The Secret of the Fire of Torah: The Holy Flame of the Children of Israel
Lesson No. 276 | * Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh Parashas Chayei Sarah, Eve of 28 Cheshvan 5761 - Lesson for Emissaries in the Wall (Continuation from 275)
The holy Torah and the souls of Israel are compared to a blazing fire. This article reveals the secret power of Jewish children who learn Torah in purity to bring down spiritual fire from Heaven, similar to the hidden light of the Chanukah candles, thereby bringing closer the complete Geulah (Redemption).
The holy Torah is called fire, and the covenant that Hashem made with the world and with the Jewish people is a "covenant of fire." When Hashem made the covenant with Avraham Avinu (our Patriarch), He did so with fire, as it is stated:
"And behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch that passed between these pieces. On that day, Hashem made a covenant with Avram, saying..."
Avraham Avinu was entirely a blazing fire. Even when he was born, without any rabbi or guide in the world, he smashed the idols out of that inner fire of emunah (faith). Hashem created the world for the sake of Avraham, and at that very moment, He made the fiery covenant of the Act of Creation with him.
A Covenant of Fire
Also, when Hashem made a covenant with Israel after taking them out of Egypt, the covenant was made with fire, and the mountain burned with fire up to the very heart of the heavens. You are learning Torah, which is called fire, and you are all fire, because every Jewish child is called fire. This flame begins and intensifies, especially during the days of Chanukah, and it continues to multiply every single day into infinity.
The Gemara relates the chilling encounter between Rabbi Meir and his teacher, Elisha ben Avuya. Rabbi Meir was in the middle of delivering a sermon on Shabbos when he was told that Elisha was riding a horse outside. Rabbi Meir, out of a fierce desire to save his teacher, to have mercy on him and bring him back in teshuvah (repentance), closed the Gemara and ran out to him in the middle of the lesson.
Elisha asked him, "What sermon did you deliver today?" Rabbi Meir answered that he had taught about the end of the Book of Job, how Hashem blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning and gave him double, teaching us that every person who does teshuvah (repentance) merits that Hashem blesses him twofold.
The Fire That Descended at the Bris Milah
In response, Elisha ben Avuya told Rabbi Meir the story of what happened on the day of his bris milah (circumcision). His father, Avuya, who was among the wealthiest men in Jerusalem, rented the largest hall, made a massive seudah (festive meal), and invited all the great sages of Jerusalem. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, who were among the guests, saw that the people were engaging in vanity, so they went outside, found a side room, and began to learn Torah.
They learned from the Torah to the Prophets, and from the Prophets to the Writings. Suddenly, a fire descended from Heaven and surrounded them. When holy children learn Torah, fire descends from Heaven, because the world stands on the breath of the mouths of schoolchildren who are without sin.
The entire house appeared to be going up in flames. People ran to find the source of the fire, went down to the lower room, and opened the door. To their astonishment, they saw Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua learning Torah, with a blazing fire coming out of their mouths and licking the entire house.
A Fire That Does Not Burn
Avuya was shocked and cried out, "What, did you come to burn down my house?!" The Sages answered him, "Heaven forbid! This is not a fire that burns and consumes. This is a fire from Heaven."
This is the fire of Chanukah — a fire that does not burn. On Chanukah, the candles burned for eight days, yet the oil was neither burned nor depleted. When a person lives in holiness and purity, without lusts and spiritual blemishes, his oil is not consumed. This was also the case with the holy Matriarchs, who lit candles and the oil did not burn away, and so it was with the Western Lamp in the Holy Temple that was always lit.
The Sages explained to Avuya: "Thus we were learning in the Torah, we moved on to the Prophets and the Writings, and the words were as joyful as when they were given at Mount Sinai. And just as at the Giving of the Torah fire descended upon Mount Sinai, so too now fire has descended." When Avuya heard this, he vowed that as soon as his son reached the age of education, he would hand him over to good teachers so he would learn Torah day and night, in order that he too would merit to bring down fire from Heaven.
The Secret of Chana's Prayer and the Light of Chanukah
The light of Chanukah is deeply connected to Chana the Prophetess. The word "Chanukah" conceals within it the name of Chana (Chana 26). Chana was entirely fire, and similarly, every Jewish mother is a fire who gives birth to children of fire.
Chana was barren for a hundred and thirty years. She prayed "upon Hashem" — a prayer that was entirely for the sake of Heaven, for the revelation of His blessed Kingship in the world. In the merit of her pure prayer, she merited to ascend above the Name of Hashem, to a place of immense mercy, and she brought Shmuel the Prophet into the world, who was entirely fire (the letters of Shmuel spell "lamo eish" - "fire is to them").
Every Jewish child is literally a fire for Hashem. The eyes of the holy children who study Torah are eyes of fire, and they are in the aspect of the pure Menorah of the Holy Temple.
A Spark of Moshiach in Every Child
Every child is a Chanukah candle that must illuminate the world. As it is written:
"And the earth was astonishingly empty, and darkness was upon the surface of the deep, and the Divine Spirit hovered upon the surface of the waters."
Chazal (our Sages) expound that this "Divine Spirit" is the spirit of Moshiach. All the holy lights, which are the light of the Menorah, continue to shine brighter from day to day.
In every Jewish child lies a hidden spark of Moshiach. It is within the power of every child who studies Torah in holiness and purity to bring down fire from heaven, to bring the complete Geulah (Redemption), and to merit seeing the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, may it be built speedily in our days, Amen.
Part 2 of 2 — Lesson #276
All parts: Part 1 | Part 2 (Current)
Read more
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Receive Torah articles and inspiration directly in your inbox