The world is in a restless and tense time as we approach the Hanukkah season. We have a sense of discomfort and yearn for resolution of conflict and the cycle of violence. We think the natural state of our beings should be balance and peace, yet truthfully, our natural states are restless and our very soul is often in a state of being pulled in many directions.
We are reading the narrative of Jacob, one of our patriarchs, and during the Hanukkah celebration, he is wrestling with an angel. Jacob is wrestling with his conscience and his soul. His name is then changed to “Israel” which in Hebrew means “one who wrestles and struggles”
with God to find the truth of his or her being. We are the children of Israel. We are “wrestlers” with our souls.
The Hanukkah lights themselves are restless sparks. Look at them. They do not stand still, but rather contain a dynamic friction. Watch the flame flicker as it rises and falls. A Hassidic rebbe teaches that this is like the soul reaching upward only to be drawn back below, like a vibrant dance which is called
Rotzo V’shuv…yearning and returning. A flame, like our soul, is never stagnant. It is always in restless tension, a holy dance.
The situation in the Middle East and the killings in Israel are horrific and create a sense of utter hopelessness and despair. I will not accept this state, and instead invite in goodness, kindness and joy, especially during this holiday season of light and giving.
What do the Hanukkah lights inspire us to do? Lighting and meditating on the lights remind us that we are here:
to fight for justice and for what is right, like the Maccabees;
to stand up and make a difference;
to see what needs to be fixed;
to hear the silent cries of those who need our help.
So, if you have been feeling restless, dissatisfied or unhappy, maybe you are right with your soul! Kindle your own flames – breathe dynamic restlessness and feel the yearning within you. When you generate your light, you will find the place where God needs you to be!
Happy Hanukkah and a joyful holiday season. May there be flickers of peace in our troubled world.