Chanukah 2014: Eighth Candle - The Few against the Many

Sometimes it is only when our deepest self is challenged that we understand what it is that our soul wants and needs to do in this world.

That’s what happened to the Maccabees in Chanukah. They were a small band of fighters who, when pressed up against a wall, were able to rise up to overthrow the entire regime that was threatening their whole existence. It was truly a case of a few against many, and the few won out.

Most of the time, when it comes to doing something good, powerful, or spiritual in this world, there is usually this battle of the few against the many. If you think about it, many advancements that have had a dramatic positive influence on the world started with two against a hundred or perhaps ten against a thousand.

This battle of the few against the many also goes on within each and every one of us. We hear the loud voice of the “many” in our head that says: “You will never make it. Don’t even try. You aren’t good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to succeed. Better to give up now.” Or: “Go ahead, eat it, take it, say it, scream it, do it—it’s only once, no big deal.”

We also hear the voice of the “few,” which is that little spark of Light inside of us that nudges us and says: “Don’t do that. That’s not the way the game is played.” Or: “You can do it. Don’t give up. Follow your heart and don’t give in.”

Tonight, before we light the eighth candle of Chanukah, let’s take a moment to listen to the voice of the “few” and what it has to say to us. Then let’s meditate to carry this energy forward and use it to make our families, communities, and the world a better place because we are here.