Page 37 - HaMizrachi_Hanukkah_AUS_2020_Neat

HOLIDAY READING

Rabbi Zev Leff Rabbi Berel Wein

The Children’s Holiday

ow there is not much new or ordinary or natural and restored it to our rights to our ancient homeland.
brilliant left to be said about its truly wondrous state. The story If the wonder of it all is lost and for-
Nthe holiday of Chanukah, of Chanukah is that of a small and feited then so is our struggle for exis-
right? Many old and grizzled rabbis apparently weak nation overcoming a tence and independence. Chanukah is
like yours truly would probably agree mighty army of a world empire. a pure wonder and hence its impor-
with that statement. Over 50 years of tance and relevance to us in today’s
writing and speaking about Chanukah It records a triumph of monotheism world.
should pretty much exhaust the topic, and Jewish tradition over pagan cul-
shouldn’t it? But then again, that ture and practices, of the small, pure Perhaps more than other holidays of
would be selling Chanukah short. lights in the Temple that overcame the Jewish year, Chanukah is a chil-
the flaming torches that were far from dren’s holiday. Tradition allows even
There is always a different and new pure, and of the vitality and resilience the youngest to light the Chanukah
insight that illuminates all the hol- of Israel over those who would wish to candles, to play dreidel, to taste latkes
idays and Chanukah is certainly no snuff it out of existence. It is all won- and sufganiyot, to have time off from
exception. I was reminiscing with drous but only if one views it all as school and to observe the holiday
myself (something that old griz- being wondrous. through the eyes and senses of a child.
zled rabbis do often) about my own
life and past. I was amazed to again Children still retain their sense of
realize that somehow a lawyer from wonder and imagination. Their world
Chicago ended up being a Rabbi in is not usually bound by the practical-
Jerusalem. How did this happen? And ities, realism and sometimes pessi-
how did the Jewish State itself happen mism of their elders. Everything in life
– not in terms of history, facts, per- is still new and unexpected, worthy of
sonages, dates, places and wars but in curiosity and examination. Theirs is
the amazing fact that such a country yet a magical world, even a spiritual
flourishes and progresses in spite of world, viewed from a different plane
all odds, past and present, against its of perception and thought.
existence?
Therefore, Chanukah is the perfect
Our Sages have taught us that people holiday for children for it requires this
to whom wondrous things occur do perspective – to be made wondrous,
not really recognize those events miraculous and thereby meaningful
as being wondrous. It is part of the and beneficial. Chanukah is not for
weakness of human nature to have In their holy perspective of Jewish life the jaded and empty- spirited. Its can-
such limited understanding. There and events, our Sages elevated the dles flicker only for those that see the
has to be a flash of insight, a com- mundane and seemingly ordinary to fire of Torah, tradition and morality
memorative act, a tradition of being the realm of miraculous and eternal. lying beneath the waxy surface.
able to look past the trees to the That is the main lesson Chanukah
forest, a spirit of almost childlike teaches us – we are a special people One who is privileged and able to
wonder for the amazing to truly be who live a miraculous existence with see the wonder of the events that
believable in the eye and mind of the constant wonder and yet it is all occurred to us “in those days” will
beholder. And I think this is how we encrusted in seemingly natural and also be able to discern the wonders
have to look at Chanukah and the tra- ordinary occurrences. that we encounter daily here in Israel
ditions and customs that so endear “in our time.”
this eight-day festival to all of Israel. To de-legitimize the story of Cha-
nukah and to treat it as just another
Jewish tradition and the Rabbis of the ancient war of the Grecian period is Rabbi Berel Wein is Senior Rabbi of Beit
Mishnah took an amazing event that the same tactic the world uses today Knesset HaNassi in Jerusalem and Direc-
many people would look at as being to de-legitimize the State of Israel and tor of the Destiny Foundation.

To be immortal all you need to do is engrave your values on the minds of your children. | 37
RABBI SACKS