The Lesson of The Candy Lane Menorah

It was a beautiful ushering in of the first night of Chanukah by Chabad of Bethesda, Maryland.

The “candy” menorah that they were going to use was somehow destroyed, but Chabad came with a spare — they are terrific!

Rabbi Sender Geisinsky told the story of how the Maccabees fought off the Greeks in order to freely worship G-d, and the miracle where the one-day of oil found in the rampaged Temple in Jerusalem lasted for eight days.

The Rabbi compared it to your iPhone having just 2% battery, but lasting for 8 days.  Everyone got the picture and gave a good hardy laugh at the metaphor.  Even when things go wrong, miracles can happen, but we have to be prepared like Chabad was tonight.  The first menorah was destroyed, but the kids still went home seeing the lighting of the menorah, signing the blessings, and each getting a bag of candy.

Rabbi Geisinsky explained that we add another light to the menorah each night — starting at one and going up to eight — because we are here in this world to add light — the light of Hashem — and never decrease from it.

Happy First Night of Chanukah to everyone — a time of miracles, joy, and the appreciation of the preciousness of freedom of religion.