PURE LIGHT OF WISDOM

“Shemen Zayit Zach
pure olive oil for the light”
(Ex.27.20)



The seven-branched golden
candelabrum in the Tabernacle, faced south.
Its light symbolises wisdom, so the Talmud states: ‘He who wishes
to be wise should turn to face the south’.



Characteristics of wisdom
symbolised by the candelabrum are alluded to in the Torah text
instructing that
its light be of pure olive oil.



The Tav,
the final letter of Zayit, is
number 22 in order in the Alef Bet of 22 letters. In addition, there
are seven final letters, Mem, Nun, Tzaddi, Peh, Haf, giving
a total of 27 in all. This is the Gematria – numerical equivalent, of
Zach – pure.



The Zayyin,
the first letter of Zayit, with Gematria 7,corresponding
with the seven-branched lamp, is the number of double letters, viz.
Bet, Gimmel, Dalet, Kaf, Resh, Fe, Tav in the Alef Bet. (Sefer
Yetzirah). Furthermore, the Sefer Yetzirah relates the
7 double letters to the sun, the moon and the five visible planets
which are
symbols of universal light.


Hochmah as pure undifferentiated divine wisdom is
revealed in the Torah by means of the letters of the Alef Bet.



The Menorah
– lamp, symbolises the radiation of this wisdom throughout the universe
from a single shaft of light emanating from its centre. The allusion
to this may be found in the
relationship of the letters Tav and Zayyin in the term Zayit. Tav over
Zayyin =
22/7 = Pi (π) = the relationship of the universal circumference to its
diameter, where the diameter represents the central shaft of light
emanating
from the seven branches.



Language is enlightenment
radiated by the sounds of the letters of the Alef Bet.

Every man is a temple and
his ‘Menorah’ [man-aura] is the light
of the seven-layered aura, the energy field that radiates about him. A
pure aura ensures perfect health and is attained through
purity of thought generated by Torah study and expressed in unpolluted
language.