Exodus Magazine - December 2022

Why does it seem like the negative powers in the world, the evil forces and individuals that pursue paths of death and destruction, have a hand up on the rest of us normal folk? It almost seems as though we are always at a disadvantage, reacting to eruptions of hostility like unsuspecting travelers who walk into a waiting ambush. You would think that by now we would have figured out the Dark Side’s pattern of behavior and learned to be a little more proactive.

The truth is that the Dark Side has an advantage that it constantly exploits to its benefit.

The purpose of darkness is that it gives us the ability to choose light. If there was no such thing as darkness in our experience, then life would be a no-brainer; good would be an imposed reality that we lived with automatically. The existence of darkness gives us something to contrast the light against, allowing us to appreciate the goodness and giving us the ability to choose to live it. If life was all good, then each instance of goodness would be as imperceptible and unappreciated as a match on a sunny day. And since the “daylight reality” would be the only option, there would be no opportunity for choice. However, the very same match that barely exists when the sun is shining is impressive and brilliant when lit against the contrast of a dark night. This, in a nutshell, is why negativity exists in a world whose prime directive is to reveal goodness.

The order of creation, and hence the system by which the spiritual and empirical planes of existence derive their vitality, is divided generally into lights and vessels. The light is the life force energy emanating from the Source of All Things, and is enclothed within ten vessels that represent the various aspects and characteristics of creation –the sefirot

All that is good within creation recognizes its source, and is subservient to it. In other words, good people are generally humble. Evil, on the other hand, is infused with an unnatural ego and air of haughty selfimportance. This is a reflection of the fact that the sefirot vessels on the Dark Side are egotistical, so to speak, each one attempting to hold on to its own power and position within the order. Therefore, the light that

gives them life is unable to unite with them, and it remains a separate entity. In goodness, on the other hand, the sefirot vessels are humble – meaning that they accept the overriding influence of the light that gives them life and they work together to absorb the light, so the light becomes united with them.

As a result of all this, what we end up with is a conglomerate of evil on the Dark Side that has an eleventh element – the element of light – that operates as a separate power from the ten vessels. Goodness, by contrast, absorbs its light into its ten vessels. This eleventh element on the Dark Side is the root of evil’s power over goodness in this world. It may explain why, both throughout history and in contemporary times, the power of tyrants and terrorists is very difficult to dislodge even by those with the best intentions. It may also explain why the perpetrators of the greatest evil can simultaneously view themselves as advanced, civilized, and even men of G-d; because each vessel remains separate, and there is coexistence, they can embody contradictory characteristics without flinching. Thus, Greece was the wisest and most philosophically advanced civilization in the ancient world, Germany in the 1930’s was the most cultured and advanced country and killers of civilians and children are divinely ordained freedom fighters…

The bottom line is, that in order to have a fighting chance against the Dark Side and transform whatever redeeming qualities it has, we have to find something within goodness that can combat the negative eleventh element. In other words, we need to tap into something that is beyond the natural order, beyond the normal power that good has – we need to access the Source of the light that is not residing within the vessels, but somewhere beyond them – the eleventh element of goodness. This is accomplished when people reach beyond their normal capabilities in their endeavors to stand for what is just and true, and they do this despite being held back by their own personal limitations and in the face of what the world around them might think about it. In short, it is a revolution that is born out of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

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6 | JEWISH SOUL

The Special Quality of Chanukah Light

All Mitzvoth produce effects in the world, but the effect is not always discernible to the physical eye or not discernible immediately upon the performance of the Mitzvah.

— From the Rebbe's letters

7 | MADE YOU THINK

Why No Megillah on Chanukah?

On Purim, we are required to read that megillah publicly at night, and again in the day. But on Chanukah, there’s no such requirement, even though a Chanukah megillah does exist.

— by Tzvi Freeman

8 | JEWISH THOUGHT

A Call from the Future

How did Abraham overcome the trauma and the grief? How do you survive almost losing your child and actually losing your lifepartner, and still have the energy to keep going?

— by Jonathan Sacks

think! again.

10 | LIFE ON EARTH Visions of Redemption

One of the great principles of the future redemption and the coming of Moshiach, is that no one can accurately predict exactly what will happen or how it will happen. But it doesn’t stop people from trying...

— by Yoseph Janowski

12 | ASK THE RABBI

The Spirit of Candles

Candles is a big part of Judaism. What is the connection between candles and spirituality? Are the candles just there to add ambiance, or is there a deeper reason as well?

— by Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman

19 | JEWISH THOUGHT

The Psycho-Spiritual Revolution

We are in midst of a global revolution. Radical change is impacting virtually every front, with no end in sight; only accelerating at a dizzying pace, dramatically changing every aspect of our lives.

— by Simon Jacobson

editorial jewish soul made you think jewish thought life on earth ask the rabbi our community chanukah guide simchas perspectives marketplace memorials

4 6 7 8 10 12 13 16 18 19 21 24

The Special QualiTy of chanukah lighT

The Shaloh (Rabbi Yeshayahu Horowitz) observes that Chanukah has a bearing and effect on the entire world. In his words:

Chanukah, when the rededication of the Holy Temple took place, has to do with the renewal of the world, for the world was created for the sake of the Torah and the fulfillment of the Mitzvahs. The Greeks attempted to abolish the Torah and Mitzvoth among the Jewish people. When the Hasmonoim prevailed over them, the Torah and Mitzvoth prevailed and thus the world was renewed.... And just as Creation began with “Let there be light,” so the Mitzvah of Chanukah begins with the lighting of candles.

The connection of Chanukah with the lighting of candles may further be elaborated on the basis of the special quality of the Mitzvah of the Chanukah Light, as has been discussed elsewhere at length. Briefly:

All Mitzvoth produce effects in the world (as indicated in the Shaloh, above), but the effect is not always discernible to the physical eye or not discernible immediately upon the performance of the Mitzvah.

For example, the Mitzvah of charity, which is the “core” of all the Mitzvoth, carries the reward of life and sustenance to the giver of charity and to his family, and brings vitality to the world. But this does not come about in the direct manner of cause and effect as in the case of planting and reaping, and the like, and is certainly not plainly evident to the physical eye, or understood by “secular” thinking.

Similarly in regard to the general performance of each and every Mitzvah, whereby the Light of the En Sof (The Infinite) is suffused in the world, as indicated in the verse, “for a Mitzvah is a candle and the Torah is light” It is not the kind of light that is visible to the physical eye.

There is a preeminence in the Mitzvoth connected with lighting candles—such as in the Holy Temple of old, and the Shabbat and Yom Tov candles in the home, etc.—in that the effect of the action, the appearance of light, is immediately visible; indeed it has to be visible to all who are in the house, which is actually illuminated by this light.

Among these latter Mitzvoth, the Mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah Light is unique in that it is required to be displayed to the outside, in accordance with the rule that it should be placed “at the entrance of the home, outside,” (if possible, or in the window). Thus every passer-by, including non-Jews, immediately notices the effect of the light, which illuminates the outside and the environment. Moreover, it becomes common knowledge in advance that Chanukah is coming and Jews everywhere will observe the precept of lighting candles that will illuminate the darkness of the night (since lighting time of the Chanukah lamp is after sunset), lighting up the outside.

