בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
Painting by: Baruch Nachshon z”l
Our Sages said that “if you keep the lights [of Shabbat] I shall show you the lights of Zion.” The correlation of these two matters may be easily explained by saying that when lighting the candles of Shabbat, we invite the Holy Presence associated with time, i.e, Shabbat, while Zion is associated with the Holy Presence associated with location, i.e the Holy Land and the Holy City Jerusalem. This painting clearly alludes to these matters: we see a large candle in the midst of Zion-Jerusalem. We see seven lights here, which resemble the Menora. We also see seven cypresses and seven shrub-looking trees. This matter may express the idea that the Menora itself is described in the Torah in vegetative terms, bearing “stems”, flowers” etc. We may say that this idea may teach us that just as vegetation constantly grows so too spiritual “light” can constantly grow within a person due to one’s spiritual work. This matter is also a theme of Hanuka when we increase the numbers of “lights” every night. This may explain the prayer we say on Rosh Hashana as well: “give happiness to Your Land, joy to Your city, a sprouting of the horn to David Your servant, and a setting of the lamp of the son of Jesse speedily in our days.” It seems that this prayer as well draws a connection between “sprouting” and the “lamp of Jesse.” We should also remember that the King David ruled for the first time, i.e the first “sprouting” of the David Kingly Line, in Hebron, and also that his father “Jesse” is buried in Hebron as well…
The Midrash says that everything that happened to Yosef happened to Zion. Commentators also remark that the numerical value of Yosef is the same as Zion. The story of Yosef awakens the topic of peace and unity between brother-Jews. Also Zion carries this theme if peace and unity, as we say in the Minha prayers of Shabbat – “goy ehad ba’aretz” – one People in the Land.
One of the places in the Land of Israel that clearly awakens this theme of unity is Hebron, which its very name hints to unity – hibur, and also through which we connect to our common uniting roots, our holy Patriarchs and Matriarchs. Hebron is also the Beacon of the Holy Land in general, for it is through this city that our Patriarchs established the first Jewish settlement in the Holy Land, through this city Kaleb gathered courage to speak in favor of conquering the Holy Land, and through this city the kingship of David was established, paving the way for King Mashiach to uphold Jewish sovereignty over the entire Holy Land.