At the end of each calendar year, the Sinai Temple staff gathers for a festive lunch. Each individual is recognized as being part of this sacred team that brings light to our community. Beyond the formal thanks yous, there is also an interactive piece. This year, we played “White Elephant.” Each person brought a small gift to the table. One by one, you choose a gift from the table, and if you like a gift that has already been taken, you can “steal” it from another person, and that person chooses a new gift. It was a fascinating experience. At first, the participants were timid to take a gift from someone else. Yet, as the game unfolded, it became more comfortable to take what you wanted and not what you were given.
Rabbi Guzik was the last contestant. As she looked around the room and had had the choice of any item of her liking, she paused, and announced to the staff, “I’m grateful for what I have been given.”
We are about to light the first Chanukah candle this week. Rabbi Milton Polin teaches that the miracle of Chanukah lies in the unexpected and the response is a thanks to God. Antiochus was not satisfied with Jews giving up some of their rights and rituals. He specifically targeted Shabbat and circumcision, which would destroy our entire way of life. It was the battle between dark and light. When we look back in history, we recognize miracles as life transformative. Yet, in the moment, there are slight differences between a miracle occurring or not.
Today, we know that one candle will lead to another and eventually an entire menorah will be before our eyes. Yet, our ancestors could only do the work to ensure the circumstances to allow the miracle to happen. We must begin this week of miracles from a place of gratitude. From there, we will witness the light.