From what has been said above about the physical effects of the Chanukah candles, it becomes apparent what their spiritual effects are: The Chanukah Light has the special quality of illuminating the darkness of the spiritual “outside,” the exile in its plain sense, as well as the inner “exile,” namely, the darkness of sin and of the evil inclination (they alone being the cause of the exile, in the ordinary sense, as it is written, “Because of our sins we have been exiled from our land”); and this act of illumination

takes immediate effect, without requiring any prior explanation (i.e. even without preparation on the part of the “outside”).

* * *

Inasmuch as the concept of Chanukah is a most comprehensive one, and, as quoted above, it has to do with the “renewal (restoration and perfection) of the world,” it is clear that the Mitzvoth connected with Chanukah contain special comprehensive instructions, that is, practical teachings for the daily life and conduct, and also the order in which the Chanukah Mitzvoth are observed indicates a general and essential guiding principle. Some of them are as follows:

The essential thing is the deed. First and foremost must come the practical act, the first Mitzvah of Chanukah being the lighting of the candles, the time of which is immediately after sunset on the day before Chanukah.

The effect of every human act must also contribute a measure of light to illuminate the “outside”—as indicated by the Chanukah Light which is placed “at the entrance of the home, outside.”

The motivation and purpose of every human act should be only to fulfill the Will of the Holy One, blessed be He. Thereby one partakes, so to speak, of the holiness of the Holy One, as the first blessing before the lighting reads: “...Who has sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah Light”

After performing the Mitzvah act with the blessings preceding it and the recital after it, follows the Evening Prayer (for the lighting of the Chanukah Lamp comes before the eveniing prayer), which includes a special prayer of praise to G-d during the days of Chanukah—V’Al Hanissim

Although a Jew has to do what he can in the natural way, he must at the same time realize that the essential thing is to have absolute trust in G-d, for success is from G-d, as we say in Hallel, “This came from G-d; it is wondrous in our eyes.” EM

From the Rebbe's Letters

jewish thought

Why no Megillah on chanukah?

Tzvi Freeman

Now here’s an interesting difference between Chanukah and Purim: Both holidays have a small scroll—called a megillah—that tells their story. Purim has the Megillah of Esther. Chanukah has the Megillah of Antiochus.

On Purim, we are required to read that megillah publicly at night, and again in the day. But on Chanukah, there’s no such requirement. Yes, there have been communities that read the Megillah of Antiochus in the synagogue on Chanukah. Indeed, some Yemenite communities still keep this custom. But it’s done without a blessing, since all agree that it was never instituted by any rabbinical authority.

Another distinction between these two megillahs: The Talmud tells that Esther requested from the Men of the Great Assembly, which included prophets together with sages, that they “write my story for all generations.”

And indeed, the Megillah of Esther was inducted into the exclusive set of twenty-four books of Tanach.

The Megillah of Antiochus, on the other hand, is not considered a sacred work. Rav Saadia Gaon, the foremost authority for Jews in the 10th century, held it in high esteem. He wrote that the Hasmoneans, Judah, Shimon, Johanan, Jonathan, and Eliezer, sons of Mattathias, wrote this megillah about their own experiences, and similar to the book of Daniel, they wrote it in the language of the Chaldeans (Aramaic). He translated it into Arabic along with his translations of other books of Tanach. Nevertheless, it was never inducted into Tanach, as was the Megillah of Esther. The distinction gets yet sharper when we consider the names of these two megillahs. The Megillah of Esther is named after the heroine of the story. The Megillah of Antiochus is named after the villain!

None of this is coincidental. Something is going on over here that represents a deep distinction between the dynamics of Purim and Chanukah.

The stories of both Purim and Chanukah are about taking a real dark situation and turning it around for the good. But there are two ways of effecting this transformation.

In the story of Purim, the royal decree to eliminate the Jewish population was transformed into royal support for a Jewish victory over

those that desired their elimination. The house of Haman became the house of Mordechai.

In the story of Chanukah, the dictatorship of a foreign, insane megalomaniac who forbade Jewish practice and demanded he be worshipped led to the liberation of the Temple in Jerusalem and a miracle of light.

Yet, while Purim pulls inward, Chanukah radiates light outward.

On Purim, the Megillah of Esther is read in the synagogue. The Purim feast and exchange of foodstuffs, as well as the gifts to the poor, is done principally within the Jewish home.

So it makes sense that the story of Haman and King Achashverosh is also pulled inward, to become a sacred book of Torah named after a righteous Jewish heroine, and read each year by decree of the sages. The telling of the machinations and greed of these villains becomes a mitzvah, just as the house of Haman became the house of Mordechai. Pulled into the Torah and declared a mitzvah, they are transformed.

The miracle of Chanukah, on the other hand, is about shining light outward, and to the outside. The original requirements for the Chanukah menorah stipulate that it be lit only once it is dark. And where? “At the door of your house, on the outside.” Why? As the

Talmud states, “to publicize the miracle.”

Who are we publicizing it to? That becomes obvious from another requirement: Until when can you light it? Until the marketplace is quiet. Until all the stragglers have gone home, including, the Talmud says, the Tarmodai.

Who are the Tarmodai? Merchants from the Syrian city of Tarmod (a.k.a. Tadmur, a.k.a. Palmyra) who were known for staying late in the market at night, collecting leftover wood. They were also known for having rebelled against King Solomon, and for having acted as mercenaries in the destruction of both Temples.

And it’s with these people that we measure the ultimate darkness that Chanukah can reach!

Which means: The celebration of Chanukah is meant to reach all those people out there as they are out there. Where Purim deals with the dark characters of this world by transforming them into players in a holy book of Torah, the light of Chanukah reaches into the thick darkness of night, as darkness remains darkness, outside of the holiness of Torah, and shines even there. Nothing is excluded, and nothing is changed.

That’s why we absorb the message of Purim by being pulled into the words of a megillah, while the message of Chanukah is broadcast out there by shining the light of a menorah.

Even the megillah for Chanukah remains an outsider. It’s named after the enemy, written entirely in Aramaic, and remains in a realm the sages of Israel called “outside writings”— meaning, outside the realm of the sacred works of Tanach. And so, of course, reading it is not a mitzvah—just a permitted act.

What is the point behind all this “outsideness?”

Because this light is the light of divine wisdom, for which there is no “outside.” As the Baal Shem Tov taught, “G-dliness is everything. Everything is G-dliness.” We just need light to see it there.

