To offer a sacrifice in ancient Israel, you needed fire. And since sacrifices were offered daily, the Torah instructs the priests in this week’s parasha to kindle an אֵשׁ תָּמִיד (eish tamid)—a fire that never goes out.

Inside that fire, the Kedushat Levi—Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740–1809)—sees two kinds of light:

Light flowing from God to us (אוֹר יָשָׁר—or yashar), and light from us, reflected back to God (אוֹר חוֹזֵר—or hozer).

It’s a relationship. God sends us light—life, breath, possibility, sustenance, love, goodness, blessings without end, water and orange juice, strawberries and chocolate.

And then we send light back.

But the question is: What can we actually send back? What light can we return to God?

It’s audacious, even a little ludicrous, when you think about it.

God gives us everything the universe has to offer and what exactly do we give back in return? How can we respond meaningfully?

One powerful, beautiful, compelling response comes from the prophet Micah. He asks: “What does God want from you? Just this: do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God!”

That is how we reflect light—justice, mercy, walking humbly with God, as best we can.

At this moment, it can be hard to see the אוֹר יָשָׁר, the splendor of God’s light.

There is so much pain.

Our family in Israel is running in and out of shelters.

There is fear. There is trauma. There is destruction and there is death.

Around the world and here at home, too, we are under attack—physically as well as rhetorically.

Lies are being spread maliciously and dangerously about our people, our tradition, and our homeland.

It can feel very dark.

But the light is still there.

We have been given another day. We are not alone. We are more powerful than we know.

We have one another and we have true friends and allies. The world is still filled with moments of goodness.

The fire of God’s light keeps on burning.

And we must continue to send light back.

By doing justly — showing up for one another, especially for our people under fire.

By loving mercy — holding on to our humanity and compassion no matter what.

By walking humbly with God — reaching for God even when faith is hard to find.

This is how we reflect God’s light.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yoshi