Why does the gemara say that the mitzva of lighting a chanuka candle is נר איש וביתו - a candle for a man and his HOME? Why would a mitzva devolve on a HOME? Mitzvos are for PEOPLE, not for homes??
The Greeks didn't only want to uproot our material infrastructure and comfort. They wanted to corrupt us spiritually as well. Jewish people are singular and unique in their tzniyus. There is our tzniyus in dress, the fact that there are no public displays of physical affection between husband and wife, that we separate from our own spouses for about two weeks every month and can't even directly pass each other the salt, the fact that we don't use birth control because we believe that children are the greatest gift and that sex is not just for pleasure but ideally for eternity, that Jewish men are faithful to their spouses and not only don't touch other women but have zero personal friendships with other woman because people are people and friendships with the opposite gender have their way of developing [V.P. Mike Pence is an exception among goyim and he understands this point and won't have private meals with any woman other than his wife - but not without tremendous criticism from people who JUST DON'T GET IT], that Jewish men are not even allowed to LOOK or even THINK about any woman to whom they are not married etc. etc.
This drove the Greeks crazy. In one place it says that the Greeks made a decree that any Jew with a lock on his door would be stabbed with a sword. They wanted to destroy our family purity and modesty. Then they decreed that a Kallah first has to sleep with the local mayor רח"ל.
Now we understand why the mitzva of lighting Chanuka candles is נר איש וביתו - A candle for each man and his home. The miracle that occured in the time of the Greeks was that Hashem helped us salvage our homes.
הנצחון שנתן ד' ביד עבדיו הכהנים שנתגברו על היונים שבקשו לא רק לעקור את עם ישראל ממעמדם החומרי כ"א [לעקור] את תכונת החיים שישראל מודיעים בעולם, שהם צריכים להיות ע"פ שרשי התורה, שתהי' הטהרה והצניעות המטרה הראשית בחיי המשפחה ואחריהן ימשכו יתר המדות והדיעות הישראליות. זה שנאו עם היונים וראו בזה צר ואויב לתרבותם הם, שהעמידו לנס [את] עליצת החיים והנאותיו הגופניות והדמיוניות, ע"כ היתה שנאת היונים רבה מאד לתורת ישראל. והנה כפי דרך המיצוע הנוהגת באיש הישראלי, אע"פ שאינו מצויין, מ"מ בחיי המשפחה מוכר האור העברי, הטוהר והצניעות, האמן וכל המדות המסתעפות מזה לטובה, ניכרים יפה לשם ולתפארת בכל בית בישראל המתנהג ע"פ דרכי התורה והמצוה, ע"כ חובת מצות (נר) חנוכה נר איש וביתו
[עין שבת פ"ב ז']
That being said, today especially we need חיזוק in matters of tzniyus. For example it is becoming popular for chosson and kallah to embrace under the chuppah. I am ALL FOR HUGGING!! Especially between husband and wife. But why in front of everybody?? In a few minutes they will be alone in the yichud room - let them embrace there. Why does everybody have to watch them??
That is one of many areas that require חיזוק. There are CERTAINLY much bigger problems but I thought I would raise this one.
