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Bayamim Hahem Bazman Hazeh: Chanukah 5785

Fully lit oil menorah surrounded by candle menorahs on window sill

It's incredible to me that we're now entering the second Chanukah still at war after October 7th, and that there are still hostages, including the Bibas boys -- Ariel and Kfir-- in captivity for  445 days now.It truly boggles the mind that the world has no problem with innocent babies, children, mothers, fathers, elderly people, and even those who are young but guilty of no crime would be kidnapped and held for this long. Instead, they reserve their outrage for those who fight to free them. 

And there are even those modern day Misyavinm -- the "As a Jew" people who sell out their heritage and family either because they are actually swayed by specious arguments or because they simply want to be in the popular group. The Maccabees had to battle these people, too. I don't just mean in terms of debate but in an actual civil war to preserve Jewish identity.

After all these centuries, we're in a similar position. And so we have to keep putting the Han in Hanukkah, aiming to defy the odds and accomplish more than what appears possible, and Hashem will do the rest. Like Pharoh's daughter who stretched out her arm to the baby in the Nile despite not being close enough to reach it, our arms much exceed our grasp. 

As Robert Browning said in closing that line, "or what's a heaven for?"  That's the real story of Chanukah, which is not just a pleasant winter holiday to make up to us that we don't put up trees to decorate. Even the reason for gelt rather than gifts is related to the deep meaning of the holiday. 



Here's a collection of blogs I wrote on Chanukah over the years. 

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