Let Your Light Shine

It says in this weeks Torah portion Behaalotecha, "So it was, whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, Arise, O L*rd, may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You. And when it came to rest he would say, Repose O L*rd, among the myriads of thousands of Israel." (Numbers 10:35-36) These two verses are surrounded by an inverted letter "nun" at the beginning and end. Nowhere else in the Torah does the inverted nun appear. What is its meaning? Find out in Rabbi Aaron Raskin's amazing ten minute teaching
  http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/live_cdo/aid/1874458/jewish/The-Upside-Down-Letter-Nun.htm
In the early days of my of Torah learning I was privileged to study with a group of people who's love and  passion for G*d's Word was uplifting and inspiring.  We would study long into the night, not wanting to leave the magic of the moment. Most of us had to work very early the next day so we would end our study with a nigun to give us the strength to face the upcoming week. "You are the light of the world, let your light shine before all men, so they may see your deeds and glorify thy Father in heaven, the lamp is the mitzvah, the light it shines is the Torah".
 Let your light shine beloved~Elisheva

Shining Lamps
~adapted from Eli Touger's teaching on this week's parsha

In this week's Torah reading which begins with the command to Aharon to kindle the menorah in the Sanctuary. The menorah symbolizes the Jewish people, for the purpose of every Jew's existence is to spread Divine light throughout the world, as it is written: "The soul of man is the lamp of G-d." For with "the light of the Torah, and the candle of mitzvos," our people illuminate the world.

The menorah extends upward in seven branches, which symbolize seven different paths of Divine service. And yet it was made of a single piece of gold, indicating that the various qualities of the Jewish people do not detract from their fundamental unity. Diversity need not lead to division, and the development of true unity comes from a synthesis of different thrusts, every person expressing his own unique talents and personality.

When relaying G-d's command to Aharon to kindle the menorah , the Torah uses the phrase, Behaalos'cha es haneiros, literally: "When you raise up the lamps." Rashi explains that this means the priest should apply the flame to the wick "until the flame rises on its own," and shines independently.

Interpreting this concept allegorically, each of the expressions Rashi uses reflects a fundamental concept.

"The flame" Every person is potentially "a lamp." But a flame realizes the potential, producing radiant light.

"Rises" A person should not remain content with his current level, no matter how refined. Instead, he should seek to proceed further, searching for a higher and more complete degree of Divine service.

"On its own" A person must internalize the influence of his teachers until their light becomes his own. The knowledge he learns should endow him with the power to "shine" independently.

Moreover, he should "rise on his own," i.e., the desire to proceed should become one's own nature. Even without the encouragement of others, he should continually seek to advance.

Similarly, when teaching others, our intent should be that they also become "a flame which rises on its own" independent lamps who spread the "light of Torah" throughout their environment.

 

Behaalos'cha is not only the beginning of the Torah reading, it is the Torah reading's name; the lessons it communicates relate to the reading in its entirety. This is expressed by the bulk of the Torah reading, which describes the preparations for and the initial stages of the journey of the Jewish people through the wilderness. The Baal Shem Tov explains that these journeys are reflected in the journeys of every individual through life.

The Jewish people did not remain at Mount Sinai, where they received the Torah and constructed the Sanctuary. Instead, they took the Torah and the Sanctuary with them as they set out on their journey through the wilderness of the world. Similarly, the kindling of the light in a person's soul is the goal of his education and should enable him to take this "light of Torah," with him in his journeys through the world. By spreading the light of Torah through these journeys, every individual contributes to fulfilling the purpose of all existence, the establishment of a dwelling for G-d in our material world.

In that vein, the journeys of the Jewish people through the wilderness are also interpreted as an allusion of the journeys of our people through the ages toward the consummation of that purpose, the revelation of the light of Mashiach. And then we will join in the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, where we will see the priests again kindle the menorah.