Rabbi Nisan Andrews
By Rabbi Nisan Andrews
Recently, I reflected on how Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, takes place during a time of year when darkness predominates the 24-hour cycle. This period might seem like an unexpected time for a festival that celebrates light. Perhaps the contrast is intentional, emphasizing an important aspect of light and holiness: they often appear in the least expected places.
From the origin of the holiday, this theme predominates. The Greeks were asserting their influence over the ancient world not only through military might but also through intellectual prowess. Their culture flourished as they assimilated the surrounding regions into their modern ideals and enlightened philosophy. In this context, an unexpected resistance emerged from a group that seemed least likely to oppose them. A small, improvised band of unarmed individuals, lacking martial power or a historical military tradition, took a stand against Greek rule and emerged victorious!
I once heard the story of a saintly yet simple man who lived in Meah Shearim. He was not a scholar and earned his living as a manufacturer of special Shabbat cooking sheets called Blechs. For many years, he had an unusual custom of saying Kiddush, the blessing that sanctifies Shabbat, not over wine, as is the common practice, but over challah bread every Friday evening.
When others asked about this practice, he explained that during the British Mandate, a friend of his was suffering from a serious illness that required an astronomical sum of five thousand pounds sterling for treatment. This friend had no idea how he would be able to raise the money, so he turned to our Blech maker for advice. Being a loyal friend, the Blech maker told him, “Go ahead and borrow the money, and I’ll pay it back for you.”
The Blech maker determined that if he abstained from using wine for Kiddush on Friday evenings for twenty-five years, he could repay his entire debt with the money he saved. And that is precisely what happened. For the next quarter century, having Kiddush over wine on Friday nights became virtually unheard of in his household.
This incident emphasizes that, in my experience, it is often the quiet, humble individuals who possess an abiding sense of care and commitment, encapsulating the theme of the season; holiness surfaces where it is least expected.
Rabbi Nisan Andrews is Rabbi of Congregation House of Jacob Mikveh Israel.
Lovely. Sweet.