| The days of Chanukah are days of thanksgiving, as it is written:
"They established these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise…"
(Likutey Moharan, Part II, Torah 2). How much joy and hope these days bring to the Jewish people. Chanukah is perhaps the most widely observed Jewish holiday across all communities and throughout the Diaspora—a festival in which a small light reveals the inner spark of Jewishness and ignites it with warmth, hope, and spiritual victory. The Greeks were known for their great wisdom—Greek philosophy, the sages of Athens, intellectual brilliance. So what was the problem with their wisdom?
Rebbe Nachman writes in Likutey Moharan Torah 1: "One who does not connect himself to the intellect, wisdom, and vitality that exist in everything—this is the aspect of Esav, who despised the birthright, meaning the intellect, as it says (Proverbs 18:2): 'A fool desires no understanding, only the expression of his own heart.'" When the purpose of intellect is merely to serve desire, it has no true foundation or endurance. Look at the world today, especially Western culture: how much deep intelligence goes into building massive media and communication systems—and yet, how many people, as a result, feel lonely, empty, or driven to despair? How much is the world essentially consuming itself, especially in recent years? This is the wisdom and culture of Greece: life as a game, everything as "pretend." Their culture was filled with theater and spectacle—an escape from reality. To see, in the same moment, a brutal act of violence followed immediately by a cheerful advertisement for a dream vacation in Hawaii. The mind becomes completely overwhelmed, and the heart only craves more and more stimulation and desire—until it feels as though everything is lost and despair gnaws at every corner. And then comes the light of Chanukah—a small, flickering flame that reminds us: we are Jews. We must strengthen ourselves with all our might—with joy, with gratitude to Hashem, by remembering the many kindnesses He has already shown us. And then, that small light overcomes all the darkness in the world. The wisdom of Greece is erased. It is a constant battle—but in the end, holiness will prevail.
Never give up.
Rejoice.
Give thanks and praise.
Pray. Chanukah Sameach. | 
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