B"H
Tuesday, Kislev 30, 5785 / December 31, 2024
Happy sixth day of Chanukah. Happy Rosh Chodesh.
One of the lessons of Chanukah is that a person must keep on going up and up in matters of holiness, goodness and kindness. This is expressed by the amount of candles we light each night of Chanukah. On the first night we kindle one candle, on the second night two candles. Each night of Chanukah we ADD an additional light, until all eight lights are lit. What was good enough yesterday is not enough today and what is enough today is not enough tomorrow. If we stay in one place then we are regressing.
Another lesson from the Chanukah lights is that we light the Chanukah candles by the door or window, to bring this important message to the world at large. It is our duty to be a light unto the nations to enlighten the world with the lights of mitzvot and good deeds. Good deeds bring light to the world. Thus, each additional candle represents additional good deeds which we perform.
Q. What is the origin of the Dreidel?
A. The Greek-Syrians and their Hellenistic sympathizers prohibited Jews from performing many mitzvot, including teaching Torah to Jewish children. Any teacher or child caught learning Torah was severely punished. However, the Jewish teachers and students devised a way around this ban. They would gather to study and when the one 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 Driedel; Nun, Gimel, Hay, Shin?
A. The four letters on the Dreidel stand for: "Nes, Gadol, Haya, Sham" - "A great miracle happened there." These are the four letters on the Dreidels used in the Diaspora – “there” referring to Israel.
In Israel, the letter "Shin" (which stands for “there”) 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. To honor the self-sacrifice of these young Jewish students and to encourage our children to study Torah, we distribute "Chanukah Gelt" (“Chanukah money”) to our children, so they too, will follow in the footsteps of their ancestors and make every effort to excel in the study of Torah.
On the lighter side: Rabbi Gershon Henech Leiner of Radzin once developed a bad toothache on Chanukah and the dentist had to pull the tooth. The rabbi wanted to pay the dentist, but he refused to accept, saying, "It's a custom to give the Rabbi a Chanukah Gift, so let this be my Chanukah gift."
"I'll accept it on the condition that you won't tell anybody about this," answered Rabbi Gershon Henech in jest. "I'm afraid that if people find out they, too, will want to give me the same gift…"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY, HAPPY ROSH CHODESH
& HAPPH CHANUKAH
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
B"H
Monday, Kislev 29, 5785 / December 30, 2024
Happy fifth day of Chanukah.
Q. Why is the holiday called, “Chanukah”?
A. As with other Jewish holidays there is more than one reason for the name of that holiday. Here are two:
1) “Chanukah” means “dedication.” When the Macabees reclaimed the Holy Temple from the Greeks, who defiled everything in the Temple, they had to “re-dedicate” the Temple to its former state of purity. Thus, the holiday is called Chanukah, for then the Holy Temple was re-dedicated.
2) On the “25th” day of Kislev the Jewish fighters were finally able to “rest” from their battles. “Chanukah” can be made into two Hebrew words: “Chanu” (rest) – “Kah” (numerical value of 25). The name Chanukah alludes to the fact that “They rested on the 25th." Chanukah begins on the 25th day in the Hebrew month Kislev.
Q. In the prayer recited after the lighting of the Chanukah candles we say, "During all eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make use of them". What is the reason that we are not permitted to have any personal use of the Chanukah lights?
A. The Chanukah candles commemorate the lights of the menorah in the Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple). One was prohibited from having any personal use of the holy objects of the Beth Hamikdash. Being that the Chanukah candles represent the lights of the Beth Hamikdash we are not to derive any personal benefit from them either.
Q. Why do many prefer to use olive oil and wicks instead of candles for the Chanukah lights?
A. Olive oil was used to light the menorah in the Holy Temple. Since the original miracle of Chanukah involved olive oil, using it to light the menorah commemorates the miracle more accurately.
Also, our sages compare the Jewish people to an olive. Just as the olive reveals its treasure, its oil, through being pressed, so too, the Jewish people have produced the greatest scholars during our years of exile and oppression.
The Midrash tells us that the Jewish people are compared to oil. While liquids mix with each other, oil, when mixed with other liquids, will eventually separate and float to the top. Although many nations tried to oppress and assimilate us over the past 2000 years, yet, the Jewish nation has endured and retained its unique identity.
Q. Before Shabbat and holidays, candles are lit in every Jewish home. Yet, we see a difference between the Chanukah candles and the Shabbat and holiday candles. The Shabbat candles are lit inside the home on the table where we eat. But the Chanukah candles are lit near a door or window. Why the difference?
A. The purpose of the Shabbat and holiday candles is to bring light and peace within our home. Thus, the candles are lit on the table we eat the Shabbat meal so that we can enjoy our meals with the additional lights. The purpose of the Chanukah lights is to publicize the miracle of Chanukah and to illuminate the spiritual darkness on the outside. Thus, the Chanukah lights are lit near the window or door to illuminate the outside.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY & HAPPY CHANUKAH
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
B"H
Friday, Kislev 26, 5785 / December 27, 2024
HAPPY SECOND DAY OF CHANUKAH! This week’s Parsha is Mikeitz. Being that tonight is Shabbat, and we are prohibited to kindle any light on Shabbat, the Chanukah candles must be lit before the Shabbat candles.
This Shabbat we bless the new month, Tevet. Rosh Chodesh will be Monday night, Tuesday & Wednesday. This Shabbat we read from two Torahs. In the first, we read Parshat Mikeitz. In the second Torah we read the Chanukah reading.
In the Parsha, Pharaoh had a dream that while he stood next to the Nile River, he observed seven fat, healthy-looking cows emerge from the river to feed at the riverbank. Seven lean cows followed, only to swallow the seven fat cows. He also dreamt that seven ears of good corn came up on one stalk and were swallowed by seven thin and scrawny ones. Pharaoh awoke and realized that it was all a dream.
At Pharaoh's command, Joseph was taken out of jail to interpret the dreams. Joseph prophesied that seven good years would come upon Egypt when food will be plentiful. However, seven years of famine will follow. The famine will be so harsh that the good years will totally be forgotten due to the severity of the famine. Joseph suggests that Pharaoh implement a detailed taxation system during the seven good years to store food for the famine. Pharaoh appoints Joseph ruler of Egypt.
Joseph puts his idea in motion. Indeed, when the famine came, Egypt was ready. The country not only could supply the needs of its citizens, but it could also supply the needs of the surrounding countries. Hearing that Egypt has food, Joseph's brother's leave the Land of Canaan and travel to Egypt to buy food. Joseph recognizes his siblings, but they do not recognize him as Joseph is now 39 years old and has been away for 22 years. Joseph did not immediately reveal his identity to them.
The Parsha teaches us that although the brothers sold Joseph into slavery to prevent his dreams from coming true, in the end it was G-d’s will which prevailed. His brothers in the end came to Egypt and bowed to him, as he foresaw many years earlier in his dreams. It was all predestined by G-d.
Story: The brothers Rabbi Elimelech and Rabbi Zusia were two great Chassidic Rabbis. One cold night, they stopped at an inn, during one of their travels, and rested near the fireplace. That night, a party of local peasants took place at the inn. Every once in a while, during the party, the drunken peasants made a circle and danced. One of them kicked Rabbi Zusia every time he passed him by.
After a while, Rabbi Elimelech couldn't bear his brother's pain. "Zusia, it is not fair that you should get all the beatings. Let's exchange places," he suggested. They changed places. However, the next time around, the drunken peasant said, "It's not fair that I should continuously hit the same one. I should kick the other one, too!" Once again, Rabbi Zusia got the blows! "You see," Rabbi Zusia said to his brother, "One cannot outsmart G-d! What is Bashert (destined) for Zusia will come to Zusia!"
SHABBAT SHALOM & HAPPY CHANUKAH
Montreal candle lighting time: 3:59 / Shabbat ends: 5:09
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
B"H
Thursday, Kislev 25, 5785 / December 26, 2024
HAPPY CHANUKAH! Today (Thursday) is the first day of Chanukah.
We light an additional candle every night for eight days, until we light the complete eight lights of the menorah. It’s lights commemorate the miracle of the lights of the menorah in the Holy Temple, in which a small amount of oil, enough to last only one day, lasted for eight days.
Chanukah is a very special holiday in that it is a mitzvah to publicize this mitzvah. We don’t find other mitzvot that have to be performed in such a public way. However, the mitzvah of lighting the menorah on Chanukah is performed by the door or window, in a way that others should see it and realize the miracle.
For this reason, the menorah is lit at night, not in the daytime so that the lights of the menorah are observed and noticed and illuminate the darkness of the outside.
Q. How is the kindling of the lights in the Chanukah menorah different than the lights in the Temple?
A. The menorah in the Temple had seven lights. The Chanukah menorah has eight lights.
Also, the Holy Temple lights were kindled in the afternoon and the Chanukah lights are kindled at night.
Another difference is that the menorah in the Temple was lit inside the sanctuary. The Chanukah lights have to be lit near a window or door, in order to announce the miracle of Chanukah to the world outside.
Q. Why, in addition to the Chanukah candles do we also light an extra candle each night, called the Shamash?
A. We are prohibited from having any personal use from the Chanukah lights. The extra candle, the Shamash, serves to light the Chanukah candles and then we leave it in the menorah. In case we forget and benefit from the light of the menorah, it will be from the "Shamash."
Q. The total number of Chanukah candles that are lit during the eight days of Chanukah are 36 (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8=36). Is there any significance to this number in association with light?
A. The Midrash says that at the time of creation G-d created a very special light. However, when Adam and Eve sinned, G-d decided to take away the light. G-d waited until after Shabbat and then hid the light until the coming of Moshiach. Adam and Eve, who were created on Friday, enjoyed this special light until after Shabbat - a period of 36 hours. Thus, we see a connection between the Chanukah lights (36) and the coming of Moshiach.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY & HAPPY CHANUKAH
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
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Dedicated in loving memory of Sonja Rosi bat Yosef – May her Neshama be elevated in Gan Eden
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