Lessons from the Shamash
Bella Novokolsky and Meeya Weinberger, Grade 10
The Netziv says at the beginning of Parshat Beha’alotcha, that the Menorah represents all forms of wisdom. As we know, Betzalel created everything for the Mishkan. Hashem told Betzalel to make the Menorah out of one solid piece of gold. He was unable to accomplish this because it was too difficult for him to create. Betzalel threw the piece of gold into a fire and the Menorah miraculously (through the help of Hashem) formed itself. This is where we see how the Menorah symbolizes wisdom. Just like it was made from one solid piece, not welded together, all the Torah comes from one primary source: Hashem. And just like the Shamash on the Menorah represents the wisdom of Torah, all the other wicks facing it, essentially come from the primary flame (the Shamash) as well.
Another message we can learn from the Shamash is when we light candles, we start from the Shamash and spread its flame to the other wicks, without the Shamash losing some of its own fire. The Torah and Mitzvos are often compared to a fire. Fire is the only element in the world that can be shared and spread without losing from its original source. The Jewish People are meant to share mitzvot and teach Torah knowledge with others, without losing opportunities for himself, but rather helping and bettering others.
This Chanukah, we should all try to be Hashem’s primary source in this world by spreading your own wisdom and light to others.
Happy Chanukah!
Passion as a Prerequisite for Torah Living
Mrs. Shyndee Kestenbaum, Judaic Studies
Many divrei Torah have been said about the quandary of the holiday of Chanukah. Why do we celebrate a holiday that didn’t really have a happy ending as far as history goes? Why do we celebrate the tiny miracle of oil vs. the obviously unrealistic victory of the Jews over the Greeks? Are we mekayem the mitzvah of sufganiyot if there are Fruity Pebbles on top instead of jelly inside? I mean, these are the real important Chanukah questions.
As a history teacher who often ‘ruins’ the holiday of Chanukah for my students after they learn the historical context of Chanukah coupled with the sad end of the Chashmonai dynasty – I am often asked “so why do we celebrate Chanukah?” Depending on how cynical my mood is, I will try and restore your daughters’ faith in their favourite holiday, but it does sometimes get me thinking about what lesson can we learn today, from this age-old story.
My personal take away point from Chanukah is the importance of bringing passion back into our lives. Take Matityahu, a man who took on an impossible feat fueled by his belief in God alone. In one of the Meshech Chochma’s more famous pieces, he explains that throughout our circular history, we find ourselves in different themes. Sometimes we’re in an era of passion, sometimes destruction, sometimes rebirth and, sadly, sometimes in a period of apathy. I am known to say that I wish I lived during the decades after World War II so that I could be privileged to see that massive drive that my grandparents put in to rebuild their shattered world. I wouldn’t presume to diagnose our generation, but I find myself struggling with overcoming apathy myself. It is hard to feel that passion, but I know deep down that it is vital to Jewish survival.
There is an interesting story brought down in the Gemara (Chagiga 14b) that talks about a group of Chachamim who were expanding on Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim to such a ‘fiery’ extent that an actual fire came and surrounded the house. The owner of the house, who happened to be Avuya, the father Acher was nervous for the state of his house. The chachamim responded that “וההר בוער באש עד לב השמים,” the mountain was burning until the heart of shomayim, referring to the original giving of the Torah, during Matan Torah. We didn’t mean to cause a fire, but this is exactly what learning Torah brings. A fire. A passion.
Learning and living Torah daily should be a replica of the Sinai experience. To me, it’s no surprise that Chanukah is symbolized by the fire of the Menorah. Matisyahu had that fire and passion. Those lone eight candles of light in the abysmal scene of destruction, represents this power passion that we need in our life.
And to me, this is why we still celebrate Chanukah, why it is still relevant today. We need reminders to bring passion back to our Torah learning, back to our Torah living. We need to fight that everyday apathy and in doing so, iy”H we should see the original Menorah shining bright in our Beit Hamikdash rebuilt once again.
