Shabbos: Bringing The Light Inside
Understanding Shabbos through the lens of Parashas Chayei Sara
Having explored Shabbos through the worlds of Atzilus and Ohr Ein Sof, this week I would like to follow that light inside, into the home, and look at what it reveals in the light of the Shabbos candles.
The Midrash1 teaches that there were three constant miracles in Sarah’s tent. After her passing they stopped, and when Rivka entered, they returned:
A cloud of the Shechinah hovered over the tent, reflecting the mitzvah of niddah and a state of taharah.
There was blessing in the dough; it always rose with abundance, reflecting the mitzvah of challah.
A lamp burned from Friday night to Friday night, reflecting the mitzvah of Ner Shabbos and the light of Shabbos itself.
These three miracles had deep significance, revealing how Sarah’s life began to repair the chet of Chavah.
Let’s focus on the candles. They reveal that the connection of ohr never cuts. There is a continuous wire of light running through the week. In most homes, Shabbos candles bring the house from darkness into light. In Sar…
