Its hard to discuss Jews, Judaism, Jewish beliefs, Jewish spirituality, or Jewish anything, without discussing Jewish community. Not that we are a tightly knit group united on everything. Far from it. Community does not mean unity of opinion, or action. But being Jewish does mean having a profound love and respect for the ideal of community. It means seeing ourselves as a sacred link between past and future, a link that is shared with all other Jews, forming a sort of mystical continuity. It also means that, however much we may disagree on things, we have a common destiny. We believe that we will accomplish G-d's task not individually, but together as one. We must be positive towards each other and not negative; open, not close minded; because ultimately we are family.God said, "Let there be light!" and there was light. God saw how good the light was and God separated the light from the darkness. -GENESIS 1:3-4 .......... Rabbi Yitshak said, 'The light created by God in the act of Creation flared from one end of the universe to the other and was hidden away, reserved for the righteous in the world that is coming, as is written: Light is sown for the righteous (Psalm 97: 11 ). .......... This notion is based on the Midrash: "With the light created by God on the first day, Adam could gaze and see from one end of the universe to the other. Since God foresaw the corrupt deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood, He hid the light from them. Where did He hide it? In the Garden of Eden for the righteous, as is written: Light is sown for the righteous." .......... Then the worlds will be fragrant, and all will be one. But until the world that is coming arrives, it is stored and hidden away." .......... Rabbi Yehudah responded, "If the light were completely hidden, the world would not exist for even a moment! Rather, it is hidden and sown like a seed, giving birth to seeds and fruit. Thereby the world is sustained. Every single day, a ray of that light shines into the world, animating everything; with that ray God feeds the world. And everywhere that Torah is studied at night, one thread-thin ray appears from that hidden light and flows down upon those absorbed in her. .......... In the Talmud, Resh Lakish explains that whoever studies Torah at night is extended "a thread-thin ray of love" during the day. The Ba'al Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, explains that the light of Creation is hidden within the Torah, and so whoever studies Torah can see from one end of the world to the other. .......... Since the first day, the light has never been fully revealed,but it is vital to the world, renewing each day the act of Creation." This parallels the expression in the morning prayer: "Lord of wonders, who renews in His goodness every day continually the act of Creation."