23 Nov CHANUKAH POWER

As we get ready
for the very sweet
festival of Chanukah,
it behooves us to
brush-up on its
spiritual messages.
In this way, we can
ensure that it doesn’t
become a mere
season of gastronomic delight such as
latkas and sufgoniot (jelly doughnuts)
nor will we fall into the trap of allowing
Chanukah to become, chas v’shalom, an
Xmas look-alike.
A common thread that runs through
most of the amazing events of Chanukah
is the element of mesiras nefesh, selfsacrifice, of the valorous Jews during
the memorable era of the Chashmanoim.
Whether it was the rabim b’yad m’atim,
the many in the hands of the few, giborim
b’yad chaloshim, the mighty in the hands
of the weak, the heroic self-sacrifice of
the brave Macabees to defend the Holy
Temple and the lives of their brethren
from the wicked Syrian-Greeks, whether
it was the legendary Chanah and her
seven sons who, with amazing courage,
chose death rather than bow down to
Antiochus haRasha’s idol, or the zealous
search of the Kohanim to find a single jar
of oil with the seal of the Kohein Gadol,
a search that can be compared to looking
for a needle in a haystack when the could
have allowed themselves the Talmudic
heter, allowance, of tumah hutra b’tzibor,
that when the entire congregation is
contaminated, one can use even defiled
oil, but they demonstrated amazing
mesiras nefesh in passionately wanting
to fulfill the mitzvah in its best possible
way. Or, the amazing valor of the
daughter of the Kohein Gadol who,
instead of succumbing to the wickedness
of the Syrian-Greek governor, protected
her Jewish modesty with an incredible
act of bravery, killing the wicked official
and jump-starting the Jewish conquest.
Chanukah therefore is a time to take
stock in whether we have this element
of mesiras nefesh in our spiritual lives.
When we are tired, do we still push
ourselves to get up early to make minyan
– or do we succumb to temptation and
say our prayers quickly at home before
dashing off to work? Do we exercise
self-sacrifice in pushing ourselves to
attend a shiur after a hard days work –
or do we cave in to our physical laziness
and just go home and read the paper?
In this area, Chanukah should jog us to
make a reality check. Is there an element
of mesiras nefesh in our relationships
with our children? Do we find the
time – although there is never enough
time – to take interest in our children’s
learning, in their character development,
in their personal happiness? All of these
objectives are mitzvahs of the highest
priority, since if we, their parents don’t
attend to these needs, who will?
Do we have the spiritual bounce our
steps to use a Sunday or any day off to
provide pleasure for our spouse – thereby
ensuring the Shechina will permeate our
homes? Mesiras nefesh doesn’t only
mean putting your life on the line for
your spiritual beliefs. Rather, anytime
we push ourselves beyond our natural
physical tendencies in order to fulfill
the will of Hashem, we are following in
the footsteps of the great Macabees, the
heroes of Chanukah.
The Aleinu Leshabei-ach, on this week’s
Parshas Vayishlach, tells a fascinating
story about the venerable Rav Shach,
Zt”l, Zy”a. Rav Shach, already a very
old man, had to spend some time at
the hospital. One day, he informed his
family that he desired to go one floor
down to visit a man who was also
staying at the hospital. Rav Shach knew
had known that this man was treating
his wife poorly. He wanted to talk to
him once again about adopting better
marital behavior. The family was aghast
as Rav Shach was ill and very aged, yet
he wanted to get up from his sick bed
and go down a flight of stairs all for a
shalom bais discussion. Despite their
pleas, Rav Shach was adamant. They
then suggested that instead of Rav Shach
going downstairs, they would ask the
man to come up to Rav Shach’s room.
This too, he vehemently vetoed.
