Lights XIV

“To bring back his soul from the grave; so that his being might see the light.” (Job 33:30) In Elihu’s first response, he relates the secret of the suffering of the righteous. The Tzaddik suffers because of the sins of his soul in a previous body, or Gilgul. Many believe that Job was a Gilgul of Terach who had died without doing Teshuva. (Kitvei Ari) [Based on Ramban, who translates this verse, “In order to prevent his soul from going to gehinnom  so that it should finally bask in the light of eternal life.”]

Others say that Elihu was saying that God will awaken a person to do Teshuva in order to save him from the grave and for him to bask in the light of this world. (Ralbag and Malbim)

Application: We can look at the light of the candles as a reminder of the light that is available to us when we do Teshuva.