Small Flames, Big Ideas:
A Journey Through Chanukah’s Words and Concepts
Chanukahinvitesustoslowdown,tolookagainatastorywe thinkwealreadyknow,andtodiscovernewlightwithinit ThisspecialChanukahcollectionofferseightshortreflections –oneforeachnight–eachbeginningwithasmallpuzzlefrom theholiday’stextsandleadingtoaninsightfromourtradition, asurprisingideafrommodernresearch,andameaningful messageforourlivesatRamazandbeyond Wesuggestreadingoneeachnightaftercandlelightingand thesingingof“MaozTzur”
Likethecandlesthemselves,eachreflectionisbriefbutbright Maythesewordsaddwarmth,meaning,andlighttoyour Chanukahathome
They Rested on the 25th – ה״כ–ונח
Night1
Afamousandprofoundplayonwords: Chanukah=“Chanu–Kaf-Heh”(“Theyrestedon the25th”) Inthenameoftheholiday,why highlightrest,notvictoryorlight?
Rishonim(earlyhalachiccommentaries)note thattheChashmonaimgained“menuchah” -a rareJewishrestfromoppression Menuchahis notinactivity;itissecurerootedness.
Neuroscienceshowsthatafterintensestress, “recoveryperiods”areessentialforstrengthening learningandmemory(McGonigal,2020).
ChanukahinvitesRamazfamiliestoembrace menuchah-screen-freelighting,unhurried singing,qualitytime Spiritualrestrestores thesoulforfurthergrowth. Victoryfades;menuchahsustains.The lightofChanukahisthequietstrengthofa peoplefinallyabletobreathe
Night2
What Is Chanukah הכונח יאמ?
TheGemarafocusesonChanukahforseveralpages startingonShabbos21b TheGemarathereasks: “MaiChanukah?”-WhatisChanukah?Whydo Chazalaskaboutthisbelovedholidayasthoughits meaningisunclear?
TheGemaraanswersnotwiththemilitaryvictorybut withthemiracleoflight-redirectingusfrom powertopurpose.
Identitytheorists(Marcia;Schwartz)showthat adolescenceisshapedby“meaningsearch moments.”Askingquestionsismoredefiningthan receivinganswers
“MaiChanukah?”istheRamazmodeloflearning: inquiryandcuriosityfirst Studentsask,debate, explore.FamiliescanechotheShabbos21bsugya aroundthemenorah:WhatdoesChanukahmeanto youthisyear?
Judaism’sstrengthisthateverygenerationasks thequestionanew.Ourlightgrowsbecauseour questionsdo
Night3
A Light for Each
Home
– ותיבו שיא רנ
WhyisthebasichalachaofChanukah“NerIsh U’Beito”(onecandleperhousehold)ratherthan oneperperson?Whyisthedefaultperformanceof thismitzvahcollectiveratherthanindividual?
TheGemarainMasechetShabbatteachesthatthe essentialmitzvahisasingleflamerepresentingthe entirehouse MaharalexplainsthatChanukahis notonlyaboutlight-butaboutrestoringthe Jewishhomeafterspiritualinvasion.Thehome, nottheindividual,istheprimaryunitofJewish resilience.
Sociologistsstudying“collectiveeffervescence” (Durkheim;morerecently,ShiraGabriel,2020) findthatsharedritualsinsmallgroups-notgrand publicceremonies-havethestrongestlong-term impactonidentityandbelonging Familieswho practicesmalldailyritualsreporthigher emotionalsecurity,strongermeaning-making,and moreresilientchildren
WhenRamazfamilieslightthemenorahtogetherevenifschedulesarehectic-theactitselfis identity-building:siblingsgather,parentsmodel gratitude,songsechothroughthehome The mitzvahpresumesthatfamiliesgrowJewishly together,notseparately.
“NerIshU’Beito”teachesthatthesmallestflame canholdanentireworld Onecandle,onehome, onemomentoftogetherness-thatishowJewish lightspreadsacrossgenerations.
Dr. Noam Wasserman
Beyondthebasichalachaofonecandleperhousehold, Night4
Beautifying the Mitzvah
Night8
Whydidthemiraclebeginwithsuchatinyamountof Night5
A Little from a Little טעמה
Impurity Is Waived for the Community - רובצב הרתוה האמוט
Tum’ahhutrahb’tzibbur(“ritualimpurityiswaivedforthecommunity”)meansthatwhentheentireJewish peopleneededtobringcommunalofferingsintheBeitHaMikdash,thoseofferingscouldbebroughtevenifthe nationwasrituallyimpure Ifso,whywasthetinyflaskofpureoilnecessaryatall?
ThePriMegadimexplains:theChashmonaimwerenotseekingtheminimumhalachicpermission,but themaximumspiritualaspiration.
Modernstudieson“moralelevation”showthatwhenpeoplechooseahigherstandardthanrequired,it inspiresotherstorisewiththem
ThatisamessagewetrytocultivateinRamazstudents:notjust“WhatmustIdo?”but“WhattypeofpersondoI wanttobecome?”Whetherintefillah,learning,orethics,weaimhigherthannecessity. Chanukahteachesusthatholinessisn’taboutloopholes–it’saboutlonging.