Dear Friend,
This Monday (the 19th of Kislev) marks the “birth” of Chassidism: the day it was allowed to emerge from the womb of mysticism into the light of day, to grow and develop as an integral part of Torah and Jewish life.
There are so many rich contributions that Chassidism has made. One extremely powerful concept that Chassidism brought to the fore is the recognition that everything happens by Divine design. If G‑d put you in a specific situation, it is because He wants you to use it for the better. There are no setbacks, only opportunities.
Let’s apply that axiom to Chanukah, which begins this Saturday night after Shabbat ends.
This year, Chanukah will be celebrated during a time when many in the Western world will be vacationing. Let’s make sure that our relaxation does not mean that we neglect the beautiful mitzvah of lighting the menorah every night of Chanukah. On the contrary, the chassidic approach is to use the extra time to make nicer, bigger celebrations, sharing the warmth of Chanukah with even more people!
What are your Chanukah plans? Please let us know by leaving a comment.
Happy Chanukah!
The Chabad.org Editorial Team