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This Dvar Torah should serve as a Zechus for a Refuah Sheleima for Yakov Eliezer Ben Yocheved

One of the championing phrases that the secular Jewish world uses to motivate Jews to contribute to society at large is based on the words of the Navi Yeshayahu: ”Ohr LaGoyim”, “be a Light unto the Nations”. These and other words and phrases have been hijacked and misinterpreted, misrepresented in order to create an agenda describing how the Jewish people can be considered to be leaders as well as part of the rank and file of all nations. In fact, the Knesset Menorah, as a symbol for the selected Emblem of Israel, was  inspired by the vision of "Light Unto the Nations".

‘Or LaGoyim’, also translates to ‘Light of the Nations’, was a term that was used by David Ben Gurion at the time the modern State of Israel was being formed. Although he quoted it from the  prophet Yeshayahu, Ben Gurion used it in a way that expressed the clear message that Israel and the Jewish people are the universal designation of God’s kingdom of priests, as the mentor for spiritual and moral guidance for the world. Unfortunately, the author of Melachim, Yirmiyahu, was taken out of context.  If we go back to the sources we find three places that reference Or LaGoyim. The term originated from verses in the Book of Isaiah: Yishayahu 49:6: "Yea, He saith, 'It is too light a thing for you to be My servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the scions of Israel, and I shall submit you as a light unto the nations, to be My salvation until the end of the earth”. Then again, in Yishayahu 42:6, the Navi states: "I the LORD have called unto you in righteousness, and have taken hold of your hand, and submitted you as the people's covenant, as a light unto the nations". Finally, in Yishayahu 60:3, the Navi says: "And unto your light, nations shall walk, and kings unto the brightness of your rising".

Rashi interpreted 'nations' as referring to the tribes of Israel,  not to the Gentiles. The context of these three references (chapters 42, 49, and 60) are a prophecy of comfort and a promise to the people of Israel in which God will restore the people of Israel to their land, and this return will cause the rest of the nations to open their eyes and to look up to the people of Israel. Being a light unto the nations does not necessarily entail me going out into their lands to live a holy life so they  will see me doing the right thing. What it does tell us is that we are obligated to go out and teach them the Seven Noachide laws because that is their Torah and Mitzvos which they are obligated to followi. The “light’ that I need to share with them is the light of Torah which directly affects them.  This “light” does not imply or in any way mean that the nations of the world will see me do my mitzvos which I am obligated to do. I must shed light on their world in order for them to know how and what to do.

Every Jew is known to have a little light that burns inside of him; sometimes the flame is higher and at other times it is lower. That light does have an effect on others when channeled and used properly. Nevertheless, the lesson and meaning of “Or LaGoyim” is that it speaks on the national level,  particularly, according to the Navi, when the Jewish people will return to Eretz Yisrael through the coming of Moshiach. At that point we, the Jewish people, will be that perfect people from whom the other nations of the world will learn. The idea of illuminating is also reflected in the reading for Shabbos.

In this week’s Haftorah to Parshas Terumah, the Navi gives the details of Shlomo HaMelech during the time of his building the Beis HaMikdash. In Melachim/Kings 6:4 the verse states: “Vayaas LaBayis Chaloinei Shkufim Atumim” “He made for the house windows that were wide and narrow”. Rashi quoted in Gemara Menachos 86b “A Braisa taught: they (the windows) were wide on the outside and narrow on the inside”. This was a sign that Hashem does not need light. Ordinarily, to maximize the illuminating capacity of a window in a thick stone wall, one constructs the inside of the window opening wider than the outside. With this design the light coming from the outside is diffused to each side of the room. However, the windows of the ‘Heichal’ slanted outward;  the inside was narrow and the outside was wide so that the light of the menorah could diffuse and illuminate the world. The context of the Gemara was a series of examples that for God Himself no light is needed.  

I feel that human beings who are created in the image of God are built the same way. This is particularly true for a Jew who must be a Mikdash Me’at  - a small Sanctuary that not only absorbs and receives the light but also becomes a beacon of light which shines onto others. It is through the window of our Neshamos/souls that we already have an enormous amount of goodness to share and spread throughout the world. This, of course, is on an individual level which we use to influence the immediate people around us. Our neighbors, co-workers, and the service people with whom we interact  on a daily basis are the recipients of the light that emanates from within our neshamas.

As we begin to read the portions associated with the construction of the Mishkan and the clothing related to the Kohanim, we need to create a connection to which we are as Jews today. In Parshas Terumah Hashem commands the famous words: “Make for me a Sanctuary so that I may dwell in you”. Since we have a Cheilek Eloka MiMaal, a portion of God inside us, we don’t need the light for ourselves; we need the light to shine outward just as the light of the Beis HaMikdash shone outside.

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky