Rabbi's Message

Dispersing The Darkness

How different is our world, how changed is our lives since those tragic and horrific moments of Sept. 11th. It is now, more than ever, a time that we look toward the lights of Chanukah to shine forth for us its eternal message of hope, strength and inspiration.

It is the lights of Chanukah that represent the abiding devotion of that Ner Elokim, that G-dly light, that was the heroic and courageous Chashmanoim, Macabbees who, confronted with the darkest and bleakest nightmare in a cruel and brutal enemy that attempted to eradicate the Jewish People, the Jewish soul would not surrender and refused to give up hope. They heroically stayed the course and fought on against overwhelming numbers and miraculously by the grace of G-d were granted victory so that the impossible became possible and the dream of freedom became a reality.

It was their light of devotion, goodness, morality, justice and truth, the light of Torah that their unwavering devotion that merited G-d's intervention and brought the ultimate victory of the righteous against the evil ones, the gentle and moral against the brutal and cruel.

Rabim b'yad me'atim, u'temayim b'yad tehorim, u'resha'im b'yad tzadikim, v'zeidim b'yad oskei toratecha.

Judaism and our people were saved by the indomitable faith and the unbending determination of the few moral dedicated individuals who would not compromise with evil, nor yield to the onslaught of immorality, depravity and cruelty of the evil ones. They would not compromise their ideals of goodness, kindness and morality, the ideals of Torah.

The miracle of the cruse of oil was a reflection of the Chashmanoim's indomitable spirit, their effort and sublime faith of the pure courageous few whose light of goodness and Torah was the light that dispersed the darkness of evil that so enveloped their world.

The blessing of Shehechiyanu, thanking G-d for life itself, observes the great Chasidic Torah Giant, the Sefas Emes, is not directed on the day as in other sacred holidays but rather our sages established for it to be said while lighting the Chanukah lights for the first time. It is specifically associated, the Sefas Emes points out, with the lighting of the lights of Chanukah and not in the passive observance of the day.

The true meaning and the source of the blessing of Chanukah is in the active role we play in kindling the lights of a Mitzvah, dispersing the darkness of the evil in this world. It is when we light those eternal lights of hope and devotion, the lights that represent the ongoing fight of good against the darkness of evil that the true message of Chanukah is understood and realized.

May our kindling of the lights of Chanukah this year, as we are confronted with the most serious challenges of today, evoke a greater clarity and profounder understanding within the hearts and minds of our people.

May those lights disperse the darkness that so envelope us, to inspire, renew and rededicate ourselves, never to yield to the evil but as the righteous Chasmanoim of old, to fight the forces of evil so that we can light the way for a better tomorrow for all mankind.