Daily Chizuk #1038

During these days of Chanukah, we are celebrating the fact that we have freedom to serve Hashem as we please. The Yevanim made harsh decrees that prevented the Jewish People from being able to perform mitzvot until Hashem came and saved them from their hands. We know that man has no control in this world, and the Greeks had absolutely no power to harm. It was only because Hashem decreed that those persecutions should take place that the Greeks had any ability to make those decrees. The question is why did Hashem bring it about that His People should be deprived of being able to keep the Torah and mitzvot? The Bach writes in Hilchot Chanukah, it’s because the Jews themselves became lax in their performance of the mitzvot. They did not value the mitzvot the way they should have, and that’s why Hashem took away their opportunity to perform them.
Hashem wants everyone to know everything. He wants to help us so much with our Torah and mitzvot, but we have to make the first move. This is our job in the world. The more we want, the more He’ll give us. But we have to really want first; and it has to be sincere. If someone really wants to become better in Mitzvot, he’ll even pray to Hashem for His help in accomplishing it and that is the most beautiful tefila.
May Hashem help us all use the potential that He gave us to fulfill our roles in His avodat hakodesh.
Happy Chanukah!