The miracle of chanuka is about transformation.   Only when the Maccabbees were able to transform their inner fears/darkness into light were they able to manifest the external victories in battle and to restore the light to the temple. I can only imagine how each of the Maccabbees  had to wrestle with their fears before going into battle with fierce and mighty opponents whose numbers dwarfed the tiny Maccabbee army. The  true hero is one who triumphs over his /her fears and limitations.

10 days ago I went to spend time with Elisha in the hospital. A few weeks prior to my visit his brother Jon had arranged for Niloo, a life coach and yogi to work with Elisha. As I  gingerly approached Elisha’s bed, I was privy to watch Niloo working with Elisha on releasing negativity and judgment. I quietly said hello and after our introductions, she asked Elisha if he felt comfortable with me staying while they worked. Elisha nodded and I sat down to observe.

Niloo was loving but firm as she encouraged Elisha to acknowledge and release every negative and judgmental thought. She gave him specific ways to release the negative and to replace the thought or feeling with divine love and appreciation. She had given him a notebook to record his feelings and had designated a page on which Elisha was to simply express everything in his heart to God without thinking. The goal was simple but profound, to shift from his head and into his heart - to begin to express love and be truly open to receiving love from God and from everyone he encountered. 

Elisha was a beautiful soul who had a brilliant intellect and could converse with authority on a myriad of topics including the depths of Torah and kabbalah. But as long as I’d known him all he really wanted was to give and receive love. Like so many of us he had klippot or blocks that made it difficult for him to love and appreciate easily. And yet what I witnessed while they were working together was truly miraculous. Elisha was expressing love so joyously and he courageously began to acknowledge the sources of his past disillusionment and cynicism. As he continued to release negative thoughts and express love and appreciation, the energy of the room became filled with such pure radiant light. When Niloo left she asked Elisha if it was o.k. if I continued to help him do this work and he insisted that we continue working together.

I suggested that every time a nurse/doctor come in the room that he try to find something positive to say. It became our fun little game. Every time he found something positive to say and expressed his appreciation, I felt like  the room continue to fill with more and more light. I envisioned Elisha’s complete recovery and his becoming one of these renown tzaddikim who’s smile and positive word could help everyone he encountered open their heart. But the divine had a different journey in mind.

Yesterday morning there was a short ceremony  at the Chevra Kadisha in Santa Monica before his brother Jon and his family would fly to Israel to bury our beloved Elisha in Israel. One of the rabbis who spoke suggested that we each take the opportunity to ask Elisha for forgiveness. I silently began asking for his forgiveness, but I immediately felt his response, flung at me with the unbridled joy of a five year old.

In my mind, He said, “ of course I forgive you, but it’s more important that you forgive yourself, because it’s all about love . And I love you all so much!”

After the ceremony I approached Niloo and recounted what I experienced. I told her that I had unfortunately attended many funerals in my life but I never felt pure love emanating from a casket before. Then she explained that Elisha had “graduated”, meaning he was able in a very short time to work through his fears and limitations and experience unconditional love for himself and others. In fact it was her tradition to have an ice cream party when a person graduated. She asked Elisha if he wanted to have an ice cream party and Elisha was thrilled by the idea and said he’d look forward to it.  And what day had they set for the party? The day of the ceremony at the chevra Kedishay.  Of course that was  several days before Elisha passed away.

So when Niloo offered me some of the ice cream she had brought this morning I was elated to participate  - to share and acknowledge Elisha’s ability to heal his heart and be able to radiate Hashem’s pure love. After a bracha over the ice cream in Elisha’s honor, I enjoyed a heaping helping of extra double triple dutch chocolate kosher ice cream. As I was savoring my ice cream, Niloo recounted that in his final moments on this earth Elisha had  joyously raised his fists in victory , celebrating how he had transformed his fear and cynicism into light, love and joy.

In my opinion, our holy brother Elisha is a modern Day Maccabee and his miraculous transformation is a true Chanuka miracle. May he inspire all of you as much as his journey has inspired me to have the courage to look within and transform our fears into love, and to love and appreciate ourselves and others with divine grace, wit and loving kindness. May Elisha's soul have an easy transition and continue to elevate to new heights of divine love.