And there is no better light for that than Chanukah light. EM

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, a senior editor at Chabad.org, is the author of Bringing Heaven Down to Earth and more recently Wisdom to Heal the Earth. To subscribe to regular updates of Rabbi Freeman's writing or purchase his books, visit Chabad.org. Follow him on Facebook @RabbiTzviFreeman.

a call froM The fuTure

Jonathan Sacks

He was 137 years old. He had been through two traumatic events involving the people most precious to him in the world. The first involved the son for whom he had waited for a lifetime, Isaac. He and Sarah had given up hope, yet G-d told them both that they would have a son together, and it would be he who would continue the covenant. The years passed. Sarah did not conceive. She had grown old, yet G-d still insisted they would have a child. Eventually it came. There was rejoicing. Sarah said: “G-d has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” (Gen. 21:6) Then came the terrifying moment when G-d said to Abraham: “Take your son, your only one, the one you love… and offer him as a sacrifice.” (Gen. 22:2) Abraham did not dissent, protest or delay. Father and son travelled together, and only at the last moment did the command come from heaven saying, “Stop!” How does a father, let alone a son, survive a trauma like that?

Then came grief. Sarah, Abraham’s beloved wife, died. She had been his constant companion, sharing the journey with him as they left behind all they knew; their land, their birthplace, and their families. Twice she saved Abraham’s life by pretending to be his sister.

What does a man of 137 do – the Torah calls him “old and advanced in years” (Gen. 24:1) – after such a trauma and such a bereavement? We would not be surprised to find that he spent the rest of his days in sadness and memory. He had done what G-d had asked of him. Yet he could hardly say that G-d’s promises had been fulfilled. Seven times he had been promised the land of Canaan, yet when Sarah died he owned not one square inch of it, not even a place in which to bury his wife. G-d had promised him many children, a great nation, many nations, as many as the grains of sand in the seashore and the stars in the sky. Yet he had only one son of the covenant, Isaac, whom he had almost lost, and who was still unmarried at the age of thirty-seven. Abraham had every reason to sit and grieve.

Yet he did not. In one of the most extraordinary sequences of words in the

Torah, his grief is described in a mere five Hebrew words: in English, “Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” (Gen. 23:2) Then immediately we read, “And Abraham rose from his grief.” From then on, he engaged in a flurry of activity with two aims in mind: first to buy a plot of land in which to bury Sarah, second to find a wife for his son. Note that these correspond precisely to the two Divine blessings: of land and descendants. Abraham did not wait for G-d to act. He understood one of the most profound truths of Judaism: that G-d is waiting for us to act.

How did Abraham overcome the trauma and the grief? How do you survive almost losing your child and actually losing your life-partner, and still have the energy to keep going? What gave Abraham his resilience, his ability to survive, his spirit intact?

I learned the answer from the people who became my mentors in moral courage, namely the Holocaust survivors I had the privilege to know. How, I wondered, did they keep going, knowing what they knew, seeing what they saw? We know that the British and

American soldiers who liberated the camps never forgot what they witnessed. According to Niall Fergusson’s new biography of Henry Kissinger, who entered the camps as an American soldier, the sight that met his eyes transformed his life. If this was true of those who merely saw Bergen-Belsen and the other camps, how almost infinitely more so, those who lived there and saw so many die there. Yet the survivors I knew had the most tenacious hold on life. I wanted to understand how they kept going.

Eventually I discovered. Most of them did not talk about the past, even to their marriage partners, even to their children. Instead they set about creating a new life in a new land. They learned its language and customs. They found work. They built careers. They married and had children. Having lost their own families, the survivors became an extended family to one another. They looked forward, not back. First they built a future. Only then – sometimes forty or fifty years later – did they speak about the past. That was when they told their story, first to their families, then to the world. First you have to build a

future. Only then can you mourn the past.

Two people in the Torah looked back, one explicitly, the other by implication. Noah, the most righteous man of his generation, ended his life by making wine and becoming drunk. The Torah does not say why, but we can guess. He had lost an entire world. While he and his family were safe on board the ark, everyone else – all his contemporaries – had drowned. It is not hard to imagine this righteous man overwhelmed by grief as he replayed in his mind all that had happened, wondering whether he might have done something to save more lives or avert the catastrophe.

Lot’s wife, against the instruction of the angels, actually did look back as the cities of the plain disappeared under fire and brimstone and the anger of G-d. Immediately she was turned into a pillar of salt, the Torah’s graphic description of a woman so overwhelmed by shock and grief as to be unable to move on.

It is the background of these two stories that helps us understand Abraham after the death of Sarah. He set the precedent: first build the future, and only then can you

mourn the past. If you reverse the order, you will be held captive by the past. You will be unable to move on. You will become like Lot’s wife.

Something of this deep truth drove the work of one of the most remarkable survivors of the Holocaust, the psychotherapist Viktor Frankl. Frankl lived through Auschwitz, dedicating himself to giving other prisoners the will to live. He tells the story in several books, most famously in Man’s Search for Meaning. He did this by finding for each of them a task that was calling to them, something they had not yet done but that only they could do. In effect, he gave them a future. This allowed them to survive the present and turn their minds away from the past.

Frankl lived his teachings. After the liberation of Auschwitz he built a school of psychotherapy called Logotherapy, based on the human search for meaning. It was almost an inversion of the work of Freud. Freudian psychoanalysis had encouraged people to think about their very early past. Frankl taught people to build a future, or more

precisely, to hear the future calling to them. Like Abraham, Frankl lived a long and good life, gaining worldwide recognition and dying at the age of ninety-two.

Abraham heard the future calling to him. Sarah had died. Isaac was unmarried. Abraham had neither land nor grandchildren. He did not cry out, in anger or anguish, to G-d. Instead, he heard the still, small voice saying: The next step depends on you. You must create a future that I will fill with My spirit. That is how Abraham survived the shock and grief. G-d forbid that we experience any of this, but if we do, this is how to survive.

G-d enters our lives as a call from the future. It is as if we hear him beckoning to us from the far horizon of time, urging us to take a journey and undertake a task that, in ways we cannot fully understand, we were created for. That is the meaning of the word vocation, literally “a calling”, a mission, a task to which we are summoned.

We are not here by accident. We are here because G-d wanted us to be, and because there is a task we were meant to fulfil. Discovering what that is, is not easy, and often takes many years and false starts. But for each of us there is something G-d is calling on us to do, a future not yet made that awaits our making. It is future-orientation that defines Judaism as a faith, as I explain in the last chapter of my book Future Tense.

So much of the anger, hatred and resentments of this world are brought about by people obsessed by the past and who, like Lot’s wife, are unable to move on. There is no good ending to this kind of story, only more tears and more tragedy. The way of Abraham is different. First build the future. Only then can you mourn the past. EM

Rabbi Dr. Sir Jonathan Sacks, of blessed memory, was the former Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth and a member of the House of Lords. He was a leading academic and respected world expert on Judaism. He was the author of several books and thousands of articles, appeared regularly on television and radio, and spoke at engagements around the world.

ViSionS of redeMpTion

Yoseph Janowski

One of the great principles of the future redemption and the coming of Moshiach, is that no one can accurately predict exactly what will happen or how it will happen. Even though we have many prophecies, many found in the Book of Daniel, that delve into the events leading up to that time to come, their predictions are cloaked in allegories and mystical visions. They are concealed to such a degree that we would be hard pressed to understand what exactly they are referring to until the events actually unfold. Perhaps this is meant to keep us on our toes, or leave room for multiple possible scenarios for how the redemption will come about. But it doesn’t stop people from trying to gain insight and crack the code.

