The Assembly of Israel said, “During the time that the Lord of the World makes His Presence dwell among us, I am like the narcissus fresh from the Garden of Eden and my actions are beautiful like the rose in the valley of the Pleasure-Garden of Eden.

“But when I turn from the path which is straight before me, and He removes His Holy Presence from me, I am like the rose that blooms among thorns which pierce and tear her foliage. In the same way, I am pierced and torn by the evil decrees in the Exile among the nations.

“Just as the citron 6 is beautiful and is praised among ornamental trees and all the world acknowledges it, in the same way the Master of the World 7 was praised among the angels when He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai, at the time He gave the Law to His people. At that time, I longed to dwell under the shadow of His Presence, and the commands of His Law were like spice to my palate–and the reward for my observances was stored up on my behalf for the world to come.”

The Assembly of Israel said: “YY brought me into the House of Study at Sinai to learn the Law from the mouth of Moses, the great Scribe. And I received the banner of His commandments over me with love, and I said: ‘All that YY Has commanded I will do and I will obey.’

“And when I heard the voice of His Word that was speaking from within the flame of fire, I trembled and finally shook from fear. Then I approached Moses and Aaron and I told them, ‘You receive the voice of YY’s words from within the fire. But bring me to the House of Study and sustain me with the words of the Law, upon which the world is based. And put chains upon my neck, explaining the holy words which are sweet to my palate as apples of the Garden of Eden. And I will be occupied with them–perhaps they will heal me, since they have made me lovesick.’”

While the people of the House of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, four clouds of glory surrounded them from the four winds [i.e., directions] of the earth, so that the Evil Eye had no power over them. Another cloud was above them, so that neither the heat nor the sun, and neither rain nor hail would overcome them. Another was below them, and it carried them as a nursing father carries the infant in his bosom. Another ran before them three days’ journey to level mountains and raise valleys; it killed all the poisonous serpents and scorpions in the wilderness; and it would scout out for them a suitable place for them to rest, so that they could be occupied with instruction in the Law which had been given to them by the right hand of YY.

After this, Moses was told by a prophecy from YY to send messengers to spy out the land. When they returned from spying they brought a bad report about the land of Israel, and they were delayed forty years in the wilderness. Moses opened his mouth and this is what he said, “I adjure you, O Assembly of Israel, by YY of Hosts, by the Mighty of the land of Israel, that you do not presume to go up to the land of Canaan until it is YY’s will and the whole generation of warriors in the camp finally dies out. Do not be presumptuous like your brothers the Ephraimites, who left Egypt thirty years before the end had come and fell into the hands of the Philistines living in Gath, who killed them. But wait the period of forty years and then your children will go up and take possession of it.”

Solomon the king said, “While the people of the House of Israel were living in Egypt, their complaint arose to heaven above. Then suddenly, the glory of YY was revealed to Moses on Mount Horeb. And He sent him to Egypt to deliver them and to bring them out from the bitter oppression of Egypt. And he skipped to the appointed end by virtue of the merit of their patriarchs (who are compared to mountains) and skipped a hundred and ninety years of the time of slavery because of the righteousness of their matriarchs (who are compared to hills).”

The Assembly of Israel said, “At the time when the glory of YY was revealed in Egypt on the night of Passover and He killed every firstborn, He rode on a swift thunder-cloud and ran like a gazelle or an antelope fawn, and he shielded the houses where we were. And he stood behind our wall and looked through the window and peered through the lattice. And He saw the blood of the Passover sacrifice and the blood of the circumcision which was marked on our doors, and He hastened from heaven above and saw His people eating the sacrifice of the Passover feast, roasted by fire, along with bitter herbs and endives and unleavened bread, and He had mercy on us and did not allow the Destroying Angel to destroy us.”

And at morning time my Beloved answered and said to me, “Arise, O Assembly of Israel, my beloved from of old, beautiful in deeds. Depart, go forth from the slavery of the Egyptians.

"For, behold, the time of slavery (which is like winter) is over; the years of which I spoke to Abraham in “the covenant between the parts” 8 have been cut short; the bitterness of the Egyptians (which is compared to constant rain) is over and gone–and you will never see them again.

“And Moses and Aaron (who are likened to palm branches) have appeared to perform miracles [sounds like “blossom”] in the land of Egypt. The time has arrived for the slaying of the firstborn and for the voice of the Holy Spirit of Redemption of which I spoke to your father Abraham (You have already heard what I said to him: ‘I will judge the nation they will serve, and afterwards they will go out with many possessions.’). I wish to do now what I swore to him by My Word.”

The Assembly of Israel (likened to the first fruits of the figs) opened her mouth and sang the Song at the Reed Sea. Even youths and sucklings praised the Lord of the World with their tongue. Immediately, the Lord of the World said to them: “Arise, O Assembly of Israel, My beloved, My beautiful one, go from here to the land which I promised to your ancestors.”

And when wicked Pharaoh pursued the people of Israel, the Assembly of Israel was compared to a dove trapped in the clefts of a rock–a snake threatening it from within and a hawk threatening it from without. In the same way, the Assembly of Israel was trapped in all four directions: in front of them was the sea, behind them the enemy pursued, and on either side were wildernesses full of fiery serpents which wound and kill people with their sting. Then immediately the Assembly opened her mouth in prayer before YY and an echo 9 came from the heaven above and this is what it said, “You, O Assembly of Israel, who resemble a dove, pure and hiding in the hiding-place of the clefts of the rocks or in the hidden places of the stairs: show me your face and your worthy deeds and let me hear your voice. For your voice is sweet when it prays in the small Temple and your face is beautiful when you perform good deeds.”

After they had crossed the Sea, they grumbled about the water and wicked Amalek came upon them, he who kept a grudge against them on account of the birthright and the blessing which Jacob our father took from Esau. And he came to wage war against Israel because she neglected the words of the Law. And from beneath the edges of the cloud of glory, the wicked Amalek would steal souls from the tribe of Dan to kill them, because the graven image of Micah was in their hands. At that time the House of Israel would have been condemned to destruction (like a vineyard about to be destroyed), if it had not been for the righteous ones of that generation (who may be compared to a sweet perfume).

At that time, they turned in repentance. And Moses the prophet stood ready and prayed before YY. Joshua, his servant, was equipped and went forth from beneath the edges of YY’s cloud glory, and with him went righteous heroes (who in their deeds resemble the rose). They waged war against Amalek and shattered Amalek and his people under the ban of YY: death and destruction according to the law of the sword.

And in a few days, the Children of Israel made the Golden Calf and the cloud of glory which had sheltered them was lifted and they were left exposed and deprived of their weaponry on which was inscribed the great Name interpreted in seventy names. And YY would have wiped them from the world, except that He called to mind the covenant He had sworn by His Word to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob who were swift in worshiping Him as a gazelle or an antelope fawn, And he called to mind that Abraham had offered his son Isaac in sacrifice on Mount Moriah and that he had previously offered his sacrifices there and divided them evenly.