And Moses ascended into the opaque fog where the Divine–as S/He Manifests as Existence–is found (Exodus 20:18). 

The mountain was burning with fire up to the heart of the heavens; through layers of darkness, cloud and dense opaque fog, the Voice of the Mystery spoke to you from within the fire…(Deuteronomy 4:11-12).  

These Torah texts teach us that we may find the Holy in the dark and in fire. We dream ourselves moving through three levels of darkness to hear the fiery Voice, an alchemical moment. These are texts about revelation, about God speaking Truth to us, teaching us, challenging us–and about experiencing the truth that all is loving awareness  

Fire and darkness are two themes of Hanukkah.  We light the candles of our hanukkiah during the longest nights of the year. 

Another layer of the teaching: Our core mystical text, The Zohar, invites us to see the levels of our soul as the Hanukkah candle. The dark flame surrounding the wick is our vital soul “nefesh”, closest to the material body.  Resting upon this is the white-yellow flame, our spirit “ruach”. The glow surrounding the flame is our neshama, that concealed level of soul that radiates into oneness. Our soul–this very candle–is the lamp of the Conscious Awareness that penetrates our innermost parts (Proverbs 20:27).  Our soul is naught other than our personal Divine enlivening spark that is one with the encompassing Reality. Our soul becomes the two way conduit between our particular incarnated experience and the Oneness, of which it is an essential part.  

When we light our Hanukkah candles, we bring together the elements of Earth (the oil or wax) and Fire to set our souls aflame. These are lights of healing that illuminate the dark nights of our souls, exactly where God has been hoping for a conversation with us. These are the lights of healing that enable us to penetrate our inner truths. These are lights of healing that can also enlighten the actual darkness of fear and uncertainty that exist in the world outside.  

We share the practice of lighting the candles and then gazing at them until they complete their burning. The imprint of the flame on our retinas is a healing for our eyes, for our sense of sight so that we can see and know the Reality behind reality.  

Let us bless each other that gazing at the Hannukah lights will shine into our souls’ obstacles and lighten places of obscurement and challenge. Let those crusty encasements that block the knowing of our core Divinity be burnt off.  Let us receive and welcome the healing fire to transform both the inner and outer darkness with peace and meaning. 

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About Your Teacher:

Rabbi SaraLeya Schley was ordained in 2005 by the ALEPH Ordination Program, for which she currently teaches. She is passionate about studying Jewish mystical texts.  Currently a resident of Sparks, NV, she is mother to 3 and savta to 5.  An adjunct leader, teacher and elder, she has been part of the Wilderness Torah community since its inception. She is Rabbi Emerita at Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley. Please contact her directly at rabbisaraleya @ gmail.com for information about classes, life-cycle facilitation, and guidance for living an intentional Jewish life.