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Chanukah 2 As we find ourselves in middle of Chanukah, I would like to share some thoughts of these days. We often focus days such as these towards our children. Especially Chanukah when the secular society is celebrating what amounts to a children's' festival around us. We too must give our children presents and to make certain they do not feel left out, we will better everyone else and give presents for eight nights rather than the one night. It is astonishing the number of Jewish families that do not light Chanukah candles - or celebrate so many other Yomim Tovim - once their children have grown up. It seems as if Judaism to many is for the kids - but has no message for us adults. And this is what our children take on board as the appropriate attitude. As soon as they have come of age, they too should have no association with such childish matters. The responsibility is to show our children that these days have meaning for us as adults. We do not light the candles just for their benefit, but for ours. We play with the driedle not just to have give them fun but to see something deeper. The reminder of the candles is found in our rededication to Hashem's service, R' Avrohom of Slonim would say, "We must light not only the candles, but the light within our souls must be lit as well. The reminder of the driedle is the dedication needed to make sure that we learn and grow in our Torah knowledge. Even if we 'play driedle' when we must, we come back to what is of major importance, our Torah learning and its observance. The Rabbis explain the difference in the celebration of Purim to that of Chanukah. Purim is a time to celebrate our physical survival from those who would destroy us. Chanukah is the time to celebrate our spiritual survival against all odds. We sanitise the history by referring to the enemies of observance of Judaism as Syrians or Greeks. We do not like to remember that it was in the main a civil war, where Jew fought against Jew. When secular Jews committed to the destruction of Jewish tradition and its replacement by Hellenistic ideals called in external enemies to reinforce their position. One of the sad irony's of our time is the naming of a Jewish Olympiad, modelled on the Greek idolatry of physical prowess, after those who gave their lives to prove that physical strength is naught before spiritual commitment. Other who are absorbed in the nationalistic commitment of the Maccabbees, forget their supreme purpose was to serve G-d through the keeping of Shabbos, Bris Mila, and the sanctity of marriage under a Chupah. It was for this they fought, not for Nationalistic concepts. If the Hellenists had permitted the practical observance of Judaism, the revolt would never have begun. May we merit to take Chanukah, its lesson and history seriously, so that in celebrating our redemption from a spiritual Holocaust which took place then, we may be reminded of our need and the need of so many unlearned Jews throughout the world for redemption now, through the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days. A priest once said to R' Zvi Hirsh 'the Sharp' Rav of Halberstadt, "You have to admit one thing: We Christians have more love than you do. After all, ours is a God of love, whereas yours is a God of vengeance." "The opposite is true," replied R' Zvi Hirsh, "Since we see our G-d as a G-d of vengeance, we leave all vengeance to him, while we are commanded to love all others. You, however believe in a God of Love and leave all loving to him, while retaining vengeance for your selves." |
