Chanukah: Revealing Your Concealed Blessings (KB)

Tonight we enter an eight day period of time known as Chanukah. The story of Chanukah tells of the Maccabees, who were able, with only a small band of fighters, to overcome an entire enemy army—a feat that any person, thinking logically, would probably call impossible. However, just as we know that if we turn off the lights in a room but light a row of candles, we will be able to banish the darkness, so, too, do we understand that spiritual Light, once ignited, can do away with negativity. This is what happens during Chanukah. On each of the eight days that we light our candles, we are bringing down a certain energy called the Or Haganuz ("Concealed Light”), which is a spiritual Light that is usually hidden from us as we live in this physical world.This Light can help us in doing away with our own darkness, helping us to not only make ourselves better, but to make the world better, too. Sometime during the coming year, each and every one of us will inevitably fall into our own chaos and challenges. When that happens, however, it will be this special Light, this Or Hagunz, that will give us the energy to reach out for the Creator's hand to take us, guide us, and give us the strength we need to move forward. Wishing you a happy holiday and many blessings for the year ahead. Love, Karen