The challenge of Chanukah

Normal people are conformists, even to the extent of going along with evil and co-operating with it. The Maccabbeim were an exception; they stood up and confronted evil, and refused to bow or accommodate it. Had we lived in the time of the Chanukah story we would likely have been Hellenists, the conformists. How can we honestly celebrate the Maccabi’im?!?

It would then seem that the challenge of Chanukah is to develop an immunity from being totally swayed by public opinion, an ability to formulate one’s own moral viewpoint and to act accordingly. In fact, one outcome of the famous Milgram experiments where people conformed with their instructors directives to the extent of killing an innocent human being (-they thought they were killing him. The reality was that it was staged) was that people realized just how dangerous it could be if they followed directives, and became determined to following their own convictions.

The question is “How?” Human beings, by their very nature, are influenced by the winds of political correctness. How does one develop the ability to stand up for whats right?

We had three suggestions;

1. A kli sheni is not mevashel; it cannot cook. It may be warm, even hot, but it’s heat is not real enough, and that expresses itself in the fact that it cannot cook another.

We know that the Baal Shem Tov initiated a revolution in Polish Jewry, Rav Shamshon Refael Hirsch reversed the tide for German Jewry, and Rabbi Yisroel Salanter was the one who saved Lithuania by introducing the Mussar movement. We tend to think that indeed each community needed the particular change these great people introduced to them. But perhaps not. Perhaps the overriding consideration is that there be change, no matter what. For when there is change people embrace Judaism as their own, above and beyond something inherited from their forbears, they take into their lives a personal religion, something new that they identify with personally, and that makes all the difference. So the first thought is that if we would have a machadesh, something new to work on in our avodah, we would be more committed Jews, people capable of standing up for their religious feelings.

2. Develop the practice of doing what is politically incorrect, but the morally proper thing to do. If one sees a woman struggling to get her carriage into the bus, jump down and go help her, whether it’s in style to do so or not. Relish opportunities to develop you individuality, your ability to be different.

3. Willpower is a muscle, and can be effectively developed. Modern psychologists have specific exercises designed to produce a stronger will, and part of one’s avodas hashem ought to be practicing one’s will, and strengthening it.