Light

This major element of our world was first introduced in Gen. 1-3:

“And God said, Let there be light; and there was light”

We connect light with wellbeing and happiness. God was the first to qualify light as something good. Gen. 1: 4 :

“And God saw the light, that it was good.”

The word “delight” includes the word “light.” We equate happy feelings with light in people’s faces. An English word that came from “or” is “aura” and is the mostly invisible, distinctive atmosphere, light or quality that seems to surround and be generated by people. The famous “halo” is the circle of light we associated with holiness. The Hebrew word “or” is the source of the words: “orient” and its derivative “orientation.” Orient is the east—the direction from where the light on earth comes. “Orientation” is basically the right direction to go and we find our way only when there is “or,” light. The word “menorah” (candelabra) includes “or.”

Another interesting derivative of “or” is the Hebrew root “ro-eh.” This includes the same letters as in “or.” It means “to see.” Of course, you can see the connection between seeing and light. The biblical prophet, the seer, is called in Hebrew “ro-eh,” which also comes from “or,” light. Even the idol worshipers borrowed this word from Hebrew with their “oracle,” their “seer.”