Spirituality - Candlelight is the symbol of Wisdom
A lightbulb above the head is the cartoon maker’s way to show that Bugs Bunny got an idea. But we all relate to how confusion or a lack of understanding can feel like being in physical darkness. You’re not sure where to turn, afraid of the next step. Wisdom enlightens. True wisdom brings pleasure to the brain, peace of mind to the heart, and confidence to the soul. Just as the flame yearns to go upward, your soul craves wisdom.  When you see the Chanukah candles, ask God to help you understand your purpose better. - Go beyond the call of duty, the Almighty will respond in kind
The spiritual realm is a system similar to physics. There are rules. One of those rules is that God responds to you with events in your life based on your thoughts and actions. If you are compassionate, people will be compassionate with you. If you share your food with others, when you are in need, people will be there for you. The miracle of the oil (lasting for eight days instead of one), happened because the people at that time put their lives on the line for what they believed in. They went beyond the call of duty, so God went beyond the call of duty for them. This holiday reminds us not to be satisfied with doing the letter of the law, fulfilling the minimum requirements, but to go beyond the call of duty and seek to fulfill the spirit of the law, what the Almighty really wants from us. - Why eight candles? Eight represents the realm beyond the physical
Seven defines our world as a whole. There are six basic directions: up, down, right, left, front and back. When you put them all together and unite them as a whole you make a seventh unit. That’s why we have a seven day week, because seven represents the entirety of the physical realm. To take all of this one step further is to enter the spiritual realm. The spirit is beyond the physical, symbolized by the number eight. When you connect to the Infinite, you have the ability to transcend the physical realm and its apparent limitations. Look for the things in your life that you believe are limiting you, they may just be illusions. - We are here to perfect ourselves
Ritual circumcision symbolizes the dedication of our physical nature to God. That’s why it’s done on the eighth day, as it says In Genesis 21:4, “Abraham circumcised his son Isaac at eight days old as God commanded him.” So eight not only represents going beyond the physical realm, it also represents perfecting the physical. God made mankind and the world imperfect so that we would perfect things and thereby earn closeness to Him. Nothing is an accident. All of your personal challenges in life are designed for your abilities. Nothing is beyond you. With God’s help you can overcome any moral challenge that comes your way. - A little light dispels a lot of darkness
One piece of wisdom can change your life. One insight into relationships can change your marriage. One thought on parenting can change how you treat your children for good. We all have moments of inspiration when God bestows some special thought in our mind. Chanukah contains the potential to tap into one of those special thoughts that has the power to change your future, if you’re open to it. When I was younger I read somewhere the following quote which changed my perspective the creation significantly, "The chances that life just occurred are about as unlikely as a typhoon blowing through a junkyard and constructing a Boeing 747." This Chanukah ask God for one special little insight to change your life for the better.
Happy Chanukah!
Max Weiman
About the Author : Max Weiman, who resides in St. Louis, MO with his wife Chava and their six children, teaches mysticism and spirituality via the web at www.kabbalahmadeeasy.com, a subscribed email list, pamphlets, and books, including his latest 'A Map of the Universe: An Introduction to the Study of Kabbalah' available through www.bn.com. He received a BFA in Painting from Temple U. in Philadelphia, and Rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. |
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