A CHRISTMAS TREE IS A HANUKKAH BUSH

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.