Chanukah 5779 Day #6: Darkness Is an Invitation, Not a Destination

there is something strange about the Chanukah tradition we light the menorah every night to commemorate the kindling of the menorah in the Potomac - and the Holy Temple in Jerusalem but there they used to Kindle the menorah during daytime in the afternoon before sunset weekend all the harmonica menorah only after sunset why this difference there was a very profound message here you see there are times in your life which can be compared to daytime the sun is shining brightly things are looking good clear and wonderful but then the Sun sometimes sets over the horizon of our lives there is uncertainty there is confusion there is bleakness there is pessimism there is darkness and here comes the great lesson of the Hanukkah story and the Hanukkah tradition all darkness is an invitation for you to enter into that space and Kindle there a flame of love a flame of light a flame of hope after sunset never fear darkness not your own not others never fear dark thoughts emotions drama you see you are not the darkness you were sent into the darkness to transform it to the best of your ability to transform it into a springboard for deeper awareness and for deeper connection and for deeper love you are never a victim of the darkness around you you are an ambassador darkness is an invitation not a destination some of us when we face this adversity we surrender we despair some of us fight or flee fight or flight do neither you are divine you are completely beyond it hence you can go into it a challenge only becomes an obstacle when you bow to it one day the President of Israel his name was Zalman shazar came to visit the Lubavitch Ariba and his headquarters at his shul 770 Eastern Parkway it was a freezing New York cold winter which hazhar was not used to coming from the Holy Land and when he meets the Lubavitcher ever outside on Eastern Parkway he tells them in a beautiful eloquent Russian Luther wanying unit so the Kelsch night director boehner it is freezing cold and the cold penetration cuts through all of your bones it's intolerable and without skipping a hearts beat the Lubavitcher ever smiles and he tells the President of Israel mr. Shah czar he says of demouth Minar up kyuseok Daanish ummif and I even saw on the bottom in the Bell that's exactly why God sent down the soul of a Jew to bring warmth to a cold world next time you feel cold next time you get cold don't deny it don't run from it remember that's why you're here it's called of course that's why you were sent here your soul is invincible it can melt the ice and create a glowing warmth in your life in the darkness and in the world around you happy Chanukah this class has brought to you by the achieve Annette please help us continue the classes make even a small contribution at triple w dot the yeshiva dotnet slash donate [Music]