TYH Nation Presents
Shir Hadlakah
Mendy Worch

“Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam”
The soul of a person is the candle of Hashem.

The Talmud teaches that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the compiler of the Mishna, instructed his family to keep a candle burning after his passing. He explained that such a light brings tremendous and elevated pleasure to the departed neshama. From this teaching, the custom developed to light a candle at the burial place of great tzaddikim and on their yahrtzeit.

Lighting this candle with intention also serves as a reminder. Just as a flame can be rekindled after it goes out, so too there will come a time during Techias Hamaysim when the souls of the righteous will shine once again with full brightness.

When we light a candle for a neshama, we join the small flame of our own soul to the great flame of the tzaddik’s eternal light. In this moment we connect the deepest part of ourselves to the Ohr Ein Sof, the Infinite Light of Hashem, which rests upon the tzaddikim and upon all of Klal Yisroel.

This song was inspired at the Ohel of the Lubavitcher Rebbe where many Yidden come and light candles before they daven to Hashem at this holy place.

Zchusom yogein aleinu.
May we merit the day when all darkness is illuminated by the light of Hashem’s candles, the holy neshamos of His people.