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Chanukah 5763 (2002) The Lightness of Being Comment If you recorded every word you said for 24 hours, you'd probably find hundreds of references to light. Light, brightness, radiance -- these A little bit of light dispels a lot are the metaphors we use when we wish to speak about hope, wisdom, and goodness of darkness.

Shutters and Blinds Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi Voices What does light give? The details. The color and texture. The fullness and the goodness. It balances the shadows and fills in the outlines, so that the remaining darkness only adds contrast, complexity, beauty and interest to my world Why Couldn't the Jews and Greeks Question Just Get Along? The Jews and Greeks could have learned so much from each other! Instead, the extremists of both sides hit the battlefield without actually The Path of Light being there When He made the world, He made two ways to repair each Eight Chanukah Stories Story Judea, 139 BCE... Heaven, 25 Kislev, 3622 from thing: With harshness or with creation... Mezhibuzh, 18th Century... France, compassion. With a slap or with a 1942... Kharkov, 1995... Los Angeles, 2002... caress. With darkness or with light. And He looked at the light and Seasons of the Eight Shades of Light saw that it was good. Darkness In the beginning, darkness and light were one. and harsh words may be neces- Soul Then G-d separated between revealed good and sary. But He never called them concealed good, challenging us to cultivate the good. day and transform the night Even if you could correct another person with harsh words, Parsha Vayeishev — Genesis 37:1–40:23 the One Above receives no pleas- What was the cause of the rift between Joseph ure from it. When He sees his and his brothers? What forces conspired to bring creatures heal one another with together Judah and Tamar? Who was Potiphar's caring and with kindness, that is wife, why was Joseph forgotten in prison, and when He shines His smile upon why are there so many dreams in the book of us. Genesis?

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Comment The Lightness of Being by Yanki Tauber

“The light at the end of the tunnel.” “You light up my life.” “He’s an enlightened person.” If you recorded every word you said for 24 hours, you’d probably find hundreds of references to light. Light, brightness, radiance — these are the metaphors we use when we wish to speak about hope, wisdom, and goodness. The candle flame, the ray of light, the glowing coal — these are the images in which we recognize our yearning for a better world, for a wiser, more virtuous, more G-dly self. We are encouraged by the fact that a luminous body like the sun, by simply being what it is, can have such a profound effect on entities and beings millions of miles away, enriching them with light, warmth, energy and life. We are encouraged by the fact that a tiny flame can banish a roomful of darkness. If so, all is not lost. If our own souls are “candles of G-d” (as King Solomon proclaims in the Book of Proverbs), then little me is not so little after all. The big bad world out there can yet be transformed. All we need to do is be what we truly are, to act out our innate goodness, and the darkness will melt away. Once a year, we celebrate this truth. For eight days and nights, we celebrate the power of light: in ascending number — one little flame on the first evening, two flames on the second, three on the third — we kindle the Chanukah menorah, recalling that miraculous victory, 22 centuries ago, of quality over quantity, spirit over materialism, right over might. And pray for the day when such victories are no longer “miracles”, but the way things are in G-d’s world.

By Yanki Tauber, [email protected]; based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, www.therebbe.org

tions. The medication had not created anything bad in Voices my life. It had not put bad thoughts in my head. It had not harmed my character turning me into the turd I Shutters and Blinds now seemed during this unpleasant state of aware- By Jay Litvin ness. Everything I was seeing existed. Only, it was only partly true. It was what remained when the light was blocked. It was what I could see in the monotone shadow that survived. In these days of Chanukah, light is on everyone’s Life without light is like looking at a beautiful park mind. We’re hearing a lot about the tiny little flames at night. The flowers and colors and texture are all that can cast away immense darkness. And as we hidden. All that remains are the large, scary outlines light the Chanukah candles, we are filled with hope of bushes and trees, boulders and rocks, hills and that our efforts will indeed cast away darkness and stairways. In the dark, these daytime objects of beau- bring light into our lives. ty and delight become imposing forms and weird But what is this darkness? Is it truly evil? This shapes that play on our imagination and conjure light? Is it really good? We are told that darkness has frightening scenarios. no existence, but if so, how can one dispel some- Has the darkness created these forms and shapes? thing that does not exist? Has it caused our flights into fear and anxiety? Has it Recently I had an experience that — pardon the created our spontaneously arising scenes of theft and pun — cast some light on this dilemma. mugging? I took a medication that had psychotropic side No. It’s done none of those things. The sun has effects. The result felt as if someone pulled the cur- simply gone to the other side of earth, its light tains on my awareness. All light was blocked and blocked from our awareness. And in doing so, it has only darkness remained. My vision was filtered by a caused our world to plunge into darkness. Ignorance. gray film obscuring all detail of color and texture. Illusion. Confusion. And fear. During this intolerable period of time, everything I could no longer hear the laughter in my chil- I encountered was irritating, depressing, dissatisfy- dren’s’ voices nor see the sparkle in their eyes. I could ing and miserable… including me. I was no fun to no longer see the clutter in my house as charming and be around. If I thought about my life, it seemed familiar. I could no longer remember the happy hopeless. When I remembered my childhood, I saw moments of my childhood nor see the countless only unhappiness. If I looked at my present situation blessings that filled my life. Even my accomplish- it seemed lacking and insufficient. My children ments paled in the face of what I could have done or turned from lovely and loving, to noisy and irritat- what others have done better. ing. My car was falling apart. My house dingy and The darkness and depression became so over- drab. whelming that I finally surrendered and stopped tak- There was literally no aspect of my life that ing the medication. Thankfully, within one day the escaped this oppressive fog as the medicine eclipsed light returned and with it my equilibrium, my happi- and obscured all light. Fortunately, I was able to ness, even a twinge of optimism. keep some grasp on reality. The pharmaceutical What had changed for the better? The details. The worked so fast that I was able to connect the dark- color. The texture. The fullness. And the goodness. ness and depression to its psychotropic effects. But There was enough light to illuminate a greater totali- my grasp was weak, and ultimately I surrendered. ty of my life, to reveal more of the goodness embed- Even though I knew that the medicine was caus- ded therein. Enough light to balance the shadows and ing my shift in perspective, still, everything I was fill in the outlines. Enough light to allow any remain- seeing through its black filter was true. The house ing darkness to add contrast, complexity and subtle- was dingy and drab. The children were irritating. ness, to add beauty and interest to my world, to The car was falling apart. And certainly my present enhance its wholeness. In short, there was enough situation did not match my life’s hopes and expecta- light to suggest the fullness of G-d’s creation, to allow for the interplay and reconciliation of opposites Comment | Voices | Question | Story | Seasons of the Soul | Parsha | Week at Glance 22 3 www.Chabad.org

Voices Shutters and Blinds

and contrasts. Light reveals G-dliness. Darkness is inconsequen- tial. Adding light - opening the shutters and blinds of awareness - remains our only concern. Kindling the lights on Chanukah, the only mitzvah. Revealing G- dliness, the only goal. And so, we light the Chanukah candles. The flame tenuously flickers for a few seconds and we hold our breath till it catches and shines. The children begin to sing. Suddenly we feel a bit brighter within. The glow begins to spread. And we have a sense of optimism, hope and impending victory. And if we’re lucky, in the few moments we take to contemplate the flames in silence, our shutters open, flooding our awareness with light. The shadows become illuminated. The beauty of life and the blessings of G-d shine brightly. We are transported to a place where light reveals formerly hidden aspects of G-d’s existence and our souls shine in joy. We will add more light each day, illuminating more of the fullness of our life and of creation. And then, not on the eighth, but on the ninth day after the first day of Chanukah, when we no longer kindle the flame at night, we will carry this awareness with us into the days ahead. And should you or I ever be cast into darkness again throughout the year — whether by a medication or by the folly that sometimes over- takes us — we will carry this memory and awareness and seek the light, dispelling our fear and confusion, recognizing them as the illusions that they are.

By Jay Litvin, [email protected] Jay welcomes your questions and response.

Question syncretists — meaning, they could jerry together every culture of the known world and make one big tzimmes Why Couldn't the out of all of it. So what on earth did they have against the Jews? Jews and Greeks Sure, there were political power-plays going on that were the ostensible reasons for the conflict. But it’s Just Get Along? obvious there was something deeper at play. Some subliminal annoyance that brought out the worst in the by Tzvi Freeman Greek and pushed the Maccabees to revolt. Apparently, there was something about the Jewish mind that didn’t mix and match. Now look at it from the Jewish side: Jews have also borrowed from every culture they’ve come in contact Question: with. Whatever your grandmother tells you, Abraham It’s hard for me to get into Chanukah. As far as I can did not smear his gefilte fish with chrane. One culture see, the whole thing was a major disaster. Here we have we borrowed more from than perhaps any other was a meeting of two rich cultures, with so much to share, that of Ancient Greece. The Talmud tells us that the so much to contribute to the world together, so much only language the Torah could be translated into ele- synergy that could happen, and instead, BOOM! — the gantly is Greek. They said it was a beautiful language. extremists of both sides hit the battlefield. They say that of all peoples, the Greeks had ideas clos- I don’t get it. The Greeks were universalists. They est to ours. They praised many of the Greek philoso- were open to new ideas from wherever they came. phers. Maimonides wrote that Aristotle was half a They spread knowledge and understanding throughout prophet. The Seder Hadorot, a kind of classic Jewish the Mediterranean. Here was an opportunity to take history book, claims that Aristotle was really Jewish! Jewish values to the world, to go public. Why couldn’t So what is going on here? Why such a violent clash? those Maccabee hotheads work out some sort of com- Why were the Jews unable to work out some sort of promise? compromise with a Hellenist ruler? The Short Answer: We need to know because in a very real way, Actually, this was the greatest thing that could have Chanukah lives on. Our society today is a bizarre graft- happened to the Greek mind: To discover that one thing ing of these two cultures, the Hellenist and the Jewish. it could not tolerate — something like the massage If this conflict existed back then, the question is, has therapist who helps you to find that one trigger point there been some resolution over time? Or are we still where you can’t be touched. fighting Greek elephants? Simply put: Is our society For the Jew, as well, this was a defining experience. schizoid? The red lines became clear, and with those guidelines, Head-To-Head — and Beyond the essential Torah was made able to survive to this So here’s how the conversation goes. Which conver- day. sation? The conversation that’s been going on ever The Long Answer: since the Greek mind and the Jewish mind met one You’re right about one thing: The whole Chanukah another, almost two and a half millennia ago. Where story was completely out of character for Ancient does it happen? Mostly, somewhere deep inside Jewish Greece. I don’t believe there was any other culture they minds: ever oppressed or forbade. Every new culture had its Greek: So tell us about your gods, Mr. Maccabee. set of gods and rituals, and that was just great. “Hey, Jew: Um, that’s singular. you got gods? We got gods, too! Here, let’s trade god Greek: Okay, tell me about your gods. cards! How ‘bout mix and match? You got rituals? You got belief-systems? We’re into all that stuff! We’ll even Jew: No, not you. G-d. G-d is singular. Only one god. help you make big, pretty statues!” Greeks were great Greek: Don’t worry, we’ve got so many I’m sure we

J: No, He doesn’t just form them, He creates them. Out of nothing.

Question G: Now you’re getting silly. You can’t make something out of nothing. You need stuff to make it out of. Why Couldn't the Jews and J: But there wasn’t any stuff when things began. G: There was always stuff. How else could the Greeks Just Get Along? Cosmic Mind make anything? J: Out of nothing! G: Look, you Jews don’t really think straight. But that’s okay. We’ve conquered all sorts of primitive cultures. You’ll learn, too. So, you worship the can spare a few. Cosmic Mind — you’ll get along just great with Jew: That’s okay, one is enough. Aristotle and… Greek: So, this one G-d, what does He look like? J: No, He’s not just the Cosmic Mind. We’d love to make some nice statues for you. You G: Well, nothing’s higher than the Cosmic Mind. poor, uncultured people, you have no statues! J: Because that’s not who He is. I mean, even if He Jew: That’s because He doesn’t have looks. didn’t make a world, He would still be G-d. So you Greek: No looks? Ugly? That’s cool! A god of ugli- can’t say, “that’s who He is — the One that makes a ness! Don’t worry, we can make ugly statues, too. world.” There doesn’t have to be a world for Him to Jew: No, no. He has no looks at all. You can’t see exist. Him. G: Of course there has to be a world. Otherwise, why Greek: An invisible G-d? Well, maybe we can do is there a world if there doesn’t have to be one? The that in glass. But you have to give us some descrip- world makes sense. The Cosmic Mind makes sense. tion. That’s what it’s all about. Reason. The highest and most perfect of all things. We Greeks will teach you Jew: Nope. Sorry. No description. all about that. So, now tell me about your rituals. We Greek: You mean nobody ever saw Him? How can Greeks really dig rituals. Any that have to do with you worship something if you don’t know what it wine? Parties? looks like? I mean, how do you know He exists in J: Sure, we make kiddush on Friday night to com- the first place? memorate the Creation of the world from nothing. Jew: It’s not that we don’t know what He looks like. G: Well, you can give up that one now, since I’ve He doesn’t have any looks. He has no image. just shown you that creation of the world from noth- Greek: Well, I’m sorry then. If He has no image, we ing makes no sense whatsoever. can’t make a statue. J: We don’t eat milk with meat. Jew: That’s fine with us. G: Why not? Greek: But we’d like to write books about Him. So J: G-d says so. just give us some definition and we’ll work around it. G: For what reason? Jew: Oh, our G-d can’t be defined. J: Reason? He needs a reason? For the same reason He created heaven and earth! Greek: Come, now. Everything has to have a definition. Or else it’s not a thing. G: Which is? J: But G-d is not a thing. He creates things. But He J: He just wanted to. isn’t a thing. G: That’s not a reason! G: Oh! So He is the Cosmic Mind Who conceives J: Sure it is. He decided He would like a world and shapes all forms from the primal essence-matter. where there would be milk and meat and He would

and you and this whole world have no real substance! And that cannot be! J: That’s just what I was trying to tell you. This Question world has no real substance. They only truth is… G: Don’t say it, Mr. Maccabee! You people are Why Couldn't the Jews and downright dangerous. And that is why the Greeks did not forbid Jewish Greeks Just Get Along? practice altogether. What they (initially) forbade were those practices that they saw as irrational. Those practices that Jews do simply because they believe they have a relationship with a Being who is tell people, “Don’t eat that milk and meat together!” higher than reason. That, they could not tolerate. and they would listen. Of course, as you know, eventually some bright G: That makes no sense. That’s not a reason! boys came up with geometries where parallel lines J: Reason is just another of His creations. meet; cause and effect got bumped out of quantum physics; the world was discovered to have had a G: Reason is the ultimate! There is nothing higher beginning; and even now it still is really nothing than Reason! because the sum of all radiant energy minus all of the J: Okay then, explain to me why the world is the universe’s mass equals zero. Most of us today have way it is. Why does one plus one equal two? Why accepted that there are things that are the way they does the square of the length of the hypotenuse equal are not for any reason, but just because that’s the way the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two they are. Nothing has to be the way it is. Why do sides? Why do parallel lines never meet? masses attract? Why is the grass green? Why is there G: Because those are the rules of geometry! anything at all? There doesn’t have to be a reason for everything, because reason is not the foundation of J: So why does the Cosmic Mind, as you call Him, reality. So what’s so absurd about connecting to the have to follow your rules of geometry? Foundation of Reality through mitzvot that are G: They’re not our rules! They are the self-evident beyond reason? truths of nature! Mind Under Matter J: Why are these the truths and not something else? Nevertheless, the battle continues. You see, as G: You stubborn Jew! Don’t you see that this is the mentioned above, the Greek mind, aside from wor- most elegant, rational way things could be? shipping human intellect, is also a great syncretist. J: I’ll bet you He could break them. I’ll bet our G-d That means it can hammer together the most incon- could make a world where parallel lines meet. He gruous ideologies without blinking an eyelid. You’ve could break any of the laws of nature. heard of Rice-Christians? Peyote-Catholics? The G: You can’t break laws of nature! They’re not like Greek mind could do any of that, and more. laws of the state or like your silly laws about cheese- The two characteristics go hand in hand: When burgers. They are truths. They are perfect. They are there’s nothing higher than intellect, intellect has no the ground of reality. They are because they have to guiding light. Everything, even the stupidest thing — be. as long as it doesn’t deny intellect — can be tolerat- J: Nothing has to be. Nothing but the Source of ed. Aristotle knew that the pantheon of Athenian Being. But He could be any way He wants. gods was nonsense. But what’s wrong with the common people, who cannot understand any better, hav- G: Geometry has to be. Cause and effect has to be. ing their way? Logic has to be. If A = B then B = A. That is an absolute Truth. It must be. You can easily see that a knowledge of an absolute Divine Will beyond reason has become a necessity J: Why? for human survival. Without the supposition of a G: Why?! Because if they don’t have to be, then I Divine Will, whatever you wish to make sense can

Question can be observed, described and explained. Why Couldn't the Jews and Evolutionism, for example, is a materialistic explanation of existence. When people became disillu- Greeks Just Get Along? sioned with the church and with faith, they needed an explanation of existence that relied on Chance and Necessity alone, without recourse to G-d. Darwinism and current cosmologies provide just make sense. If your system of logic cannot support that. So do the standard interpretations of history we an idea, just change the postulates and rethink the are taught today. data. Anything can be made to make sense when you determine the assumptions. Every society has had its Torah is an understanding that behind the world philosophers and philosophers have justified every- lies a Divine Will, unhampered by the limitations of thing imaginable — from coliseum killing games to nature or human logic — because it is the source of gas chambers. all this. Why are there laws of nature? Because G-d generally chooses to work in consistent ways. Why Strangely, this may have worked to humanity’s did history unfold the way it did? Because that is all advantage in one regard: The Greek mind applied in G-d’s plan. itself to figuring out the material world. When your belief system begins with Divine revelation you When someone tries to provide a materialistic don’t necessarily apply yourself to mundane matters explanation for Torah and mitzvot, they are creating of how things work. So technological progress a Promethean bed, killing all sense of Torah in the became chiefly the domain of the Greek mind process. So too, attempting to resolve conflicts throughout history. between evolutionary doctrines and Torah makes less sense than marrying a donkey to an ox. But it also has some nefarious consequences. Because when you marry intellect and materialism Yes, we try to understand as much as we can. The (a good description of Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Torah commands us to think deeply, to immerse our Germany), you’ve entered a bottomless pit of quick- intellects in study and comprehension. Whatever we sand. can fit into intellect, we must strive to do so. Whatever explanation we can give, we must give it. Which brings us to a fascinating point. The But always with the sense that with every new grain Lubavitcher Rebbe points out that in Hebrew, the of understanding, we have expanded the seashore of name for ancient Greece, Yavan, has another mean- the Infinite Unknowable. ing: quicksand (as in Psalms 40:3 and Talmud, Eruvin 19a). Water mixes with sand, dirt and clay. We can have a thousand reasons for not mixing You step in it and you can’t get out. The more you meat and milk, but when it comes down to it, we do try to climb up, the further down you go. it because that is our personal connection with the Divine Will, the Life of All Things. And that is the Take a look at the letters that spell Yavan in victory of Chanukah. Hebrew: iuh . It starts with a small point of a yud — representing wisdom. That stretches down to become a vav. And the vav stretches even further By Tzvi Freeman; [email protected], down, below the line, to become a long nun. It’s all author of Be Within, Stay Above and a description of the process of intellect sinking into Bringing Heaven Down to Earth the material world and, with nothing to hold it in place, sinking further and further. A Donkey and an Ox Today, we have those syncretists who wish to marry materialism with Torah. And nothing is less congruous than that. Materialism is the ultimate of Greece stuck in the mud. It is the idea that all that exists is that which

A short time later, Seleucus was killed and his broth- story er Antiochus IV began his reign over Syria (174 BCE). He was a tyrant of a rash and impetuous nature, con- A Small Cruse of Oil temptuous of religion and of the feelings of others. He was called “Epiphanes,” meaning “the gods’ beloved.” by Nissan Mindel Several of the Syrian rulers received similar titles. But a historian of his time, Polebius, gave him the epithet Epimanes (“madman”), a title more suitable to the character of this harsh and cruel king. Twenty-two centuries ago, the land of Israel was part Desiring to unify his kingdom through the medium of the Hellenist Syrian Empire, dominated by the rulers of a common religion and culture, Antiochus tried to of the Seleucid dynasty. root out the individualism of the Jews by suppressing Antiochus III, who reigned from 222 to 186 BCE, all the Jewish Laws. He removed the righteous High had waged war with King Ptolemy of Egypt over the Priest, Yochanan, from the Temple in Jerusalem, and in possession of the Land of Israel. Antiochus III was vic- his place installed Yochanan’s brother Joshua, who pre- torious and the Land of Israel was annexed to his ferred to call himself by the Greek name of Jason. For empire. At the beginning of his reign he was favorably he was a member of the Hellenist party, and he used his disposed toward the Jews and accorded them some high office to spread more and more of the Greek cus- privileges. Later on, however, when he was defeated by toms among the priesthood. the Romans and compelled to pay heavy taxes, the bur- Joshua or Jason was later replaced by another man, den fell upon the various peoples of his empire who Menelaus, who had promised the king that he would were forced to furnish the gold that was required of him bring in more money than Jason did. When Yochanan, by the Romans. When Antiochus died, his son Seleucus the former High Priest, protested against the spread of IV took over, and further oppressed the Jews. the Hellenists’ influence in the Holy Temple, the ruling Added to the troubles from the outside were the High Priest hired murderers to assassinate him. grave perils that threatened Judaism from within. The Antiochus was at that time engaged in a successful influence of the Hellenists was increasing. Yochanan, war against Egypt. But messengers from Rome arrived the Kohen Gadol (“high priest”), foresaw the danger to and commanded him to stop the war, and he had to Judaism from the penetration of paganism, and yield. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, a rumor spread that a opposed the attempts on the part of the Jewish serious accident had befallen Antiochus. Thinking that Hellenists to introduce Greek and Syrian customs into he was dead, the people rebelled against Menelaus. The the land. The Hellenists hated him. One of them told treacherous High Priest fled together with his friends. the King’s commissioner that in the treasury of the The Martyrs Temple there was a great deal of wealth. Antiochus returned from Egypt enraged by Roman The wealth in the treasury consisted of the contribu- interference with his ambitions. When he heard what tions of “half a shekel” made by all adult Jews annual- had taken place in Jerusalem, he ordered his army to ly. That was given for the purpose of the sacrifices on fall upon the Jews. Thousands of Jews were killed. the altar, as well as for maintaining and improving the Antiochus then enacted a series of harsh decrees Temple building. Another part of the treasury consisted against the Jews. Jewish worship was forbidden; the of orphans’ funds which were deposited for them until scrolls of the Law were confiscated and burned. they became of age. Seleucus needed money in order to Sabbath rest, circumcision and the dietary laws were pay the Romans. He sent his minister Helyodros to take prohibited under penalty of death. One of the respected the money from the treasury of the Temple. In vain did elders of that generation, Rabbi Eliezer, a man of 90, Yochanan beg him not to do it. Helyodros entered the was ordered by the servants of Antiochus to eat pork so gate of the Temple. But suddenly, he became pale with that others would do the same. When he refused, they fright. The next moment he fainted and fell to the suggested to him that he pick up the meat to his lips to ground. After Helyodros came to, he did not dare enter appear to be eating. But Rabbi Eliezer refused to do again. even that and was put to death. The Madman There were thousands of others who likewise sacri-

