By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
SAN DIEGO — Our sages taught that the entire point of lighting a Chanukah Menorah is pirsumei nisa, “to publicize the miracle of Chanukah.” To accomplish this they instructed that the Menorah be lit at dusk, the time people returned from work in ancient times, and placed outside the front door or in a window. This maximized the number of people who would see it.
Over time Chanukah Menorahs were brought inside. Even though this precluded public viewing, it was permitted in order to prevent anti-Semitic attacks. In times of danger it was not safe for Jews to advertise their differences with their neighbors.
This was not a new phenomenon.
After Joseph insists that his brothers bring Benjamin to Egypt he invited them to a banquet. However, the brothers were seated apart from the other guests. When Joseph ordered that the meal be served, “They served him [Joseph] by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; for the Egyptians could not dine with the Hebrews, since that would be abhorrent to the Egyptians.” (Gen. 43:29)
After Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers and invites them to join him in Egypt, he instructs them to tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds, “For all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians.” (Gen. 46:34) The Hebrews moved to Goshen, far from the center of Egyptian life, culture, and commerce.
In recent years Jews have turned back to the mitzvah of pirsumei nisa, publicizing the miracle of Chanukah. Not only do we place our chanukiyot in our windows, but families also decorate their houses with Chanukah flair. In our neighborhood I have seen Chanukah banners and decorations in windows. Many stores and public spaces also have Chanukah as well as Christmas decorations.
The fight of the Maccabees over their Greek oppressors was first and foremost a battle for freedom of religion. Jews lived peacefully under Greek rule for many years.
As long as they could worship God as they pleased and maintained their cultural independence, they saw no reason to rebel. It was only after Antiochus desecrated the Temple and forbade the study of Torah and the practice of Judaism, that his Jewish subjects rose up against him.
In the United States and in many other countries Jews are guaranteed the freedom to worship as they please. That we feel safe, secure, and at home here in the United States is evidenced by our willingness to celebrate our faith in public, rather than in hiding.
As we light our chanukiyot this week, let us celebrate not only the miracle of the Maccabees’ success and the miracle of the oil, but also the modern day miracles of living in a country where we are free to be different, and once again having a homeland to call our own.
I wish you and your families a very happy Chanukah and a Shabbat Shalom.
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Rabbi Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego. A He may be contacted at leonard.rosenthal@sdjewishworld.com