Our Gemara on Amud Beis identifies the people of “Medinas Hayam” those who come from overseas (from outside the Land of Israel) as tending to be less versed in Torah law and norms (see Rashi “Lefi”.) The idiom, Medinas Hayam is often used in rabbinic literature to denote an area that is lacking in Torah or spiritual significance. Rav Kook, in his commentary on Siddur (Olas Reiyyah) goes into a lengthy metaphorical and mystical explanation of the famous chapter Bameh Madlikin that is customarily read Friday night. The manifest content of that perek in Mishnayos is a discussion of oils and wicks that are permitted or forbidden to use for Shabbos lamps, based on their tendency to burn smoothly and thus not tempt one to absentmindedly adjust the wicks on Shabbos. However, Rav Kook reads into the wicks and oils a discussion of the soul’s receptivity to draw down spiritual sustenance. (See Psychology of the Daf Sotah 21 for more about the lamp-soul metaphor https://nefesh.org/SimchaFeuerman/torah-study-versus-action-sotah--psychology-of-the-daf-yomi/read )

One kind of oil the Mishna (Shabbos 2:1) forbids is known as Shemen Kik, “Oil of Kik”.  The Gemara (Shabbos 21a) discusses what is this oil:

וְלֹא בְּשֶׁמֶן קִיק וְכוּ׳. מַאי שֶׁמֶן קִיק? אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: שְׁאֵילְתִּינְהוּ לְכֹל נָחוֹתֵי יַמָּא, וַאֲמַרוּ לִי: עוֹף אֶחָד יֵשׁ בִּכְרַכֵּי הַיָּם וְקִיק שְׁמוֹ. רַב יִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר: מִשְׁחָא דְּקָאזָא. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: קִיקָיוֹן דְּיוֹנָה. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה: לְדִידִי חֲזִי לִי קִיקָיוֹן דְּיוֹנָה, וְלִצְלוּלִיבָא דָּמֵי וּמִדֻּפְשְׁקֵי רָבֵי, וְעַל פּוּם חַנְוָתָא מַדְלָן יָתֵיהּ, וּמִפַּרְצִידוֹהִי עָבְדִי מִשְׁחָא, וּבְעַנְפוֹהִי נָיְיחָן כׇּל בְּרִיחֵי דְמַעְרְבָא.

And we learned in the mishna that one may not light the Shabbat lamp with kik oil. The Gemara asks: What is kik oil? Shmuel said: I asked all the seafarers, and they said to me that there is a bird in the cities on the sea coast, and kik is its name. Kik oil is produced from that bird. Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, said: This is referring to cotton oil. Reish Lakish said: It is the oil made from the seed of a plant like the castor plant [kikayon] of Jonah. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: I have seen the species of the castor plant of Jonah, and it is similar to the ricinus tree and it grows in swamps, and they place it at the entrance of shops for shade, and they produce oil from its seeds, and all the sick people of the West, Eretz Yisrael, rest beneath its branches.

These odd descriptions, especially that of a bird from the sea coast as well as the Kikayon Tree of Yonah seem to be hinting at esoteric matter.  Rav Kook explains that in life we instinctively seek to draw meaning and satisfaction. We can search far and wide,  choose spiritual or more material pursuits, but in the end, our souls know the difference between artificial sweeteners with no nutrition and true satisfaction.  The idea of wicks absorbing the oil represents the soul’s absorption of divine flow through actions and pursuits in this world. Shmuel’s asking of all the seafarers represents the quest for material wealth, and the wish to travel outside of Israel (Torah).  The bird flits to and fro, but never achieves peace and stability.  The Kikayon Tree of Yonah (Jonah 4:10) is described by the verse as fleeting and temporary, here one day and gone the next. This is the unsatisfactory flow of oil from the Medinas Hayam, that is the secular.

We are hardwired to become bored and restless when we no longer feel challenged.  There is a constant need for fulfillment that we deeply long to achieve.  Sometimes it manifests itself as a quest for pleasure, variety and wealth.  However, all of these are transient and cannot satisfy us in the same way that meaningful spiritual pursuits bring to us.  One needs the purest oil to fuel the light of our soul.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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