Recent Issues
By: Rabbi Grisha Abramovich, Religious Union for Progressive Judaism in the Republic of Belarus; Rabbi of the
Sandra Breslauer “Beit Simcha” Center
in Minsk.
Miracles of our Holiday, our Chapter and our Life
Miracles of our Holiday, our Chapter and our Life
It may seem that for Hanukkah one should study less than for Rosh Hashanah or Pesach As there are less customs and commandments to be observed at Hanukkah nor there is a book to be read at Hanukkah like
Haggadah
at Pesach.
It may seem that for Hanukkah one should study less than for Rosh Hashanah or Pesach As there are less customs and commandments to be observed at Hanukkah nor there is a book to be read at Hanukkah like
Haggadah
at Pesach.
There are some communities where Hanukkah is as popular as Sukkot, but even there at Shakharit services during the Hanukkah time less congregants will gather if compared to Sukkot. Nowadays, Hanukkah as a holiday of light and miracle has got one more function – to unite family, a community as well as communication among the nations.
There are some communities where Hanukkah is as popular as Sukkot, but even there at Shakharit services during the Hanukkah time less congregants will gather if compared to Sukkot. Nowadays, Hanukkah as a holiday of light and miracle has got one more function – to unite family, a community as well as communication among the nations.
Hanukkah traditions, from lighting the Hanukkiah and spinning the dreidel to getting the Hanukkah money and eating doughnuts are not complicated to follow but are meaningful. The custom of gifting children with money so they could buy presents and giving
tzedaka
in the first place should have shielded them from the brightness of Christmas and its gifts. But now it has become the reason for the family to gather and once again discuss what a child can buy and how mature he or she has become.
Hanukkah traditions, from lighting the Hanukkiah and spinning the dreidel to getting the Hanukkah money and eating doughnuts are not complicated to follow but are meaningful. The custom of gifting children with money so they could buy presents and giving
tzedaka
in the first place should have shielded them from the brightness of Christmas and its gifts. But now it has become the reason for the family to gather and once again discuss what a child can buy and how mature he or she has become.
Initially the dreidel, that became a Hanukkah symbol from 17th century, was supposed to remind us
Nes Gadol Haya Sham
– a “Great Miracle Happened There” (in Israel). But today we speak about the miracle of survivals during the holocaust, about the miracle of preserving Judaism during the years of Soviet Union and about other miracles that surround us.
Initially the dreidel, that became a Hanukkah symbol from 17th century, was supposed to remind us
Nes Gadol Haya Sham
– a “Great Miracle Happened There” (in Israel). But today we speak about the miracle of survivals during the holocaust, about the miracle of preserving Judaism during the years of Soviet Union and about other miracles that surround us.
The Hannukiah has been lit in the 20th and 21st centuries by Presidents and Prime Ministers, mayors of cities/towns and ambassadors to the countries with the Jewish population. All these facts show us that Hanukkah unites families, communities and even nations and countries.
The Hannukiah has been lit in the 20th and 21st centuries by Presidents and Prime Ministers, mayors of cities/towns and ambassadors to the countries with the Jewish population. All these facts show us that Hanukkah unites families, communities and even nations and countries.
This week’s Torah portion,
MIKETZ
, tells us a similar story. At the beginning of the chapter Joseph uses his gift to interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams; then he becomes responsible for the communication between Egypt and other countries warning them about the famine and other misfortunes; and at the end of the chapter he reunites with his own family, helping them to cope with all the difficulties. Despite the fact that his family sold him to slavery and the country where he found himself sent him to prison, they all need his gift. Both the jar of oil found in the Temple and Joseph’s gift of the dream interpretation later became the instrument to see certain miracles.
This week’s Torah portion,
MIKETZ
, tells us a similar story. At the beginning of the chapter Joseph uses his gift to interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams; then he becomes responsible for the communication between Egypt and other countries warning them about the famine and other misfortunes; and at the end of the chapter he reunites with his own family, helping them to cope with all the difficulties. Despite the fact that his family sold him to slavery and the country where he found himself sent him to prison, they all need his gift. Both the jar of oil found in the Temple and Joseph’s gift of the dream interpretation later became the instrument to see certain miracles.
We celebrate Hanukkah on the 25th of KISLEV. We light candles and reminisce about the
Hashmonai
family, mentioned in the blessings and the Amidah. The Torah doesn’t mention Hanukkah directly, but there are hints to the festival of lights. The 25th word in the book of Genesis is ‘the light”; and in the book of Numbers the 25th camp during the 40th year wandering in the desert to be HASHMONA. This portion is often read during the Hanukkah week, and is an example of the inter-textuality of the holiday and the chapter might be a hint for us too. Our kids’ dreams can be implemented not only by giving them the Hanukkah money and treating them with delicious doughnuts. Year by year we tell them stories of Joseph and his brothers, the story of bravery of
Maccabeus
, the miraculous reunion of the family, the defense of the country and tradition as well as the miracle of the dialogue with those who live near and shares with us all rises and falls. So lessons of miracles in the Hanukkah and the
Miketz
chapter we learn from year to year not just brings new thought and ideas but tells us about how reach is our tradition to take and how much space is left for us to bring.