In our opening D'var Torah for the month of Kislev (Chet-Samech-Lamed-Vav) we began to look at the flow of time from Cheshvan to Kislev and the connection of the concepts of Cheyn (graciousness) and Nes (miracle) -- spiritual themes for these consecutive months. As we prepare ourselves for Chanukah, which has the word Cheyn (Chet-Nun) in it and celebrates the Nes (Nun-Samech) of the victory of the Macabees over the Syrian-Greeks as well as the Nes of the oil of the Menorah lasting for the entire re-dedication of the Holy Temple, we want to deepen our understanding of the relationship between these two words and increase our appreciation for this holiday.

Cheyn

Through our learning in the month of Cheshvan we came to understand Cheyn, graciousness, to mean extending compassion to someone who is undeserving. The letters of Cheyn (Chet-Nun) tell us that Cheyn is about bringing Chet -- symbolic of Chai (life)-- to someone who is in a Nun --symbolic of Nofail (falling) -- place. We recognize that G-d is Chanun, Master of Graciousness, extending compassion to all of us all of the time. Perhaps it is in our becoming constantly aware of G-d's Cheyn that we become open to perceiving the miracles that surround us all the time. When we recognize G-d's Cheyn it can lead us to the surrender that allows for miracles to happen. This surrender is based on a trust in G-d and letting go of foolish beliefs that we are in control.

Dorit Har, enlightens us with her thoughts about surrendering our beliefs during Kislev and the letting go (falling into G-d's Grace) that reveals the miracle:

"Kislev is a month of opportunities and choice to bring new light, new meaning to life. Kesel (Khaf-Samech-Lamed) with a 'segol' vowel under the Khaf means stupidity or ignorance. Keselo means, his stupidity, his ignorance. When we introduce in the middle of the word some space, void, silence (Khaf-Samech- -Lamed-Vav) we get Kes-lo: he has a throne as in Kes Hakavod (Throne of Glory). When there is stillness, void (Ayin like in 'Ayin Sof') then life is filled with the glory of G-d. When there is no stillness, no gap between the letters, what we get is Kislev or Keselo ( the Vav can be read as a "V" sound or an "O" sound)--stupidity, ignorance or his stupidity; we get life with an endless flow of actions, responses and other products of the ego. Life then is saturated with ignorance and arrogance with no room for trust and grace." [Rabbi Moshe Shapira explains that the fool operates with Kesel because the fool has an ironclad and unshakeable trust in his opinion as opposed to the trust of the righteous that is strong like flint--the word Kesel is therefore, paradoxically, a synonym for "trust".] ed.

Dorit continues her thought: "The letter Samech stands for Nes (miracle) and for something that you can rely on, trust. Samech looks like O. It is round and perfect. It represents wholeness and the natural flow of grace and miracles that come with wholeness. So, if you take the Samech(O) out of the word Kislev what you get is Kulo (totality, wholeness). Therefore, Kislev means wholeness x 2. We see clearly that Kislev presents us with two choices: the way of wholeness or the way of ignorance, Kes--lo or Keslo. Kesel with the vowel segol under the Khaf means stupidity. Kesel with the vowel tzaireh under the Khaf means hope, confidence and trust. From all the above we can conclude that Kislev is a month in which one can inaugurate and dedicate (from the meaning of the word Chanukah) a new way of living life; a life which leaves space and silence, which sees wholeness and trusts the Throne, the natural unfolding. In this kind of life the sun can stop in its course, the sea can be split, a few can be victorious over many and challenges in life may transform into blessings. Life reveals itself as a natural unfolding of the Glory of G-d. Life is actually saturated with miracles which are just the unfolding of Divine Grace. So when we trust in the natural unfolding, in stillness (without trying to control the flow of events) then we are free to see the glory of Kes Hakavod. But, when we act stupidly and arrogantly, letting our egos control, then life is saturated with narrow-mindedness and suffering. So the choice is in our hands, in Kislev and in every moment of our life."

Surrender - Nullifying the Perception of Barriers

Following in Dorit's path, we can say that when we surrender ourselves and our egos, we nullify a barrier that exists between us and miracles that are waiting to happen. When we surrender perceptions that certain things outside of ourselves are barriers to G-d's action, we open the door to miracles happening. This surrender is a kind of nullification which is hinted at by the Samech in the word Nes (Nun-Samech). The gematria of Samech is 60 and is an allusion to the 1/60 rule of nullification where something's existence is nullified if it is less than 1/60th of the total quantity. The experience of a Nes is when something that appears to be the cause of downfall (Nun) is nullified (Samech) by the totality of G-d's will. Our ability to perceive this possibility and to act on it allows the Nes to happen.

In the Chanukah story we find the two miracles connected to the nullification of barriers, where in fact that which was perceived to be a barrier actually becomes the vehicle for the Nes. The small number of Macabee warriors were no match for the Greeks; yet it is through them that G-d creates a military victory. The Jews weren't saved by an unexpected tornado or other unrelated act -- the small army itself with its battle cry of "Who is in the service of G-d" is the vehicle for victory. And the miracle of being able to fulfill the ritual requirements of re-dedicating the Temple was achieved precisely through that which appeared to be the barrier -- a limited supply of oil. In each case the Jewish people chose to move forward as if those barriers didn't exist -- they nullified their perception of these things being a barrier to G-d's involvement.

