cannot be separated from their knots.

It follows that all are connected to the lamb. This is why it is written about it, “And you shall keep it,” tie it with a knot and it will be given to your hand—to your authority—until you slaughter it, carry out the judgment in it. And it is written about the time that will come, “Who is this that comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah?” It is also written, “For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.” meaning He will blot out all the Sitra Achra from the land. And then it is written, “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day, the Lord will be one, and His name one.”