The verse in question is from Psalms 18:29: "For You light my lamp." Israel, in this story, turns to the Holy One, blessed be He, and essentially says: "Master of the Universe, You are the light of the world! Daniel (2:22) tells us that light resides with You. So why are we, of all people, being asked to illuminate before You, as it says in Numbers (8:2): 'Toward the front of the candelabrum the seven lamps shall illuminate'?"
Think about it: It does seem a little backwards, doesn't it?
But the Holy One, blessed be He, responds with a profound explanation. "It is not that I need you," He says, "but rather that you shall illuminate for Me the way that I illuminated for you. Why? It is to elevate you before the nations, so they will say: See how Israel illuminates for the One who illuminates for the entire world.” In other words, the act of lighting the lamps isn't about providing light to God, but about elevating the people of Israel and showcasing their connection to the Divine.
Bamidbar Rabbah then uses a beautiful parable to illustrate this point. Imagine a sighted man and a blind man walking together. The sighted man guides the blind man along the way. Upon reaching their destination, the sighted man asks the blind man to light a lamp for him. The blind man is understandably confused. He says, "You guided me here. You were my light on the path. Now you ask me to illuminate for you?"
The sighted man explains, "I ask this so you won't feel indebted to me for my help along the way. By illuminating for me, you become an active participant, not just a receiver."
In this parable, the sighted man represents the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated: "They are the eyes of the Lord that rove over the entire earth" (Zechariah 4:10). And the blind man? That's Israel, as it is stated: "We grope a wall like the blind" (Isaiah 59:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, guided them, illuminated their path, as we see in Exodus (13:21): "The Lord was going before them by day [in a pillar of cloud…and by night in a pillar of fire, to illuminate for them]."
So, when the Tabernacle stood, and the Holy One, blessed be He, called upon Moses to light the lamps – "Behaalotekha [Kindle] the lamps" – it was, in essence, an act of elevation – "le’alot [to elevate] you."
The act of illuminating wasn't about providing light where there was none, but about empowering the people, giving them a role in the divine dance, and showcasing their unique relationship with the source of all light. It's a powerful reminder that even when we feel like we have little to offer, our participation, our act of "illuminating," can be a source of profound meaning and connection. What light can we bring to the world, not because it's needed, but because our act of offering elevates us all?