Antiochus decreed against the public reading of the Torah, and the response of Israel was to establish the reading of the Haftora a custom we follow til this very day. According to the Midrash, Yavan represents darkness, and the Galut pushed us into a tight, dark space. We pray even in the Galut for light. Torah & its study represent light; the passions and distractions of this world that derail us from Torah, all the allurements and vanities, represent darkness. The Yavanim attacked the Daughters of Israel. Yavan is the antithesis of Torah; the miracle of the oil of the Menora represents light. On Chanuka we rededicate ourselves to the study of Torah & to receive its light. We will study the Takana of Kriyas HaTorah & our love for Torah.
To contact us with any comments, suggestions or requests, please click here
YUTorah ® Online is made possible by the generosity of Marcos and Adina Katz and is coordinated by Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future . It offers more than 240,000 shiurim via webcast in audio, video and text formats by our Roshei Yeshiva and other YU luminaries. The opinions and views expressed are solely those of the author or lecturer and should not be attributed to Yeshiva University.
0 comments Leave a Comment