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Inside/Outside Light

Author:

Rabbi Schusterman

Date:

December 17, 2020

Tags:

Challenges, Faith, Holidays


The warm lights of Chanukah are glowing tonight, eight strong.  The light is complete, the message is strong.  The celebrations are over. This year more than ever, it was about family.

Chabad and Chanukah are synonymous.  Public Menorahs are Chabad.  Sharing the light with the world.

Did you know that the Chabad custom is to light in a doorway with the light shining inward as opposed to the front window where the light would light up the world?  There are halachic (Jewish law) reasons for this. But it begs the question, if indeed Chabad makes so much effort to spread the message of Chanukah, why would our Menorah share its light inward?

The silver lining of Covid shines again.  

Covid has taught us that to shine outward we must be strong inward.  Not as a prerequisite but as an ongoing source of support.  A warm home, illuminated by Mitzvos and Torah, filled with love and harmony, is the greatest foundation to then set our lanterns out in the open to effect change in a real way. 
No shortcuts.

Let’s pray that Covid is behind us soon.  Let’s also pray that messages like these become part of our new reality for a physically and spiritually healthier world.

Happy Chanukah! 




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