ABOUT LAMPLIGHTING
The inspiration for this website can be traced back to a thief.
A well-known Talmudic anecdote describes this thief as davening to HaShem for success.
The poor nebech, you can’t help thinking. On the one hand, he believes in HaShem; on the other hand, he’s asking for something contrary to HaShem’s wishes.
And yet, is this nebech so different from me? How many times have my own actions contradicted my Torah learning?
The realization that Torah teachings could remain external – in the realm of “makif” – forced me to turn to our Creator for assistance.
“HaShem – please help me put into action what I know is right. Why is the seemingly short road from head to heart strewn with so many obstacles?
“I expect a return on My investment.”
“What does that mean?”
“Everyone has their own way of becoming a lamplighter. What’s yours?”
By shining our own unique light via a medium that resonates with our souls, we can help integrate what we’ve learned intellectually into our personalities.
In essence therefore, everyone can follow their passions and become Lamplighters.
“The essential thing is to immerse one’s mind deeply into the greatness of G-d, and fix one’s thought on G-d with strength and vigor of the heart and mind until his thought shall be bound to G-d with a strong and mighty bond, as it is bound to a material thing which he sees with his physical eyes and upon which he concentrates his thought.” (Tanya, Chapter 42)
“I desire to fulfill Your will, my G-d; and Your Torah is in my innards.” (Psalms 40:9)
About the Poet
Chaim Yochanan Cohen employs poetry to connect to Torah & Chabad Chassidic concepts.
By writing poetry about these eternal ideas, he hopes to bring them down from his head to his heart. He is convinced that HaShem grants everyone the gifts and insight to do the same in their own unique way.
“By sharing ideas such as these, we not only benefit by ingraining what we’ve learned, but each of us additionally becomes a lamplighter. We are thereby endowed with the ability to bring nachas to the Kadosh Baruch Hu when He sees a return on His investment.
May this in turn be a harbinger for our continued commitment to make this lowest of realms an abode for the Divine Presence together with our righteous Moshiach as the wellsprings of the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings continue to spread outward.”
Chaim was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island and made aliyah at age 23. He lives in Jerusalem with his family.
“I found your poems fresh, focused and powerful, and presented with imaginatively-chosen illustrations.” ~ Uri Kaploun, Noted Chassidic Translator & Author
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Lamplighting 