For quite a few years it had been the same , I would light the candles , the house is clean , a good cake or a doughnut is ready , but then , when you sing Maoz Zur , right after the candle lighting , I would burst into tears. When I was on my own it was bearable ,but with people around ...you know , you are supposed to be happy and thankful . Why cry? To be honest I didn't understand myself . I think my crying had to do with the last verse of the song , that is usually not sung . Something in my collective memory couldn't help it. The darkness is still so immense and the candles are so tiny. They glow ,and then they get smaller and then they go out.
I am happy to report that ever since I am a parent , the crying stopped . Hanukah is no longer gloomy ,but happy days of thankfulness .
Here is a story I heard once from a dear woman ,who passed away a few years ago . Her rabbi was a young child in one of the death camps . He had lost all hope for humanity and kindness ,because the people acted like savages there . There was one old man who still kept his humanity and once in a while he and the boy would put on Teffillin when no one saw ( You could loose your life for such a crime back then). One night ,after a hard day , in the cold winter ,as they already laid tired , (some of the poeple half dead) , a German soldier showed up in their cabin . They of course had to stand up straight ,and that German threw to them a few rotting lumps of margarine . To his dissmay and surprise the boy watched the old man , just like the others, pouncing upon those lumps of margarine like an animal. " All hope is lost" thought the future rabbi . Maybe he even thought that there is no difference between a Jew and a Goy. But then the old man said "Guys , it's Hanuka! let's use the margarine to light a Chanuka candle!" , and so they did. With threads made from their raggedy clothes they lit a candle and sang and were happy . So much for the story.
The woman who told the story ,said that this is what being Jewish is about . The Goyim build bridges and paint pictures ,and compose music - they take this world and make use of it in diverse and creative ways-that is to say , if they are good people . Being a Jew is about taking whatever this world has to offer , and elevating it into a level higher than life itself .
P.s I still wonder about that one . We all know that there are Jewish murderers , rapists , thieves and con-men . I'm sure if you check , you will see , that there are good people and bad people in every nation. All I can say , is that, we have the Book ,that is to say Torah ,and if you follow it , you have a good chance of becoming a better you -but I'm not sure even about that....
J
I am happy to report that ever since I am a parent , the crying stopped . Hanukah is no longer gloomy ,but happy days of thankfulness .
Here is a story I heard once from a dear woman ,who passed away a few years ago . Her rabbi was a young child in one of the death camps . He had lost all hope for humanity and kindness ,because the people acted like savages there . There was one old man who still kept his humanity and once in a while he and the boy would put on Teffillin when no one saw ( You could loose your life for such a crime back then). One night ,after a hard day , in the cold winter ,as they already laid tired , (some of the poeple half dead) , a German soldier showed up in their cabin . They of course had to stand up straight ,and that German threw to them a few rotting lumps of margarine . To his dissmay and surprise the boy watched the old man , just like the others, pouncing upon those lumps of margarine like an animal. " All hope is lost" thought the future rabbi . Maybe he even thought that there is no difference between a Jew and a Goy. But then the old man said "Guys , it's Hanuka! let's use the margarine to light a Chanuka candle!" , and so they did. With threads made from their raggedy clothes they lit a candle and sang and were happy . So much for the story.
The woman who told the story ,said that this is what being Jewish is about . The Goyim build bridges and paint pictures ,and compose music - they take this world and make use of it in diverse and creative ways-that is to say , if they are good people . Being a Jew is about taking whatever this world has to offer , and elevating it into a level higher than life itself .
P.s I still wonder about that one . We all know that there are Jewish murderers , rapists , thieves and con-men . I'm sure if you check , you will see , that there are good people and bad people in every nation. All I can say , is that, we have the Book ,that is to say Torah ,and if you follow it , you have a good chance of becoming a better you -but I'm not sure even about that....
J
I am an American who found your blog and enjoyed it, especially the family history about Libya and fleeing Arab terrorism there. Be strong and keep improving your English! It's pretty good I promise!
השבמחק