LEAD TIDBIT:
Our Two Lights
A flash is a very bright light that lasts for a brief moment, during which it has served its intended purpose. The impact of the flash lasts a while longer than its actual duration, usually in the form of spots before our eyes. A “regular” light bulb is not as “flashy” as a flash, not as bright, but it provides a steady light on an ongoing basis. And it too, serves its purpose.

In Jewish Life, we have flashes and light bulbs that often come in pairs, and complement each other in important ways.

Once a year, in the month of Nissan, we say a special bracha upon seeing fruit trees in blossom. FLASH! The bracha should serve as a lesson in appreciation of fruit trees in particular, and G-d’s world in general. Every time we eat a fruit, we precede it with a BOREI PRI HA’EITZ. That’s the steady light bulb that is meant to remind us of the same kind of appreciation for G-d’s gifts. Less dramatic than a once-a-year bracha, but we need the light it provides on a continual basis.

The Pesach Seder - FLASH! Matza, four cups of wine, hagada... an exciting, special celebration and reminder of the Birth of the Jewish Nation and of G-d’s “action” on our behalf. “In order to remember the day of the Exodus, all the days of your life”. It isn’t just the flash of the Seder that keeps us mindful of Yetzi’at Mitzrayim, it is the regular light bulbs of the last pasuk in Sh’ma, the Kiddush we say on Shabbat and Chagim, and many mitzvot that glow with the message of remembering that G-d took us out of Egypt.

Maamad Har Sinai - the experience of Divine Revelation and the receiving of the Torah - FLASH! Thunder, lightning, fire, smoke, Shofar... G-d’s Voice. The Mishkan and Mikdash is/are the contin- uous light that originated in the flash of Sinai. The daily sacrifices are called OLAT TAMID (constant) that was made at Sinai. Mt. Sinai has no sanctity after Matan Torah; Har HaBayit is sacred forever, even temporarily without a Beit haMikdash in place.

Lightning. Shooting star. FLASH! We react with a bracha acknowledging
G-d as OSEH MAASEI V’REISHIT, Creator. Every day in davening, we proclaim that G-d renews with His goodness the acts of Creation. The light bulb.

When offered the Torah by G-d, we, the People of Israel resoundingly re- sponded NAASEH V’NISHMA, FLASH! What is the steady, constant lightbulb that helps us preserve the FLASH beyond its momentary duration? Perhaps it is our twice-daily K’ri’at Sh’ma, in which we are reminded to listen and understand the mitzvot... and to do them. (Note that the order of NAASEH V’NISHMA is reversed in the claim that the SH’MA is its lightbulb counterpart. However, after having received the Torah, hearing, at least, preceeds doing.)

One last point. And it is here that the FLASH-lightbulb analogy breaks down a little bit. But that’s okay. It was only an analogy.

Our challenge as Jews is to get excited about Birkat HaIlanot (the Nissan bracha on the fruit trees) AND to take a little bit of that excitement and inject it into our every BOREI PRI HA’EITZ.

To take the excitement of Shavuot morning when we listen to the dramatic reading of the Aseret HaDibrot, after having been up all night in Torah study and anticipation of reliving the moment of Matan Torah, and to inject a small spark of it into our daily brachot for Torah learning, and into our Torah learning itself.

To take the special feelings of Kiddush L’vana and spread them to the YOTZEIR HAM’OROT we say every day.

To take the high emotion of SHMA YISRAEL at NE’ILA on Yom Kippur and put a small dose of it into the same words we say over a thousand other times throughout the year.

To take the HASHEM HU HA’ELOKIM of that same NE’ILA and let it enhance the brachot we say a hundred times or more EVERY SINGLE DAY, in which we proclaim HaShem as ELOKEINU.

Next time someone takes your picture, smile for the camera and then smile again when you think of all the flashes mention here and those that you will add as you think over this tidbit. And the next time you see a lightbulb, just appreciate it for being there to light your way.