Seventh Night • Sparks of Light 5781

Miracles

Aviva Eizicovics and Chani Shull (Grade 9) 

After hearing Rabbi Grauer speak about the miracles of different holidays at the JEP (Jewish Enrichment Program) meeting a couple weeks ago, we acknowledged that there are two different kinds of miracles. They are equally important even though at times they are not so clear. The first kind of miracle is what we call a ‘seen’ miracle. Seen miracles are exactly what they sound like! They are miracles that come from HaShem that are completely against nature. They can very clearly be seen as praiseworthy occurrences that make people’s jaws drop. For example, the miracle with the oil on Chanukah. The small jug of oil lasted for 8 days when in reality, it should have lasted a couple hours. This is a ‘seen’ miracle. It was against nature that the oil lasted 8 days. The second kind of miracle is a hidden miracle. A hidden miracle is a miracle that is (as the title suggests) hidden! It is something that from the outside does not seem out of the ordinary, and can often be hard to see as many things about a hidden miracle are so normal. For example, on Chanukah, when the Jews won the war against the Greeks, despite them being a huge minority. Winning a war is not something out of the ordinary. It is not something against nature. This in fact was a huge miracle! Sometimes when things happen that are not unusual they don’t seem like miracles. However, this is wrong. Although the miracle of winning the war was hidden, it is still so amazing and should be considered as great of a miracle as the oil lasting, and often it doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves.

In life, we will experience both hidden and ‘seen’ miracles. It is especially hard to see hidden miracles, but it is up to each and every one of us to recognize all the miracles that happen. Sometimes we take those things for granted. An example that Rabbi Grauer gave us as a ‘hidden miracle’ was being able to go to school at a time like this. Think about it! Amidst a global pandemic, thanks to the incredible efforts of the administration, faculty, students, and especially thanks to HaShem watching over us, we have managed to stay in school for almost 13 weeks! In addition, so many people are not fortunate enough to get an education, or to have their schools open, so the fact that we are still in school reinforces the idea that having our school open is a huge miracle! So many miracles happen to us each day, from waking up in the morning, to having a home to go to each night, but it is up to us to recognize these miracles. 

Chag Sameach!

חנוכה, חניכה וחינוך

Ms. Racheli Peretz (Young Shlicha)

חג החנוכה נקרא כך על שם חנוכת המזבח. לאחר שבית המקדש טומא, באו החשמונאים וחנכו אותו שוב לעבודת ה’. בהקשר הזה, יש שימוש במילה ‘לחנוך’ – להשתמש במשהו בפעם הראשונה. לדוגמה – חנוכת הבית. 

ישנה מילה נוספת הבנויה מהשורש ח.נ.ך, והיא המילה לחנך. חינוך בין היתר היא פעולה שמטרתה להשפיע על העתיד. לדוגמה, “חנוך לנער על פי דרכו גם כי יזקין לא יסור ממנה”. 

לפעמים המושג ‘לחנך’ נתפס אצל אנשים בצורה מוטעית. אתה מחנך רק אם יש לך תואר בחינוך או אתה מחנך מישהו רק כאשר הוא עשה משהו רע וצריך ללמד אותו את דרך הישר. אבל לדעתי, כולנו מחנכים. כולנו מנסים להעצים ולהצמיח אחרים. 

על מנת שנצליח להיות מחנכים טובים, אנחנו צריכים לחנוך את עצמנו. להסתכל קודם כל פנימה אל עצמנו ולראות מה אנחנו רוצים ליצור ולהעצים אצלנו. לאחר מכן, אנחנו יכולים ללכת לנסות להצמיח אחרים. 

עניין זה מתחבר גם לניצחון של המכבים על היוונים. למרות שהם היו מעטים, הרוחניות שלהם הייתה כל כך חזקה שהיא עזרה להם לנצח. 

ככל שאנחנו נהיה מבוררים יותר, זה יוקרן מאיתנו החוצה. 

