Lights IV

“A man’s soul is the lamp of God, which searches the chambers of one’s innards.” (Proverbs 20:27) By means of the soul, God searches man’s innermost thoughts and scrutinizes him. (Rabbeinu Yonah)

God certainly does not need a light to search our innermost thoughts. How does the soul function as a light?

Our soul’s power is automatically limited when inserted into a body, otherwise, its power would immediately purify our physical existence and we would not have free choice. The soul’s power, represented by light, is energized by our growth and by the awareness and intention we have when serving God.

The soul is the perfect reflection of how much we have grown as human beings. God examines the soul and by evaluating its light –  what we have accomplished with and for our souls – can measure exactly where we stand in our spiritual development.

Application:
When lighting the Chanukah candles, evaluate how much have we grown over the past year.