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GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Rabbi David Stav
The Real Choice

Today

hanukah is perhaps the most temples, the packed stadiums, for some that nourishes the Jewish people to this
beloved holiday of the year. The dilapidated Jewish study halls? very day.
Cvast majority of Jews (religious רֹוא ה ָ רֹות ְ ו ה ָ ו ְ צ ִ מ רֵנ, “A mitzvah is a candle
and not so religious) light candles and Of course there were a handful who and the Torah is light” (Mishlei 6:23).
eat donuts and latkes. On the occasions did believe in the Jewish people. They
I have married non-religious couples on were able to miraculously vanquish the Thanks to this holiday, we reveal the
Chanukah, they usually ask me to begin enemy on the military battlefield but light we have in our lives, the great priv-
the ceremony by lighting the candles. spiritually and culturally? No chance. ilege we have of being Jewish and being
part of the great story our nation has
It is no coincidence that the Rambam We can see a similar scenario in our brought to the world.
writes that “The mitzvah of ner Chanu- times too. Entire cultures are collapsing
kah is a much beloved mitzvah.” This in the face of western culture, without Rabbi Sacks zt”l used to say that in the
is an unusual statement as our Sages even one shot being fired or one missile past we were the chosen people. We
are not accustomed to assign grades to being launched. were forced to be Jews. Our enemies
different mitzvot, and certainly not in generally didn’t allow us to assimi-
halachic works, in which people’s emo- Entire cultures are late (apart from Greece, who wanted
tional connection to mitzvot does not “” to assimilate us along with all other
really influence the halachic discourse. collapsing in the nations.)
Therefore, this is evidently more than face of western Now, we are the people that choose. We
a social comment about the spread culture, without need to decide if we want to be Jews
of the holiday among all sections of even one shot being or not. In that sense, Chanukah is the
the people. The fondness we have for fired or one missile quintessential contemporary holiday.
lighting Chanukah candles can teach Just like then, we need to choose. It’s
not easy because we don’t have anyone
us a significant principle we can use being launched physically forcing us like they did back
as a beacon for both our present and then, and we have a powerful culture
our future. The reason we are so con- So it wasn’t simple at all to decide to bombarding us from all angles. We
nected to this holiday should serve us celebrate Chanukah. Especially when need to decide.
as a paradigm for our Jewish lives – and its main theme is the dedication of the
is perhaps something we are not always Mikdash desecrated by the Greeks. The The mitzvah of ner Chanukah teaches
aware of in our crazy times. us the best way to spread the Torah’s
same Mikdash that no longer stands. messages.
The story of Chanukah does not start Why celebrate a day that no longer has
particularly well. It’s not all clear but it is any significance? Would anyone still To reveal the light within it.
agreed that the Greek Empire that ruled celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut if – G-d To encourage the younger generation to
over Eretz Yisrael at the time forbade forbid – Iran would destroy Israel? continue to help the Jewish people grow
the Jews from keeping the mitzvot and and flourish, they must feel this thing
worked to transform the Jewish popu- Therefore, it is seemingly not the mili- is “beloved.” They must feel the Torah
lation into another cultural Hellenist tary victory we are celebrating. We are is relevant and meaningful for each and
enclave. The Jews didn’t need too much marking the cultural courage of those every one of them. That Jewish wisdom
persuasion as they were keen to discard Maccabim who decided they wanted to and tradition can make them better
the national yoke of Torat Moshe and remain Jews even if the Mikdash was no people, happier people, living lives of
become part of a “global village” soaked longer, and the Jewish State destroyed. meaning, growth and purpose.
in a Greek culture that was very attrac- As indeed it can.
tive and appealing. Their Jewish spirit was not broken.
Who wants to be an isolated minority On the contrary. It became stronger and
in a hostile world boasting power, con- gained traction. Our Sages compiled the
fidence and esthetics? Who would want Mishnah and the Gemara and eventu- Rabbi David Stav is Chief Rabbi of
to exchange the magnificent Greek ally the entire gamut of Jewish literature Shoham.

For as long as Jews are Jews, they contribute something unique to the intellectual,
spiritual and moral life of society. So that if Jews are no longer Jews there
14 | is a missing voice, an empty place, in the conversation of mankind.
RABBI SACKS