About eight hundred years ago, Maimonides wrote a famous letter of encouragement to the Yemenite Jews who were being persecuted. He wrote about the "little horn" mentioned in chapter seven of the Book of Daniel. Maimonides suggested that the little horn might be referring to a certain wicked Assyrian-Greek king from the Chanukah story.

Around three hundred years later, when Jews were being expelled from Spain, Rabbi Don Isaac Abarbanel wrote a commentary explaining how events occurring then may have been predicted by Daniel. He wrote that though the details of his interpretation may be incorrect, nevertheless, G-d does not lie, and He will certainly redeem His people. When that happens, even someone who is not so learned will be able to witness the events as they transpire and see how Daniel clearly predicted them.

Indeed, Daniel predicted what would happen in the time of Redemption, and the Jewish people in exile yearned so much for Redemption. It is therefore no surprise that, throughout the centuries, many sages tried to see if perhaps Daniel was describing the world events of their time. Daniel lived during the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem. G-d, in His mercy, revealed to him visions of the future Redemption, so that the Jewish nation would know that even though they are exiled and dispersed throughout the world, a time will come when, their mission

DANIEL WAS DESCRIBING THE WORLD EVENTS OF THEIR TIME.

having been accomplished, they will return.

The little horn that Maimonides writes about is part of a vision that Daniel saw one night: Four winds stir up a great sea, and four beasts emerge from the sea. Each beast is described in great detail. The fourth beast has ten horns, and a little horn emerges from it. G-d renders judgment. And then Daniel sees someone who is brought up in clouds before G-d, and is given rulership over all the nations of the world forever. Rashi writes that this person refers to Moshiach.

During World War Two, battles were fought on lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Germany, Russia, Great Britain and the US were the main powers in this war. Details of the vision, which aptly describe these nations and current events, can perhaps be discussed in another article. But for now suffice it to say, that this vision seems to clearly describe current times. Knowing this can inspire renewed optimism that the Redemption is very close.

The Rebbe taught that regarding the Redemption, a central component is that we need to have trust. On many occasions the Rebbe explained how trusting in G-d can bring His blessings more quickly. As the Rebbe was wont to say, "Tracht gut vet zain gut" — think good and it will become good. One time when I was a student in Yeshiva we began a custom of singing the song “He redeemed my soul in peace” during the month of Kislev, the month of redemption. The song was composed in commemoration

of the Alter Rebbe, the first Chabad Rebbe, from czarist imprisonment and his complete exoneration of charges of treason. In the end, the czarist regime became friendly supporters, and the Alter Rebbe returned the favor by assisting in the war against Napoleon.

In general, the month of Kislev is often referred to as the month of redemption because of the Chanukah miracle (when G-d "saved the few from the many") and because of the Alter Rebbe's miraculous release. When we look at current events, we see clearly how G-d is protecting His people. When was the last time we saw so many people stand up to defend Jews, as we've seen with recent incidents of celebrities spewing antisemitic rhetoric? After several years of inconclusive elections and sociopolitical instability, it looks like Israel will finally have a stable government, and one that is proudly committed to Jewish identity and Jewish values. Iran's regime is beset by demonstrations which threaten to topple the government, and which is preventing Western powers from signing a nuclear deal with Iran, a deal that would have essentially gifted one hundred billion dollars a proven state sponsor of terror and a regime bent on the destruction of Israel. The list goes on and on.

Redemption seems so close. Maybe it's even closer than we think. We just need to open our eyes to see it unfolding before us. EM

Yoseph Janowski lives in Toronto, Canada.

future tense MOSHIACH MUSINGS

The phrase “We want Moshiach now” expresses simply the desire for Moshiach to quickly arrive. But there are many different ways of expressing this besides the word “want.” By Divine Providence, children have chosen the word “want” to express their desire for Moshiach, and there is a profound lesson to be derived therein. To understand the differences in nuance, and the precise connotations of the word “want,” let us examine the same word (or a derivative of it) in a completely different context. The word is “wanting,” meaning lacking or missing, as in “some details are wanting.” Indeed, the dictionary definition of “want,” besides to desire or to wish, is “to feel a desire for, as for something absent, needed .. to feel the need of.” Thus a main difference in nuance between want and any other word expressing desire, is a connotation of deficiency.

This then is the cause of the apathy and complacency so prevalent regarding Moshiach. It stems from a basic misconception of their relationship to Moshiach and his coming. He and the redemption are viewed, at best, with the same desire that one would have for any pleasurable thing. Nice to have, adding the final touch to life, certainly worth waiting for — but something we can get along without. To such a person we present the clarion cry of “We want Moshiach now.” Moshiach is not a mere additional luxury, a future state of bliss to be smugly awaited in complacent serenity. Moshiach is an urgent want, a necessity, as basic as food and drink — without which we are wanting. Can we sit passively by and not do our utmost to fulfill this most basic of wants?

DANIEL PREDICTED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE TIME OF REDEMPTION, AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN EXILE YEARNED SO MUCH FOR REDEMPTION. IT IS THEREFORE NO SURPRISE THAT, THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES, MANY SAGES TRIED TO SEE IF PERHAPS

The SpiriT of candleS

Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman

QI notice that lighting candles is a big part of Judaism. We light candles every Friday for Shabbat, we light candles on every festival, there is a tradition of lighting candles at a wedding, and Chanukah is all about candles. What is the connection between candles and spirituality? Are the candles just there to add ambiance, or is there a deeper reason as well?

Light is a central cornerstone of existence. “Let there be light” was among the first utterances of Creation, because that is in a sense the mission statement for life. In human terms, light is almost always used as a metaphor for goodness – the light at the end of the tunnel, lighting up someone’s life. A candle, specifically, represents the physical-spiritual dichotomy of existence; the wick represents the physical, the body, while the flame represents the spiritual, the soul.

There is something about a candle that makes it more spiritual than physical. A physical substance, when spread, becomes thin. Spirituality, when spread, expands and grows.

When you use something physical, it is diminished. The more money you spend, the less you have; the more gasoline you use, the more empty your tank becomes; the more food you eat, the more you need to restock your pantry. But spiritual things increase with use. If I use my wisdom to teach, the student learns, and I come out wiser for it; if I share my love with another, I become more loving, not less. When you give a spiritual gift, the recipient gains, and you lose nothing.

This is the spiritual property that candles share. When you use one candle to light another, the original candle remains bright. Its light is not diminished by being shared; on the contrary, the two candles together enhance each other’s brightness and increase light.

We sometimes worry that we may stretch ourselves too thin. In matters of spirit, this is never the case. The more goodness we spread, the more goodness we have. By making a new friend, you become a better friend to your old friends. By having another child, you open a new corridor of love in your heart that your other children benefit from, too. By teaching more students, you become wiser.

