The Talmud tells us that beginning with the 25th of Kislev (Hebrew month), eight days of Chanukah are to be observed, during which no eulogies are to be delivered, and no fasting is permitted. When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary of the Temple in Jerusalem, they defiled all the oils, and when the Hasmoneans (the Maccabees) defeated them, they searched and found only one remaining jar of oil with the seal of the Kohen Gadol (the High Priest). Although it contained only enough oil to burn for one day, a miracle occurred, and the oil burned eight days. A year later, the Rabbis designated these days as holidays on which praise and thanksgiving were to be said. (Tractate Shabbat 21).

Since then, we light candles for eight days in dark, winter evenings and say the blessings over them. It is significant that we light one candle for each day of the celebration because each candle represents a day the oil burned in the Temple Menorah. The candles are held in a symbolic candelabrum called the Chanukiah. The Chanukiah consists of nine candle holders, with a lead holder called the Shamash. The Shamash is the first candle to be lit each night, and it is used to light the other candles.

If you take a glimpse into the Jewish literature on Chanukah, it is clear that these eight days are dedicated specifically to Inner Light, the internal lighting that brightens the soul. Undoubtedly, Chanukah is a victory celebration. However, the emphasis is not on the struggle against tyranny, the land liberated, “religious freedom” or the military victory against overwhelming odds; it is actually the celebration of a spiritual struggle and a spiritual victory. Despite the Hellenization of a significant number of Jews in Israel, the Jewish people refused to surrender to the tidal wave of the dominant Greek culture which proclaimed that it alone was civilized, contemporary and relevant. By stubbornly insisting on maintaining their own identity, their core values and their spiritual way of life, and by forcing that way of life on Jews who had rebelled and succumbed to Greek culture, the Maccabees not only survived – they also revived Jewish life for all time to come.

Are we facing the same challenges today as they did? The Greeks followed their eyes; The Jews followed their souls. Thank God that today we live in a free, safe society with the freedom of choice. And yet – do we follow our souls or our eyes? I think most of us are more fascinated with the external lights and thus follow our eyes. There is the ongoing battle between the eyes and the soul: the outer light verses the inner light. The eyes breed desire while the soul fosters content.

At BJDS, we nurture our children’s souls. We teach our children to reach beyond the elements of physical beauty. We teach them to better the world by acting every day with kindness, compassion and justice towards each other. We teach our children to see the internal beauty of one another, more then just the external beauty. Beauty cannot be an independent value as the Greeks viewed it. We teach our children to not be limited by what humans can see, touch, hear, and smell. We teach our children to be aware of what the essence of humanity is, and what we can become when we reach beyond ourselves.

Our sages teach us that the flame is a physical manifestation of the spiritual. “Ki Ner Elokim Nishmat Adam” — “The candle of God is the soul of man.” Like the human spirit, a flame can die or soar, it can be extinguished with the flick of the finger or it can light up an entire world if provided with sufficient fuel. The essence of the Jew is his spirit.

Let’s continue to support the BJDS flame and light up the Boulder Jewish community. This is a wonderful time of year to extend your generosity towards BJDS. Keep our flame going, and reach out to the wider Jewish community so our tiny flame will glow even brighter!

The light of Chanukah is small. If each of us keeps our light pure, this small light will grow and radiate over the entire world.

Shabbat Shalom, Happy Chanukah

Shoshi
Sources: Talmud Shabbat 21;
Chanukah; Light or fire? by Rabbi Pinchas Stolper

One year I tutored a very bright first grade girl, whose parents were both professionals. One day I got a bemused call from the girl’s mother. She said that her daughter Batya came home from her lesson today with a very disconcerting comment: She insisted that when she grew up, she wanted to be a millionaire. I replied, said the mother, ‘Is that the Torah you learned in your lesson today?’ She explained, ‘No, but I decided I wanted Morah Yehudis to be my teacher forever, and someone had to pay her!’

The Torah ideal is about achieving harmony between spirit and matter. On one hand, the Talmudic sages would be appalled at how contemporary society puts such a premium on physical appearance and spends billions on the cosmetic industry. On the other hand, the Talmud itself insists that a husband provide a bride with her cosmetic needs, and even allows a bride certain physical indulgences at times, which are forbidden to everyone else.

Both the sacred and the profane try to enlist concepts of beauty into their respective domains. One reason may be that from a philosophical and Chassidic approach in particular, there are no real opposites in a world permeated by the unity of G-d. This is not to say that there are no distinctions, but there are bridges and transformations that are possible between all levels of existence. Aramaic is considered a bridge language between Hebrew, called the Holy Tongue, and secular languages. In a similar way, so is Greek. (Unfortunately, nowadays, Hebrew is ‘like Greek’ to many Jews.)