Before his death, Mattityahu called his sons together and urged them to continue to fight in defense of G-d’s Torah. He asked them to follow the story counsel of their brother, Simon the Wise. In waging warfare, he said, their leader should be Judah the A Small Cruse of Oil Strong. Judah was called “Maccabee,” a word com- posed of the initial letters of the four Hebrew words inscribed on his banner, Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem, “Who is like unto Thee amongst the mighty, O G-d.” Antiochus sent his general Apolonius to wipe out ficed their lives. The famous story of Hannah and her Judah and his followers, the Maccabees. Though seven children happened at that time. greater in number and equipment than their adver- Antiochus’s men went from town to town and saries, the Syrians were defeated by the Maccabees. from village to village to force the inhabitants to Antiochus sent out another expedition which also worship pagan gods. Only one refuge area remained was defeated. He realized that only by sending a and that was the hills of Judea, where faithful Jews powerful army could he hope to defeat Judah and his hid in caves. But even there did the Syrians pursue brave fighting men. the faithful Jews, and many died a martyr’s death. An army consisting of more than 40,000 men Mattityahu swept the land under the leadership of two com- One day, the henchmen of Antiochus arrived in manders, Nicanor and Gorgiash. When Judah and his the village of Modin where Yochanan’s son, the old brothers heard of that, they exclaimed: “Let us fight preist Mattityahu, lived with his five sons — Simon, unto death in defense of our souls and our Temple!” Elazar, Judah, Yochanan, and Jonathan. The Syrian The people assembled in Mitzpah, where Samuel, officer built an altar in the marketplace of the village the prophet of old, had offered prayers to G-d. After and demanded that Mattityahu offer sacrifices to the a series of battles the war was won. Greek gods. Mattityahu replied, “I, my sons and my The Miracle brothers are determined to remain loyal to the Now the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem to lib- covenant which our G-d made with our ancestors!” erate it. They entered the Temple and cleared it of the Thereupon, a Hellenistic Jew approached the altar idols placed there by the Syrian invaders. Judah and to offer a sacrifice. Mattityahu grabbed his sword his followers built a new altar, which he dedicated on and killed him, and his sons and friends fell upon the the 25th of the month of Kislev, in the year 3622 Syrian officers and men. They killed many of them from creation (139 BCE). and chased the rest away. They then destroyed the The golden Menorah had been stolen by the altar. Syrians. Lacking the means to replace it, the Mattityahu knew that Antiochus would be enraged Maccabees now made one of cheaper metal. But when he heard what had happened. He would cer- there was no pure, sacred olive oil to light it with, for tainly send an expedition to punish him and his fol- everything had been defiled by the enemy. Finally, lowers. Mattityahu, therefore, left the village of they found a small cruse of pure olive oil bearing the Modin and fled together with his sons and friends to seal of the High Priest Yochanan. It was sufficient to the hills of Judea. light only for one day. By a miracle of G-d, it con- Many loyal and courageous Jews joined them, ral- tinued to burn for eight days, until new oil could be lying under Mattityahu’s battle cry, “All who faithful obtained, demonstrating to all. That that G-d had to G-d, follow me!” They formed legions and from again taken His people under His protection. In com- time to time they left their hiding places to fall upon memoration, our sages established these eight days enemy detachments and outposts, and to destroy the as the annual festival of lights, Chanukah. pagan altars that were built by order of Antiochus. Excerpted from The Complete Story of Chanukah www.keho- The Maccabees tonline.com/scripts/tgij/paper/kehot-item.asp?book=610 by Dr Nissan Mindel, published by Kehot

story 1. Eight Days: All applicants must demonstrate that their proposal will not just burn for eight days, but also The Menorah Files provide a miracle on each of the eight days. Since the flask found by the Maccabees already contains enough oil for one day to begin with, some creativity will be necessary to provide this effect. 2. Fair Compensation: In consonance with a long- ———Begin Forwarded Message ————— standing policy on all heavenly matters, often known as Subject: Contract Tender, Menorah Miracle the measure-for-measure policy, the miracle should Date: Kislev 25 3:29:15.036 PM reflect the attitude and acts to which it is resultant. From: [email protected] Applicants should insure their proposal blends smoothly To: [email protected]; with the general theme of the Maccabee vs. Hellenist [email protected]; episode and the no-compromise strategy of the [email protected]; Maccabees. [email protected]; 3. Halacha: At least the fundaments of halachic [email protected]; requirements for the Menorah of the Holy Temple must [email protected]; be taken into consideration, with extra points for fulfill- [email protected]; ing all requirements, and bonus points for extra-compul- [email protected]; sory details. [email protected] Please submit your proposals and all correspondence Background: In direct consequence to the over- to this address. Adjudication of presentations by all bid- whelming success of the Maccabee project and as a sign ders will commence today at 3:29:15.536 PM. AV equip- of appreciation to the courageous Maccabees who made ment for presentations will be provided by Heaven Inc. that success possible, the administration of Heaven Inc. ————- End Forwarded Message ——— has decided to provide yet another wondrous manifesta- tion of the truth behind the cosmos, a.k.a. a miracle. LIGHT II: THE CONSULTANT As is well known, the Maccabees yesterday regained The scene up there is far beyond the capacity of our control of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem from the Greek earthly imaginations, since we imagine everything in Army, and spent most of today sweeping away the bro- coarse material terms. Perhaps I can attempt to explain it ken beer bottles and associated mess. In answer to the in whatever terms we share, as long as you promise to sincere search of the Maccabees for ritually appropriate keep in mind that in truth, it is something far abstracted Menorah oil, Heaven engaged the services of Hidden from any of what I might say. Surprises Inc., who were successful in engineering yet another miracle, the discovery of a flask of pure olive oil On the appointed day, an angel of wisdom, known as a hidden in the ground and sealed with the seal of the High maggid, stood in still reverence, waiting for the assembly Priest. to be called to order. Now, another miracle is needed. The flask discovered His eyes scanned the 70 members of the Heavenly contains only one day’s worth of oil. Although it will take Supreme Court. They stood (nobody sits up there — it’s eight days to prepare new olive oil, nevertheless, the just not in the repertoire) at a semi-oblong table, allowing Maccabees have decided to go ahead and use this oil all to see one another. But the central position of this immediately. In response to this inspiring display of table is not locatable, beyond dimension or place, since it alacrity, zeal and devotion, the administration has been is the (un)space of The Chief Magistrate of All Things. instructed to perform one more miracle and insure this oil To the right hand of The Chief stood the ChairAngel will burn for all eight days. (a.k.a., Av Beit Din), a powerful radiance about his face We are presently accepting proposals on the imple- and magnificent robes flowing down from his shoulders. mentation of this miracle. All applicants should prepare a To the left stood the next wisest of the angels and from detailed description of the mechanics of their proposed that point on, in either direction, the remainder of the implementation, as well as their qualifications to perform esteemed judges stood solemnly by rank in G-dly wis- such services. dom. Note that requirements surrounding this miracle are On cue, the maggid made his case. quite stringent: “My lords, esteemed masters of justice and righteous-

story firmly. “This is heaven. And we need him now.” An Angel of Sympathy who stood near the clerk’s post The Menorah Files read his confused face, leaned over and whispered, “If we don’t consult with him now, eventually we’re going to have to retro-write history according to his decision anyway.” ness,” he spoke, moving his hands gracefully. “Today The clerk shrugged and walked out the door, still shak- you convene to discuss a matter of serious, practical ing his head. But he was back in no time. Trumpets blast- implications for every generation of the Jewish people ed in royal fanfare and drums rolled as the entrance of from now unto eternity. Indeed, whereas the lights of Yosef Karo, was announced. The entire heavenly court other festivals may at times of darkness be all but rose in awe and glowed in neon colors. The vocal ensem- extinguished, and eventually are destined to be entire- ble once again joined together in celestial chorus. ly absorbed within the great light of the World to Then he entered. In jeweled turban and flowing robes, Come, the lights of Chanukah are constant and eter- his piercing eyes shining like sapphires, he walked forth nal—as per the talmudic gloss of Nachmanides and his in all humility, yet with the elegance and majesty of a commentary to parshat Behaalotecha.” mighty king. A heavenly court clerk rushed him a portfo- “We are well aware of the gravity of our meeting lio and a nametag and led him to his place at the consult- today,” patiently interjected the ChairAngel. “Is there ants’ desk. anything in particular you feel has not been taken into The proceedings commenced. account in our planned adjudication?” The eyes of the maggid widened. “As you know, I am the maggid appointed to instruct an illustrious stu- LIGHT III: QUALITY dent, one by who’s light all the Community of Israel Quality Miracles is known for their high-end, lavish shall proceed through the thick darkness of the last leg presentations. This one was no let-down. The upbeat, sur- of their exile until the final redemption. He is none round-sound music came on, the lights dimmed, and in a other than Yosef Karo, illustrious author of the Beit sprinkle of sparks, a sales associate dramatically appeared Yosef as well as the Shulchan Aruch, the most author- at stage center cupping in his hands a small golden unlit itative code of Jewish Law.” lamp. Angels are an excitable group. At the mention of “Brother angels, behold with your eyes!” that holy name, heartbeats accelerated, ethereal wings His hands opened and the lamp came in full view of all began to flutter and amidst the scattered exclamations the court. The enlightened beings gasped in unison. of Yosef Karo!, The Beit Yosef!, a spontaneous chorus “Yes, you all recall! It is the holy lamp that was lit by of audio-oriented beings burst into harmonious acco- those most transcendent and magnificent of beings, the lades of praise and appellations upon the aforemen- Matriarchs of the Souls of Israel, Sarah and Rivka!” tioned. Now the 3D video came on. The image of Sarah lean- Eventually, the court was called to order. ing her shining countenance of beauty over the Shabbat “My illustrious student,” continued the maggid, lamp in the pre-twilight of the Negev brought tears to the “will write about the very issue we are gathered here eyes of the Angels of Sensitivity. The hearts of the most today to discuss in his halachic gloss, Beit Yosef — the judgmental beings were captured as, with breathtaking House of Joseph. Indeed, the matter will from that time focus and inspiration, she uttered the words as though on be known by his name, the Difficulty Posed By the counting golden coins, Beit Yosef. It is only appropriate therefore, that he be Blessed are You, ______our All-Pervasive Force, invited to sit in on our proceedings as an outside con- Master of the Cosmos, Who has made us wholly tran- sultant. scendent through His mitzvahs and enjoined us to light The ChairAngel scanned quickly the faces of the the lamp of the Holy Shabbos. assembled heavenly judges, noting their unanimous Then, as she waved gently her hands over the flame, approval. “Clerk!” he called, “Bring us Yosef Karo!” serene light flashed out in all directions, illuminating The clerk looked back, bewildered. “But, your upper and lower worlds. honor, Yosef Karo does not live for the better part of “And so,” the agent from Quality continued, “you must another two millennia!” remember the great and wondrous miracle that occurred “Bring us Yosef Karo,” the ChairAngel commanded then, how the Natural Order of Things was transcended so

story process. As this linkage descends below, olive oil is man- ifested in each of the worlds, in each according to the The Menorah Files parameters of that world. Finally, as it descends into the lowest world, the World of Action and Physicality, it becomes an actual material substance, derived by the crushing or squeezing of physical olives. the pure light of this magnificent being could illuminate “As you are well aware, most miracles are performed all the worlds for an entire week, every week, for her by invasive fiddling with the mechanics of such links and entire life, and for the life of her heiress Rivka, as well! letter combinations. Turning water to blood, dust into To this day, that miracle empowers every Jewish woman lice, vinegar into oil are all examples of such rearrange- and girl to light up her world just the same!” ments of the system. In a brilliant twist of suspense, the music found its way “Our strategy is far less invasive: You’ll notice there is to a sudden silence, the video halted on a still frame. quite a bit of leeway in the quality dimension of this par- “And who engineered that miracle?” The sales reps voice ticular linkage. This explains why every olive produces echoed through the marble hall. its own quality of oil, with a wide margin of variety, espe- With eye-riveting form, the still image morphed into cially in combustibility. Our technique is to hyper-extend the logo of Quality Miracles as the multitude of high-res that quality margin, thereby manifesting in the target amplifiers burst forth with “Quality! Quality Miracles! olive oil down there an enormous capacity to burn — The natural solution to all your miracle needs!” even to eight times the original average power.” The music ended on a sharp climax, the video faded It was obvious the judges were impressed with the pro- away, and the crowd burst into applause as the lights fessionalism, thoroughness and high entertainment value came back up. of the presentation. Heads turned towards each other, sharing comments and nods of approval. The VP of The Quality Miracles VP of Development strutted Development strutted back on stage and opened the floor forth. Riding on the excitement in the air, he began to questions. promptly. “Of course, the Chanukah Miracle project presents certain features that were not present in the Yosef Karo alone appeared unmoved. He looked about Sarah and Rebecca scenario. We’ve noted the two most him, shook his head almost with disdain, and spoke significant: The Sarah and Rebecca lamp only burnt for assertively at the VP. “Being from a practical world, seven days — this miracle must occur for eight. where nitty-gritty details matter, I am still unclear on Secondly, the Shabbat Lamp was a single miracle spread your proposal.” over an extended duration of time, whereas, in our case The engineer got out his charts again, preparing to the Menorah must be rekindled every afternoon, thereby explain things in greater depth. providing eight distinct miracles.” “No, I don’t mean your schematics, or your software The wise members of the court stroked their silvery code or any of that. I’m talking about the human inter- beards and nodded their heads in heedfulness. Rabbi face. How does this actually get implemented?” Yosef Karo only stared intently, as though precipitating The Quality Team members looked a bit shaken. They every word. were experts in high tech solutions. Humans were a nec- “We believe our previous implementation can be easi- essary component in implementation, but not one that got ly extended to fill these requirements. And now, here is a lot of attention. our senior engineer for an explanation of the technology “To be specific,” continued Yosef Karo, “what exactly behind this amazing accomplishment.” are the Maccabees supposed to do with this oil on the first A complex chart appeared at the presenters position as afternoon they light it?” the senior engineer stepped forward. It was one of those “Well,” answered the VP slowly and cautiously as charts that only an angel could read, describing in multi- though sensing a trap. “They put the oil in the cups of the ple dimensions the links and chains that serve as the Menorah, like they always used to do, and they light it.” backbone of created entities. “And how much oil do they put in?” “Over here,” the engineer pointed, “we see the letters, The engineer jumped in. “One eighth! Why should or combination of forces that form the word shemen — they put in any more? They only need one eighth, so meaning ‘oil’. This connects with the Divine source of that’s how much they’ll put in!” olives, as we see in this link, here. Note the intimate con- Now one of the judges took a stab. “But how are they nection with the sphere of Wisdom of the World of supposed to know that one eighth is going to last through Emanation, which is preserved throughout the creative Comment | Voices | Question | Story | Seasons of the Soul | Parsha | Week at Glance 22 13 www.Chabad.org

story Out of respect for their sanctity, whenever they are filled they must be filled entirely.” The VP beamed, oblivious to the trap laid for him. “So The Menorah Files we will have them fill the entire thing the first night! And then, only an eighth will burn the first night, another eighth the second...” Karo pounced like a tiger. “But didn’t the ChairAngel just declare that to be a violation of the halacha! You’ll the entire night?” have eight times the established amount the first night, The VP was struggling to hold his cool as murmurs were seven times on the second, and so on.” heard throughout the assembly. An employee rushed up to The hall burst into an uproar of debate. The brilliant whisper something in his ear. “Yes, we’ve taken that into counter-offence of Yosef Karo had the entire heavenly consideration,” he continued. “There’s a contingency court ignited. With Quality’s solution there seemed no allowance to sub-contract Echo Communications, a firm way out: You could fulfill one requirement or the other — that deals in supplying earthly beings with minor levels of but there was no way to fulfill both. prophecy, sometimes known as Ruach Hakodesh. You’ll Above the confusion, another judge yelled out, find that clause on page...” “Filling the vessel to the brim is an non-compulsory The employee who had done the whispering could no requirement! Let them fill up only an eighth, since that’s longer contain himself and interjected, “Actually, they’ll all they can do!” probably figure it out on their own. They’ll say, look, if the “First of all,” Yosef Karo replied, commanding imme- Almighty only gave us one flask of pure oil and of course diate silence, “the whole thing is non-compulsory to He knows we can’t get any replacement for eight days, it begin with. The Maccabees really could light with must be this is super-eight powered oil.” impure oil. When the entire community is in a state of Most of the judges were not impressed with this impurity, such as they are after a war, impure offerings response, being rather skeptical of the mental capacity of are permitted as per the Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim, most earthly beings. The VP glanced over his shoulder at folio 80a.” his employee with a biting cold stare, then turned back to “So what’s the whole deal with this contract tender for his audience swiftly donning a warm smile. “By the way,” a miracle?!” The VP waved a paper in exasperation. he noted, “you’ll observe that with this solution there is a “Think for a minute,” Karo reasoned. “Why did they separate miracle each of the eight days. Each night only a search so hard for ritually pure oil when they could have little bit of oil burns an entire night. Every night a new mir- used any old oil given the circumstances? And why did acle, for eight nights just as the contract tender required.” the Almighty contract the previous miracle of providing “The eight days is just wonderful and some minor a hidden, untouched flask? Wasn’t it all in order that they prophecy is fine with me.” The voice of Yosef Karo broke should perform the Menorah lighting in the most perfect through the confusion, commanding silence. “I have a dif- way, not just so-so and get it over with? ferent problem with your solution.” The VP’s neck was out- “And that is the job of Heaven, inc.,” he declared. “To stretched as Yosef Karo continued. perform a miracle that allows the Maccabees to go “As you know, the Torah does not state a precise quanti- beyond the letter of the law, as they have committed ty of oil to be placed in the Menorah for each lighting, only themselves to do, for the sake of the eternity of the that there should be enough to last for the longest nights of Jewish Nation!” the winter. Our sages determined this amount to be a little The judges were enthralled with the insights of Yosef over six fluid ounces. Just so happens, that’s the amount Karo. Fascinated, they took in every word. found in that little flask down there. Which means, they’re going to have to put the whole thing in.” Lowering his voice mischievously, Karo continued. “Furthermore, who says they are allowed to fill the “Aha,” the ChairAngel spoke now, “that would be true in Menorah only partially each day, when they could fill it general, but here, remember, with this oil, one eighth is the to the brim?” appropriate amount for the longest nights of the winter! On the contrary, putting more would mean a violation of the The VP from Quality timidly ventured, “And with halacha you just cited!” what will they fill it to the brim each day if they only have one flask?” “With all due respect to his honored chair, I’ve yet to fin- ish,” continued Yosef Karo, calmly. “There is another “With impure oil!” shot back Yosef Karo. “Since that halacha that applies to all the vessels in the Holy Temple. is perfectly permissible under these conditions.”

story natural, nifty technology here. But don’t imagine this is some useless gimmick! As a matter of fact, OutaNowhere The Menorah Files technology was originally developed to fulfill a real need. To fill you in on the history of our product, just listen to this testimonial from our first successful client, none other than the prophet, Elisha! The entire court exploded into animated debate, All eyes turned to the 3D video are, now filled with the reviewing, shaking their heads and waving their wings scene of an agent of OutaNowhere sitting on the edge of frantically. Once again, the ChairAngel called for order. a sofa in the Garden of Eden, interviewing Elisha who sat across the coffee table from her. “I humbly propose,” he advised his colleagues, “we consider another proposal.” “Elisha, you are well known for your compassion and wonderful acts of kindness in the earthly realm. Much of Official Report Card: QualityMiracle’s Proposal. your good work was possible due to your ability to tran- Pros: scend the present tense and see matters from a higher • Excellent multimedia presentation, esp. audio time-definition. You also developed an amazing and effects. unique repertoire of record-breaking miracles. But there • Provides a miracle for each of the eight days. was one time you turned to OutaNowhere technologies • Elegance: Supernatural miracle produced without for assistance. Why?” disturbing the natural order. “Truthfully, everything I know I received from my • Fulfills most halachic requirements, such as use of teacher, Elijah. But then came a very difficult case, a authentic olive oil and natural burning of oil to produce woman who’s husband had been a member in good flame. standing of the Professional Prophets Association until Cons: his premature passing. The poor woman was left with two little boys to support, no pension, no real source of • Lack of coordination between team members. income. Neither her landlord nor the rental board had any • Actual implementation not well conceived. Little sympathy. By the time she came to me, she had in her consideration given to human interface issues. hand a notice that if she didn’t pay the rent fast, her two • One major halachic concern: The Menorah regula- boys would be seized as payment!” tions require that precisely the amount of oil to burn “That’s horrifying! But couldn’t you just co-sign on a through one winter night be placed in the cups of the long term loan or something?” Menorah. It is also preferable that the cups all be com- “That wouldn’t be professional. I’m a prophet. My job pletely filled. With Quality’s proposal, there is no way is to help people discover their own inner wealth, not both these conditions can be mutually fulfilled. It has breed dependence, as you suggest. So I followed standard even been proposed that, under such conditions, the use case analysis technique and asked the lady to describe her of impure oil in proper quantities would be preferable assets.” over using the limited amount of pure oil that was miraculously discovered. “Which were two boys...” Rating: 3.5 wings “Which I understood as a reflection of the love and sense of awe within her. This, however, was apparently in real danger — as reflected by the collection notice men- LIGHT IV: QUANTITY tioned earlier.” The man from OutaNowhere appeared from out of “So all these material concerns and details were all nowhere pushing a trolley cart with coffee and Danishes. merely reflections of a higher, spiritual drama?” “Your esteemed judges have been having an intense ses- “You’re with me now. She also had a small flask of sion here,” he announced. “Let’s all take a break for olive oil, reflecting her essential spiritual self. I needed refreshments.” some way for this inner spiritual wealth to release itself The judges noticed coffee mugs on their desks. The to the point of becoming manifest in her earthly domain.” sales rep held only a tiny coffeepot, but proceeded to fill “Now, how could you do that?” cup after cup with heavenly coffee — not stopping for a single refill. “Well, that’s when I remembered a business card I had been handed just the day before, while wandering about Continuing to pour, he started his spiel: “Yes, the higher spheres. I checked my pocket, and there it was, esteemed judges, I’m sure you’ll agree we’ve got a super- OutaNowhere Technologies, inc.”

story Yosef Karo was busy taking notes. Once in a while, he stopped to shake his head. It was obvious something The Menorah Files about the presentation was bothering him.

LIGHT V: PROZAC OutaNowhere had learned their lesson from what had “Was OutaNowhere responsive when you needed occurred with Quality. You could tell that from their pres- them?” entation. “Their tech support was fantastic. Immediately, we put “We’re not going to bore you with all the technical together a plan whereby all the lady had to do was visit details behind this tremendous feat of spiritual engineer- her neighbors and borrow their jugs, pots, pans — any ing,” continued the sales rep. “After all, we’re an end- types of physical-realm vessels and containers. We real- user oriented company. We’ve put a lot of thought into ized this was basically what she was missing — tangible, the practical, nitty-gritty — the things that count in the practical ways to express her inner soul. She gathered all physical world where our target user resides. Here’s our this stuff in her house, closed the doors, let down the human interface expert to discuss ground level imple- blinds, and then started filling everything up with her lit- mentation.” tle flask of oil.” The H.I. expert stepped up in front of the 3D-video “That must have been an exciting scene.” display area. “Actually, we’ve got two options to present. “It certainly was. The little boys were running back The first option you’ve seen a demo of already, but here’s and forth, back and forth, bringing containers and more a short animation that will demonstrate how far we’ve containers, while the oil just kept pouring and pouring gone into the details. You’ll also observe the virtual out of the flask. Finally, she asked for one more pot and model of the Temple Menorah here next to me.” her boys told her there wasn’t a single one left. And nei- A life-size image of a Hasmonean Cohen holding a jug ther was there any more oil.” of olive oil in front of the Menorah appeared. This being “And what happened to that nefarious landlord?” heaven, with more than 3 dimensions available, the “With sales from the oil, she was able to pay him off, image displayed that the jug was full. with enough left over that she could just live off the inter- “Here’s the initial state. Now observe what happens as est.” the Cohen fills the cups of the Menorah on the first day.” “So, thanks to support from OutaNowhere, another As the Cohen filled each cup, the jug became succes- great act of compassion was accomplished in the physi- sively emptier. But then, just before the last drop poured cal realm.” out, the flask suddenly refilled itself. The Cohen froze for “Not only that. This episode was reported and dis- a moment, puzzled, stared into the jug, and then ran out cussed in all the major prophetic journals. It was record- of the Holy Chamber yelling, “A MIRACLE! A MIRA- ed as a classic for all times in the Book of Kings. You see, CLE!” it wasn’t just that lady who was helped. Since that time, “Note,” the HI expert commented, “that as this sce- anyone that is in a dire state of spiritual poverty is able to nario occurs each of the eight days, we have in effect overcome his or her situation by doing the same as she eight separate miracles. This is in direct contradistinction did — but in spiritual terms. By temporarily ignoring to certain other solutions that offers only one miraculous their state of spiritual poverty and just collecting vessels state-change of the olive oil, which then remains consis- of mitzvahs and acts of kindness and allowing that essen- tent over the next eight days. Obviously, you can see the tial self to pour into them, unlimited — eventually all superiority of our...” those deficiencies are spontaneously overcome. I’ll chal- “You call that superiority!?” yelled a snide voice from lenge everyone in our audience to just try it out and see.” the back of the room. It was the VP from Quality. All this “And that message to the world is all thanks to time he had been sitting in a back row, arms folded, wait- OutaNowhere.” ing for his chance to jump back into the ring. Now, com- “That’s right. Like another cup of coffee?” pletely out of protocol, unable to contain himself any The shot of Elisha pouring a cup of coffee for his host longer, he grabbed it. spun out to make way for an animated OutaNowhere “Why, with your solution, the only ones who ever see logo, accompanied by a snappy “OutaNowhere — there a miracle are those who are there at the time of the light- when you need us” jingle. ing! After that, it’s just everyday burning of olive oil. Our As the judges were sipping their heavenly coffee, solution provides any witness at any point in time a clear

story “The Sar Shel Yavan! Who else could we call to test end user experience?” In the data processing protocol of heaven, there are The Menorah Files only seventy nations. Over each of these is appointed a sar or officer, somewhat lower than a full-fledged angel. Yavan is the name by which the Ancient Greeks are known. Thus the Sar Shel Yavan — the officer appoint- view of a miraculous state, every day, at every moment!” ed over Ancient Greece. “But you must agree,” replied the OutaNowhere He came hobbling on crutches, covered with wounds expert, smugly, “that the actual miracle only occurs once of war. His substance was as the walls of the chamber, in your solution. Once your oil is set to its high quality that heavenly version of marble. You could still see the level on the first day, it just remains there. Here, every beauty and gracefulness for which he had been known, day, a miracle must occur for new oil to appear!” but military defeat and shame had taken its toll. “What does that have to do with the project require- We won’t get into the details of the user testing, at ments?” shot back Quality’s VP. least in this edition. Suffice it to mention that the Sar The Chair Angel called for order, chiding Quality’s VP refused to acknowledge any miracles, attributing every- for his disruption of protocol. But the HI expert was thing to natural causes. When pressured, he began to delighted his competition had provided the opportunity accuse all the heavenly court of being no better than for him to fully present his thesis. those superstitious Jews, believing in things that make no “The success of a miracle,” he explained, “must be sense, relying on empirical evidence rather than the truth measured by the end user experience. Consider here the of the natural sciences. impact upon the human psyche. A continuous state of At any rate, he stayed to audit the rest of the hearings. miracle would become accepted as natural routine within “Truthfully,” the ChairAngel commented to Yosef a single day. The sense of wonderment would rapidly Karo, “we’ve never had much success with end user wear out. By calling for spaced, intermittent miracles, we experience. On occasion, we went through ten iterations hope to sustain the wonderment factor for a much longer of miracles before achieving our goals — and even then period. This, after a careful study of human psycholo- only with partial success.” gy...” The other judges nodded, resignedly. “Psychology shmykology!” shot back the Quality VP. “We even,” the Chair Angel hesitated, “had to... “Who are you kidding? What do you know about human drown the test subjects at the end of that procedure... to psychology? What do any of us know? We’re angels, for cover up the data.” heavens sake!” Yosef Karo took over. “However, I would like to go “That’s right,” replied the expert. “We were on the back to the scenario presented in your detailed anima- design team.” tion,” he continued. The OutaNowhere expert was “Design team? Design team?” mocked the VP. relieved, feeling he was back on a more solid cloud. “Haven’t you read the Adam Files?! If it were up to us, “On the first day, that is the 25th, a miracle occurs, the Earthly Human Project would never have gotten correct?” beyond the World of Emanation stage!” “A very startling miracle, your honor. At least, cer- The judges were enjoying the entertainment, but the tainly to the Maccabees for whom it is performed.” ChairAngel finally had to interfere. “We have a human subject right here”, he remarked. “Why don’t we ask “And on the second day, the 26th, the same miracle?” him?” “That’s correct.” Rabbi Karo was reluctant. “I believe your test would “And so on, all the way until the eighth afternoon?” be more meaningful if performed on a more skeptical “Precisely.” specimen,” he suggested. “Perhaps you have a Hellenist “And then what happens?” about here somewhere? Or maybe even an authentic “On the ninth?” Ancient Greek?” “No, on the eighth. What miracle occurs on the “Your honor,” ventured one of the lesser judges. eighth? Remember, there are eight days of Chanukah. Or “Perhaps we could call in the Sar Shel Yavan?” are you proposing to change that?” The ChairAngel’s face glowed with delight, as did the “Well, just the same as the seven days before could faces of the others. “Yes!” they cried out, one to the other. occur.” The human interface expert passed a quick, nerv-

Prozac. His team members had their heads practically story between their knees. The CEO of OutaNowhere could no longer take it. He jumped up there in a last ditch attempt The Menorah Files to save his company. “Gentle Angels,” he said, “feigning suave and good humor. I’m sure you yourselves have realized the most obvious solution, so simple we didn’t feel need to mention it!” ous glance over to the other members of his team. “I’m sorry,” countered the ChairAngel. “But we have LIGHT VI: MIRACLE WHIP a policy concerning such matters. Miracles must always Yosef Karo helped him out, in an understanding voice. serve a practical function. Nobody, not even Heaven Inc., “You’re going to tell us you are willing to let Hidden is allowed to make miracles just for the heck of it. And in Surprises Inc. take credit for the miracle of the first day this case, since new oil will be arriving on the ninth day of Chanukah, right? You want the Heavenly Court, as anyway, there is no need for your miracle on the eighth. well as the Court of the Maccabees below, to recognize The Cohen can just empty out his entire jug on the eighth that the discovery of a jug of oil sealed with the seal of day, with no need for your miraculous auto-refill out of the High Priest and obviously untouched was also a mir- nowhere.” acle, and one to be celebrated.” The sales rep from OutaNowhere was motioning wild- The CEO was charmed to have found a friend. “Of ly to the HI expert. All those dealings with earthly beings course, they could also count their miraculous victory had dulled his angelic intellectual brilliance. But finally over the Greek army,” he added. “We’ll be glad to share the puzzled expression on the expert’s face resolved into credit with Underdog Miracle Services, as well.” glee, as he exclaimed, “Yes! Oh yes! that’s why we have “Hold it!” A furious Angel of Bureaucracy was assert- solution #2. Here it goes:” ing himself. “Who in heaven’s name is Underdog Miracle Another animation began. The initial state was the Services?” same, but this time, the jug emptied entirely. The anima- “Why, they’re the team that engineered the miraculous tion collapsed the next 12 hours into a few nanoseconds, victory over the Greek-Syrian army.” during which the oil progressively decreased in quantity. “Just a minute. We’re talking miracles here. Big time Then, just as it hit the last drop, oil returned suddenly to miracles. Oil miraculously appearing out of nowhere. the cups of the Menorah. A Hasmonean Cohen entered Coffee mugs that never empty. Total disregard for the the Holy Chamber that morning — technically day two standard conventions of the natural order. And you want of Chanukah — to prepare the Menorah as per Temple to compare that to a natural event of one army winning ritual. He looked in the cups, saw the oil and ran out wav- over another in war!?” ing his arms and yelling, “A MIRACLE! A MIRACLE!” “Now, you’ll observe in this scenario,” concluded the “A very miraculous war.” expert, “since the miracle occurs the day after, instead of immediately, the miracle must also therefore occur on the “They used guerilla tactics. They knew the territory 8th day of Chanukah, in order that the Menorah may be well. They had higher morale and greater conviction.” lit on that afternoon!” The people from Underdog had been sitting in the “You’ll also notice,” pitched in the sales rep, “that wings ready for just this situation. Deftly, one of them we’ve provided all of you with auto-refilling coffee mugs leaped onto the stage. “How about we take a look at what to demonstrate this wonderful application of our technol- actually happened,” he suggested, “and then determine ogy. Were not limited to refilling the source — we can just how conventional it really was.” even cause the recipient vessel to auto-refill!” Before the judges of the court could nod or shake their Yosef Karo sat poker-faced, astonished by the trap heads, the lights dimmed and a 3D image of the OutaNowhere had laid for itself. “And what about the Maccabee brothers appeared in the projection area. They first day?” he softly queried. didn’t look like guerilla freedom fighters at all. In fact, they looked a lot more like sedentary yeshiva bachurim “The first day?” in ancient garb, hunched over their scrolls by an oil lamp, “Yes. You said the miracle doesn’t occur until the day waving their thumbs and arms in a heated discussion of after. What miracle do we celebrate on the first day talmudic cases of damages. then?” “Now, let’s say someone just rolls a rock by a hillside, The expert was by now searching his pockets for his and the rock rolls and causes some heavy property dam- Comment | Voices | Question | Story | Seasons of the Soul | Parsha | Week at Glance 22 18 www.Chabad.org

coming!” story “It’s obvious. This is a case of indirect damage. that’s exactly what Rabbi Eliezer is discussing!” The Menorah Files “The whole army! Thousands of them!” “You’re already assuming this is indirect damage! But it’s not!” “Oh yes it is!” “NO IT ISN’T!!” “Tens of thousands of footmen! Cavalry! They’ve sent the largest army in the world against us!” age along the way. Maybe like even an avalanche or “Brother! I don’t understand how you can ignore the something...” reality of all this! Its just such a classic case of indirect...” “Well, his liability depends on this: Did the rock roll “ELEPHANTS! THEYVE GOT ELEPHANTS! due to his rolling of the rock, or was his roll of the rock WHOOOOOEEEEEEY!!!” only an indirect cause of the rock rolling?” “Direct liability! That’s what it is!” “I told you last time. A rolling rock is similar to fire, and concerning fire we have a Torah edict...” “They’ve almost entirely entered the valley right now.” “But Rabbi Eliezer says...” “INDIRECT!” “Why do you always bring up that same Rabbi Eliezer?! I’ve told you a thousand times his statement is “DIRECT!” irrelevant to this matter!” “Yes! The entire army is in the valley below us! “Please don’t yell at me. My ulcer, you know...” They’ll find us soon!! WE’RE MACCABEE PURÉE!” As the heavenly court shook their heads in pity and “INDIRECT!” compassion, the agent from Underdog continued his nar- “DIRECT!!!!!!” rative, “Now let’s take a look at the enemy forces. You With that last assertion, the Maccabee brother pound- decide who you think will be more successful in battle.” ed his talmudic fist down upon the boulder. As their The judges were thrown out of their seats by the wild debate continued, the boulder began its descent down the beat of raunchy Hellenist music, as thousands of fierce hill, gathering more and more rocks to join it on its mis- warriors danced in wild frenzy about huge bonfires, sion. Within moments, a cataclysmic avalanche was in swinging their swords recklessly, guzzling gallons of action. beer, hollering and laughing at the top of their lungs. “BUT RABBI ELIEZER...... ” “Stop!! the judges screamed. Who gave you permis- The leading flank of the Greek army was crushed in a sion to bring those hoodlums up here?!” matter of seconds. The central flank turned to retreat in The presentation ground to an abrupt halt, and the panic, screaming at those behind to turn back. In the agent asked the judges for their respected opinion: Rate stampede Greek fought Greek — the rear flank pressing each side for its ability to win a battle of arms and blood- forward, certain the enemy was ahead, the mid-flank shed. desperate to get the *%*&#^!! out of there. The Greeks rated 95. Maccabees, 0.05. “BUT RABBI ELIEZER NEVER HAD ANYTHING “Now let’s observe what actually ensued.” TO DO WITH ROCK & ROLL DAMAGES!!” The scene was now the top of a Judean Hill. The Within an hour or so, the Greek army was demolished. Maccabee brothers stood about a large boulder, clumsily Those not buried under the rock and soil or killed in bat- holding bows and arrows that may have been bought in a tle by their own troops simply ran home in utter confu- cheap toy store, awaiting the approaching Greek army. sion and trauma, with no idea how to explain any of this to their king, their people or their wives. “Look, here’s a good example of just the sort of rock we were discussing last night. Just the sort of rock Rabbi The Maccabees eventually determined the liability Eliezer would have...” issue was more complex than it had originally seemed. “I told you: Rabbi Eliezer’s statement has nothing to The Underdog reps were all slapping the back of the do with this sort of damages! How can you compare team angel that had played the boulder in that episode. damage due to fire to...” And the heavenly court determined that, yes, this “Brothers! The Greeks are coming! The Greeks are indeed was a great miracle.

Comment | Voices | Question | Story | Seasons of the Soul | Parsha | Week at Glance 22 19 www.Chabad.org story finite detail of the creation. When we saw earthlings tapping The Menorah Files into this infinitude by means of the mitzvahs, we were con- vinced. There are many other pointers, but let’s get to our implementation.” The engineer shone a narrow light beam on his chart, which looked vaguely similar to those the engineer from But Yosef Karo was not finished. He was up from Quality had shown. “Here, You’ll recall, is the source of his desk, examining the virtual model of the Temple olive oil. It produces light, does not mix with other liquids Menorah. and yet permeates everything — all this due to its close link “What’s that oil made of?” he asked. with the Sphere of Wisdom, as my colleague before noted. “Why, that’s olive oil,” the CEO answered. Whereas their strategy was to increase the quality property “From olives?” Karo persisted. of this node, we are able to unleash the power of the infinite that creates the quantity factor of this element.” “Olive oil comes from olives, right?” There was no doubt the judges were in awe. Unleashing “I thought you just told us its miracle oil. So it did- the Infinite was heavy stuff to throw around up in heaven. n’t come from olives, then.” OutaNowheres stocks were rising rapidly. Rabbi Karo, “Well,” the CEO looked a bit perplexed, “I’ll have however, was unimpressed. one of my engineers explain.” “You’ve yet to answer my question. So is it olive oil, or An engineer came up in his OutaNowhere sweat- is it Miracle Whip?” he reiterated. shirt and laivees (as they are known up there), with all “It’s olive oil! It comes straight from the same place that the charts needed to explain the technical stuff the olive oil comes from, just the same way!” The engineer was team thought they wouldn’t need to explain. exasperated. The CEO jumped in to help. “As you are all well aware,” he began, “the physi- “Look, it tastes like olive oil, feels like olive oil, has all cal world is the ultimate in finite creation. This is the spiritual and physical properties of olive oil. Because it actually only a crystallization of the finitude which is olive oil!” he pleaded. begins in the higher, spiritual realms. What OutaNowhere has discovered, through close observa- Rabbi Karo didn’t flinch. “As I understand, in my very tion of the workings of the cosmos, is quite astound- simple, mortal-being, non-angelic terms, olive oil is that ing. Apparently, the energy source of this finite cre- which comes out of an olive. Not oil that comes out of a ation is 100% infinite. And that infinite force is con- miracle.” tinually invested within the finite, sustaining its exis- The OutaNowhere team members were holding their tence and vivifying it.” heads in their wings again. Rabbi Karo continued, “But this “We all know,” interrupted one of the angelic oil comes out of nowhere, as your very name suggests.” judges, “that The Boss, Blessed Be He, is infinite in “But everything comes out of nowhere!” cried the engi- every way. And we know that everything comes from neer. “You and I and olive oil and everything that exists all Him. But, how could an infinite energy source power come out of absolute nothingness at every moment!” something finite — all the more so, be invested with- “True,” admitted Karo, “but that’s not the end-user expe- in it? Simple logic dictates that a large thing cannot fit rience. The user-experience is induced by a facade of a nat- into a smaller one, never mind infinite within finite. ural order, by which trees grow, olives develop, and then The energy within the cosmos must therefore be they are squeezed by live human beings to extract their oil. finite.” In my meek understanding, that’s the sort of oil the Torah “That was our original hypothesis,” explained the requires be used in the Menorah.” engineer. “And I’m sure that’s what the Sar Shel The entire assembly-on-high was utterly floored. Finally, Yavan still believes, and is one of the reasons he has one of the judges spoke up. such difficulty accepting the supernatural. However, “We are at a loss,” he complained. “We fail to understand the data we collected overwhelmingly points to an what Rabbi Karo is demanding. We’re here today to plan a infinite energy source within the finite creation.” miracle. He seems to be demanding preservation of the nat- “Some examples?” asked a wide-eyed angel. ural order. Rabbi Karo, please make up your mind!” “As the Talmud states clearly, there is no evidence “I also wish to see a very great miracle,” Yosef Karo of the forces of the cosmos weakening over time, or replied, his confidence unshaken. “I’m only requiring that of the sum whole of the mass of the universe dimin- all halachic considerations be fulfilled. Is that too great a ishing. Furthermore, we see infinite wisdom in each miracle for the Heavenly Court?”

Comment | Voices | Question | Story | Seasons of the Soul | Parsha | Week at Glance 22 20 www.Chabad.org story All eyes were once again on the OutaNowhere team. The CEO was already on his cellular, talking with his The Menorah Files lawyers. The sales rep leaped forward. “Actually, we were going to take the name, Miracles Unlimited, but it was copyright already, and since the user experience—” In a bolt, before he could put his foot in his mouth, the The question dropped like lead on the heads of the CEO had his sales rep off the floor. “Gentleman,” he court. announced, “it’s all settled. It will take a few days for the “No,” very softly replied the ChairAngel. “Nothing is paper work, but our company name is now officially, too great for heaven. Why, we have the Power of the Miracles Unlimited. Now if we could just get around to Infinite. Is that not correct, my fellows?” He looked the terms of the contract, I have my attorney on the about both at his colleagues and at the engineering teams. phone...” They were forced to nod. “I’m sorry to say, esteemed judges, but this is not what Finally, an erudite-looking angel, positioned not far I expected.” It was the voice of Yosef Karo, once again, from center, cleared his throat and spoke. “If it is and all were stilled as it echoed through the hall. halachic compliance you demand, Rabbi Karo, then I “I cannot hide that I am deeply disappointed. Here, my believe we can settle this matter quite simply with no fellow Jews, the Maccabees, went far beyond the letter of modifications to the design under review. I had actually the law to challenge the mighty Greek army. I might add, imagined these fellows had taken this into consideration if they had asked a competent halachic authority whether when I noted the refill action... Excuse me,” he gestured they were obligated, nay, permitted to put their lives and to the H.I. expert from OutaNowhere, “could you play those of all the Jewish people in definite danger on the that second animation sequence again? Stop just before highly improbable chance they might win, the answer the oil refills.” would have been a resounding No!. The OutaNowhere engineers eagerly fast-forwarded “Furthermore, they refused to compromise with the the animation to the frame where the oil was down to the apparent reality to light the Menorah with impure oil, last drop. although, as stated earlier, this would have been perfect- “Yes, stop there!” the erudite judge motioned. “Now, ly permissible considering the circumstances. They move ahead frame by frame... Yes, so you see, there are searched every nook and cranny for pure oil, and the a few drops left when the new oil appears! It is not Almighty showed his appreciation and endearment to appearing out of nowhere. It is simply an extension of the them, providing them with such. Everything until now oil that was there from before.” has been a striving for the most immaculate service of G- “And just what difference does that make?” his neigh- d which reaches beyond intellect and reason.” bor turned to him impatiently. He paused. And then with a biting irony in his power- “A world of a difference!” he replied. “You see, there ful voice, like a mighty sword piercing metal, “And you is a general principle applied in various circumstances are requiring that they rely on a flimsy kvetch and twist throughout the Talmud that...” of the Talmudic thumb to burn oil on the second day that did not come out of an olive? This you call this the Power “An outgrowth is classified with its source!” piped in of the Infinite? This you call the Kingdom of Heaven?!” an excited younger angel, proud to display his Talmudic knowledge. His voice resounded through the Marble Chamber, pounding upon the ears of its court members. The very “And liquid which comes into another liquid acquires walls shook, and the most exalted of the angels looked the same considerations as the original liquid!” joined in for somewhere to hide in shame. another. “As for the issue of whether this is to be a miracle or The angels were getting excited again. Talmud is a hot a natural event, did the Maccabees ask that question topic up there. They have always been jealous that such when they went to battle against skilled men of war rid- abstract matters were officially the domain of coarse ing upon elephants? Did they say, ‘Well, if the Almighty earthly beings. Once again, debate and discussion wants miracles, let Him perform miracles without us, and exploded in all directions. if He wants us to fight, then what are these elephants “So, what’s with the name, OutaNowhere?” demand- doing here?’ No! They knew a G-d to whom miracle and ed one angel above the commotion. “If it’s out of nature are one, a G-d who wishes His world to know that nowhere, its not olive. If its only an outgrowth of the physics, too, is miraculous! original olive, then we’ve got you for misrepresentation.” “You engineers!” the rabbi pointed sharply towards

Flaming Wonders knew they had two tough acts to follow. But they figured their presentation had it made. A flurry of high-distortion, heavy-metal sound, a blind- story ing flash of light and the whole of heaven was on fire. Hollywood-style flames were dancing out of the coffee The Menorah Files mugs of every member of the court. With a mighty whoosh, one giant flame appeared at center-floor. A sales rep stepped out. Elegantly, he stepped over to a solid gold Menorah (real, physical gold), squeezed oil from olives into the cups (natural, earth-grown olives), and with a flourish of his wings set flames dancing across the cups. the sweatshirts and laivees in the OutaNowhere-now- And then, in the 3D-projection area, appeared an image known-as-Miracles-Unlimited-team. “Didn’t your eyes for which all the angels rose in reverence and awe. It was open to this when you discovered that the world He made is the image of none other than Moses himself, staring at one an impossibility, a marriage of the finite and the infinite? of the Flaming Wonder flames dancing within a bush. In Then why is it so absurd to require that power here? utter awe, he could be heard whispering to himself, “I must “If He wanted only an open miracle with no trace of turn from my present, humanist mind-set to attain cog- physics, then why did He require the Maccabees to search nizance of this new observation: that this bush is aflame yet for a flask of oil? Let it simply fall from the heavens! And there is no combustion of its carbon!” if He wanted just vanilla physics, without any miracle, then As the ear-ringing music reached its apex, all the flames let them find eight days worth of oil! in the chamber rushed together over the heads of the audi- “But no, He, in His masterful scheme of things desires ence and in magnificently choreographed motion converged both. He desires harmony of the natural and the supernatu- into the Flaming Wonders logo, with a subtitle, “Do We ral. He desires that the lighting of the Menorah be per- Have Your Attention Now?” formed by natural means, with natural olive oil — from The entire heavenly court applauded, ecstatic to see that, olives — and yet be a miracle by burning for eight days. yes, there was a solution, and one that could satisfy even That is not my requirement, that is His. And you as His their hyper-rigorous human consultant. Or so it seemed. agents are charged with fulfilling it.” The sales rep, remained there, smiling. “Need I say The ChairAngel struggled to speak the words out of his more? I believe you have seen with your eyes, we have throat. “I believe we have one more bidder to hear out. filled all the requirements.” Apparently, they plan to use only the pure, natural olive oil with no miraculous additives. They also purport to keep the “No,” sighed an exasperated Yosef Karo. “You need say cups of the Menorah full for all eight days. I move we hear no more. You have already said it. Or at least, we have all them out.” heard Moses himself say it.” The motion was passed and Flaming Wonders began “And what better authority on Torah-compliance than their presentation. that?” ventured the sales rep. Official Report Card: OutaNowhere Proposal “Quite correct,” added Yosef Karo. “And since he clearly acknowledged that you fail to fill a basic requirement, I Pros: suppose you can take your little presentation and go back to • Strong precedent. your desk.” • Consideration of human factors. “But, Rabbi Karo!” pleaded a stunned senior judge. “You • New miracle on each day. insisted that the oil not be consumed, and these angels are • Superb coffee. providing just that. What could now be lacking?” Cons: “Moses said clearly that the bush was not burning,” • Lack of coordination between team members. answered Rabbi Karo. “No combustion of its carbon.” • First day of Chanukah provides no oil miracle. “And that’s just what you wanted,” countered the sales Forced to rely on lower-level miracles for that day. rep. • One major halachic concern: The oil in the Menorah “So if the bush is not burning, then where is the flame is required to be oil squeezed from an olive. This proposal coming from?” demanded the Rabbi. provides a substance that has all the qualities of such oil, but “It’s just there!” the sales rep exclaimed, obviously hav- is actually produced overtly ex-nihilo. ing lost his cool already. “What do you care where its com- Rating: 4 LIGHT VII: THE BATTLE ing from?! Do we really need a whole new technical dis-

wisdom and rationality. Yes, I have admitted many times The Menorah Files that your Torah is full of jewels of insight into human nature, a marvelous system of critical analysis that — although quite distinct — nevertheless compliments our own. It is, as stated within, ‘...your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the nations.’” cussion with the charts and schematics and more talk about His tone suddenly changed. “We could have blended so infinite light and spiritual engineering? It works. It has beautifully together!” He began to cry. “A Judeo-Hellenist worked in the past. It fulfills everything you’ve talked about Ethic! Your spiritual wisdom, coupled with our Science of until now! It even provides a constant miracle at every Nature...” moment! So just go with it!” The power of Greek drama in its pristine source now Yosef Karo took a deep breath and replied, “The Torah unleashed in all fury. “But no! Like the olive oil we discuss states, ‘...pure olive oil, crushed in order to be a luminance, today, you refused to mix! You refused to recognize your to raise up an everlasting flame.’ That irrevocably implies Torah for the marvelous pinnacle of human wisdom that it that the flame must be produced by the combustion of the is, clinging to this archaic, primitive doctrine that it is some- oil. Now his voice rose again. But, in your case, as Moses thing G-dly, something that defies — as if it were at all pos- clearly stated, there is no combustion at all!” sible — the very Laws of Logic that set the parameters of “But that’s what you asked for!” exclaimed a row of the universe, of nature, of the gods and of all that is. angels in unison. “When I saw your rituals, I learned many things from “I asked for halachic compliance, and I have not their wisdom. But there were those I could not fathom. budged!” was the firm reply. When I inquired about them, your reply always boiled Now the whole court was in an uproar. Consternation and down to the same irrational, ‘Because our G-d, the G-d of bewilderment were on the faces of many as they waved Israel has so commanded.’ their wings to each other in frantic discussion. Some, such “I begged you to describe for me this G-d we could not as the ChairAngel, tried to justify Rabbi Karos position, but see, a G-d who commands things beyond the intellect of his in vain. subjects. You told me He has no description. No explana- “How could you please such a man?” they argued. “First tion. He just is, you said. he tells us the cups must be full each day with the very same “‘That which cannot be described and cannot be oil as was originally placed in them. Then he demands that explained cannot exist!’ I exclaimed. And you persisted. the oil be burning. Burning. That means being consumed. You claimed that existence cannot be explained either — Its mass diminishing as it is produces heat and light. So is despite all I had taught you of science and philosophy. the oil to burn or is the oil not to burn?! The man has to “When I saw those things, I felt moved to enlighten you. make up his mind!” I had mercy upon you by abolishing those commandments That’s when the Sar Shel Yavan saw his chance. Amidst that perpetuated this crude, backward doctrine of yours. the commotion, he crept surreptitiously forth towards Rabbi But, like little children, you couldn’t swallow the medicine Karo. At about two meters, he began his attack. the doctor prescribed for your own well being! You forced “This,” he stabbed, “is precisely the attitude that has got- me to take an extreme position. I decreed upon you, ten you stubborn Jews into all your trouble until now. ‘Engrave upon the horns of your oxen that you have no por- Cannot you relent and see? If the stick is too long to hold at tion in the G-d of Israel!’ both ends, then grasp one end alone!” “But that drove you only further. You abandoned logic His eyes began to shine, the polish of his marble glisten- and good common sense, as though all this Torah of yours ing in the sharp light of the Chamber. One moment he was had nothing to do with that, as if it were no more than an a dramatist, the next a philosopher. “Even I would be ready irrational bond between you and something that cannot to accept what you call a miracle. It would take some con- exist. You sacrificed your very lives and the lives of your vincing and explaining, but as long as there is some sem- loved ones as though nothing else mattered but this nonsen- blance of internal logic — albeit not the logic of our world, sical, blind vision! perhaps the logic of a higher realm — I am always open to “So you see, I too sincerely desire that your light should hear anything that could make sense. shine forth! Let the oil of your wisdom burn and illuminate “But you,” he pointed accusingly at Yosef Karo, “you the entire world! But first we must ensure that it complies Jews will not suffice with common sense!” with human reason. At the very least, it must fit neatly within the realm of logic, and not step beyond.” He paused. His tone became more civil. “You profess

