“The preservation of the Jews is really one of the most single and illustrious acts of divine Providence… and what but a supernatural power could have preserved them in such a manner as none other nation upon earth hath been preserved. Nor is the providence of God less remarkable in the destruction of their enemies, than in their preservation… We see that the great empires, which in their turn subdued and oppressed the people of God, are all come to ruin… And if such hath been the fatal end of the enemies and oppressors of the Jews, let it serve as a warning to all those, who at any time or upon any occasion are for raising a clamor and persecution against them.”
Thomas Newton, Bishop of Bristol (1704-1782)
My dreidel has a picture of Muhammed Ali on it b/c his original name before discovering the "truth" of Allah [or Ali. Or Ally (Ehrman)] was Cassius Clay and my dreidel is made out of .....
SHAAAAAAAALOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM SWEEETEST FRIENDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
There used to be a movie theater [a movie, for those who don't know, is when people are filmed and paid millions to pretend to be someone they are not. I know a lot of people who do this for free...] on Yeshayahu street [right near Malchei Yisrael street] in Yerushalayim called "Edison". The Brisker Rov [Rav Yitzchak Zeev Soloveitchik z"l] used to say that one may light Chanukah candles until after the last movie at the Edison theater.
Funny.
Is that a Halachic category?? He meant that one can light as long as there are people on the street and there are people on the street until after the last movie at the Edison theater.
The deeper remez of what the Rov said was that our Holy Candles still burn after the last vestiges of the reigning secular culture have disappeared.
In the end - the Edison theater closed and today it belongs to Satmar and they converted it into a housing project!!!
THAT is Chanukah. The secular culture antithetical to Torah disappears and the Torah lasts forever. From Edison theater to Shikun Satmar!!!
The Gemara says that one may light until "דכליא רגלא דתרמודאי מן השוק" which literally means until the legs [רגלא] of the Tarmodians [a Gentile nation] are no longer on the street. The Tzadikim [such as the Sfas Emes] took this to mean that we have to light until the רגילות - habits, are no longer present. We have to be FIRED UP by the lights!!! No more keeping Mitzvos by rote.
The root of תרמודאי is מרד - rebellion. So we must light until the legs of our rebellion stop their forward movement and we return to Hashem.
The deeper remez of what the Rov said was that our Holy Candles still burn after the last vestiges of the reigning secular culture have disappeared.
In the end - the Edison theater closed and today it belongs to Satmar and they converted it into a housing project!!!
THAT is Chanukah. The secular culture antithetical to Torah disappears and the Torah lasts forever. From Edison theater to Shikun Satmar!!!
The Gemara says that one may light until "דכליא רגלא דתרמודאי מן השוק" which literally means until the legs [רגלא] of the Tarmodians [a Gentile nation] are no longer on the street. The Tzadikim [such as the Sfas Emes] took this to mean that we have to light until the רגילות - habits, are no longer present. We have to be FIRED UP by the lights!!! No more keeping Mitzvos by rote.
The root of תרמודאי is מרד - rebellion. So we must light until the legs of our rebellion stop their forward movement and we return to Hashem.
We have no permission to use the lights - אין לנו רשות להשתמש בהם, just to look at them- אלא לראותם בלבד. Not only MAY we look at the candles but we SHOULD.
The candles have the power to elevate us, to give us the power to outlast foreign influences and enemies, to keep mitzvos with a passion and to return to Hashem.
A DELICIOUS, ILLUMINATING Chanukah beloved friendsssssssssssssss!!!!
The candles have the power to elevate us, to give us the power to outlast foreign influences and enemies, to keep mitzvos with a passion and to return to Hashem.
A DELICIOUS, ILLUMINATING Chanukah beloved friendsssssssssssssss!!!!
