The Jewish Value of “Chanukah” (December 2015 KOL)
As we spend this year focused on living a “values driven life,” the value we explore for the month of December is Chanukah. Coming from the Hebrew root “to dedicate,” Chanukah is not just a holiday, but a life commitment to be dedicated to 1) the synagogue, 2) the Jewish home, which is called “mikdash me’at” – the small synagogue, 3) the Jewish family, 4) Jewish learning, and 5) Jewish living. Our dedication guides our lives, our choices, our commitments and how we spend our time and, frankly, our money.
When Judah Maccabee had the privilege of restoring the Temple in Jerusalem after it had been polluted with idolatry, he rededicated himself and his community to a central place of gathering and worship. He knew, what we know, that the Temple was and continues to bethe institution of Jewish survival and communal continuity. Without the synagogue, Jews have no centralized place to show that we are dedicated and united in the mitzvot/commandments of Torah and the principles and practices that define what it means to live a Jewish life. We rededicate ourselves to affiliation in all of its dimensions this month, from services to tzedakah, faithful financial support of this incredible institution of Jewish communal life.
The Jewish home and family has been the second institution of Jewish survival and continuity, and the place where we solidify our identity. I marvel that the candles of Chanukah and the observance of Passover happen primarily in the home, not the synagogue. The symbols of our homes this holiday season testify to our commitment to make our festival of lightsthe holiday of choice and celebration in a world filled with other celebrations and remembrances. When our homes, adorned with mezuzahs and menorahs,exemplify our Jewish commitment and observance, they become pure extensions of the dedication of Judah Maccabee, and all the Jews who fought and died so that we could live as Jews in freedom and security. Those of us who are not living in Israel have made our temples and homes the places where we maintain and sustain our peoplehood and our practice.
The synagogue is more than a sanctuary. It has become the beit midrash, the house of study, where we learn and teach the values and precepts that undergird our moral and religious life as Jews to young and old. To be a Jew is to be in a constant state of learning and growing. Jew is more than an identity, it is a verb that symbolizes ongoing and lifelong study and exploration of the values and laws that help us find the meaning of life. Nothing says dedication more this month than the Adult Bar and Bat Mitzvah, which will take place this weekend. Six dedicated individuals have spent countless hours at the temple, and at home, and on vacation, preparing their Hebrew skills and thinking about what it means to be a learned, practicing Jew. I am in awe of their dedication and commitment to all that we hold sacred, and it will be an honor to pass the Torah to them on Saturday morning, as they stand before our community to accept the title of Bar and Bat Mitzvah. I hope they inspire others to rededicate themselves and their homes and families to Jewish knowledge, and that the Jews and non-Jews in our community will consider signing up for Introduction to Judaism which will run from March to June. Many of the people in our Adult B’nai Mitzvah class began their journeys in Intro to Judaism years ago.
And finally, as we conclude our secular year, we all have the opportunity to rededicate ourselves to supporting this congregation financially, spiritually, and with our time. We can only provide the community of healing and comfort, the services and classes, the 24/7 rabbinic and congregational support in good times and bad, the religious school and youth programs, the social and Shabbat activities, and holy days and moments, with your help. As, tragically, we buried another member this week, we were also sustained by the volunteers and staff who rededicated themselves to making TBS a place of solace and sustenance in the hour of need. On a holiday weekend, our members came out to help and to pray, with so much love and dedication. Funerals and minyans take on more meaning when they occur in community and are presided over by rabbis, supported by fellow members, who know and love you.
Join me in rededicating yourself and your household to “Chanukah” this December. May we find new meaning and new light in knowing that our “rededication” radiates far beyond our small sanctuary, whether it be in our home or our temple. When our lights burn brightly, Judaism is secured, and can continue to be the anchor of our lives and our way of finding meaning in an ever changing world.
From my home and heart, to yours, Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Perlin