So there is indeed a deeper significance to the

candles. Let’s look at the wedding custom you mentioned, because it sheds some light on the matter (pun intended). The prevalent custom is for the bride and groom to each be escorted with two candles, one on each side, which are usually held by their parents or whoever is escorting them to the chuppah (wedding canopy). The numerical value of the Hebrew word for “candle” (ner) is 250. According to the Talmud, a man has 248 limbs and a woman has 252. Together, they have 500. Thus, the two candles (250+250=500) symbolize the union of husband and wife. In a similar vein, the numerical value of G-d’s directive to Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply” (peru u’revu), is 500, the same numerical value as two candles. So yes, the candles are beautiful. But what they symbolize is even more exquisite: the unification of two souls, and the blessings of joy, happiness and family, and the transcendence of spirit over matter and the spiritual illuminating the physical. This is one of the more spiritual reasons why we light candles on Shabbat and festivals.

Once a year, we celebrate this truth for eight days and nights, celebrating the power of light. There are 36 candles in total lit over the course of the Chanukah holiday, corresponding to the 36 tractates of the Talmud, since the oral Torah was the primary focus of the Greek war against Jewish heritage. They knew there was no way to erase the written Torah, since it was ingrained in the form of thousands of Torah scrolls. So they focused their attack on the oral Torah. We kindle the Chanukah menorah, recalling that miraculous victory 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 this world. EM

Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman is the Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario. You can Ask the Rabbi at jrcc.org or fax to 416.222.7812. To meet with Rabbi Zaltzman in person, feel free to call 416.222.7105 to book an appointment. Appointments are generally available on Wednesday evenings after 7pm. Rebbitzin Chiena Zaltzman is also available for private consultations by appointment on Wednesday evenings from 9 to 10pm by calling 416.222.7105.

Кислев – месяц, когда произошли Ханукальные чудеса, - время чудес. Тради-ционно для нашего журнала в этот период говорить о чудесах. Рабби, поделитесь, пожалуйста, историями о чудесах Ребе.

Таких историй очень много. Раввин района Бруклина Canarsie окрыл новую любавичскую синагогу. У них еще не было своего Свитка Торы, и раввин каждый раз одалживал его (когда на неделю, кагда на несколько месяцев) в других синагогах. И вот, сидя на фарбренгене в своей новой синагоге, члены общины решили, что уже пора приобрести собственный Свиток Торы. Женщина по фамилии Борухов вдруг встала и сказала: «С Б-жьей помощью, я обеспечу Тору для нашей синагоги!» Приходит она домой и говорит мужу: «Я обещала синагоге Тору, но где мы достанем деньги для этого?»... Дело в том, что купить или написать новую Тору – очень дорогое дело, несколько десятков тысяч долларов, а семья такими возможностями не обладала. И женщина произнесла: «Если есть проблема, надо идти к Ребе». В воскресенье она приходит в «Севен Севенти», когда Ребе раздает людям доллары. За долларом от Ребе выстраивается длинная очередь. Когда миссис Борухов подходит к Ребе, она говорит: «Я обещала достать для нашей синагоги Тору и прошу Ребе дать для этого благословение». В ответ Ребе протягивает ей доллар и говорит: «Дай его для цедаки в Лос-Анджелесе».

The article above is excerpted from the Russian edition of Exodus Magazine. To subscribe, please visit exodusmagazine.org or call 416.222.7105.

AN INTERNATIONAL GATHERING

JRCC rabbis were among those participating in the annual Kinus HaShluchim, the international conference of Chabad emissaries from around the world. After spending Shabbat at the Rebbe’s shul at 770 Eastern Parkway (Lubavitch World Headquarters) over 5,000 Chabad rabbis and their guests joined the gala banquet on Sunday evening November 20. The banquet was an evening of inspiration celebrating the flourishing of Jewish life around the world, with many uplifting and miraculous stories shared, and included speeches, feature videos, music and dancing.

In November, the JRCC branches in West Thornhill, East Thornhill, Concord and Rockford each hosted a Friday night Community ShabbatDinner. The evenings, which were open to anyone, brought together dozens of regular community participants as well as many new faces. The festive Shabbat dinners – filled with great food, good company, a friendly atmosphere, and of course the wonderful, uplifting tranquility of Shabbat – were a great opportunity for families and people of all ages to spend time with friends, get to know new people, and connect with their community.

The JRCC East Thornhill Women’s Circle hosted an entertaining and engaging “Create Your Own Marvelous Mezuzah Cases” workshop last month. In addition to creating their own artistic mezuzah cases to beautify this special mitzvah and decorate their homes, participants were treated to a buffet of hearty soups and the opportunity to socialize with old and new friends – both of which helped warm the hearts on a cold autumn evening. Find out about upcoming women’s events at JrccEastThornhill.org/WomensCircle.

The JRCC East Thornhill’s Rosh Chodesh Society hosted the second session of its fascinating “Art & Soul” course. The course, led by Rebbitzin Chanie Zaltzman, examines the meaning of art in our lives. But art is not only for artists. It’s for anyone who craves to know how to live more creatively, more deeply. The recent session focused on music, “The Pen of the Soul,” exploring how music communicates ideas that cannot be put into words, and evokes feelings that defy description. Unlocking the secret of music enables us to access that well of transcendent wisdom we each possess in our souls. The seven-part journey continues. as we explore Judaism’s insights into the arts and how they beautify and transform our lives, one brushstroke at a time. For more info and registration visit JrccEastThornhill.org/RCS.

A GATHERING OF SPIRITS

In ancient Israel, Hakhel was a gathering that took place every seven years in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Every Jew—man, woman and child—was expected to be present, and the king would read to them from the Torah. Nowadays, the essence of this mitzvah, gathering together with fellow Jews for Torah study and inspiration, is something each and every one of us can do. In order to participate in this spirit of Hakhel and lead by example, the JRCC rabbis and rebbitzins got together for a Saturday evening post-Shabbat “Melaveh Malka” gathering. They were joined by guest speaker Rabbi Zalman Leib Markowitz, a renowned educator and unique thinker, who shared thought-provoking insights and spearheaded a lively discussion. For more information and updates about special Hakhel programs and events, visit jrcc.org/hakhel.

MARVELOUS MEZUZAH CASES

ART & SOUL COURSE

What an educational trip the Bat Mitzvah Club had to the JRCC Furniture Depot!

The girls had a chance to see and participate in the Chessed programs the JRCC offers. They saw in real-time the effect we have when we give and help our friends, family, communities.

We are fascinated by artists. Their work embodies what we want our lives to be: beautiful, meaningful, purposeful. But art is not only for artists. It’s for anyone who craves to know how to live more creatively, more deeply.

Join us on a seven-part journey as we explore Judaism’s insights into the arts and how they beautify and transform our lives, one brushstroke at a time...

Lesson Three - Literature The Art of Storytelling

The ancient philosophers referred to the human race as “The Speaker.” From the moment we are born, we are telling a story--to ourselves and to others--the story that becomes the reality of our lives. Learn the secret of how words become a narrative, and you will hold in your hands the key to a cohesive and purposeful life.

