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By Rabbi Y. Y. Rubinstein
http://www.jewishworldreview.com |
Chanukah celebrates an event which took place over two thousand
years ago. Alexander the Great had conquered
most of the known world. The land of Israel became a part of
the new Greek empire. Alexander's rule was benign. He was quite
happy to allow his subjects to practice whichever religion they
choose. His successors were not. The religion of the Empire
had to be the Greek's religion. Everyone was accepted and acceptable
...as Greeks. Judasim was to be stamped out.
There could have been no position more calculated to provoke
Jewish revolt than that. So the Jews rose and defeated the Greeks
and eventually liberated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which had been
turned into a shrine.
All the Jewish symbols as well as the altar
had been removed or spoiled. So the Jews set about restoring
their holiest site to it's original purpose and appearance. The
Temple's golden candelabra -- menorah -- was re-lit but only enough of the consecrated
oil could be found to last one day. It burned for eight .
G-d saluted the Jew's fight with a miracle.
So in Jewish windowsills
or porches you see one light burning to be joined the
next night by another and another until eight flickering flames
recall and strengthen an age old Jewish conviction, a people's
right to be themselves.
THE WAR CONTINUES
The newly religious Jew may well want to maintain his friendships
but because he's changed and no longer goes to non kosher restaurants
or plays sports on the Sabbath, his old buddies sometimes end
their friendships.
But it's a peculiar sort of friendship that
says you will be my friend as long as you are ... just like
me. If you share my views and tastes, then friends we are and
friends we will stay. But if you deviate and I no longer see
myself when I look at you, then you can't be my friend.
Most friendships, of course, are between people who have things
in common. But there is much to be discovered in people who have
different views and see the world differently, too. From pajamas
which came here from India to the difference that French and
Chinese cuisine has made to our diets. Different peoples and their different
ways of doing things, have made positive differences to the way
that we do things.
One of Judaism's holiest books tells a story of a rabbi who
was riding along on horse, when he passed a very ugly looking
man. The rabbi was revolted by the fellow's appearance and actually
spoke his thoughts aloud, "Ugh, what an ugly fellow."
The man heard the rabbi's words and shouted after him "Take
your complaint to the One who made me this way."
The rabbi
was startled and the man approached him and shouted again "Go
on, take your complaint to the one who made me this way, tell
G-d you don't approve of His design, give Him a real telling off."
The rabbi was thoroughly ashamed. G-d has made us all different.
It's through our differences that we are meant to serve Him.
Another Rabbi once said, " If I am I and you are you...then
I am I and you are you. But if I am I because you are you and
you are you because I am I ......then I am no longer me and you
are no longer you."
We still think that G-d salutes us when we hope to be a friend
to others while being true to ourselves
So at Chanukah we say a prayer that thanks G-d Al ha nisim sh'aisiah
l'avoseinu bayomim hahem baz'man hazeh: for the miracles You
did in those days at this time.
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Very often I come across young Jews who come from non-religious
backgrounds, who have gone on in their own lives, to keep all
the laws and traditions that the Jews of Chanukah fought for.
And because of that, both family and friends feel upset and rejected.
JWR contributor Rabbi Y. Y. Rubinstein, an international lecturer, is a commentator for the
British Broadcasting Company (BBC). He was cited by the U.K. paper, Independent, as being
among the five most regarded people in the Britain to turn to for advice. To comment, please click here.
