As Chanukah 5786 winds down, it is good to review its significance to the Jewish nation.
Chanukah is one of the most widely observed holidays in Israel. Those who wouldn’t even remotely call themselves religious have been kindling the candles on chanukiyahs annually with no sense of pretence or hypocrisy whatsoever. Virtually every Jewish home has one on the mantelpiece or other place of honor gracing the family abode.
Yes, it may be that Chanukah—a national historical festival commemorating the miracle of the oil, but also coupled with a miraculous military victory—may resonate with Israelis more than the more ritualistic festivals of Passover or Yom Kippur. I suppose I’d have to acknowledge that kindling lights on a candelabra is more enjoyable than, say, dipping horseradish in some weird mixture called charoset.
But I believe that there is more to it.
And perhaps it is the center point between religion and spirituality. Technically, both belong to the realm beyond, the otherworldly.
Both are important. Both are basic and critical to a metaphysical approach to life. But there are many differences between them.
Religion without spirituality is dry—an empty ritual, like a body without a soul. You know what a body without a soul is? It’s called a corpse.
Religion without the energy of spirituality is a way of life where the whole source of life has been obliterated, expunged. It is unsustainable. A spiritless faith cannot survive.
However, neither can a spineless, wishy-washy, new world order of social justice replace a foundational belief system of morality and ethics. You know the types. “I love humanity. It’s just the guy who sits next to me in synagogue who gets on my nerves!” Or let’s do a mitzvah and “save the whales. But please, get my sister-in-law out of my life!”
Spirituality minus religion is not grounded. Without an anchor of stability and objectivity, it cannot play a meaningful role in the moral behavior of a nation.
Feeling groovy makes for a catchy song, but it cannot serve as a rock-solid way of life. Frankly, it’s pretty much meaningless.
Without an absolute morality, we become completely biased and subjective. Some say that if it feels good, do it. Why not? Because that is a very dangerous game to play. I can think of too many situations that feel good but are very bad.
There are all sorts of things that feel good but are dead wrong. Still, we rationalize.
Human-made rituals have no right or wrong. There is a mitzvah to light candles for Chanukah. There is no mitzvah to light incense candles near our bathtubs. It may feel nice and relaxing, and that’s 100% permissible. But it’s not the same as the Kohen lighting the incense on the Golden Altar in Jerusalem.
We need the combination of the strong moral code of faith, coupled with the spiritual energy and creativity of a living people.
Light the menorah. Recite a blessing that it is to sanctify us and make us a holy people. Then add a candle each night until the light is full, powerful and radiant.
And, please God, Chanukah will serve as the interface between religion and spirituality for generations to come.
