Black Fire On White Fire

Black fire on white fire - I heard an author use the phrase "black fire on white fire." He said it had to do with the words on a page versus the meaning of the words and what we experience when we read the words

I'd never heard the phrase before. It stuck with me and I did some Googling (the MicroSoft people in this area would prefer we'd Bing instead of Google). Here's what I found.

The phrase comes from Jewish Midrash. The Torah is written "black fire on white fire" - black fire being the letters of the Torah and white fire the spaces between the letters. The whole of the Torah is made of of the black letters and white spaces. The white space can represent ideas that go beyond the text OR interpretations, applications, and teachings that result from reading the text OR what we feel or see when we read between the lines. There's much more fascinating background. Google or Bing for yourself and see what you find. 

From one commentator - "It's the white fire that gives the black fire its foundation." 

From another - "The Torah ... is not merely dry ink written on dead parchment. Its words live, and the silent white parchment beneath represents the non-verbal depth and sanctity underlying God's revealed word." 

Some of my thoughts - Engagement with the "white fire" is what makes some books page turners. When I struggle getting through a book it's probably because I'm just connecting with the "black fire" of the page and, for whatever reason, I haven't connected with the "white fire." Reading and studying scriptures - Do I diligently study the text to find messages from God and to apply the teachings to my life? 

I'll never look at the white space around text in the same way again. 

Black fire on white fire 

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