 |
|
 |
Mila Yomit Chanukah
Shalom Friends:
I pray and hope that this finds you well.
It is Ner Shmini: The Eighth Candle of Chanukah.
We have once again, reached the Infinite, journeying from 1 to the 8,
lighting 36 candles.
What can we learn from CHANUKAH?
Let us look at it a little more closely.
---------
OTIOT: LETTERS
CHET-(CH)- life(chayim) and wrongdoing (chet- is sometimes translated as
sin)
-with the numeric value of 8 which is symbolic of the
Infinite, life is a journey to the Infinite.
NUN-(N)-first letter of NER-(nun,reish)-candle
VAV (V)-connection, letter of Divine Name
KAPH- (K)- palm of hand-kaf yad- (holding the Yud)
HEH-(H)-letter of Divine Name, denoting expression
(Perhaps the process of illuminating, connecting, expressing the Living
Light of the Infinite.)
(One could say this is a projection on these letters, and yet it fits.)
------------
RELATED AND SIMILAR WORDS:
CHEN (CHET, NUN)-means 'grace, beauty, charm'
CHANA-(chet, nun, heh)- to encamp, also used to rest at one spot.
CHINUCH (chet, nun, vav, caph sofit:ending) is the word for education,
CHANACH (chet, nun, caph) is the verb 'to inaugurate, dedicate, consecrate"
CHANUKAH in Chassidic-Kabbalistic text is also divided into
CHANU (chet, nun, vav)-they rested or encamped, KAPH, HEH (kaph= 20, heh=5,
twenty five) which can
be read as; "They rested on the twenty fifth."
Hanukah begins on the twenty fifth day of Kislev.
On the twenty fifth we take a rest from the physical and enter the
spiritual.
---------
KISLEV(kaf,samech,lamed,vav) is read Kabbalistically as KIS (kaph, samech):
which means 'COVERING'. of "LAMED (30), VAV (6)" the 36. The Midrash teaches
us that the
first light-AUR EN SOF- shone for 36 hours until our actions caused it to be
reduced.
On Chanukah, we rekindle 36 candles (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8=36) as
our way of step by step returning to the knowledge, the light and the
holiness of our original creation.
Naturally, this is done through the agency of the HASHMONAYIM-the number 8
is SHMONA. The family known as the 8's, kindled SHEMEN:Oil (the root of
Shmona and Hashmonayim).
They demonstrated to us and all the world that each particle is connected
to the Infinite. All we need to do is kindle the first light and we will
witness the 'miraculous' joining to the Infinite Light..
-------------
Fittingly Chanukah (and Purim) are the only seasonal observances that are
Rabbinically proscribed and not derived from the Torah's narrative. They
emerged out of our historical experience. It is our offering, our reaching
out in the darkness to the Light of the One.
One of the foundational teachings of the Torah is that we as finite beings
are able to connect with the Infinite
'Peh El Peh'- Mouth To Mouth; also read read 'Poh El Poh'-Here To Here.
Right here, right now in this physical manifestation of time and space, we
are in intimate unity with the Divine.
The illusion of separation and isolation is apparently necessary in order to
allow us free will and maximal opportunity for experiencing and learning. We
are taught that one of the ways that we are created in the Divine Image is
that we too are creators of worlds and universes. We, individually and
collectively, are creating much of our experience as we act and express
ourselves in myriad ways.
The Torah entered the world in order to offer guidance on how to live in
harmony with the One and One Another. This journey is sometimes a struggle.
Our behaviors, actions, attitudes sometimes can contribute to the
desecration of life in some way. Hanukah comes to remind us that even in
moments of greatest breakage,
even when the Temple seems to have been made impure beyond repair, it is
still possible to experience 'nissim ve'niflaot: miracles and wonders."
On Chanukah, the Divine asks of us is to light one candle directed towards
the ultimate Tikun-Fixing.
And to know clearly that this one candle will reach and draw into our
experience the Light of the One.
There is too much darkness, confusion and desecration in this Holy Temple of
our Aretz: Earth.
May this Chanukah bring much light, education and consecration as
we rededicate ourselves to purifying and perfecting our existence..
The Torah teaches that "Derech Eitz HaChayim: Te Way to the Tree Of Life"
is directly before us at every moment, in every experience. By eachof us
shining our light bright we can together illuminate and find our way back
into Gan Eden: The Garden of Delight.
Chanukah Sameach
Itzchak
home Rabbi Zeitlin Mordechai Beck Rabbi Simkovich Rabbi Friedman Rabbi Marmorstein Recommended Reading
5508 35th Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105 USA