בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
Painting by: Baruch Nachshon z”l
Last week we explained our Sages’ teaching that “if you keep the lights [of Shabbat] I shall show you the lights of Zion.” The correlation of these two matters may be 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. At the beginning of this week we celebrated Hanuka. Hanuka lights are meant to be lit at the beginning of the evening/twilight. This idea can express the idea that the candle-light of Hanuka continues on the light of day that just diminished. So too we can say at the end of Hanuka – let us continue the light of the Temple/Zion of Hanuka even after the date of Hanuka and after the historical period of the first Hanuka! Therefore, this means that we can continue the old light of ancient Zion as inspiration to adjoin with the current renewal of Zion.
In this painting we see eight reddish trees that resemble fire. This matter may hint to the eight days/lights of Hanuka. This may also hint to the burning bush at Mount Horeb/Sinai, from which Moshe Rabeinu first received his prophecy. One of the intents of Hanuka according to the Kabbalists is to indeed contemplate on the Hanuka flame as representing the first flame/fire of prophecy experienced by Moshe Rabeinu. By so doing one attaches oneself to the supernal light of which the Hanuka light is a conduit.
We see dancing Hasidim in this painting along with a dove and a gazelle. The dove is a symbol of peace, since it hinted at the time of Noach the beginning of Hashem’s “peace” with the world and the end of the Flood. Our Sages also remark that the dove is also known to be very faithful to its partner, which is also key to peace. A gazelle is a symbol of love as the verse says “a gazelle of love” (Mishlei 5, 19). Therefore, these images may hint to the love and peace between the Hasidim of Zion and Jerusalem, for also Jerusalem’s name also contains the theme of peace – “Shalem-Shalom.”
Every year we read the parshiot Miketz and Vayigash, which discuss the reunification of the tribes, first hidden in Miketz and then revealed in Vayigash, in conjunction with Hanuka. On Hanuka we also read the portion of the twelve princes of each tribe giving gifts to the Mishkan, the spiritual center-point that unites all the tribes, and whose leading figure, Aharon, lights the Menora, which has all its lights pointed to its center. The conjunction of all these readings suggests the theme of unity especially at this time. One of the locations 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.