Weekly Reflections with Rabbi Mordechai Rhine CHANUKAH & G-D WINKED It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. The battle against the Syrian-Greeks had been won. Now the Jews entered the Temple to begin the cleanup. The Temple had been defiled systematically by the enemy. The cleanup task was enormous; the place was in shambles. And then they encountered the menorah. The light of the menorah had always represented the beauty of Judaism and its eternal nature. "In these troubled times," the Jews wondered aloud, "wouldn't it be proper for us to start the recovery by lighting the menorah?" Yet there were problems. They searched for certified oil so they could light the menorah with purity, and they could only find one cruse of oil that the Greeks had not tampered with. It would take eight days before they could obtain oil fit for the menorah. "What will we do tomorrow?" some people asked. "It isn't worth lighting today, if tomorrow we won't be able to light. We might as well postpone the mitzvah," they argued, "Until we have enough oil to perform the mitzvah properly." But there were some Jews there who really wanted to do the mitzvah. They insisted that even if they didn't know how they would meet tomorrow's challenges, that shouldn't stop them from meeting the challenges of today. They insisted that they would light the menorah that night with the one cruse of oil that they did have. Undoubtedly, the dissenters walked off wondering why these devout Jews were being so stubborn in their love to do the mitzvah. They prepared the menorah and filled its cups with the precious oil, and a second group of dissenters began to voice their opinions. "Let's make the wicks 1/8 thinner than usual and in that way the one cruse of oil will last eight times longer." Their view was heard, and then debated. A significant number of Jews couldn't bear the thought of tampering with the mitzvah. "We must do the mitzvah properly, in its full honor," they insisted. "What will be tomorrow is in G-d's hands. Today's mitzvah is up to us." The dissenters were undoubtedly disappointed that their suggestion to minimize the mitzvah was not listened to. They walked off disgusted that these devout Jews were being so stubborn in their love to do the mitzvah properly. So they lit the menorah in its full glory on that first night of what would become known as Chanukah. It was a bittersweet lighting. It was the best of times; but it was a difficult time. So many Jews were overwhelmed by the task at hand that they wanted to give up. These devout Jews themselves didn't know how they would get oil for tomorrow. But they lit the menorah because it was the right thing to do. I would have given a pretty penny to have seen the face of the Kohein as he entered the Sanctuary the next morning. Imagine his expression as he saw that the lights of the menorah were still burning brightly, and the cups of oil were still full. In my minds ear I could hear his shouts calling the other Jews to see what had happened. I can hear the pounding footsteps as they came running to witness the first night of the miracle. I can even hear the voices of the sincere, but despondent Jews, who the night before had given up, but were now thankful for those devout Jews who had done the mitzvah with confidence, in all of its glory. The Jews were struck by the miracle, and decided to try again on the following night. And so it continued. Each night, they lit the menorah not knowing what tomorrow would bring. Each morning their determination was rewarded, and the cups of oil were still full. The lesson of Chanukah is not to give up. We need not reconcile ourselves to diluting Judaism or joining the "give uppers" just because we are overwhelmed by full observance. G-d only asks us to try our best. The heros of Chanukah are those who showed sincere friendship to G-d and his mitzvos. They wanted to do the mitzvah in all of its joy and in all of its glory. They didn't know what tomorrow would bring. But they winked at G-d in sincerity and in devotion. And then G-d winked back. With best wishes for a wonderful Shabbos and a Happy Chanukah, Rabbi Mordechai Rhine Torah Links of Cherry Hill www.onlinelinks.org www.teach613.org QUESTION OF THE WEEK: We know that the miracle of the menorah was that one flask of pure oil burned for eight days, even though that amount of oil would normally burn for only one day. Why do we celebrate eight days of the miracle, if natuarally that amount of oil would have burned for one day. Shouldn't the miracle be commemorated for seven days and not eight? (reply to RMRhine@Torahlinks.org )