Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future THE BENJAMIN AND ROSE BERGER TORAH TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld December 2017 • Chanukah 5778 Dedicated by Dr. David and Barbara Hurwitz in honor of their children and grandchildren Featuring Divrei Torah from Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Rabbi Dan Cohen Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger Rabbi Joshua Flug Mrs. Chaya Batya Neugroschl Rabbi Ozer Glickman Mrs. Stephanie Strauss Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider Rabbi Benjamin Yudin Rabbi Akiva Koenigsberg A Project of Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future 1 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Chanukah 5778 We thank the following synagogues which have pledged to be Pillars of the Torah To-Go® project Beth David Synagogue Congregation Ohab Zedek Young Israel of West Hartford, CT New York, NY Century City Los Angeles, CA Beth Jacob Congregation Congregation Beverly Hills, CA Shaarei Tefillah Young Israel of Newton Centre, MA New Hyde Park Bnai Israel – Ohev Zedek New Hyde Park, NY Philadelphia, PA Green Road Synagogue Beachwood, OH Young Israel of Congregation Scarsdale Ahavas Achim The Jewish Center Scarsdale, NY Highland Park, NJ New York, NY Young Israel of Congregation Benai Asher Jewish Center of Toco Hills The Sephardic Synagogue Brighton Beach Atlanta, GA of Long Beach Brooklyn, NY Long Beach, NY Young Israel of Koenig Family Foundation Congregation Brooklyn, NY West Hartford Beth Sholom West Hartford, CT Young Israel of Providence, RI Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst Cedarhurst, NY West Hempstead West Hempstead, NY Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President, Yeshiva University Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, Vice President for University and Community Life, Yeshiva University Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, David Mitzner Dean, Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi Menachem Penner, Max and Marion Grill Dean, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Robert Shur, Series Editor Rabbi Joshua Flug, General Editor Rabbi Michael Dubitsky, Content Editor Andrea Kahn, Copy Editor Copyright © 2017 All rights reserved by Yeshiva University Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future 500 West 185th Street, Suite 419, New York, NY 10033 • [email protected] • 212.960.0074 This publication contains words of Torah. Please treat it with appropriate respect. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Paul Glasser at 212.960.5852 or [email protected]. 2 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Chanukah 5778 Table of Contents Chanukah 5778 Dedicated in loving memory of Dr. Harlan Daman by Carole, Gila and Avi Daman Introduction Rabbi Yaakov Glasser ................................................................................... Page 4 THE FIVE TOROT OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY The Five Torot and the World of Tomorrow Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman .................................................................................. Page 5 Where Angels Fear to Tread Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm ............................................................................. Page 12 The Mastery of Submission Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger .............................................................................. Page 15 The Aspiring Lights of Chanukah & the Optimism of a Torat Chaim Mrs. Chaya Batya Neugroschl ........................................................................ Page 17 Kiddush haShem in the Public Square Rabbi Ozer Glickman .................................................................................. Page 21 Chanukah: The Celebration of Chesed Rabbi Benjamin Yudin ................................................................................. Page 24 The Maccabees Then and Now: Drivers of Our Destiny Mrs. Stephanie Strauss ................................................................................. Page 28 CHANUKAH INSIGHTS Chanukah: A Holiday of Renewal Rabbi Dan Cohen ...................................................................................... Page 31 Chanukah Gifts: A Jewish Tradition? Rabbi Joshua Flug ..............,........................................................................ Page 33 Reflecting on the Menorah’s Reflection Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider .............................................................................. Page 35 Eight Days of Praise Rabbi Akiva Koenigsberg ..............,................................................................ Page 37 3 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Chanukah 5778 Introduction he Gemara discusses whether we are permitted to light a Rabbi Yaakov Glasser Chanukah candle by using the Tflame of an existing Chanukah candle: David Mitzner Dean, YU Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton איתמר רב אמר אין מדליקין מנר לנר ושמואל אמר מדליקין. It was stated, Rav said one may not light implies that when Shmuel permits The alternative is a world where we from one candle to another and Shmuel lighting from one candle to another, approach each one of the candles of said that one may light. he permits it even from the primary our religious personality and ignite its Shabbos 22a candle to the extra mehadrin candles. flame individually. We recognize that Second, the Rama implies that we using someone else’s flame might be The Gemara, after a lengthy may not even light the third candle sufficient, but we wish to contribute a discussion, concludes that if we from the second candle. If the concern new flame that might look the same as hold hadlakah oseh mitzvah, that the is lighting from a mitzvah candle to a the old one, but has our own personal mitzvah is dependent on the actual mehadrin candle, why can’t we light touch. We seek to contribute a new lighting of the candles rather than the from one mehadrin candle to another? and vibrant flame to each one of the placement of the candles, then it is Perhaps, homiletically, we can explain candles that comprise our religious certainly permissible to light from one experience, and infuse it with warmth, as follows: Since hadlakah oseh candle to another. This is because we energy, and vitality. actually fulfill a mitzvah at the time mitzvah and the goal is to produce of lighting the second candle, and light, the manner in which each candle This edition ofTorah To Go features therefore, it is not a denigration to the is lit is of less significance. Our focus an exploration of what our new first candle to use it for a mitzvah. is on producing the collective light president, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, of each night’s menorah. However, termed the “Five Torot.” These are five Since we follow the opinion that the Rama is introducing another dimensions that define our communal hadlakah oseh mitzvah, we would dimension. We light a different and individual religious identities. expect to also be permitted to use number of candles each night to We share with you Rabbi Berman’s one of the candles to light the others, fulfillmehadrin min hamehadrin. By investiture address and a series of and that we should not require doing so, each day’s lighting has its articles from authors who reflect a shamash (extra candle) for this own unique character and represents upon and interpret each of these purpose. However, the Rama adds an something unique. Therefore, we dimensions. The “Five Torot” concept additional factor: don’t only focus on producing the is not meant to create a new approach light, we make sure that each candle is to religious identity. Rather, it is to ונהגו להחמיר בנרות חנוכה שלא להדליק infused with its own creative energy. identify the distinct candles that we אפילו מנר לנר דעיקר מצותו אינו אלא נר It is not acceptable to draw from the seek to light, in all aspects of our אחד והשאר אינו למצוה כל כך לכן אין existing light, mi-ner li-ner, but we lives, and to ensure that each one is להדליקן זה מזה. Our practice is to be stringent regarding instead must create the light anew. embraced with dedication and passion the Chanukah lights not to light from one We often encounter people who live as a core aspect of our religious lives. We strive to live not , not candle to another, because the primary their spiritual and religious lives mi- mi-ner li-ner by simply drawing on the collective mitzvah is only one light and the rest are ner li-ner. They simply draw from the not really such a mitzvah. Therefore one collective light that already exists in positivity of our religious world. We should not light from one to another. our world. There is a passivity to their strive to contribute to each dimension, Rama, Orach Chaim 674:1 religious identity — although they with intentionality and purpose, as we grow in our avodas Hashem. There are two difficulties with the may be fulfilling halachic expectations, Rama’s ruling. First, the Sha’arei they are relying significantly on the Teshuva notes that the Gemara insights and inspiration of others. 4 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Chanukah 5778 The Five Torot and the World of Tomorrow Transcript of Rabbi Dr. Berman’s investiture speech as delivered Sunday, September 10, 2017 t is deeply humbling to stand here today in this hallowed hall, this hall through which the voices of Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman Iour past continue to echo across the President, Yeshiva University generations, the voices of our early presidents, Dr. Bernard Revel and Dr. Samuel Belkin, and those of the great scholars and sages