The Power to Illuminate

A central feature in synagogues at the most prominent place in front of the Aron Kodesh (holy Ark) around the world is the Ner Tamid. The Ner Tamid, translated as an Eternal Light, first appears in this week's parsha. The Torah begins with the directive for there to be a Ner Tamid in the Mishkan, which was a lamp that was fueled with extra virgin olive oil. The lamp was burning 24/7/365, with there never being a time that the light was not burning. This practice was continued for several centuries in the Beis Hamikdash (Temple) in Jerusalem and synagogues worldwide for thousands of years. One can fairly ask why keeping a Ner Tamid/Eternal Light at the most prominent place in our house of worship was so important. It is also worth noting that the quality of the olive oil required for the Ner Tamid had to be of the utmost purity. In today's terms, we would classify it as not just any olive oil but extra virgin olive oil of the highest caliber. The Jewish People have been compared to זַ֤יִת רַעֲנָן֙ יְפֵ֣ה פְרִי־תֹ֔אַר קָרָ֥א ה שְׁמֵ֑ךְ. This verse from Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) is translated as "G-d called you a verdant olive tree, fair with choice fruit." While it is intended to be complimentary, there is some deeper meaning here. The Nesivis Shalom explains that not only is the liquid of the olive not visible to the person looking at it from the outside, but there is an element to the olive oil that makes it superior. Olive oil, in addition to being tasty in salads, has another important feature: its power to illuminate. Not unlike the liquid embedded in olives, the Jewish People are called upon to illuminate the world. It's important to note that olives can only extract the liquid that will illuminate when they are under pressure or squeezed. Similarly, the Jewish People continue to be under stress and pressure, and that is precisely when we can rise to the occasion and illuminate the world. The last few months have presented Israel and Jews around the world with challenges it has not experienced in decades. We have been squeezed and under pressure in uncomfortable and even painful situations. It is important to remember that we are compared to the olives that are pressed and even crushed, but that results in olive oil extracted that illuminates the world. The next time you enter a shul, it might be worth it to pause and look at the Ner Tamid and reflect on our mission to illuminate the world. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch