Hanukah is one of two holidays that the Rabbis instituted to celebrate great miracles that happened to our nation, the other, of course, being Purim.
Several differences exist between the way we observe Hanukah and the way we observe Purim. The most obvious difference has to do with feasting. On Purim, we are obligated to have a large, festive meal to celebrate our victory over Haman. But on Hanukah, although it is customary for families and friends to get together for parties, there is no technical requirement to have a special se’udah (meal) on Hanukah like there is on Purim. The famous reason given is that in the time of the Purim story, we faced a physical threat, as Haman wanted to kill all the Jews, and so we celebrate with our bodies, by eating and drinking. During the time of the Hanukah story, however, the Greeks did not want to kill the Jews, but rather wanted to prevent them from observing their religion. Therefore, we celebrate by saying Hallel and lighting candles to recall the rededication of the Bet Ha’mikdash, rather than by feasting.
But there is also another very important difference.
On Purim, we have a Megillah, which we read as part of our celebration. The story of the Purim miracle was written down in a text that is part of the Tanach, and we read it each year on Purim. On Hanukah, however, we have no text. There is no Megillah about the Hanukah miracle that we read.
One Rabbi explained that the reason is because the story of the Hanukah miracle is still being written.
The Jews at the time waged a heroic struggle against the influence of the Greeks. And we are still waging that battle, to this day – the battle to maintain our purity, our values and our principles. It’s been some 2,000 years since the Hanukah story, and this struggle is still going on. We’re still writing the story.
There are many places here in the United States where this battle is being lost. These are places with large shuls with lots of empty seats, and the other seats filled only with elderly Jews. These are communities which did not fight the battle hard enough, which did not do enough to impress upon their children the importance of Torah, which did not withstand the financial pressures of leading an observant lifestyle.
We win this battle by reminding ourselves that the battle is worth it. Yes, it’s very hard paying tuition, keeping all the mitzvot, and committing ourselves to all the Torah’s obligations. But it is SO WORTH IT!
The Mishnah in Pirkeh Avot teaches, מרבה תורה מרבה חיים – the more Torah we have, the more life we have. If we want to live life to its fullest, we need to have Torah in it. This is the only way. Torah gives us wisdom, refined characters, faith, encouragement, commitment to family, self-discipline, and a sense of purpose. These are the ingredients for a happy and meaningful life.
When things get hard, we need to remind ourselves this: living a Torah life is AWESOME. Yes, it is not perfect, there are challenges, and it can be difficult at times, but it is the key to being happy and fulfilled.
May we always proudly continue the struggle of the Jews of the Hanukah story, and may we always experience the unparalleled joy and satisfaction that Torah and mitzvot bring.