Living Miraculously

The Talmud states that the “air of Israel makes one wise”. As many things in life, this is most felt when one returns from Israel and contrasts life in the Diaspora that one appreciates the greatness of Israel.

Granted, the material life in these United States is hard to come by anywhere in the world. But the holiness of Israel and the miraculous life can’t be experience anywhere else like it can be in Israel.

We celebrated the first two days of Chanukah just 2-3 miles from the very place where the miracle occurred. The next few days have been experienced here in Atlanta celebrating with a beautiful Menorah lighting in Decatur and Young Adult Bowling Party. The words that are floating in my head are Living Miraculously. In Israel it is a definition of existence. In the Diaspora it is an effort that one needs to make in order to “live miraculously”.

What does it mean to live miraculously?

In the story of Chanukah, the few were victorious over the many because of their unwillingness to bow to societal pressure to compromise their values and their faith. In other words they lived their daily lives above the accepted norms of society around them.

In Israel today, every day is living above the norm. Above the norm of the United Nations, above the norm of sensible safety (every day is a potentially dangerous one), above the norm of a materialistic superficial life.

In the Diaspora we need to strive to live miraculously. It is a greater challenge here because we lack the holiness of the Israel which lends support this endeavor, but we must strive nonetheless. This means to live each day guided by our faith and what the Torah teaches is the way to live. To not be intimidated by the culture around us and to strive to influence it instead of being influenced by it.

Shabbos is a taste of Israel and a taste of that holiness.

May this Shabbos of Chanukah serve as inspiration to all of us to live a little higher a little more miraculous.

Good Shabbos and Happy Chanukah!