The Baal Shem Tov was very fond of light, and said, "Or
(light) is the numerical equivalent of raz ('secret'). Whoever knows the
'secret' in everything can bring illumination." It is also true, whoever
has light, will recognize the secret of
each matter. “A candle is (the performance of) a mitzvah – spiritual good deed,
and (the study of) Torah - G-ds wisdom, is light.”
We are coming up to the holiday and festival of lights,
Chanukah. Chanukah begins December 16th until the December 24th 2014.
All Jewish holidays that commemorate miracles and super
natural events are connected with light. The triumph of light over darkness. In
Egypt, while the Egyptians were subject to darkness and an even denser form of
darkness which immobilized them, the Bible tells us, “and for all the children
of Israel there was light”.
Regarding the Holiday of Purim when the wicked Haman decreed
annihilation of all the Jewish people, “nothing new under the sun”, the book of
Purim the Megillah says, “And to the Jewish people there was light and Joy.”
Where there is light and clarity, there is joy. “There is no greater joy, than
the untangling from doubt.”
Add off course when it comes to our Holiday Chanukah , the
entire holiday revolves around the miracle of a small jug of pure oil,
discovered in the Holy Temple and was
meant to last one day, instead miraculously lasted for eight days.
To commemorate this fantastic miracle, our sages instructed
us to light the candles every night for eight days, and publicize to the public,
the great power in faith, and in light over darkness. For this reason, the
proper time for lighting the candles is just when it begins getting dark and we
might be tempted to surrender to
darkness, we are reminded and through
the lighting we are given the strength, never to submit and capitulate to the darkness outside, that
many times seems irresistible and over
powering.
It was a small group of dedicated people, unwavering and
determined who waged war, with the motto, “who is like G-d amongst the strong”
and were able to overcome the terrible decrees against the observance of their
faith by a much larger and better organized army.
Our sages dedicated these days, for praise and gratitude.
It’s important to recognize the good in our lives, and say thank
you. Thank you is an expression of acknowledgement and a type of passive
surrender to the good granted to the individual many times way more than was
deserved.
In addition to gratitude we are expected to, praise. Praise
requires an individual effort to internalize personally and understand the
reason, why praise is necessary. Our sages wanted, that during this holiday we
shouldn’t just play dreidle, eat latkes and doughnuts, and sit back, but much
more than just that kind of fun.
This holiday is a very auspicious time to put on the light
and wisdom, internally, to see and discover new secrets about our own lives. By
taking the time to intellectualize and understand the dynamics of the miracle,
the power of faith on the one hand, and on the other hand, the reality of the
constant threat against the Jewish people and light, by the forces of darkness,
and the ultimate victory of light and good over darkness. From this position, praise is genuine.
On Chanukah even those oils and wicks that are unacceptable
to use for the lighting of the Shabbat candles are acceptable for this
holiday. Because, what Shabbat is not
able to reach with its special strength of light, this holiday goes even
further to impact and influence. Notwithstanding the very low standing of the
Jewish people at that time, G-d kicked in with this huge miracle.
Chanukah is indeed a powerful opportunity to generate more
light into our lives and into this world.
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