Shine!

While studying Daf Yomi – a page a day of Talmud study – this past Shabbos, the Talmud discussed various questions Jewish heretics asked the Sages and what their responses were.
One of the questions posed to Rabban Gamliel was, “I know that when ten men gather together to pray and form a Minyan, the Shechina – G-d’s presence – dwells among them. If so, when many Minyanim gatherings meet to pray at the same time, how can G-d’s Shechina be present in different places at the same time?
Rabban Gamliel called the heretic’s attendant over and asked him, “Why is there so much sunlight in your master’s palatial home?”
The attendant answered, “Well, the sun shines throughout the world; it doesn’t only shine particularly on my master’s home!”
Rabban Gamliel turned to the heretic and said, “This is the answer to your question. If the sun, which is only one of billions of servants of G-d, lights up the entire world, certainly the presence of G-d Himself can fill the entire universe and can be present wherever and whenever ten men gather for a minyan.”
A question is raised concerning Rabban Gamliel’s answer. If the heretic’s question was, how can G-d shine His Shechina – presence – onto many groups of Minyan at once? Then Rabban Gamliel’s answer with the analogy of one sun giving light to the world is satisfactory.
However, the Shechina is not like the sun, for it isn’t manifest in the entire world, it is only present where there is a minyan. Rabban Gamliel’s answer does not seem to address this.
The Aruch L’nair explains Rabban Gamliel’s analogy of the shining sun, to the presence of the Shechina, in this amazing way.
Just as the sun shines upon the entire world and onto that which is constructed upon the earth such as a house. But if the window shades of a house are drawn, it will keep the sun from entering. It is only when the window shades are opened, can the intensity of sunlight illuminate the house.
G-d’s Shechina – parallels the blazing sun. G-d’s Presence constantly shines upon the entire universe. However, in order to access G-d’s Presence it depends on us opening up the ‘shades’ which were blocking the Holiness from entering.
When a Minyan of ten gather and we are taught that the Shechina rests with them allowing them to recite Kedusha, Kaddish and Borechu, it means that this type of gathering has the strength to lift the ‘shade’ and allows G-d’s special Shechina which fills the world to shine upon every Minyan that has gathered!
The Torah tells us that the ninth plague was darkness. During the first three days of the plague, it was pitch dark, yet the Egyptians were able to walk around. The last three days of the plague, the darkness was so thick, the Egyptians weren’t even able to move. The Torah relates that during the plague it was, Ohr – light – wherever a Jew went. It made no difference if they were in their own home or in the home of an Egyptian.
The whole world was illuminated by the sun, just that G-d pulled the ‘shades’ down on the Egyptians who were in Egypt.
One of the testimonies related by the recently released hostages from Gaza was that they were cruelly placed in dark tunnels without sunlight for months… Thank you Hashem for their release – may they all come home soon and safely!
Our Sages tell us examples of when the special Shechina – presence of G-d – is unlocked. When a person, and of course when many, study Torah; when a Kohain blesses the congregation; and when three Jewish judges sit in judgement. The Talmud tells us that when a husband and wife merit to have Shalom Bayis – peace in their home – the Shechina of G-d shines forth and dwells in the home.
We mentioned that during the plague of darkness the Jews had Ohr/light in their Moshvosom – wherever they dwelled. Our Sages link another verse of the Torah regarding the observance of Shabbos that uses this word in the plural Moshvosaichem. Says the Chidushai Harim the connection between the light the Jews had during the plague of darkness, to Shabbos, is that just as during the plague of darkness the Jews used the light to inspect the secret areas where the Egyptian masters hid their treasures so that when the Jews were ready to leave Egypt, they would know where their masters hid their wealth so that the Jews receive payment for the years of unpaid slavery, so too, when one observes Shabbos, they too are invested with a special Ohr/light and aura that can illuminate the darkness that one may have experienced during the week. Shabbos is invested with the spiritual quality to brighten, revive and uplift us. The Talmud teaches us that through our Shabbos experience we are rewarded with the greatest riches found in G-d’s personal treasury!