Give the Chanukah Present of Being Present

Have you seen this one about how to explain the Chanukah miracle in contemporary terms?

It’s funny because it’s true. 

We CAN better appreciate what it’s like to have just a little bit of fuel last for a long time through the analogy of our cell phone batteries.  Who among us doesn’t know what it’s like to be searching frantically for a charger or an outlet as the “Battery Low” message appears on the screen?

We’re spending too much time looking at our screens!

Now, screens and devices aren’t all bad.  Don’t know the answer to a question?  Google is there with an instantaneous answer.  At the same time, all of this screen time means less time for reality.

While the scientific data is still evolving, we are well aware of the negative effects of too much time spent on screens and not enough spent living in the moment.  I found it particularly ironic that when I read this article online about the subject, the pop-up ad was for a new T-Mobile phone!

That’s why I thought this initiative was very appropriate:  “This Chanukah, Go Screen Free for 30”

The idea is to put away the phones and avoid screens for (at least) the first 30 minutes after kindling the Chanukah lights.  The 30 minutes comes from the minimum time the candles must remain lit to fulfill the mitzvah.  (Kudos to Ramaz for publicizing this initiative as well!)

Each night, after lighting the candles, we proclaim: "Ein lanu reshut l'hishtameish bahem ela lir'otam bilvad - we have no permission to use the candles for mundane purposes.  Their only purpose is to be watched.  How awesome would it be if the only thing we do after lighting the candles is to be fully focused on the lights of those around us?

The Talmud states:

תנו רבנן מצות חנוכה נר איש וביתו

The mitzvah of Chanukah is for there to be a light kindled for oneself and one’s household

Often, this teaching is the jumping off point for the discussion of how, while the mitzvah requires only one candle, we light more to fulfill the obligation in a more ideal fashion – mehadrin min ha-mehadrin.  I suggest we focus our attention on those three little words – near ish u’veito.  The mitzvah of Chanukah is fulfilled when we focus our attention on the family.

This can be why, even though the ideal is to place the candles where they can be seen by those outside, the Talmud concludes:

מניחה על שלחנו ודיו

            It suffices to light the Chanukah lights on the table

The best, most fundamental way, to celebrate Chanukah is to focus – really focus – on those around us, those sitting around the table.  That’s plenty.

It is not easy to set aside our connection to the wonders of the internet, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and the other portals for information.  I know from experience.  At the same time, the greatest present we can give ourselves as Chanukah ends is to try and be more present – more fully present – for all the great things going on around us.