Dear Friends,
During Chanukah, when we play with the dreydel, we remember that there are four Hebrew letters on our spinning top. We played dreydel to give the appearance of playing a game, when in fact, we were studying Hebrew. This occurred during an era in which the Jewish people did not have the freedom which we enjoy today. The letters are Nun, Gimel, Hay, and Shin, which stand for Nes Gadol Haya Sham, a great miracle happened there. The dreydel reminds us of the miracle that occurred when the Maccabees overcame the Syrian Greeks to restore the Temple in Jerusalem. Enough oil was found to keep the Menorah(lamp) burning for eight days and eight nights which is why Chanukah lasts for eight days and eight nights.
In Israel the Shin is a Pey, which means here, since the miracle happened in Israel . This has always inspired me to believe that we can make great miracles happen here, wherever we are. However, it is up to us to perform the miracles by the caring ways in which we live our lives. At this Holiday time of year, when we reach out to the homeless, help the poor, provide toys for tots, bring a gift to someone in need or so many other things that we can do to brighten a life…then we are making miracles happen here.
May each of us be inspired to make miracles happen here, there, and everywhere we go….
As we begin to light the Chanukiah (Chanukah menorah) tonight, please remember to put the candles in from right to left since we read Hebrew from right to left and to light them from left to right, so that each candle gets its day to be the first candle which is lit.(and if we care that much about candles each having their day to be number one, then how much more should we care about people feeling that they have the chance to have a day in which they are special).
Chappy Chanukah.
Rabbi Bruce Aft