Comment | Voices | Question | Story | Seasons of the Soul | Parsha | Week at Glance 22 23 www.Chabad.org story to debate even on another’s ground. “But it is measurable nonetheless — perhaps not precisely, but measurable.” The Menorah Files “Everything, to be a something, must have some sort of measure to it,” the scientist conceded. “Idiot!” The Sar shouted. “Is then what these Jews believe empirically observable in measurable terms?” Yosef Karos eyes widened. The Sar had enlightened him. The scientist was unperturbed. “A scientist’s job is to “So you defiled the oil on purpose,” he uttered. measure according to what he is able to perceive with the The Sar smiled. Karo went on. “You wanted the tools available to him,” he observed. “The job of the rabbi Maccabees to light the Menorah with impure oil, as a sym- is to heighten the consciousness of the observer so that the bol of Torah compromised with human intellect. This would inner world also becomes perceptible.” have been your underhanded victory!” “And therefore?” insisted the Sar. “And tell me,” the Sar countered, “not using the oil sim- “In a strictly material world it is true there is no percep- ply because a soldier may have touched it with a ten foot tion of ritual impurity or purity in the oil. But up here, in the pole makes sense?” inner world...” “Reality does not require the approval of your common “But they believe in things that are inherently immeasur- sense!” able!! Not in their world and not in any world! Because they “THERE YOU GO AGAIN!!” implicitly deny measurement!” “Excuse the interruption.” A hand waved from amongst “Such as?” the engineers’ bench, accompanying the polite Danish “They themselves admit that this G-d of theirs is accent. “My job is empirical science, especially in the area immeasurable. And they believe in a Beginning! Creation of quantum physics, and I must say I am forced to agree ex nihilo! Now, go ahead, tell me you can measure and with the rabbi.” observe that the entire cosmos came out of nothing!” “Nothing is immeasurable.” LIGHT VIII: DARKNESS SHINES “Precisely. And now, have him tell you about the Holy The Sar turned with an imposing glare, but the scientist Ark they claim to have, that is 2.5 cubits wide but takes up meekly continued. no space whatsoever in the Chamber of the Holy of Holies.” “We don’t use philosophy. We are empiricists. Meaning The court members looked at each other with widened that we accept the data, whether it fits our current concep- eyes. They knew about that chamber, and on occasion cer- tions or not. Once we have the data, we try to make sense of tain beings were permitted entry. But they were never it — not the other way around. allowed to measure. That place was strictly His territory. “As a matter of fact,” the scientist grinned slightly, “we That chamber was twenty cubits wide. The Holy Ark, have observed certain phenomena very basic to the com- measuring 2.5 cubits sat in the middle of it. The measure- mon reality that appear to counter common sense altogeth- ment from the left wall of the chamber to the left side of the er.” Ark was 10 cubits. The measurement from the right wall of “But they are measurable, nonetheless.” the chamber to the right side of the Ark was also 10 cubits. With the width of the Ark, the distance from one wall to the “Yes, but with a caveat. You see, as soon as we start other should have come to 22.5 cubits. Yet, when measured, measuring anything, the reality is impacted by our act of it came to only 20 cubits. The Ark took up no space. Yet it measurement. After all, just by saying that we are going to measured 2.5 cubits. It took up space and it did not take up measure something, we are already bifurcating the reality. space. This, the Sar Shel Yavan could not accept. And the We’re saying, there’s us, and there’s the thing we are meas- members of the heavenly court were entirely bewildered. uring — and then, of course, there’s our act of measurement, which is a third thing.” “But you have lost!” retorted Yosef Karo. “The Maccabees did not fall for your ploy! They refused to do the “So therefore?” rational and searched instead for the impossible — for an “So nothing can really be known in an absolute sense. untouched flask of pure oil!” That leaves a lot of room for what they call miracles — “One more small defeat in battle,” the Sar sighed. “But when you are dealing with unknowable states, well just any- the war I shall still win. For you have gone too far. You are thing could happen. There’s no absolute rule of cause and attacking the very basis of logic, and that battle you cannot effect, as you Ancient Greeks like to believe.” win. The Sar now demonstrated his mastery of sophistry, able “Let me explain something,” he continued, “since it is I

story same oil to be consumed and not be consumed, to preserve the laws of nature and defy those very same laws at once, abrogates the very basis of reality. We in heaven can make Accumulating Lights anything be. Or we can make it not be. But nothing can both be and not be at once. However, we assure you we will do our best to hire the applicant who comes closest to fulfilling the requirements you have laid out before us.” who is the master of mathematics and logic. In our world, For a moment, Karo was still. He bit his lip, perhaps he one plus one is two. I am ready to accept that a world could shivered — it would be hard to tell. Then he turned ever so have been created where one plus one could be three, or deliberately towards the center of the assembly and stepped five, or seventeen, or whatever its Creator wishes it to be. I in awe and trembling towards that point in the epicenter that can even accept a world where two conclusions, or even transcended place, time and consciousness. The Divine more could be drawn from one equation, as your friend the Spirit of the Infinite Light And Beyond overcame and quantum physicist here wishes to posit. As I said, as long as enveloped him, as he raised his hands and cried out in a there is a logic, whatever that logic might be. As long as piercing, mighty voice, like the massive waves of a storm there are true statements and false statements, there is logic crashing upon the shore: “You Who dwells in darkness as and there is reality. You do in light, Who is found in concealment as in revela- “But what I cannot accept is that one plus one should tion! Beyond Being and Not Being, You who unites all equal two and the same one plus one should not equal two. things and for Whom all things are one!” That a statement should be both true and false at once. That And then, even louder, unbearably, tortuously... is a denial of logic. If that could be so, then you and I and “Almighty Father in Heaven, have compassion upon your all our world and all that exists has no true substance!” children who have given their lives to the slaughter for the Now he began to scream again, in a maddened, desperate sake of Your Great and Awesome Name!” shrill tone. “And that is precisely what you are demanding! The echo of his voice pounded the walls of the chamber, You want that oil should burn, yet not be burning! That the shaking them to the ground. The supernal beings of the laws of nature be preserved, yet a miracle occur! You are heavens stood in their places as though stunned. All mouths demanding darkness to shine and yet remain darkness! But were closed, all wings held their place in readied stillness. it cannot be! You cannot defy the very binary foundation of And then the glory of the Holy One, Blessed be He rose reality, of being!!” in all worlds. A light that shone with equal intensity in all “Yes,” the scientist piped in. “Reality is definitely bina- places, in all realms, for it knows no place or time. ry. The whole cosmos is built on is and isn’t. If the Rabbi “It is the Ohr haGanuz!” exclaimed the ChairAngel in wants us to abrogate that to have his miracle, well, it just reverence. “The light of the first day of Creation that was cant be done. Not even by Heaven, Inc.” hidden until the Time to Come! We must all descend below Yosef Karo swung around in royal form to face and com- to see from whence comes this light!” mand the court. “Esteemed masters of judgment!” he So it was that the entire Supreme Court of the Heavens declared. “Empowered to do the work of the Infinite Master descended into the Holy Chamber of the Temple in of All Being! Could it be that the hand of heaven is limited Jerusalem — the physical one on this earth — to witness the in any way? Perform the Miracle of Chanukah in utmost miracle of the Menorah, as the oil burned to produce a perfection as the Torah so demands!” flame, but did not burn; combustion occurred, but did not Silence was all he received in response. Quietness, the occur; oil was consumed and none was consumed; trans- echo of his own voice and a room of pale faces. His eyes forming darkness into light while remaining darkness. flashed from one angel to the next, to the next, this one in Silence reigned. And the silence was also Light. tears, another’s face covered with shame, some shaking their heads in sorrow, wings drooping, the glow of heaven “This is my G-d,” whispered Yosef Karo. “This is my G- all but gone from their countenance. Finally, the d and I will praise Him.” ChairAngel spoke up. And all the heavenly court and the whole host of heaven, “Illustrious Rabbi.” He forced out his words, as though indeed all of G-d’s creation and infinite emanations burst reading from a script, a glistening tear rolling over his into the song of Hallel, the praise of the Ultimately Infinite. cheek. “We thank you very much for coming today, and Including, noted Rabbi Karo, the Sar Shel Yavan. enlightening us with your unique perspective. It is with Darkness shone. deep regret, however, that we inform you we are unable to process your request. We refer to the advice we have Sources: See the thesis Mai Chanukah, based on the received that for a flame to both burn and not burn, for the

Reluctantly the people agreed, and slowly they dis- persed. Only one person, a woman, remained in her story place, as if riveted to it, and she addressed Uzzia and the Elders, who had also turned to go. Her voice was Judith clear and firm. “Why do you test G-d, giving Him five days in which to send us His help? If you truly have faith in G- d, you must never give up your trust in Him. Besides, It is not clearly known when the story, which we don’t you know that surrender to Holofernes is worse are about to tell, actually took place. The story first than death?” appeared in a very ancient book named after the So spoke Yehudit, the noble daughter of Yochanan heroine, Yehudit (Judith). However, the original the High Priest. She was a young widow. It was sever- Hebrew text was lost, and only a Greek translation al years since she had lost her beloved husband remained, and not a very accurate one at that. Menashe, and had devoted all her time to prayer and The story was retold in different versions. acts of charity ever since. According to one version, it happened during the Yehudit was blessed with extraordinary charm, time of the Maccabean revolt against Syrian oppres- grace, and beauty, but she was particularly respected sion (which resulted in a miraculous victory and and admired for her devoutness, modesty and loving gave us the festival of Chanukah). According to this kindness. account, Yehudit was a daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, father of the Hasmonean family. Yehudit’s words made a deep impression on Uzzia and the Elders. At any rate, the heroic deed of Yehudit has inspired faith and courage in the hearts of Jews “You are quite right, daughter,” they admitted, “but throughout the ages. what can we do? Only a downpour of rain that would fill our empty cisterns could save our people, but it is not the rainy season. We are all suffering the pangs of The town of Bethulia, in the land of Judea, came hunger and thirst. Pray for us, Yehudit, and perhaps G- under siege by Holofernes, a mighty Syrian-Greek d will accept your prayers.” general, at the head of a huge army. “We must all continue to pray, and never despair of Holofernes was notorious for his cruelty in sup- G-d’s help,” Yehudit said. “But I have also thought of pressing rebellions. When he captured a rebel strong- a plan. I ask your permission to leave town together hold, he showed no mercy to the men, women, and with my maid. I want to go to Holofernes.” children sheltered there. Now he was determined to Uzzia and the Elders were shocked and dismayed. crush the rebellion of the town of Bethulia, whose “Do you know what you are saying, Yehudit? Would inhabitants refused to recognize the oppressive rule you sacrifice your life and honor on the slim chance of the Syrians. that you might soften Holofernes’s heart? We cannot The men of the beleaguered town fought bravely allow you to make such a sacrifice for us.” and desperately to repulse the repeated assaults by But Yehudit persisted. “It had happened before that the superior enemy forces. Seeing that he couldn’t G-d sent His salvation through a woman. Yael, the wife take the fortified town by force, Holofernes decided of Heber, was her name, as you well know. It was in her to starve the inhabitants into submission. He cut off hands that G-d delivered the cruel Sissera.” the food and water supply, and before long the town was indeed brought to the verge of surrender. Uzzia and the Elders attempted to discourage Yehudit from such a dangerous mission, but she insist- Hungry and thirsty and in utter despair, the towns- ed that she be allowed to try. Finally, they agreed. people gathered in the marketplace and demanded that, rather than die of hunger and thirst, they should surrender to the enemy. Yehudit passed through the gates of Bethulia, Uzzia, the commander of the defense forces, and dressed in her best clothes, which she had not worn the Elders of the town, tried to calm the populace, since her husband passed away. A delicate veil all but without success. Finally they pleaded, “Give us five hid her beautiful face. She was accompanied by her more days. If no salvation comes by the end of five faithful maid, who carried on her head a basket filled days, we will surrender. Just five more days...” with rolls, cheese, and several bottles of old wine. The sun had already begun to hide behind the green

city. “If you are telling me the truth, and will indeed story help me capture the city, you will be my wife!” Holofernes promised. Then he gave orders that Yehudit Judith and her maid were to have complete freedom to walk through the camp, and anyone attempting to molest them in any way would be put to death immediately. A comfortable tent was prepared for the two women, next mountains when Yehudit and her maid wound their to his. way toward the enemy’s camp, their lips whispering a The two women, veiled and wrapped in their shawls, prayer to G-d. Presently they were stopped by sentries, could now be seen walking leisurely through the armed who demanded to know who they were and who sent camp at any time during the day and evening. Fearful them. of the commander’s strict orders, everyone gave them “We have an important message for your command- a wide berth. Soon they attracted little, if any, attention. er, the brave Holofernes,” Yehudit said. “Take us to him Yehudit could now walk up to the city’s gates after at once.” dark, where she was met by a watchman. “Who are you, and why are you here?” Holofernes “Tell Uzzia that, thank G-d, everything is shaping up asked, his eyes feasting on his unexpected, charming according to plan. With G-d’s help we shall prevail visitor. over our enemy. Keep your trust strong in G-d; do not “I am but a plain widow from Bethulia. Yehudit is lose hope for a moment!” my name. I came to tell you how to capture the town, Having delivered this message for the commander of in the hope that you will deal mercifully with its inhab- the defense force of the city, Yehudit departed as quiet- itants...” ly as she had appeared. Yehudit then told Holofernes that life in the belea- The following evening she came again to the city’s guered town had become unbearable for her, and she gate and repeated the same message, adding that she bribed the watchmen to let her and her maid out. She had won Holofernes’ complete confidence. went on to say that she had heard of Holofernes’s brav- In the meantime, Holofernes, having nothing special ery and mighty deeds in battle, and wished to make his to do, spent most of his time drinking, with and with- acquaintance. Finally she told Holofernes, what he out his aides. When he was not completely drunk, he already knew, that the situation in the besieged town would send for Yehudit. She always came to his tent in was desperate, that the inhabitants have very little food the company of her maid. On the third day he was and water left. Yet, she said, their faith in G-d remained already getting impatient. strong, and so long as they had faith, they would not surrender. On the other hand, she added, before long, “Well, gracious Yehudit, what intelligence do you every scrap of kosher food would be gone, and in des- bring me today? My men are getting impatient and peration they will begin to eat the flesh of unclean ani- demoralized doing nothing; they cannot wait to capture mals, and then G-d’s anger will be turned against them, the city and have their fun...” and the town will fall.... “I have very good news, general. There is not a scrap “But how will I know when the defenders of the of kosher food left in the city now. In a day or two, citadel will begin to eat unkosher food, as you say, so famine will drive them to eat their cats and dogs and that I can then storm the walls and capture the city?” mules. Then G-d will deliver them into your hands!” the commander of the besieging army asked. “Wonderful, wonderful! This surely calls for a cele- “I had thought of that,” Yehudit answered confident- bration. Tonight we’ll have a party, just you and I. I ly. “I have arranged with the watchmen at the city’s shall expect you as my honored guest.” gates that I would come to the gate every evening to “Thank you, sir,” Yehudit said. exchange information: I will tell them what’s doing here, and they will tell me what’s doing there.” That evening, when Yehudit entered Holofernes’ Holofernes was completely captivated by the charm- tent, the table was laden with various delicacies. The ing young Jewish widow who had so unexpectedly general was delighted to welcome her and bade her entered his life and was now offering him the key to the partake of the feast. But Yehudit told him she brought

story Judith www.kehotonline.com/scripts/tgij/paper/kehot- item.asp?book=610 by Dr Nissan Mindel, published by Kehot

her own food and wine that she had prepared especially for that occasion. “My goat cheese is famous in all of Bethulia,” Yehudit said, “I’m sure you’ll like it, general.” He did. And he also liked the strong, undiluted wine she had brought. She fed him the cheese, chunk after chunk, and he washed it down with wine. Before long he was sprawled on the ground, dead drunk. Yehudit propped a pillow under his head and rolled him over on his face. Then she uttered a silent prayer. “Answer me, O L-rd, as You answered Yael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, when you delivered the wicked general Sissera into her hands. Strengthen me this once that I may bring Your deliverance to my people whom this cruel man vowed to destroy, and let the nations know that You have not forsaken us...” Now Yehudit unsheathed Holofernes’ heavy sword, and taking aim at his neck, she brought the sword down on it with all her might. For a moment she sat down to compose herself. Then she wrapped up the general’s head in rags, concealed it under her shawl, and calmly walked out and into her own tent. “Come quickly,” she said to her maid, “but let us not arouse suspicion.” The two veiled women walked leisurely, as usual, until they reached the gates of the city. “Take me to Uzzia at once,” she said to the sentry. Uzzia could not believe his eyes as he stared at the gruesome prize Yehudit had brought him. “There is no time to lose,” she told the commander. “Prepare your men for a surprise attack at dawn. The enemy’s camp is not prepared for it. When they run to their commander’s tent, they will find his headless body, and they will flee for their lives...” This is precisely what happened. The enemy fled in confusion and terror, leaving much booty behind.

Excerpted from The Complete Story of Chanukah,

story that I could reach my destination on time. “That was a foolish idea, I must admit, but I didn’t The Vanishing Flame realize that until too late. Last night, I ran into a gang of bandits, who were quite pleased to encounter me. They figured if I was out in this weather, at night, alone, I must be a wealthy merchant whose business could not It was the first night of Chanukah. Outside a snow- brook delay. They demanded that I surrender to them all storm raged, but inside it was tranquil and warm. The of my money. Rebbe, Rabbi Baruch of Mezhibuz, grandson of the “I tried to explain, I pleaded with them, but they Baal Shem Tov, stood in front of the menorah, sur- absolutely refused to believe I had no money. They rounded by a crowd of his Chassidim. He recited the seized the reins of my horses and leapt on my wagon. blessings with great devotion, lit the single candle, They sat themselves on either side of me to keep me placed the shammash (“servant candle”) in its designat- under close surveillance, and then drove me and my ed place, and began to sing HaNairot Halalu. His face wagon off to meet their chief to decide my fate. radiated holiness and joy; the awed Chassidim stared “While they waited for their chief to arrive, they intently at him. questioned and cross-examined me in great detail, The flame of the candle was burning strongly. Rebbe searched me and the wagon, and beat me, trying to elic- and Chassidim sat nearby and sang Maoz Tsur and other it the secret of where I had hidden my money. I had Chanukah songs. All of a sudden, the candle began to nothing to tell them except the truth, and that they flicker and leap wildly, even though there wasn’t the weren’t prepared to accept. slightest breeze in the house. It was as if it were danc- “After hours of this torture, they bound me and threw ing. Or struggling. And then, it disappeared! me, injured and exhausted, into a dark cellar. I was It didn’t blow out, there was no smoke, it just was not bleeding from the wounds they had inflicted, and my there anymore. It was as if it flew off somewhere else. whole body ached in pain. I lay there until the evening, The Rebbe himself seemed lost in thought. His atten- when the gang leader came to speak with me. dant went over to re-light the wick, but the Rebbe “I tried to the best of my ability to describe to him the waved him off. great joy of being in the Rebbe’s presence, and how it He motioned to the Chassidim to continue singing. was so important to me to get to the Rebbe by the start Several times, between tunes, the Rebbe spoke words of of the holiday that it was worth it to endanger myself by Torah. The evening passed delightfully, and the traveling at night. Chassidim present had all but forgotten about the disap- “It seems that my words made an impression on him, pearing Chanukah candle. or else he was persuaded by my adamancy even under It was nearly midnight when the harsh sound of car- torture. But whichever it was, thank G-d he released me riage wheels grating on the snow and ice exploded the from the handcuffs, saying: tranquility. The door burst open and in came a Chassid “I sense that your faith in G-d is strong and your who hailed from a distant village. His appearance was longing to be with your Rebbe is genuine and intense. shocking. His clothes were ripped and filthy, and his Now we shall see if this is the truth. I am going to let face was puffy and bleeding. And yet, in stark contrast you go, but you should know that the way is extremely to his physical state, his eyes were sparkling and his fea- dangerous. Even the most rugged people never venture tures shone with joy. into the heart of the forest alone, only in groups, and He sat down at the table, and with all eyes upon him, especially not in a storm and at night. You can leave and began to speak excitedly. “This isn’t the first time I try your luck. And I am telling you, if you get through came to Mezhibuz by the forest route, and I know the the forest and the other terrible conditions safely, way very well. But there was a terrible snow storm this unharmed by the ferocious wild beasts or anything else, week, which greatly slowed my advance. I began to then I will break up my gang and reform my ways. worry that I wouldn’t get here in time to be with the “If you actually reach the outskirts of the city, then Rebbe for the first night of Chanukah. The thought dis- throw your handkerchief into the ditch next to the road, turbed me so much, I decided not to wait out the storm, behind the signpost there. One of my men will be wait- but to plod ahead and travel day and night, in the hope ing, and that is how I will know that you made it.

story The Vanishing Flame

“I then became terrified all over again. The hardships I had already endured were seared into my soul, and now even more frightening nightmares awaited me. But when I thought about how wonderful it is to be with the Rebbe at the menorah lighting, I shook off all my appre- hensions and resolved not to delay another moment. My horse and carriage were returned to me and I set off on my way. “There was total darkness all around. I could hear the cries of the forest animals, and they sounded close. I feared that I was surrounded by a pack of vicious wolves. “I crouched down over my horse’s neck and spurred him on. He refused to move in the pitch blackness. I lashed him. He didn’t budge. “I had no idea what to do. At that moment, a small light flickered in front of the carriage. The horse stepped eagerly towards it. The light advanced. The horse followed. All along the way, the wild animals fled from us, as if the tiny dancing flame was driving them away. “We followed that flame all the way here. I kept my end of the bargain and threw my handkerchief at the designated place. Who knows? Perhaps those cruel bandits will change their ways, all in the merit of that little light.” It was only then that the Chassidim noticed that the Rebbe’s Chanukah light had returned. There it was, burning in the elaborate menorah, its flame strong and pure as if it had just been lit.

Biographical note: Rabbi Baruch was born in 1753 in Mezhibuz, the town from which his illustrious grandfather, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, led the Chassidic Movement which he founded. Rabbi Baruch was the son of the Baal Shem Tov’s daughter, Adel, and her husband, Rabbi Yechiel Ashkenazi. He was one of the pre-eminent Rebbe’s in the generation of the dis- ciples of the Maggid of Mezritch and had thousands of Chassidim.

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles [email protected] is co-founder and educational coordinator of ASCENT OF SAFED, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the Ascent website www.ascent.org.il

Story She disappeared and returned several moments later with a package wrapped in cloth. She sat, her tired eyes looking into mine, and she began to speak slowly. It Should Again See Light “When I was a little girl of 8 years, during the Second World War, the authorities came to our village to round up By Blair P. Grubb, M.D. all the Jews. My best friend at that time was a girl of my age named Jeanette. One morning when I came to play, I saw her family being forced at gunpoint into a truck. I ran home and told my mother what had happened and asked where Jeanette was going. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said, Several years ago, a physician from southern France ‘Jeanette will be back soon.’ contacted me. His granddaughter had taken ill with a dis- ease that baffled the physicians there. He called after read- “I ran back to Jeanette’s house only to find that she was ing several of my articles on disorders of the autonomic gone and that the other villagers were looting her home of nervous system. His granddaughter’s symptoms seemed valuables, except for the Judaic items, which were thrown to match those I had described, and he asked me if I could into the street. As I approached, I saw an item from her help. I readily agreed, and for many months, I collaborat- house lying in the dirt. I picked it up and recognized it as ed with the child’s French physicians by telephone and by an object that Jeanette and her family would light around fax, directing their diagnostic testing. At last we came to a Christmas time. In my little girl’s mind I said ‘I will take diagnosis, and I prescribed a course of therapy. During the this home and keep it for Jeanette, till she comes back,’ next several weeks, the child made a seemingly miracu- but she and her family never returned.” lous recovery. Her grandparents expressed their heartfelt She paused and took a slow sip of brandy. “Since that thanks and told me to let them know should I ever come time I have kept it. I hid it from my parents and didn’t tell to France. a soul of its existence. Indeed, over the last 50 years the In the summer of 1996, I was invited to speak at a large only person who knew of it was my husband. When I international scientific meeting that was held in Nice, found out what really happened to the Jews, and how France. I sent word to the physician I had helped years many of the people I knew had collaborated with the before. Upon my arrival at the hotel, I received a message Nazis, I could not bear to look at it. Yet I kept it, hidden, to contact him. I called him, and we arranged a night to waiting for something, although I wasn’t sure what. Now meet for dinner. I know what I was waiting for. It was for you, a Jew, who helped cure our granddaughter, and it is to you I entrust On the appointed day we met and then drove north to this.” his home in the beautiful southern French countryside. It was humbling to learn his home was older than the United Her trembling hands set the package on my lap. I slow- States. During the drive he told me that his wife had ly unwrapped the cloth from around it. Inside was a meno- metastatic breast cancer and was not well, but she insisted rah, but one unlike any I had seen before. Made of solid upon meeting me. When introduced to her, I saw that brass, it had eight cups for holding oil and wicks and a despite her severe illness, she was still a beautiful woman ninth cup centered above the others. It had a ring attached with a noble bearing. to the top, and the woman mentioned that she remembered that Jeanette’s family would hang it in the hallway of their After dinner, we sat in a 17th-century salon, sipping home. cognac and chatting. Our conversation must have seemed odd to the young man and woman who served us because It looked quite old to me; later, several people told me it came out in a free-flowing mixture of English, French, that it is probably at least 100 years old. As I held it and and Spanish. thought about what it represented, I began to cry. All I could manage to say was a garbled “merci.” As I left, her After a time the woman asked, “My husband tells me last words to me were “Il faudra voir la lumiere encore you are Jewish, no?” “Yes,” I said, “I am a Jew.” They une fois” — it should once again see light. asked me to tell them about Judaism, especially the holi- days. I did my best to explain and was astounded by how I later learned that she died less than a month after our little they knew of Judaism. She seemed to be particular- meeting. This Chanukah, the menorah will once again see ly interested in Chanukah. Once I had finished answering light. And as I and my family light it, we will say a spe- her questions, she suddenly looked me in the eye and said, cial prayer in honor of those whose memories it repre- “I have something I want to give to you.” sents. We will not let its lights go out again.

