Is there a last day to Hanukkah, technically yes, but there is nothing wrong with celebrating Hanukkah all December long. Does Hanukkah end tomorrow? Three days from now, no, did it end yesterday? Will it end with the coming of the Jewish Fast Day in January? Maybe since the lights were lighted in the Temple for eight days, an eternal light, then there is really never an end to Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah!
She came to visit without a white beard or red and white Santa suit. The twinkle of Santa's eye in her own eyes? Her hair is blonde and her eyes are blue, enticingly gorgeous, high class, who is she? She is a person of endearing lovingkindness, a Jewish female, who is doing her job, her occupation to be an Angel and to visit people who appreciate her presence.
No, she does not call herself a "missionary" on a "mission" she instead asks if she can learn from you, that she does not know all the answers, but what she wants is for your happiness, how she can help improve your life. What is it that you need that she can provide?
She is a Social Worker, has a job where she is paid to help you. Not enough work even though the whole world is crying for help. What does she charge? She does not even ask you for money, her help to you is forthcoming, she believes in what she is doing, she wants to elevate your status, she wants you to feel loved, she is on your side.
She gets along with anyone and everyone, she is guided by the Torah and as she sees your improvement, she has achievement in this way, the better off you are, the happier she is. She wants what is best for you, and your achievements are her achievements. The better you do, the better she does as she encourages you.
Can Santa Claus really be a Social Worker who is a Jewish female? She does not come down sliding through a dirty chimney, instead she can walk welcomed through your front door.
Can we keep our Kosher diet as we travel from party to party, festivity to festivity, served on plates with forks not Kosher purified? How can we keep our commitment to Adonai and stay pure as we skip from house to house, dining room to dining room, meal to meal? Is it appropriate to ask if there is meat included in the sauce? What about getting potent alcohol in dessert sauces? Can we turn down what we do not want to eat, but eat the rest?
All it takes is to ask the chef if there is meat or no meat included in a dish. To try to eat vegan, only the Kosher greens and veggies, this will not only be the healthiest way to eat, as well as the most tasty. God told us not to eat the pork. His Words as we see them in His commandments for us is not to eat the blood either that is in the meats. We need to eat only meat without the blood, and to avoid pork at all costs. This is not difficult. You must be sure of yourself and obligated to follow the rules as God has set them down. How will this change us? For the better indeed.
Know what it is that you want and desire, work towards those goals, spread good cheer to others, as during this season we are all devoted to the observance of love and respect for all humanity.
Be the good example to others, eat Kosher and eat healthy.
From where is your treasure, what do you have, what don't you have, what do you want, what can you live with or without?
Having the love of God from God Himself, to ask of Him everyday to nurse you as though you were His baby, a suckling at your Mother's breasts, nibbling on Christmas cookies we also call Hanukkah cookies.
The colors green and red being as the Zohar says "the colors of evil and sin". Combining red and green as paints mixed to get the color brown, brown being the color of the rich soil of a farmer's field.
A Christmas tree taking on the name of Hanukkah "Bush" a tree like the bush where Moses saw God, it was a burning bush. To smell the fumes of a match or lighter to remember in December your family gathered around bon fires and BBQ's in your backyards or on retreats in the woods. Family reunions toasting to the good health of everyone.
Meeting a Santa Claus in the smile of your neighborhood Rabbi, as he carries bags of books, a Menorah, Hanukkah cookies, and cranberry juice straight to your front door. Not to slide down a chimney like a dusty chimney sweep, gathering coal dust on Santa's white and red suit. A drop of red juice spilled like a teardrop or spot of blood on the Rabbi's pure white shirt, spilling it while serving. Pure as snow, his snow-white beard, even with this spot on his lapel. Words of purity spoken, words "d'varim" straight from the Torah itself, words sung like a Cantor but sung by a Rabbi who wears many hats.
A Cat In The Hat? Why to wear a hat? A Kippah to cover a bald spot, as if made specifically for this purpose? Needing enough hair to clip on the Yarmulke. A pure white bushy beard as perfect as the fur of the Red Hefer, but draped in a triangle sitting relaxed on the Rabbi's chest. but bouncing up and down as he chuckles and laughs.
No, a Hanukkah Menorah does not hurt and is not meant to burn down property or scare someone into submission to avoid its burns. A finger can strum through each Menorah candle like a guitar string in a wisp without getting a burn or feeling any discomfort. This is truly a miracle of this Holiday season! Being able to flip your finger over the hot flames of the Menorah is truly an incredible miracle!!
To then use clean hands to shake the hands of a friend, to open the Torah, to read and to write, to send Holiday cheer to everyone you encounter who you can please.
A Christmas tree is a Hanukkah Bush, the same in every home, we are more alike than different, as this tree accommodates all of humanity, under One God.
Which do you do best? Thinking or feeling? Is thinking a better talent than feeling? Which do you prefer for your own self? From others? Is feeling an unstable action and thinking stable and even keel?
How can we enlighten ourselves to feel instead of think? What are our feelings? We need to act out our six senses in order to feel. Sight, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, prophesizing. To think, we need to test our numbers, do mathematics and use the written words. Is one way better than another? Can we enlighten our entire brain, and do it all?
There is not one commandment in the Torah that one cannot do. All commandments are humanly possible. In following these commandments, all 613, we are putting our brain in safeguard. If there is no abuse, abuse by others towards you, or abuse by you towards others, the commandments are said to be all in effect. In this safety, this calmness, a place without anxiety, lies the peacefulness of prayer. To know your blessings, memorization, to pray often and to love each thought as it comes to mind as you pray, freedom of thought, one thought after the other coming and going in the brain. To welcome all thoughts, to understand yourself and be good to oneself and others.
A holiday season upcoming. A prayer during Chanukah for the safety of all our men in the military service, a prayer for all good people, a prayer for our loved ones as well as all humanity.
