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Sermon for Miketz/Chanukah 2008
by Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman

It is well known that there is a difference of opinion between Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai on the way to light the Chanukah lights. Bet Shammai held that on the first night 8 lights were to be kindled, on the 2nd night 7, the 3rd night - 6 and so forth, until on the 8th night only one light would be lit. Whereas Hillel held the 1st night - 1, 2nd night 2 until on the 8th night – 8 would burn. So to Shammai the number of lights decreased as the days of Chanukah increased; whereas to Hillel the number of lights increased as the days Chanukah increased.

In the Talmud tractate Shabbat (21b), some say the basis of their dispute was if one views the days that have passed from Chanukah or the days that are still to come. Shammai looks at the 1st night as the climax of the festival and therefore starts with 8 lights, whereas Hillel looks at the 8th night as the climax and therefore lights 8 lights on the last night. Others suggest that Shammai based his ruling on the model of the number of offerings of the calves brought during Sukkot which declined as the days of the festival passed, whilst Hillel based his ruling on the principle: “Maalin bakodesh velo moridin” – one increases in holiness and does not decrease.

The dispute between Hillel and Shammai is often looked upon as a matter of outlook on life, being optimistic or pessimistic; is the cup half full or half empty. It may be an over simplification of the basis of their dispute but nonetheless an interesting one.

We paskan or do like Hillel, and as the days of Chanukah increase so do we increase the number of the lights. Therefore the lighting ends up optimistic and hopeful. We emphasise that we rise in holiness, that we celebrate each new day of Chanukah with ever increasing pleasure, for another day is an even greater reason to celebrate. Moreover, that as the festival progresses we actually light up the world even more.

That is indeed a message filled with optimism and hope.

Optimistic and hopeful – that is the type of Judaism the Rabbis wanted to pass on to us and for us to pass on to our children, a Judaism of hope and Simchah.

In the real world of Judaism and our survival as human-beings, we need optimism; no one likes pessimism with its message of doom and gloom. We prefer the lesson that things will get better; that the financial gloom that presently surrounds us will soon pass. Overall we like the idea, “live for the moment” or better, enjoy the moment that life offers you - and I’m obviously talking in a moral context.

Similarly, we say in the 2nd berachah of the Chanukah lighting: “He who wrought miracles for our fathers in those days, in this time”. What does it mean “in this time”? Although it really means, that in this time in the calendar, in the past, it may also imply that just as G-d did miracles in the past, so too does G-d do miracles for us now!

Look at recent history – the miracle of the establishment of the State of Israel after nearly 2000 years of exile; the wars it has fought and won against the surrounding Arab nations: “Verabim beyad Me’atim” – the many into the hands of the few, as we say in Al Hanisim. They are all miracles. So too in each of our lives if we look we can discover that miracles do occur to us daily. That is the thankful approach to life that is forever uplifting.

That is the message to be learned from how we light the lights on Chanukah. We light positively and optimistically, illuminating the world around us. So we pray that just as Chanukah increases the light in the world, so too may “G-d’s light” increase in the world; that all mankind will be illuminated and inspired to serve the Almighty with one heart, united in peace. Amen.