Story The Fifth Night

A few days before Chanukah, Nachman triumphant- ly showed Reb Asher the menorah he had procured — a somewhat crude vessel but unmistakably a “real” menorah, with eight oil-cups in a row and a raised cup for the shamash. On the first evening of Chanukah, he set the menorah on a stool in the doorway between the main room of their barracks and the small storage area at its rear, and filled the right-hand cup; together, the One of the legendary soldiers in the Lubavitcher two Jews recited the blessings and kindled the first Rebbe’s army of teachers and activists who kept light, as millions of their fellows did that night in their Judaism alive in Communist Russia in the darkest homes around the world. years of repression was Rabbi Asher Sossonkin, who On that first night the lighting went off without a spent many years in Soviet labor camps for his “count- hitch, as it did on the second, third and fourth nights of er-revolutionary” activities. In one of these camps he the festival. As a rule, the prisoners in the camp did not made the acquaintance of a Jew by the name of inform on each other, and their barrack-mates had Nachman Rozman. In his youth, Nachman had aban- already grown accustomed to the religious practices of doned the traditional Jewish life in which he was raised the two Jews. to join the communist party; he served in the Red On the fifth night of Chanukah, just as Reb Asher Army, where he rose to a high rank; but then he was and Nachman had lit five flames in their menorah, a arrested for engaging in some illegal business and sen- sudden hush spread through the barracks. The prison- tenced to a long term of hard labor in Siberia. ers all froze in their places and turned their eyes to the Rozman was drawn to the chassid who awakened in doorway, in which stood an officer from the camp’s him memories of the home and life he had forsaken. high command. With Reb Asher’s aid and encouragement, he began a Though surprise inspections such as these were quite return to Jewish observance under conditions where routine occurrences, they always struck terror in the keeping kosher, avoiding work on Shabbat, or grabbing hearts of the prisoners. The officer would advance a few moments for prayer meant subjecting oneself to through the barracks meting out severe penalties for near-starvation, repeated penalties and a daily jeopardy offenses such as a hidden cigarette or a hoarded crust of life and limb. of bread. “Quick, throw it out into the snow,” whis- One winter, as Chanukah approached, Reb Asher pered the prisoners, but the officer was already striding revealed his plan to his friend. “I’ll get hold of a small, toward the back doorway, where the two Jews stood empty food can — the smaller the better, so it’ll be easy huddled over the still-burning flames of their cande- to hide and escape notice. We’ll save half of our daily labra. ration of margarine over the next two weeks, for oil. For a very long minute the officer gazed at the We can make wicks from the loose threads at the edges menorah. Then he turned to Reb Asher. “P’yat? of our coats. When everyone’s asleep, we’ll light our (Five?)” he asked. ‘menorah’ under my bunk....” “P’yat,” replied the chassid. “Certainly not!” cried Nachman Rozman. “It’s Chanukah, Reb Asher, the festival of miracles. We’ll do The officer turned and exited without a word. the mitzvah the way it should be done. Not in some rusty can fished out from the garbage, but with a prop- Originally published in the Hebrew weekly Sichat Hashavuah er menorah, real oil, at the proper time and place. I www.chabad.org.il/news/sh/sh.htm; translation/adaptation by Yanki Tauber, [email protected] have a few rubles hidden away that I can pay Igor at the metal-working shed; I also have a few ‘debts’ I can call in at the kitchen....”

Story Kharkov’s Menorah was created by students, the first group of Lubavitch students to come to Kharkov. What do young yeshiva boys know about constructing a giant Kharkov, 1995 Menorah from less than scratch? But I’ll save that for another story. Like One Hundred Ways to Build a By Shmuel Marcus Menorah in Russia. Or The Menorah That Was Made from Snow. In Ukraine you don’t ask, “Where did it come from?” If you have it, you use it. And tonight the Menorah stands tall, facing every street in the world, starting with American children are taught never to ride with a Ulitsa Pushkinskaya. stranger. America is technologically advanced; America is Tonight the Chief Rabbi and the Minister of Religion on the cutting edge of craziness. The former Soviet Union will arrive on time, and with a rented cherry picker, the is lagging behind; people still hitchhike. two will light the five kerosene lanterns. The glass cover I watch and learn. Taxis are more expensive, and they will keep the flame alive all night, and the warmth will don’t take cigarettes as payment. You put your hand out, melt the frozen heart of man. That was the plan. and a car quickly slows down. You say a street name, the That is what was supposed to happen. That’s what we driver says two bucks, you say one, he says forget it and advertised. That’s what the hundreds gathered came to drives off. You stop the next car and say the same street see. But Russian life is what happens when you have name. He says get in; you do. If you don’t settle on a price plans. beforehand, you take the risk of hearing a wordless grunt Tonight Yossi is inside the shul, trying to get the frozen when you get out. lanterns to start. Outside hundreds are waiting in the cold. It was a cold morning, and I couldn’t wait to be sitting The Russian crane driver is angry and wants to leave. My in a warm car. I put my hand out. A small blue car stops, fingers are frozen and smell like gas. and at once, as if it is an old friend of the family, I get into I run to see how the lamps are doing, but a short man the car without asking or telling. We drive in silence down stops me. Do you have a shovel? He offers to clear the Pushkinskaya street towards the shul. snow off the shul stairs. I tell him it is a good idea, but I In my haste I have forgotten to set a price. When I try to can’t help him with a shovel. Do you remember me? He pay, my driver refuses to take the amount shown. He points to a small blue car. Cohen has come to celebrate, to refuses any payment for the ride. I am confused, and it is be amongst Jews. Cohen wants to do his part, but he too early in the morning to argue. What don’t you under- already has. He came. stand? he says. Look at me. I’m a Jew; my name is Cohen, Now Yossi and Yefim have three lanterns working in the I should charge a Yeshiva boy to get to shul? I thanked office. But how can we light only three lamps on the fifth him and later bought a coke with the money. night? We need a Chanukah miracle, the miracle of lights. The minister speaks a few words in Russian; the rabbi Snow falls and stays. Flake after flake, the earth foams places the first working lantern, then the second, then the with clouded slush. Sincere snow trucks make rounds. third. He then slowly tries lighting the fourth and fifth. I The ice hardens. The sidewalk slips into an endless street. close my eyes for the miracle, but there is none. The The venders and beggars surf the cold with grace. music starts to play, and the Jews dance in the snow. The Tonight is one of those nights when all I want to do is crane drives off. Minutes later two lights go out; only one cuddle up with my cat. But that would be impossible. lamp remains shining brightly. I join hands and start to First, tonight is the fifth night of Chanukah. Second, I dance, to celebrate, to be amongst Jews. Mr. Cohen smiles have no cat. and claps his hands. Tonight hundreds of Russian Jews will publicly cele- It is time to go home. I put my hand out, and a car stops. brate religious freedom. Tonight Kharkov’s Minister of We drive a little, and then I look back through the frosty Religion, Vladimir Voldovsky, will join Kharkov’s Chief window and see the miracle of lights. Seventy years of Rabbi, Moshe Moskowitz, for the lighting of the giant communism, and one flame still burns. Russian Jews still Chanukah Menorah. Tonight we will celebrate the victory know how to dance. And hitchhiking is still safe. Well, at of light over darkness. Or at least w’ell try. least tonight. Where did the Menorah come from? Who built it? By Shmuel Marcus, [email protected], Maybe the Maccabees themselves? from his upcoming book, Chicken Kiev

Story

bodies across the galaxy. One of the most spectacular A Long Day For colonies was Le Chateau Du Glaxtinshpiel on Mars. The gardens alone would leave you breathless. Morgenstern Obviously you could never see these gardens because the colony is invisible to the human eye. by Mike Indgin Not even an invisible colony can stay hidden for long. Would-be attackers with the proper instruments could expose Le Chateau in all its glory. The Aklusians knew it was only a matter of time before Earth sent another rover to Mars and discovered one of their “Don’t even try it, old coot!” The woman in the con- Olympic-sized swimming pools or prize winning rose vertible Cadillac stepped on the gas, thwarting bushes. If Earthlings were generally a warring people, Morgenstern’s latest attempt to merge into traffic. they would soon be pointing their missiles towards the “That wasn’t very nice,” muttered Morgenstern. He sky. had been trying to proceed for ten minutes, but no one The best defense is a good offense, so the Aklusian wanted to let an 80 year old man in an old Dodge Dart High Council called upon Morgenstern. If he found in front of them. Eventually a red light stopped the that Earthlings act primarily out of aggression, he parade of vehicles long enough for him to edge onto S. would simply sneeze without covering his nose. Vicente Boulevard. “Everyone is in such a hurry” he said as honking and cursing drivers passed him like he The virus in his sneeze was so lethally concentrated was standing still. that the entire world population would be dead in hours. The gardens of Le Chateau Du Glaxtinshpiel Morgenstern wasn’t having a very good morning. It would be safe for future generations to enjoy. was only 10 am, but already he had been yelled at by a movie producer who didn’t like how long Morgenstern Morgenstern shuffled up the stairs to the library’s was taking to order his non-fat latte and nearly run second floor. He was the best at what he did. He knew down by a fast-walking new mom with a jogger all the warning signs of an angry planet. Yet he was stroller. never one to rush to judgement. The annihilation of a global population was nothing to sneeze at. He would Now he was carefully pulling into the library park- wait until the end of the day to make his decision. ing lot. A space loomed in front of him. In the moment it took to put on his turn signal, a car zoomed into the He sat down at a computer and punched the word spot from the other direction. The young man got out of “peace” into a search engine. The search results his BMW and rushed towards the door without a look revealed 1587 sites for peace. He then typed the word back at the white-haired gent he had just cut off. “war” and hit the return key. 4221 sites were found. Not a good sign. A loud voice behind him made him Inside, Morgenstern mustered up his courage to con- jump. “Hey Mister, you gonna be there all day?” He front the man. “That was my parking space,” said turned to face a teenage boy with pierced eyebrows. Morgenstern. “Bite me,” said the man. Before “Yeah you, old guy.” Observing the actions of a child Morgenstern could answer, he was gone. Morgenstern was one of Morgenstern’s favorite ways to predict a shook his head. planet’s future. He suddenly felt his nose getting itchy. Of course, Morgenstern wasn’t really 80 years old. Morgenstern drummed his fingers on the steering He wasn’t even a man. He was an Aklusian. And not wheel as he drove towards the ocean. The sky was just any Aklusian. A high-ranking Aklusian Planet alight with streaks of orange and yellow. “Sure is nice Evaluator, sent to Earth to determine if it was a threat here,” he sighed. In his mind he saw a sprawling invis- to the Aklusian colony on Mars. So far all signs point- ible Aklusian resort and tennis club atop the S. Monica ed to “Yes”. mountains. Aklus was a small planet on the other side of the Dusk was approaching. Morgenstern drove slowly, Milky Way. Over the centuries, the Aklusians had carefully surveying the suburban neighborhood. Night found it necessary to colonize uninhabited celestial was when a creature’s true colors were revealed. If they

Story always conquer darkness.” Morgenstern’s voice grew quiet. “But there’s so A Long Day For much darkness here.” Sarah’s dad smiled. “Yes, there is a lot of darkness in Morgenstern the world, but without darkness there would be nothing to illuminate. I believe darkness exists only to be turned into light.” Morgenstern turned to little Sarah. “What do you were a predatory species, these humans would use the think, Sarah?” cover of darkness for their darkest deeds. She replied, “Candles are pretty. They’re little lights Suddenly a flickering light caught his eye. of love.” Morgenstern turned his head. Someone had placed two A sneeze rang out across the table. It was Sarah’s lit candles in their front window. A few doors down, mom. another pair of candles glowed from a mantle next to an open door. He pulled over to the curb. This hadn’t been “Bless you,” said Morgenstern. He stood up to leave in the scouting report. graciously thanking his hosts. He walked gingerly towards the door, keeping an Just before midnight, a barefoot Morgenstern stood eye peeled for pit bulls, muggers and mothers pushing at the ocean’s shore. The pellet of anti-matter in his jogger strollers. He reached the porch safely and hand would find a wormhole in the sea foam and pressed the doorbell. expand it long enough for him to make the timeleap safely back to Aklus. He took one last look at the star- A young girl came to the entryway. “Can I help ry skies of planet Earth and dove into the cold water. you?” Ten milliseconds later, he was standing at attention “I saw the candles in the window. Are they for dec- before the Aklusion High Council. Their fearless oration?” leader, Gloria, addressed her favorite Planet Evaluator. “That’s our Menorah. It’s the first night of “So, what’s the verdict on these Earth people? Chanukah.” Warmongers or peacemakers?” “Chanukah?” “They’re more than peacemakers. They’re lightmak- “The Festival of Lights. It celebrates the Maccabees’ ers.” Morgenstern removed his human skinsuit, saluted victory over the Greeks.” and left. He had a date to take his kids to the invisible “Victory, eh?” zoo. A voice came from inside the house. “Who’s that, Sarah?” Originally published in Farbrengen Magazine www.farbrengen.com “A nice man,” said Sarah, smiling. It was the first smile Morgenstern had received all day. Her mother came to the door. “Oh hello. Would you care to join us?” Two hours, three helpings of brisket and a dozen latkes later, Morgenstern had heard the whole story of Judah and the Maccabees. But what interested him the most was the Menorah. “So you place it near the doorway to publicize the Chanukah miracle?” Sarah’s father answered him. “And also to let everyone who passes by see the light that comes from freedom, and from truth. “What truth?” “That good will always triumph. That light will

seasons of the soul Eight Shades of Light on the essence of Chanukah Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children. by Yanki Tauber Our exploration of the soul of Chanukah consists of eight essays—one for each of the eight flames of Chanukah—which examine the various themes of the festival, the miracles it commemorates, and the laws governing its observance. Chanukah—the eight-day festival of light that The Flame discusses the uniqueness of the lamp as begins on the eve of Kislev 25—celebrates the triumph a metaphor for the soul of man, which the Torah of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of describes as ner Hashem, “a lamp of G-d.” spirituality over material- The Transparent Body examines the concept of ity. spirituality. Why is Chanukah the most spiritual of the More than twenty-one festivals? What lesson is there in this to the great centuries ago, the Holy majority of us, whose lives are of a decidedly material Land was ruled by the nature? Seleucids (Syrian- Nightlight focuses on the significance of the Greeks), who sought to Chanukah menorah as a generator of light, and its sim- forcefully Hellenize the ilarities and differences with its predecessor, the meno- people of Israel. Against rah in the Holy Temple. all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated Who were the Greeks, and what was the nature of one of the mightiest the challenge they posed to the purity of Israel? That is armies on earth, drove the question addressed in The Mudswamps of Hella. the Greeks from the land, The following essay, The Miracle, probes the nature of reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicat- heroism and self-sacrifice, while Compromise dis- ed it to the service of G-d. When they sought to light cusses another of Chanukah’s themes—education— the Temple’s menorah, they found only a single cruse and includes the surprising revelation that the primary of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the miracle of Chanukah was completely unnecessary. Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for The Lamplighter offers an insight into the charac- eight days, until new oil could be prepared under con- ter of the shamash, the “servant candle” who ignites the ditions of ritual purity. Chanukah lamps and stands watch over their light. Our To commemorate these miracles, the sages instituted eighth and concluding essay, Accumulating Lights, the festival of Chanukah. At the heart of the festival is discusses the specialty of Zot Chanukah—the eighth the nightly menorah lighting: a single flame on the first day of Chanukah and the only day of the festival dis- night, two on the second evening, and so on till the tinguished by a name of its own. We learn of the unique eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kin- perspective on Chanukah offered by the sages of Hillel dled. On Chanukah we also recite Hallel and the Al and the challenge of making the most spiritual festival HaNissim prayer to offer praise and thanksgiving to G- in the Jewish calendar a real and actual force in our d for “delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, lives. the many into the hands of the few... the wicked into the hands of the righteous.” Customs include eating foods fried in oil—latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, “A great miracle happened there”); and the giving of

seasons of the soul The Flame

by Yanki Tauber between our desire to escape the physical and our commitment to inhabit it, develop it and sanctify it that makes us spiritual beings. We can sit and gaze at the flame for hours, We can sit and gaze at it for hours. because we are gazing at ourselves. It’s luminous, it’s warm, it’s romantic; but most of all it’s spiritual. (In what way spiritual? We can’t Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; really say, but it is spiritual.) A yellow droplet of rendered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected] light, laced with red, bright-white at the edges, and blue at the core as if dirtied by its contact with the material wick. But we didn’t see all those colors until we counted them—the flame itself is a perfect, integral whole, emanating calm and tranquility. How, indeed, can something as agitated as the flame radiate such peace? For the flame is a clash of forces pulling in opposite directions. Look closely: see how it strains upward, striving to tear away from the wick which tethers it to the candle or lamp and lose itself in the great expanses of energy that gird the heavens. But look again, and see how it clings to the length of braided cotton that spears its heart and supplies it with the fuel that sustains its luminance and life. Back and forth, up and down it strives, vac- illating between being and naught, between presence and oblivion. “The soul of man is a candle of G-d” (Proverbs 20:27). For the soul of man, too, is a clash of diver- gent forces and contrary strivings. We yearn to tear free of our “wick”—of the body that anchors us to the physical reality and sullies us with physical needs and wants. We strive upwards, yearning to transcend the physical, the human and the particular, and fuse with the universal and the divine. At the same time, we cling to the body, to the bit of matter that sustains us as dynamic and produc- tive participants in G-d’s world. It is this perpetual up-and-down, this incessant vacillation from selfhood to selflessness and back again, that we call life. It is this eternal tension

the wicked into the hands of the right- seasons of the soul eous... and you effected a great deliverance and redemption for Your people Israel.... Then Your children entered the The Transparent house of Your dwelling, cleansed Your Temple, purified Your sanctuary, kindled Body lights in Your holy courtyards, and instituted these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great name. Here, it is the miracle of the oil that is ignored. While the Al HaNissim speaks of “lights” kindled “What is Chanukah?” asks the Talmud, and encap- in “Your holy courtyards,” this is most probably sulates the essence of the festival in the following lines: not a reference to the lights of the menorah— When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary, they whose appointed place was not in the courtyard contaminated all of its oil. When the royal of the Holy Temple but inside the Sanctuary— Hasmonean family overpowered and was victo- but to lights kindled in celebration throughout the rious over them, they searched and found only a Temple compound and the city of Jerusalem single cruse of pure oil that was sealed with the (which explains why Al HaNissim speaks of seal of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest)—enough “courtyards,” in the plural). In any case, even if to light the menorah for a single day. A miracle the lights in question are those of the menorah, occurred, and they lit the menorah with this oil there is no mention of the miracles associated for eight days. The following year, they estab- with its lighting. lished these [eight days] as days of festivity and In other words, there seems to be a complete praise and thanksgiving to G-d. separation between the “physical” and “spiritual” What is striking about the Talmud’s description is miracles of Chanukah, to the extent that the men- that there is only the merest passing reference to the tion of one precludes any mention of the other. miraculous military victories that preceded—and When the physical salvation of Israel is remem- enabled—the Hasmoneans’ liberation of the Holy bered and we thank G-d for delivering the Temple. While mentioning that “the royal Hasmonean “mighty into the hands of the weak, and the many family overpowered and was victorious over [the into the hands of the few,” we make no reference Greeks],” the Talmud says nothing of the fact that this to the miracle of the oil; and when we relate to was a battle in which a small band of Jews defeated one the spiritual significance of Chanukah—the tri- of the mightiest armies on earth. The focus is wholly on umph of light over darkness—it is free of any the miracle of the oil, as if this were the only significant association with the physical victories that event commemorated by the festival of Chanukah. accompanied it. Contrast this with the Al HaNissim prayer, recited on The Spiritual Festival Chanukah to recount “the miracles ... that You have The struggles and triumphs chronicled by the done for our ancestors in those days, at this time”: Jewish calendar are always more than a struggle In the days of Matityahu... the Hasmonean for physical survival. Exodus, commemorated and his sons, when the wicked Hellenic govern- reexperienced each Passover, was a people’s lib- ment rose up against Your people Israel to make eration from slavery to freedom; it their extrac- them forget your Torah and to make them violate tion pagan Egypt receive Torah at Sinai enter into the decrees of Your will; You, in Your abounding covenant with G-d as His “nation of priests holy mercies, stood by them in the time of their dis- people.” On Purim we remember that Haman tress.... You delivered the mighty into the hands wished annihilate Jews because “they singular of the weak, the many into the hands of the few... people... whose laws different those all other

seasons of the soul give money to the poor, send gifts of food to our friends, and feast and drink. Chanukah, too, has its The Transparent Body “ritualistic” element, in which a physical act and object embody the festival’s significance. But here the vehicle is the most spiritual of physical phenomena—light. On Chanukah, the overriding emphasis is on the spiritual essence of our struggle, nations”; thus celebrates not only salvation exis- so that even its physical face is an ethereal flame tence Jew, but Jew’s identity way life. dancing in the night. Yet the battle waged by the Hasmoneans against Separation of Miracles the Greeks was the most spiritual battle in Jewish So when the Talmud replies to question, “What is history. The Greeks did not endeavor to physical- Chanukah?” it defines festival solely in terms of its ly destroy the Jewish people, or even to deprive spiritual miracles—the discovery pure, undefiled them of their religion and way of life; they merely cruse oil and rekindling divine light which emanat- wished to Hellenize them—to “enlighten” their ed from Holy Temple. Since this commemorates lives with the culture and philosophy of Greece. our most spiritual battle, its spiritual content pre- Keep your books of wisdom, they said to the Jew, dominates to the extent that it completely eclipses keep your laws and customs, but enrich them with its physical aspect. Although military miracles pre- our wisdom, adorn them with our art, blend them ceded made possible lighting menorah Temple, into our lifestyle. Worship your G-d in your tem- they are ignored we speak miracle essence ple, but then worship the human body in the Chanukah. adjoining sports stadium we’ll build for you. This is also the reason that the prayer instituted Study your Torah, but integrate it with the princi- by our sages to give thanks to G-d for the military ples of our philosophy and the aesthetics of our lit- victories omits all mention of the miracle of the oil. erature. For only when they are regarded on their own can The Hasmoneans fought for independence from the military miracles be emphasized and appreciat- Hellenic rule because the Greeks sought to “make ed. Were they to be discussed in relation to the mir- them forget Your Torah and make them violate the acle of the oil, they would fade to insignificance. decrees of Your will.” They did not fight for the Within the supra-spiritual context of Chanukah’s Torah per se, but for “Your Torah”—for the prin- central miracle, they are reduced to a minor detail ciple that the Torah is G-d’s law rather than a scarcely worthy of mention. deposit of human wisdom which might be com- The Lesson mingled with other deposits of human wisdom. Man is comprised of a soul and body: spiritual They did not fight for the mitzvot as the Jewish essence that the Chassidic masters call “literally way of life, but for the mitzvot as “the decrees of part G-d above” physical vehicle via which it expe- Your will”—as the supra-rational will of G-d, riences impacts world. which cannot be rationalized or tampered with. They fought not for any material or political end, The body was designed to serve the soul in its not for the preservation of their identity and mission to develop the world in accordance with the lifestyle, not even for the right to study the Torah divine will. Of course, man has been granted free- and fulfill its commandments, but for the very soul dom of choice. The body might thus rebel against of Judaism, for the purity of Torah as the divine the dominion of the soul; it might even subject its word and its mitzvot as the divine will. rightful master to its own desires, making the pursuit of material things the focus of life and exploit- The spirituality of Chanukah is emphasized by ing the soul’s spiritual prowess to this end. But in the festival’s principal mitzvah, the kindling of the its natural, uncorrupted state, the body is the servant Chanukah lights. We are physical beings, enjoined of the soul, channeling its energies and implement- to anchor our every experience to a physical deed: ing its will. on Passover, we celebrate our freedom with matzah and wine; on Purim, we read the Megillah, There are, however, many levels to this submis-

seasons of the soul The Transparent Body

sion, many degrees of servitude of matter to spirit. The body might recognize that the purpose of life on earth lies with the soul’s aspirations, yet also enter- tain an “agenda” of its own alongside the greater, spiritual agenda. Or it might selflessly serve the soul, acknowledging the spiritual as the only goal worthy of pursuit, yet its own needs remain a most visible and pronounced part of the person’s life, if only out of natural necessity. Chanukah teaches us that there is a level of supremacy of soul over body that is so absolute that the body is virtually invisible. It continues to attend to its own needs, because a soul can only operate within a functioning body; but these are completely eclipsed by the spiritual essence of life. One sees not a material creature foraging for food, shelter and comfort, but a spiritual being whose spiritual endeavors consume his or her entire being. For all but the most spiritual tzaddik, it is not possible, nor desirable, to perpetually maintain this state; indeed, it is Chanukah for only eight days of the year. But each and every one of us is capable of experiencing moments of such consummate spirituality. Moments in which we so completely “lose ourselves” in our commitment to our spiritual purpose that our material cares become utterly insignificant.

Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; rendered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected]

seasons of the soul conditions of spiritual purity, were the physical expression of the spiritual light which emanated rd Nightlight - 3 Light from the Holy Temple. For the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the epicenter of G-d’s manifest presence in the life of man, the point, says the Talmud, “from which light went out to the entire world.” In their endeavor to supplant the spirituality of Israel The mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights with the paganism of Hellene, the Greeks invaded begins at sunset.... They are to be placed in the outer the Temple, defiled it with their decadent images and doorway of one’s home; if one lives on the second rites, and contaminated the oil designated for the floor, one should place them in a window which kindling of the menorah. looks out to the street. But one family refused to yield to the darkness. Talmud, Shabbat 21b Matityahu the Hasmonean and his sons (the Evening comes early in winter, filling the streets “Maccabees”) rallied a small but determined group with darkness and cold. One by one the lights come of fighters and drove the Greeks from the land. After on. Amid the electrical glare, a warmer, purer glow liberating the Holy Temple and rededicating it to the asserts itself. It is the last week of Kislev, and from service of G-d, they searched for ritually pure oil the doorways and windows of Jewish homes, with which to light the menorah. They found a sin- Chanukah lights illuminate the night. gle cruse of oil that had survived defilement by the “For a mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah, light” Greeks. Miraculously, the one-day supply burned for (Proverbs 6:23). The essence of our mission in life is eight days, until new pure oil could be prepared. to shed light: every time we fulfill a mitzvah we are Every winter of the more than 2,100 winters since, lighting a lamp, illuminating a world darkened by we remember and reenact the triumph of light over ignorance and strife with the wisdom and harmony darkness with the eight flames of the Chanukah of the Creator. menorah. Every mitzvah is a lamp, but there are two mitzvot ADIFFERENT MENORAH whose actual form mirrors their quintessential func- There are, however, several marked differences tion. These are the two mitzvot whose fulfillment between the Chanukah menorah and the menorah in involves the generation of physical light: the lamps the Holy Temple: of the menorah, which the Torah instructs to be lit each afternoon in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem; and a) The Temple menorah was lit during the day (no the Chanukah lights, kindled at nightfall each later than 1-1/4 hours before sunset) and burned evening of the eight-day festival of Chanukah. through the night. The Chanukah lights are kindled at night. (Immediately after sunset according to the Indeed, the Chanukah lamps are the offspring of custom of some communities, or after three stars those of the menorah. The mitzvah of lighting the come out, according to the custom of other.) Chanukah lights was instituted by our sages to commemorate the miraculous rebirth of light in the Holy b) The original menorah stood well indoors, in the Temple after its suppression, in the 2nd century bce, inner sanctum of the Holy Temple (called the by the Hellenist rulers of the Holy Land. Heichal). The Chanukah menorah is placed at the perimeter of the home, “on the outer doorway of The Temple’s menorah was a five-foot high, seven one’s home” or, “if one lives on the second floor... in branched-candelabra made of solid gold and topped a window overlooking the street.” with seven oil-burning lamps. Its seven flames, fueled by premium olive oil prepared under special c) Seven flames burned in the Temple menorah.

seasons of the soul guishing the menorah and defiling its oil. Times when we can no longer draw from the day to illu- Nightlight minate the night. At such times, we must turn to the night itself as a source of light. We must search for the hidden “single cruse of pure oil,” for the undefiled and undefilable essence of creation. We must delve below the surface realities of “day” and “night” to The Chanukah menorah holds eight lamps, all unearth the primordial singularity of light and of which are kindled on the eighth and culminat- darkness. ing night of the festival. Therein lies the significance of Chanukah, Why these dissimilarities? In Torah law, there is when the menorah moves from within the Holy a rule-of-thumb that “All rabbinical institutions Temple out into the street, and from the daytime to are modeled after their biblical prototypes.” So the evening. Chanukah transforms the menorah why, in instituting the practice of kindling the from a tool that disseminates the light of day into Chanukah lights, did our sages so differentiate a tool that extracts the luminous essence of dark- between them and the lights they come to com- ness itself. memorate? [More specifically, the lighting of the Temple STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE and Chanukah menorahs, together with the third G-d saw the light that it is good, and He sepa- light-generating mitzvah, the lighting of the rated between the light and the darkness. And G-d Shabbat lights, chart a three-phased progression of called the light “day” and the darkness He called light through space and time. “night”; and it was evening and it was morning, [The Temple menorah stood in the holiest place one day. on earth, in the edifice that was the seat of G-d’s Genesis 1:4-5 manifest presence in the physical world. The In the beginning, darkness and light were one— Shabbat lights find a source of light in a less a single, seamless expression of the goodness and sacred environment—in the home, a place that perfection of their Creator. But G-d wanted con- embraces both our holy endeavors (Torah study, trast and challenge in His world. So He separated prayer, acts of charity, etc.) as well as our more between light and darkness, between revealed mundane activities. Yet the home is our private good and concealed good, challenging us to culti- sanctum; here we are in control, making the task vate the day and sublimate the night. of achieving harmony between the spiritual and material components of home life, if not always On the most fundamental level, our task is to easy, then within reasonable reach. The Chanukah harness the light of day so that it extends to illu- lights, however, test the very limits of our light- minate the night. We strive to preserve and devel- generating capacities. Placed in the doorway or in op all that is good and G-dly in our world, and to a window, they straddle the private and public direct these positive forces to overcome and trans- areas of our lives, the boundary between the home form the evil and negativity of the “dark side” of and the street. creation. This process was exemplified by the menorah in the Holy Temple: kindled in the light [In terms of their placement in time, the of day, its rays reached deep into the night; kindled Temple’s menorah was kindled in early afternoon, in an inner sanctum brimming with divine light, it the Shabbat candles are lit eighteen minutes before radiated its glow to the mundane world without. sunset, and the Chanukah lights are kindled at or after nightfall. This also corresponds to the But there are times when this “standard operat- sequence of their appearance on the macro-histor- ing procedure” is no longer operative. Times when ical level. The Temple menorah came first, in the darkness invades the divine lighthouse, extin-

seasons of the soul

Nightlight light, the eight lamps of the Chanukah menorah rep- resent the endeavor to access a higher reality—a reality in which darkness is but another ray of divine truth.

Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; in the luminous years when G-d still communicat- rendered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected] ed openly with man; commanded by G-d at Sinai, the mitzvah to kindle the Temple menorah was written into the Torah (Exodus 27:20-21). The Shabbat lights came in later, spiritually darker times, a rabbinical institution designed to foster harmony in the home on the holy day (Jewish women, beginning with Sarah and Rebecca, kindled the Shabbat lights from the very beginning of Jewish history—see Midrash Rabbah on Genesis 24:67; Likkutei Sichot, vol. XV pp. 168-173; but as a halachic obligation they date from the time they were instituted as a rabbinical decree). Most recent in linear time are the Chanukah lights, instituted 21 centuries ago in com- memoration of the miracle of Chanukah. [So goes the journey of light: a journey through time and space to ever duskier vistas, to increasingly alien environments; a journey from midday in Jerusalem to the darkest reaches of a world awaiting redemption.] CYCLE AND CIRCUMFERENCE This is also the significance of the difference between the number of lamps in the Temple and Chanukah menorahs. Seven is the number of creation. G-d created the world in seven days, employing the seven divine attributes (sefirot) which He emanated from Himself to serve as the seven spiritual building blocks of the created reality. Seven is thus the dominant number in all natural cycles and processes. Hence, the “standard operating procedure” to bring light to the darker corners of creation is associated with the seven- branched menorah of the Holy Temple. If seven is the cycle of nature, the number eight represents the “circumference” (shomer hahekef) that defines and contains it, the pre-creation reality that both transcends and pervades the created reality. If the seven lamps of the Temple menorah embody the normative process of overriding darkness with

trines and philosophies that lay claim to virtue and truth, and might even espouse altruistic behavior and transcendent aims, but are utterly alien to the seasons of the soul Jewish soul. A Jew disconnected from his roots and ignorant or unappreciative of his heritage is The Mudswamps of Hella ready prey for the foreign waters that offer to quench his spiritual thirst. But infinitely more noxious is a third category: doctrines that blend the soil of materialism and the fountains of reason into a lethal muck. And He raised me from a tumultuous pit, from A person buried in corporeality can claw and the Yavanite mire. dig his way out to sunlight. A person sinking in a Psalms 40:3 sea of spurious reason can struggle to the surface “Yavan” means mud. and swim to shore. But he who adds water to his Rashi, ibid. soil—who saturates his materialism with intellec- Chanukah celebrates the victory of Judea over tual fluid—creates a morass from which it is infi- Greece, of a small band of Jews over those who nitely more difficult to extricate himself. When sought to subvert their faith and profane the sanc- his soul is moved to reach beyond the mundanity tity of their lives. of the material, a host of rationalizations rise to still its yen; and when his mind begins to wake to In the course of the four millennia of Jewish his- the fallacy of the alien creed, the grasp of earth tory, many ideologies and cultures have sought to pulls him down. The person is thus steadily compromise our allegiance to G-d and His Torah. sucked down, as his efforts of mind and will to But there is something unique about the challenge rise above his mired state are counteracted by the posed by the Hellenists 21 centuries ago—some- bog of idealized hedonism. thing that marks Chanukah as the ultimate triumph of spirit over matter and of light over darkness. Such was the challenge that faced our forefa- thers during the Greek domination of the Holy SOIL AND WATER Land. Yavan, the Hebrew word for the Hellenic In general, the factors that might undermine the culture, means “mud” (as in Psalms 40:3—see integrity of a Jew’s faith and his commitment to G- Rashi and Metzudat Zion commentaries on d fall into two categories. verse). The Hellenic “reformers” did more than Most blatant are the challenges of a material entice and coerce the people of Israel to embrace sort. The Jew living in Middle-Ages Europe had a the body-worship of Greece—they also sought to choice: cleave to your faith and suffer humiliation, indoctrinate them with a philosophy that exalted poverty, frequent expulsion and outright slaughter, the physical and made its worship a virtue and an or submit to the faith of your “hosts.” Twentieth- ideal. The Greek was not merely pagan; his was a century America offered the same choice, albeit in paganism aestheticized by art, glorified by poetry more humane terms, beckoning to the Jew to shed and hallowed by reason. The Greek was no mere Shabbat, tefillin and kashrut for smoother distilla- materialist, but one who kneaded his earthiest tion in the melting pot and enhanced access to the wants with the subliminal waters of his intellect to American dream. On the individual level, we are form a mucilage that fastened on the soul and daily challenged by the choice of devoting our drew it, inch by inch and limb by limb, into the lives to serving our Creator and fulfilling the pur- quagmire of Yavan. pose of our creation, or to the pursuit of physical The deadliness of the mudswamp is further gratification and material gain. illustrated by the very form of the Hebrew word More subtle are the ideological challenges: doc- Yavan, (éåï ) whose three letters are three lines,

seasons of the soul The Mudswamps of Hella umph of the pristine essence of the Jewish soul— represented by the “small, pure cruse of oil” that burned in the menorah for eight days—over the “mud” of Greece. We each possess such a “small, pure cruse of oil” in the pith of our souls—a reserve of supra- rational commitment to our Creator, with the each descending an increment lower than its pred- power to illuminate our lives with a pure, invio- ecessor. Unlike water, in which one might sink lable light. A light that ensures that our search for swiftly to the bottom but can also, equally swiftly, water does not leave us mired in mud. pull himself out, the mud of Yavan works slowly, drawing the person down bit by bit, step by step. Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; rendered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected] At first, it only demands a slight, barely dis- cernible departure from one’s convictions and morals. But its downward pull is steady and all but irreversible—indeed, all efforts to extract oneself by the means of one’s conventional faculties are doomed to failure—except by the extremely potent power of faith, as explained in the text. HOLY MUD Mud can be made with the putrid water of sophism. But even water from the most pristine well turns to mud when mixed with soil. Thus, our sages have said: “If the student of Torah is meritorious, the Torah becomes an elixir of life for him; if he does not merit, it becomes a death-potion for him” (Talmud, Yoma 72b). The Hebrew word zechut (“merit”) also means “refinement”; so the above statement can also be read, “If the student of Torah refines himself, the Torah becomes an elixir of life for him; if he does not refine himself, it becomes a death-potion for him.” If a person does not refine his soul, cleansing his character from the soil of its baser instincts, the pure waters of Torah become for him a mudpit of depravity: instead of buoying and nourishing his soul, his wisdom and knowledge only feed his ego, justify his iniquities, and aid his manipulation and distortion of the truth. This is the eternal lesson of Chanukah: intellect might be man’s highest faculty, but it can also be the instrument of his degradation to the lowest depths. Chanukah celebrates the cleansing of the Holy Temple from Hellenic corruption, the tri-

seasons of the soul The Miracle still its flame; but then the moment passes, the cataclysmic levels off into the routine, and the person is left with his ordinary, mortal self. The miracle of Chanukah was that they lit the menorah with this oil for eight days—that the flame of selfless sacrifice blazed beyond a moment of truth, beyond a day of reckoning. That the small pure What is Chanukah? ... When the royal Hasmonean cruse of oil burned beyond its one-day lifespan for family overpowered and was victorious over [the an additional week, illuminating the seven chambers Greeks], they searched and found only a single cruse of the soul (Kabbalistic teaching enumerates seven of pure oil... enough to light the menorah for a sin- middot or basic character traits—love, restraint, har- gle day. mony, ambition, devotion, bonding and receptive- A miracle occurred, and they lit the menorah with ness—from which stem all feelings and motivations this oil for eight days. of the heart). This was no mere flash of light in a sea On the following year, they established these of darkness, but a flame destined to shed purity and [eight days] as days of festivity and praise and light for all generations, under all conditions. thanksgiving to G-d. Thus the Talmud relates that it was only on the fol- Talmud, Shabbat 21b lowing year that these eight days were established as the festival of Chanukah. A year is a microcosm of time, embodying all of times seasons and transmuta- Many miracles, great and small, accompanied the tions. So it was only on the following year, after it liberation of Israel from Hellenic dominance and the had weathered all fluctuations of the annual cycle, reclaiming of the Holy Temple as the lighthouse of that the victory of Chanukah could be installed as a G-d. But there is one particular miracle, the Talmud permanent fixture in our lives. is saying, that is the sum and substance of Chanukah: the miracle of the small cruse of pure oil that burned Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; ren- for eight days. dered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected] The challenge faced by the Jewish people at that time was unlike any that had confronted them before. Hellenism, a noxious blend of hedonism and philosophy, could not be resisted by the conventional tools of Jewish learning and tradition. Only the cruse of pure oil—the supra-rational, supra-egotistical essence of the Jewish soul, from which stems the Jews intrinsic self-sacrificial loyalty to G-d—could illuminate the way out of the mudswamps of Hella. Only by evoking this inner reserve of incontam- inable oil were we able to banish the pagan invader from G-d’s home and rekindle the torch of Israel as a light unto the nations. But this was oil sufficient for only a single day. By nature, man’s highest powers flare brightly and fleet- ingly, soon receding to the supra-conscious, supra- behavioral place from which they have come. When a person’s deepest self is challenged, the essential oil of his soul is stimulated, and no force on earth can

many lights must be kindled on the Chanukah menorah? Most would reply: one on the first night, two on seasons of the soul the second, and so on. The law, however, is otherwise. According to the Talmud, The mitzvah of Chanukah is [fulfilled with] a single Compromise light for each household. Those who do more than is obligatory, kindle a single light for each individual. Those who do more than those who do more than is obligatory ... kindle one light on the first day and add an additional light on each succeeding day.

The mitzvah of Chanukah is [fulfilled with] a There are those who buy the least costly tefillin on single light for each household. Those who do the market, who give the absolute minimum that the more than is obligatory, kindle a single light for laws of charity mandate, who employ every halachic each individual. Those who do more than those exemption and loophole they can lay their hands on. who do more than is obligatory ... kindle one light But when was the last time you saw a single light in the on the first day and add an additional light on window of a Jewish home on the sixth night of each succeeding day. Chanukah? On Chanukah, we all “do more than those who do more than is obligatory”—after all, G-d did the Talmud, Shabbat 21b same for us. The miracle of Chanukah was completely FANATICAL EDUCATOR unnecessary. The name “Chanukah” comes from the word chin- Every Jewish schoolchild knows the story: the uch, which means “inauguration.” Chanukah cele- Greeks had defiled the Holy Temple’s store of brates the renewal of the service in the Holy Temple olive oil. So when the Maccabees liberated the after it was liberated from the Greek defiler, purified, Temple, they could not find ritually pure oil with and rededicated as the seat of the divine presence in our which to kindle the menorah. Then, a single cruse world. of uncontaminated oil was found, enough to keep the menorah lit for a single day. Miraculously, the Chanukah thus serves as a model for all inaugura- oil burned for eight days, until new oil could be tions, including the most significant inauguration of prepared. all—education, a child’s inauguration into life (indeed, chinuch is also the Hebrew word for “education”). The Strictly speaking, none of this was necessary. uncompromising insistence on purity and perfection The law which forbids the use of ritually impure which Chanukah represents holds an important lesson oil in the Temple would not have applied under regarding the essence of the educator’s task. the circumstances which then prevailed. According to Torah law, “The prohibition of Compromise is anathema to education. To a mature impurity, if affecting the entire community, is tree, a gash here or a torn limb there is of little or no waived”—if the entire community, or all the consequence. But the smallest scratch in the seed, the kohanim (priests), or all the Temple’s vessels, are slightest nick in the sapling, results in an irrevocable ritually impure, it is permissible to enter the deformity, a flaw which the years to come will deepen Temple and conduct the Temple services under rather than erase. conditions of impurity. Nevertheless, G-d wished Virtually every life is faced with demands for com- to show His love for His people: He suspended promises—some tolerable, others not. The educator the laws of nature in order to enable them to who wishes to impart a set of values and priorities that rededicate the Temple without any compromise will weather them all, must deliver, in word and exam- on its standards of purity—even if it be a perfect- ple, a message of impeccable purity, free of even the ly legal and permissible compromise. slightest and most “acceptable” compromise. GOING OVERBOARD Every Chanukah, we reciprocate in kind. How Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; rendered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected]

The Lamplighter Why doesn’t the shamash count?

As every child knows, if you want to know which night of Chanukah it is, just count the lights in the menorah. “But there are four flames in your menorah, Daddy,” says my child, “not three.” “Four flames? Oh, the one up on top is the shamash. He doesn’t count.” “Why doesn’t he count?” Why, indeed, doesn’t the shamash count? It is he, after all, who kindled the other flames. It is he who stands watch over them, should one of them falter and require a fresh boost of light. But isn’t it always that way? The one who cooks and serves the meal is never really part of the party, even after he removes his apron and joins the others at the table. The tour guide isn’t in any of the pictures (she took the pictures). The shadchan is the most unwanted guest at the wedding. Only the Chanukah menorah seems appreciates the significance of the “servant candle,” placing it high, high above all the others. “Why doesn’t the shamash count, Daddy?” my child asks again. I look at the shamash as he burns at his post, alone, forgotten, ignored. Somehow I get the feeling that he wouldn’t want to be anyplace else.

Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; rendered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected]

seasons of the soul

Accumulating Lights days” of the festival—the number of days still awaiting realization; thus, the number of lights decrease with each passing night, as another of Chanukah’s days is “expended.” The Hillelian view, on the other hand, saw the lights as representing Chanukah’s “outgoing days,” so that the ascending number of flames reflect the accumulation of actualized milestones in the eight-day The House of Shammai says: On the first day, one quest for light. lights eight lights; from here on, one progressively In practice, we follow the opinion of the school of decreases. Hillel, and an ascending number of lights chronicle the The House of Hillel says: On the first day, one lights progress of the festival. This is even alluded to in the a single light; from here on, one progressively increas- very name of the festival: the Hebrew word es. “Chanukah” forms an acronym of the sentence Chet Talmud, Shabbat 21b Neirot V’halachah K’veit Hillel—”Eight lights, and the law follows the House of Hillel.” Unlike most other mitzvot, which can be (and usual- Our acceptance of Hillel’s perspective on Chanukah ly are) performed indoors, the laws governing the kin- is also expressed by the name traditionally given to the dling of the Chanukah lights stipulate that they be eighth day of Chanukah—the only day of the festival to placed within the doorway or window of the home, so be distinguished by a name of its own—“Zot that their luminance should radiate outward to the Chanukah.” street. The night may be dark, the street may be teem- The name “Zot Chanukah” is based on a phrase from ing with alien and commonplace elements, but if there that day’s Torah reading, and literally means “This is is a Jewish home in the vicinity, the street will know Chanukah.” This is in keeping with the Hillelian vision that it is Chanukah. of Chanukah, in which the final day of Chanukah—the It will also know which night of Chanukah it is. On day on which all eight days of light have been actual- each of the eight nights of Chanukah, a different num- ized—marks the climax of the festival: only on the ber of flames are kindled, expressing that night’s par- eighth day can we say, “This is Chanukah. Now we ticular place in the festival. On the first night of “have” the entire Chanukah.” (From the Shammaian Chanukah, there will be one flame illuminating the perspective, the first day of Chanukah would be “Zot street; on the second night, two flames; and so on. Chanukah.”) Actually, the Talmud records two opinions on how What is the basis for these two visions of Chanukah? each Chanukah night should identify itself and cast its And why is the view of the House of Hillel so deci- unique light upon the world. This was one of the sively embraced, to the extent that it is implicit in the halachic issues debated by the two great academies of very name “Chanukah” and in the name given to its Torah law, the House of Shammai and the House of culminating day? Hillel: the sages of Hillel held that the Chanukah lights The Debate should increase in number each night, in the familiar ascending order; the sages of Shammai were of the There are two basic ways in which one might view opinion that eight flames should be lit on the first night, something: in light of its potential, or by its actual, seven on the second, and so on in descending number, manifest state. We might say of a certain person: “He until the eighth night of Chanukah, when a single flame has tremendous potential, but his actual performance is should be lit. poor.” The same can be said of a corporation, a relationship, an experience, or anything else. Or we might The Talmud explains that the sages of Shammai saw say: “There’s potential for disaster here, but it can be the Chanukah lights as representing the “upcoming contained and prevented from actualizing.”

seasons of the soul “real.” G-d’s Reality Accumulating Lights We are creatures of the actual. We cannot live on potential nourishment, or be emotionally satisfied by potential relationships; on the whole, we judge people by their actual conduct, as opposed to their potential to behave a certain way. Reality, to us, is what is, not what Some of us are potential-oriented, which means that might be. we would admire the person, invest in the company, stick it out with the relationship and treasure the expe- This is largely due to the fact that we are physical rience—depending upon its potential. Some of us are beings. It is a most telling idiosyncrasy of our language more actual-oriented, viewing things in terms of their that “immaterial” means “insignificant”: if we cannot “bottom line”—their actual, tactual impact upon our touch it or see it, it’s not real to us. Also, because of our reality. finite and limited nature, we possess potentials that we will never actualize because we haven’t enough energy, This is a recurring theme in many of the disputes resources or willpower to carry them out, or simply between the schools of Shammai and Hillel. For exam- because we won’t live long enough to do so. So the ple, the sages of Shammai consider the moment of the existence of a potential or possibility for something is Exodus to be the eve of Nissan 15, when the people of not enough, for how do we know that it will amount to Israel were free to leave Egypt, while the sages of anything? Indeed, we often judge a thing’s potential by Hillel place the moment at midday of the following the actual: if this much has been actualized, this day, when the Jews actually exited Egypt’s physical “proves” that there is potential worthy of regard. borders. (The question of the precise moment of the Exodus has certain halachic repercussions, such as the Envision, however, a being who is neither physical procedure for reciting Hallel on the seder night.) In nor finite; a being not limited by space, time or any another debate, the sages of Shammai consider a fish other framework. In such a being, potential does not susceptible to ritual impurity from the moment the fish- lack actualization, for everything is “as good as done.” erman pulls his catch out of the water, since at this On the contrary: potential is the purest and most perfect point the fish has been removed from the environment form of every reality—the essence of the thing, as it in which it might possibly live; the sages of Hillel dis- transcends the limitations and imperfections imposed agree, contending that as long as the fish is actually upon it when it is translated into physical actuality. alive (though its potential for continued life has been For G-d, then, the potential is a higher form of being destroyed), it is immune to contamination, as are all than the actual. This is why we say that, for G-d, the other living plants and animals. creation of the world did not constitute an “achieve- This is also the basis of their differing perspectives ment” or even a “change” in His reality. The potential on Chanukah. The House of Shammai, which views for creation existed in Him all along, and nothing was things in terms of their potential, sees the first day of “added” by its translation into actuality. It is only we, Chanukah, with its potential for eight days of light, as the created, who gained anything from the actual cre- the point in which all eight days are “there”; but after ation of the world. one day has “gone by” and passed from potential into So when the sages of Shammai and Hillel debate the actuality, there are left only seven days in their most question of which is more significant from the per- meaningful form—the potential form. The sages of spective of Torah law, the actual or the potential, they Hillel, on the other hand, see the actual state as the are addressing the more basic question: Whose Torah is more significant; to them, the eighth day of Chanukah, it—ours or G-d’s? When Torah law enjoins us to com- when all eight dimensions of the festival have been memorate the Exodus, when it legislates the laws of rit- actualized, is when the festival is at its fullest and most ual impurity, or commands us to kindle the Chanukah

seasons of the soul man’s endeavor to make his world a home for G-d? At times the Torah indicates the one; at times, the other. Accumulating Lights Thus we have the rule that “The words of Torah are not susceptible to contamination” (Talmud, Berachot 22a). A person who is in a state of ritual impurity (tum’ah) is forbidden to enter the Holy Temple; but there is no prohibition for him to study Torah. Why is he forbidden to lights, does it regard these phenomena from the per- enter a holy place but permitted to think and speak holy spective of its divine author, in whom the potential is words? Because the Torah is not only “holy” (i.e., an the ideal state, or from the perspective of its human object subservient to G-d and receptive to His pres- constituency, who equate real with actual? ence)—it is divine. It is G-d’s word, and the divine can- The Torah not be compromised by any impurity. Whose Torah is it, ours or G-d’s? Both Shammai and On the other hand, another law states that “A teacher Hillel would agree that it is both. of Torah who wishes to forgive an insult to his honor, can forgive it” (Kiddushin 32a). This is in contrast to a The Torah is the wisdom and will of G-d. But as we king, who if insulted, has no right to forgive the insult, proclaim in the berachah (benediction) recited each and no recourse but to punish the one who insulted morning over the Torah, G-d has given us His Torah, him. For a king’s honor is not his personal possession, for He has delegated to mortal man the authority to but something that derives from his role as the sover- interpret it and apply it. Thus, He did not communicate eign of his people; one who insults the king insults the His will to us in the form of a detailed manifesto and a nation, and this is an insult that the king has not the codified list of instructions. Instead, He dictated a rela- authority to forgive. Yet does not one who insults a tively short (79,976-word) “Written Torah” (the Five Torah scholar insult the Torah? How does the scholar Books of Moses), together with the “Oral Torah”—a have the right to forgive the Torah’s insult? The expla- set of guidelines by which the Written Torah is to be nation given is that “the Torah is his.” He who studies interpreted, decoded, extrapolated and applied to the Torah acquires it as his own; G-d’s wisdom becomes myriads of possibilities conjured up by the human his wisdom. experience. Whose Torah is it—ours or G-d’s? Both descriptions So while the entire body of legal, homiletic, philo- are valid; both are part of the Torah’s own self-percep- sophical and mystical teaching we know as “Torah” is tion. In certain laws and circumstances, we find the implicit within the Written Torah, G-d designated the divinity of Torah emphasized; in others, its human pro- human mind and life as the tools that unlock the many prietorship. layers of meaning and instruction contained within its every word. Thus, in a number of laws, the schools of Shammai and Hillel debate which definition of Torah is the pre- Torah is thus a partnership of the human and the dominant one. The sages of Shammai believe that in divine, where a kernel of divine wisdom germinates in these particular applications of Torah law, the divinity the human mind, gaining depth, breadth and definition, of Torah predominates: the Torah’s perspective is syn- and is actualized in the physicality of human life. In onymous with G-d’s perspective, meaning that the this partnership, our human finiteness and subjectivity potential of a thing is its primary truth. The sages of become instruments of the divine truth, joining with it Hillel see these laws as belonging to the “human” ele- to create the ultimate expression of divine immanence ment in Torah, so that Torah’s vision of reality is the in our world—the Torah. human, actual-based perspective. Which is the more dominant element of Torah— The Human Festival divine revelation or human cognition? Which defines its essence? What is Torah—G-d’s vision of reality, or In the great majority of disputes between the schools of Shammai and Hillel, the final halachic ruling fol-

seasons of the soul observances that derive not from a verse in the Written Torah, but which arise out of the historical experience Accumulating Lights of the people of Israel. These, too, are Torah, for they were enacted in accordance with the principles revealed at Sinai. Before reading the Megillah on Purim, or kindling the Chanukah lights, we say: “Blessed are You, G-d... Who lows the opinion of the House of Hillel. Halachah is has sanctified us with His commandments, and com- the application of Torah to day-to-day life. In this area manded us to read the Megillah... to kindle the of Torah, it is the human element which predominates; Chanukah lamp.” G-d is commanding us to observe here, reality is defined in terms of the actual and tactu- these mitzvot, for it is He who granted the leaders of al, rather than the potential. each generation the mandate to institute laws, ordi- But nowhere is the supremacy of the Hillelian view nances and festivals. Yet in these festivals, it is the more emphasized than in the debate on Chanukah, human element of Torah which predominates, while where the very name of the festival, and the name the divine element is more subdued. given to its final day, proclaim that “the law follows the Of the two rabbinical festivals, Chanukah is even House of Hillel.” For Chanukah is the festival that, more “human” than Purim. Purim was instituted during more than any other, underscores the human dynamic the Era of Prophecy, when G-d still communed direct- in Torah. ly with the greatest individuals of the generation. The As noted above, the Torah consists of two parts: the story of Purim was written down and incorporated divinely dictated words of the Written Torah, and the within the Holy Scriptures that are appended to the Oral Torah, also communicated by G-d, but delegated Written Torah. Thus, while Purim is technically an to man. In the Oral Torah, G-d provides the guidelines “Oral Torah” festival, it is closely related to the Written and principles, while man follows these guidelines and Torah. applies these principles to derive and express the divine Chanukah, however, occurred several hundred years will. later, when prophecy had ceased and the canon of the The Oral Torah has two basic functions: to interpret twenty-four books of the Tanach (Bible) had been the Written Torah, and to legislate the necessary laws, closed. It thus belongs wholly to the Oral Torah—to the ordinances and customs required to preserve the Torah predominantly human element of the partnership. So and Jewish life through the generations. Chanukah is the environment in which the Hillelian Most of the festivals are explicitly ordained in the perspective on Torah—Torah as it relates to our tactual Written Torah. This is not to say that there is no experience of the world in which we live—reigns “human element” involved: the Oral Torah is still supreme. required to clarify each festival’s laws and observances. For example, the Written Torah commands us to dwell in a sukkah and take the “Four Kinds” on Sukkot, Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; but the Oral Torah is needed to interpret the oblique rendered by Yanki Tauber, [email protected] biblical allusions that tell us how a sukkah is to be con- structed and which plant species are to be taken. Still, the festivals themselves were instituted by direct divine revelation. There are two festivals, however, that are rabbinical institutions: Purim and Chanukah. These belong to the second function of the Oral Torah: to institute laws and

