Tag: truth

Separation of Light & Darkness

From the beginning of the creation of the world, G-d used His discernment, to separate the light from the darkness. This separation is a phenomenon that we may observe every day at dusk and dawn. The transition at twilight into nighttime, and at sunrise into daytime.


The Targum Neofiti emphasizes that G-d separated by word between light and darkness. We take the separation of light and darkness as a natural occurrence that seems effortless on the part of what most human beings refer to as nature.

Since there was no Biblical Hebrew word for nature, modern Hebrew uses the word Teva. The point that I would like to make is that the initial separation was not effortless, nor a natural phenomenon; rather, it was a principle of separation built into the fabric of Creation.


According to Rashi, because the light was good, it was not appropriate “that light and darkness should function together in a confused manner” (commentary on Genesis 1:4, sefaria.org). A parallel can be drawn to moral sphere, wherein the same rule may apply.


This tenet would caution us against the mixture of light and dark in our thinking, and how we approach the challenges in life; it may help decrease the confusion prevalent in society today. The current chaos of the world derives from the admixture of good and evil that permeates society. It is fueled by the flames of bitterness, animosity, and hostility.


Yet, the line of good and evil runs through the heart of every human (Solzhenitysn). This must be acknowledged by all decent people with a conscience in order to maintain a balanced perspective. The designation of people groups leads to an us and them mentality, as if the moral integrity of the in-group compels them to be sinless in their own eyes.

On the contrary, we must examine ourselves, all the moreso, in order to better challenge evil. In a world where the difference between good and evil is blurred we need the discernment that is able to separate light from darkness.  “The words You inscribed give light” (Ps. 119:130, JPSN).

Furthermore, to attempt to justify evil by placing it within a context that is itself deceptive is a disavowal of the existence of objective good and evil. We approach the dystopic inverse mentioned by the prophet, wherein “good is called evil and evil is called good, darkness is changed into light and light is changed into darkness” (Isaiah 5:20).

Yet, the original light of Creation, created before the sun, stars, and moon were created was set aside for the righteous in the Messianic Era. This is G-d’s promise of utopia on earth, when Moshiach will reign from Jerusalem. No utopia that man attempts to create can deter the divine plan.

Existential Realities – page 1

“G-d speaks in different ways, and we don’t always recognize his voice. Sometimes in the night, he uses terrifying dreams, to give us warning. G-d does this to make us turn from sin and pride and protect us from being swept away to the world of the dead.” – Job 33:14-18, CEV

One seemingly unbearable consequence of isolation is its potential to reveal hidden truths about oneself. Thus, on the eve of my tenth day of quarantine for Covid, last November, I entered a state of “existential dread.” I was faced with all of the unpleasant things about myself that would surface on occasion in my life, and then submerge below my conscious awareness again.

There was no respite, until a divine intervention brought about relief around 3:00 a.m. that morning. Yet, the issue at a hand was not the stark realities that each of those unresolved issues portended; rather, what those concerns pointed toward, namely, a feeling of meaningless in my life, despite my faith, that almost always serves as a buttress between a positive outlook and encroaching negativity.

It was as if a sense of meaningless permeated my entire being, while consolation in my religious belief and practice seemed to be in limbo at that time. Within the framework of existential psychology, “meaninglessness” is one of the four universal issues that people face in their lives to a greater or lesser degree. Yet, as I mentioned, meaninglessness is usually buffered by my faith.

I believe that meaning and purpose in life is derived from the Biblical creation narrative, regarding the dual role of mankind in regard to Gan Eden, “to work it and guard it.” Upon a closer reading of the original Hebrew, the injunction may be rendered as “to serve and to observe;” in other words, to serve G-d, and observe His commandments.

To this day, I still accept this injunction as axiomatic to my faith, as well as a universal given, noting the authority of the Bible. This has always been enough for me, ever since I became observant, within the context of my belief and practice: yet, an individual purpose in life, one that is uniquely my own, must be drawn out from this dual raison d’etre. Perhaps, the sum total of everyday tasks that constitute its fulfillment is not enough to substantiate that reason. There must be a more in-depth inculcation of this reason for being.

The issue hand, revealed to me by the emptiness of that night was the following: gnawing questions of my life in comparison to others, whose lives are successful by modern or worldly standards, stood out in stark relief, against my own, even though I had always dismissed the comparisons. Yet, this time I could not deny how I felt – bereft of a trajectory.

Even so, my sense of relief arrived before dawn, when I was shown that correspondence with others about these issues would somehow bring me renewal. At that point, a wave of peace swept over me. Now, it is up to me to set aside the rumination of these concerns, and simply follow the prescriptive remedy given to me from a divine source.