During the holiday of Hanukkah, tiny lights flicker in the windows of many homes. Each evening, an additional candle is added until the eighth day, when eight full candles shine, piercing the darkness and declaring: “There is hope. Light will overcome darkness, and good will triumph over evil.” As the well-known saying goes: “A little light drives out much darkness.”
The light of Hanukkah teaches, then and now, that even in the face of threatening forces of darkness, a single spark is enough to change reality.
The days of Hanukkah were born from the victory of the Jewish spirit over Greek culture. The Greeks defiled all the Temple oils used for lighting the menorah – an act intended to sever the spiritual-moral influence of the light. They sought to make it comfortable for a person to act according to his own choices, even when those choices were not guided by higher spiritual values.
'Before the eyes"
Ancient Greek culture, based on Aristotle’s philosophy, believed only in what is “before the eyes” – what can be seen, touched, measured, and proven. As Ramban (Leviticus 16:8) writes about “the Greek”:
“He believes only in what exists, and denies everything else not perceived by him, for anything he cannot grasp is, in his view, not true.”
For the Greeks, everything intangible did not exist. Thus, they cultivated a culture of the body and invented a pantheon of mythological gods to explain phenomena invisible to the eye. In contrast, the Jewish idea asserts that behind the tangible world lies a much deeper layer – spiritual, abstract, invisible – called godliness.
The Greeks’ goal was not to annihilate the Jewish people but to uproot their worldview. They forbade observing Shabbat, sanctifying the new month, and performing circumcision – commandments based on holiness that is not visible. They even demanded that Jews inscribe on the horns of their animals: “We have no part in the God of Israel,” for in their view, what is unseen is not real.
Even the defilement of the oils conveyed a message: In their eyes, purity and impurity – spiritual concepts that cannot be measured physically – held no real significance.
Invisible, influential forces
Today, in the technological era, it is clear that the most influential forces in the world are often the invisible ones: radio waves, sound, X rays, atoms, dark matter, energy. These also existed in Aristotle’s time but were imperceptible to the human eye. The modern world repeatedly proves that what cannot be seen may be the strongest, most stable, and most enduring.
Rejecting the invisible is not only a philosophical mistake; it is also a human loss. One who observes only what is before his eyes does not discover the true potential within himself or others. Modern culture invests heavily in the external, sometimes neglecting the inner, hidden depth.
There is a beautiful saying: “Close your eyes and see farther.” Sensory perception is limited; imagination, thought, and faith expand our vision.
On Hanukkah, after lighting the candles, we say: “These candles are holy. We are not permitted to use them, only to see them.”
Why only see? Because there is a special value in the moment when we stop using and seeking immediate gratification. When we begin to observe beyond the tangible, this contemplation leads to an awareness of the depth of creation, in layers that are not material but are profoundly meaningful.
If we open our eyes to see what lies beyond the visible, we can discover a broader, deeper perspective on the world. Then we will find the light and be able to walk on a path of truth. ■
The writer is the rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites.