Hagit Bar-On Head of Hebrew K-6 | Jewish Studies Coordinator K-2

Hanukkah – What is shined upon grows

I recently learnt a new maxim in Hebrew: ״מה שמואר, צומח״  It basically means that what is being shined at, grows.

This is a simple rule in Biology which makes perfectly sense to everyone.

If the sun shines on the roses, they will grow, If the sun shines on the trees, they will grow and so on.

How is this maxim connected to Hanukkah, you may ask?

Well, Hanukkah is the festival of light, and its purpose is to teach us a lesson.

Sometimes, a person cannot see any positive virtue in themself and when you point out something good in them, you revive them and give them strength.

On many occasions, people cannot find any virtues in their children, friends, some family members or colleagues.

To find the positive and the good in another human being and especially in children is an art that many teachers have.

There is always something positive in each one of us. However, many times we tend to see the negative because this is the way we were brought up or use to behave and this is what we constantly hear in the media and on social platforms.

There is a virtue in every one of us and that is what we need to emphasise because “what is being shined at, grows”.

When we stop looking for faults and negative things in each other, that is when we will be able to find the positives within ourselves.

This year, when you light the Hanukkah candles, try to find the same number of positive virtues in each one of your family members and friends as the number of candles you light each night.

Oh.. and don’t forget to look for the same number of virtues in yourself because what you shine upon, will grow!

Hanukah sameach