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AND GOD SAID, LET THERE BE LIGHT R. Isaac said: ‘We learn from these words that God uprooted those shoots of which we have spoken1v. p. 131. and replanted them; hence the expression “and there was light”, implying that light had already existed.’ R. Judah confirmed this idea from the verse “light is sown for the Zaddik” (Ps. 97, 11), this being the one mentioned in the verse “Who aroused Righteousness (zedek) from the East, etc.” (Is. 41, 2).
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AND GOD SAW THE LIGHT AND DIVIDED. Said R. Isaac: ‘This implies, as we have explained, that he foresaw the works of the wicked and stored the light away.’ R. Abba said: ‘He saw its radiance flashing from one end of the world to the other, and concluded that it was better to store it away in order that sinners might not have the benefit of it.’
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R. Simeon said: ‘The expression “God saw the light that it was good” means really “God decided that the light should be only good”, that is, that it should never be an instrument of wrath (cf. “that it was good in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel”, Num. 24, 1); and this is proved by the end of the verse, “And God divided the light from the darkness.” For although He afterwards united light and darkness, yet
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this light continued to emanate from the supernal radiance, and through that radiance to bring gladness to all. This also is the Right Hand through which the most deeply graven letters1The letters Yod, He, Vau, of the sacred name. are crowned, as has been explained. The treasuring up of this primal light is referred to in the verse, “How great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee” (Ps. 31, 20).