Page 20 - HaMizrachi #15 2019 Chanuka USA

Rabbi Benji Levy

the Miracle

of jewish continuity

ear in and year out, I am asked Chanukah, on the other hand, was A Jewish wedding is becoming more
a time sensitive question – very different in this sense. Jews were rare, not because of hatred, but
Yshould a couple getting mar- not hated for who they were but for because of love – universalism is more
ried on Chanukah light a chanukiah at what they did. It was not their exis- embracing than particularity and
their wedding? tence but their practice that threat- assimilation is more accommodating
ened Greek culture. than distinction.
The most recent time I was asked this
question, rather than answering, I took Jews that acted as Jews were differ- It is for this reason that one may get
advantage of the educational oppor- ent from those that were prepared to married on Chanukah, according to
tunity and asked if one can even get assimilate. Indeed they were loved all opinions, as essentially the smachot
married on Chanukah. as people and only hated as Jews – if are two expressions of the same source

The answer is yes, but why? only they could express their humanity – choosing to love rather than falling
in or out of love, celebrating the per-
through Greek society and abandon
The Talmud famously states “ein their particularity, they would be wel- petuation of our destiny and Jewish
continuity.
me’arvin simcha b’simcha” – we do not come to not simply survive but thrive.
mix two different smachot or joyous Therefore, while there are questions
occasions as they can detract from or When read this way, the miracle of around the blessings, one can light
be confused with one another, pre- Purim is a celebration of the most Chanukah candles at a wedding for
venting adequate attention to each. basic human need – the ability to live the purpose of publicizing the mir-
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For this reason, the Beer Hetev and and breathe. acle, because indeed, the miracle of a
others hold that the custom is not to The miracle of Chanukah, however, is Jewish wedding is the perpetuation of
get married on Purim. a celebration of the most basic Jewish the miracle of Chanukah – “the strong
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With so many similarities between need – to live freely and actively as a were delivered into the hands of the
weak, the many into the hands of the
these two festivals, why can one get Jew. few.” 3
married on Chanukah but not on The enemy of Purim hated us so much
Purim? that they would kill us regardless of Chanukah is a time learn from our

Purim represents the ultimate miracle what we did – the enemy of Chanukah past as we spark, ignite and shine
through the next generation, illumi-
of physical survival against a physical loved us so much that they wanted us nating the path ahead for a brighter
threat. to subscribe to their Hellenistic way of future!
life.
Haman hated the Jewish people and
therefore wanted to exterminate every Returning to our question, celebrat-
last Jew. The gallows that were set ing the miracle of Purim represents 1 Moed Katan 8b.
did not discriminate against female a different type of simcha to getting 2 See the Be’er Heitev on Shulchan Aruch,
Orach Chayim, Hilchot Megillah Purim
or male, young or old, believer or married – the former represents being 696:8. See also the Levush, Magen
non-believer – the very existence of alive, the second how we choose to Avraham and Pri Chadash.
Jews necessitated their eradication. live. Celebrating Chanukah represents 3 HaNissim prayer.
Jews were never welcome into society the same type of simcha as getting
regardless of what they could poten- married – we actively choose who we
tially add or remove. love in order to continue our people. Rabbi Benji Levy is CEO of Mosaic United

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