Fire and the Birth of Hope: "The Conclusion of the Sabbath"

Rabbi Soloveichik examines the Jewish symbolism of fire through Moritz Daniel Oppenheim's painting "The Conclusion of the Sabbath." He contrasts the Jewish view of fire—as a divine gift bestowed upon humanity—with the pagan myth of Prometheus, in which fire is stolen in defiance of the gods. Rabbi Soloveichik also demonstrates how Jews use fire to spread holiness out from Jerusalem, whereas the Olympic torch relay was originally conceived as a symbol of power and domination.