It was evening, it was morning – Day 1

Everything that G!d created in this world has an aspect of light and an aspect of darkness, just as every day contains both dark and light. First comes the darkness and then the light, and even though they are opposites, together they are considered one complete day, and G!d makes peace between them, as we say, “You fashion light and create darkness, and make peace…

Then “even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you”, and you will understand that even the darkness is an aspect of G!d, and you will return the divinity bound within the darkness to its source in G!d’s infinite light.

It is so in our innermost selves and also in our outer deeds. So if you see some aspect of divinity bound up within your work or some other physical need, then grab hold of it and lift it up to G!d. If you are not sure how to do so, then pray to G!d for help. In this way you will lift up the aspect of divinity called Elohim, the L!RD, the Divine Judge, to that aspect called YHVH, G!d, the Merciful One.

This is the meaning of our verse, you shall know this day… “Knowing” means joining and union (as in “Adam knew his wife”), for we unite the two aspects of existence found in us and in the world, Judgment and Mercy, into one single “day.” This comes about because we have considered within our heart both inclinations, the good and the bad, and from the divinity bound up within nature, called Elohim, the L!RD, you have revealed YHVH, G!d, the Merciful One, in heaven above, for you have effected unity in the divine worlds above, and upon the earth below, in your own life.

It is impossible to maintain this unity at all times, however. After attaining it you must at times return to this world of multiplicity, so that you can once again strive to bring unity. Thus our sages said “prayer accomplishes half” — it can never accomplish all that it aims for, because if it were completely successful then there would be no need to pray again, and then G!d would be bereft of our prayers. This is why “G!d desires the prayers of the righteous”, for they constantly descend to the world of division and lift it up to unity, joining the darkness within themselves and the world with the light that is also within them.

~ Menahem Nahum of Chernobyl, Meor Einayim (Light of the Eyes), Parshat Vaetchanan (full text & translation)