Chanukah

By: R. Shmuel Akhamzadeh

The saga of Chanuka unfolded around the year 200 BCE ( 150 years before the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem), during an era Jewish liturgy calls גלות יון Greek exile, interestingly enough the Chanuka story transpired in the land of Israel when most Jews resided in the land. So why is it that this situation is called exile? Wouldn’t be more appropriate to call it oppression, domination or a similar term,

הרב חיים פרילנסר explains that the term גלות ( exile) essentially refers to גלות השכינה ( exile of Shekhina).
Shekhina is when Hashem’s glory rests among his nation Israel. Shekhina is said to be in exile when our relationship with Hashem is strained or severed, due to our misdeeds and behaviors and Shekhina is forced to remove himself from us.
Throughout the generations, the exiles of our people from our land, has been only a reflection of the real exile, גלות השכינה. The lesson is clear, we need to bring Hashem back to our lives, restore our relationship with him, and consequently the long and bitter exile will diminish.

Happy Chanukah
Shabbat Shalom