(ג) וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה הִתְקִינוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁמוֹנַת הַיָּמִים הָאֵלּוּ שֶׁתְּחִלָּתָן כ''ה בְּכִסְלֵו יְמֵי שִׂמְחָה וְהַלֵּל וּמַדְלִיקִין בָּהֶן הַנֵּרוֹת בָּעֶרֶב עַל פִּתְחֵי הַבָּתִּים בְּכָל לַיְלָה וְלַיְלָה מִשְּׁמוֹנַת הַלֵּילוֹת לְהַרְאוֹת וּלְגַלּוֹת הַנֵּס. וְיָמִים אֵלּוּ הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִין חֲנֻכָּה וְהֵן אֲסוּרִין בְּהֶסְפֵּד וְתַעֲנִית כִּימֵי הַפּוּרִים. וְהַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת בָּהֶן מִצְוָה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים כִּקְרִיאַת הַמְּגִלָּה:
(3) Because of this, the sages of that generation ruled that the eight days beginning with the twenty-fifth of Kislev should be observed as days of rejoicing and praising the Lord. Lamps are lit in the evening over the doors of the homes, on each of the eight nights, so as to show and reveal the miracle. These days are called Hanukkah, when it is forbidden to lament or to fast, just as it is on the days of Purim. Lighting the lamps during the eight days of Hanukkah is a religious duty imposed by the sages, like the reading of the Megillah on Purim.
(א) הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁאָנוּ מַדְלִיקִין, עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת, שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, עַל יְדֵי כֹּהֲנֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְכָל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי הַחֲנֻכָּה הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ קֹדֶשׁ הֵם וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם, אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָם בִּלְבָד, כְּדֵי לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל עַל נִסֶּיךָ וְעַל נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וְעַל יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ.
(1) We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the deliverances and the wonders which thou didst work for our fathers, by means of thy holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, neither is it permitted us to make any profane use of them; but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks unto thy name for thy miracles, thy deliverances and thy wonders.
(2) An avatar of the Eternal appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. (3) Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?” (4) When the Eternal saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.”
What is the story of these lights?
What are they telling us?
When we look at the flames what do we see?
There are three elements to the fire:
1. The flame
2. The wick
3. The fuel (oil or wax)
The Zohar teaches (3:187a) that the body can be compared to the wick, while the flame can be compared to the divine presence that rests above the head, and the oil that joins these two together, allowing the flame to join and remains connected to the wick can be compared to one good actions in the world.
1. Dark intense blue/black
2. Extreme white, almost transparent light.
The Zohar:
“In the flame itself there are two lights: one white and luminous, the other black or blue. The white light is the higher of the two and rises steadily. The black or blue light is underneath the other, which rests on it as on a pedestal. The two are inseparably connected, the white resting and being enthroned upon the black…This blue or black base is in turn attached to something beneath it which keeps it in flame and impels it to cling to the white light above. This blue or black light sometimes turns red, but the white light above never changes its color. The lower light, which is sometimes black, sometimes blue, and sometimes red, is a connecting link between the white light to which it is attached above and to the concrete body to which it is attached below, and which keeps it alight. This light always consumes anything which is under it or which is brought in contact with it, for such is its nature, to be a source of destruction and death. But the white light which is above it never consumes or destroys and never changes. (1 Zohar. p. 51a.)
Lower fire: physical dimension; consumes; life feeds off of life; destroy and change. The cycle of life and death back into life.
Higher fire: spiritual dimension, does not consume, gives off heat and light. The deeper level of the soul.
The flames mirror life itself: constantly in motion, shifting back and forth, inhaling, exhaling, expanding and contracting. In every moment of life we are continually being recreated, becoming embodied and expiring and becoming re-embodied again.
We see this idea in the first blessing before the Shema, Yotzer Or, where creation is represented by light, which also points to the truth that all of creation is energy in various forms. We say here that God continually renews Creation.
Ratzo v'shov - The dual pull of life and existence.
Ratzo is that movement up, a deep desire to expire and lift off. The lower flame, striving to grow higher. More active, dynamic. Begins connected to the physical and strives to move beyond.
Shuv is that movement down, a deep awareness that life is lived in the present moment, in the here and now. The more settled higher white light. More in tune with the higher levels of reality, divine reality and ultimate purpose.
The flickering of the flame reflects both of these dynamics at the same time. Both pulls, involvement with the physical world and involvement with the spiritual world, keeps up balanced in-between.
Love the Eternal (upward, dark flame)
Love your neighbor as yourself (downward, higher flame)
Love moves in both directions at the same time.