storytelling, candles & prayer
Dec. 10th, 2007 04:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellenkushnerTomorrow is the last night of Chanukah, but as I will be doing a Golden Dreydl show in Allentown, PA, and thus unavailable for comment (unless you happen to be in Allentown), I offer these thoughts now:
A friend came over the other night, and we invited her to light the Chanukah candles. Her family, while originally Jewish, was so devoutly secular that they wouldn't even let her light candles when she was a kid (kind of puts my complaints about having to alternate nights with my little brothers in the shade!), let alone sing the candle blessings. So we sang, and she lit.
Later, when the lights were burned out and everyone was gone, I thought of this story, which I learned from the writings of the fabulous, quirky anthropologist Barbara Myerhoff* (another Cleveland girl!):
When the great Rabbi Israel Baal Shem-Tov saw misfortune threatening the Jews, it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light a fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished and the misfortune averted. Later, when his disciple...had occasion...to intercede with heaven, he would go to the same place in the forest and say 'Master of the Universe, listen! I do not know how to light the fire, but I am still able to say the prayer.' Again the miracle would be accomplished.
Still later, Rabbi Moshe-Lieb of Sasov, in order to save his people once more, would go into the forest and say: 'I do not know how to light the fire, I do not know the prayer, but I know the place and this must be sufficient.' It was sufficient and the miracle was accomplished.
Then it fell to Rabbi Israel of Rizhyn to overcome misfortune. Sitting in his armchair, his head in his hands, he spoke to God: ' I am unable to light the fire and I do not know the prayer; I cannot even find the place in the forest. All I can do is to tell the story, and this must be sufficient.'
And it was sufficient.
Happy holidays, all. May your light be strong and bright all year. And may you tell your stories, always.
* It's posted online at the Jewish Women's Archive, along with much more great material about Myerhoff and other remarkable Jewish American women.
A friend came over the other night, and we invited her to light the Chanukah candles. Her family, while originally Jewish, was so devoutly secular that they wouldn't even let her light candles when she was a kid (kind of puts my complaints about having to alternate nights with my little brothers in the shade!), let alone sing the candle blessings. So we sang, and she lit.
Later, when the lights were burned out and everyone was gone, I thought of this story, which I learned from the writings of the fabulous, quirky anthropologist Barbara Myerhoff* (another Cleveland girl!):
When the great Rabbi Israel Baal Shem-Tov saw misfortune threatening the Jews, it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light a fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished and the misfortune averted. Later, when his disciple...had occasion...to intercede with heaven, he would go to the same place in the forest and say 'Master of the Universe, listen! I do not know how to light the fire, but I am still able to say the prayer.' Again the miracle would be accomplished.
Still later, Rabbi Moshe-Lieb of Sasov, in order to save his people once more, would go into the forest and say: 'I do not know how to light the fire, I do not know the prayer, but I know the place and this must be sufficient.' It was sufficient and the miracle was accomplished.
Then it fell to Rabbi Israel of Rizhyn to overcome misfortune. Sitting in his armchair, his head in his hands, he spoke to God: ' I am unable to light the fire and I do not know the prayer; I cannot even find the place in the forest. All I can do is to tell the story, and this must be sufficient.'
And it was sufficient.
Happy holidays, all. May your light be strong and bright all year. And may you tell your stories, always.
* It's posted online at the Jewish Women's Archive, along with much more great material about Myerhoff and other remarkable Jewish American women.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-12-11 12:15 am (UTC)Alas, I'm in Aruba, and will end the holiday in the company of seven people of strong faith (albeit not a Jew among them). Still, you have inspired me, and at dinner tomorrow, I will share the story of Hannukah with them, and improvise a candle-lighting ceremony for them to take part in. Thank you, and have a great time in Allentown.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-11 03:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-21 07:23 pm (UTC)Fortunately, I can imitate your transliteration of the word. I've seen at least four different spellings, and I'm at a loss! My Russian friends use two k's and begin with an h. Tricky. But perhaps, in the greater scheme, not so important.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-22 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-21 08:46 pm (UTC)