B"H

Tuesday, Kislev 19, 5782 / November 23, 2021

On Chanukah we celebrate two miracles; the miracle of the oil in the Holy Temple and the miracle in which the small army of the Macabees were victorious over the great armies of their Syrian-Greek-Hellenistic enemies.  As we recite in the Al Hanisim prayer, "Strong fell in the hands of the weak; many into the hands of the few."

Q. How does lighting the Menorah celebrate the miracle of winning the war against their mighty enemies? 

A.  The decrees against the Jewish people at the time of Chanukah were of spiritual nature.  Jews were prohibited to study Torah and observe the mitzvot which connect us to G-d.  The war which the Macabees fought against the Hellenists was to protect and save the Jewish soul; i.e. for the observance of Torah and Mitzvot. 

The soul is compared to a candle, as is written, "The candle of G-d is the soul of man."  Torah and mitzvot are also compared to a candle and light. 

As a result, the sages established to celebrate Chanukah with the lighting of candles.  For it not only celebrates the miracle of the oil in the Beth Hamikdash, it also commemorates the victory of the war which was against the Jewish soul (candle) and the victory of Torah and mitzvot, which are compared to a candle and light.

The Chanukah candles enlighten us to know and believe in the power of miracles.  For miracles do happen all the time, it is only a matter of recognizing them.  Some miracles are obvious, while most are hidden, for they are concealed in what we call "nature." 

A more accurate term for what is commonly known as "nature" would be, constant miracle.  Miracles are usually defined as something which is out of the ordinary, unexpected, cannot be explained and challenges the laws of nature.  Things which happen continuously, and thus, have come to expect them, we call nature.

But in truth nature is the greatest miracle of all.  The very fact that G-d makes these things happen so normally, regularly, and so naturally, is the most wonderful miracle.

"A small amount of light drives away much darkness," say our sages.  The holiday of Chanukah, through the spiritual illumination of the Chanukah candles enlighten us to recognize G-d's miracles that constantly accompany us every minute of every day.

Today is the 19th of Kislev.  It is a very important day in the Chassidic calendar, especially for Chabad-Lubavitch. In the year 1798, Rabbi Schneur Zalmen, founder and first Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, was liberated from prison.  He was imprisoned by the Czarist government for spreading the teachings of the Kaballah and Chassidus.  Rabbi Schneur Zalmen's life was in grave danger.  After 53 days of imprisonment, he was released on the 19th of Kislev. 

Like the Chanukah candles which illuminate the darkness, so too, Rabbi Schneur Zalmen's teachings have illuminated Jewish souls through the darkness of this exile, for over 200 years.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Kislev 22, 5782 / November 26, 2021

Yesterday was Thanksgivings in the USA. Although, Thanksgivings is not a Jewish holiday, the spirit behind giving thanks is a Jewish concept.

The holiday of Chanukah, which begins this Sunday night, when we celebrate the miracle of the oil in the Holy Temple, is also a holiday of thanksgivings. In the special Chanukah prayer, called Al Hanisim, which we recite in the Amida prayer three times daily during the eight days of Chanukah, we say that the eight days of Chanukah, “were instituted to give thanks and praise to Your great name.”

The hero of the Chanukah miracle was Yehuda HaMacabee. The name Yehuda means to give thanks. Leah called her fourth son, Yehuda, because, as the Torah tells us, she gave thanks to G-d for giving her a fourth son.

Each day we recite a special Psalm which is called, Psalm of the Thanks-offering. Also, one of the eighteen blessings in the daily Amida prayer is called Modim. It is a blessing of thanks, in which we thank G-d for ALL the wonderful things He does for us daily.  

Here is the translation of the Thanks-offering Psalm: “A Psalm for the thank-offering. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to Hashem. Serve Hashem with joy; come before Him with exultation. Know that Hashem is G-d, He has made us, and we are His; His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His name. For Hashem is good. His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations.”

This week’s Parsha, Vayeishev, is about the story of Joseph being sold by his brothers and he ends up in Egypt. One can only imagine what went through Joseph’s mind, who came to visit his brothers upon his father’s request and ends up as a slave to an Egyptian in Egypt.

The Torah describes the hardships and trials which Joseph endured. But in the end, as the Torah tells us, it was all for the good. It was for Joseph’s benefit, for his family’s benefit and for the welfare and benefit of all the Egyptians.

When Joseph, his father and brothers were reunited twenty-two years later, Joseph tells his brothers that it was not they who sold him to the Egyptians, it was G-d Who caused it to happen so as to save the people during the famine years.   

It is the same with each and everyone of us. We do not always see the ultimate benefit which comes from adversity. But we do believe that everything comes from G-d and as a result, there is a reason for it all and it is all for the ultimate good.

Remember: Sunday night we light the first Chanukah candle.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal Shabbat candle lighting time: 3:57 / Shabbat ends: 5:03

B"H

Monday, Kislev 25, 5782 / November 29, 2021

HAPPY CHANUKAH. Today is the first day of Chanukah - Festival of lights. Shabbat and all Jewish holidays begin from the night. Thus, Chanukah began Sunday night.

The first night of Chanukah one candle is lit. An additional candle is added every night. The first night of Chanukah, three blessings are recited before kindling. All other nights, two blessings (1 & 2) are recited.

#1.  Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam A-sher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-tav Ve-tzi-va-nu Le-had-lik Ner [Shel] Cha-nu-kah.

#2.  Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nei E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam She-a-sa Ni-sim La-avo-tei-nu Ba-ya-mim Ha-heim Biz'man Ha-zeh.

#3.  Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nei E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam She-heche-ya-nu Ve-ki-yi-ma-nu Ve-higi-a-nu Laz-man Ha-zeh.

The candles should be lit near a door or window in order to publicize the miracle. In addition to lighting the Chanukah menorah at home, it is also lit in the synagogue and in public places to advertise the miracle of Chanukah to as many people as possible.

Q.  Why is the lighting of the menorah required to be in a manner which will publicize the miracle? 

A.  The miracle of the Chanukah lights, in which a small jar of oil with the seal of the High Priest, which contained barely enough oil for only one day, lasted eight days, took place inside the Holy Temple.  Since only the Kohanim (priests) were able to enter the Temple, the miracle was not visible to the public, nor did it affect everyone.  Thus, our rabbis decreed that we perform the lighting of the menorah in a way that the miracle is publicized to everyone.

Q.   Why did the miracle have to be for exactly eight days, not more or less?

A.  According to Jewish law, one becomes "Tamei" - "spiritually impure," when coming into contact with a dead body.  The person must then wait seven days, and only on the eighth day do they become "Tahor" - "spiritually clean."

Due to the battles which the Maccabees fought, they came into contact with dead bodies and were considered unclean. Any oil which they would have produced during these seven days would not have been considered fit for the Holy Temple.  Therefore, only on the eighth day were they able to process new oil fit for the Holy Temple.  This is why they needed a miracle for the original oil to last eight days.

Another reason given is that the best quality oil produced in Israel was in the territory of the tribe of Asher, which was a four day journey from Jerusalem.  Thus, to bring fresh oil they required four days to go and four days to return.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & HAPPY CHANUKAH