On the Second Night of Chanukah...Illuminating Your Inner Self

"...Chanukah’s lighting of the house is no less than the illumination of the inner self. For the self, with her secret stairways, her observing windows, her half-closed doors, is a many-storied home, the abode of the soul..."
~Chaya Kaplan-Lester, Eight Meditations for the Eight Nights of Chanukah

Chanukah is more than a celebration of G-d's miracles and wonders. It is more than a festival of lights in the darkness and bitterness of the Wintertime. It is a time for reflection. It is a time to illuminate the aspects of our inner selves that have become hidden or neglected over time. It is customary to take some time after lighting the menorah each night of Chanukah to refrain from work and self reflect on the areas of your own life that may need a little illumination. The 30 or so minutes that the candles or oil burn in the menorah are a time to slow down, to create warmth through song, joyous dancing, tasty treats, and the company of family and friends. These are the things that are important. These are the things that are real. A candle is lit and burns for a given time, but eventually its flame is extinguished. As the days are shorter this time of year, there is often a rush to get from task to task. For 8 nights, we are encouraged to slow that down and to shed a little light on the real, important things
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As the darkness outside descends and I settle into an evening at home, I prepare to light my menorah. I place the candles in their branches and turn on some Chanukah music in the background. I light the shamash ("helper" or "servant" candle--used to light the other candles), and take a breath. I say the blessings and watch as the flames dance in my window. Tonight as I watched those flames and listened to the joyous sounds of traditional songs I'd loved from childhood, I thought about the difference 30 minutes makes. The flames will dance for little more than half an hour before the candles burn to nothing and darkness returns. So, too, the flame of our physical life burns for only a short time before we, too, return. More than that, our physical selves are merely a vessel for our neshama, our soul. This is the fire that time and time again we fail to fuel until it burns down to little more than a glowing ember. What if, for 30 minutes out of every day, all through the year, we shed a little light on our inner selves? Whether you do so through prayer and meditation, through spending time with loved ones, or partaking in a favorite hobby or activity, I encourage myself and my friends to take 30 minutes each day to be present in the moment. Can't imagine a solid 30 minute chunk of time? Why not take three 10-minute breaks? Can't commit to a new lifetime habit? Join me for just 8 days!

Tonight I enjoyed a home-cooked meal of potato latkes. I followed the recipe I shared on last night's post, but added a leek I had in the house.
They were positively delicious, especially served with apple-apricot sauce!