Parshat Vayeshev & Chanukah
01/08/2024 10:53:33 AM
Jan8
Author | |
Date Added | |
Automatically create summary | |
Summary |
I want you to know, sweetest friends, when I see someone else putting on tefillin, I don't have to say a blessing over it. When I put on tefillin, I say a blessing, but I don't need to make a bracha over someone else fulfilling the mitzva. And the same thing is true of all the commandments except one - Chanuka. If I go for a walk on the street and I haven't yet kindled the light in my own house, and I pass by someone else's house and I see his Chanukah candles, I have to make a bracha. Do you know why? Because, to be honest, all year long. I don't really care if somebody else puts on tefillin. I pretend that I do, but I don't really care.
But on Chanukah, when I see somebody else serving G-d, it blows my mind. I say to myself, "I knew my neighbor was beautiful, but I didn't know he was shining so much. I already kindled Chanukah lights in my house, but how does my light compare to my friend's? He is even deeper." So, I make another bracha over my neighbor's light. Then maybe later that night, the same person takes a walk and passes by my house. He sees my Chanukah candles and says, "Ribbono Shel Olam, Master of the World, I made a bracha over my light. But my neighbor's light is so much more beautiful. Thank you, G-d, for my friend's light."
Friends do you know what this is? Do you know what would happen if this was the way people were to each other? It mamesh would be the redemption of the world.
And this was the whole thing with Yosef HaTaddik. Yosef was on such an exalted level - it was like after the coming of Mashiach. He thought he could tell his brothers, "Do you know what level I have reached? I have reached the level that I can bring Mashiach, that I can be the king." But his brothers weren't on the same level yet. They were holy, but they still have jealousy inside them. They couldn't be happy for their brother. And this was the beginning of the downfall of the world. Sweetest friends, do you know how broken your life is when you cannot stand somebody else being beautiful?
Do you know how sad it is if your heart isn't deep enough to say a blessing on somebody else's light? So during the same week that we read the story of the brothers selling Yosef, we make a great fixing - by kindling Chanukah lights.
Good Shabbos!
Happy Chanukah!
Sat, October 12 2024
10 Tishrei 5785
All Events
-
Sunday ,
OctOctober 13 , 2024
Sunday, Oct 13th 6:00p to 8:00p
-
Tuesday ,
NovNovember 19 , 2024
Tuesday, Nov 19th 7:00p to 10:00p
Visit us on Facebook
Sign up for our Newsletter
Halachic Zamnim of the day
Netz (Sunrise) | 6:57am |
Latest Shema | 9:48am |
Plag HaMincha | 5:11pm |
Shkiah (Sunset) | 6:22pm |
Havdalah | 7:12pm |
Tzais Hakochavim | 6:59pm |
More >> |
Sat, October 12 2024 10 Tishrei 5785