| By the Grace of G-d
7 Kislev, 5786 Dear Mr. Chroman We're now a full week into the incredible Jewish month of Kislev. Overflowing with light and liberation, holiness and celebration, Kislev carries within it some of the deepest currents of Jewish history and spirit. Two of the month's most famous holidays are: 19-20 Kislev, when the founder of the Chabad chassidic movement, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (known as "the Alter Rebbe"), emerged victorious from Czarist imprisonment and initiated an unprecedented campaign to disseminate the Torah's deepest secrets for life. Whereas the false charges of treason were aimed at terminating the Alter Rebbe's efforts, they became instead the catalyst for the wellsprings of Torah to flow more widely and deeply than ever before. Chanukah, when in the face of unfathomable odds a small group of Jews declared their determination to hold steadfast to the Jewish faith, and G-d helped them to miraculously overcome their enemies and reclaim the Temple -- and, most famously, to experience the great miracle of the small jug of pure olive oil, enough for only one day, shine brightly for eight days. The darkness of that era was a battle for the soul of the Jew, when a powerful empire sought to sever the Jewish people from their inner holiness, to cloud the purity at the heart of our relationship with G-d. The war was a deliberate threat aimed at dimming the flame of the Jewish people. Yet from within that pressure, indeed, because of that pressure, a new and miraculous light emerged. The purest oil, the oil that casts the clearest and brightest flame, is drawn from pressing the olive. This, our Sages teach, is also the story of the Jewish people across generations. When our very connection to G-d and His Torah is threatened, when our soul is put under pressure, its spark asserts itself with immense clarity to bring forth the purest of light. Chanukah and 19 Kislev teach us that when the world presses hard, the beautiful fuel of pure faith flows forth and illuminates the world. * * * We've all been witness to this phenomenon in our own modern times, as our dear brother and sister hostages share their awe-inspiring stories about the reservoirs of faith and connection and unity and love of G-d that they discovered during their unfathomable ordeals in captivity, and the strength that this gave them throughout their time underground. And for all of us who were thankfully spared their suffering, when we feel challenged to find light in a world that appears to be filled with darkness, when truth is obscured and certain numeric odds appear to work against us, the message of Kislev reminds us, too, to reach within ourselves to find the light and faith that we each possess, and to illuminate the world around us. No amount of darkness can extinguish or even obscure the essential pure light of the soul! * * * Throughout these past few difficult years, Chabad.org has indeed been right there for the many, many who need it. Whether they seek inspiration, guidance, knowledge, or 'just' a listening ear or shoulder to lean on, millions across the globe have turned to us for clarity, for strength, and for inspiration, and continue to do so up until this very minute. The miracle of Kislev continues into our generation—transforming captivity into redemption, concealment into revelation, and darkness into light. It is your partnership that enables us to be there for them, to help reveal light and faith and joy in their lives. * * * As millions across the United States sit down now to thank G-d for His abundant goodness—beginning with the freedom to freely and openly proclaim our faith in that very goodness!—we ask that we each be granted ever greater strength of character and spirit to reveal from deep within ourselves our essential faithfulness in the Eye that Sees and the Ear that Hears, and to illuminate the entire world to thank G-d, Creator of us all. May the light you help reveal shine abundantly upon you and your loved ones, and may this month bring increased blessings, warmth and enduring illumination to you, to the Jewish people, and to the entire world. With deep appreciation, 
Rabbi Zalman Shmotkin
Executive Director
P.S. To explore the themes of Kislev and Chanukah—and tonight's Thanksgiving—here are several resources to learn and share:
• Thanksgiving: Three Celebrations, One Message
• What Is Chanukah?
• How to Light the Menorah
• The Meaning of "Crushed for Light"
• Yud Tes Kislev: The Liberation of the Alter Rebbe
• Chanukah Insights and Stories for All Ages | 
No comments:
Post a Comment