Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, one of the world's great sages and my former teacher, passed away this week. In his honor, I am re-posting a thought I wrote inspired by his philosophy. I've also written a longer piece about him in The Forward.
-Abe
The daily things are sacred
i
God says Let there be light
and makes light for day
and dark for night
and there is evening
and there is morning
and there are seven days of light
that are the days of creation.
ii
The priests
shall arrange the Temple Menorah’s seven lights
the permanent flame
lit from evening to morning
a Law that stands forever:
that is how God introduces
the role of the priests,
the ones who make the Mishkan
the dwelling- place of God
into a functioning home.
iii
First you must bathe time in light
first you must make a schedule of light
you must commit to a schedule of light
day in and day out
for weeks into eternity
over and over:
that is how God makes the world,
that is how we build a world of God.
Genesis Chapter 1; Exodus 26:20-21
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Shabbat Shalom,
Abe