The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah occurs in the darkest time of the year on the 25th night of the Hebrew month of Kislev. In 2024, the first night of Hanukkah is Wednesday, December 25th.
Our theme for this year’s Hanukkah is “Bring Your Light.”
The past few years have brought significant challenges, and the recent election in the United States has left many of us feeling uncertain and fearful about the future.
But as human beings, we were created to not only light the lights, but to BE the lights.
Now is the time to build our ability to bring light to the darkness.
Hanukkah gives us an opportunity to reflect on how each of us can shine our own unique light, make a difference, and light up the world.
Each night of Hanukkah 2024: Bring Your Light includes a theme, inspirational texts, and questions for discussion or journaling. Additionally, each post will feature personal reflections from our Hineni Jewish spiritual community members.
I hope these reflections lead you to reflect and talk about your memories or create new ones.
As we light our menorahs, which increase the light every night, perhaps we can build a “virtual bonfire” of light that grows and glows each night.
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(Yes, there are many ways to spell it: Chanukah or Hanukkah – all good.)
Light Into Darkness
Unlike other Jewish holidays, Hanukkah begins when the moon nearly disappears from the night sky. Right now, we find ourselves in an existential and physical darkness.
Yes, darkness is all around us, yet there are always opportunities to bring your light.
As Jews, the remnants of the massacres on October 7, 2023, the continuing war and deaths in Gaza, and the rise of anti-Jewish hatred continue to impact us. The fate of the remaining hostages remains uncertain and it’s a heartbreak.
The recent US election has many of us worried about the future of our democracy, and vulnerable people and minorities are fearful. Autocrats around the world have been emboldened.
AND YET – we must never forget that we can make a difference. Each one of us matters.
Into this darkness, we can bring our own light. And shine we must. We are needed more than ever.
Never underestimate the power of small acts of kindness. What may seem like nothing to you can mean everything to another person.
Participate in the new “giving economy.” The other day, someone in our neighborhood pruned her fiddle leaf fig plant and offered the cuttings. I was the happy recipient of this gift.
Send someone you love a note of appreciation – all the ways they bring light to your life.
Donate time or money to a cause you believe in.
In all these ways, we bring our light.
The Hasidic teacher Sefat Emes writes that “human beings were created to light up the world.” And further, the Hanukkah lights should remind us to seek out the hidden divine light within.
Lighting Up The Darkness
We start with a teaching by Rabbi Shai Held, about how one little light can illuminate the darkness, and how we, ourselves, can be like “stars” in the sky:
Lighting Up the Darkness
Hanukkah … begins on the 25th of the month, when the moon has all but completely disappeared. We are in one of the darkest periods of one of the darkest months of the year. All around us is darkness. And what do we do? We light a fire. Not a bonfire, but a small fire — now one, now another, and so forth for eight nights. In other words, we do not pretend to be the sun, but only stars. We do not bring an end to darkness but soften its effects.
The Sefas Emes puts it in discussing Hanukkah, “A human being is created to light up this world” (Hanukkah, 1874).
Plants orient themselves to the light. For us humans, we can do that too! This is especially so during times of darkness and conflict. Make sure you actively seek the light and remove yourself from places and people that feel dark.
A gorgeous teaching by Rabbi Aaron Roth:
In this age, we are in this deepest state of unconsciousness. To be sure, there are still holy individuals among us who are still alert… Now, when a person becomes aware that he is falling asleep and begins to nod and he is afraid that a strong, heavy sleep may overcome him, the best advice for him is to request his friend to wake him … or that he should go among people who are awake and where a light shines brightly.
RABBI AARON ROTH, HITRAGSHUT HA-NEFESH
How might you seek people who are “awake and where a tight shines brightly?
Even when the light seems hidden, the rabbis taught that we must continue to search for it. Even in the smallest ways.
FIND PEOPLE WHO SHED LIGHT and hang out with them either in person or online.
The Sefat Emet teaches: The Hanukkah candles are a spiritual symbol; the light of the commandments by which we search out our inner selves. We seek out the hidden divine light within ourselves; the mitzvot are light-seeking candles, instruments given to us to aid us in that search.”
Sefat Emet (Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter of Ger 1847-1905)
Some Hanukkah basics:
Tonight we light the first candle!
Hanukkah (or Chanukah) is a relatively minor Jewish holiday. Even so, Hanukkah has become one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays of the year. This is partly because of its close proximity to Christmas, its fabulous food, and partly because it is a holiday celebrated with family and friends.
Hanukkah celebrates a miracle a long time ago, and the theme of the entire holiday is LIGHT.
A primary theme of Hanukkah is the idea of increasing the light. We start with one candle in our Hanukkiah (actually two including the shamash/helper candle) and each night, light one more. We light candles for eight nights.
Journal or Discussion Question: How might you remember to keep seeking the light?
— Maybe it is by listening with compassion to someone with whom you disagree.
— Perhaps it is pulling away from social media when you feel depleted to replenish your inner light.
From Our Hineni Community
Each night, we will feature a few Hanukkah memories, hopes, and thoughts about light from our Hineni Jewish Mindfulness Community members.
My hope this year is that I can be a resilient, serene, calm light within my family and community as a reminder, a representative of all those possibilities for our planet and for all humans.
Elizabeth Crouch
I hope that light and love will help overcome dark and hatred.
Sue Rodriguez
There have been years when I did not observe Chanukah – ( travel, etc ); however, this year I am very dedicated to lighting the candles each night because spiritually – the light of hope, peace, and love is necessary to share with my family and beyond to everyone.
Franny Alexander
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