Machshava:

Chanukah 

Collections: Rabbi Weinberger: Chanuka

Description

The main point of the Chanuka candles is to see them. Looking at the Chanuka menorah removes all the impurity that we have previously seen. Our physical eyes mislead us; we have to use our mind’s eyes. The Greeks tried to force us to use our physical eyes, and we counteract that with the menorah. Eliezer checked if Rivka Imeinu (Rivka our foremother) was able to see correctly. Rivka Imeinu covered her physical eyes so that she could see through her mind. A tzadik sees the potential of a person, not who the person is at the moment. The Chashmonim saw the holy essence of the Jews. We have to see what the world will be in the time of Moshiach (Messiah). Yosef Hatzadik saw his father telling him who he could be. We eat fish on Shabbos because on Shabbos we have a clearer perspective of the world. A good educator sees the potential in every child.