Chanukah – Of the Spirit

Chanukah and Purim differ drastically in their manner of observance and in the message that they convey. The Mitzvot of Purim revolve around the “physical” — we feast, drink, give gifts of food, and charity.  The message is clear: they tried to destroy us, so we celebrate by highlighting our continued physical existence. There is […]

Making Miracles

According to the Kabbalah, there are two types of miracles. One kind of miracle comes from “above”, with no participation from “below”.  An example of this are all the miracles surrounding the exodus from Egypt. The Jews sat passively while God reaked havoc on Egypt. The second kind of miracle is started “below” and is […]

Chanukah – Making Miracles

The Kabbalah categorizes miracles as those that are completely initiated from the heavenly realm, and those that are initiated or “pulled down” by actions in the physical world. The splitting of the Sea of Reeds during the Exodus was purely a heavenly initiative since, according to the Midrash, the Jews were no more deserving of […]