The unstoppable force of light

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

There is one thing that I crave to see more of: light. The Bible tells us that the first thing that was created by G-d was light — “And the Lord said let there be light, and there was light."

Why is light so important that it was created before anything else?

In recent weeks and months, the answer has become clearer to me: In a world that sometimes feels so dark and depressing, the greatest antidote is bringing light into it. “Let there be a light!” is an eternal mandate given to each of us to bring light into our hearts, homes and community.

When dark forces wreak havoc on those we love, we can feel powerless to stop them. And while we may not be able to prevent darkness from occurring, we are far from powerless to keep it from spreading.

There is an old Hasidic expression that you don’t fight darkness with sticks and stones; you fight darkness by lighting a match. Of course, the IDF needs to take up arms and fight for Israel, for the Jewish people, for the world. But what can those of us who are thousands of miles away do? How do we ignite the light that dispels pervasive darkness?

Light is relevant every day of the year, as we always need to add brightness to our world. And there’s no better time to focus on light than during the holiday of lights: Chanukah. We start off by lighting one solitary candle, then each day we add another, thus flooding more light into the darkness of winter.

And there is another powerful reason that light is coming to mind. Very soon after the horrific events of Oct. 7, my colleagues and I traveled to our Holy Land of Israel for a mission to support the families who suffered loss and displacement. There, we saw a tremendous amount of darkness. My heart breaks just from thinking about the unimaginable loss and devastation we came face to face with.

At the same time, we witnessed so much light; so much goodness. People who lost so much were full of hope and optimism for the future. They were determined to live and honor the lives and loss of their loved ones. I saw heroes with unbelievable inner strength, and we met people who can never be defeated because their fire and light can not be extinguished.

I came with the intention to bring light and I returned brighter than ever. Even my own sadness and heaviness melted away, warmed in the brightness of the light I witnessed.

Yes, friends, that is why light was created first –– because it is the most potent force on earth.

In a world that sometimes feels so dark and depressing, the greatest antidote is bringing light into it.

Nothing can get in the way of goodness, of justice, of our beloved Israel and our incredible nation. Light will always win.

Yet, there is much darkness, despair and despondency in our world now. The hypocrisy of many people in the face of the loss of Jewish life is maddening. The evil hatred of Jews and their state is terrifying.

So, what do we do about it?

You know the answer: “let there be light!” The powers of darkness have nothing on the light of a menorah, the light of Shabbat candles, the light of a kind deed and a loving word.

So, light your own menorah this Chanukah and witness the magic of light over darkness for yourself. Come to a public menorah lighting and celebrate Jewish pride. Now is the time to shine the power of your own light stronger than ever.

Rabbi Zaklos Fishel serves at Chabad Jewish Center of Naples.