Chutzpa - The Holy Secret of Chanuka
The Maharal explains that the spiritual world of the after-life
is not available to us in this world because it is beyond our
senses and we have no way to represent it to ourselves or to
perceive it's reality.
Similarly Rav Yisrael Salanter emphasized that we do not have
any direct access to our subconscious yet the foundation of our
decisions and actions are rooted there.
Consequently, it appears that our struggle for holiness,
righteousness and a spiritual life are in vain. In order to
succeed in perfecting our character and reaching completeness
(shleimus) our Torah values must penetrate our inner
being. How can we expect to overcome the darker side of our
personality if we don't even have a way to break through and
communicate to our inner self?
Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler in his book "Strive for Truth" explains
that it is this realization that "there is no way out", which
actually opens the doors to our inner reserves of strength and
heavenly assistance, paving the way for our success.
The dynamics of our "no-win" situation, together with our
"must-win" dedication and love of G-d, skyrockets us above the
impossible. Miracles only happen when one has reached the end of
their ability to succeed. Abraham was saved from the furnace
when he accepted the challenge and marched forward to a miracle.
(Yalkut Shimoni). The Red sea spilt only when the
Israelites jumped in the sea. As it says. "The Lord said to
Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel
and let them advance." (Shemot -14:15).
During Chanuka it was clear that a handful of Jewish Priests
could not defeat a mighty army. However, since there was "no way
out" and they accepted their absurd challenge they received a
miracle above the bounds of nature. It was this "chutzpa
for the sake of G-d" which caused their success beyond any
reasonable logic.
The number eight represents that which is beyond the confines of
this world. The eight days of Chanuka are here to tell us that
if we do the will of our Creator we can succeed beyond all the
odds. History has shown us that this has always been the story
of the Jewish nation.
Have a Happy Chanuka!