In my last post, I explored the origins behind the word light or OWR (אור ) in Hebrew and went into how this word embodies not only the physical properties of brightness but also has strong spiritual overtones associated with joy and G-d’s glory.
Today I would like to explore its opposite, the word CHOSEK.
The dictionary defines this word as darkness or obscurity and as with owr also has strong spiritual significance but in a very negative sense.
Have you ever committed a great sin and then woke up the next morning feeling very depressed as if a dark cloud had descended upon you?
If so, then you have some idea of the spiritual sense of this word. In the book of Exodus, when G-d was casting plagues on the land of Egypt, this is the exact same word used in the following verses:
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.” Exodus 10:21-22
or
“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”– Isaiah 45:7
By the way CHOSHEK does not translate into the neutral opposite of daytime.
That Hebrew word is LAYIL which simply means night or nighttime and is devoid of any spiritual significance.
It should also be noted that CHOSHEK is naturally what occurs when G-d’s OWR or light is absent.
Metaphorically speaking, think of a glass filled with water.
Although you can fill a glass with water, you can’t fill it with emptiness so to speak can you?
Emptiness is just what results when the water is gone.
Hence, if we’re not filled with G-d’s OWR, the resulting outcome is a depressing dark emptiness of gloom and doom with no hope.
Therefore, let us put our hope in the Messiah Yeshua who sacrificed himself to save us from eternal CHOSHEK, so that we may forever be surrounded by Hashem’s eternal OWR.
AMEN
Thank you so much for sharing your insights into the Scriptures. I am learning so much
Hi Patricia! Thank you so much for your comment. It’s positive feedback like this that keeps me going. May you be greatly blessed! Shalom.
Thanks for your study. For the purpose of this message, I’m only dealing with the darkness and light of Bersheet 1:2-3, which came 3 days before the sun. We can generally derive that darkness [choshech] and light [ohr] don’t usually exist. As you mentioned in Sh’mot 10, G-d sent a plague of darkness that was tangible.This was the ONLY plague that did not harm people or animals, and was only for Egypt. IMHO [speculation] it could have been the Ruach ha Kodesh was giving a signal for some of the Egyptians and goyim which later left Egypt with Israel.
Qohelet [Ecclesiastes] 1:15 says ‘what is lacking cannot be counted’.
Statistically, we can only measure temporal reality, not eternal realities. Therefore, we can measure natural and artificially-produced light waves. We cannot measure darkness, because it is of an eternal essence.
Toda
Inspiring and well researched
Genesis 1:2 “darkness” (2822 choshek) (from 2821 chashak)
Translate Genesis 1:2 “TOHU VA-VOHU” …
Grato. Muito esclarecedor seu estudo
Darkness here have many meanings, but i find the greatest meanings sometimes come with appropriate context.
In this case, I would say our modern words would “nothingness” or “space”, similar to Job 26:7. Again, not looking at specific word meaning/definition (i.e. beliymah), but rather let context and other related references should shape the mean. To understand and explain a creation out of nothing unfortunately need words. Since words comes from something already existing it causes obscurity, no pun intended.
So Genesis 1:1-5 is saying that:
1. This is how the heavens and earths were created by G-d.
[heaven and earth here are concept to be manifested later in verse 8 and 10. That is when the heavenS and the earthS (i.e. planets) are created].
2. The earth was not, and there was nothingness, and G-d’s power interacted with depth of nothingness.
[darkness relates to the concept of “water” since water is a source for life. The physical water had not been developed yet until verse 10]
3. Then G-d created the first Thing out of Nothing, by saying “let there be light.”
[this is non visible light, and then becomes the subsequent space source for creating all things. In fact this “light” is unity with darkness, and only gets relationship distinction from darkness when they are called “Day” and “Night”, at which moment gives birth to Time. Time, then, is the 1-dimensionless relation between light and darkness. Think of this light as non-visible light]
4. G-d saw the light that it was good and divided the light from darkness
5. by saying the light the is called Day and by saying darkness is called Night, creating the first existing cycle for time.
[however, there is not yet visible light manifested through differing levels of intensity until verses 14-
19. Light and Darkness are still homogeneously intertwined like in the non comprehendible ways
of the betweenness of mornings and evenings]
Rob, fascinating comments – thank you. I am doing some academic work around the use of the words translated as ‘darkness’ in the OT and specifically the fact that God chooses to dwell in darkness. Are you able to offer any suggested reading?
Darkness is the absence of light.in both the spiritual and material realms.