5780 Chanukah Day 3 — Or Rachamim — Sitting in the Light of Compassion

The Power of the Spirit

Meditations for the Days of Chanukah

Sitting in the Lights that Echo from the Beginning of Creation

Chanukah Day 3

Or Rachamim Sitting in the Light of Compassion

The psalmist sings:

Remember: Infinite compassion and generosity are the heart of the Mystery. Psalm 25:6

The Infinite surrounds us with steadfast love and great compassion. Psalm 103:4

Infinite compassion is upon all creation. Psalm 145:9

On this third day of Chanukah we sit with or rachamim, a light of compassion. We don’t have to create this light. We don’t have to manifest compassion. The invitation is to open the awareness, engage the imagination and feel ourselves sitting in a loving, compassionate embrace.

Judgment, criticism, disbelief might arise to challenge the presence of compassion. The or rachamim is big enough to hold it all.  We bring our whole self to the sit. Everything that we are feeling and everything that arises is held in a compassionate embrace.

Taking our seats, we bring attention to the breath, awareness to our posture and the sensations of being held by our chair or cushion.  After a few minutes, we imagine or rachamim, a light of compassion, surrounding and holding us. It might be helpful to see the light as a color that gains strength and presence with the breath. Or rachamim , a light of compassion fills the universe and holds us all. The compassion is infinite and unconditional.

Each time thoughts rise to do battle or the mind wanders into stories, we return the attention to the breath, call on or rachamim and feel the light of compassion present, strong and true.

We close the meditation with the psalm verse:

Infinite compassion is upon all creation. Psalm 145:9

—Rabbi Yael
27 Kislev 5780

We are grateful to offer resources for Chanukah. Read the introduction to the daily teachings.

You can find Blessings and Intentions for the lighting of candles for each night of Chanukah on our website:

Lifting up the Lights: Chanukah in Challenging Times

Shining the Lights: Sending Forth the Good

If you are looking for a Chanukah gift for a friend or family member, please consider my book: Directing the Heart: Weekly Mindfulness Teachings and Practices from the Torah. Learn more and purchase.

I will write a personal note to all those who receive the book as a gift. Send your name and the name and address of the recipient of the gift to me at rabbiyael@awayin.org and I will send a Chanukah card with a photo and psalm verse to them.

If you find these teachings useful, please donate to A Way In Jewish Mindfulness to keep them free and available for everyone.