cultivate your light
to light the path for others
stoke your inner flame
Among the Jewish holidays, Chanukah is unique. The main action takes place inside the home, rather than in the synagogue.
The main commandment to light the candles is personal. Each person in the family ideally should have their own menorah.
Even though there are many public candle lighting ceremonies, the crucial fulfillment of the holiday is to light the menorah yourself at home.
And, the other component of this is that the menorah should be visible to those who pass by on the street. The ideal time for lighting the candles is just at sunset, as people are commuting home.
The idea is for others who are outside to see the candles burning inside.
We light in the home to illuminate outside the home.
This is the metaphor for anyone in service to another. We cannot light the path for others if we haven’t lit our inner flame. If there is no light within, we cannot hope to light up those outside of us.
While our outer work — the big tactical moves and public displays — may get more attention, it’s not possible or sustainable without the inner work.
The inner work fuels our outer actions.
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