What is the purpose of the light hanging over the ark?
ANSWER:
It's to symbolize the light that burned always in the sanctuary in front of the Holy of Holies. When they kindled the lamps every evening, (there were seven lamps) in the morning naturally they burned out. But always in the days of Shimon Hatzadik, it always happened that one of the seven lamps continued to burn. Every morning when the Kohanim entered the sanctuary, they found that one lamp continued to burn. And that's a symbol that the lamp of the Torah, the presence of Hashem in our nation, will burn forever. Which means that the Jewish nation is going to be a light forever.
After Shimon Hatzadik passed away, this miracle did not continue, it happened sometimes. That's the symbolism of that lamp, that there is a lamp that burns forever, it's called the Eternal Lamp. Now the Jewish people symbolize that lamp, and forever they're going to be a light to this world even though people are puffing with might and mane trying to put out the lamp, it won't go out.
It'll keep on burning forever.
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
