Chutzpa - The Holy Secret of Chanuka
By Rabbi Mitterhoff
The Maharal explains that the spiritual world of the after-life is not available to us in this world because it is beyond our senses and we have no way to represent it to ourselves or to perceive it's reality.
Similarly Rav Yisrael Salanter emphasized that we do not have any direct access to our subconscious yet the foundation of our decisions and actions are rooted there.
Consequently, it appears that our struggle for holiness, righteousness and a spiritual life are in vain. In order to succeed in perfecting our character and reaching completeness (shleimus) our Torah values must penetrate our inner being. How can we expect to overcome the darker side of our personality if we don't even have a way to break through and communicate to our inner self?
Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler in his book Strive for Truth explains that it is this realization that "there is no way out", which actually opens the doors to our inner reserves of strength and heavenly assistance, paving the way for our success.
The dynamics of our "no-win" situation, together with our "must-win" dedication and love of G-d, skyrockets us above the impossible. Miracles only happen when one has reached the end of their ability to succeed. Abraham was saved from the furnace when he accepted the challenge and marched forward to a miracle. (Yalkut Shimoni). The Red sea spilt only when the Israelites jumped in the sea. As it says. "The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them advance." (Shemot -14:15).
During Chanuka it was clear that a handful of Jewish Priests could not defeat a mighty army. However, since there was "no way out" and they accepted their absurd challenge they received a miracle above the bounds of nature. It was this "chutzpa for the sake of G-d" which caused their success beyond any reasonable logic.
The number eight represents that which is beyond the confines of this world. The eight days of Chanuka are here to tell us that if we do the will of our Creator we can succeed beyond all the odds. History has shown us that this has always been the story of the Jewish nation.
Have a Happy Chanuka!
About the Author
Rabbi Eliyahu Mitterhoff is the director of the
Global Yeshiva Forums - the community for Torah and Judaism research. He envisions the Global Yeshiva as a great and unprecedented historic opportunity to share, learn, teach and spread Torah on a global level.
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