The commandment of Chanukah is that we are supposed to put the menorah by the window — a public display of faith.
Against the backdrop of the dark evening, the Chanukah lights in the window provide light to people walking down the street.
The lights in the window on a dark night also allow people outside to see into our homes. By putting the menorah in the window, we take the parts of our lives that we normally keep private and put them into public view.
This is instruction for how to live, not just on Chanukah but all year.
The conditioning that it’s not safe to reveal who you are runs deep. For those of us who hold that belief, it is triggered every time there is an attack on a someone for simply being what they are.
Or perhaps you were taught that it’s not polite to step into your light, that you mustn’t seek the spotlight.
But far from being self-serving, being seen in our light can be a service to others.
When we take the pieces of ourselves that we may have pushed into the darkness and we bring them into the light, when we allow ourselves to be seen for who we are, and when we trust that we are safe in doing so, we shine a light for others that helps them see their path and their light.
Love it? Hate it? What do you think? Don't hold back...