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To
My Dear Students,
Chanukah
is the only Jewish holiday that spans two months
(the end of Kislev and the beginning of Tevet).
This means that Chanukah always contains a Rosh
Chodesh (First day of the Month) within it.
Why is that?
Rosh Chodesh is the renewal of the moon and of
the month. This is the theme of Chanukah:
the renewal of the spirit of dedication of the
Jews and the renewal of the Service in the ancient
Temple of Jerusalem that they cleansed and re-dedicated.
The Jewish people are compared to the moon --
sometimes their fate seems to darken and fade
away, but we are always confident that it will
be renewed in the future. This too is a
pattern that sometimes reflects our relationship
with G-d. There are ups and downs.
There are peaks and valleys. It waxes and
it wanes. Rosh Chodesh demonstrates that
there can be renewal. There can be a new
moon. The moon returns. It can get
bigger.
This is why Chanukah is connected with Rosh Chodesh.
The whole theme of Chanukah is that the Jewish
people's relationship with G-d slackened, waned,
and faded; but then the Jewish people came back
and their relationship with G-d was fully renewed
to its previous exalted level.
Shabbat
Shalom v'Chag Sameach!
Your
Rabbi
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