B"H
Wednesday, Kislev 20, 5779 / November 28, 2018
Sunday night, December 2, begins the holiday of Chanukah.
Our sages say, “A little light pushes away much darkness.” The Chanukah lights have to be placed near the window or door and burn after dark. The lesson from the Chanukah lights is that it is within the power of everyone to illuminate the darkness of the outside world. It is not enough for one to make sure that there is spiritual light in their own home. One has a responsibility to be an influence on the surroundings around them and spiritually illuminate them as well.
Q. Why is it that on Purim we celebrate with having a feast, yet on Chanukah there is no mitzvah to eat a meal, only the lighting of the menorah?
A.The miracle of Purim and the miracle of Chanukah were fundamentally different. In the miracle of Purim, Jews were saved from physical annihilation. To celebrate this miracle, the sages established a celebration of feasting, which we enjoy physically. But at the time of Chanukah, our religion, the Torah and mitzvot and the Neshama (soul) of the Jew was in danger. At the time of Chanukah they prohibited the study of Torah and the observance of the mitzvot. For this we celebrate Chanukah in a spiritual way, with the kindling of lights, which represent the Torah and mitzvot and the Jewish soul, as they are all compared to light.
Q. Except for lighting the candles each night of Chanukah, is there anything else we do specially for Chanukah?
A. We recite the Hallel each day during the Morning Prayer. We recite the “Al Hanisim” - a prayer of thanks for the miracle of Chanukah. We also read from the Torah about the dedication of the Tabernacle, each day of Chanukah.
Q. What is the origin of the Dreidel?
A.As mentioned, the Greek-Syrians and their Hellenistic sympathizers prohibited Jews from performing many mitzvot, including teaching Torah to Jewish children. Any child caught studying Torah was severely punished. However, the teachers and students devised a way around this ban. They would gather to study and when the student on the lookout would spot a Greek soldier he would warn them. The children would hide their books and begin playing with the Dreidel.
Q. What is the significance of the four Hebrew letters on the Dreidel; Nun, Gimel, Hay, Shin?
A. The four letters on the Dreidel stand for: "Nes, Gadol, Haya, Sham" - "A great miracle happened there". In Israel, the letter "Shin" is substituted with the letter "Pay". It stands for the Hebrew word "Poh", "Here" ("A great miracle happened here"), for the miracle took place in Israel.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY