Hanukka is the holiday during which we are commanded to light the Hanukka lights. Let’s examine some places where light appears in the Tanakh.
The very beginning of creation is described as a situation of “darkness on the face of the depths.” God says “Let there be light!” And then – “there was light.” That is the beginning of the Torah, and of creation (Genesis 1, 1-5).
The fourth day of creation includes the creation of the “lights” – the sun, the moon and the stars - that are to illuminate the land (Genesis 1, 14-19).
Though the description of creation emphasizes that God separated light from dark (Genesis 1,5 and 1,18), Yeshayahu hails God as creator of both light and darkness (Isaiah 45, 7) – and as we say traditionally say in the first Brakha before Shma every morning.
In the book of Shemot, Egypt suffers a plague of thick darkness sent by God. For Bnei Yisrael, though, light still shone in their residences (Exodus 10, 23).
After the exodus from Egypt, God accompanies Bnei Yisrael with a pillar of fire by night, providing light for the way in the desert (Exodus 13,21; Nehemiah 9, 12; Psalms 105, 39).
God is described as the Psalmist’s light. “God is my light and my salvation” (Psalms 27, 1). Mikha says, too, “though I sit in darkness, God is my light” (Micah 7, 8).
Yeshayahu prophesies that in the future God’s light will shine on Israel amidst the darkness and haze of the surrounding nations. Israel can rise and shine with the continuous light of God (Isaiah 60, 1-3).
In Mishlei, a commandment is compared to a candle while the Torah is compared to light (Proverbs 6, 23).
We hope that the lights of Hanukka will shine God’s lights of creation, redemption and Torah upon us and we in turn will shine those lights on others.