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Hanukkah’s hidden heroes – The Jerusalem Post

Published

5 days ago

January 1, 2025

Spiritual narratives are redolent with tales of management, leaders, inspiring moments, and, after all, religion. But, regardless of my very own private observance and selection of observe, I’ve all the time discovered essential and motivating classes throughout the spectrum of beliefs and within the tales of all.

Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Native American: I’ve listened to and studied the chronicles, origin tales, and lesson fables of all, and located solace, hope, motivation, and typically only a good outdated heat smile.

On a snowy mountain prime with a member of the Sioux Nation, every of us chanting our personal liturgy however in wonderful concord; within the Grand Mosque in Dubai, listening to the decision to prayer; within the Vatican with the pope, discussing the consequences of social media; in a church in Harlem, misplaced within the rhythm of the second; or in a temple in Bangkok, letting my thoughts go to the silent sound of my private mantra.

Every event was particular, and made extra so by my mates and guides who had been with me and the ideas they shared earlier than and after. Every expertise added to my understanding of the world. My tolerance. And sure, humility, as I spotted simply how a lot connects us and the way little truly separates.

Humility is a key management trait, as I’ve written about many instances, and conceitedness is the good separator between actual leaders and mere energy trippers. The “l” that begins the phrase chief says all of it.

L – Study: Leaders are all the time studying. They’re all the time open to all. Their humility is rooted in understanding that they don’t know all of it, they don’t have all of the solutions, nor do they suppose they ever will, however they are going to set the tone for all of us, encourage us, and consider the longer term and what could be crucial, even when they aren’t certain. Studying is about hope; it says there may be extra to come back.

All of which leads me to Hanukkah, the Jewish vacation we’re celebrating this week, and a narrative my late father, a rabbi, liked to inform.

Hanukkah is a vacation of lights. Each evening over a complete of eight, we mild candles in an ascending crescendo, starting with one, that culminates with a full eight on the final evening.

The military of Judah the Maccabee. (credit score: Wikimedia Commons)

The celebration is in commemoration of the victory of a ragtag indigenous militia over the Seleucid Greek military who had been non secular oppressors – limiting, proscribing, and attempting to eradicate a lot, if not all, of the Jewish custom.

However there’s a facet story that’s linked to the lights themselves. When the Jews got here again into their holy Temple and cleared out the idols and different symbols of Greek rule and faith, they’d no oil to relight the large candelabra as the entire oil had been defiled.

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That’s, no oil till they discovered a small hidden flask that gave the impression to be sufficient possibly for a day, definitely not sufficient to final till the messengers they despatched out might carry again sufficient of a provide.

But, what might they do? They lit the Menorah, and miracle of miracles, it lasted eight days and nights… You get the remaining.

A brand new perspective

It’s an important story. Miracles are all the time enjoyable. However my father checked out it differently.

You see, there are numerous heroes on this story – generals, troopers, excessive monks, and others – however in his view, the true hero is all the time neglected.

We do not know who it was, however somebody had foresight, imaginative and prescient, and management knowledge to know that sooner or later the Temple could be reconsecrated. So, because the idols went up and the Jewish presence was erased, that individual, whom we by no means meet or hear about, hid a flask of oil for a greater future.

And in the present day, we dispel the darkness of hatred and repression with mild… not by brandishing weapons.

So, there you may have it, my vacation share.

One remaining thought. A verse from the gorgeous and universally significant vacation track written by my expensive good friend Peter Yarrow and sung by the legendary Peter, Paul and Mary:

Gentle one candle for the power that we needTo by no means turn into our personal foe;Gentle one candle for many who are suff’ringA ache they realized so way back;Gentle one candle for all we imagine in,That anger not tear us aside;And light-weight one candle to bind us togetherWith peace because the track in our coronary heart!My vacation want: Let anger not tear us aside…Be a pacesetter.

The author is a world model builder, disaster whisperer, world influencer, writer, full of huge concepts, with a start-up ethos, all the time placing individuals first.