Rabbi Alexander Tsykin
"One for each night, they shed us with light, to remind us of days long ago." -- The Maccabeats
We are embarking tonight on the sixth of eight joyous nights celebrating events long ago. We celebrate with candles, with singing, and with eating oily foods. We celebrate with loved ones and with our friends, and with our community.
But is it true that we are only celebrating what happened then? Every night we say two blessings. The first thanks Hashem for the mitzvah to light Channukah candles. However, the second thanks him for the miracles He performed for our forefathers and continues to perform for us to this day. We live a life of small miracles. These miracles sustain us, keep us going, and are mostly ignored. We do not pay attention to the wonder which is our life, here in Australia or wherever we find ourselves
We do not always say thank you for the wonderful opportunities we have been given. Channukah is the time to reflect and say thank G-d not just for our past but for our present also.