Perceiving things as barriers is ever-evolving and is beautifully developed in the story of Yosef (the archetype among Ya'acov's sons who progresses from immature trust to the flint-like trust of the righteous one) and his relationship to dreams--an arena of consciousness where the miraculous occurs routinely! We turn to the unfolding events of his life that will be read in the synagogue on the consecutive Shabbatot of Chanukah (VaYeshev and MeKetz).

Yosef's Story

The story of Yosef's life reveals to us his evolution from someone who is self-centered to one who is G-d-centered. Yosef moves in his awareness of G-d's Providence and it is reflected in the way he speaks about the dreams he has and the dreams he interprets.

As a 17-year old boy Yosef has two dreams about his family that he relates to his brothers and to his father. At no time does he even mention G-d when relaying what he dreamt. He doesn't seem to know yet that G-d is working through him; and when he tells about his dreams they only anger his brothers and make them hate him more.

Years later, having been sold into slavery (by his brothers) and thrown into prison after being falsely accused of accosting Potiphar's wife, Yosef finds himself in the company of the Pharoah's Cupbearer and Baker who are also in prison. When they tell him that they have dreamed dreams and they can't interpret them, Yosef responds, "Do not interpretations belong to G-d? Relate it to me, if you please?" (Beresheet 40:8) While Yosef initially acknowledges that G-d is the one who gives the interpretations, that is the last we hear about G-d's involvement. Yosef doesn't mention G-d again. In fact, Yosef still doesn't seem to be aware that G-d is working a Divine plan through his incarceration. He appears to rely on the good will of the Cupbearer when, after giving him an encouraging interpretation that he will be restored to his position, Yosef says, "If only you would think of me with yourself when he benefits you, and you will do me a kindness, if you please, and mention me to Pharaoh, then you would get me out of this building. For indeed I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for them to have put me in the pit." (Beresheet 40:14-15)

Yosef sounds much like the victim recounting his woes who may be seeking compassion from his listener and reveals at the same time a lack of trust that his being a victim is ultimately in the Divine plan [this is not meant to imply that "victims" do not deserve our compassion, rather that over time the "victim" has the opportunity to see the Will of G-d in all life's experiences]. G-d "punishes" Yosef with two additional years in prison for having asked the Cupbearer for his help. Why? What was Yosef missing? If we go back to when Yosef was thrown in prison, we find that "G-d was with Yosef (in prison), and He endowed him with charisma, and He put his favor (Cheyno-from the word Cheyn) in the eyes of the prison warden. The prison warden placed all inmates of the prison in Yosef's custody, and everything that was done there, he would accomplish. The prison warden did not scrutinize anything that was in his charge inasmuch as G-d was with him; and whatever he did G-d made successful." (Beresheet 39: 21-23)

We are given this clear indication that G-d is present with Yosef. Perhaps because Yosef did not recognize all of these acts of Cheyn that G-d had bestowed upon him while in prison, he could not perceive that the prison was not a barrier to G-d's involvement; he therefore turns to the Cupbearer to rescue him. It is not until two years later that Yosef is ready to let go of his perception that even a prison, Beit Sohar (Samech-Heh-Reish) is not a barrier to G-d's will being done.

By the time Yosef is called upon to appear before Pharaoh to interpret the Ruler's dreams, we don't hear Yosef use the opportunity to plead his individual case. There is no sob story to evoke compassion. He just stands there waiting. When Pharoah says that he has heard that Yosef can comprehend dreams and interpret them, Yosef replies, "That is beyond me; it is G-d Who will respond with Pharaoh's welfare." (Beresheet 41:16) He will not accept any credit for the interpretation that he is about to relay, even though he might be sent back to prison if there's really nothing special about him. He relates G-d's interpretation, acting as the vehicle, but his ego is not there. He does, however, repeatedly mention G-d's name, G-d's plan, and G-d's will. Yosef has both nullified his own ego and nullified his perception that the Beit Sohar (and his victimization) is a barrier to G-d's presence in his life. And in fact, it is through his being in prison that he comes to be known to Pharaoh and elevated to the second highest in command over all of Egypt -- which is in itself only the preparation for the next stage of the story of the Jewish people. The fact that he was a foreigner, a slave, a youth, and a Hebrew -- none were barriers to Yosef attaining the position that G-d had in store for him.

Had Yosef been more aware of the Cheyn that G-d was constantly bestowed upon him while in prison, he might have been more open to surrendering his ego and changing his perceptions about what is and what isn't a barrier to G-d's will. And the miracle of his deliverance might have happened sooner. The Samech in Yosef's name reminds us both of his challenge and ultimate accomplishment of nullification.

So, at this season, when we recall and proclaim the miracles of Chanukah with the lighting of the Menorah and the reciting of the "Al Ha'Nisim" prayer we can remind ourselves that being aware of G-d's Cheyn is the first step to preparing ourselves for miracles. Then, as we surrender our egos and our perceptions of barriers to salvation and open ourselves to take risks, "miracles" flow into our lives.