Parshas Behalosecha

Supplies

Canvas

Medium to large paintbrush

Q-tip

Small to medium paintbrush

4 colors of paint, one main and three complementing (I used purple, gray, brown and yellow)

Orange paint

Gold paint

Glitter

Wipes or papertowel

Specialty Item List

Instructions

1. To make the background, paint in a crisscross style. Start with painting your main color on canvas, the purple
2. Add and blend the complimenting colors (gray, brown & yellow) using the crisscross technique, until you have a finished background.
3. Dip your finger into the gold paint, dot the middle of the canvas, add one dot at a time until there are 7 dots.
4. Dip your Q-tip into the orange paint, place on the bottom of one of the dots and flick upwards, creating the look of a flame. Repeat for each flame
5. Take a medium paintbrush, and paint one stroke of gold from the middle flame downwards about two inches long.
6. Paint a shorter diagonal stroke for each of the other flames towards the center, without touching the other branches.
7. Sprinkle glitter on the top half of your canvas to be the light emanating from the flames.
8. Enjoy your impressionistic menorah!

Imagine…

When you walk into a house, what do you see? Ceilings, walls, doors, and windows. These all make up the interior of a house. Let’s zoom in on the windows. Windows are usually built in a way that allows light from the outside to shine inside the house. However, the windows of the Beis HaMikdash were built in the opposite way. Why is that?

Delving Deeper

Hashem could make sure the Beis Hamikdash would have light even without a Menorah or windows. So what was the purpose of the Menorah being lit? The point was to spread its light out to the whole world. This is why the windows of the Beis HaMikdash were built in a way that allowed the light of the Menorah to shine outward, outside to the world, rather than bring the outside light in.

We can learn a very special lesson from this. Each of us has a special light within – our Neshama. This light is unique and can manifest itself in our talents and strengths. It’s our special job to be like the Menorah and shine our light to everyone around us. When each of us shines our light, the world becomes a beautiful and brighter place.

Point to Ponder

How can you spread your light using your talents?