אוֹר

“Light” in Hebrew is Or (אוֹר), pronounced “OHR.” Or comes from the root א-ו-ר (aleph-vav-resh), meaning 'to be luminous, to shine.' It is one of the most ancient words in the Hebrew language. The root also produces 'me'or' (luminary, as in Genesis 1:16) and 'orah' (light, in its feminine form).

Or (אוֹר) means “Light” in Biblical Hebrew. Or appears approximately 120 times in the Hebrew Bible. It is the first created element (Genesis 1:3), a metaphor for God's presence (Psalm 27:1), Torah (Proverbs 6:23), salvation (Isaiah 49:6), and moral goodness (Isaiah 5:20).

Or is pronounced “OHR.” The word comes from the Hebrew root א-ו-ר.

The light (or) of Genesis 1:3 preceded the creation of the sun on day four. Many theologians understand this as light emanating from God Himself. Revelation 21:23 describes the new Jerusalem needing no sun because 'the glory of God gives it light.' The first or and the final or are the same — God's own radiant presence.

The phrase 'or l'goyim' (light to the nations) comes from Isaiah 49:6, where God calls His servant to be 'a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.' This messianic prophecy is quoted in Luke 2:32 about Jesus and in Acts 13:47 about the church's mission. Israel's calling was always to bring God's or to the entire world.

Hanukkah (חֲנֻכָּה), the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Temple in 164 BC when a small amount of oil miraculously burned for eight days. The Hanukkah menorah symbolizes God's light persisting against darkness. Jesus attended Hanukkah (John 10:22) and likely had this festival in mind when He declared Himself the light of the world.