Rabbi Shaya's Thoughts

Chanukah is a time that brings us happiness and joy. Yet, this past week our Jewish world has faced tragedies – that is in the plural. Too many innocent lives have been cut short by terrorists in Sydney, Australia. Intentionally, during a Chanukah celebration.

As a broad and united community, we ask two resounding questions: Why? How can G-d allow this to happen!?

We might never be able to answer the questions. However, we can and should look into the holy words of the Torah for strength and encouragement.

In this week’s Torah portion we read a similar story, the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph has already become a vizier in Egypt and his brothers arrive in Egypt to buy food. Joseph, in an official capacity, tells his brothers that he will hold Shimon captive until they bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, back to Egypt with them. They approach Joseph to defend themselves against his actions. (At this point they don’t know that Joseph is their brother). While in Joseph’s presence, they argue amongst themselves as to what caused this tragedy to befall them. The brothers say, “Perhaps it is payback for what we have done to our brother Joseph, that we sold him as a slave, and now G-d is punishing us.” The result of this way of thinking was that they repented for their sin of selling Joseph into slavery and eventually circumstances turned, and it all worked out.

If we analyze this event in the Torah, we see that the tragedy in and of itself is terrible. The brothers had a choice as to how to respond: Should they blame others for their predicament or learn a lesson for themselves? They chose to do some soul searching. In this case, they felt that they might have been guilty, so they repented. However, even though not every time tragedy strikes are those involved guilty, a lesson can always be learned.

We are in the midst of the holiday of Chanukah. Chanukah is a time when we bring light into the world. Yes, it is true that with the loss of the fifteen beautiful souls the world became a much darker place, but the choice is ours: Do we add even more light to fight that darkness, or do we allow the darkness to permeate our lives?

If there is a lesson to take from the Torah portion and Chanukah it is this: The choice is ours. How do we want to see the world, through the prism of light or the prism of darkness? Do we want to do something to bring more light into the world by lighting the Chanukah candles, even through our tears? Or do we just give up hope?

My vote is to go along with the “tribes of Israel.” Look at the good, take stock of our lives, and become a Maccabee! Add some light! Do an extra Mitzvah in memory of the victims.

May we only know of happy occasions and many more Simchot in our community!

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanukah

There is a story told about the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the Chabad movement, who was arrested in Russia on the charge of “teaching Judaism to the masses.” While being transported to prison, a journey that took a few days, Shabbat arrived. Since it is forbidden to travel on Shabbat, the Alter rebbe asked the guards to stop on the side of the road for the duration of Shabbat. Refusing his request, they continued to travel. Suddenly, one of the wagon wheels fell off. After it was repaired, another wheel fell off. Then another. Finally, his guards realized they were not dealing with a simple Jew, and they agreed to camp on the side of the road for the length of Shabbat.

This story is as puzzling as it is fascinating. If the Rebbe was able to perform miracles to get what he wanted, why didn’t he perform a miracle that would allow him to return home? Why did he allow himself to be taken prisoner?

We find this story genre parallel in this week’s Torah portion, Vayeishev. We read that Joseph went down to Egypt. The Hebrew term used to express this descent into Egypt is “hurad.” The Midrash notes that the root of this word is connected to the word that means a kiln. Joseph descended into a kiln; just as a piece of pottery is placed into intense fire and emerges complete, so too was Joseph’s descent into Egypt. Although it began with hardship, it ended in greatness.

Joseph’s story is the story of our lives. Things can seem incredibly challenging at first. With time and effort, we can not only emerge stronger, but eventually recognize that the reward came because of the difficulty itself.

Joseph understood this. Later, Jacob understood this. And throughout the ages, Jews have come to experience this truth many times over.

The Alter Rebbe took this lesson a step further. He understood that not everyone facing a challenge can perform a miracle and stop their troubles. Yet he, who could have saved himself, chose not to—because he appreciated that there is value in going through the process. Not only because it ends well, but because the good is found in the beginning as well. In other words, he recognized that the reward would come not because of the difficulty, but within the difficulty itself.

This week, we celebrated the 19^th of Kislev, the anniversary of his release from imprisonment. He taught us that not only can the bad turn into good, but that we must find the good within the bad. There is always a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.

Let’s go uncover the good.