Rabbi's Blog

Yup Chanukah is here! Tonight, Jewish people all around the world light the 3rd candle on the menorah. Growing up, I was taught about the menorah and the triumph of light over darkness; the war of Chanukah and the victory of “the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure”. The triumph of good over evil. The dreidel, on the other hand, was just another game, a small part of the story yet fun for the kids.

What does the dreidel symbolize? One of the things it symbolizes is unity. The unity that exists when we work together while maintaining our individuality. To paraphrase Steve Jobs in the think different apple commercial: The round pegs in the square holes. The different colors that blend into one when they move fast on a color wheel (try the experiment here). The dreidel symbolizes making the square sides of the dreidel into a round circle yet maintaining the square identity. While the dreidel spins we are all one, when it stops we can see that each one is unique. While the dreidel spins the square sides look round, when it stops it looks like -|_>, round on the bottom and square in the middle.

In the Torah portion of these weeks, we see this type of unity. Each of Joseph’s brothers had their own way of dealing with him, his dreams and his rulership in Egypt. However, they all wanted him back and would do whatever it takes to make it happen. Every unique individual united for a common cause.

When we see another who seems different then us on the theological or political aisle, even a competitor in the same business, we can find unity by reaching out and seeing how we can revolve around each other, making a revolution of good in the world.

Happy Chanukah! Hope to see you Sunday in the park at 5:00 pm. It would be greatly appreciated if you can bring something for the SARC pantry (thank you to the our corporate sponsors 

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

P.S. when posting Chanukah pictures on Facebook and twitter use the hashtag #sharethelights details of the Share the lights campaign http://www.sharethelights.org/

Chanukah Corporate Sponsors

I would never consciously hurt someone else!  Would you?

I am not perfect so how can I really affect other people in a positive way? Have you ever asked this question?

Don’t we all want to change the world and make it better? Is it even possible?

We turn to the biblical Yosef for direction and relevant lessons.

When Yosef was named, his mother said “Yosef Hashem li ben acher” lit; may G-d add to me another son. Acher means another; it can also mean an other - an outsider.

Yosef also cared for all ‘other’ people; those who were different as well as the outsiders. He reached out to these people and brought them close, making the acher - an outsider, into a ben - a son and part of the family. Yosef was truly a non-judgmental person; unifying people and making the world a better place.

The Torah tells us about Yosef that “Yosef had handsome features and a beautiful complexion.” Yosef was beautiful both inside and out. Rashi says that He made sure to maintain his beauty by combing his hair.  Yosef knew that if you want to have a positive effect on others, you need to maintain your “beauty” to ensure that you are constantly striving for and actively working on self-improvement.

If you do not want to work on self-improvement for your own benefit, do it so you can have a positive effect on others. You do not need to be perfect to affect people, yet you do need to be going in the right direction. Then it is a no brainer to be able to change the world and make it better; just be you and reach out to those who are “outsiders”, welcome them and make them feel at home.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman