ANSWER:
The first and the greatest gift that Hashem gave this world was light. וירא אלוקים את האור כי טוב, Hashem said the light was good. Do you know why the light is so good? Because with light you can see the work of the Creator – this world has to demonstrate the Creator. And you can look at the world and see the Creator.
Imagine if we didn't have light, and you had to walk into an art gallery, and the beautiful pictures are all along the walls… so it's a waste of time. When you press the [light] button, then everything springs into action. All around us are proofs of the Creator – definite proofs, unimpeachable, incontrovertible proofs, but you have to see them. That's what light means! However it's a great pity that the light goes out, the sun sets.
So Hakadosh Baruch Hu did a miracle and He created artificial light. Now let's not treat artificial light superficially, it's a remarkable phenomenon. Why should there be light? Just because things oxidize, it has to be accompanied by the phenomenon of light? It could've been accompanied merely by heat, other forms of energy!
Artificial light is a special gift, in lieu of sunlight you light a candle, and now you can again look at that orange by candlelight. You can marvel at why the peel of the orange is so beautiful on outside, and on the underside there is no color at all? Now this you should study by day and by night, look at the orange all day long! No question that you'll make something out of yourself by studying the orange.
But then when the sun goes down what will you do? So you'll light the candle, and that's why Shabbos night we light a candle – to thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu for artificial light.
Why Shabbos night? Shabbos night was the first time artificial light came into existence. Adam our first father saw the sun go down – he never saw anything like that, and he thought that the world was coming to an end, and he was overwhelmed with this catastrophe. He thought it was because of his sin, he's being punished now and the world is coming to an end! And he wept all night! Until he saw the sun come up.
While he was weeping he fell upon a stratagem. He didn't have any Diamond matches, he didn't have any electric lights, but he did something. Whatever he did, let's say he took a stone in his anguish and hurled it against the wall and a spark came out. And he said, "If that's the case I'll try again, and this time I won't lose that spark!" So he piled up dry leaves, and he gave another bang and this time it caught fire. Adam said, "At least in my last moments before the world expires, I'll be using my eyes to be living!" In the morning when the sun came up he was reassured, and he said, kach hu minhogo shel olam.
We use that first opportunity of light as a memorial every week, and we thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu for artificial light.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Important Numbers
