Light

by Brad Scott

'Or is the Hebrew word for light, as in "Let there be light" - B^ere’shiyt (Genesis) 1:3. I have covered this word quite extensively in our teaching section. However, I thought I might just add an interesting insight into this fundamental word.

It is the davar or the word of YHVH that created all things. There are dozens of scriptures that attest to that fact. In our lessons section I establish the fact that light is Torah and Torah is light. It is the Torah part of the Word that instructs and teaches creation. In the beginning, Torah is brought forth in the form of 'or (אר), i.e. light. To further add to this truth we can see the Torah/light relationship through the gematria or numerical values of the letters of these words. Gematria is a very old numerical value system assigned to the letters of the Hebrew and Greek alphabets. For the purpose of time and space, I have over simplified the explanation of this system. The numerical value of 'or is equal to the numerical value of b'Torah or in the Torah. The gematria of 'or and b'Torah is 613, which is the number of commandments in the first five books. This perhaps lends some more insight into Mishlei (Proverbs).

Mishlei (Proverbs) 6:23For the commandment is a lamp, and Torah is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life ...

Shalom Alecheim! ◊