At this point, when reading this story,
I thought to myself that Rav Shach’s
reason probably was that he was banking
on the impression he would make on the
man by leaving his sickbed and trekking
downstairs. Perhaps this act would
impress him to realize the severity and
importance of the issue! This just shows
how little I understand the minds of our
gedolim. Rav Shach went on to explain
why he insisted on going down to the
room himself. He elaborated
that he had worked on this
couple’s marriage many times
to no avail and therefore he felts
that perhaps if he took heroic
measures to be moser nefesh
– to get out of his sick bed to
help save a marriage, Hashem
would see his self-sacrifice and
perhaps, in that merit, bless his
efforts with success.
This vignette introduces an entirely new
angle to mesiras nefesh. Sometimes a
spouse says, ‘Why should I go through
so much trouble? My mate won’t
appreciate it anyway?’ or a parent thinks,
‘Why am I investing so much energy
in this child. She or he just takes it for
granted?’ Even if these conjectures are
true, the superhuman effort might still be
effective for Hashem might take note of
this additional exertion and in that merit
might bless us with Divine assistance
at succeeding in our marriage or in the
chinuch of our child.
In the merit of our mesiras nefesh – both
small and large examples, may Hashem
bless us with long life good health and
everything wonderful.
Here are some tips for the days ahead.
• Chazal teach us that the last day of
Chanukah is the final “gmar din.” Since
this is so, the month before it is like an
Elul and can be used wisely for a final
chance at teshuvah and making peace
with people.
• Chazal teach us “Gedola mitzvah
b’shaata – Great is a mitzvah in its
proper time.” As this is the case, we
should make every effort, when possible,
to light the Chanukah candles in the
proper time; forty-five minutes after
sunset (according to most opinions). At
the very least, we should try hard to do
this on Motzei Shabbos and Sunday!
• Although family gatherings are a
delicious part of Chanukah, they should
be planned around the lighting of the
neiros in the proper tine – and not the
other way around! It is okay to blow
out the candles after they have remained
lit for the shiur – and then one can go to
join family, parents, children, friends and
neighbors.
• Great care should be exercised with the
hadlaka on Erev Shabbos. The lighting
should be done leaving ample time
for the women to make their eighteen
minutes before shkia hadlaka. It
is preferable to daven Mincha after
the hadlaka if that will help ensure
that everyone will light on time!
Remember chilul Shabbos takes
priority over any aspect of lighting
the candles!
• When children are around, never
to leave the candles unattended –
especially on Friday night! Also
remember to keep the neiros away
from the drapes.
• The Gemora in Shabbos informs
us, “Kol haragil b’neir havyan
lo banim talmidei chachomim –
Whoever is careful with candles
will have children who are Torah
sages.” In part, this refers to the
mitzvah of Chanukah candles.
Thus, the stakes are high to do this
lofty mitzvah in the most beautiful
way possible. Having a nice menorah,
keeping it clean, putting it in the right
location, saying the blessing with proper
kavanah (concentration), and gazing at
the candles and wicks, contemplating the
great miracles of the Chashmanaim era,
are all part of the meaningful fulfillment
of this mitzvah.
• According to many Chassidic masters,
the custom of Chanukah gelt is an
opportunity to teach children to give
tzedaka from their own money.
• Latkes and sufgoniot are the standard
scrumptious Chanukah fare. This is
because they are prepared with oil and
therefore help to commemorate the great
miracle of oil on Chanukah. In addition,
it is an excellent idea to introduce cheese
platters at a Chanukah banquet. This
commemorates the miracle that occurred
with the daughter of Mattisyahu, Kohen
Gadol (Medrash Maseh Chanukah).
When the Syrian Greek governor
abducted her, she got him thirsty using
salty cheese. She then plied the thirsty
rasha with strong wine, which lulled him
to sleep. Subsequently, she killed him,
which was one of the miracles that led
to the Jewish conquest of the Yevonim.
• The fast of Asara B’Teves
commemorates the terrible event of the
wicked Nevuchadnetzar setting siege
to Yerushalayim. In a way, in our time
the Arabs are also setting siege to Eretz
Yisroel – and we should use this fast as
a catalyst to pray for our brethren there,
and for the speedy coming of Moshiach
tzidkeinu!