T
Noah Cheses
he Maharal or Prague asks: What eradicating Hellenistic culture and Jewish approach acknowledges the
are we commemorating year illuminating Jewish destiny. physical but also looks deeply into
after year when we light the oil lamps Throughout Jewish history the power the spiritual. Physical beauty is only
for 8 consecutive days? Traditionally, of this spark and the ability it has had worthy of praise when it is reflecting
the answer is given that the oil to inspire a people, has been plainly a foundation in spiritual beauty. The
burned longer then it logically should obvious. victory of Chanukah was the victory
have, an idea that at first glance is How can we tap into this spark and of spirituality. Hashem created man
hard to fathom. Perhaps another relive this inspiration annually, just as with body and soul, and man's life
answer could be offered to this per- Jews did during the battle with the mission is to bridge the gap between
plexing question. Greeks, at a time when hope often the two elements within him: the
During the Greek empire, the Jewish appeared as an unattainable flicker. ethereal and the
population had to fight rapid accul- The Ramban explains that we should quintessential. It is not easy to fuse
turation. Many sects of Jews were the two, but that is our task. Greeks
When we
becoming Hellenized, just as the denies this was of life, while Jews
Greeks had envisioned. Many of the aspire to perfect it.
mitzvot that Jews held dear had been
prohibited, including Shabbat, cir- light the When we light the Menorah the
flame represents the spiritual, and the
cumcision, and the learning of Torah;
as a consequence, Jewish morale suf- Menorah, oil, the physical. The wick that con-
the f l a m e
nects the two elements represents us
fered greatly. Eventually, the Greeks as well. If we sink into the physical
defiled and desecrated the Jewish
represents
oil then the flame will suffocate and
peoples' most sacred place, the holy go out; if we leave the oil and try to
the spiritual
temple, and as a whole, Jewish des- ascend into the spiritual world then
tiny appeared dark and gloomy. the flame will be left with nothing