Day 4
The following blessing is recited when the Menorah is lit:
Baruch ata Adonai, Elohaynu melech haolam, asher kidshanu b’mitsvotav, v’tsivanu, l’hadlik ner shel Chanukah. (translation: We praise You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by Your Mitzvot and enjoined us to kindle the Chanukah lights.)
Baruch ata Adonai, Elohaynu melech haoalm, she-asa nisim la-a-vo-tenu, ba-ya-mim ha-hem bazman haze. (translation: We praise You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in days of old at this season.)
BEAUTY
Day 4 reminds us of the ability Elohim (God) has given us to appreciate the beauty all around us that He created for us. Realizing what He has done for us should spark something from within that causes us to seek Him and His beauty. This certainly was the heart-cry of Melech (King) David, recorded in Tehillim (Psalm) 27:4: “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord…”
Eternal Life in the presence of Elohim (God) is promised to those who come through His Son, Y’shua (Jesus), who is The Way, The Truth, The Life (see Days 3 and 1 respectively). To sum up the days to this point, we can come into that abundant life (day 1) through using our minds (day 2) to reason the truth (day 3), so that we can appreciate the beauty (day 4) of Elohim (God) and allow His beauty to be upon us (Tehillim (Psalm) 90:17 “And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us…”) turning even our ashes into something beautiful as Yeshaya (Isaiah) stated: “To appoint unto those who mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes…” (Yeshaya (Isaiah) 61:3a). To enjoy this beauty…forever…in the presence of our Creator, promised to all who come to Him through His Son…nothing could be more beautiful!
