Then the Lord said to Moses, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be touched.” Moses held out his arm toward the sky and thick darkness descended upon all the land of Egypt for three days. People could not see one another, and for three days no one could get up from where he was; but all the Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings. Sh’mot / Exodus 10:21-23
Every Jewish soul has within it a spark of light whose source is in the supernal and hidden light of the Holy One. But much is dependent on “their dwellings”. This is similar to valuable gems whose value cannot be fully appreciated when they are in the ground or covered by dirt, but their splendor shines forth when placed in a proper golden setting. Rabbi Israel of Ruzhyn (1)
In the Exodus narrative our Israelite ancestors are insulated from the plague of darkness by divine intervention just as they had been protected by God during all the previous plagues. Our teacher, Rabbi Israel of Ruzhyn, identifies this light as one that emanated from the Israelites themselves; the spark of God within each of them shining forth. Rabbi Israel is moved in part by the mission of the Jewish people to be “a light unto the nations”, this being especially necessary when there is darkness in the world. Rabbi Israel observes that this light can be obscured or diminished when not given the proper platform from to project its essence and sparkling qualities.
For the Israelites in Egypt, and for generations of Jews since then, crafting the appropriate housing for the sacred light has meant fashioning communities of compassion, communities which supported and sustained each other, establishing a pattern that would be woven into the fabric of the Jewish people, maintained through Jewish history, and reflected in the elaborate network of Jewish support institutions.
The light that emanated from the Israelite homes was not a product of divine intervention, but a reflection of the light created by the Israelites themselves and their commitment to each other and to being exemplars of divine concern for others.
This past week, we, as a nation, commemorated the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who drew deeply from the Exodus narrative to find inspiration and hope. Dr. King often used this image of light as reflected in the following statements.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
Decades later, this idea was echoed in the powerful poem presented by Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate, during President Biden’s inauguration.
“For there was always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
Ultimately, we are the prism through which divine light is refracted in the world.
Shabbat Shalom –
Rabbi David M. Eligberg
1 Rabbi Israel Friedman of Ruzhyn, 1796–1850, also known as Der Heiliger Ruzhiner (“The holy one from Ruzhin”), was Hasidic leader initially in the Ukraine. Rabbi Israel was the great-grandson of the Maggid of Mezritch, one of the primary disciples of the Ba’al Shem Tov.
The Ruzhiner Rebbe was a charismatic leader known for his aristocratic demeanor and conducted his court with regal pomp and splendor. This unusual display of grandeur and opulence was accepted by his followers and other leaders believing that he was comporting himself in a way that would elevate God’s glory through His representative, the Rebbe. Imprisoned by Tsar Nicholas I who was discomfited by Rabbi Israel’s wealth and influence, on an unsubstantiated murder charge, Rabbi Israel fled to Austria after his release two years later, where he re-established his court. Rabbi Israel supported many in the Hasidic community in Israel and inaugurated the construction of the Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem.
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