The holiday of Chanukah requires Jews to light the menorah. Actually, the requirement goes one step further, mandating that the menorah be lit where it can be seen by a passerby. (It might be the one time of year you want strangers staring at your house.) The reason for the public display is that the flames of the menorah are intended as a bright reminder of the holiday’s miracle, when a little bit of oil lasted for eight nights. The holiday of Chanukah, however, also is known as Chag Ha’Orim, i.e., the Festival of Lights. Note: Chanukah is not known as the Festival of Lites because, from a dietary perspective, there is little “lite” about the traditional Chanukah fare, which typically includes fried potato latkes, jelly donuts and chocolate gelt. Chanukah may be a Festival of Bites but certainly not a Festival of Lites.
The Festival of Lights moniker for Chanukah has a bigger message because it ties into a larger theme for the Jewish People: “A light unto the nations.” This theme of “light” (or enlightenment) derives from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 42, wherein the Jewish nation is described as “a covenant people, a light of nations, opening eyes deprived of light, rescuing prisoners from confinement, from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” This theme of “light” also derives from Chapter 60 of the same Book: “And unto your light, nations shall walk, and kings unto the brightness of your rising.” This “light unto the nations” concept was used by Israel’s former Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion (1886—1973), when he described his vision for the State of Israel and, in that connection, it is no coincidence that the menorah was selected as the country’s official emblem.
Serving as a “light” to others is no small task. It requires dedication and consistency combined with unwavering and non-negotiable principles. It is a blessing and a beautiful burden. It is an honor and a tall order. It is a privilege and a unique responsibility. Serving as a “light” undoubtedly is the most important aspect of the Jewish People’s job description but one might wonder whether there are other, albeit secondary, roles that the Jews fill. To be clear, we are talking about roles, not rolls, that Jews fill, though the Jewish art of sandwich-making arguably is one of the Jewish People’s top contributions to humanity.
The question is: In addition to the Jewish People serving as a “light” unto the nations, do the Jews serve the world in other capacities? Here are some examples to consider:
1. A “refrigerator” unto the nations: If not for the Jews, how would the world have come to experience and enjoy delicious dishes such as cholent, chopped liver, gefilte fish, borscht, schmaltz, kreplach, kneidlach, kugel, knishes, kishke, kasha varnishkes, p’tcha tzimmes and blintzes? (By the way, serving all of these items at the same time would be the equivalent of kiddush in utopia.) And if not for the Jews, how would the general public have come to appreciate and savor such delicious desserts as babka, rugelach, teiglach, hamantaschen, mandel bread, lekach, and, of course, sufganiyot? (Some would argue that all of these items grew on the trees in the Garden of Eden… or the Garden of Eaten.)
2. A “submarine” unto the nations: It would not be surprising if a Jew invented the submarine sandwich or other similar mouthwatering monstrosities like the hoagie, hero, grinder, wedge, blimpie, po’boy, zeppelin or banh mi. But, alas, historians do not give the Jews credit for any of these bready behemoths. The Jews, however, can take credit for other types of submarines including the nuclear kind. In fact, Hyman George Rickover (1900—1986), an Admiral in the U.S. Navy, directed the original development of America’s first nuclear submarine. What many people don’t know is that Admiral Rickover was born Chaim Godalia Rickover, a child of Polish Jews Abraham and Rachel Rickover. He came to New York City by boat with his mother and sister in 1906, fleeing the pogroms. As legend has it, at age nine Admiral Rickover had his first job, earning three cents an hour for holding a light as his neighbor operated a machine. (True story.) Thus, from a very early age, Rickover literally served as a light unto others.
3. A “vaccination” unto other nations: See Jonas Salk for further details. In curing polio for the world, he put the “nation” in vaccination. (And for you music-loving teeny-boppers out there, no, Jonas Salk is not one of the Jonas Brothers.)
4. A “gavel” unto other nations: See Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan and TV’s “Judge Judy” for further details. (“All rise!”)
5. A “theory” unto other nations: See Albert Einstein for further details. (And for any idiotic auto enthusiasts out there, quantum mechanics has absoultely nothing to do with engine overhauls, oil changes or tire rotations.)
Final thought: It certainly is better to create a light than a blight, slight or plight.
By Jon Kranz
