As we near the beginning of Chanukkah on Sunday night, I’m thinking about the ways that we not only light up our homes and our windows, but also the lives of those around us and the world. One of my favorite Hanukkah songs has always been Mi Yimalel. The words of the chorus are as follows: שמע בימים ההם בזמן הזה מכבי מושיע ופודה ובימינו כל עם ישראל יתאחד, יקום ויגאל
Listen! In their days at this time, a Macabbee saved and redeemed us. And in our days, all of Israel will unite, rise, and be redeemed.
Admittedly, I’m not sure I’ve paid attention the words of this song much until now. But I’m struck by the last line for a few reasons. First, the verbs “unite, rise, and be redeemed” are all in the future tense - we aren’t there yet. Additionally, the order of these words seems relevant. In our days, in order to rise together, which could then lead to redemption, we must unite first. For the flame of the Jewish people to ascend, our wicks must come together in order to achieve something greater. It’s often hard to reach across boundaries, whether those are political boundaries, ones of social circles or even age. But the light that we bring to the world will be increased based on our ability to come together. We will rise because of our strength as a whole. This year, I hope that Mi Yimalel isn’t just a song that I sing but a message that I take to heart.
As we make our way through the coming week, I look forward to seeing all of your lights, and knowing all the ways that you light up the world around you. As you light your candles, I hope you’ll take a picture and share your celebration with us on Facebook with the hashtag #LightsofBethSholom.
Wishing you all a Chag Urim Sameach, and Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Sarit Horwitz
