(2019/5780)
A Shiur was given by the Kedushat Levi, RavLevi Yitzchak of Berditchev, during Shabbat Parashat VaYeitzei as the holiday of Chanukah approached rapidly. In this Shiur, he stresses the importance of getting ready to do the upcoming holy Mitzvot of Chanukah. He writes that it is very interesting that we commonly refer to the miracle of the oil as the miracle of Chanukah. His given reason for this is that the word Chanukah comes from the vernacular of Chinuch, meaning consecration or education. The Pasuk states with regard to the garments of the Kohein Gadol, “UVigdei HaKodesh Asher Le’Aharon Yihiyu LeVanav Acharav LeMoshchah VaHem ULemalei Vam Et Yadam,” “And the holy garments of Aharon will be [passed down] to his sons after him, to become exalted through them, and to be installed [as Kohein Gadol] through them” (Shemot 29:29). Before the Kohanim were allowed to perform their sacred service, they had to be provided with suitable vessels to be used, i.e. priestly garments. Wearing these priestly garments was so important that if they performed their duties improperly dressed (even missing one of these garments), this was a cardinal sin (see Rambam Hilchot Klei HaMikdash 10:4). Thus, the garments act as the “Chinuch” to the Kohanim, getting them ready and enabling them to partake in the Avodah. Just like the Kohanim, children go through Chinich as well; we teach them the basics of Halachah and how to keep the Torah so that when they become Bar/ Bat Mitzvahed and are Chayav in Mitzvot, they will then be ready to take on a life of torah observance.
This process applies to all of us throughout life, no matter what age. We always have to prepare ourselves to fulfill Mitzvot. Through Hachanah, preparing, we are Mechaneich ourselves like the Kohanim to be able to be involved in Devarim SheBaKedushah. In the miracle of the oil, the Jews had to search for the oil and work for the return of the Menorah’s light to the Beit HaMikdash. That is why we refer to it as the miracle of Chanukah, because through their search for the oil, they prepared themselves to return to the Avodah of the Beit HaMikdash.
This Shabbat, many of the Shul Rabbanim will be addressing practical Eitzot (advice) with regard to Shemirat Shabbat and hopefully inspire the community to elevate their Kedushat Shabbat. This is part of an effort by an organization called iKeep. Created by my friends and me, our goal is to infuse Shabbat with the Kedushah it should have. Specifically, we want to target the family experience of Shabbat in the home, mainly through giving educational programming for parents on how to inculcate Kedushah into their homes on Shabbat, holding programs for students about Shabbos in school, and having community leadership promote a heightened Shabbat experience. We are currently working on Yimei Iyun in TABC focused on these goals, and we are looking to hold workshops for parents in the community to educate on how to optimize the Kedushat HaYom to transmit it to their children. In addition, we are creating special Shabbat boxes for families to be able to put everyone’s devices in the box before Shabbat, so as to create an environment in the home of disconnecting with the outside world to reconnect with Hashem.
Hopefully, our programs will act as the Chinuch of the community. We want to enable and prepare everyone to feel the real Kedushah of Shabbat, to involve them in Shemirat Shabbat, and to pass it on from generation to generation.
[1] iKeep is a student-initiated organization run by three current TABC Seniors. They can be reached at ikeepshab@gmail.com