Yesterday's parsha was about the building of the tabernacle which led to a discussion during Torah study that revolved around the eternal flame that burns in our synagogue.
Keeping a lamp lit at all times brings up questions, some answered by the rabbis of old and others completely open for discussion. Are we keeping the light going as a gift to God? Does it serve another purpose for God? Are we keeping it lit for our own reasons? If synagogue has an electric eternal flame that requires little upkeep, what service does it provide members of the congregation? What does it mean when the light goes out?
Rabbi Jason of Beth Am in Tampa often stresses the philosophy behind Martin Buber's I and Thou. Yesterday it hit me that the eternal flame creates a kind of "I and Thou" relationship with a synagogue.
When you go to a supermarket that has lights on even when it's closed, at best you might think about the building's security and how that might be necessary to keep shennanigans from taking place after hours. There is no deeper relationship there. A grocery store is there for commerce. Even if it's Whole Foods or another store that creates deep ties with its customers, it's still just a grocery store.
In some ways, the eternal flame represents the presence of God. When we look at the lamp in a synagogue, we are reminded that it is always there, so in some aspect, the presence of God is always there. If we're at home and think about the eternal flame, we are reminded that the presence of God is still there, even in our absence.
In a way, the lamps we keep it in our synagogues harbor a deeper connection between us and the actual buildings, setting them aside for an "I and Thou" relationship, instead of the "I and It" relationship we find at the grocery store.