Page 25 - Issue 16

Light

Avshalom Ben Zvi

We are human beings who are suited to activity in the light.
We can see better, are oriented in our surroundings, and feel
safer.
Most of our fears are hidden in darkness, and we express our
joy in the light.

The light symbolizes goodness for us, and the darkness
symbolizes evil. It is not coincidental that we celebrate the
Festival of Lights specifically at this time of the year, when the
day is short and the night has almost reached the peak of its
length.
During dark periods, we search for light for ourselves.

Darkness can appear in different forms: it is not only physical
darkness
It is also darkness in life under a foreign regime, oppression,
security threat, abuse, inequality, poverty and more.
As I see society in Israel, our situation is one of increasing
darkness, for various reasons.

What can we do and learn from Chanukah? That in order to
overcome the darkness we need to light the light, even a
small candle, however many we can light. Even a small candle
lights the way for itself.
It also lights the surrounding darkness, and when the
darkness surrounding me is more illuminated, it is easier for
others to join in and light more candles.