Last month I went with my son Eitan to
Kennedy Space Center to watch the launch of the first manned commercial space
rocket. A joint project of NASA and SpaceX, we watched as four astronauts
entered the Falcon 9 space capsule and were rocketed into space to spend three
months on the International Space Station. Before the launch a NASA educator
who was providing narration for the event gave all of us first time launch
watchers a piece of advice:
Don’t try to take pictures or record the
launch. First you will see the rocket launch. Then you will hear the noise of
the rocket (as the speed of sound is slower than the speed of light). Then you
will feel the reverberations of the launch – even though we are 7.6 miles away
from the launch site. Take in the experience as it unfolds in real time. And
then when you get home, find a cool launch picture online and send it to all of
your friends.
Too often we focus on recording our
experiences instead of enjoying those experiences in the moment. For example, a
person who spends more time photographing their meal and posting it to social
media and less time enjoying the flavors of the dish or the company joining
them at the restaurant has fallen victim to this mistake.
After we light the Chanukah candles we say
the brief prayer of Hanerot in which we say:
Throughout
the eight days of Chanukah, these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted
to make use of them, but only to look at them, in order to offer thanks and
praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders and for Your
salvations.
In today’s world full of distractions, the
Chanukah lights remind us of the importance of being fully in the moment. When we
reflect on the candles, we will naturally be filled with gratitude – for the miraculous events of the past and for
the blessings in our lives today.
In Parshat Vayeshev we learn about the
sibling rivalry that existed between Yosef and his brothers. The rivalry was
exacerbated when Yosef told his brothers about his dreams. Dreams are about the
future. When Yosef’s brothers heard these dreams they had a choice how to
respond. They could have said “Yeah, right” or “let’s see”. With these
responses the brothers could have defused the situation for the time being.
Instead, the brothers decided to focus on the potential future repercussions of
Yosef’s dreams. If they had decided to remain in the moment, and pay less
attention to the future implications of Yosef’s dreams, things may have turned
out very differently. Rav Soloveitchik explained that the severity of the
Egyptian exile was due in large part to the callous manner in which the
brothers treated Yosef. This callousness can be traced back to the brothers’
inability to live in the present and focus on the here and now.
Let us learn from the brothers’ mistake.
Let us internalize the message of the Chanukah lights. As they burn, let us
look at them intently and commit to living in the moment, appreciating every
day. And then let us take a similar approach to our family, friends and
acquaintances. Instead of looking at people and seeing any past flaws or
potential future problems, let us see them with fresh eyes and appreciate them
and our relationship with them. In this way the lessons of Chanukah can
enlightened our lives beyond the actual days of the holiday.
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