Chanukah is a holiday about miracles. Whether it’s the traditional tale of finding a canister of oil in the destroyed Temple, igniting it into a flame that lasts for not one, but eight nights or whether it’s the story of the miraculous Maccabee fighting spirit – either way it’s miraculous. Perhaps Matisyahu, Jewish reggae-rap star, says it best in his song “Miracle:”

Do you believe in miracles

Am I hearing you, so am I seeing you

Eight nights eight lights and these rites keep me right

Bless me to the highest heights with your miracle 

That’s really the question for us each night of Chanukah. Do we believe in miracles? How do we define miracles? Have we written off the miraculous to fanciful Biblical tales way back when or silly beliefs for religious folks who don’t want to face the facts? Have we become so complacent with the marvels of nature, the achievements within science or the heroics of the human spirit that we no longer count these among the miraculous?  Have we become so rigid and jaded that we have lost our ability to see, hear and feel the miracles all around us? Do we not see our spouse, our parent, our children ourselves, the reality that we are here, the fact that we are together, the profundity that we can give and receive love – all as miracles?

As you gather round the menorah with your family take a moment and ask yourself – what are the miracles in your life? Ask others to share the miracles in theirs. And as you stand there, with family, with friends, with community or even in the holiness of solitude take note of the miracles in your life.

Do you believe in miracles

Am I hearing you, so am I seeing you 

Eight nights eight lights and these rites keep me right

Bless me to the highest heights with your miracle 

Happy Chanukah,

Rabbi B

Rabbi Baruch HaLevi

www.RabbiB.com

www.RevolutionOfJewishSpirit.com

Rabbi B is co-author of the new book: Revolution of the Jewish Spirit: How to Revive Ruakh in Your Spiritual Life, Transform Your Synagogue & Inspire Your Jewish Community [Paperback & Kindle] Rabbi Baruch HaLevi and Ellen Frankel, Jewish Lights Publishing (September 30, 2012)

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