זאת חנוכה

The eighth day of chanukah is called וזאת חנוכה based on the words we read in the Torah. But there is more. The Greeks didn't get to the pure vial of oil that had the seal of the kohen gadol. The kohen gadol goes into the holy of holies בזאת יבוא אהרן אל הקודש. AH! There is the זאת again. Chazal say that בזאת "with this" is referring to the BRIS MILAH. In the merit of bris milah Aharon entered the holy of holies. The bris is performed on the ... 8th day!

Seven is nature. There are six directions in the physical world: Up, down, north, south, east and west. The internal point of our physical reality is the seventh dimension. That is Shabbos and Shmitta - the seven that gives nature its existence.

Eight? Eight transcends nature. In the merit of bris milah, called "os bris kodesh", Aharon entered the holy of holies. The Greeks were able to defile all seven dimensions of nature. But the eighth, that level of kohen gadol, of the holy of holies, of bris milah, the Greeks couldn't touch.

This generation has suffered an assault on the kedushas ha-bris. The billboards, television, movies, internet etc. etc. puts us all [including people like me whom they call "Rabbi". Rabbis have yetzer haras too, as my yetzer reminds me many times a day...] in a very precarious situation. It has been said that one stroll down a New York City street poses more challenges to a Jew than he had in 70 years of life in a Polish shtetl.

What should we do? This זאת חנוכה we should try to merit our own entry into the holy of holies by guarding the bris.

So guys - keep your heads in Torah, chesed, tefilla, family and parnasa. Be too busy for your yetzer hara. When we go on vacation the yetzer goes to work.

Ladies - You probably just want to look good and have no evil intentions to entrap unsuspecting men in sin [if you read this blog... Not every woman is such a tzadekes]. But due to chemicals Hashem put in the male body in order to ensure the propogation of the species, when a guy sees you he is liable to lose ALL of the spirituality he might have acquired. The midda is called "yesod" which means foundation. If there is no foundation there is no building. By focusing on your internal world you help others focus on there own.

That makes the world a more spiritual place filled with light. When then Kohen exited the holy of holies his face was shining.

[Based in part on the Maharal]