Faces of the Community

Dina Ulitsky

Continued from last month

CHANU K AH PARTIES

S. Richmond Hill & Maple: Sunday, December 11

DOUGHNUT FRY OFF

West Thornhill: Sunday, December 11

MOTHER AND CHILD PAINT PARTY

East Thornhill: Wednesday, December 21

DOUGHNUT FRY-OFF

South Thornhil: Sunday, December 25

DOUGHNUT FRY-OFF

for adults

Woodbridge: Tuesday, December 20

MENORAH FESTIVITY

S. Richmond Hill & Maple: Saturday, December 24

BISTRO CHANUKAH

Concord: Wednesday, December 21

RADIANT NIGHT

West Thornhill: Monday, December 19 WINE AND CHEESE

East Thornhill: Saturday, December 24

CHANUKAH CAFE

South Thornhill: Tuesday, December 20 CHANUKAH CAFE

Willowdale: Sunday, December 18 CHANUKAH EVENT

Scarborough: Tuesday, December 20 CHANUKAH EVENT

Etobicoke: Monday, December 19 CHANUKAH EVENT

Burlington: Tuesday, December 20 WINE AND CHEESE

www.jrcc.org/ChanukahParties

9-10 Kislev

FARBRENGEN

SATURDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 3

Celebrating the day of liberation of the Mitteler Rebbe from czarist prison. At your local JRCC

We are on the eve of Hanukkah, and this is the time of miracles. Have you experienced miracles in your life?

Many miracles have happened in my life. Last time, when I was talking about koshering my kitchen, I mentioned one of them. But now I want to tell you about the miracle that saved my father's life.

As a teenager, my father and his family went on an evacuation to Karaganda, Kazakhstan. In 1943, when he was seventeen years old, he was called to the front. It happened in winter, when severe frosts broke out. My father’s regiment was preparing for a dangerous operation. The day before the start of the battle, a high-ranking army officer arrived at the location of the regiment, in front of whom all the personnel were lined up. The commander announced through a loudspeaker: “Whoever is an artist among you – three steps forward!"

Nobody moved. There was a heavy silence. The only sound was the crackling of branches in the cold wind. The appeal was repeated two more times. My father, who had been drawing since childhood, by this time had become an established artist, stood frozen. It seemed to him that everyone could heard the booming beating of his heart. He knew that he was the only artist in the regiment, and everyone knew about it too. Finally, a soldier standing nearby pointed at my father and shouted: “Here is the artist - David Kaganov!” My father thought numbly that the heavens had closed over him. But he had no choice but to step forward. He was immediately put into a car and taken away...

The car arrived at the Army Headquarters. My father was taken to a large room that had numerous portraits of party leaders damaged by the bombing hanging on the wall. He was ordered to restore all the portraits in a short time. He immediately set to work, but the anxiety still did not leave him; it was not known what would happen to him next. And remember, my father was only 17 years old...

The next day, his regiment from where he was so hastily taken away, went on a dangerous combat mission, Not a single soldier returned alive.

So, in a miraculous way, the Almighty saved my father’s life, and, as we now understand, this happened precisely during the period of Chanukah.

Another story, during the period of my return to Judaism with my husband. By that time, many people were gathering at our house, thank G-d, for Shabbat and festive meals and for Torah classes conducted by Rabbi Zaltzman, mostly focused on the book Tanya. We were seriously considering moving to a larger house to better accommodate our guests. Once, while walking in our area, we saw a house advertised for sale, and on a whim decided to look at it. We liked the house. At that time, we already understood the importance of a spiritual connection with the Rebbe and knew about the tradition of coordinating important decisions with him. We did what is customary in such cases: we wrote a letter and inserted it in one of the Rebbe's many volumes of letters. The Rebbe's answer was long and to the point, but the practical advice for us was in the last paragraph. It began with the following words: "Regarding your move ... I would advise you not to move in the middle of the school year, but to wait for the full completion of the educational process before the summer holidays." My husband, Arkady, and I realized that at the moment it is better to postpone the move, as it was in the middle of winter. Shortly thereafter, a fairly large house was put up for sale in our area. We looked at it and liked it a lot, especially given our plans to increase the number of people attending the classes. We bought this house the next day. Now there was one “minor” detail – the matter of selling our existing home. And then, literally the next day, the house next to us was put up for sale and announced an open house. An endless string of interested buyers were streaming through. The next day, our doorbell rings. At the door stood a young man wearing a kippah, who, without saying a word, stepped inside and, after a quick glance around, went back outside to look at the house number. It turned out that he had been among the visitors of the neighboring house’s open house the previous day, and decided to return in order to inspect it more thoroughly without the crowd. He just got the house number wring and came to our house instead!

When he came to us, he realized that our house actually suited him very well, and asked permission to return in half an hour with his wife. After they turned the house, they said that they would give an answer tomorrow. The next day they called and said they were buying our house. So that’s how our house was sold. The whole process of buying a new house and selling the old one took an unusually short time – just a few days. Our youngest daughter Clara asked, “When can we move into a new house?” When we opened the contract, we saw that the date of the move was set for June 29th. Clara exclaimed, “Oh, that’s the last day of school before the summer holidays!” Exactly as it was written in the Rebbe's answer to our note.

On the one hand, it may seem that these stories with miracles from the category of “believe it or... not.” But we must remember that every Jew has a special spirituality, and all we need to do is acquire the knowledge to be able to “see” this spirituality with our own eyes.

How to Chanukah

Pre-Holiday to-do list

Primary Observances:

1.

Chanukah is...

• Acquire or make a Menorah

• Stock up on oil and wicks, or candles (44 candles/wicks are needed in total for the eight nights of Chanukah)

• If using oil, make sure to have a candle (pref. beeswax) to use as a shamash each night (8 shamash candles total)

• Plan to buy or make some Chanukah treats, such as donuts and latkes

• Have some draidels and Chanukah gelt handy

What is a Menorah? A Menorah has eight holders for oil or wax candles and an additional holder, set apart from the rest, for the shamash (“attendant”) candle. The Chanukah lights can either be oil or wax candles. Since the miracle of Chanukah happened with olive oil, an oil Menorah is preferable, and olive oil is the ideal fuel. Cotton wicks are preferred because of the smooth flame they produce. Since the Menorah is a mitzvah article, it is customary to use a beautiful one, though any candles will do as long as they are arranged in a straight row. In addition to the eight spots for the Chanukah candles, there should also be a place for the shamash, the candle that is used to kindle the other lights – which sits a bit higher or lower than the other candles to separate it. There is a tradition to use beeswax candles for the shamash.

Where to light it? Set up the Menorah in a central doorway. Place it on a chair or small table near the doorpost that is opposite the mezuzah. This way, when you pass through the doorway, you are surrounded by two mitzvot – the mezuzah and the menorah. Ideally, the menorah lights should be between 12 and 40 inches off the ground. You can also set up your menorah on a windowsill facing the street, provided that the window is less than thirty feet above ground-level. Make sure the menorah is on a sturdy, fireproof surface that is out of the reach of children and not near curtains or other flammable materials

Who should light it? All family members should be present at the time of the nightly menorah lighting. In some families, each person lights their own Menorah. Children should also be encouraged to light their own Menorahs.

