A Cruse of Oil
Lamplighter | December 04, 2023
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A Cruse of Oil

Lamplighter | December 31, 2025

Every individual has his “one cruse of oil,” begging to be discovered. A person may not uncover this internal connection to G-d in the ordinary circumstances of his life. But when challenged, as in the case of the Maccabees, this inner connection will surface. And when this divine bond comes to the fore, “[G-d will] deliver the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few,” for nothing can withstand its power.

In their struggle against the Greeks, the Maccabees tapped this resource - this single cruse of oil, revealing a level of soul that transcended their usual limits. In response, G-d revealed miracles that transcended the natural limits of this world.

The Chanukah miracle which followed serves as an eternal testimony to the essential connection to G-d that the Greeks sought to sever. In our day as well, the Chanukah lights remind us that through an appreciation of the infinite G-dly, dimension of the Torah and its commandments, we can kindle the potential for light we all possess within our souls.

Every individual has his “one cruse of oil,” begging to be discovered. A person may not uncover this internal connection to G-d in the ordinary circumstances of his life. But when challenged, as in the case of the Maccabees, this inner connection will surface. And when this divine bond comes to the fore, “[G-d will] deliver the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few,” for nothing can withstand its power.

In their struggle against the Greeks, the Maccabees tapped this resource - this single cruse of oil, revealing a level of soul that transcended their usual limits. In response, G-d revealed miracles that transcended the natural limits of this world.

The Chanukah miracle which followed serves as an eternal testimony to the essential connection to G-d that the Greeks sought to sever. In our day as well, the Chanukah lights remind us that through an appreciation of the infinite G-dly, dimension of the Torah and its commandments, we can kindle the potential for light we all possess within our souls.

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