Clash of Cultures
Hillel Brumer, Grade 10
We all know the Chanukah story with the Maccabees revolting against the Greeks and their improbable victory that resulted in Chanukah. An important question comes up within this story that can apply to any generation: Were they fighting back against Greek culture? We ourselves are very integrated into North American culture; if Yehuda HaMaccabi were alive today, would he be leading a revolt against the culture around us? Would he support or fight against our study of secular knowledge and science?
The story is quite complicated and there are many more components than will be mentioned here. A major attempt at the Jews integrating with Greek culture was attempted by a person named Jason, who became the Kohen Gadol by bribing Antiochus. Jason built a gymnasium in Yerushalayim, something taken straight from Greek culture and the Jews were generally accepting of it. It is important to know that the Greeks had control over the Jews for roughly one hundred and fifty years before the revolt and the Jews were generally at peace with that. Rav Aharon Lichtenstein talks about the difference between Greek and Jewish culture. The Greeks placed man at the center of the universe rather than God which we, the Jews, cannot accept; but we can still learn from their desire to understand all that they could about nature and the universe. The Gemara in Shabbos 75a says it is a Mitzvah to study astronomy in line with the Greek emphasis on understanding nature.
So, when did the Maccabees revolt? The Greeks made decrees that if someone kept Kosher, got a Brit Mila, observed Yom Tov or Shabbos they were to be punished by death. At this point it is no longer about integrating into Greek culture and knowledge, it is a war on Torah and Mitzvot and that is when the revolt is needed. Nowadays, we learn math, English, and science; all of which help us understand the world and can be integrated with Torah and Mitzvot. If Yehuda HaMaccabi were alive today it is likely that he would be a thriving student at Or Chaim learning both Judaic and general studies.
Chanukah is a reminder for us that although things in the outside culture can be positive and sometimes even a Mitzvah, everything we learn should be through the lens of Torah and Mitzvot.
Embracing Our Failures
Rabbi Bentzi Shor, Shaliach
It is not for no reason that the IDF stands for “Israel Defense Forces”. The policy that governs the State of Israel is to try to minimize the use of violence, and to only do what is necessary to protect its civilians and borders.
However, this leads to some puzzlement when it comes to Chanukah. During the eight days of Chanukah, we add in our tefilla and in our Birkat HaMazon the famous “Al HaNisim” passage, where we give praise and thanks to Hashem for the miracles and salvation that took place nearly 2,200 years ago. But we praise Hashem not only for the miracles. A quick look at the words show that we also give thanks for the milchamot, the battles. Why do we praise and give thanks to Hashem for the battles? If it were for the victories then it would make more sense, but why are we happy about the battles? Wouldn’t it be better if they didn’t happen in the first place? Why give praise for something that is seemingly bad?
Rav Soloveitchik (Hararei Kedem, Volume 1, page 303) explains that indeed the praise and thanks that we give Hashem is for the miracles and the salvation. Nevertheless, the troubles and the perils that led to all this are no less part of the salvation, and therefore included in the praise that we give. Indeed, the battles that were are not something that we strive for. On the contrary! We try our hardest to avoid them. However, if it were not for the battles then there would be no miracles either, and therefore any thanks or praise we give Hashem for the miracles must include their origin – the battles, as well.
This idea, that the perils are a part of the salvation is true regarding other things as well. Many people are afraid of failure. In fact, there are those whose fear of failure is so great, that they don’t even give it a shot. They don’t even try. However, there is a saying that “failure is not the opposite of success. It is part of success”. Without failures there would be no success.
Failures are just stopping points that we need to pause at as we are walking down the path to success. Their purpose is to point us in the right direction and to make sure that we don’t stray away from the path.
The same way that we give praise and thanks to Hashem for the battles that eventually led to the miracles, likewise we should embrace the failures that can direct us in the correct path and help us reach the success we are striving to achieve.
Chanukah Sameach!
