30. Rabbi Shimon was walking along the way with Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chizkiyah. Rabbi Shimon opened with, "He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant" (Tehilim 111:5). "He has given food to those who fear Him" refers to the righteous who fear the Holy One, blessed be He, for whoever fears Him is considered of the household of the King, and it is written of him, "Happy is the man who fears Hashem" (Tehilim 112:1).
31. HE ASKS, What is the meaning of, "He has given food to those who fear Him," AND HE ANSWERS THAT this resembles the words, "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household" (Mishlei 31:15). SINCE THE RIGHTEOUS ARE HIS HOUSEHOLD, THEY RECEIVE THIS FOOD. From this we learned that whoever studies Torah at night and rises at midnight when the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, awakens to arrange the house for the King, THAT IS, TO DRAW THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH FOR HIM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH, "THROUGH WISDOM A HOUSE IS BUILT" (MISHLEI 24:3), such a man takes his part with her, and is considered to be of the household of the King. He is given daily from the allotments of the house. This is the meaning of, "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidens." "FOOD" REFERS TO THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, WHILE "PORTION" (ALSO: 'LAW') IS THAT THEY WILL NOT DRAW FROM ABOVE DOWNWARDS. Who are her household? Those who join her to study Torah at night are considered her house, her household members. Hence IT IS WRITTEN, "He has given food to those who fear Him."
32. HE ASKS, What is "food," AND HE ANSWERS, It is real food (lit. 'prey'), FOR SHE DEVOURS AND TAKES BY FORCE, WHICH ALLUDES TO JUDGMENTS THAT ARE REVEALED WITH CHOCHMAH. For she receives from a lofty faraway place, as it is written, "she brings her food from afar" (Mishlei 31:14), THAT IS, CHOCHMAH, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "I SAID, I WILL BE WISE; BUT IT WAS FAR FROM ME" (KOHELET 7:23). Who obtains this food? This is shown by the end of the verse, "He will ever be mindful of His covenant" (Tehilim 111:5). THIS MEANS whoever strives in the Torah to partake of it at night, AS THE TORAH IS CALLED A COVENANT. Moreover, the Holy One, blessed be He, has another certain supernal Righteous, WHO IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, and this MAN joins him TO BESTOW UPON MALCHUT, and both inherit the Congregation of Yisrael, as it is written, "righteous; they shall inherit the land forever" (Yeshayah 60:21). THIS MEANS THAT THE RIGHTEOUS MAN WHO IS OCCUPIED WITH THE TORAH AT NIGHT AND THE SUPERNAL RIGHTEOUS WILL INHERIT MALCHUT CALLED EARTH.