The 2,200-Years War

The Jewish war against Greek culture continued with its battle against Christianity, which is a blend of Jewish and Greek-Roman ideas, and continues today as well. The leading culture today is Western culture, built on the foundations of Christian culture. And so the points of difference that exist today between Torah and Western culture are also based on the points of struggle between Greek and Jewish philosophy.

A Religious or National Holiday?

Is Hannuka a religious holiday, on which the Nation of Israel commemorates its religious victory over Greek paganism? Or is it a national holiday, celebrating our military defeat of Greek expansionism in the Land of Israel?

Thoughts For Hanukka's Final Hours

Translated by Hillel Fendel

One must always remember three questions; they must always guide his path and light his way, so that he will always take the straight path and not allow the trickery of his negative inclinations to confuse him. He must always be connected to and focused on the true objective.

Was the song "Ma'oz Tzur" written for Chanukah?

Why do we need a ‘house’ on Chanukah?

Chanuka

Non-Edible Oils for Lighting the Menorah

How is olive oil produced? What is extra virgin oil, and what is virgin oil? What types of oil are fitting for lighting the menorah?

Chanukah

A Little Light

The Triumph of Israeli Renewal over Greek Stagnation

From "Megged Yerachim" published by "Beit Harav"

The Jewish victory over the Greeks, which brought liberation from national and religious oppression, also broke the shackles of the materialistic, stagnated Hellenist world view. And not by chance was this new hope realized during the month of Kislev.

"For Your Miracles"

Are miracles (like the pot of oil which lit eight days) deviations from nature or are they a part of nature which we don't see every day?

Snakes and Scorpions

Joseph the righteous has for generations served as a symbol and model for the survival of the Jewish people in foreign lands. Just as Joseph retained his moral distinction despite being cut off from his home, so did Jacob’s children and their progeny.

Post-Chanuka Thoughts

The Lights of Zecharia

Torah, Light, and Chanukah

The Chanukah lamp represents the Torah. Although the sun, the moon, and the stars illuminate and unveil the presence of God, the Torah is above even them. The perfect Torah testifies to God's greatness more than any other aspect of creation.

The Significance of the Miracle of Chanukah

God performed a miracle allowing the Hasmoneans to light the Menorah even though they did not have to. This showed Israel that at the source of the argument between the sages of Israel and the philosophers of Greece, the sages of Israel were right.

"A Miracle in This Place"

The sages instituted the lighting of Chanukah candles because it “takes us back” to the site of the miracle. We are therefore called upon to sense that our kindling of these candles is tantamount to the lighting of the menorah in the Holy Temple.

"The Torah is light"

The individual Chanukah candle symbolizes the Torah as a whole - one entity which is more than the mere sum of its commandments. The additional candles allude to the commandments - the concrete outward manifestation of the Torah's inner essence.

Where Did the Troubles Start?

The Sanctity of Hanukah

What reason is there, in our day, to rejoice over the return of Jewish self-rule in the Second Temple era? After all, we see that, at any rate, the Temple was eventually destroyed, and the Jewish people were exiled from their land.