“The Chanukah menorot in our windows and doorways are beacons of light, radiating our well-wishes out to the world
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- בס״ד
“The Chanukah menorot in our windows and doorways are beacons of light, radiating our well-wishes out to the world
“On Chanukka, says the Ari…HaKadosh Baruch Hu comes down and meets the Shekhina on her turf.
“It’s not easy to change ingrained habits. But Chanukah, which…falls during this week’s Parshah [Miketz], carries with it a relevant message in this regard. Take one day at a time. One doesn’t have to do it all at once. One light at a time is all it takes.
“Realising that the real battle was not against an empire but a culture, Jews set about constructing the world’s first system of universal education. The effect was astonishing.
If we want to commemorate the miricle of Chanukka that took place in the Beit HaMikdash, why do we light at home rather than in the synagogue, the “mini mikdash”?
“Our function in this world is to activate G-d’s light.
“If the Jews would have been defeated by the Greeks, there would be no Jews today; if the oil would have not burnt for eight days, so what?
“We, the Jewish people, are here today only because of the courage and vision of this small group of determined Jews who would not allow their G-d and their Torah to be reduced to the dustbins of history by the Syrian-Greek tyrant.
There is a debate in the Talmud: Am I allowed to use another Chanuka candle to ignite another flame?
“…Two of the greatest Talmudic sages…Rav and Shmuel debate the question. Rav says you are not allowed to, Shmuel says it’s permissible. …Jewish law follows the position of Shmuel…
“There was no miracle on the first day, so really there was only a 7-day miracle not an 8-day miracle so why is Chanuka 8 days? One day the oil would have lasted regardless, we had enough oil for one day.