PARSHAH in a nutshell ity in the prison administration. In prison, Joseph meets Pharaoh’s chief butler and Vayeishev chief baker, both incarcerated for offending their royal Genesis 37:1–40:23 master. Both have disturbing dreams, which Joseph Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 interprets; in three days, he tells them, the butler will be released and the baker hanged. Joseph asks the butler to intercede on his behalf with Pharaoh. Joseph’s predic- tions are fulfilled, but the butler forgets all about Jacob settles in Hebron with his twelve sons. His Joseph and does nothing for him. favorite is 17-year-old Joseph, whose brothers are jealous of the preferential treatment he receives from his father, such as a precious many-colored coat that Jacob makes for Joseph. Joseph relates to his brothers two dreams he has which foretell that he is destined to rule over them, increasing their envy and hatred towards him. Shimon and Levi plot to kill him, but Reuben suggests that they throw him into a pit instead, intending to come back later and save him. While Joseph is in the pit, Judah has him sold to a band of passing Ishmaelites. The brothers dip Joseph’s special coat in the blood of a goat and show it to their father, leading him to believe that his most beloved son was devoured by a wild beast. Judah marries and has three children. The eldest, Er, dies young and childless, and his wife Tamar is given in levirate marriage to the second son, Onan. Onan sins by spilling his seed and he, too, meets an early death. Judah is reluctant to have his third son marry her. Determined to have a child from Judah’s family, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute and seduces Judah himself. Judah hears that his daughter-in-law has become pregnant and orders her executed for harlotry, but when Tamar produces some personal effects he left with her as a pledge for payment, he publicly admits that he is .. the father. Tamar gives birth to twin sons, Peretz (an ancestor of King David) and Zerach. Joseph is taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, the minister in charge of Pharaoh’s slaughterhouses. G-d blesses everything he does, and soon he is made overseer of all his master’s property. Potiphar’s wife desires the handsome and charismatic lad; when Joseph rejects her advances, she tells her husband that the Hebrew slave tried to force himself on her and has him thrown in prison. Joseph gains the trust and admiration of his jailers, who appoint him to a position of author-

and valleys of Canaan. Vayeishev But this was not to be. Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was Genesis 37:1–40:23 the son of his old age; and he made him a many-colored coat. Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak “And Jacob settled,” begins the Parshah of Vayeishev, “in the peaceably to him. land of his father’s dwelling, in the Land of Canaan.” Matters were not helped by the fact that Joseph preferred the His Charan years were behind him, with Laban many miles company of the children of Bilhah and Zilpah—whom Leah’s away on the other side of a pile of stones attesting to a non- sons regarded as their inferiors because they were the “sons of aggression pact between them. A truce of sorts had been made the handmaids”—and that he was constantly bringing his father with Esau. Dinah had been rescued and avenged, and his critical reports of his brothers’ behavior. beloved Rachel had been buried and mourned. And Joseph had dreams. The 100-year-old Patriarch now hoped that he had experienced Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers... enough hardship and heartbreak for a lifetime, and looked for- “Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my ward for some tranquil years in “the land of his father’s sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves dwelling” (Hebron) as his sons shepherded his flocks in the hills

Commentary brothers]; Jacob charged [his children] and Joseph charged [his brothers]; Jacob died in Egypt and Joseph died in Egypt; Jacob was embalmed and AND JACOB SETTLED... (GENESIS 37:1) Joseph was embalmed; the bones of Jacob were brought up [from Egypt to the Holy Land], and the bones of Joseph were brought up [from Egypt to Jacob desired to settle in tranquility, but it pounced upon him the agony of the Holy Land]... Joseph. For when the righteous wish to settle in tranquility, G-d says: “Is it not enough for the righteous what is prepared for them in the World to Jacob fathered Tribes, and Joseph fathered Tribes; Jacob was lost to his Come, that they also ask for a tranquil life in this world?” father for 22 years, and Joseph was lost to his father for 22 years; Jacob was indentured on account of a woman, and Joseph was imprisoned on account (Rashi) of a woman; Jacob supported Joseph for 17 years, and Joseph supported Jacob for 17 years... THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB:JOSEPH BEING SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD... (37:2) (Midrash Rabbah; Zohar; et al)

Should not have the verse said, “These are the generations of Jacob: AND JOSEPH BROUGHT TO HIS FATHER THEIR EVIL REPORT (37:2) Reuben, etc.”? Why Joseph? Said the sages: two righteous men were punished on account of the bearing Because everything that happened to Jacob, happened to Joseph. As Jacob of malevolent reports: Jacob and Joseph. Because Joseph spoke evilly of his was born circumcised, so was Joseph born circumcised: as Jacob’s mother brothers, he was incarcerated in prison for 12 years; and because Jacob lis- was infertile, so was Joseph’s mother infertile; as Jacob’s mother had diffi- tened to these reports, the Divine spirit departed from him for 22 years. This culty in childbirth, so did Joseph’s mother have difficulty in childbirth; as teaches us that one who speaks negatively of another is punished once, Jacob’s mother bore two sons, so did Joseph’s mother bear two sons; as while someone who listens to negative talk of another is twice punished. Jacob was hated by his brother, so was Joseph hated by his brothers; as Jacob’s brother sought to kill him, so did Joseph’s brothers seek to kill him. (Pirkei d’Rabbeinu HaKadosh)

Jacob was a shepherd and Joseph was a shepherd, Jacob was persecuted, ISRAEL LOVED JOSEPH MORE THAN ALL HIS CHILDREN... AND HIS BROTHERS and Joseph was persecuted; Jacob was blessed with ten blessings and ENVIED HIM (37:3, 11) Joseph was blessed with ten blessings; Jacob was exiled from the Holy Land, and Joseph was exiled from the Land; Jacob took a wife outside the “Love is strong as death” (Song of Songs 8:6)—this is the love with which Land, and Joseph took a wife outside the Land; Jacob begot children out- Jacob loved Joseph... “Envy is harsh as the grave” (ibid.)—this is the envy side the Land, and Joseph begot children outside the Land; Jacob was of the brothers to Joseph. What can love achieve in face of envy? escorted by angels, and Joseph was escorted by angels; Jacob was made great through a dream, and Joseph was made great through a dream; the (Midrash Tanchuma) house of Jacob’s father-in-law was blessed on his account, and the house of Joseph’s father-in-law was blessed on his account; Jacob went down to Said Resh Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah: A man Egypt and Joseph went down to Egypt; Jacob ended the famine and Joseph must not discriminate among his children, for on account of the coat of ended the famine; Jacob adjured [his children] and Joseph adjured [his many colors which our father Jacob made for Joseph, “They hated him...”

Dotan, near Shechem.

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to Vayeishev them, they conspired against him to slay him.

Genesis 37:1–40:23 And they said, a man to his brother, “Behold, here comes the Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 dreamer... stood round about, and bowed down to my sheaf.” “Let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, ‘An evil beast has devoured him’; and we shall see what will And his brothers said to him: “Shall you indeed reign over us? become of his dreams.” Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. But Reuben, the eldest of the brothers, says to them: “Let us not kill him... Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers: in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him.” Reuben said this, “Behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down attests the Torah, “so that he might save him out of their to me.” hands, to deliver him back to his father.”

His father rebuked him: “What is this dream that you have And it came to pass, when Joseph was come to his brethren, dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the many-colored coat come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth?” But Jacob that was on him. And they took him, and cast him into a pit; said this only to diffuse the jealousy between the brothers, and the pit was empty; there was no water in it. while “keeping the matter in mind.” And they sat down to eat bread. And they lifted up their eyes The Sale of Joseph and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilad with their camels bearing gum balm and laudanum, going Jacob sends Joseph to check up on his brothers, who have to carry it down to Egypt. gone north with the flocks. Joseph finally locates them in

Commentary We live in a disjointed and fragmented world. Its countless components each seem to be going its own way, each creation seeking only its own (Midrash Rabbah) preservation and advancement. Our own lives include countless events and experiences, espousing different priorities, pulling us in different directions. A MANY-COLORED COAT (37:3) But this is but the most superficial face of reality. The deeper we probe Ketonet passim, in the Hebrew. The word passim can be translated as “col- nature and its laws, the more we uncover an underlying unity. The more we orful” (Radak; Septuagint), “embroidered” (Ibn Ezra; Bachya; assimilate the lessons of life, the more we discern a “guiding hand” and a Nachmanides on Exodus 28:2), “striped” (Ibn Janach; Radak, Sherashim), coherent destiny. The more we utilize our talents and resources, all the more or “illustrated” (Targum Yonathan). It can also denote a long garment, com- do the various aspects of our uniquely individual role fall in place. ing down to the “palms” of the hands (Rashbam; Ibn Ezra; Baaley Tosafoth; Midrash Rabbah), and the feet (Lekach Tov). Alternatively, the word This is the deeper significance of Joseph’s dream. We are all bundlers in the denotes the material out of which the coat was made, which was fine wool field of life. Here, each stalk grows in its own distinct little furrow; our chal- (Rashi) or silk (Ibn Janach). Hence, Ketonet passim, may be translated as lenge is to bring focus to this diversity, to gather these stalks together and “a full-sleeved robe,” “a coat of many colors,” “a coat reaching to his feet,” bind them as a single sheave. “an ornamented tunic,” “a silk robe,” or “a fine woolen cloak.” But this alone is not enough. As Joseph saw in his dream, his brothers’ indi- (The Living Torah) vidual bundles stood in a circle and bowed to his. This means that while every individual should view the various components of his life as a distinct AND THEY COULD NOT SPEAK PEACEABLY TO HIM (37:4) “bundle,” the piecing together of his life is not an end in itself, but the means to a higher goal. In the words of our sages, “The entire world was From what is stated to their discredit we may infer something to their cred- created only for my sake; and I was created only to serve my Creator.” So it: they did not speak one thing with their mouth having another thing quite while every person should view his entire world—the resources and oppor- different in their hearts. tunities which Divine Providence has sent his way—as being there for him, this “bundle” must in turn be dedicated to the fulfillment of his Divinely (Rashi) ordained mission in life.

JOSEPH DREAMED A DREAM, ANDTOLDITTOHISBROTHERS... “BEHOLD, WE The way this is achieved is by subjugating one’s own bundle to “Joseph’s WERE BINDING SHEAVES IN THE FIELD, AND, LO, MY SHEAF AROSE, AND ALSO bundle.” The Torah is G-d’s communication of His will to man, and charts STOOD UPRIGHT; AND, BEHOLD, YOUR SHEAVES STOOD ROUND ABOUT, AND the course for man to serve his Creator. And each generation has its BOWEDDOWNTOMYSHEAF.” (37:5-7). “Joseph,” an utterly righteous individual who’s life is the perfect embodi- ment of Torah’s ethos and ideals. This is the tzaddik whom the “bundles” of

Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and Vayeishev mourned for his son many days. Genesis 37:1–40:23 All his sons and all his daughters rose up co comfort him; but Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 he refused to be comforted; and he said, “For I will go down to the grave mourning my son.” And Judah said to his brothers: “What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Joseph, in the meantime, is taken to Egypt, where he is sold to Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our Potiphar, a minister in Pharaoh’s court. brother and our flesh.” Judah and Tamar Reuben was not there when Judah proposed that Joseph be sold; when he comes back, intending to rescue Joseph, he The saga of Joseph is interrupted to relate an incident in the finds the pit empty. He berates his brothers, but the deed has life of Judah. Judah separates from his brothers, marries, and already been done; now they must find a way to explain has three children: Er, Onan and Sheilah. When Er comes of Joseph’s disappearance to their father. age, Judah marries him to a woman by the name of Tamar.

They dip Joseph’s coat in the blood of a goat, and bring it to Er “was wicked in the sight of G-d” and dies young. Judah tells their father. “This we have found,” they say. Onan to perform “the duty of a brother-in-law” to marry the widow of a childless brother and “raise up progeny for your And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s coat; an evil beast brother” (a practice called yibbum — cf. Deuteronomy 25:5). has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn in pieces.” And Onan, who does not desire to father children that will be

Commentary it, and he delivered him out of their hands,” he would have loaded Joseph the various tribes of Israel surround and subjugate themselves to, turning to on his shoulders and carried him back to his father. him for guidance as how best to realize the purpose of their lives. (Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra 34:9) (The Lubavitcher Rebbe) AND THEY TOOK HIM, AND CAST HIM INTO A PIT; AND THE PIT WAS EMPTY; SOHESENTHIMOUTOFTHEVALEOFHEBRON, AND HE CAME TO SHECHEM THERE WAS NO WATER IN IT (37:24) (37:14) From the implication of what is said, “And the pit was empty,” do I not A place predestined for evil: in Shechem Dinah was violated; in Shechem know that there was no water in it? What then is taught by, “there was no Joseph was sold by his brothers; and in Shechem the kingdom of the House water in it”? There was no water, but there were snakes and scorpions in it. of David was divided (I Kings:12:1). (Talmud, Shabbat 22a) (Talmud, Sanhedrin 102a) The mind and heart of man are never empty. If there is no life-nourishing A MAN FOUND HIM WANDERING IN THE FIELD; AND THE MAN ASKED HIM, SAY- “water,” there are “snakes and scorpions in it” ING:“WHATDOYOUSEEK?” AND HE SAID:“I SEEK MY BROTHERS; TELL ME,I (The Chassidic Masters) PRAY YOU, WHERE THEY FEED THEIR FLOCKS.” AND THE MAN SAID:“THEY ARE DEPARTED FROM HERE; FOR I HEARD THEM SAY,‘LET US GO TO DOTAN.’” AND REUBEN RETURNED TO THE PIT; AND, BEHOLD,JOSEPH WAS NOT IN THE AND JOSEPH WENT AFTER HIS BROTHERS, AND FOUND THEM IN DOTAN. PIT (37:29) (37:15-17) Where had he been? Rabbi Eleazar said: He was taken up with his fasting “The man” was the angel Gabriel. and sackcloth (in repentance over his sin in violating his father’s marital bed), and when he became free he went and looked into the pit.... Rabbi (Midrash; Rashi) Judah said: Every one of them attended his father one day, and that day it was Reuben’s turn. AND THEY SAID, AMANTOHISBROTHER(37:19)

(Midrash Rabbah) Who were they? Shimon and Levi.

AND THEY TOOK JOSEPH’SCOAT, AND KILLED A KID OF THE GOATS, AND (Midrash Tanchuma) DIPPED THE COAT IN THE BLOOD (37:31) AND REUBEN HEARD IT, AND HE DELIVERED HIM OUT OF THEIR HANDS (37:21) G-d pays back man measure for measure... even the righteous does He pay back measure for measure. Jacob deceived his father with goatskins (cf. Had Reuben known that the Torah would write of him, “And Reuben heard Genesis 27:16), and his sons deceived him with the blood of a goat...

to Timna... Vayeishev When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, because she had covered her face. And he turned to her by the way, and Genesis 37:1–40:23 said: “Come now, please, let me come in to you”; for he knew Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 not that she was his daughter-in-law.

Judah promises her “a kid from the flock” in payment, but she regarded as his brother’s, “spilled his seed to the ground.” He, insists that he leave “your signet, and your cord, and your staff too, dies an early death in punishment for his sin. that is in your hand” with her as a pledge until the payment is Since Onan, too, had died childless, Sheilah was now supposed sent. Tamar becomes pregnant from him. to marry Tamar. But time passes and Tamar realizes that Judah And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told has no intention of marrying her to his third son. She resolves to Judah, saying: “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the to find a way to have a child from Judah’s family, if not from harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by harlotry.” Sheilah, then from Judah himself. And Judah said: “Bring her out and let her be burnt.” And it was told to Tamar, saying, “Behold your father-in-law is going up to Timna to shear his sheep.” And she put off her When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, say- widow’s garments, and covered herself with a veil, and ing, “By the man, whose these are, am I with child”; and she wrapped herself, and sat by the crossroads which is by the way said: “Discern, I pray you, whose are these—the signet, and

ANDITCAMETOPASSATTHATTIME, THAT JUDAH WENT DOWN FROM HIS Commentary BROTHERS (38:1)

Likewise, Judah, who deceived his father with the blood of a goat, was They took him down from his greatness when they saw their father’s agony. deceived by Tamar with a “kid of goats.” They said: You told us to sell him; if you would have told us to return him, we would have listened to you. (Midrash; Rashi) (Rashi) AND JACOB RENT HIS CLOTHES, AND PUT SACKCLOTH ON HIS LOINS, AND MOURNED FOR HIS SON MANY DAYS (37:34) ER,JUDAH’S FIRSTBORN, WAS WICKED IN THE SIGHT OF G-D; AND G-DSLEW HIM (38:7) Why didn’t G-d reveal to him the truth? Because when the brothers sold Joseph, they made a vow that none of them would tell their father of their Er was guilty of the same sin as Onan, of spilling his seed, as it is written deed, and they included G-d in their vow. regarding Onan, “And G-d... slew him also” (38:10)—Onan’s death was by the same cause as Er’s. And why did Er spill his seed? So that Tamar should (Midrash; Rashi) not become pregnant and ruin her beauty.

From here we learn that the Divine spirit does not rest upon one who is in (Talmud; Rashi) a state of torpor, nor on one who is in a state of sorrow; this is why Jacob could not know the fate of Joseph. IT WAS TOLD TO TAMAR:BEHOLD, YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW IS GOING UP TO TIMNA TO SHEAR HIS SHEEP (38:13) (Lekach Tov) Yet in the case of Samson it says, And Samson went down to Timna (Judges AND HE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED (37:35) 14:1). For Timna sat on the slope of a hill: one ascended to it from one side and descended to it from the other. One can be consoled over the dead, but not over the living... For regarding the dead it has been decreed that they be forgotten from the heart, but no (Rashi) such decree was decreed regarding the living. The town of Timna is thus the prototype for all of lifes destinations. One (Midrash Rabbah; Rashi) never simply goes to Timna—-one either ascends or descends to it; the same is true of the journey of life. There are no two parallel points on the AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME... (38:1) slope of human development, where every step is either a step up or a step down from its predecessor. The sons of Jacob were engaged in selling Joseph, Jacob was taken up with his sackcloth and fasting, and Judah was busy taking a wife, while the Holy This is also the lesson implicit in the lights of Chanukah (which always falls One, blessed be He, was creating the light of Messiah. (Peretz, born of in proximity with the Torah reading of Vayeishev). One who kindles a sin- Judah and Tamar, is the ancestor of King David and the Messiah.) gle flame on the first night of the festival observes the mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights in the most optimal manner possible. But to kindle that (Midrash Rabbah)

from her, Joseph “left his garment in her hand, and fled, and went outside.” She decides to avenge herself on him, and tells her husband that Joseph tried to force himself on her; “When I lifted up my voice and cried,” she claimed. “he left his gar- Vayeishev ment with me, and fled.” Genesis 37:1–40:23 Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 Joseph is thrown into the royal dungeon.

More Dreams the cord, and the staff.” Joseph’s charisma, enterprising spirit, and Divine blessing follow him to prison. Before long, Judah acknowledged them, and said: “She has been more righteous than I...” the officer of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatever they did there, Tamar gives birth to twins : Peretz he was the doer of it.... because G-d was with him, and that (“bursting forth” because he pushed his way first out of the which he did, G-d made it prosper. womb despite the fact that his brother’s hand emerged first) and Zerach (“shining” because the midwife had tied a crimson Years pass. Then Pharaoh’s chief butler and his chief baker, thread on his hand to mark him as the first born). each of whom had committed some offence to their king, are thrown into the prison where Joseph was, and are entrusted to The Libel his care. Back to Joseph, who is rising in the ranks of the servants of One morning, Joseph finds them in a troubled mood. They’ve Potiphar, his Egyptian master. “His master saw that G-d was both had dreams whose meaning they cannot fathom. “Do not with him, and that G-d made all that he did to prosper in his interpretations belong to G-d?” says Joseph. “Tell me them.” hand. And Joseph found favor in his sight.... and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his The chief butler relates his dream: hand.” Behold, a vine was before me. And on the vine were three ten- Potiphar’s wife was attracted to the handsome, fortuitous drils; and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot youth. forth; and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; I took the grapes, and pressed them into And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.” Joseph offers the following interpretation: He refused, and said to his master’s wife: “Behold, my master... has committed all that he has to my hand. There is none The three tendrils are three days. In another three days shall greater in this house than I; neither has he kept back anything Pharaoh lift up your head, and restore you to your place; and from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do you shall deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former this great wickedness, and sin against G-d?” manner when you were his butler.

Potiphar’s wife persisted, and on one occasion, when no one The chief baker, liking Joseph’s interpretation of his colleague’s else was home, she grabbed hold of his clothes. To get away

Commentary herself with her veil, and wrapped herself.” (Midrash Rabbah) same flame on the following night is not only a failure to increase light but a decline in relation to yesterdays achievement: on the second night of When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; because she had covered Chanukah, a single flame represents a less than optimal observance of the her face (38:15) mitzvah. For in the diagonal trajectory of life, our every deed and endeavor either elevates or lowers us in relation to our prior station. Because she had covered her face he thought her to be an harlot? But because she had covered her face in her father-in-law’s house, he did not (The Lubavitcher Rebbe) recognize her now.

AND SHE COVERED HERSELF WITH A VEIL, AND WRAPPED HERSELF (38:14) Said Rabbi Samuel ben Nachmani in the name of Rabbi Jonathan: Every daughter-in-law who is modest in her father-in-law’s house merits that Two women covered themselves with a veil and gave birth to twins: kings and prophets should issue from her. From where do we know this? Rebecca and Tamar. Rebecca, as it is written, “And she took her veil, and From Tamar. Prophets issued from her, as it is written: “The vision of Isaiah covered herself” (Gen. 24:65); Tamar, as it is written, “And she covered

a tree; and the birds shall eat your flesh from off you.

Joseph has a favor to ask from the soon-to-be-freed butler:

Vayeishev But think of me when it shall be well with you, and show kind- Genesis 37:1–40:23 ness, I pray you, to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 and bring me out of this house.

For I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dun- dream, tells his own: geon.

I also in my dream, behold, I had three baskets of white bread Three days later, Pharaoh celebrates his birthday, and remem- on my head. And in the uppermost basket there was of all man- bers the two ministers he had ordered thrown in jail; he rein- ner of baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out states the chief butler and hangs the chief baker, “as Joseph of the basket upon my head. had interpreted to them.”

