In this week’s reading, Aharon is Commanded to light the Menorah in the Temple.
What happens when you light a flame? Lighting a second candle takes nothing from the first one. Doing so merely spreads the light, adding to it.
If you’ve ever seen a building constructed with old stone walls, you may have noticed that the windows are wider on the inside, to allow the sunlight from the outside to spread inside the building. The Temple, though, was constructed the opposite way. The windows were narrower on the inside, so that light from within the Temple should spread to the outside.
We read in Proverbs (20:27) that “The light of HaShem is the soul of man.” We are to not only to light candles… we are supposed to give light to souls, as well. Rav Asher Z. Rubenstein zt”l pointed out that G-d doesn’t need our help, in this as in anything. But He wants us to take part in spreading the light.
The Commandment is to light “until the flame burns by itself.” It is not enough to simply see a little spark of light; the job isn’t completed until the light is able to burn brightly by itself — and able to “pay it forward” and ignite other flames as well.
We should all do our part, every day, to light the lights not only within ourselves, but others.
Dear Rabbi,
Your inspiring messages and reflections are really uplifting. May you and your team continue to spread the Light of HaShem …Baruch HaShem !
Thanks for such inspirations which help me and others to live a better life and to be light to others by allowing the light of G-D to shine through us without any deflection.
A job well done. Keep it up.
I love your commentaries and look forward to it every week, but just FYI, you wrote:
If you’ve ever seen a building constructed with old stone walls, you may have noticed that the windows are wider on the inside, to allow the sunlight from the outside to spread inside the building.
If you are referring to castles, the windows are designed this way so defenders can aim and shoot arrows out without being a target themselves.
Again, thank you for all the learning
Inspirador!
This is so true, it is my job to do anything that will bring the light to this dark world.
Excellent teaching! I had never thought about this in the way you described it. Thank you so much for clarity! The light coming out of the Temple through the different construction of the windows to spread the light over and into us is such a blessing. How good G-d is! Love in brotherhood/sisterhood, Nancy
What happens when you light a flame? Lighting a second candle takes nothing from the first one. Doing so merely spreads the light, adding to it. In this depiction of lighting the candle I would have to add that although it may not take nothing from the first, it does take some physical dynamic effort and time to light up the second. No matter how long it took; maybe a split second it did wasted some energy as it was burning.
As stated in Proverbs (20:27) that “The light of HaShem is the soul of man.” We are to not only to light candles… we are supposed to give light to souls, as well. In order for all Jews to be the light of the world, we have to make some efforts to prove ourselves worthy of being representatives of HaShem. It will also take time to spread the light. As you state we should all do our part on a daily basis, within ourselves but also to others.