Hanukkah SymbolsThe Inner Light of HanukkahPure Olive Oil~Crown of Hanukkah Symbols Just as the dove brought light to the world, so too, will you bring olive oil and light it before Me. Midrash Tanchuma, Tetzaveh 5  The dove is a pure, kosher bird to which the Jewish people are compared. We see this in Shir haShirim 5:2 when Hashem describes us as: “My love, My yonah, My dove, My perfect one...” The dove was so beloved that tradition has it that he was always perched on Noach’s shoulder. We see this when we read that Noah released the dove mi’ito, “from his side,” to search for signs of life after the rains of the flood had ceased. Sent away from this intimate place near her caretaker, the dove returns to the ark carrying the branch of an olive in her mouth. Then Noach understood that the land was ready to give life sustaining food again. But there was more. The olive at first, appears to be only food, but we know its product, oil, produces light. Our sages say that at its essence, the olive’s greatest potential is to reveal miracles hidden in nature. The Origin of the Chanukah LightOlive oil is of deep significance in Hanukkah symbols. There is a tradition that Noach squeezed the oil from the very olive brought by the dove, gave the vial to his son Shem who entrusted it to Avraham. From Avraham it was passed it along throughout the generations until King David hid it in the Beis HaMikdash, waiting until the time for which it was destined.This vial was the nes pach shemen, the miracle vial of oil the Maccabees used to light the Menorah and rededicate the Temple. This is the vial of pure olive oil that transcended the laws of nature and miraculously burned for eight days.
The mission of every Jew is, by living and working within the boundaries of the natural world, to transcend by dedicating every action to revealing G-dliness. "Just as the dove brought light to the world" when he returned to the ark with the olive branch, the Midrash hints that we will each recognize the hidden potential that lies within us to bring the light of Hashem to the entire world.
The Inner Celebration of HanukkahEvery soul is like the nes pach shemen. Just as the vial of oil carried the seal of the High priest, the Kohen Gadol certifying purity, there is always a small compartment hidden within us that remains pure and perfect. Sealed and waiting for the time when we feel defiled and distant, this pristine part of our soul is always ready to fuel the wakening pintele yid, no matter how distant we feel.You could say that we are each endowed with an olive branch, the assets and challenges we need to reveal our own measure of the light of Hashem. The crown of Hanukkah symbols, the flames of the menorah-- and candles lit every Friday night as well, remind us that Hashem is ready to help us rise above our nature and reveal His light to the world. The flame reflects our soul, our pure and perfect essence. Centuries after the Chanukah miracle, the fact that we still light the menorah every year should reassure us that the final miracle of redemption is on the horizon. It depends on us. As long as we like the dove hold fast to our burning desire to return again to our Caretaker’s side.
 Photographed by Chayim B. Alevsky Learn more about Hanukkah symbols and traditions that
The book of Torah insights, recipes and practical tips designed to bring majesty to the mundane.
|
May the King of the Universe to help us see the light hidden in every gift and challenge, and help us to use these opportunities to bring our individual measure of light into the world. 