In Those Days:
The evil Greeks make decrees against Am Yisrael and force the Jews to obey them. Anyone who defies their decrees is punished. The Greeks have powerful armies with many soldiers, and there are also Misyavnim – Jews who have defected and joined the Greeks, adding to the difficulties.
On the surface, it seems there is nothing to be done. The situation is hopeless. The decrees have been passed and, chas v’shalom, Torah and mitzvos will be forgotten.
Only Matityahu the kohen gadol is not afraid and does not despair. He wages a war that seems hopeless: Few against many, weak against strong.
Matityahu knows that Hashem is with him and that it is His will that they go out to war. There is no room for fear, no place for despair. When we remain close to Hashem, we succeed. Indeed, the Jews merited a great yeshuah.
And in these times:
We place the mezuzah on the right side of the doorway and the Chanukah lights on the left, so that we are surrounded by mitzvos. What does this say to us? That Hashem is to be found everywhere, and we are surrounded on all sides by his hashgachah.
A Jew tries to cope with his difficulties. One has difficulty with parnassah, another with raising his children, and a third with health problems.
The days of Chanukah are exalted, filled with light and salvation. Before the burning candles we can pour out our hearts, daven and plead and be zocheh to a yeshuah.
As in the days when the spirit of Matityahu showed us the way, we will not despair and will not give in. The days of Chanukah shine with this strength – the ability not to fall, not to despair.
Night after night, when we kindle the lights, we can recall this strength, this ability to overcome, and not despair. We can light up our hearts with the light of emunah and bitachon.
Hashem will help us! May we be zocheh in our times as well, each person individually and Am Yisrael as a whole, to great yeshuos; amen.
