Melting the Ice

The winter season storms in fiercely, and with just a few gusts of biting wind, all sun-baked summer memories are suddenly forgotten. The bright summer sunlight becomes diffused, and the dark endless nights stretch ever longer. For many, these cold months give way for depression and sadness, yet the message of Chanuka gives us warmth, joy, and motivation.

A person is compared to a menorah, a lamp that lights the way for others to see. Like fire, we each are capable of transmitting warmth and light without becoming diminished in the process. Additionally, the light we create is not limited to our physical presence since every lamp we ignite can continue to spread light to others. Chanuka shows that notwithstanding the cold, we can tap into our inner reserves of warmth and radiate energy to others.

The menorah is placed inside the home to demonstrate that our homes are the base for this warmth and vitality. We show our family that Torah values are integral to the fibre of the home and not something practiced only in the synagogue. Chanukah celebrations, surrounded by family and tradition, clearly mark our homes as central sources of light and inspiration.

Nevertheless, a Jew cannot feel complacent when this Jewish passion is found only inside the home. We place the menorah at the window or door frame so this magical energy radiates outward. Anyone walking in the icy streets can feel the joy emanating outward, and be warmed.

The book of Proverbs tells us that "A candle is a good deed and Torah is light.’’ By sharing good deeds and Torah we manage to melt the frosty winter ice and heat it with joy, and happiness.

The Tree and Me

While still blanketed by snow and frost, the dormant trees are starting to wake up from their winter slumber. Within their dry, gnarled trunks, sap is beginning to flow. Tiny, premature buds are swelling on their branches. Spring is approaching and within a few short months, the trees will blossom. The seeds will sprout, the saplings will take root, and all of nature will be renewed.

The fifteenth day of Shevat, otherwise known as Tu B’shevat, celebrates this awakening. Since the Torah compares man to a tree in the field, we can explore the nature of trees to find personal insight and inspiration.

The paradigm of a healthy tree is one that has abundant, leafy foliage, and many deep roots. The Mishna associates the tree’s verdant branches with man’s wisdom. Wisdom is like a crown that glorifies and exalts its wearer. People appreciate wisdom and view it as splendor. Additionally, just as a tree is constantly adding more branches and leaves, a person’s thoughts and understanding are constantly being developed and expanded. Although branches and leaves are important, the Mishna cautions that without strong roots, the tree is frail.

Strong roots are good deeds. Although good deeds may not show personal distinction in the way that wisdom does, positive action is most essential for a healthy being. It is action that sets the course for growth, just as it is the roots that nurture the rest of the tree. A tree with strong roots stands firm, and no wind in the world can topple it.

By training ourselves to be good starting with simple, reflexive actions, we will eventually affect our wisdom and thought processes to be positive as well. Then, we will be likened to the tree that the prophet Jeremiah speaks about, "He shall be as a tree planted upon water, who spreads his roots by the river; who fears not when comes heat, whose leaf is ever lush; who worries not in a year of drought, and ceases not to yield fruit".