In space, according to the Torah, the east bank of Jordan is a bridge area between Israel, the holy land, and other countries. And in the realm of soul, there is something in Chassidut called, ‘nefesh hasichlit,’ the intellectual soul.

How are these ideas related to Chanukah? The Hellenists wanted to cut off the beauty of creation, especially the physical form, from the Creator. Space and time also reflect a similar dynamic. The Hellenists forbade the Jews to practice Shabos, Rosh Chodesh, and Brit Milah. Milah relates to the body, Shabos to the sanctification of time, and Rosh Chodesh to the cycle of holidays where, Biblically, Jews were commanded to spend near the holiest space in the world, Jerusalem and the Beit Hamikdash.

However, according to Torah thought, everything in creation, especially beauty, can potentially be a bridge between the sacred and the profane. Thus, as some rabbis put it, the battle between Israel and Greece was over the difference between “The beauty of holiness or the holiness of beauty.”

The first time beauty is mentioned in the Torah is in the story of Noach and his three sons.  The Shem Mishmuel, the Sochachover Rebbe, elaborates on the connection between Chanukah and the story of Noach’s three sons, when they found him lying naked and inebriated. In the choice between respect and violation, the polarities were clear: Shem chose to respect, Cham chose to violate. But, in keeping with the bridge approach, there was someone in between who vacillated. This was Yefet, whose name means beauty. Only thus can we more fully appreciate the implication of what Noach said about Yefet; ‘G-d will broaden Yefet, (if/when) he dwells in the tents of Shem. In other words, when/if Yefet chooses to align with Shem, then he will expand his domain from the profane to the sacred.

This is also how Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsh sees the three sons of Noach- Shem meaning name, Cham, meaning hot, and Yefes meaning beautiful. Shem is the symbol of spirit, Cham, of matter, including instinct or passion, and Yefes of form, or aesthetic sensitivity and yearning.  When Noach became intoxicated, each son responded differently, indeed, true to his name. Shem was the one who took the initiative in covering his nakedness, thus expressing the concept behind modesty – the toning down of physical supremacy, so that the soul, the Neshama in which Shem is imbedded, can be the guide. Cham, on the other hand, having also been the one to disobey the divine jurisdiction not to engage in marital relations in the ark, here too broke the boundaries of decency and jeered at his father’s weakness. Yefes had to decide which brother to follow and emulate. If we look at this episode as an archetype, the emerging story says a lot about both life and history.

Beauty as an abstraction has neutral moral value. But once it is applied, it must eventually take sides and chose a master or be conscripted into the service of opposing positions. Therefore, when Noach awakens, he curses Cham who belittled him, he blesses Shem who honored him, and makes – according to Rabbi Hirsh, the blessing of Yefet contingent on remaining in the tent of Shem, that is, serving the values of righteousness and integrity.

The dynamic between the three sons was not a one time happening. As the Shem Mishmuel and others point out, their names and lives contain a foreshadowing of the events surrounding the festival of Chanukah. The possibility of a Greek translation of Torah was made because of Greek’s unique beauty. The hint for this distinction is from the above prophecy of Noach. When the Torah says, ‘Yaft Elokim l’Yefet, in addition to meaning that Hashem will broaden for Yefet, it also literally means, ‘Hashem will beautify for Yefet.’ However, when the Hellenists began to separate beauty from its moral ties, and transfer it to an amoral and eventually immoral context, then the battle of Chanukah took place.

Many sages see the victory symbolized by the rekindling of the Menorah, as the return of beauty to its rightful place in creation, to the service and enhancement of G-dliness in the earthly realm. The beauty aspect of Chanukah is so important that the way we fulfill the mitzvah of lighting the menorah, by adding a new light each night, is called, ‘mehadrin min hamehadrin,’ the most beautiful of the beautiful.

Perhaps this sheds light on the Talmudic teaching (Ketubot 111) that in the future even the barren trees will become fruitful. What is the higher purpose in this? Are there not enough sources of physical pleasure in the world? A reason may be that in this world where the practice of Torah and good deeds is so challenging, it would be enough of an accomplishment to be able to transform whatever matter already exists into spirit, for the honor of G-d. In the future however, when the commitment to Torah and good deeds proliferate, Hashem will add more physical opportunities in the world to serve as vessels for holiness.

As my young student put it, the time must come to use millions of dollars for the sake of Torah. Could this be a reason for the custom of giving Chanukah gelt? May we all be blessed with a Chanukah that brings blessings to our lives both materially and spiritually, and the ultimate peace and harmony with the coming of Mashiach.