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MIZRACHI SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE TORAT MIZRACHI

how would the world look to us if solely to military courage. No wonder
we hold a candle in our hand? This we sometimes experience frustration
is the purpose of Chanukah: to edu- with our heroes in Israeli society and
cate us to find the light in everything are so desperate to find new ones.
and in every person, to see reality on
a deeper level, to discover the secret So what is heroism according to the
Torah? Very simple. The word ה ָ רּוב ְּג
within.
(heroism) comes from the same root as
Rabbi Ya’akov Moshe Charlap the word ר ֵּ ב ַּג ְ ת ִ ה ְ ל – to overcome. What
explains that we must take this prin- do you overcome? Your instincts. And
ciple from Chanukah into the rest of that is relevant for each and every one
the year: “These days, the eight days in a neighborhood of light,” he con- of us, because the war on our instincts
of Chanukah, which were set as days fided. “I begged my father to let us be is not just on the battlefield. It’s in the
of praise and thanks, days of marvel- like everyone else. I felt like a Jewish “Black Friday” shopping craze, in line
ing – marveling at the sublimity of alien and was ashamed of who I was. I at the supermarket and even at home,
every mitzvah, at the majesty of sanc- wanted to be a non-Jew with the same between us and our children. And yes,
tity, these days are the origin of all the burning desire I had to be a movie it’s also about inappropriate sexual
marveling which we will experience director.” behavior. Stories of heroism from the
throughout the year. Every marvel battlefield are necessary for every nation
which brings with it greatness – stems We painfully read these words, full in its infancy, but it seems to me the time
from Chanukah.” The ability to marvel of admiration for Jews throughout has come to expand the canopy to other
and be excited about every point of the generations who kept their iden- types of heroism in Israeli society.”
light in the Torah, about every point tity with love, despite being a small We sing, say brachot, eat, play
of light during the year – is like a con- minority within a flashy majority and talk by the light of our
stant candle in our hand. culture. 7Chanukah candles, but taking
a moment to daven by the candles is
We have returned from our Miz- There is only one Land where the considered a great thing. Time should
rachi shlichut in America. When party and the celebration are all our be devoted to prayer as well. As the
5our shlichut began, we were just own, only one Land that pulsates with 19th-century Chassidic Rebbe, Israel
out of it, especially during the holi- a Jewish rhythm. Learn to appreciate Friedman of Ruzhyn, said of praying
days. Over there, it was not our party, it. by the candles on the special day, the
not our celebration. At the beginning Israeli journalist, Oded Harush, eighth day of Chanukah: “The same
of our stay, we saw a pumpkin next to published a text that goes against action that the greatest tzaddikim of
the front door of almost every house 6the macho perception in Israeli the generation cannot perform in the
and scary costumes. Halloween, nice culture. It‘s worth reading: Neilah prayer on Yom Kippur, any
to meet you. Next, turkeys and a mul- simple Jew can ask and enact in front
titude of invitations to “Thanksgiving “Did you ever think about what Shim- of the candles on the eighth day of
Dinner” that reminded us of “Where shon HaGibor or Yehuda HaMacca- Chanukah.”
will you be going for the Seder?” And bee looked like? Imagine them for a
then the clerk in our local Target store moment. Rambo? Hercules? There’s At the end of Chanukah, some
told us: “From Black Friday through a reason we imagine our heroes that people greet each other with
January 1st, we can only play Christ- way. When Chanukah was called the 8gmar chatima tova! The eighth
mas songs. It’s one of our rules.” We “Holiday of Heroism” over the years, candle of Chanukah is considered the
conclusion of the entire period that
did count a few menorahs displayed in it was referring to the culture of the began on Rosh Chodesh Elul, through
front windows but they were minimal spirit. To the war on Greek culture. Selichot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur,
compared to the numerous reindeers, But what is left of all this in Israeli Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat
sleighs and trees. culture? Greek culture, which sancti-
fies the macho man. Instead of fighting Torah. Gmar chatima tova!
Steven Spielberg once said how as a Greek culture, we inadvertently got Sivan Rahav Meir and Yedidya Meir are
child he wanted to decorate his house: sucked into it. Instead of expanding popular Israeli media personalities and
“Our house seemed like a black hole the concept of heroism, we reduced it World Mizrachi’s Scholars-in-Residence.

People do not win respect by insisting on the right to be respected.
Respect is earned: that is what makes it respect. | 11
RABBI SACKS