Oh Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel…

Oh Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel…
Yup, Chanukah is here! Tonight, Jewish people all around the world light the 1st 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 https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/disappearing-color-wheel/ ). 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 than 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!
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman
P.S. when posting Chanukah pictures on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram use the hashtag #sharethelights.