By the Grace of G-d
Dear Friend, Miracles. Happening all around us. Let’s open our eyes and recognize them…. Here is a small example. Ten years ago, in 2009 we decided to try and broaden our reach with the kindling of the Menorah at Siam Paragon. The intention was, to pull in people who may not otherwise have attended a Chanukah program at the Synagogue. Siam Paragon is one of the most successful malls in this city and there is almost no one who has not visited there one time or another. The Infinicity Hall located just outside the theater was a wonderful venue to host our Menorah Lighting and delicious Chanukah dinner (traditional doughnuts and all). Being that the theme of Chanukah is to light up the darkness in the street, Siam Paragon while indeed a very classy mall, represents in the spiritual sense what would be on the darker side (certainly compared to a Synagogue). The lighting of the Menorah there, resonated ever so powerfully… Choosing this venue was a bold move at the time. Till then we had always held the Chanukah parties in the courtyard of the Synagogue. Moving the party to an outside venue, especially a mall, immediately brought a much larger crowd and fit well with the theme of ‘lighting up the darkness in the street’ in the most public and accessible way. To be honest, we would have loved to light the Menorah somewhere even more public, out in the street where thousands of people would see it. The message of the Menorah, that G-d makes miracles and that light dispels darkness is a universal one and must be shared with the world at large. To quote a letter penned by the Rebbe “To all participants in the Public Lighting of the Chanukah Menorah: Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, recalls the victory—more than 2100 years ago—of a militarily weak but spiritually strong Jewish people over the mighty forces of a ruthless enemy that had overrun the Holy Land and threatened to engulf the land and its people in darkness. The miraculous victory—culminating with the rededication of the Sanctuary in Jerusalem and the rekindling of the Menorah which had been desecrated and extinguished by the enemy—has been celebrated annually ever since during these eight days of Chanukah, especially by lighting the Chanukah Menorah, also as a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness. It is a timely and reassuring message, for the forces of darkness are ever present. Moreover, the danger does not come exclusively from outside; it often lurks close to home, in the form of insidious erosion of time-honored values and principles that are at the foundation of any decent human society. Needless to say, darkness is not chased away by brooms and sticks, but by illumination. Our Sages said, “A little light expels a lot of darkness.” The Chanukah Lights remind us in a most obvious way that illumination begins at home, within oneself and one’s family, by increasing and intensifying the light of the Torah and Mitzvos in the everyday experience, even as the Chanukah Lights are kindled in growing numbers from day to day. But though it begins at home, it does not stop there. Such is the nature of light that when one kindles a light for one’s own benefit, it benefits also all who are in the vicinity. Indeed, the Chanukah Lights are expressly meant to illuminate the “outside,” symbolically alluding to the duty to bring light also to those who, for one reason or another, still walk in darkness. The move to Siam Paragon Mall was a blessed one. We continued to light the Menorah at that venue for four years with much fanfare and success. At year five we had a hitch. Or what we thought was a hitch! A few months before Chanukah 2013 after we got confirmation for holding our main Chanukah event at the Siam Paragon Mall, we suddenly got a note cancelling our reservation. It seemed as if there was a scheduling conflict with another party and our reservation was cancelled. We were understandably upset and proceeded to look for other Malls or similar public venues in the area. Our efforts to find a similar venue bore no fruit so reluctantly we booked the ballroom at the Grand Millenium Sukhumvit Hotel on Soi Asok. You may recall that in November of 2013 the political situation in Thailand started to become turbulent again. Demonstrations began increasing in their intensity as time went on. Over the weekend they were particularly intense and resulted in some fatalities and casualties. On Sunday morning December 1, 2013, the fourth day of Chanukah just a few hours before the Chanukah celebration was to begin, we received word that the Siam Paragon Mall as well as all other similar venues had been ordered closed on Sunday due to the danger posed by the demonstrations. This meant that were we to have planned our Chanukah Celebration at the Siam Paragon Mall we would have had to cancel our major Chanukah event. But thank G-d Who had made sure that we did not get what we THOUGHT would be best, but we got the Hotel venue that would be best under the circumstances. And what a party it was…. People called me and asked me ‘how did you know not to hold the event in Siam Paragon this year?’ Now you know the truth. We had no idea. But G-d did. When I made the blessing at the Chanukah Party thanking G-d who made miracles during ‘those days, in these times’ I really felt the deep meaning of those words. Indeed G-d makes miracles in our times also. May we all be blessed to see the constant miraculous guiding hand of G-d in our lives! The Chanukah parties continued at the Millennium hotel (which changed its name in the interim to the Pullman Hotel). The celebrations were amazing. The venue was superb and the reputation of this being THE CHANUKAH PARTY NOT TO MISS grew from year to year thank G-d. Oh no, I said when I was informed earlier this year that the Pullman Hotel was not able to provide us with space due to a competing multi-day event. The staff there was very accommodating and suggested we go to the Landmark Hotel. If you attended the party, you know. The Landmark Hotel venue was EVEN BETTER than the previous one. It was bigger, roomier and just provided a more pleasant background for the five hundred or so guests who gathered to celebrate Chanukah in the heart of Bangkok. I tell this story because this is what Chanukah is all about. Miracles. Winning the war. The Maccabees are victorious over a vastly bigger Greek army. Outnumbered and overpowered though they be, G-d miraculously granted them a decisive victory. And the miracles of the oil. Finding the jug of uncontaminated oil. They searched high and low and thank G-d their efforts were blessed with success and they found the pure oil. The oil that was meant to last for one day, lasted for eight. Every night we make the blessings on the kindling of the Menorah and we praise G-d for the miracles He has performed for our forefathers in those days at this time period. And we praise G-d for the miracles that He does for us NOW IN OUR TIMES. Our lives are full of G-dly blessings. Every time we open our eyes. The sun that rises every morning. The car that starts. The gift of having ample nourishing food to eat. The ability to help others through a kind word, a warm smile or tzedakah help. And perhaps the greatest blessing of all. The awesome and inspiring awareness that our presence here on earth is of value and importance to Almighty G-d Creator of Heaven and Earth and the gift of Torah and Mitzvahs that He has communicated to us. So, next time something doesn’t work out exactly the way you thought it would, stop for a moment before you despair. Think about Chanukah and the lesson it teaches us. Miracles abound. Just close your eyes for a minute. Breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. Think about the good things you have been blessed with. Give thanks to G-d for the miracles He performs for you with every breath. Sometimes it takes time till you see the happy ending. But never give up. And try as hard as you can to stay positive and joyous. Joyous about what? Well, if the oil is burning, and everything is going well, rejoice. What will happen tomorrow? If there is a way to make new oil, go ahead and prepare for tomorrow. But if there is absolutely nothing you can do, worrying won’t help either. It will only disturb. And the worrying may really be a waste. As Chanukah teaches us that if G-d wishes, it will continue burning for as long as needed. Imagine how silly you will feel if you walk around worried about what may go wrong and then it lands up going right. And how wise you will have been if you didn’t fret and get anxious and the end everything worked out. When it continues burning remember to give thanks and praise to the Almighty. Shabbat Shalom, Chodesh Tov Chanukah Sameach Rabbi Yosef Kantor PS THIS YEAR WE WILL BE TAKING CHANUKAH TO THE STREETS LITERALLY. PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE GRAND FINALE MENORAH LIGHTING OUTSIDE MBK ZONE C. DETAILS IN FLYER BELOW.
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