Chanukah is an eight-day festival that commemorates the miracles surrounding the rededication of the Holy Temple and the Maccabean Revolt against the oppressive Seleucid Empire in the 2nd Century BCE. It is known as the “festival of light,” and celebrates the idea of illuminating the darkness.

The Chanukah Story

On the 25th of Kislev in the year 139 BCE, the Maccabees liberated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, after defeating the vastly more numerous and powerful armies of the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus IV. (This was the first great miracle of Chanukah.)

The victorious Jews repaired, cleansed and rededicated the Temple to the service of G-d. But all the Temple’s oil had been defiled by the pagan invaders; when the Jews sought to light the Temple’s menorah (candelabra), they found only one small cruse of ritually pure olive oil fit for Temple use. Miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new, pure oil could be obtained. (This was the second great miracle of Chanukah.)

Light the Menorah each night

Celebrate and publicize the miracle

Spend quality time around the Menorah

Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario

When to light it? It is customary to light the Menorah shortly after sunset. In some communities, the Menorah is kindled after nightfall (approximately thirty minutes after sunset). Either way, the menorah must contain enough fuel to burn for at least thirty minutes after nightfall. Standard Chanukah candles only last approximately 30 minutes. If using those candles, then you should light after nightfall. On Shabbat, the times are a bit different:

Chanukah + Shabbat. Slightly different rules apply when Chanukah coincides with Shabbat. On Friday, we light the Chanukah candles before lighting the Shabbat candles, and we make sure to use longer candles that will burn for at least thirty minutes after dark. On Saturday night, we light the candles after Shabbat is over, after reciting Havdallah.

LIGHTING THE MENORAH

1. Arrange the lights on the Menorah. On the first night, place one candle on the far right of the Menorah. On the following night, add a second light to the left of the first one, and then add one light each night of Chanukah –moving from right to left.

2. Gather everyone in the house around the Menorah.

3. Light the shamash candle and hold it in your right hand. (Lefties hold it in your left hand.)

4. While standing, recite the appropriate blessings.

5. Light the candles. Each night, light the newest (left-most) candle first and continue lighting from left to right. (We add lights to the Menorah from right to left, while we light from left to right.)

Sunday, Dec 18 | 24 Kislev | The 1st Night of Chanukah

• Place one candle on the right side of the Menorah

• Recite all three blessings (see Blessings to the right)

• Light the candle

Dec 19 - Dec 22 | 25-28 Kislev | Nights 2 – 5

• Place the appropriate number of candles for each night Recite the first two blessings (see Blessings to the right) Light the candles, starting from the left one

Friday, Dec 23 | 29 Kislev | The 6th Night, Chanukah + Shabbat Special pre-Shabbat instructions:

• Light the Menorah before sunset, before lighting Shabbat candles

• Use enough oil and/or longer lasting candles so they burn for at least 30 minutes after nightfall

• Place six candles on the right of the Menorah Recite the first two blessings (see Blessings to the right) Light the candles, starting from the left one

Saturday, Dec 24 | 30 Kislev | The 7th Night, Chanukah After Shabbat Special post-Shabbat instructions:

• Set up and light the Menorah after nightfall, after Shabbat is over (after Havdallah)

• Place seven candles on the right of the Menorah

• Recite the first two blessings (see Blessings to the right)

• Light the candles, starting from the left one

Sunday, Dec 25 | 1 Tevet | The 8th and final night of Chanukah Place eight candles in the Menorah

• Recite the first two blessings (see Blessings to the right)

The Chanukah Blessings

The blessings are recited before lighting the Menorah. The third blessing is recited only on the first night (or the first time lighting the Menorah this Chanukah).

Blessing #1

Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Melech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu bemitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner Cha-nu-kah

Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

Blessing #2

Ba ruch A tah Ado nai E lo hei nu Me lech ha‑olam she‑a‑sa ni‑sim la‑avo‑te‑ nu ba ya mim ha hem bi zman ha zeh. Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.

Blessing #3

Recited on the first night only (or the first time lighting the Menorah this Chanukah)

Ba ruch A tah Ado nai E lo hei nu me lech ha olam she heche ya nu ve ki yi ma‑nu ve‑higi‑a‑nu liz‑man ha‑zeh. Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

The Moshiach Connection

There are two ways of dealing with darkness. One is to create a place of light so bright and beautiful that all who seek light will be drawn inward. Then there’s the alternative: Go out into the dark and make it shine. Let it shine even to those who aren’t looking for it. To those who don’t know they’re missing it. That’s the strategy of the Chanukah candles, when the darkness gets so vicious that people don’t even know they are in the dark. That’s when you’ve got to beat darkness on its own territory. The first strategy will bring in those who are lost in the dark, but are looking for some light. With the Chanukah strategy, you can grab those who take an active part in that darkness, turn them around, and enlist them to the side of light. Now that’s the ultimate bearer of light — someone who takes everything he learned from the darkness and makes it shine bright. Very bright. As it turns out, the Chanukah Menorah is the ultimate strategy for subverting darkness — just what we need today in order to bring Moshiach.

• Light the candles, starting from the left one © 2022 Exodus Magazine, a project of Jewish Russian Community Center of Ontario. 416.222.7105 | jrcc@jrcc.org | www.jrcc.org. For more holiday information and content visit jrcc.org/Holidays.

The pSycho-SpiriTual reVoluTion

Simon Jacobson

It is commonly accepted that the age of modern psychology began at the end of the 19th century. The way we understand ourselves today is very much defined by the thinking of William James, then Sigmund Freud, who some call the Father of Psychology, followed by Carl Jung, BF Skinner and other great psychologists of the 20th century.

I would like to submit that the Father of Psychology is actually a man who lived a century earlier, and has yet to be recognized as the true pioneer of modern psychology.

That man was Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), and he offered the most sophisticated and comprehensive view to date on the nature of the human psyche and its struggles.

Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s (also known as the Alter Rebbe) immense contribution can be appreciated by contrasting it with the prevalent view on the psyche.

The big issue facing psychology is of course the human struggle between our conflicting drives. On the lowest end of the spectrum is our selfish need to survive and experience pleasure. On the next rung, our practical need to co-exist, to love and be loved and live productive lives. Then we have our ethical values and our conscience. And finally, our higher, spiritual and transcendental dimensions.

Human anxiety is a result of our conflicting voices. How we treat and mistreat others is determined by which force controls our behavior. Vulnerable and impressionable children, of course, are the first to suffer the consequences and are hurt the deepest by our clashing drives colliding with each other. And we all begin our lives as children. Then, these children grow up and have to pick up the pieces, try to heal from their wounds and rebuild their lives.

The rest is history – your history and mine, the history of every person alive today struggling with the disparate forces that shape our personalities and define our life choices. A vicious cycle indeed.

Plaguing thinkers from the beginning of time is the million-dollar question: Who is the real you? Or more precisely: Which of our drives is the most powerful one? Which

is most dominant?

The prevalent theory – which can be coined the Darwinian-Freudian model –argues that the most powerful and most basic human drive is selfish survival.

