Torah is Light NOT Law
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
In the Book of Genesis (Sefer Bereishit) it states: “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” The beginning of Creation is initiated by the repealing of Darkness with the illumination of Light. In Judaism we have a Tradition that the Creation was conceived and built according to a primordial Torah (Keduma Torah). Interestingly, the Hebrew word "Torah" תורה is connected to the Hebrew word "Light" which is "Orah" אורה. From this we learn that the main essential concept of Torah is that it endows us with spiritual illumination as a conduit of the Divine Light.
The Hebrew word "Orah" אורה is from the root "Or" אור which means "to teach," and this meaning is presented clearly in Psalms:32:8: "and teach you" אורך "Orecha."
"Or" אור which means "teach" is also the root of the Hebrew word "Moreh" מורה which means "Teacher" and what does a Moreh teach? They teach "Torah" תורה.
Whenever we say "Torah" תורה means "Law", we are not being true to the essential "Root-meaning" of Torah which is "teach" and to “illuminate.” The Hebrew word "Orah" אורה which means "Light" as well as "Teaching" indicates that the role of the Torah is to spiritually illuminate our consciousness and lives so that we fulfill our role as a "Chosen People," by being a "Light" to the World, via our "emulation" of the source of our "Light,” the Torah.
Torah expands our spiritual consciousness because its Light illuminates the unseen places of our own internal disposition. It is the anatomy of the Soul in a very true sense as every letter and word of the Torah represents an aspect of our essential selves. Studying the Torah illuminates the areas of our own selves that need to be rectified and moves us along our path of spiritual evolution.
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