Hanukkah Night 2, 5776 – Reflections
Text by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen
Photos by Gabi Mezger
The moon appears in the sky
while sunlight still shimmers,
the sky can still be called blue,
and clouds are visible.
In the waning daylight,
the reflection
of the reflected light
we call moonlight
sears a bright path
across the sea.
As darkness rolls in
the moon seems to brighten.
And when the darkness of the sky is complete –
though not fully complete –
the reflected light still shining forth in the sky
and the reflection of that reflection,
a glittery path in the sea,
make perception of surrounding rocks and ridges
possible.
The candles we kindle radiate visible light,
that emitted through the blessings we recite
invisible.
How are these two lights reflected?
Can one see their reflections
shining forth from our faces?
From our hearts?
And is there a reflection of those reflections
that makes perception possible,
enabling those nearby
to readily perceive
not rocks and ridges
but love,
compassion,
wisdom
and peace?
Rabbi Katy Allen is a board certified chaplain and serves as a Nature Chaplain and the Facilitator of One Earth Collaborative, a program of Open Spirit. She is the founder and rabbi of Ma’yan Tikvah – A Wellspring of Hope, which holds services outdoors all year long. She is the co-founder and President pro-tem of the Boston-based Jewish Climate Action Network. She received her ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion in 2005.
Gabi Mezger photographs wherever she goes.
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