Rabbi Shalom Noach Berezovsky, the Slonimer Rebbe (1911-2000)
Rabbi Shalom Noah Berezovsky, the Slonimer Rebbe (1911-2000), wrote that the essence of the Greek war to destroy the Jews was “by means of darkening the eyes of Israel. The Greeks knew that they would not be able to successfully defeat the Jews by military means--rather only by darkening their eyes...”
Hanukkah represents a struggle against that “darkening,” in which we strive to perceive the Divine light which can sometimes seem hidden. “The purpose of human beings is that they see with a clear lens the Divine light that shines within all creation… [With this vision] a person does not perceive a separated world in which all things are disunited. Rather, [a person sees that] everything is One and that a singular elevated power sustains everything.”
During this holiday, may we all be blessed to perceive this Divine light, and through this light, the oneness and unity of the entire created world.
Hag Urim Sameakh/Happy Festival of Lights!
Rabbi Adam Rubin, Ph.D.
Rabbi Morris J. Allen Chair in Rabbinics