Humans are fundamentally no different than other creatures, and indeed have evolved from the same ancestors. According to Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection, variation within species occurs randomly and the survival or extinction of each organism is determined by that organism’s ability to adapt to its environment. Another name Darwin (1809-1882) gave Natural Selection was “the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life.”

Darwin did not speak in psychological terms. Indeed, he avoided applying his theory to the social and religious arena. It was apparently British philosopher Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) who first used the term “survival of the fittest” as a central tenet of what became known as “Social Darwinism.” He applied (or some say misapplied) Darwin’s idea of natural selection to justify European domination and colonization of much of the rest of the world. Social Darwinism was also widely used to defend the unequal distribution of wealth and power in Europe

and North America at the time. Poor and politically powerless people were thought to have been failures in the natural competition for survival. Subsequently, helping them was seen as a waste of time and counter to nature. Rich and powerful people did not need to feel ashamed of their advantages because their success was proof that they were the most fit in this competition.

In the psychological realm, Freud (18561939) posited that the most basic of all human instincts is the “Id,” the primal, unconscious source for satisfying all mans’ basic needs and feelings. It has only one rule: The “pleasure principle:” “I want it and I want it all now.” The id wants whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration for the reality of the situation or the good of others.

Then there is the “Ego,” the rational part of the mind that relates to the real world and operates via the “reality principle,” recognizing that you can’t always get what you want. The Ego realizes the need for compromise and negotiates between the Id and the Superego, which might be called the moral part of the mind. The Superego is an embodiment of parental and societal values. It stores and enforces rules. The Ego’s job is to get the Id’s pleasures but to be reasonable and bear the long-term consequences in mind. The Ego denies both instant gratification and pious delaying of gratification.

Freud described the human personality as being: “…basically a battlefield. He is a darkcellar in which a well-bred spinster lady (the superego) and a sex-crazed monkey (the id) are forever engaged in mortal combat, the struggle being refereed by a rather nervous bank clerk (the ego).”

Thus an individual’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are the result of the interaction of the id, the superego, and the ego. This creates conflict, which leads to anxiety, which in turn generates all types of defense mechanisms.

Though Freud may not have directly correlated his theories to Darwin’s, it’s irresistible to avoid the parallels, and how each complements the other. If humans are merely “billion year old bacteria” and

essentially no different than any other animal fighting for survival, then it would make absolute sense that our most dominant drive is fixation on our own needs and pleasure, even at the expense of others. “Survival of the fittest.”

Obviously, there are many variations of this theory. There are also many opinions that fundamentally disagree with Freud. Still, despite the differences, the prevailing view tends to lean toward the DarwinianFreudian model.

One of the sad consequences of this viewpoint is the lack of expectation we can have of each other. If our most natural self is the need to survive and the narcissistic pursuit of pleasure, then what can we really expect of people?! Can we really be disappointed if someone ends up hurting others in his/her own driving need for pleasure? Can we even blame the person? After all, we are sophisticated “bacteria” just trying to survive in a hostile environment… Yes, we can expect of humans to create superimposed rules, like “red lights” and “green lights” so that we can coexist and not destroy each other. But that is superimposed, not our natural state.

It’s interesting to note, that the original German for Freud’s Ego is “ich,” yet another manifestation of the “self.” So even as the Ego negotiates between the Id and the Superego, it still is fundamentally self motivated. [Superego, Uber-ich, can be translated as a dimension that is above –that transcends – the ego. But it can also mean a superman, ultra ego].

If you take it to the anarchist extreme, one can even question our entire justice system. Are we really expecting people to be better, or are we just trying to keep the “store” intact so that we don’t self-destruct. In other words, if the “cat were let out of the bag,” anarchy would prevail. So we need subjective, arbitrary rules to maintain order.

No wonder fear is the most commonly used tool in education, and punishment is the most popular deterrent to crime. Since people are essentially animals, with an ominous Id lurking within, never knowing when it will strike, we can’t depend or trust that people will just do the “right thing” and

“rise to the occasion.”

That sure sounds harsh, doesn’t it?! And indeed, I amplified certain points in order to crystallize the issues, but I have not distorted any of them, and the description above more or less describes contemporary psychological theory.

No doubt that many of us are surely repulsed by this dark perspective on human nature. You may wonder: What about the soul? What about the beautiful acts of nobility and heroism we witness time and again? What about all those people who paid heavy, selfless prices for their beliefs and for protecting others?

How does all human virtue and dignity fit into the Darwinian-Freudian model?

And what about the inner voice that resonates so deeply in most people that good must prevail? And the disturbing feelings we feel when innocent people are hurt? Is all that yet another evolutionary aberration — a quirk — that is inconsistent with the cardinal law of “survival of the fittest”?! Or is it the other way around: Perhaps the good in humans is the most dominant force, and the current “low-end” model may be flawed.

These are excellent questions. Indeed, these and other vital questions are catalysts that compel us to recognize that there is a serious gaping hole in the DarwinianFreudian model.

After all, no one has ever seen the human psyche. By definition the unconscious defies conscious human observation. Let alone the soul. So, basically all theories about the psyche are as subjective and arbitrary as the people positing these theories and their own life experiences.

No one is blaming Freud or other psychologists. But all they really could offer us is based on their personal psychological experiences. Perhaps some of them were surrounded predominantly by Id-like experiences, which informed their observations and conclusions? Had they truly experienced the selflessness of the soul, they may have incorporated other theories into their models.

All that is speculation. Let’s get back to history.

Preceding all these thinkers, was Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s psychological model, which is defined by three revolutionary principles:

1. Human self-control is inherent, not acquired.

2. The essence of a human is good and Divine; the Yid, not the Id.

3. Even mans’ intrinsic self and selfishness (“itness”) is rooted in the Essence of the Divine Self.

Here’s a brief overview of Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s model.

A person carries two voices, two souls: The animal soul and the Divine one. In the words of Ecclesiastes, “The human spirit ascends on high; the spirit of the beast descends down into the earth.” They are in constant struggle, with the animal soul seeking instant gratification and pleasure (like the Id), and the Divine soul seeking transcendence and unity. The animal spirit wants to be “more animal,” hence more selfego. The Divine spirit wants to be “more Divine,” more selfless.

The domain of the animal manifests in the impulsive emotions, while the domain of the Divine spirit rests in the reflective mind, which can control and temper impulsive reactions. A young child for instance, is controlled entirely by emotion, and yells out “I want it and I want it all now.” Similarly the animal within us selfishly barks “give, give.” As our minds develop we gain the ability to reflect, repress, temper or channel our impulses.

The question of course is, as mentioned earlier, which is our most dominant force?

The answer is the Divine soul. The inner good in man is the most dominant force in our lives. Yet, this force is locked in battle with the animal soul. We have the freedom and the ability to overcome any temptation if we so wish through self control (“moach shalit al halev,” the mind’s dominance over the emotions). EM

Rabbi Simon Jacobson is the author of Toward a Meaningful Life: The Wisdom of the Rebbe and the director of the Meaningful Life Center (meaningfullife.com).

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