There is a famous debate in the Talmud between Hillel and Shammai - how should we light the Hanukah candles for the 8 days of Hanukah? Shammai said, on the first day, we should start with eight candles, and on each successive day, we should take away a candle. His reasoning was solid - he brought up the fact that Hanukah and Sukkot are connected, and the sacrifices that were made in the Holy Temple diminish every day. Hillel responds with his approach - we start with one candle on the first night, and on the second night we add another candle, and so on. On the eighth night, we have a total of nine candles (eight candles plus the Shamash); and his reasoning? It wasn't a quote from the Bible, it was a statement, "we increase in holiness, and never diminish from it." As we all know, Hillel won the argument, and on the eighth night of Hanukah, I found myself lighting a huge Hanukiah at Boca Center with eight other rabbis in the community from the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements of Judaism.
But the take away for me is not just about Jewish unity, which should not be taken for granted as this type of unity is rare in the Jewish world, but about expressing our Judaism in public without fear, and with great pride. This year, I had the honor of lighting the fifth candle on behalf of Shaarei Kodesh.
 |
The interesting thing was how we lit the candles, with Tiki torches. Someone snapped a picture of me holding the torch, lighting the Hanukiah, and I posted it on social media. It wasn't so long ago that hundreds of men in Charlottesville marched with Tiki Torches saying the following mantra in unison: Jews will not replace us! Jewish will not replace us! In fact, the Tiki torch company put out a statement after Charlottesville.
 |
As we held the tiki torches, lighting the Hanukiah, I felt we carried on the tikkun (healing) from the events of Charlottsville. We proudly lit a symbol of hope with these torches after they were co-opted by a group who perpetuates hate and violence.
Considering the rise in Anti-Semitism in our country and in our state, we must stand up to this type of hatred and shine the light of Hanukah, of religious freedom and Jewish pride beyond Hanukah.
In this week's parashah, VaYigash, we read about the reunion between Joseph and his brothers. As we know, Joseph's brothers threw him in a pit, almost taking his life. In his reintroduction to his brothers, Joseph tells them the following: "Come forward to me." And when they came forward, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, he whom you sold into Egypt. Now, do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me hither; it was to save life that God sent me ahead of you." It is here that Joseph shows his true greatness, his ability to forgive. The question is, what are the bounds of forgiveness? Can we forgive those who walked with Tiki torches chanting 'Jews will not replace us'?!? Join us this Shabbat as I'll be speaking about this very issue, and there will be some Star Wars references (don't worry, no spoilers).
Today, we move on from Hanukah, with the memory of the eight lights dancing in our heads. These lights were meant to stay with us through the darkness of winter, and the darkness we may encounter in our lives. It is up to us to hold the hope and courage of the Maccabees with us as we journey on from this point.
I wish you all a Shabbat Shalom and as I will be away next Shabbat, an early happy secular New Year.
Rabbi David Baum
Comments