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Following the Ark

 On the 20th of Ilyar, 2449, Hashem (God) gave a sign, and the Jewish people departed from Mount Sinai. In addition to the golden ark that held the second set of stone tablets and was transported with the entire Tabernacle, Moses had built a second ark to house the first set of broken stone tablets. This ark (containing the broken stone tablets) was carried ahead of the Jewish people, directly behind the cloud of God that led the way (Numbers 10:13). In all their desert journeys, the Jewish people were preceded by this ark and by the cloud of God that led the way, clearing the path of wild animals and potentially dangerous obstacles. Similarly, throughout the history of the Jewish people, throughout their journeys, each time they followed the ark, the “Light of the Torah,” they found spiritual and physical serenity. They were protected from the emotional and physical dangers of the world, allowing us to find true meaning in their existence. The same is true for the Noahide.

Zohar

Zohar means “Light,” and most famously, this name is associated with the foundational work of Jewish kabbalistism, the Zohar, the primary text of Kabbalah written by the Mishnaic Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. This name evokes themes of light, spiritual enlightenment, and divine brilliance This word appears in the Tanakh, such as in Daniel 12:3, which describes the brightness of the heavens for the wise: “For the wise it will shine like the brightness of the firmament.” This use of the word also emphasizes not only physical light but also transcendent spiritual illumination Similar names include Or, meaning “light”; Meir, meaning “One who gives light”; Ori, meaning “my light”; Yair, meaning “He will shine.” The Zohar (from Hebrew: זֹהַר, "Light" or "Splendor") is a fundamental work in the Jewish mystical literature known as the Kabbalah. It is the primary and most influential text in the study of Kabbalah Traditionally, the Zohar is believed to have originated in the 2nd ...