If the Candles Could Speak
As the flames dance atop the Chanukah lights, and I gaze into them, I imagine what the uniques message of each of the candles might be.
Naturally, the 1st Candle is a trailblazer, a Maccabee, forging ahead despite all odds. This candle shines in stark contrast to the heavy darkness surrounding it.
When Candle #2 comes into play, we realize that with a partner in the quest for light, it is warmer. It is brighter. The dense fog is beginning to lift. Together they resolve to introduce Candle #3. The troops are beginning to rally. Light is no longer a dream. It is a mission.
With Candle #4, it seems like we are finally shifting the equilibrium. The Menorah is balanced. And though half still remain unlit, the darkness already knows that it doesn't stand a chance against the confident advances of light. This is proven on night #5 when the scales tip in favor of truth, positivity, love, and kindness.
By the time Candle #6 is lit, it seems like we are unstoppable. Nothing will get in the way of eradicating darkness and evil.
As we light Candle #7, we enter into a full sprint towards the ultimate finish line. And as Candle #8 leaps to greet the Shamash (leader candle), the world practically explodes in a dazzling light show as victory is achieved.
This may seem like a distant dream, wishful thinking in a chaotic world. Yet, when we each light a Menorah in our own home, this journey becomes a reality for our own family. Displayed proudly in windows and doorways, it extends to our neighbors. And as the streets fill with light, a community of light warriors (present-day Maccabees) emerges.
Tonight, coupled with the light of the Shabbat candles, the path of light will expand. And the unstoppable force of Candle #2, from homes across Petaluma, along with the Community Menorah standing watch over the Petaluma River for the ninth year, will race across the hills and join cities around the world from the original public Menorah lit by Chabad in SF's Union Square since 1974 (we brought a stretch hummer Chanukah limousine filled with teenagers last night - see photos below!), to the menorah at the Eiffel Tower, in Rome, and the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin.
So share the light; with your family, neighbors, and extended circles, and let's create a world overpowered by a unanimous quest for light.