Readings about Light for Hanukkah

Some of the sources on this page first came to my attention when reading "Honey from the Rock" by R'Kushner, available from Jewish Lights Publishers. The translations are principally my own. Questions for study follow.
From a prayer before Studying Kabbalah by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Based on the Hebrew text of a disciple of Rabbi Isaac Luria.	Let Your radiance be recognized today, now, in me and through me, that I may use the insights and energy of these, Your Holy Teachings, for the good of all living creatures everywhere, and for the furtherance of Your plan for the continuing creation. Let no one anywhere be hurt by this study. Guard my soul that stays on the the straight Path back to your Home.
Genesis l:1	Let there be light and there was light.
Zohar I 15a	Some kind of dark flame - blinding flash - issued forth, from the innermost hiddenness - from the mystery of the Ayn-Sof, the Infinite One
Exodus Rabba 35:1	The light that was made by The Holy One Blessed Be on the First Day such that a person could see from one end of the universe to the other.
Eitz Hayim, Shaar haKlalim ch.2	The vessels were shattered at the initiations of the great light, they could not bear it.
Genesis 1:4	Elohim (God) made a separation... (light from darkness and darkness from light)
Psalm 87:11	Light is sown for a Tzadik (person true to meta-vision mitzvah-centered living)
Shimon Lavi, Ketem Paz, p. 124, col. e (1940)	With the appearance of the light the breadth of the universe came about; and with its concealment every emanation and type (creation...species, etc.) was created.. This is the secret of the makings of the very beginning and those who can comprehend will understand.
Exodus 27:20	Take to yourself the clear oil of olives for illumination to raise up an eternal light.
Pesikta D'Rav Kahana, Kumi Uri 21	What is the way of oil? It is placed in a lamp and then the two of them shine as one. Such will the Holy One of Blessing say to Israel: My children, since my light is your light, and your light is my light, let us go and illuminate Zion: "Arise my light, because your light has come" (Isaiah 60:1)
R. David Wolfe-Blank, z:l	In Hassidic explanations of classical texts, oil and wine are metaphors for Divine secrets. Yayin (wine) symbolizes the level of secrets that may be revealed. Shemen (oil) refers to the secrets that remain mysterious even after being revealed.
Moshe ben Asher	We are called to be "kharakhim." The work "kharakh" comes from the Song of Songs. It means aperture - like an opening, in a wall - through which one may see beyond - in this case to Divine Light. Each one of us has the capacity to become a "Kharakh." We can become an opening through which others see Divine Light. The Light from which righteousness, justice freedom, peace and humanity flow is the Light that others see when we become the "kharakhim" - visionaries, teachers and keepers of the sacred. This is the calling of the "kharakhim" to sanctify our actions in the world."
Questions for study	How do the texts reflect upon scientists' theories of creation and the role of particles of light in creation? What kinds of light can you bear, not bear? If we are God's menorah and the converse is also true, how can we illuminate the meaning of Zion with the light of our lives? What does "Zion" mean to you? How would you care to influence this concept? How many different ideas about Zion can your family express?
Idea for couples:	Study the paragraph from Pesikta D'Rav Kahana above before making love.....how is the light of The Source present and amplified in your experience together? Discuss both before and after.
More texts and ideas:
Rabbi Shefa Gold	The practice for me has been, on each night of Hanukkah, that candle that is burning represents a particular temple in my energy body. So the task of that day, is to take that aspect, to go in to the inner temple of that aspect to explore it, to find out where the descecration is, what needs fixing "tikkun", repair in there, to do what needs to be done to face it, to clear it, to purify that center and to rededicate it.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlbach, z"l Commenting on how one school of thought from Hillel was to add a candle each day and another from Shamai was to take on away ach day.	What is Rabbi Hillel saying? The first night of Hanukkah we can see a light burning in the world. The second night, our eyesight gets better, so we can see more light, two lights. Each night it gets better and we see more, until by the eighth night we can see there are lights burning all over the world. What is Rabbi Shammai saying? The first night of Hanukkah we can see that there are lights burning all over the world, eight lights. The second night our eyesight gets better, and we don't see as many lights, seven lights. Each night it gets better and we see fewer lights, until by the eighth night we can see that there is only one light in the world.
Rav Kook, z"l	In normal history, it makes us morose to reduce light; when Mashiach comes, we will no longer be afraid of the dark and instead will see dark as the symbol of Mystery, and will be not morose but joyful in that Mystery. So going down to one candle will, when Mashiach comes, be seen (literally) as a way of walking into the Mystery. Contemplate the candle: It has at its heart a dark spot. All Enlightenment grows from a seed of Mystery.
B'nei Yissaschar	The light of the Chanukah candles is the Ohr Ganuz, the light from the Garden of Eden that has been hidden away.
JCN	In Kabbalah the menorah symbolizes the tree of life and its seven branches are held to represent the planets, the firmaments and the days of creation.
Yitzhak Ginsberg	Pakh Shemen Tahor The first letters spell out Peshat - simplicity. The Gematria (numerical equivalent) matches that of the word Nistar - mystery. Petilah - the wick, has the same letters as the word tefila - prayer.
The Tanya	The human being is like a wick above which blazes the flame of the Shekhina. Watch that the oil of your good deeds never runs out.