Let me take you back to your early years. Remember when you were first learning to walk? You were in the living room holding on to the couch, when suddenly you let go and took one step into the middle of the living room. Silence descended upon the room. All eyes turned toward you. And you took another step. Your dad got up and ran to the middle of the room - and extended his arms..."Come on, come to Daddy..." he urged as he stepped backwards with each step you took. Nice guy, your dad. And there you were...in the middle of the room...and everyo'e erupted in cheers - "You're walking! You did it! Hooray!" This scenario, which weÕve all experienced, is an application of the following words from this week's Sedra: ".....to kindle the lamp continuously". Rashi comments quoting the Talmud in Tractate Shabbat 21a:

...he lights the wick [of the Menorah] until the flame goes up and stands on its own.

The Kohen Gadol would keep his hand on the wick in order to ensure that the wick remained lit even after the Kohen Gadol would remove his hand. There is a deep message in this idea. A teacher and a parent will help and guide a child - until the child can stand on his/her own feet and function independently. As parents and teachers, we teach our children to become independent thinkers. We give them the tools - we teach them how to learn - and then ask them to learn on their own!

This may seem scary at first, for both child and parent. But both must learn to let go, and allow the child to take his/her own steps in life. The parent must teach the child how to learn and think Jewishly and then must try to step back, and allow the child to make her/her own path within the Menorah of Jewish life. Then the child/student can make their own contribution to the Jewish people - and their flame will shine brightly on their own.