Chanukah: 8 Days of Thanksgiving
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This year, the first day of Chanukah coincides with Thanksgiving. Since everything that occurs is by divine providence, what is the lesson can we take and what comparisons can we make between these two celebrations this year when they fall out together?
The Rebbe spoke about the meaning of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims that made it to America were thankful to the Almighty for having arrived safely to its shore. They were grateful to have the freedom to serve the Almighty. Because of this the legal holiday of Thanksgiving was instituted. Chanukah has a similar intent. The Maccabees were thankful to Hashem for their victory over the Greek Empire, which forcefully and wickedly attempted to stop Jews from serving Hashem in the way that the Torah requires in the Beis HaMikdash. What angered the Greeks was the idea of kedusha. They would not accept allegiance to something that cannot be touched or understood with reason. They determined that this must be done away with and so the defiled the pure oil of the Beis HaMikdash. The Maccabees fought for freedom to serve Haashem the way that we do and we celebrate Chanukah that we won and that we continue.
Mitzvos are compared to a candle and the Torah to light. The holiday of Chanukah revolves around lighting candles. When a physical candle is lit it doesn’t just affect the space that it occupies but also lights up its entire surroundings. The public domain is not dedicated to Hashem. A private domain, a Jewish home is dedicated to Hashem as is seen even on its outside by its mezuzahs. The light of Chanukah does not just affect the home but shines to the outside. It spreads the light of Hashem into and transforms the darkness of the outside world. There are 8 days of Chanukah. The number 8 represents the Torah and mitzvos, which are beyond 7 that represents the cycle of nature. The effect of each mitzvah is eternal and everlasting; as it says “asher kidshanu b’mitzvosav, that he sanctified us through the mitzvos”. Each mitzvos is done in a specific time and place yet its effect is eternal and everlasting. Hashem gives us life and we need to serve Him beyond time and place. We accomplish this with the Torah and mitzvah and this the greatness the Chanukah candle and what it represents. Every mitzvah shines into the neshama and from there into the environment, and even pushes away the darkness. A Jew is not afraid to stand up and proudly say that what is accomplishing. He is thankful that he is a Jew and that he is able to do a mitzvah.
The Previous Rebbe wrote that once he was in France with his father the Rebbe Rashab. Somewhere in the middle of Paris the Rebbe Rashab took notice of a specific location and said that there was a kedusha in that spot that could be felt. He commented that perhaps a Jew had once davened Mincha there. Later when passing that place a second time he said that certainly a Jew had davened Mincha there. Millions of people had passed by since the time that this Jew davened nevertheless there remained a kedusha that the Rebbe could feel. This is what we accomplish with each mitzvah we do.
Someone once said to the Rebbe that wherever he goes he finds Coca Cola and Chabad. The difference is that the Coca Cola Company provides the drink and Chabad reminds us to make a bracha. A bracha is thanksgiving, our thanks to Hashem for the food. Through the bracha we elevate the food and the environment and make it into a dwelling place for Hashem.
Once a Jew from England told Rabbi Telsner the following story about himself. He grew up in a religious background, got married and settled down. Somewhere along the way his marriage went downhill and unfortunately ended in a bitter divorce. The divorce process was devastating emotionally and he was shredded financially. In his upset anger and despair he threw off everything and ran away to South Africa for many years. In South Africa he became a diamond dealer. One year he made a business trip to New York. While he was shopping in Macy’s Department Store a young Rabbinical Student approached him. He asked him if he was Jewish and if he knew that today was Chanukah. He said that he was Jewish and he did not know that it was Chanukah. The young man asked him if he would give him a menorah if he would light it. He said; “Why not?” and took it back to his hotel room. He set up and lit the menorah then began to stare into its flame. His whole life began to flash in front of him and it brought him to tears. Even after the flame went out he continued to stare at the menorah and cried throughout the night. After this he began to return to the community and he eventually returned to Judaism and got remarried. All of this happened and the young Bachur who gave him the menorah never found out. This is what the Rebbe wants. He wants that we should kindle souls wherever we go whether or not we ever find out. With the lights of Chanukah, the light of the Torah and mitzvos we burn away what is left over of galus and reveal Moshiach Now!