Weekly Torah Portion

Do you feel overwhelmed because of the endless amount of effort you need to put forth to get something done? Perhaps it is a project that you are pursuing? Maybe it’s a relationship you are trying to repair? Does the destination of the Jewish journey and knowledge of Torah law and practices feel out of your grasp? Maybe you feel like throwing in the towel and giving up. Well the lesson of Chanukah might be the answer! 

After the Chashmonaim (Maccabees) reclaimed the desecrated Bais Hamikdash (Temple), they found only a single jug of pure olive oil—enough to burn for just one day. Yet, as the Talmud teaches, that small amount miraculously lasted for eight full days, until new oil could be prepared. This miracle was not only about light; it was about hope, effort, and Divine partnership.

Our Torah teaches that human effort, even when limited, can invite extraordinary results. “Open for Me an opening the size of a needle’s eye, and I will open for you an opening the size of a great hall,” says Hashem in the Midrash (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2). Chanukah embodies this principle. The Maccabees did not wait until they had enough oil; they acted with what they had, and Heaven magnified their efforts.

We are not necessarily required to get it all done, to make it all perfect, or even to reach the goal. We are required, however, to start with what we are able to do! A little bit of consistent effort, a few minutes of daily learning, one extra mitzvah, a moment of reflection – all can spark a chain reaction of inner light which will miraculously expand with Hashem’s help. The same applies to our relationships. A single kind word, an apology, a small gesture of respect or patience can shift the tone of an entire interaction and lead to a deep close connection. 

Chanukah reminds us that a little light is never little. When we bring even just a small spark, Hashem helps it shine far beyond what we ever could have imagined.