Kindle the menorah — share the light

Hanukkah is the holiday of light. We light the menorah every night for eight nights — one candle on the first night (this year starting on Dec. 24 after sunset), then again each night, adding one more candle every night.   

In today’s day and age everything is electric. Many homes may not even have matches. Lighting the menorah requires candles and a real flame. When all candles are lit on the final night, the menorah is truly a spectacle — so much warmth and so much light! It’s so exciting, especially to our children. Many people may use their beautiful electric menorah at the window, but the real mitzvah is fulfilled only with candles and real fire.

Why fire?

Any physical substance, when spread, becomes thin but not with fire.
When you use one candle to light another, the original candle remains bright. Its light is not diminished by being shared; on the contrary, the two candles together enhance each other’s brightness and increase light.

One can light many thousands of candles from a single candle without losing the slightest amount of original light. In fact, surrounded by other lit candles, it stands in even more light.

Our soul can also ignite many other souls, making them aware of life's purpose, and then it becomes even more illuminated.

We sometimes worry that we may stretch ourselves too thin. In matters of spirit, this is never the case. The more goodness we spread, the more goodness we have. When we make a new friend, we become a better friend to our old friends.

By having another child, you open a new path of love in your heart that your other children benefit from, too. Teachers know that by sharing their knowledge, they become wiser.

There is an endless supply of light in your soul. You will never run out of goodness. Light the menorah, light it with candles, spread out the light of mitzvot and good deeds, and have a  happy and meaningful Hanukkah.

Join us on Wednesday, Dec. 28 in Grant Park for our annual Hanukkah on Ice from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, go to jewishhewlett.com.

If you need a menorah and candles to celebrate, please contact me at rabbi@jewishhewlett.com.

Rabbi Nocem Tenenboim is the spiritual leader of the Chabad of Hewlett.