Kindling the divine within

In Jewish tradition, rituals and symbols aren’t mere decorations or static markers of identity; they are dynamic, transformative tools designed to reshape our inner landscape. In this week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotcha, and the accompanying haftarah from the prophet Zechariah, we encounter one of the oldest symbols of our tradition: the seven-lamp golden Menorah. 

As the name of the parsha implies, Beha’alotcha calls for an elevating of oneself, inviting us into a deeper understanding of how we interact with the sacred artefacts of our tradition and bring into life the values they model for us. 

The Torah opens this portion with the words “Speak to Aaron and say to him: ‘When you raise the lamps, let the seven lamps give light in front of the Menorah.’” (Numbers 8:2) 

This leaves us with a profound question: what is G-d really asking Aaron to do? When instructing Aaron on how to ignite the candelabrum, the text eschews the standard verb lehadlik (to light), using instead leha’alot, “to raise” or “to cause to ascend”. G-d is asking Aaron to elevate his very being. It is precisely through this internal elevation, through his meditation and focused intention, that the lamps give light; his conscious spiritual orientation is what actually makes the lights shine and radiate outward. 

Zechariah the prophet encounters this very same symbol, the Menorah, centuries later during the return to Zion after the traumatic destruction of the First Temple. Zechariah spoke to a fractured community dealing with deep pain, economic distress, and internal political strife in the land of Israel. As they struggled to rebuild the nation from the ashes, Zechariah is shown a vision of the golden Menorah and asks the angel guiding him what it means. The divine response he receives is revolutionary: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit – said the Lord of Hosts.” 

This eternal declaration reframes our understanding of human agency. As human beings created B’tzelem Elokim in the image of G-d, we all carry the divine attributes of compassion, justice, and truth as a blueprint within us. But in the harsh wilderness of human existence, these attributes often lie dormant. 

The Menorah, lighting candles, other symbols, and all rituals shall always remind us that true transformation cannot be forced by “might” or “power”. It’s “by My spirit” that we awaken our dormant godly consciousness through deliberate intention. Like Aaron in the desert tabernacle, we use physical rituals not as rote obligations, but as tools to stir the soul. When we elevate our awareness and align our actions with the divine model, we transform the physical world. By kindling our inner light with sacred purpose, we ensure that the warmth of G-d’s spirit radiates through us as long as we hold that awareness sacred. In every breath, an opportunity. In every action, a kind act. In every choice we make, the intention of peace. If we take this into our daily life it can also illuminate even the darkest of times. 

• Rabbi Tamara Schagas, Temple Israel Cape Town