Celebrating the miracle of the soul

Jewish World Review ^ | 12/05/'07 | Grand Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach

[Zionist Conspirator]

With this awareness of the powerful miracle of spiritual renewal that is such a vital part of Chanukah, we can understand the message of the Talmud's teaching (Shabbos 21b) that even the types of oil and wicks which cannot be used for lighting the Sabbath candelabra, are acceptable for use in the Menorah for Chanukah. The Chassidic work, Me'or Einayim explains: Even those souls who are so far removed from the Torah's teaching and practice that the light of the Sabbath cannot inspire them or draw them closer, can be touched by the light and inspiration of the Chanukah Menorah.

The essence of Chanukah is the celebration of the miraculous recovery of the Jewish soul from the Greek attack on its purity, and the regeneration of the Jewish soul from its innermost spiritual core. Therefore, it touches every person who sees the light of the Menorah at that inner place, the part of the soul which has never been contaminated.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Hopefully this will explain why groups such as CHaBa"D promote public chanukkiyyah-lighting ceremonies. It isn't a reaction to chr*stmas or an expression of multiculturalism (though it is often cloaked in that rationale to get it past the PC thought police). This mitzvah brings about spiritual effects and helps draw estranged Jews back to G-d. (Too bad that so many Jewish liberals see the lights and reflect on "freedom of religion" rather than on HaShem and the Torah. But maybe they'll come back home some day!)

[Zionist Conspirator]

Ping.

[wideawake]

Thanks for this.

I wanted to make a comment on a comment you made the other day on a similar topic.

Hitchens attacked Chanukah as an intolerant holiday which celebrated the triumph of dark religious obscurantism over the forces of Hellenistic light and secular reason.

You responded basically by saying that Hitchens is right and that's why Chanukah is a good thing.

But Hitchens is, in fact wrong: Chanukah is about integrity.

The Antiochene Hellenists whom the Maccabees fought were not "enlightened" or "rational" - they were bloody-minded, cruel and superstitious.

Nothing about the astrological preoccupations of Hellenistic culture is inherently more rational than Torah.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Thanks for this.

I wanted to make a comment on a comment you made the other day on a similar topic.

Hitchens attacked Chanukah as an intolerant holiday which celebrated the triumph of dark religious obscurantism over the forces of Hellenistic light and secular reason.

You responded basically by saying that Hitchens is right and that's why Chanukah is a good thing.

But Hitchens is, in fact wrong: Chanukah is about integrity.

Ssssh. Let's not tell anyone!

[onedoug]

The soul. Does it come merely with the human ability to abstract information from its environment? Or is it of the universe, developed as the means of looking at itself?

But as made itself in the creation event, or manufactured thus by God.

I think both by the quantum model. Thus in God I believe.

[familyop]

Thank you, ZC. That’s beautiful and truly something for all people to be thankful for. Without it, even the nations would be worse off.