Dear Friends,
I always thought it was a bit ironic that one of the names of Chanukah is the holiday of lights. That is because according to Jewish tradition, we are not allowed to use the Chanukah candles as a source of task lighting. According to tradition, the Chanukah candles can only serve one purpose: Pirsum HaNes, to publicize the miracles of Chanukah. That is why once our candles are lit, we are encouraged to publicly display them, put them by a window, so everyone walking by can see the light, reminding them of the miracles which we are celebrating.
That is why I prefer a different name for the holiday, Chag HaNisim, the holiday of miracles. On Chanukah, by lighting the candles, we do not only remind ourselves and the world around us about the Maccabees’ miraculous victory, and how enough oil for one day lasted for eight nights. By publicly displaying our lit candles proudly, we are highlighting what I believe is the greatest miracle of all; despite everything that transpired throughout all of Jewish history and in our society from the time of the Maccabees to today, we are still here, and we are proud to celebrate who we are and to share our light.
As we prepare to enter this Shabbat and to celebrate Chanukah together, may we all reflect on the many miracles in our lives for which we are thankful. May we all have the opportunity to be inspired by the Chanukah lights, not only lighting up our own lives, but also the world around us.
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom, and a Chah HaNisim Sameach,
Rabbi Josh Dorsch
