Chanukah: Sharing His Light
It is written, “Lift up your heads, O you gates, and be lifted up, you doors of the universe, and the King of Glory will come…Who then is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory (Psalms 24:7,10).”
The Midrash asks, “Why is He called the King of Glory?” It answers, “Because He shares His glory with those who fear Him (Shemot Rabbah 8:1).”
The earliest masters have warned us not even to think that God has any shape or form, or that there is any way in which His essence can be grasped.
The important thing to realize is that the gates and “doors of the universe,” are our righteous men of deeds.
It is utterly impossible for us, or for that matter, for any created being, to comprehend our Creator and know His essence and intrinsic nature. God is divorced from all comprehension, and we are taught that “no thought can grasp Him at all (Tikkunei Zohar 17a).” It is thus written, “To whom will you then liken God, and what form you will ascribe to Him (Isaiah 40:18).”
[Tools: Shabbat Morning Blessings Before Shema: “There is no comparison to You, there is nothing except for You.”]
Even though we praise God and speak of Him using various attributes, this is mere allegory, using borrowed terms. We see His providence and His mercy and strength, and from His great and fearsome deeds, we can recognize a little of the greatness of His kingdom and strength.
In a sense, this is very much like our understanding of the soul in the human body. The essence of the soul itself cannot be comprehended at all; it is a spiritual entity which cannot be detected by our senses. After the soul, is clothed in the “living spirit (Nefesh haChaim 1:5:1)” which is bound to the body, however, then we can see how the soul acts upon the body. Through this, we can discern to some extent the great level of the soul’s holiness.
[Tools: Morning Blessings: “My Lord! The soul You placed within me is pure.” Amidah: Third Blessing: “And holy ones praise You every day.”]
The same is true of God, at least to the extent that we can express it in words. When He desired to reveal the glory of His kingship and power in the lower worlds. He first caused His Light to bring forth the upper, spiritual, worlds, which are called ‘Hidden (Adam Kadmon).’
[Tools: Morning Blessings of Shemah: “He, Who illuminates the earth.”]
From there, He continued to create worlds step by step, through the mystery of garments and clothing. This continued until His Light reached the level that we call Shechinah.
From the Divine Presence, this Light spreads till further, through various ‘garments’ until it reaches the mind of the righteous person and prophet. The Divine Presence then rests upon him, bringing upon him an Influence from the Highest Divine Lights.
It is thus written, “The Righteous Person rules with the fear of God (II Samuel 23:3). [See Moed Katan 16b]” This is the concepts of Kingship, where the righteous person can accomplish whatever he desires, using this power from God. It thus written, “You shall decree a thing, and it shall be established for you (Job 22:28).”
(The Opter Rav; Ohev Yisrael, VaEirah 27)
Application:
Kavanah While Lighting Chanukah Candles:
“May I merit to access God’s Light that brought forth the Spiritual and physical worlds, so that I can access my own full Light and potential.”