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What are the candles telling us?

צילום: פלאש90
Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
According to a famous Hassidic saying, "We need to listen to what the candles are telling us." Here is a portion of what the Lubavitcher Rebbe learned from the candles:
1. The importance of tradition. As opposed to the other holidays, the events of Hanukkah do not appear in the Bible. They took place later on and therefore the sages found no passages to explain our celebration of Hanukkah. It was only over many generations that its celebration was fixed in the Talmud. Thus, the essence of the holiday teaches us about the importance of tradition, the words of our sages, and the oral Torah.
2. To be ready for darkness. We do not light the candles in the morning but rather when darkness falls. We know that life brings periods of darkness and so we need to be prepared and exert every effort to bring light.
3. To light up the world. We light the candles inside our home with the candles facing outwards. Our home is a source of light that shines more brightly than any outside light.
4. To add light. The manner of lighting on Hanukkah increases light since we add one candle each night. It does not matter how much we did yesterday, we must go forward and do a little bit more each day.
5. To be immovable. The candles are set in a certain place and it is forbidden to move them. A Jew who is preoccupied with lighting up his surroundings needs to know that this mission is established in his soul, is part of his everyday life, and that he is immovable in fulfilling it.
6. To give light to others so they can shine on their own. The candles continue to shine on their own after we light them. When we educate and influence, we need to make sure that what we teach is meaningful. If we do this, our students will shine on their own throughout their lives.

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