Kabbalah Library

229. Rabbi Yitzhak said, “When we are seated before Rabbi Shimon, everything is said before him openly, and we do not need to cover the matters with names and appellations. Rabbi Shimon is not like other people, who are all before him like the rest of the prophets are before Moses. It is written, ‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion for the son of her womb?’ If in the assembly of friends, we were not given support in the support of clarifying this verse, what could we say?

230. “I heard a voice implying to me the meaning of the verse one day, while I was walking on the road. I did not know who spoke, and I do not know the matter. I was sick over it for seven days and did not taste a thing, and now I am going to Rabbi Shimon to tell me; perhaps I will remember.”

231. Israel said to the Creator, “Since the day we have fallen into exile, the Creator has left us in exile and has forgotten us, as it is written, ‘And Zion said, ‘The Lord has left me and the Lord has forgotten me.’’” The Shechina said, “Can a woman forget her nursing child?” Israel are called “children,” as it is written, “You are the children of the Lord, your God.” Can they be forgotten? It is written, “And I will not forget you,” meaning that the Creator never leaves Israel.

232. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion for the son of her womb?” The Creator said, “These words are gripped in My name. As the Creator does not forget His name, so the Creator does not forget Israel, since they are truly gripped in His name. Blessed be the Creator, because I met you and knew the matter; I also knew from whom it was that I heard.