You Light Up My Life

 Dear Friends,


As we approach the conclusion of 2022 and begin a new secular year, I wanted to share a thought from my colleague, teacher, and friend, Avi West, of blessed memory.

During Chanukah he taught me about the importance of lighting two Chanukah menorahs.  There is a Talmudic argument between Rabbis Hillel and Shammai about the lighting of the candles.  Rabbi HIllel taught that one should light one candle the first night and add one candle each night up until the eighth night when one lights all eight candles.  Rabbi Hillel believed that the miracle of the oil burning  was greatest on the final night so we should light all eight candles that night.  When it comes to matters of bringing holiness to our world we should always increase and not decrease what we do.

Rabbi Shammai taught that we should light all eight candles the first night and decrease to one candle the last night since the oil was the strongest the first night and the weakest the last night.  Most of us follow the teachings of Hillel.

Avi told me he would light two Chanukah menorahs (chanukiot).  One would begin with one candle and one would begin with eight candles.  As one would increase and the other one would decrease, Avi would watch them get brighter and less bright simultaneously.  What I learned from him is that when we are almost running on empty, we can see the fully lit Chanukiah and be filled with hope for what could be possible.  And...when we saw one that was fully burning, we would also see the one with one candle and would realize that it is up to us to believe that we can fill the world with hope and light and help those whose lives are not as blessed as ours and who may be running on empty.

Avi, by the way, would always bring me and so many others hope and was fully lit, increasing holiness wherever he went.  

As we celebrate the beginning of 2023 and sometimes are overwhelmed with the feeling that there is just a little light in our world, may we remember the fullness and potential of what could be and strive to light up our world.  Let us bring light and hope in 2023 even though we feel we are running on empty and things seem bleak.

Be well and safe in the secular new year.

Rabbi Bruce Aft

.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Listening and Love

 Dear Friends,  This past week was a Jewish Holiday called Tu B'Av  Please check out the following link from My Jewish Learning. Tu B'Av, the Jewish Day of Love As I think about the meaning of love, I think about the Shema which reminds us to "LIsten Israel, the Lord our G-d, the Lord Alone."  We are then asked to love G-d with all our heart, all our soul, and all our might."  (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). One of the ways in which I look at love is described in the prayer "Listen" which is found below which I initially read in the prayerbook, "LIkrat Shabbat" I believe that among the most important aspects of love is the ability to listen.  At one of our children's weddings I read the following lyrics from the song, "I Talk to the Trees." from the broadway musical, "Paint Your Wagon." (please search for this and watch Clint Eastwood sing it:-)) I talk to the trees But they don't listen to me I talk to the stars But they neve
Read more

Prayers for Peace in Israel

 Dear Friends, In the midst of the tragic events  in Israel I wanted to send you something  which Elad, our tour guide  while we will be in Israel sent me. As one who remembers  so many of the conflicts in Israel, the loss of life and the trauma is staggering. May the memories of those who have died not be in vain,may  those who have been kidnapped and are being held hostage be  returned safely, and may Israel know peace  in the days ahead. B'shalom, in peace, Bruce My dear friends, You probably heard the bad news about the war that started today between Gaza and  between Israel. We are in a new situation that last time we experienced was exactly 50 years and one days ago on October 6th 1973 when the Yom Kippur war started, today it's Yom kippur war #2.   My family seems to be safe though my 96 years old grandmother who lives in Ofakim, my home town near the border with Gaza. among other villages and towns it is under attack and hostages are taken. My grandmother Sol has been l
Read more

Tragedies of War

 Dear Friends, As we all struggle with the tragic events in the Middle East, the brutal acts of Hamas including the taking of hostages, and all the subsequent loss of life, I, like all of us, am struggling to find the right words. I taught about the weekly Torah portion this past Shabbat (Sabbath) and we talked about the text that says that Noah was righteous in his generation.  Noah is not viewed as righteous for all time as is Abraham.  Noah is criticized for not arguing with G-d about the destruction of humanity and for not telling people why he was building the ark. This led to a discussion about whether we have ever done enough to claim to be righteous.  One participant in the discussion said he would be happy to list "saving humanity" on his resume whether he was considered righteous for all time or not. I gave the example of our Passover song, "Dayenu" which means "enough."  We say  that G-d does a variety of things for us and if G-d had only done a
Read more