Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Announcements & Mazel Tovs
Quick Chanukah Dvar Torah



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

TheBeinoni




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 12:42 am
Some thoughts on Chanukah that I had planned on sharing with a not so frum crowd but didn't get a chance to.

This year, it almost is bittersweet to be celebrating 8 long nights and days of Chanukah - the Festival of Lights - after all the darkness we face in the world. First it was Mumbai, then Chevron, now Gaza. And let's not forget this "financial crisis" that seems to govern every action we take. We are all working so hard and it feels like we barely reap the benefits. The current situation is such that can cause one to fall into a depression and rightfully so. How can we be expected to celebrate this so-called "miracle" of Chanukah?

And on a very literal note, Chanukah is davka in the wintertime. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the days get shorter and the nights get longer. We are in a state of perpetual darkness. I once heard that statistics show that ppl often become depressed in the winter months. So how can we be really be b'simcha and truly celebrate something about LIGHT when we are always surrounded by the dark?

Chanukah is the time we celebrate a special miracle - the nes of finding that tiny amount of oil, just enough to make a tiny bit of light. Think about it - the entire Beit Hamikdash was in shambles!!!!!! The whole thing was DESTROYED, smashed into a million tiny pieces! And we get all excited over a tiny light to the point where we say "NES GADOL - a great miracle - HAYA SHAM/PO"???? How can this be? Shouldn't we have been focused on how GADOL the destruction was? Why make such a big deal over some tiny goodness when there is still yet so much that needs to be repaired?

This is the lesson of Chanukah. Yes we live in a terrible world. A lot of the world is broken into pieces right now. We have yet to fix this Earth. But, just as we light the menorah, one wick at a time - one on the first night, then with each night we increase gradually and slowly - we too can dispel the darkness with one light at a time. Each and every one of us has this light within us - and it just takes one small candle to light up a dark room!

CHAG SAMEACH to all! There is still time left for another Chanukah miracle! May we all meet in Yerushalayim NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Back to top

RichWithNachas




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 5:51 am
Really nice Dvar Torah.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just too add about the Miracle. It seems strange that the oil is considered a miracle because there actually was oil that was halachically permissable. Being that there was no other oil, they were allowed to use the open oil. However, they only wanted "pure" olive oil, which they found one cruise of and that lasted eight days. They wanted"no" compromise. And because they wanted it , they found it,and hashem made a miracle for them.

Also a great lesson from the candle:
Even a child who is not yet an adult, by lighting his candle has the capability to light up the entire world. And thereby reveal the honor and glory of Hashem in the world.
Back to top

meirav




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 5:57 am
Gorgeous, HotMama!
Back to top

StrongIma




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 6:31 am
beautiful and so to the point. thank you.

(why should only the not-yet-frum crowd enjoy such a pearl of wisdom?)
Back to top

ChossidMom




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 7:28 am
Beautiful!
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 10:46 am
I see your drinkypoo was workin overtime ...
l'chaim Drunken Smile Cheers לחיים
to light dispelling the darkness
to miracles
l'MOSCHIACH Drunken Smile Cheers משיח
Back to top

Beauty and the Beast




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 1:10 pm
very nice, thanks for sharing that with us!
Back to top

frumluv




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 2:10 pm
Really liked that, thanks for sharing!
Back to top

TheBeinoni




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 4:32 pm
I'm so glad you all enjoyed! Chanukah is such a beautiful chag and I think it came at the right time this year for all of us. Smile

May the light we lit for the past 8 nights illuminate our paths for the rest of the year!
Back to top

Fabulous




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 29 2008, 6:36 pm
hotmama wrote:
I'm so glad you all enjoyed! Chanukah is such a beautiful chag and I think it came at the right time this year for all of us. Smile

May the light we lit for the past 8 nights illuminate our paths for the rest of the year!


AMEIN!!
Back to top

Simcha100




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 30 2008, 5:31 am
Amen! Thanks for the inspiring words! I'll take it to heart even though its not Chanukah anymore. I do have to admit, it makes me feel guilty for getting frustrated at one of my kids and davka right before candle lighting. what kind of message do I expect to teach him by that ? well, I'll succeed to michanech better the next time around with Hashem's help.
Back to top

TheBeinoni




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 30 2008, 10:23 am
But simcha that is my point! Ok, so you weren't so perfectly mechanech ur child for that moment but think of all the other better moments the past 8 days! I'm sure they were there.

That's my point. We can make mistakes. Heck the whole world seems to be a giant mistake at this point but just like you said, next time you will make sure to do better. We don't have to wait for next chanukah. We can make tiny little changes right NOW! Smile
Back to top
Page 1 of 1 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Announcements & Mazel Tovs

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Therapy/purim Torah
by effess
4 Fri, Mar 22 2024, 12:17 am View last post
Easy or quick way to clean walls and doors
by amother
22 Wed, Mar 20 2024, 8:42 am View last post
Chanukah and Purim?
by amother
2 Wed, Mar 13 2024, 11:53 pm View last post
Education level? - talmud torah d monsey cheder
by amother
0 Sun, Mar 10 2024, 1:12 pm View last post
Difference between talmud torah monsey & beer yeshaya
by amother
6 Sat, Mar 09 2024, 11:24 pm View last post