Now more than ever we need to illuminate the world: Rabbi

You have the power within to illuminate the world.

That is the message Rabbi Yosef Hecht brought to Aurora residents on Sunday as the Town celebrated Hanukkah with a ceremonial menorah lighting.

The annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony has become an annual tradition at Town Hall. Individuals gathering to be bathed in the light of the candelabra before going inside for celebratory treats like donuts and latkes.

This time, as with most other traditions in 2020, the ceremony looked quite a bit different than in years past, but the core message of Hanukkah, which commemorates the re-dedication of the Jerusalem's Second Temple and the miracle of one night's worth of oil burning through eight evenings, remained the same. But, this time, perhaps, with even more poignancy given present circumstances.

“The lighting of the menorah, which is the theme of illuminating the world with light is a universal message celebrating the miracles God has bestowed upon us…especially during these trying times when people are looking for that light, that glimmer of hope,” said Rabbi Hecht. “If we can bring that message to say, yes, although we may be going through these trying times now, lighting up your own world and then, at the same time, igniting someone else's fire and helping another person – when you go from one candle to another candle, the light continues from one to the other. It doesn't weaken the candle that you lit from; on the contrary, it brings more light. We need to bring this message now more than ever to bring that glimmer of hope, that message of hope, light, and illuminating the world at this time.

“The message here is there is a glimmer of hope: speak about it to your family, count your blessings. Sometimes it is hard for us to see them, but they are here. We can breathe every day and we can go out and continue our work, whether we go into the office or it is at home, whatever it might be, but those blessings are always there. We have to find them, illuminate them and let it shine.”

Whether you let that light shine in your homes during this second lockdown or find other, creative ways to share that light with the world, it will do good, he added, as the power is within.

“Listen to the message of that flame burning to illuminate another person's life and bring joy and happiness to someone at this time. If you can be a help to someone, be a help to someone. Listen to the flames and what they are teaching us. Illuminate the world. Do acts of goodness and kindness. Bring light to another person and illuminate that person's life: say a good word to the person, do a good act to the person, a good deed with the person, help that person, help the neighbour next to you. By doing that, that person in turn will help another person. Adding goodness and kindness and continuing to illuminate the world with light, with warmth, with happiness and with joy.”

Aurora's Menorah Lighting Ceremony, co-hosted by the Town and Chabad Aurora, was held on Sunday, the third night of the Festival of Lights. The observance ends this Friday, December 18.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative