Tobias Divack Moss Instagram @ThatJewishRabbiT Faceboook.com/ThatJewishRabbiT December 4, 2017
Hanukkah: Rededication on Every Level Hanukkah Acquires New Meaning Over Time
Temple in Jerusalem Celebrate the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple, after the Greeks had defiled it.
Diaspora, Synagogues and Homes Ourselves Celebrate our country, synagogues Celebrate Hanukkah and homes as by rededicating places where we ourselves to our achieve the ideals of own commitments, Judaism. and to others through generosity.
Rededicating the Temple Josephus--Antiquities, Book XII (Roman-Jewish Scholar, 94 CE) When therefore the generals of Antiochus's armies had been beaten so often, Judas assembled the people together, and told them, that after these many victories which God had given them, they ought to go up to Jerusalem, and purify the temple, and offer the appointed sacrifices. But as soon as he, with the whole multitude, was come to Jerusalem, and found the temple deserted, and its gates burnt down, and plants growing in the temple of their own accord, on account of its desertion, he and those that were with him began to lament, and were quite confounded at the sight of the temple.
So he chose out some of his soldiers, and gave them order to fight against those guards that were in the citadel, until he should have purified the temple. When therefore he had carefully purged it, and had brought in new vessels, the candlestick, the table, and the incense altar, which were made of gold, he hung up the veils at the gates, and added doors to them. He also took down the burntoffering altar, and built a new one of stones that he gathered together, and not of such as were hewn with iron tools. So on the five and twentieth day of the month Kislev, they lighted the lamps that were on the candlestick, and offered incense upon the altar [of incense], and laid the loaves upon the table and offered burntofferings upon the new altar. Then Judas celebrated the festival of the restoration of the sacrifices of the temple for eight days, and omitted no sort of pleasures thereon; but he feasted them upon very rich and splendid sacrifices; and he honored God, and delighted them by hymns and psalms. Nay, they were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when, after a long time of intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom of their worship, that they made it a law for their posterity, that they should keep a festival, on account of the restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights. I suppose the reason was, because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to that festival. Mishnah Middot 2:2 (Rabbinic Text, approx. 200CE) All who would enter the temple mount entered toward the right, and would encircle it and exit through the left. However, one who was troubled, he would encircle it from the left. If he was asked "Why are you encircling towards the left?" If he would answer "Because I am a mourner.� And the people would respond "May God who rests in this house comfort you". If he would answer "Because I am excommunicated", they would respond "May God who dwells in this house put affect the judges' hearts so they will draw you near". These are the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosi said to him Rabbi Meir "You have made as if the judges have exceeded the law in their excommunication against him. Rather the people would respond, "May God who dwells in this house affect your heart that you will listen to the words of your colleagues and they will draw you near".
Rededicating Where We Are: Country, Home and Synagogue Rock of Ages-Interpretive American Translation of Maoz Tzur (Late 1800s) Rock of Ages, let our song, praise Thy saving power; Thou, amidst the raging foes, wast our sheltering tower. Furious they assailed us, but Thine arm availed us, And Thy Word broke their sword, when our own strength failed us. And Thy Word broke their sword, when our own strength failed us. Kindling new the holy lamps, priests, approved in suffering, Purified the nation's shrine, brought to God their offering. And His courts surrounding, hear, in joy abounding, Happy throngs, singing songs with a mighty sounding. Happy throngs, singing songs with a mighty sounding. Children of the martyr race, whether free or fettered, Wake the echoes of the songs where ye may be scattered. Yours the message cheering that the time is nearing Which will see, all men free, tyrants disappearing. Which will see, all men free, tyrants disappearing.
Two Projects at B’nai Jeshurun NYC Celebrating Mikdash Me’at #MyMikdash Project at BJ—created by Cantor David Mintz Our tradition teaches that the Jewish home should be considered a mikdash me’at—a small sanctuary. We embody this idea each time we light the hanukkiah and bring some of the light from the mikdash into our own homes. But the holiness in our homes might look like many things: a beautifully set Shabbat table, a mezuzah hanging on the doorway, children playing together, or even the serenity of a good book and a hot cup of tea. As we enter the month of Kislev and approach Hanukkah, we invite you to share some of these moments with our BJ community and show us what makes your home holy. We invite you to share your image, video, or thoughts with the BJ community in one of these ways: Share it on Twitter or Instagram with the #MyMikdash hashtag Email it to mymikdash@bj.org
BJ Under One Roof Dedication & Hanukkah Celebration BJ members are invited to join us for an afternoon of celebration, as we formally dedicate our new, expansive space, celebrate our mikdash, and mark this incredible moment in the life of our community. Sunday 12/17 •
4:30PM | Hanukkat Habayit Dedication
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5:15PM | Festive Reception
Rededicating Ourselves Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels (Mechon Hadar Hanukkah Divrei Torah 5774) The word Chanukah means to dedicate. We call the holiday Chanukah because of the rededication of the Temple which took place at that time. Yet this rededication, this preparation of the Temple so that God could once again dwell in it, was not simply a onetime event, but is rather a project we are called upon to engage in every day. The Hasidic Master R. Zadok HaKohen of Lublin (1823-1900) teaches that the meaning of “The Chanukah of the Hasmoneans is that everyone is able to make a rededication of the House so that God dwells in his heart.” The holiday of Chanukah is therefore an invitation for us to prepare a house for the divine to dwell in, the abode of the heart. The house in which God can dwell, R. Zadok teaches, is precisely the human heart. Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone, “I’m Dreaming of a Mussar Hanukkah” (2014) The core of mussar practice is working one one’s soul-traits, called Tikkun Ha-Middot. Middot also means dimensions. Indeed, the inner world of a human mind/soul is multi-dimensional. A particular middah that comes to mind each December is Nedivut, which is Generosity. In the Jewish tradition, there are two kinds of giving. One is right from the heart, which is called “t’rumah,” which means “an elevated gift.” This comes from neither obligation nor out of guilt, but rather out of the pure generosity of the heart. The other kind is called “tzedakah,” which is obligated giving that is an expression of a commitment, whether or not the heart is moved to act.