THE SMALL WEAK FLAME CONTINUES TO BURN
Among the many lessons of Chanukah is the power of the minority. We find this quality is underscored in the Al Hanisim that is said multiple times a day throughout Chanukah. The composers of this prayer equate the purity and the righteousness of our people to their being weak and few in numbers. Certainly, purity and righteous-ness qualify us and make us worthy of victory. But how does being weak and few in numbers make us worthy of victory?
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch posits that the minority have a distinct advantage over the majority with regards to safeguarding the causes they hold dear. Intuitively, we ascribe superiority to those who gain numerical and physical greatness. It is, however, ironically reverse. That very advantage of being the majority and possessing greater physical strength brings about the undoing of the original cause around which that group came into being.
When the people whose cause wins the masses and the group of followers grow in numbers and strength they will quickly lose sight of their cause and will attribute their greatness to their number and strength. The cause which gave birth to their group and was emblazoned on their flag will now become only a byline on that flag. They will move on to other notions as the masses choose.
If, however, the cause is supported by only a small group that have no great strength, then those adherents will remain strong in their commitment to the cause and will dedicate themselves to that cause. Although they are small and weak, their focus on the cause is not lost on distractions.
There is one more aspect that the small in number and the weak in strength have over their counterparts. Their dedication to their cause is absolutely pure. There are no other motives that drive them to support their cause. There are no numbers and there is no strength to attract them to the cause. All there is – is the cause. The intent of the adherents are pure with no other motivation.
As we apply this principle to our cause, the Torah, which demands our relentless pursuit of her knowledge and meticulous observance of her mitzvos how much more so will the adherents to her be committed to the cause.
As we look to the non-Jewish holidays of our current season, do we not find how far away they have drifted from the cause that they are celebrating. Yes, they are great in numbers and great in strength but their cause has been replaced with utter meaninglessness. While there are still signs and slogans reminiscent of that cause, they ring hollow.
Unfortunately, this is true even with our own beloved Chanukah which celebrates the victory of the silent subtle beauty of the little lights at the doors of every Jewish home and house of worship. These little lights have been commercialized for purposes of publicity and politics. The very lights which symbolize the beauty and steadfastness of the small and the weak are used today as symbols of greatness of numbers and political strength.
As our community continues to grow in numbers and in strength may these small little Chanukah candles remind us that the victory of our cause remains with the small and the weak.
Have a wonderful Shabbos Chanuka!
Paysach Diskind