In every synagogue you’ll see it. It’s the Eternal Light that hangs from the ceiling. The Eternal Light is supposed to remind us of God’s eternal presence, which is what we were taught when we were children. The Eternal light is first mentioned in this week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, in Exodus 27:20, where it is called a “Neir Tamid” or a lamp that is regularly kindled.
Some Eternal Lights are electric. They require that the light bulb be changed (very quickly) when it burns out. Some Eternal Lights are gas. You can hear the hissing sound of the natural gas in the lamp. It’s a sound that is uncommon today, but it was very familiar when houselights were gas lamps. Some Eternal Lights are oil lamps. They require regular care to keep the oil sufficient for burning everyday. Most synagogues, today, don’t use them because they’re fire hazards.
When you come into Beth Israel, you’ll see that the Neir Tamid in the sanctuary resembles a burning bush. The light seems to emanate from within it to remind us of God’s presence in that Biblical moment when God appeared to Moses in a bush that burned unconsumed. You’ll find a Neir Tamid in the Chapel, but it’s more traditional. Both are electric and both require some maintenance when the bulb goes out.
An Eternal Light sounds like a light that should be constantly burning without fail. So, how did they manage to keep a light burning “eternally” in ancient times? The translation of “Neir Tamid” makes it clear when it calls the lamp one that is “regularly kindled.” In ancient times, the Neir Tamid depended on regular maintenance of the oil and the wick. It never went out as long as faithful attendants checked on it. So, the Eternal Light was only as eternal as the attendants were faithful. Their daily regimen included checking on the lamp to be sure that it was burning, but it also involved them in a meaningful and regular act of faith.
What if we had an oil lamp that invested us, like it did our ancestors, in the kindling of a lamp that regularly demonstrated our faith in an Eternal God? Interesting question. It’s too bad the fire codes are tough and the insurance rates are high. We may not be able to keep an oil lamp burning over our bemah, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t choose a meaningful way to relate to our Eternal God on a regular basis. A daily or weekly Jewish routine could invest us in ways to remember God’s presence in our life. It could include: regular study, weekly Shabbat worship, weekly Shabbat home rituals, participation in Jewish causes and interest in congregational programs. It can also include dedication to causes that reach outside our community to help families across America, in Israel, in Darfur, and elsewhere. They are all mitzvot and they depend on regular attention from faithful people like you and me.
Maybe that’s what is at the heart of a light we call Eternal. It’s not just a symbol of God’s eternal presence; it’s also a symbol of our faith that requires regular maintenance.
From my desk to yours, Shabbat Shalom.
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