#flickering flames

Meiko Kaji (梶芽衣子)

Elegant All Saints Day Christmas Illustration

Swaying like a flame – Hanukkah Day 3

There is a relationship between the flame of the candle and prayer. According to Rabbi Nissan Mindel in his introduction to My Prayer: Our soul has, in fact, been called the “candle of G‑d.” The flame of a candle is restless, striving upwards, to break away, as it were, from the wick and body of the candle; for such is the nature of fire—to strive upwards. Our soul, too, strives upwards, like…

The rows of candles are lined up ahead; endless

Wicks patiently waiting to start their lives.

Each differs in height; the length of time their fire

Continues to burn, flicker, fade, grow stronger, until the wax has been used up.

It used to be lonely, a repetitive dull motion although

No candle was the same— the shorter ones more painful—

And some would be put out in accident. So carefully,

Patiently, lovingly, he lights the candles up and again.

A solemn ritual that finishes —never in fact---

The beauty of a billion candles.

He takes a breath of fulfillment,

And goes to light up a billion more.