Forgiveness demands courage. It contradicts our Jewish sense of justice. It demands a certain amount of forgetfulness, and this too is contrary to the Jewish ethos. We fight it because it reminds us of our pain.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger z”l believed the festival of lights compels us to be more Jewish, act more Jewish, and appear more Jewish. Do we continue to wear our Jewish star necklaces? Do we continue to display our illuminated Hanukkah menorahs in our windows?

Hanukkah is about miracles and lights, the rabbis counsel. When we only see confirmations of our political opinions, we fail to see this harrowing video for what it truly is: testimony to the humanity and courage of six young people.

Let us call to mind the rabbis’ story and their everlasting message. No matter how mighty our army, our greatest source of strength remains our spirit. Not by might! Not by power!

We continue to manufacture wickedness so that Jacob can remain our hero.  Esau’s good intentions are manipulated.  We, like Jacob, appear to see wickedness where it does not even exist.  We are motivated by fear. I can almost hear Esau utter the words, “I have to be wicked so you can be good.”

Rather than chasing after named places or those that our ancestors declared as sacred, perhaps we might be better off inculcating an openness to finding holiness wherever we stop for the night. Every part of every soil is sacred!