The new moon of Capricorn, or the beginning of the month of Tevet, always comes during Chanukah. And we know about new moons that whatever energy and gifts are available in that time are the most necessary things for all of us in this coming month. Therefore, I would like to focus on an understanding of the unique Light and gifts that are available to us during this new moon, so that we can not only know it, but draw it into our lives and keep it.
Knowing what these gifts are, understanding them, and asking for them, will enable us to receive them. There are a few times of the year when the, as they are called, "Gates of Heaven" are open and the gifts shower down as abundantly as they do during these times, these eight days of Chanukah, and during the beginning of this month. As Rav Berg would often say, "The energy bank, or energy store, is open. Grab as much as you can!" But as we know, it all begins with consciousness. We have to understand what is happening, what energy is available, and what gifts are available.
Kabbalists ask, what is the purpose of Chanukah? Not to remember miracles, not even so much to draw miracles, although that is an aspect of this connection, but to remove the veil with which we live. There is a force in every single one of our lives that puts a veil over our eyes; it makes us look at everything we have in our lives seeing the daily miracles not as miracles, but rather just as totally natural. Because we see them as normal, natural occurrences, we no longer appreciate them or are thankful for them.
Nachmanides tells us that if you are living that type of life where you view all miracles as natural, even with all the spiritual connections that you make, you are not really connected to the Light of the Creator. You cannot be. Today, how many of us saw and appreciated the daily miracles – life, breath, family, friends…? The most important question, therefore, that we can ask ourselves in order to understand where we are so we can gain the miracle and gift, is: today when I woke up, was I excited about the miracle of life I was given? When I saw my kids in the morning or afternoon, was I excited for the miracle of family that was given to me today, and for every other miracle that I had in my day today?
The answer for most of us, unfortunately, is no. Most of us, rather than noticing those miracles and being thankful for them, were worried about all the other things that we do not have. We were upset about the other parts of our lives that are not exactly as we want them to be.
We live with a veil. A veil that goes back thousands of years. The Zohar, in talking about the story of Jacob’s struggle with the angel, says that the angel was trying to put the veil on Jacob so that he would live his life thinking that it is totally natural for him to receive all the gifts he has and all the miracles that come to him daily. And kabbalists teach us that Chanukah is about the veil being lifted. Chanukah is about changing.
When we leave Chanukah and start the new month of Capricorn, we want to leave changed. We want that veil to be lifted. We want to begin to really see, appreciate, and be thankful for the constant miracles in our lives. Once that veil is lifted and we see and appreciate all the miracles that are already in our lives every moment, we can connect to the Light of the Creator, and as such, draw endless miracles into our lives.
