ChabadNewOrleans Blog

Many of the “wise Jewish pundits” relegate Chanukah to being just a minor holiday. They argue that it does not have the work proscription like the Biblical festivals or Shabbat, the rituals associated with it are minimal, and the clincher… it only became big because of its proximity to the holiday celebrated by the general population in Western lands.

Let’s examine some of the aspects of Chanukah and its observances to see what the real picture is. Chanukah is observed by kindling the lights of the Menorah after the sun sets, in the doorway of the home facing the outside, on the left side of the door. Contrast that with the kindling of the Menorah in the Temple, which was done before sunset, inside the building and on the south side of the room.

The light of the candles represents the Torah, the light of holiness and G-dliness. The light of Hashem was brought to the world by kindling the Menorah in the Temple, from where the light spread. Symbolically, the idea of lighting the Menorah inside, during the day and to the south indicated that the light of the Menorah was not potent enough to confront opposing forces on their turf.

Night is dark, representing a concealment of G-dly revelation. The outside (public sphere) represents a place that does not recognize itself as being under Divine Sovereignty (unlike a private domain). In Kabbala, the left side represents a withdrawal of Divine Revelation, leaving a vacuum with the potential for the development of evil. So the Temple Menorah’s light was not powerful enough to contend with the forces of “the other side.” The Chanukah lights, by contrast, must be lit after sundown – thereby confronting the darkness. The Chanukah lights must be placed in the doorway facing the outside - thereby confronting the perceived independence of the public domain from Divine Sovereignty. The Chanukah lights are situated on the left side of the doorway (opposite the Mezuzah) – thereby confronting the potential for evil on its own turf.

So why is Chanukah not a work proscribed holiday? Why, for the very same reason. Chanukah brings the holiness of G-dly revelation into the mundane, the weekday, the workday. No other holiday or observance in Judaism combines all of these elements of illuminating the world in this manner. So now you tell me. Is Chanukah a minor holiday that we celebrate just to give Jewish kids something to feel good about at this time of the year? Or is it the most powerful force that is contained within Judaism?

As the darkness of the world increases, the need for Chanukah to take a front seat in the Jewish world grows. Indeed, in just the last 40 years, thanks to the Rebbe’s intiative, Chanukah observance has exploded bringing much needed light at a time when the world truly needs it.

This year, do Chanukah proudly. Celebrate openly and share your Chanukah experiences with others even via social media. As a matter of fact, Chabad is bringing back the #sharethelights campaign. Please include that hashtag in all of your Chanukah posts.

Looking forward to seeing you all at Chanukah @ Riverwalk next Tuesday. In the meantime have a Shabbat Shalom and a very happy and bright Chanukah!
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

One of the cornerstones of the Baal Shemtov’s philosophy was the importance of realizing that every encounter in life is meant to serve as a lesson that shapes our relationship with Hashem. There is no such thing as happenstance; rather every experience is a teachable (learnable) moment.

Case in point. In 1977 during Hakafot on Shmini Atzeret, the Rebbe suffered a heart attack. The next day while the doctor was doing labs the Rebbe had a discussion with the doctor about the syringe. That night the Rebbe shared this teaching with the Chassidim. A hypodermic needle draws blood for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment. However, it is not the needle which draws the blood. Rather it is the vacuum in the syringe. An empty vessel can draw in with greater intensity than one which is full. So too can the person who is aware of his own inadequacy be more strongly motivated to study and to do positive things. Similarly, when one finds oneself in a situation where an absence is deeply felt, one need not be despondent. We can rather use the emptiness itself as an impetus for even greater achievement.

This teaching of the Baal Shemtov is one that Chassidism seeks to inculcate into the mindset and outlook of a Jew. This coming Sunday night we are hosting an evening of inspiration entitled Living with Faith, a lecture and farbrengen with Rabbi Mendel Rubin. Rabbi Rubin comes from a family that embodies the Baal Shemtov’s approach to life. He was always a creative thinker (we were classmates in Yeshiva), a talent he inherited from his father, Rabbi Yisroel Rubin. During the talk on Sunday we will get a glimpse into this creativity as Rabbi Rubin introduces his theme (3 words spawning 3 movements) using 3 children’s books authored by Dr. Seuss. For Seuss enthusiasts, the three books are: The Lorax, The Kings Stilts and McElligot's Pool.

Please join us for this meaningful event and bring an open mind and an open heart.

We extend heartfelt condolences to Stephen and Mery Blitz and the entire Blitz family over the untimely passing of Michael Aaron Blitz. May Hashem comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and may you only know of happiness from here onwards.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

In 1901 the fifth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom Ber of Lubavitch, authored a letter to his Chasidim describing the 19^th of Kislev as the Rosh Hashanah of Chasidus, the day on which the light and vitality of our souls were given to us by G-d. (The 19^th of Kislev is the anniversary of Chabad’s founder, Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s liberation from Czarist prison in 1798. That event was a turning point in propelling the revolutionary impact that Chasidism would have on Jewish life.)

Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, the leading sage of Lithuanian Jewry at the time, was shown the letter by an individual who attempted to use it to poke fun at Chasidim. He argued, “The Talmud states that there are four Rosh Hashanahs and the Lubavitcher Rebbe is adding a fifth.” Rabbi Chaim Ozer replied, “They are increasing while we are diminishing.”

What does it mean when a day is declared to be “Rosh Hashanah?” Chasidus explains, that on Rosh Hashanah a new stream of Divine Energy comes to world in relation to the pertinent area of existence covered by that Rosh Hashanah (trees on Tu B’shvat etc.). A Rosh Hashanah for Chasidus means that the new stream of Divine Energy comes in relation to the Neshamah. Hence the description “the day on which the light and vitality of our souls were given to us.”

The purpose of Chasidus is to infuse Torah, Mitzvos and G-dly living with a vibrancy that enriches the entire experience. Light and vitality are both forces that do not add anything quantitatively to an equation, but significantly enhance the quality. A corpse possesses all of the same limbs and organs as those of a live person, but with the addition of life (vitality) the limbs and organs can function and accomplish. Similarly a dark space has all the qualities that an illuminated space possesses. However in the dark those qualities cannot be utilized since they cannot be accessed. With the infusion of light, that which is already in place can be harnessed in a productive manner.

Now this Rosh Hashanah infused with light and vitality is coming in 11 days. How do we optimally capitalize on these special gifts? To help us do so, we are having an evening of inspiration entitled Living with Faith. Our speaker, Rabbi Mendel Rubin, is a creative thinker and popular teacher to people on a quest for meaningful Jewish fulfillment. He is a classmate of mine, whom I remember as an inspiring person even as a teenager. Please join us on Sunday, December 18 at 6:30 PM at the Btesh Family Chabad House for a farbrengen, a gathering in which our hearts and souls come together to communicate with one another.

I look forward to greeting you with a joyous “Happy New Year.” Now this is a New Year worth celebrating. The one a few weeks later, on the other hand...

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin