(Chanukah and 19 Kislev: Two opportunities to move from conflict to unity; December 2024)
I came across an article by Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union, about the nineteenth of Kislev, an important date for Chasidim. This date is the anniversary of the release from prison of Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe and founder of Chabad-Lubavitch. I encourage you to read the article by clicking here.
In the article, Rabbi Hauer describes preparing to speak at a 19 Kislev celebration by reading two books– A documentary history of the Rebbe’s imprisonment and release, and a book of speeches given by the last Lubavitcher Rebbe on 19 Kislev. He was surprised to see that almost nothing mentioned in either book appeared in the other. The historical study presented a miserable story of Jewish sectarian hostility and attempts by Jewish factions to provoke the Russian government against other Jews. The Rebbe’s speeches said nothing of Jewish in-fighting, describing the entire episode as Divine ratification of the Alter Rebbe’s hope to begin spreading his teachings throughout the world. His message to his chasidim on his release from prison also stressed that they were to harbor no ill will toward his accusers and to treat every Jew with complete and unconditional love.
Although 19 Kislev is only a few days before Chanukah, Rabbi Hauer’s article did not connect this story to Chanukah. I was struck, however, by its relevance to the interpretation of Chanukah that I presented in an article on TorahFlora.org:
The Olive Tree, the Post-Chanukah Period, and Jewish Unity
According to the First Book of Maccabees, the Maccabees celebrated their victory and the restoration of the Temple with lulavim (commemorating the Sukkot that they could not celebrate during the war) wrapped in ivy, a Greek symbol of victory. Apparently, this early symbol of Chanukah was not popular, and we have no evidence that it was ever repeated. This is not surprising. At the end of a civil war, a symbol of reconciliation, not triumph, was needed. The olive tree, which flowers and ripens its fruits nearly simultaneously throughout the diverse ecological regions of Israel, provided that symbol. The olive-oil menorah appealed to the needs of the Jewish nation and has persisted to this day as the symbol of Chanukah.
The parallel between Chanukah and 19 Kislev is unmistakable. The sad factual history of 19 Kislev is undeniable. However, the Rebbe was able to focus on what was needed at the time: Love of one’s fellow Jew. Likewise, there were winners and losers among the Jews who fought each other in the Maccabean wars, but a victory celebration was not called for. An appeal to Jewish unity was. The Chanukah lights provided it then, and still do today.