עלינו למצוא את האור בתוכנו ולהעצים אותו שיהיה עוצמתי כמו אורם של המכבים ולאחר מכן לנסות לחנך ולהפיץ אותו אצל הסביבה שאנו בוחרים להשפיע עליה. יתרה מזאת, אני מאמינה שהסביבה תוסיף אור על האור שאנו נביא מעצמנו וכך זה ימשיך הלאה. 

Shine Your Light

Avraham Adler (Grade 12)

There is a question as to whether one fulfills his obligation of ner Chanukah if the candles blow out before the minimum time requirement. The halacha is that if one puts enough oil in the menorah to last the time period required, then he has fulfilled his chiyuv even if it were to blow before lasting the full time. 

The Bnei Yissachar was particularly fond of this halacha. Chanukah revolves around the mitzvah of hadlakas ner Chanukah, so we must ask, “why is the halacha so lenient in a situation where the candles blow out?” A person would think that the flame would have to burn for a specific period of time since the mitzvah of pirsumei nisa is so important. The Bnei Yissachar says that the light of the menorah represents the astonishing wisdom of the Torah. If a person learns Torah for a long period of time but is disappointed that he is not fully getting it, he is still rewarded for the Torah you learned. The Torah is about labour of love and not end-results. The goal should be the journey rather than the finish line.

We often view the tzadikim as having a great light shining across the world, but what about us average people who don’t create as much light? We learn from Chanukah that even if the Torah one learns seems as if it does not produce as many results, there is still reward for the mitzvah. If you were to pour your entire heart into your learning, regardless of whether you understand it correctly, you are rewarded with the mitzvah of talmud Torah. So, paskins the Beis Yosef, even if the light of a menorah doesn’t shine as long as it should, the fact that you pour your soul and heart into it, Hashem considers it as worthy as a menorah that does not burn out. Effort and action count, and everyone has light to shine on the world.

Chanukah: Actual vs. Potential

Rabbi Tzvi Kamenetzky (Judaic Studies Teacher)

We are all familiar with the two main Nissim of Chanukah. The Nes of the war when the Chashmonaim defeated the Greek army despite the fact that there were so few against so many and the weak against the powerful. The only way for the Jews to be victorious was through a Nes from Hashem, a wondrous reason to celebrate and publicize the Miracle of our victory.

The second miracle was the Nes of the Pach Shemen. Despite the lack of appropriate pure olive oil to light the Menorah, one small jug of oil was found which has the seal of Purity from the Kohain Gadol. The remainder of the oil supply has been defiled and made Tamei by the Yevanim who sought to remove every element of holiness from the Jews and their way of life. 

I recall my father, Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky zt”l challenging me with a strong question on the necessity for the miracle for the oil to last for eight days. After all, we have a rule that is learned from the pesukim called “Tumah Hutrah B’Tzibbur”!, which means that “in a situation where the majority of Klal Yisrael are deemed Tamei and unfit for doing the Avodah due to their communal lack of purity”, the Torah forgoes the requirement of doing the Avodah while Tahor and allows the Korban to be sacrificed and processed even with the status of Tamei.

My father then showed me a Pnei Yehoshua in Maseches Shabbos who answers with a great Chidush but a powerful lesson. He explains that the rule of Tumah Hutra B’tzibur will only apply to the bringing of a Korban such as the korban Pesach which is permitted to be brought if most of Klall Yisrael are Tamei. However, in the case of Ner Chanukah, when the Chasmonaim were attempting to be Mechanech the Bais Hamikdosh and rededicate it anew by lighting the Menorah, such an Avodah of Chinuch Hamikdash cannot be performed with ingredients which are Tamei! We wouldn’t want to establish the new foundations of the holy Beis Hamikdash with items which are not 100% pure! Aba wanted to extend this message to the Chinuch that we give our children. We must realize that we may not compromise on the content we expose our children to while they are in the chinuch stages of development because all we teach them in these years will be the basis for the Ruach HaTorah upon which they will lead their lives B’ezras Hashem!

Ah Frelichen Chanukah to our wonderful Talmidim and their families along with the entire BAS Family. Make sure that over Chanukah you all add to the Simcha, Hallel, V’Hodaah in your homes which are all considered holy Batei Mikdash!