The Maggid of Bergenfield: Shemini: The Fire

Vayikra: 9: 4, 23-24

Safety Warning: The Israel Consumer Product Safety Board is ordering a recall of a candle made at a factory in Be'erot Yitzchak, Israel. The company, Neirot of Be'erot, produced a candle in the shape of the Kotel Hama'aravi, or the Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall) that has manufacturing flaws. Apparently the candle's external coating can catch fire, and there is risk it could ignite nearby combustibles. The company has reported one incident of this candle causing minor property damage. We urge that if you have one, please stop using the candle and return it immediately.This candle is item #3425, and can be returned to its place of purchase for a full refund. For additional information, please contact beerotneirot.com or ICPSB.org.il.

Aaron had been dreaming of his trip to Israel for years. He had been saving money to go after college, but the money was never enough, and then something else always took priority. His car needed repairs. He needed root canal. His girlfriend wanted a necklace for her birthday. Sometimes he thought he would never make it.

Then Aaron heard about Birthright Israel. Much to his amazement, this organization paid for people just like him to travel to Israel for the first time. They covered airfare, food, hotel, the works. It was like a dream come true. So he signed up for the trip with a few of his friends and was accepted to the program within a month.

Of course he wanted to see the whole country, but what most attracted him was Jerusalem. He wanted to see the old walled city and walk in the footsteps of his forefathers. The Wailing Wall held a special fascination for him, but even more than the Wall, he yearned to go on the Western Wall Tunnel Tours.

From what his friend Mark had told him, you can go through tunnels deep under the buildings of the Moslem Quarter of the Old City and explore the extension of the two-thousand-year-old Western Wall as it runs under ancient Jerusalem. It was like a live-action adventure movie (Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Jews). There are ruins there from many different periods of Jerusalem's history, all the way back to the times of the Second Temple. You even see the bedrock of Mount Moriah. Cool.

The Israel trip was everything Aaron had hoped it would be, and more. The food was amazing. Why couldn't they make falafel like that in New Jersey? The country was beautiful. He bought gifts for everyone he knew, including the wooden camel he swore he would never buy, ever. He even bought a green IDF (Tzahal) yarmulke that he knew he would never wear, not in a million years. What could he say? He was inspired.

But as much as Aaron loved Eilat and enjoyed the Galilee and Tel Aviv, Jerusalem blew his mind. It was living history. He walked the walls of the Old City, from the Jaffa Gate to the Lion's Gate. It was so exhilarating. When he got to the Western Wall, tears welled up in his eyes, and he davened next to the Kotel with a passion he never really knew he had.

After the time at the Kotel was complete and everyone had crammed their notes into the crevices between the ancient stones, the group gathered for the Tunnel Tours. The guide explained the history of the retaining wall of the Temple Mount and the archaeologic explorations of the site in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She waxed philosophically about the holiness of the Temple and the Jews' eternal place in Jerusalem. Aaron listened attentively and stood in awe of the giant stones and the historical significance of the area. But despite the impressiveness of the Hasmonean aqueduct, the Mount Moriah bedrock, and the medieval cistern, it all started to feel like another wonderful artifact. Israel was full of them.

That all changed when they arrived at a location opposite a group of burning candles. "This place is the closest spot on the Kotel to the Kodesh Hakadashim,the Holy of Holies. In fact, the Foundation Stone of the Temple Mount is directly east of this position.This is where Hashem rested His presence," the guide said. "It is perhaps the most hallowed place where a Jew can stand in the entire world today . If you would like to stop here for a moment and say a personal prayer, feel free."

Aaron lingered with a few members of the group and started to pray. He prayed for the health of his family. he prayed for personal success. He prayed for world peace. He prayed that he might meet a nice girl, someday. He got so involved in his petition, he didn't notice that the rest of the group had moved on. Yet still he prayed.

When he opened his eyes, he saw a fire before him. One of the candles in the alcove between the stones had suddenly flared up, like a small fireball, and its orange flames lapped against the already charred wall. The whole candle, a small model of the Western Wall, seemed to be melting in front of him. Did his prayers do that? Suddenly he felt like his namesake Aaron as he went to serve in the Tabernacle for the first time, or like one of the High Priests in the Temple. He felt like he was in G-d's presence.

Should he take off his shoes?

"Aaron, come on. Everyone's waiting for you," someone from the group called from down the passageway.

"I'm coming."

The candle burned itself out. The moment was gone.

-"in fact some of the stones were added after an earthquake in the year 1033," the guide was saying when Aaron rejoined the group. "Oh,there you are. We thought we'd lost you."

Everyone laughed.

"Sorry,I guess I lost track of the time."

"That can happen down here," she said with a smirk. "As a matter of fact, all kinds of unusual things happen down here. Come, let's see a section of a Herodian street from the Temple period."

The moment began to pass as Aaron continued with the group, but for just a second, all of time had stopped. He doubted he would ever feel that way again.

"Neat tour, huh?" one of his friends said to him.

"Yeah," Aaron said with a smile. "Neat."