Chanukah’s Message

Question

On a spiritual level, what is the most important message to learn from the holiday of Hannukah?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    Perhaps the most important lesson of Chanukah is what the Ramban points out. Chanukah is the only time in Jewish history when we went to war to be able to learn Torah. All other times that we had to go to war, were because our lives were in danger. But the Greeks did not threaten us with physical annihilation. Rather, the threat was a spiritual one. The Greeks tried their best to destroy Jewish life by forcing their culture onto Jewish life. That is why the Mitzvos of Chanukah are not physical. For example, there are no obligations to eat festive meals – the Mitzvah of Chanukah is spiritual. The lighting of the Menorah (anything based on fire in Judaism is always spiritual in its essence) is an act that is completely spiritual, which is why we are not allowed to get any physical benefit from the lights of the Menorah.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team