How does Judaism use light?

Answer 1

Many God-seeking humans of all religions have had very similar spiritual Visions of God where He is perceived as a bright, loving, transforming Light of Spirit Luminosity.

Answer 2

Light is a natural occurrence as a result of the existence of the sun. Life was able to evolve because of the ability of plants to convert light to energy and food and this human came into existence. While this is scientific theory, religion appreciated light in other terms too.
1. presence of light made day-to day hunting, walking, survival easy, since in the presence of light, a woman could see her prey to hunt or run away from a predator.
2. secondly, performing any activity in the presence of light was easier than not...for eg. cultivation, land tilling, mass movement of people.
3. Also circadian rhythm in human allowed us to peak our performance with light, allowing us enough energy and enthusiasm to work in the morning in the presence of light.

therefore, light was important for all early human life as a all powerful god that came and went on a 12 hour basis and was a great natural phenomenon. When from pagan culture different religions branched out, light continued to maintain all its advantage and hence all religion revered it.

Answer 3

Light was the first creation of God, before the earth, before any living thing, and before mankind. Light illuminated the first rainbow after the Great Flood, a sign that God would never again destroy the world. God gave the Hebrews leaving Egypt light at night to help mark their path to freedom and become the Jewish people. But light is important to all people; and like all people Jewish people have their own way of acknowledging its importance.

Answer 4

There are 9 candles that are lit on Hanukkah. One is the helper candle ("shamash") used to light the other 8, which symbolize the 8 days of Hanukkah.

A story in the Talmud (500 years after the Maccabean War) tells of a legendary miracle. After the war, When the Jews returned to rededicate the Ancient Temple, they found that there was only enough oil to keep the eternal lamp burning for 1 day. It would take 8 days to make more of this special oil. So they lit the lamp, and it miraculously burned for 8 days, giving them plenty of time to make more oil to keep the lamp burning.

Although this is just a legend, in modern times, we light candles to symbolize the miracle of the oil lasting 8 days.

Answer:The above answer is non-traditional. Our tradition is that the miracle of the oil did indeed occur and isn't just a legend. If it wasn't for the clear tradition of our Sages, Hanukkah would have been forgotten long ago.

The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices in Judea, such as Sabbath-observance, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. The Hasmoneans (a family of religious Jews) fought to retake the Holy Temple, which had been seized by the Seleucids, and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah.

When they reached the Temple grounds and prepared to light the oil lamps of the Temple's menorah (Exodus ch.25), they found only one day's supply of unsullied olive oil. Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought.

The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence still dwelt in the Holy Temple. This is what Hanukkah represents: the closeness to God; and the avoidance of Hellenization (assimilation).

The Torah Sages instituted the festival of Hanukkah at that time (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), to publicize the miracle (Rashi commentary, ibid). This is why we light our Hanukkah-menorahs.

The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory and rededication of the Temple, while the candle-lighting commemorates the miracle of the oil.

It should also be noted that the main goal for which the Maccabees fought was not political independence. They fought to enable the people to observe the Torah's commandments; as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer: "the Greeks sought to cause us to forget Your Torah and leave Your statutes."

Answer 5

Light symbolizes Truth, and a candle is one way of bringing the light of truth symbolically into the home or other space. Jews who observe the Sabbath light candles before sunset on Friday night to welcome in the Sabbath (the Jewish Sabbath is the 7th day, Saturday, which by Jewish reckoning starts at sundown the day before); similar candle lighting is done for major holidays such as Rosh Hashanah (New Year). The candles used in Hanukkah menorahs stand in place of the oil lamps used in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah celebrates an ancient event when the oil for the lamps miraculously lasted for eight days. There is also the candle in a glass (similar to a votive candle) that you may see in the international section of the supermarket, which is a Yahrzeit (Yiddish for "anniversary") candle used yearly in remembrance of a deceased loved one.

Answer 6

There are 9 candles that are lit on Hanukkah. One is the helper candle ("shamash") used to light the other 8, which symbolize the 8 days of Hanukkah.
A story in the Talmud (400 years after the Maccabean War) tells of a legendary miracle. After the war, When the Jews returned to rededicate the Ancient Temple, they found that there was only enough oil to keep the eternal lamp burning for 1 day. It would take 8 days to make more of this special oil. So they lit the lamp, and it miraculously burned for 8 days, giving them plenty of time to make more oil to keep the lamp burning.
Although this is just a legend, in modern times, we light candles to symbolize the miracle of the oil lasting 8 days.

Answer:

The above answer is non-traditional. Our tradition is that the miracle of the oil did indeed occur and isn't just a legend. If it wasn't for the clear tradition of our Sages, Hanukkah would have been forgotten long ago.

The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices in Judea, such as Sabbath-observance and circumcision, rededicated the Temple to a Greek idol, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Hasmoneans (a family of religious Jews) fought to retake the Holy Temple, which had been seized by the Seleucids, and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah. The Hasmoneans (also called Maccabees) were miraculously victorious. When they reached the Temple grounds, they immediately reconsecrated it to God. As part of this action, they relit the Menorah (Exodus ch.25), which was fueled with olive oil. However, it soon became apparent that there was only sufficient oil to keep the candelabra burning for one single day - and it would take eight days to make and bring some more.
Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought.
The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence still dwelt in the Holy Temple. This is what Hanukkah represents: the closeness to God; and the avoidance of Hellenization (assimilation).
The Torah Sages instituted the festival of Hanukkah at that time (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), to publicize the miracle (Rashi commentary, ibid). This is why we light our Hanukkah-menorahs and they (and their light) are central to Hanukkah.
(The Hanukkah-menorah, or hanukkiyah, is a special form of the original seven-branched menorah. Our Hanukkah-menorahs have eight spaces for oil, or candles, to mark each of the eight days for which the oil lasted and a ninth to hold the shamash, a candle used to light the others.)
The eight-day rededication of the Temple is also mentioned in the book of Maccabees (I, 4:56-59; and II, 1:18); and Josephus mentions the eight-day festival in Antiquities ch.12.
The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory and rededication of the Temple, while the candle-lighting commemorates the miracle of the oil.
Though the military victory is prominently mentioned in the prayers, it wouldn't have been celebrated if not for the miracle of the oil.

It should also be noted that the main goal for which the Maccabees fought was not political independence. They fought to enable the people to observe the Torah's commandments; as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer: "the Greeks sought to cause us to forget Your Torah and leave Your statutes."

Answer 7

1) In general usage it isn't really important; it's only symbolic.

2) In Hanukkah, its importance is that it's used to fulfill a tradition enacted by the Sages (of lighting a Hanukkah-menorah in each home, to commemorate the miracle of Hanukkah).

3) Its chief importance was in the Temple, in which God commanded us to light a menorah (Exodus ch.25).

Answer 8

1) Shabbat candles

2) Tom Tov (festival) candles

3) Hanukkah candles (or oil lamps)

4) Braided candle for Havdalah (Saturday night)

5) Ner Tamid ("eternal lamp," found in most synagogues)

6) Candles for Bedikat Chametz (searching for crumbs of leaven, night before Passover Seder)

7) Light, or flame, is often used in Jewish texts as a metaphor for various spiritual things.

8) Our daily morning prayers include thanks to God for sunlight. Once a month, a blessing is said to God in thanks for the waxing moon; and once every 28 years a blessing is said after sunrise in thanks to God for creating the sun.

9) Our prayers are scheduled according to the changes in the day/night cycle.