Dear TBZ Community:
I am having a hard time – and I imagine some of you can relate – being ready to celebrate Hanukkah. This holiday that focuses on the miracles that brought salvation to the Jewish people. This holiday that, in the darkest days of the winter, reminds us of our capacity to increase light, and that light begets light. But this year, in the midst of very dark times for the Jewish people, for Israel, and for all of humanity, how can Hanukkah inspire us? What can Hanukkah teach us?
There is a small yet profound part of the lighting of the hanukkiah (candelabrum with 9 branches used on Hanukkah) ritual that comes to mind. As we light the candles, as we illuminate, we say the blessing that God made miracles happen for our ancestors in those times and also in ours: בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה. Then and now.
In many ways, the “now” feels much more relevant than any other time in my lifetime. I am wondering, what does it mean for me to bless, ask, seek, desire miracles to happen now? How do miracles happen in “our” time?
As we light the candles, we also say שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים “She’asa nisim,” “Who performs wondrous miracles?” Who did? God? Yet it is we who light the candles. This ritual act speaks to the partnership between God and each one of us in order for miracles to happen. They don’t *just* happen. No, they need our hands to act and to do, in order for God to flow into this world with light and blessing.
When it starts to get darker, when we think we are losing hope, when injustices prevail, when suffering surrounds us, we don’t just let darkness rule, nor are we passive, waiting for a miracle to happen. We act. We hold the shamash (helper candle) up to see where and when we need to act – to bring change, to do and to bless, to step up and stand up, to support and to fight for a better world.
Since Shabbat Bereshit, the sabbath after October 7th, I have been holding on to a teaching from the midrash (commentary and teachings) on Genesis Rabbah. It tells the story of the first Shabbat, or, to be more precise, the first end of Shabbat, when Adam experienced darkness for the first time:
כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁקְעָה הַחַמָּה בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת הִתְחִיל הַחשֶׁךְ מְמַשְׁמֵשׁ וּבָא וְנִתְיָרֵא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, יא)וָאֹמַר אַךְ חשֶׁךְ יְשׁוּפֵנִי וְלַיְלָה אוֹר בַּעֲדֵנִי.
As the sun set at the conclusion of Shabbat, darkness began approaching, and Adam, the first human, became afraid, as it is stated: “And I said that darkness will envelop me; night for me is light,” (Psalms 139:11)
Adam became afraid, he didn’t know what was next, he didn’t know that the sun would come out, he didn’t know that the darkness of the night would end at some point. He didn’t know what to expect.
The midrash continues:
מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, זִמֵּן לוֹ שְׁנֵי רְעָפִים וְהֵקִישָׁן זֶה לָזֶה וְיָצָא מֵהֶן אוֹר וּבֵרַךְ עָלֶיהָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְלַיְלָה אוֹר בַּעֲדֵנִי. מַה בֵּרַךְ עָלֶיהָ, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ.
What did the Holy One of blessing do? God prepared for Adam two flint stones, and Adam struck them one against the other. Light emerged from them and he recited a blessing over it. That is what is written (Psalms 139:11): “Night for me is light.” What blessing did he recite over it? [Blessed be God] Who creates the lights of fire.
What did God do?
God didn’t say, “everything’s gonna be alright.” God didn’t make promises to Adam that there will be divine intervention in creating, bringing forth light. God gave Adam the tools to create light, to make light, not to wait for the light to return. And with those tools, those stones, Adam had to be courageous and figure out how to strike them one against the other and that is how light emerged.
This teaching is radical and courageous and shifts the understanding of miracles. The miracle making is in our hands, in our resilience, in our actions, in our capacity to bring and see light.
Our tradition also teaches that the hanukkah candles are not to be used for anything: וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם, אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָם בִּלְבָד, we don’t have permission to use them, just look at them. This is the reason we have a shamash, just one candle whose purpose is to light the others. The notion of candles that are bright with purpose, just to be a light, is also very powerful. אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָם בִּלְבָד, we light the candles and we look at them, we stare at them. We see their power, we see their fire, we see their potential, we see their danger, we see their warmth.
נֵר יְהֹוָה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן
The soul/breath of a person is the lamp/candle of God
Each human being is a candle, a lamp, a fire. Perhaps we can apply the teaching of the Hanukkah candles to how we see each human, all creation of God. All of us, each one, a light; our duty is to look at each other, look at the soul, look at the light and fire, and warmth, and fears, and whatever is in the innermost of each human being. Perhaps if we can see the divinity in humanity, we can hold onto hope and believe that there is light in the world. Perhaps the practice for this Hanukkah is to look at the candles and find the inspiration to see light in humanity, especially when it is dark and hard to find.
In this time when many of us feel the darkness, and can’t see or even imagine the light at the end of the tunnel, I am praying and hoping that the Hanukkah candles can inspire us to find in ourselves the tools, those flint stones that God gave us, to create light. And that we are able to look at the other, not only the ones we know and love, but look at God’s creation, finding compassion. And in our resilience believe that there is light in humanity.
May we find compassion for one another.
May this Shabbat bring blessings and consolation to all of you and your loved ones. May we find strength, courage, and patience, and open our hearts with generosity. May all those who are ill find healing.
May all the hostages come home soon to their families and friends, and may we see peace.
And May we find some sweetness and joy in this Holiday.
Shabbat Shalom & Happy Hanukkah and may we find joy in the midst of darkness.
Rav Claudia