Shalom Chaverim,
The email below was written before seeing the news as the long dreaded-though-expected war with Iran erupted. I know we are all praying for the safety of our pilots and soldiers, for the protection of all innocent people and civilians, and for a future of stability and peace for the people of Israel and for the whole world. Shabbat SHALOM
I’ve shared this teaching in years past, but I found myself mentioning it this past Sunday in our interfaith service with the Christian Lutheran Church. I spontaneously responded to something the pastor said, and whatever it was led me to tell about the Abuhav synagogue and the prayer ‘Hareini Mikabel.’ I had no idea until I was scrolling through some old notes to prepare for this week’s email that I had connected it in the past precisely to this week’s Torah portion, Be’ha’alotcha,. I find this teaching important still:
Imagine going through a gate into a calming courtyard. It is bursting with shrubs and flowers around trees, under which smooth benches in the shade invite you to sit with others for a while. Above the arched doorway to this, the beautiful Abuhav synagogue in the Galilee mountain town of Tzfat, are the words “I take upon myself the positive commandment to love my neighbor as myself.”
There in the courtyard garden along with everyone you see together with you, you can take a moment to compose yourself, to take upon yourself that focus and that feeling of loving yourself and your neighbor as yourself. Then you rise and pass through the doorway.
I wonder how the world would be so different if many more of our buildings ‘obligated’ us to take upon ourselves the positive commandment to ‘love my neighbor as myself’ before entering. Or if we were reminded to take the opportunity to accept this obligation before we left from a building to the street outside…or before we left our houses…or if every leader, public servant, protester, talk-radio host, person posting on social-media – if all of us – were reminded to try to fine-tune our thoughts, our words, and our deeds with love: “I take upon myself the positive commandment to love my neighbor as myself.”
The Rabbi Yitzchak Abuhav synagogue is an actual place. Abuhav was famous for his book Menorat ha’Maor, which means the “Candle-Stick of Light”. It takes its inspiration from the description in Be’Ha’alotcha – this week’s Torah portion – of the menorah that was in the Tent of Meeting and later in the Temple. The menorah has always symbolized the Jewish People and Judaism…more so than the Star of David, more than the tallit, more than Fiddler on the Roof or even bagels and cream cheese – the menorah, the 7-branched candelabra, is Judaism’s most visible symbol. A menorah is found in nearly every synagogue the world over. The menorah is on the seal of the State of Israel.
Abuhav interpreted this symbol of the menorah, and he wrote what became the equivalent of a bestseller in medieval Europe. He explained what are ‘the seven candles of Jewish life’ that will illuminate the Jewish community; What are ‘the seven flames of righteousness’ that will make a community glow with blessing and shine with honor:
Candle 1 = The Material World.
Don’t pursue luxuries. These lead you and others to jealousy, cause yourself or others enslavement to desire and covetousness, and generate over-concern for honor and glory.
Candle 2 = Speech.
We are warned not to subject others to clownishness, lies, flattery, gossip and slander, embarrassment, empty and meaningless discussion, joking, exaggeration, abusive language or seductive witchery.
Candle 3 = Humility.
This is about how to cultivate humility and avoid simple-ness of soul – silliness, vain and worthless pursuits, and shame. Both for ourselves and for others.
Candle 4 = The middle candle, Torah.
Perhaps this is the most significant, because it leads to all the others. The menorah is described as having the flames of the three wicks on each side turned toward the middle flame, which burned straight up and down.
Set a regular time to study Torah. Among other things, this candle sheds light on how to balance your time between the need to earn a livelihood and your need to study for personal, spiritual, and moral development, which then comes back to inform your actions in earning your livelihood.
If the first side of the menorah was mostly things you don’t do, when we move to the other side of the menorah for the last three candles – the positive side – we find things you do want to do:
Candle 5 = Use of Time.
Abuhav identifies ten things you can do with your time that are better than wasting your moments on all sorts of bad speech or empty pursuits: The duties of a child towards a parent and showing parents honor, the value of prayer and the meaning of celebrating holidays as a community, how to practice genuine hospitality, deeds of lovingkindness and compassion for those who need help or even just a smile, and other mitzvah observances.
Candle 6 = Teshuva
The need to review your behavior and seek to improve yourself – both as an individual and as a community – is a worthy pursuit at all times but especially so as part of the framework of the Jewish holidays. Every Yom Kippur is a collective effort at atonement and teshuva by us as individuals together with our community and the entirety of the Jewish people.
Candle 7 = Peace
The ways of peace are many and essential, from the importance of being polite to how to speak words of peace and compassion and love…for yourself and for your neighbor.
Perhaps this Shabbat is a good time to sit quietly in a shaded garden looking for a little light to guide us in what all-too-often seem like darkening times. What are 7 ways you can bring a little light to the world, a little love and peace to your own soul and for others?
SHABBAT SHALOM!
Rabbi Michael Schwartz