Light From The Temple

1:3)? It’s a question that’s captivated Jewish mystics and scholars for centuries.

One beautiful answer unfolds like this: that first light? It shone forth from the very spot where the Temple in Jerusalem would one day stand. Imagine that—a single point of radiant, pure light illuminating the entire world. Surrounded by this light, God completed the creation. Then, God diffused that light, spreading it throughout the world. As it says in Psalms (50:2), "God has shined forth."

Some even suggest that this light didn't exist before that moment. It was created specifically at the site of the Temple, a brand new, holy light. And even after the Temple was built, this light continued to emanate from it. The source, according to tradition, was the Kodesh Hakodashim, the Holy of Holies, where the Holy Ark resided. It lit up the entire Temple and shone outwards, through the windows.

Now, these weren't your ordinary windows. They were designed specifically to project light outwards. They were narrow on the inside and broad on the outside, focusing and sending forth the light into the world. This light wasn't just earthly; it ascended to the rakia, the firmament, to God's Chariot, to the Throne of Glory itself! It filled Jerusalem, the Holy Land, and all basked in its presence. That's why Jerusalem is often called "the light of the world."

This idea, that the light originated from the Temple site, is rooted in a verse from Ezekiel (43:2): "And the earth was lit up by His Presence." Here, "Presence" is understood to be the Temple in Jerusalem. It implies that the land was sacred even before creation. Genesis Rabbah 3:4 states plainly: "The light was created from the place of the Temple."

But what does this all mean?

Well, it touches on a fascinating debate amongst the ancient rabbis: Did God create the universe from nothing (ex nihilo), or did He use pre-existing materials? This was considered an esoteric matter, a deep secret. Rabbi Bar Kappara believed the Torah suggests God did use pre-existing material. But Rav compared this to building a palace on a garbage dump! Rabbi Jose ben Haninah felt that suggesting God used pre-existing materials like darkness, chaos, and void (tohu and vohu) diminished God's glory. (Genesis Rabbah 1:5).

The notion that light pre-existed creation also appears in Isaiah 45:7: "I form (yotzer) the light and create (borei) darkness." The distinction between "form" and "create" is key. "Form" (yotzer) implies the light already existed in some form, while "create" (borei) means bringing something entirely new into being.

Midrash Tehillim presents a concise version: God diffused the light from the Temple. This connects to Ezekiel 43:2, understanding "the earth was lit up" as referring to the Temple itself. However, Genesis Rabbah 60:19 offers another perspective: "Who is the light of Jerusalem? God, as it is said, Yahweh shall be your light everlasting" (Isa. 60:19).

Interestingly, some scholars believe this myth has Jewish-Gnostic origins. Gnosticism often posited that light pre-existed the chaos before creation. As we see in On the Origin of the World, “Seeing that everybody says that nothing existed prior to chaos, I shall demonstrate that they are all mistaken, because they are not acquainted with the origin of chaos, nor with its root .... After the natural structure of the immortal beings had completely developed out of the infinite, a likeness then emanated and became a product resembling the primeval light.”

There's a related myth in B. Ta'anit 10a stating that the Land of Israel was created first. This land, watered directly by God, is seen as the source of life for the rest of the world, which receives water through God's messenger.

Both myths, the light from the Temple and the creation of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) first, emphasize the centrality of the Land of Israel in the divine plan. They highlight its unique role as a source of light, life, and holiness for the entire world.

So, what do we take away from this? Perhaps it’s a reminder that even in the darkest times, there's always a source of light, a place of hope, waiting to illuminate the world. And maybe, just maybe, that light is closer than we think.

Commentary

This myth about the origin of the first light derives from the verse And the earth was lit up by His Presence (Ezek. 43:2), where "Presence" is identified with the Temple in Jerusalem. There is a suggestion in this myth that the light pre-existed, and that the site on which the Temple was built was sacred from the time of Creation, if not before. Genesis Rabbah 3:4 states: "The light was created from the place of the Temple." This has theological implications, as it suggests that God created the universe out of existing materials. See "God's Garment of Light," p. 82. The question of whether God used pre-existing materials in creating the world was a highly controversial one among the ancient rabbis, who considered it an esoteric matter. Rabbi Bar Kappara took the position that the Torah reveals that God did make use of pre-existing material, while Rav compared this to building a palace on a garbage dump, and Rabbi Jose ben Haninah asserted that the suggestion that God made use of pre-existing materials such as darkness, chaos, and void (tohu and vohu) impaired God's glory. ( Genesis Rabbah 1:5). The notion that light pre-existed also is found in Isaiah 45:7: I form the light and create darkness. Here the important distinction is between "form" (yotzer) and "create" (borei), with "form" suggesting that the light already existed, while "create" refers to something that was brought into being ex nihilo. Midrash Tehillim presents a very terse version of this myth, asking where God diffused the light, with the answer that God had diffused it from the Temple. This is linked to the verse And the earth was lit up by His Presence (Ezek. 43:2) Here the phrase "the earth was lit up" is understood to mean the Temple. From this derives the interpretation that the light itself came from the place of the Temple. Genesis Rabbah 60:19, however, offers a different source for the light: "Who is the light of Jerusalem? God, as it is said, Yahweh shall be your light everlasting " (Isa. 60:19). This myth is likely of Jewish-Gnostic origin, as there was a primary Gnostic belief that light pre-existed the chaos that preceded creation. For an example of this Gnostic myth, see On the Origin of the World 2:97-98: "Seeing that everybody says that nothing existed prior to chaos, I shall demonstrate that they are all mistaken, because they are not acquainted with the origin of chaos, nor with its root .... After the natural structure of the immortal beings had completely developed out of the infinite, a likeness then emanated and became a product resembling the primeval light." A related myth in B. Ta'anit 10a states that the Land of Israel was created first, and the rest of the world came afterward. This land is watered first, according to this myth, because it is watered by God Himself, and the rest of the world is watered through a messenger of God. Both myths, that of light from the Temple and that Eretz Yisrael was created first, insist on the centrality of the Land of Israel.

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