“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Vayeshev
22 Kislev 5780/December 20, 2019
GAINING
TRACTION
Winter is unquestionably here. Aside for the cold weather and snow, we have also had to contend with the more insidious danger of ice.
During a couple of cold mornings
recently, I walked out of my house into the morning chill. As I tried to climb
my driveway to start my car and begin cleaning off the snow and ice from the
windows, I found myself sliding down the driveway. It was so frustrating;
despite being just a few feet away from my car, every time I tried to take a
step forward, I slid down a few more feet. I realized that my worn-out shoes
have absolutely no traction on the bottom. They couldn’t grip anything and
therefore there was nothing I could do to keep myself from sliding.
It definitely would have been a lot
easier to go back into the house and wait a few hours for the sun to come out
and melt the ice. (It would be even better if I could have gone back into my
house and come out in April...) But that is obviously not an option. The new
day was beckoning, and I had places to be and things to do. I needed to figure
out a way to deal with the ice immediately. So, I allowed myself to slide down
to the open garage. I took out a shovel and then was able to chip my way up the
driveway.
As anyone who has lived in this
world for some time can attest, life is not smooth sailing. When things become challenging,
we have a natural urge to try to run away from our problems, in the naive and
foolish hope that somehow, they’ll just go away. The successful and effective
person is one who is willing to face his hardships. He knows he may not be able
to solve all his problems in the moment. Still, he seeks to navigate his way
through the morass of his challenges until he can figure out how to improve his
situation.
The holiday of Chanukah symbolizes
this concept. The events surrounding the holiday transpired during a dark and
difficult time historically. The reality was that the majority of the Jewish
people at that time were attracted by the beauty and allure of Greek culture
and they Hellenized, adopting the Greek views and ways of life. Those who
remained steadfast and loyal to Torah were a minute pitiful few.
The Maccabees went to war with the
knowledge that G-d could do anything, but that the chances were that they would
die fighting. In fact, over time, all of the original five Maccabees indeed
died at war or were assassinated.
After the miracle of the oil and the
menorah, the Maccabean forces had to continue battling the Syrian-Greek armies
as well as the Jewish Hellenists who still virulently disagreed with the
Maccabees’ stubborn loyalty to Torah.
Chanukah is not a holiday which
completely transforms the weekdays into a holy time, as does Succos, Pesach and
Shavuos. Rather, it infuses a spirit of holiness into mundane weekdays.
Chanukah
symbolizes the ability to find traction and to remain loyal even during
difficult times. It’s a celebration of small bursts of light in a time and place
of ominousness and darkness. That is why it is such a beloved holiday in exile.
It infuses us with chiuzk during the cold and dark period of the year.
I definitely need to get better
shoes to help me gain traction in the ice. I am also very excited about the
upcoming days which will help us all find traction for our souls, no matter how
challenging our personal situation may be.
A beautiful and happy Chanukah to
all!
Shabbat
Shalom & Good Shabbos,
Freilichen and lichtig
Chanukag/Chag Orot Sameiach,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum