"Hashem is my light and my salvation"

Synopsis

Rabbi Pinchas tells us that as soon as God has shone on a person and as soon as the person has gazed on the supreme Light, he no longer has fear of anyone above or below. We hear an explanation of the scripture that says, "Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice."

Fear Light Redemption and Salvation

39. RABBI PINCHAS opened the discussion and said: "Hashem is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" (Tehilim 27:1) "Hashem is my light and my salvation," MEANING, as soon as a man has gazed on the supreme light, and the Holy One, blessed be He, has shone on him, he no longer has fear from anyone above or below, as it says, "but Hashem shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you" (Yeshayah 60:2). "Hashem is the stronghold of my life" (Tehilim 27:1); THAT IS, once the Holy One, blessed be He, gives support to man, he has no fear in that world from any prosecutor. And so am I. As soon as I cling to your father and you, I have no fear in this world or the other world.

39. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, יְיָ' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא וְגוֹ.' יְיָ' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי, כֵּיוָן דְּבַר נָשׁ אִסְתָּכַּל בִּנְהוֹרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַנְהִיר עָלֵיהּ, לָא דָּחִיל מֵעִלָאִין וְתַתָּאִין. כד"א, וְעָלַיִךְ יִזְרַח יְיָ' וּכְבוֹדוֹ עָלַיִךְ יֵרָאֶה. יְיָ' מָעוֹז חַיֵּי, כֵּיוָן דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָחִיד בֵּיהּ בְּבַר נָשׁ, לָא מִסְתָּפֵי בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא מִכָּל מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין. אוֹף אֲנָא כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאַחִידְנָא בְּאָבוּךְ וּבָךְ לָא אֶסְתַּפֵינָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא אַחֲרָא.

Children Congregation Israel Righteous

40. Of you it is written: "Let your father and your mother be glad" (Mishlei 23:25). HE ASKS: Since it is written, "Let your father and your mother be glad," what is the meaning of, "and let her who bore you rejoice" (Ibid.)? It would seem sufficient with the mention of the mother. AND HE ANSWERS: ONLY, "your father," means the Holy One, blessed be He, "and your mother" is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT. The words, "and let her who bore you rejoice," MEAN she who bore you below, THAT IS, YOUR MOTHER IN THIS WORLD. AND IF SO, Rabbi Shimon, your father, where is his joy - SINCE HE IS NOT EVEN ALLUDED TO IN THIS? AND HE REPLIES: It is because he has a verse of his own, as it is written, "The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice" (Ibid. 24), which refers to the Holy One, blessed be He. "...And he who begets a wise child shall have joy of him..." (Ibid.) is your father below, NAMELY RABBI SHIMON. An alternate explanation: "The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice," is the father below. "...And (Heb. ve, Vav) he who begets a wise child shall have joy of him," is written with an extra Vav. SINCE IT WOULD HAVE SUFFICED TO WRITE, "HE WHO BEGETS...," it refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, above, WHO IS CALLED 'VAV.'

40. וְעָלָךְ כְּתִיב, יִשְׂמַח אָבִיךָ וְגוֹ.' כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב יִשְׂמַח אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶּךָ, מַאי וְתָגֵל יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ, דְּהָא בְּאִמֶּךָ סַגְיָא. אֶלָּא יִשְׂמַח אָבִיךָ: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאִמֶּךָ: דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְתָגֵל יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ: יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ דִּלְתַּתָּא. ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אָבוּךְ אָן חֶדְוָותָא דִּילֵיהּ. אֶלָּא קְרָא הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי דִּכְתִּיב גִּיל יָגִיל אֲבִי צַדִּיק: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְיוֹלֵד חָכָם יִשְׂמַח בּוֹ: דָּא אָבִיךָ דִּלְתַּתָּא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, גִּיל יָגִיל אֲבִי צַדִּיק: דָּא אָבִיךָ דִּלְתַּתָּא. וְיוֹלֵד חָכָם יִשְׂמַח בּוֹ, כְּתִיב בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא"ו, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הוּא לְעֵילָּא.