Which Joseph interprets: “The chief butler did not remember Joseph,” concludes our Parshah, “but forgot him.” The three baskets are three days. In another three days shall Pharaoh lift up your head from off you, and shall hang you on

Commentary (Midrash Rabbah) the son of Amotz”; and kings issued from her through David [who is WHEN SHE WAS BROUGHT FORTH, SHE SENT TO HER FATHER IN LAW, SAYING: descendent from Peretz]. “BYTHEMAN, WHOSE THESE ARE, AM I WITH CHILD” (38:25)

(Talmud, Sotah 10b) She did not wish to shame him by saying explicitly, “I am pregnant by you,” only, “By the man, whose these are,” saying to herself: “If he wishes to WHEN JUDAH SAW HER, HE THOUGHT HER TO BE A HARLOT... AND HE admit it, he will admit it himself; if not, they will burn me, but I will not TURNED TO HER (38:15-16) shame him.” From this our sages derived: One should cast himself into a fiery furnace rather than shame his fellow in public. Said Ulla: Both Tamar and Zimri (cf. Numbers 25) committed harlotry. Tamar committed harlotry and gave birth to kings and prophets. Zimri com- (Rashi; Talmud) mitted harlotry and on his account many tens of thousands of Israel per- ished. AND JOSEPH WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO EGYPT... (39:1)

(Talmud, Nazir 23b) Said Rabbi Tanchuma: This is comparable to a cow upon whom it was desired to place a yoke, but the cow was withholding her neck from the Said Rabbi Jochanan: Judah wished to pass her by, but G-d sent the angel yoke. What did they do? They took her calf from behind her and drew him who is in charge of lust have his effect on him, saying to him: “Where are to the place where they wanted her to plow, and the calf was bleating. When you going, Judah? Whence then are kings to arise, whence are redeemers to the cow heard her calf bleating, she went despite herself, because of her arise?” Thereupon, “And he turned to her”—despite himself and against his child. By the same token, G-d wished to fulfil the decree (Genesis 15:13), wish. “Know ye, [that your children will be strangers in a land that is not theirs]...”, so he plotted all these events (of Joseph’s sale to Egypt)... (Midrash Rabbah) (Midrash Tanchuma) The Zohar points out that Moshiach (the Messiah) is the product of a number of morally dubious unions: Judah and Tamar; Boaz and Ruth; David and Jacob might have had to be brought down to Egypt in chains, but than G-d Batsheba. declared: “He is My firstborn son; shall I then bring him down in disgrace?” Now, if I provoke Pharaoh [with the intention to bring him down], I will not bring him down with befitting honor. Therefore I will draw his son before him, and so he will follow despite himself. And he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said: “Your signet, and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand” (38:18) (Midrash Rabbah)

A prophetic spirit was enkindled within her: “your signet” alludes to the AND JOSEPH WAS OF BEAUTIFUL FORM AND BEAUTIFUL APPEARANCE (39:6) royal house of David; “your cord” alludes to the Sanhedrin; “and your staff” alludes to the Messiah, as in the verse, “The staff of thy strength the L-rd When he saw himself in a position of rulership, he began to eat and drink will send out of Zion” (Psalms 110:2)—all of whom are the progeny of and curl his hair. Said G-d: “Your father is in mourning and you curl your Judah and Tamar. hair! I shall incite the bear against you.” Immediately, “His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph...”

(Rabbi Bunim of Pshischa)

AND IT CAME TO PASS ABOUT THIS TIME, THAT JOSEPH WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO DO HIS WORK (39:11)

Vayeishev This means that he went to satisfy his desires [i.e., he was ready to succomb Genesis 37:1–40:23 to Pothipar’s wife]... At that moment his father’s image came and appeared to him through the window and said: “Joseph, your brothers will have their Torah Reading for November 24-30, 2002 names inscribed upon the stones of the ephod... Is it your wish to have your name expunged from amongst theirs and be called an associate of harlots?” Commentary (Talmud, Sotah 36b) (Rashi) WHEN HIS MASTER HEARD THE WORDS OF HIS WIFE, WHICH SHE SPOKE TO HIM, SAYING,“THESE THINGS DID YOUR SERVANT TO ME,” HIS ANGER BURNED (39:19) AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS, THAT HIS MASTER’S WIFE CAST HER EYES UPON JOSEPH (39:7) “These things”—she said this to him during intercourse.

Why does the Torah adjoin the incident of Potiphar’s wife to the incident of (Rashi) Tamar? To tell us that just as Tamar acted for the sake of Heaven, so did Potiphar’s wife act for the sake of Heaven. For she saw through her AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS, THAT THE BUTLER OF THE KING astrologers that she was destined to produce children from him. But she did OF EGYPT, AND HIS BAKER, OFFENDED THEIR LORD THE KING OF EGYPT (40:1) not know whether through herself or through her daughter (Joseph married Potiphar’s daughter, as per Genesis 41:45) A fly was found in the goblet prepared by the butler, and a pebble in the baker’s confection. (Rashi) (Midrash Rabbah; Rashi) AND SHE SAID:“LIE WITH ME.” (39:7)

Said Rabbi Samuel ben Nachman said: Accursed are the wicked! In another passage [we find Ruth saying], “Spread therefore thy skirt over thy hand- AND THE CHIEF BUTLER DID NOT REMEMBER JOSEPH, BUTFORGOTHIM maid” (Ruth 3:9); but this one spoke like an animal: “Lie with me.” (40:23)

(Midrash Rabbah) Because Joseph placed his trust in him, he had to remain imprisoned for another two years... Thus it says (Psalms 40:5): “Fortunate is the man who AND HE REFUSED.AND HE SAID TO HIS MASTER’S WIFE: “...HOW THEN CAN I places his trust in G-d, and does not turn to the arrogant.” DO THIS GREAT WICKEDNESS, AND SIN AGAINST G-D?” (39:8-9) (Rashi) Said Joseph to her: “I am afraid of the Holy One, blessed be He.” Said she: “But He is not here”... She drove him from room to room and from chamber to chamber, until she brought him to her bed. Above it was engraved an idol, which she covered with a sheet. Said Joseph to her: “You have covered its face... How much more then should you fear Him of whom it is written (Zechariah 4:10), “The eyes of the L-rd, that run to and fro through the whole earth”!

A matron asked Rabbi Jose: “Is it possible that Joseph, at seventeen years of age, with all the hot blood of youth, could act thus? [Surely the Torah is not telling us the whole truth!]” Thereupon he produced the Book of Genesis and read the stories of Reuben and Judah. “If Scripture did not suppress anything in the case of these, who were older and in their father’s home, how much the more in the case of Joseph, who was younger and his own master.”

(Midrash Rabbah)

HOW THEN CAN I DO THIS GREAT WICKEDNESS, AND SIN AGAINST G-D?” (39:9)

Should not Joseph had said, “How then can we do this great wickedness, and sin against G-d”?

But Joseph did not want to share in anything with her—not even the pro- noun “we.”

eye, the poverty on the other side of town and the bombs in the other time zone. FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS But then there are the righteous: men and women who cannot relish their meal as long as someone, THE QUEST FOR PEACE somewhere, remains hungry; who, if there is igno- Ignorance is bliss.” How facile — and how true! rance in the world, know their own wisdom to be Are you sick to your soul of all the ugliness and deficient; who, if there is discord anywhere in G-d’s injustice in the world? Just close your eyes, and creation, cannot be at peace with themselves. make believe it ain’t so. And when reality barges in Yes, you can have some peace in this world, and your door and comes crashing down on your head, then experience the real thing in the World to close your eyes tighter, imagine harder. If you sing Come—if you’re willing to let the World to Come loud enough to drown out the sounds of carnage in come when it comes. the next street or continent, you can experience The righteous are not that patient. Their physical peace (or at least participate in a ceremony celebrat- selves may be stuck in this world, but their minds ing the same). and souls inhabit the world to come. They refuse to The opening verse of this week’s Torah reading, close their eyes. Vayeishev (Genesis 37-40), speaks of Jacob’s desire Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, to “settle down in tranquility.” Anyone following the www.therebbe.org; adapted by Yanki Tauber, Torah’s account of Jacob’s life until this point cannot [email protected] but agree that, after 34 years of fleeing from Esau and slaving for Laban, Jacob deserves some peace and quiet. But the very next verse begins the story of JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS how, as the Talmud puts it, “there pounced on him The conflict between Joseph and his brothers, par- the trouble of Joseph”: the most beloved of Jacob’s ticularly that between Joseph and Judah, runs like a sons is sold into slavery by his own brothers and for seam across the entire history of Israel. At times 22 years Jacob grieves, thinking him dead; and the Joseph gains the upper hand, at times Judah prevails, Jacob is compelled to spend the last years of his life but the schism always resurfaces. Our sages even far from home, in alien Egypt. speak of two Messiah’s, each with a role to play in Why, indeed, was Jacob’s desire denied him? the final fulfillment of Israel’s mission — a Messiah “When the righteous wish to settle in tranquility,” descendant from Joseph, and a Messiah from the explain our sages, “G-d says: Is it not enough for royal house of David, from the tribe of Judah. them what is prepared for them in the World to The conflict has its roots in Jacob’s marriages to Come, that they also ask for a tranquil life in this Leah and Rachel. Jacob’s preference lay with Rachel world?” — she was his first love and the one he regarded as But why not? Does G-d have a limited quantity of his primary wife. But Leah was the first he married, tranquility to mete out? Why can’t we have the peace the first to bear his children, and the one to emerge and perfection of the World to Come, and a few years victorious in the sisters’ competition to provide of respite in this world as well? Jacob with the most sons. All Leah’s six sons were born before Rachel’s firstborn, Joseph; Rachel had a The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that the world to total of two children, as she died while giving birth come is a world of truth. It is a world in which what to her second son, Benjamin. happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow cannot be divorced from what’s happening today, As Jacob’s firstborn, Leah’s son Reuben was ini- and what’s happening to your fellow man cannot be tially slated for leadership in all areas of Jewish life. separated from what is happening to yourself. Peace But Reuben sinned, and his firstborn’s rights were in our still unperfected world, viewed from the per- transferred to three of his brothers: the priesthood spective of the “World to Come”, is a lie. went to Leah’s third son, Levi; the kingship to Leah’s fourth, Judah; and the “birthright” (the right of the Many are content to live this lie: to forget what firstborn to a double portion in his father’s heritage) happened yesterday, avoid thinking about what will to Joseph (thus Joseph’s descendents comprised two happen tomorrow, ignore the sadness in a neighbor’s

FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS Judah is anointed as king; his struggles with King Saul are a replay of the age-old Leah/Rachel rivalry over the leadership of Israel. For seven years David reigns in the Judean city of tribes, Menasseh and Ephraim, and received two ter- Hebron while a son of Saul is recognized king in the ritories in the Holy Land). North. But then the sovereignty of David is accept- (Reuben’s sin was itself an outgrowth of the ed by the entire people of Israel. David makes his Leah/Rachel rivalry, as Reuben interfered in his capital in another Judean city, Jerusalem. His son, father’s marriage arrangements in protest of Jacob’s Solomon, builds the Holy Temple on a part of the giving precedence to Rachel’s maid, Bilhah, over city which straddles the boundary between Judah Leah.) and Benjamin. The schism seems to be healed, the Jacob transferred his love of Rachel to her son, people united, with the leadership firmly in the Joseph, demonstrating his greater preference toward hands of Judah. him over his brothers — as he had demonstrated his But once more the conflict resurfaces. Following preference of Rachel over Leah. The brothers’ jeal- Solomon’s death, Jeroboam, a descendent of Joseph, ousy was augmented by Joseph’s dreams — which leads a revolt against the royal house of David. He Joseph insisted on repeatedly describing to them and even gets other tribes descendent from Leah to join to his father — dreams which foretold his mastery him in the renunciation of the Judean leadership. For over them. the next 240 years, the Holy Land is split into two This the sons of Leah are determined to prevent at kingdoms: the northern Kingdom of Israel, encom- any cost. Shimon and Levi plot to kill Joseph; Judah passing ten breakaway tribes under Josephian lead- prevents this, but oversees his sale into slavery. ership; and the southern Kingdom of Judah. (Interestingly, the tribe of Benjamin remains loyal to But the brothers’ victory is short-lived. Soon they the Judean throne). The sons of Joseph are simply find themselves in Egypt, at the mercy of a harsh not prepared to accept the sovereignty of Judah. viceroy who, unbeknownst to them, is their banished brother. They prostate themselves before him in ful- (This is most emphatically illustrated by the fol- fillment of his dreams. Judah confronts Joseph, but lowing Talmudic account (Sanhedrin 102a): “G-d finds his considerable physical might and intellectu- Himself grabbed Jeroboam by his robe and said to al prowess bested by his younger brother. Then him: ‘Repent, and I, you and the Son of Jesse [King comes the moving scene in which Joseph reveals David] will stroll together in the Garden of Eden.’ himself to them and is reconciled with them. Asked Jeroboam, ‘Who will walk first?’ ‘The Son of Jesse,’ [answered G-d. Said Jeroboam,] ‘If so, I’m Joseph is now the undisputed leader of the fledg- not interested.’”) ling nation. He is their protector and their source of sustenance. Even Jacob bows to him. The breach persists to this day. A century before the destruction of the First Temple, Shalmanesser When the people of Israel emerge from the the King of Assyria overran the Northern Kingdom Egyptian exile, it is under the leadership of Moses of Israel and exiled the Ten tribes to an unknown and Aaron, both Levites. But it is Joshua, a descen- place. They were never heard from again. The rest of dent of Joseph, who leads them in their conquest of Jewish history, as we know it, is the story of the sur- the Holy Land. Several generations later, another viving tribes of Judah and Benjamin, a significant descendent of Joseph, Gideon, liberates them from part of Levi (whose Priests and Levites lived in foreign rule and governs them. For 365 years, the cities throughout the Holy Land), and a small num- Tabernacle, which as the forerunner of the Holy ber of Jews from the other tribes who lived in the Temple served as the spiritual epicenter of Jewish Kingdom of Judea. life, was situated at Shiloh, in the territory of Joseph. When the people of Israel asked for a king, a descen- But the prophets promise that there will come a dent of Rachel, the Benjaminian Saul, is endowed time when the rent halves of the people of Israel will with the crown. be reunited. The Messianic age will be heralded by a Messiah from the tribe of Joseph and a Davidic Then, after centuries of Josephian ascendancy, the Messiah from the tribe of Judah; ultimately, howev- pendulum swings once more. David the scion of

FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS sitivities, but the purpose of it all is that it be elevat- ed by the challenges and achievements of earthly life. er, the sovereignty of Judah will be established once and for all. In the words of the prophet (Ezekiel 37) On the other hand, the highest praise that the “I will make them into one nation in the land... and a Torah has for Moses, whom Maimonides calls “the single king shall be over them all... My servant David most perfect human being,” is that he was a “servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have a sin- of G-d” (Deuteronomy 34:5). Our sages repeatedly gle shepherd... and My servant David shall be their exhort us to strive for altruism in our lives, so that prince for ever.” everything we do is permeated with the recognition that “I was not created, but to serve my Creator” (Talmud, Kiddushin 82b). Chassidic teaching explains the Joseph/Judah conflict as a dichotomy that extends to every area of life: This duality is also discussed by our sages in the conflict between growth and self-fulfillment on terms of “learning” and “deed” (or “Torah” and the one hand, and subservience and commitment on “mitzvot”). Thus the sages of the Talmud debate: the other. Which is greater, learning or deed? Learning involves the development and perfection of self, There are many identifiable motives to human while doing entails the servitude of self to the task at actions, many formulas for the articulation of a pur- hand. Why was man placed on earth — to better, pose to human life. All, however, fall under one of refine and perfect the self, or to achieve the abnega- two general categories: tion of self in service of the Creator? a) For ourselves (to enjoy life/ realize our poten- Rachel, “of beautiful form and of beautiful tial/ achieve transcendence/ etc.). appearance,” embodies the drive for self-fulfillment b) In service of something greater than ourselves and self-realization; while the humble, submissive (society/ history/ G-d). Leah represents our capacity for servitude and self- Indeed, we sense both “a” and “b” to be ever-pres- effacement. ent forces in our lives. On the one hand, we are Rachel’s qualities were strongly emphasized in strongly driven to better ourselves, to “get the most” the handsome, charismatic, enterprising Joseph, who out of every experience and opportunity. We also unabashedly relates his dreams of greatness and pro- sense that this is not a shallow selfishness, but some- ceeds to turn his every circumstance into a personal thing very deep and true in our souls — something success. Sold as a slave, he soon becomes overseer implanted in us by our Creator as intrinsic to our of all his master’s possessions; thrown into jail, he identity and purpose. rises to a high position in the prison administration, On the other hand, we are equally aware that we and from there to viceroy of the most powerful are part of something greater than ourselves — that if nation on earth. His external beauty and successes our existence has meaning it is only because it serves mirror an inner, spiritual perfection, as he perseveres a reality beyond its own finite and subjective self. in the face of moral tests and retains his righteous- We find both sensibilities expressed by the Torah ness in the most corrupting of environments. and in the words of our sages. On the one hand, the Judah, in contradistinction, displays the humility Torah (Deuteronomy 11, Leviticus 12, et al) repeat- and commitment of one to whom life is a duty rather edly stresses that G-d?s program for life is for the than an achievement. He steps in to prevent the good of man, both materially and spiritually. “The murder of Joseph; he readily owns up to his respon- mitzvot were given only to refine humanity,” says the sibility for the sale of Joseph and his culpability in Midrash. The Talmud even goes so far as to state: the incident with Tamar. He pledges to be account- “Every man is obligated to say: ?The world was cre- able for Benjamin’s safety, and when the latter is ated for my sake.?” Chassidic teaching describes the retained by the Egyptian viceroy, offers himself as a saga of the soul as a “descent for the purpose of slave in his place. He is the acknowledged leader of ascent” — the soul?s entry into the physical state his brethren, but his is a leadership burdened by entails a diminution of its spiritual faculties and sen- responsibility and sustained by commitment rather

FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS versal and cosmic level as well, we shall enter the age in which “I will make them into one nation... than one that is buoyed by self-confidence and driven And My servant David shall be their prince forever.” by ambition. Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, www.therebbe.org; adapted by Yanki Tauber, So Joseph, whose name means “to add,” represents [email protected] growth and achievement, while Judah, whose name means “to acknowledge” and “to submit” is the para- digm of commitment and self-abnegation. TAMAR'S TWINS These two forces vie for ascendancy in our every Among the numerous births recounted in the book thought and feeling, in every choice we make and of Genesis, two are of twins: the birth of Isaac’s and every action we take in the course of our lives. At Rebecca’s twins, Jacob and Esau; and the birth of times the one gains the upper hand; at times the other Peretz and Zerach, twin sons of Tamar and Judah. rules our lives. On the macro-historical level, these are While certain similarities mark the two births, the two contrasting forces at play in the history of our there are also some significant differences, both in people, as Judah and Joseph vie for the leadership of the circumstances surrounding the two pregnancies Israel. as well as in the characters of the two sets of twins There is, however, a point at which these two forces they produced. converge and unite. This is the point at which it is rec- Isaac and Rebecca were married for twenty child- ognized that the refinement and perfection of the self less years; they prayed for children, each evoking can itself be an altruistic enterprise — when it is the righteousness of the other in their appeal to G-d. undertaken solely because this is what the Creator Their sacred union produced two very different desires from us. When it is appreciated that (as the sons: Jacob grew to become a gentle scholar; Esau, Talmud resolves its above-cited debate), “Learning is a crass and conniving materialist. greater because it brings to deed.” A better self — a more knowing, sensitive, accomplished self — is a Tamar’s twins were conceived in far less exalted self better equipped to fulfill its purpose in creation. circumstances. Tamar was originally married to Indeed, the making of this better self is the fulfillment Judah’s eldest son, Er. Upon Er’s untimely death, of its purpose in creation. Ultimately, improving the she was given in levirate marriage to his younger self is the ultimate service of G-d. brother, Onan; but Onan, too, died childless. When Tamar realized that Judah had no intention of mar- Chassidic master Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli is reputed rying her to his third son, Sheilah, she disguised her- to have said: “If it were offered to me to exchange self as a prostitute and seduced Judah himself. When places with Abraham our Father, I would refuse. What her pregnancy became apparent, Tamar was almost would G-d gain from this? He’d still have one Zusha put to death, on Judah’s orders, for harlotry; it was and one Abraham.” only when she produced certain personal effects Rabbi Zusha’s life was driven by the burning ambi- which Judah had left with her as collateral against tion to become an Abraham — but only in order that his payment to her that Judah realized that the “pros- G-d should have another Abraham. If the end result is titute” with whom he had cohabited with was his that there’s only one Abraham for G-d, what’s the former daughter-in-law and the twins in her womb point? were fathered by himself. When a person attains this acme of love for G-d, the Yet unlike the mixed progeny of Isaac and Judah and Joseph in him are in full harmony with each Rebecca’s marriage, the twin sons born out of this other. His Judah reigns sovereign — the ultimate cri- morally dubious union were both righteous men. teria is service of G-d. But the Joseph in him is not Indeed, all kings of Israel, from David to Moshiach, silenced or suppressed. On the contrary: its passions are the issue of Tamar’s pregnancy. are cultivated, its ambitions are encouraged, its self- The inverse differences between these two preg- hood is fully integrated in the selflessness of the nancies and births are alluded to in the verses that Judaic self. describe them. Regarding Rebecca’s pregnancy, the And when this integration is achieved on the uni- Torah says, “Her days to give birth were fulfilled;

FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS lowed by a “deficient” progeny that is attributable solely to the fact that Esau, by his own free will, chose to follow a path of evil. and, behold, there were twins in her womb”; with But a similar contradiction is also to be found in Tamar, the Torah writes: “At the time that she gave our Sages’ remarks regarding G-d’s creation of the birth, behold, there were twins in her womb.” Our world. On the one hand, we have the Midrashic sages, noting the different phraseology, explain that statement that “The world was created fulfilled”— Rebecca’s was a “fulfilled” pregnancy of nine full i.e., fully matured and lacking nothing. Yet the per- months, while Tamar gave birth after an “unfulfilled” fect world which G-d created contains the potential pregnancy of only seven months. for imperfection, even evil. Indeed, this potential is Our sages also note that the Hebrew word for an integral part of its perfection. The Midrash, citing “twins,” te’omim, is spelled differently in the two the verse, “And G-d looked upon all that He made accounts. In the Holy Tongue, many words can be and, behold, it was very good,” comments: “‘Behold written in either a “full” spelling or a “deficient” it was very good’—this is the good inclination; ‘and spelling (i.e., lacking one or more letters). In the behold it was very good’—this is the inclination for account of Peretz and Zerach’s birth, the word evil ... ‘behold it was very good’—this is good for- te’omim appears in its full spelling; but in the account tune; ‘and behold it was very good’—this is suffer- of Jacob and Esau’s birth, it appears in deficient form, ing ... ‘behold it was very good’—this is paradise; lacking the letters aleph and yud. This, explain the ‘and behold it was very good’—this is hell ... commentaries, alludes to the fact that Tamar’s twins ‘behold it was very good’—this is the angel of life; “were both righteous, while in [Rebecca’s] case, one ‘and behold it was very good’—this is the angel of was righteous and the other wicked.” death....” In other words, the “fulfilled” pregnancy of The Two Delicacies Rebecca produced a “deficient” set of twins, while A fundamental principle of the Jewish faith, Tamar’s “deficient” pregnancy produced a “full” and writes Maimonides, is that, “Freedom of choice has perfect progeny. been granted to every man: if he desires to turn him- Seeds of Evil? self to a path of good and be a righteous person, the option is in his hands; if he desires to turn himself to But was Rebecca’s indeed a perfect pregnancy? The a path of evil and be a wicked person, the option is Midrash seems to imply that the wicked half of her in his hands.” Yet we observe that certain people are progeny was already asserting his evil nature while more susceptible to evil than others. The Talmud still in the womb. describes the prototypic victim of evil, Job, protest- The Torah relates that “The children struggled with- ing to G-d: “Master of the universe! You have creat- in her.” The Midrash explains: “Whenever she would ed righteous people, and you have created wicked pass a house of prayer or house of study, Jacob would people!” struggle to come out ... and when she passed a house In his Tanya, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi of idolatry, Esau would struggle to come out.” explains that G-d indeed created “righteous people” Rebecca, puzzled by the contrary strivings being and “wicked people.” “Righteous people” (tzad- exhibited by her offspring, “sought the counsel of G- dikim) are individuals who, by nature, abhor evil and d” and was told: “There are two nations in your desire only good, either because they have been born womb; two peoples will separate from your innards.” that way or because they have transformed their neg- There are, however, other Midrashic accounts that ative drives into positive ones. “Wicked people,” on describe Esau and Jacob sharing a righteous childhood the other hand, are those individuals who are des- in the holy environment of their parents’ home and tined “not to be wicked in actuality, G-d forbid, but under the tutelage of their saintly grandfather, that the doings of the wicked should approach them, Abraham, and that “only later did Esau ruin himself in their minds and thoughts alone, so that they must with his deeds.” This supports our initial conception of constantly battle to avert their minds from them and an impeccable conception, pregnancy and birth, fol- suppress the evil; for they would not be able to anni-

FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS gives birth to perfection (as in Tamar’s pregnancy) when that vulnerability is exploited to reap the rewards of struggle and to attain the perfect twinship of pristine goodness and vanquished evil. The whole of history is the noble and painful progress toward the resolution of this paradox when, hilate it completely—as can only be achieved by the in the age of Moshiach, “the saviors (descendants of righteous.” Tamar) shall ascend the mountain of Zion to judge For G-d desires both these types of human being in the mountain of (Rebecca’s) Esau,” uniting the vul- His world. “Just like in physical foods, for example, nerabilities that are born out of the perfection of G- there exist two types of delicacies: sweet and luscious d’s creation with the perfection that is born out of the foods, and sharp or sour foods which have been spiced vulnerabilities of the human condition. and garnished so that they are made into delicacies Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, which gratify the soul,” so, too, “there are two kinds www.therebbe.org; adapted by Yanki Tauber, of gratification before G-d: one, from the complete [email protected] annihilation of evil ... by the righteous; the second, when evil is subdued while it is still at its strongest and most powerful ... through the efforts of the inter- mediate man.” This is the deeper significance of the “two nations” which Rebecca was told dwelled in her womb. The gravitation to evil exhibited by one of her twins was not a deficiency—it was the potential for the “second delicacy” craved by G-d. It was only later, when Esau chose to surrender to his evil inclination rather than battle it, that the duality of forces she birthed became a “deficient” set of twins. As they existed within Rebecca, however, Jacob and Esau constituted a “full” pregnancy, containing both of the two fundamental potentials that G-d implanted in His creation: the delight of utter goodness, and the distinct pleasure and sense of achievement that comes only from the struggle with adversi- ty. Tamar’s pregnancy and delivery describe the reverse process: how negative circumstances and actions can be sublimated so that the original perfection, from which every potential in existence stems, is restored. Indeed, when the potential for evil, suffering, hell and death becomes actual, the opportunity exists for an even deeper perfection to be achieved, when these are vanquished and transformed into good. The Ascent to Mount Zion Hence the paradox of our existence: perfection begets imperfection (as in Rebecca’s pregnancy), for nothing can be said to be truly perfect unless it pos- sesses the potential for struggle, which means that it must be vulnerable to imperfection. And imperfection