8 Ways: You Are the One Who Lights Up This World

Small acts, and big acts, all those little things that you do bring warmth and happiness to this world. Read below and recognize the good that you do and have potential to do, every single day.

The little lights flicker in our windows, bringing us back to a time where the world had gone dark and the light of our Torah, our conviction, and our faith brought back the light. They shine outward, bringing that same light to a world that has once again gone dark.

They are our call to action, a reminder that we each have what it takes to bring light to the darkness. And there is so much darkness—and so many ways that we can be the light to dispel it. 

In honor of Chanukah, here is how we can light up the night in eight different situations.

Through Bleak Times

It’s in the darkest of times that Klal Yisroel’s light tends to shine brightest. Like siblings, we tend to bicker during the best of times, but in times of challenge we pull together and shine a light that penetrates the darkness so brilliantly. When we look at a time of communal tzarah, there is endless pain and profound depths of grief, but there are also always brilliant sparks of chesed, of people and organizations rising to the occasion. And that is the lens through which we find the light in the darkness of this galus. 

As tragedy struck, joy turned to devastation in the blink of an eye, Kllal Yisroel was plunged into war. Stories emerged, one more heart-wrenching than the next, and it seemed the darkness was absolute and impenetrable. And yet, from the shadows of grief rose an indomitable spirit. The people found ways to show up and be the light. They toiled day and night to bring comfort and hope to families left homeless and bereft. They made sandwiches for soldiers and care packages for their mothers. They wrote letters and sent toys and sewed tzitzis. They drove down to bases, sang and hugged and cried. They filled duffel bags and sent them abroad, they organized tehillim groups in their homes and communities. They pushed away differences and set aside grievances to show their care and their concern, to shine a small ray of hope in a world suddenly gone dark. They are Klal Yisroel at its finest.

Through Personal Challenge

Sometimes we experience a personal challenge that plunges our own world into darkness. We look around and see the world going on as normal, oblivious to our pain, and we wonder if we will ever be able to crawl our way out of this deep, dark hole and rejoin the world of light. And then, we are gifted by sparks that are found in the warm embrace of caring people who come to help us in our time of need. They provide comfort and support and bring a small glimmer of light into our darkness. Sometimes, it is we who are blessed to be in the world of light, and it is our neighbor who has been plunged into darkness. And it is our mandate, our privilege, to find a way into that darkness bearing our torch, large or small, to help in any way we can. 

When the Cohen’s* house burned to the ground, they were left devastated and traumatized. True, they were grateful that everyone escaped unharmed, and did not downplay the miracles that involved. But they still mourned the loss of every last item they owned. From the trivial but cute outfit they had just bought on sale, to the irreplaceable photos and diaries, they lost everything but the pajamas on their backs. Immediately, though, they were treated to  an outpouring of support they received from friends, neighbors and even strangers. They received gifts of clothing, of toys and games, food and childcare. They were the recipients of chassadim large and small, many anonymous. And though the fire that took their home haunted their dreams, the precious flames of chessed warmed them through their waking hours. 

Through a Dark Galus

Like a lighthouse serving as a beacon to sailors seeking safe harbor, our role in this galus is to serve as an ohr l’goyim, a light of decency and morality, of values and hope, to the nations of the world. Our behavior and interactions need to be those that illuminate the way, not chas v’shalom the opposite. 

The Kransky family members are very dedicated to their middle-aged neighbor Doug. They bring over a piece of his favorite dish—potato kugel—every Friday and they are careful to keep the noise down during the evening hours when he likes to relax.  They help shovel his walk during snow storms and check in on him during blackouts. He is a lonely man, his two children having chosen lifestyles that did not include space for the father that raised them, and did not include any grandchildren who could possibly grow up to be there for him someday. One day, after yet another delivery of steaming hot potato kugel, Doug looked at the sweet, smiling Kransky children lined up at his doorstep, and their warm and compassionate mother behind them, and muttered just loud enough for Mrs. Kransky to hear, “If I could do it again, I would do it your way for sure.” 

Through Inner Darkness

Sometimes we don’t have to look far to find darkness, because it’s lodged within our heart. There’s something eating away at us, not allowing us to live with peace of mind and contentment. Whether it’s a spiritual slump, a chemical imbalance, emotional upheaval or life circumstances that causes this angst or depression, it’s our mission to do what it takes to bring the light back to our life, to our own little world. Sometimes it’s as simple as carving out time to reconnect with ourselves, sometimes it means asking for and accepting help from outsiders, and sometimes it means we need to go for professional help to make us whole and healthy again.

Blimi hugged herself tighter as the tears streamed down her face. The morning noises beyond her door beckoned, but she couldn’t drag herself out of bed. This was the third day in a row that she felt so down, and she just wanted to crawl back under her covers and let life pass her by. “I don’t deserve this,” she thought, as she heard the happy sounds of her precious children and ached for them, for the mother she wasn’t and wished she could be. 

When they missed the bus yet again, and her tired husband came home from shachris to get them ready for school and drive them, she knew she had to do something. She wouldn’t let this last as long as it did the last time she felt this way, when she had spiraled to deeper and darker places. Before she could lose her courage, Blimi picked up the phone and dialed her lifeline. 

With Lights of Hashgachah

Sometimes, Hashem darkens our path as he puts us through struggles that cause us deep pain. We look around and see only darkness, with no light at the end of the tunnel. And yet, He doesn’t abandon us. He is always there, and when we seek Him out on the darkest day, that is where we find the light we need to get through it. 

Rochy was heartbroken as she drove home from her sister’s house, where her mother now resided.  Her mother’s Alzheimer’s was growing progressively worse, so it shouldn’t have been such a shock to her, but nothing could have prepared her for today. Today was the first day that her mother didn’t recognize her at all. It sometimes took her a moment to remember her name, or what number daughter she was, but today, she had been completely blank, and it was so incredibly painful.  As she drove, trying to see past the film of tears in her eyes, her car was suddenly awash in a faint lavender glow. She looked out her window in surprise and saw the most breathtaking sunset. The pastel pinks and purples on one side of the sky, and brilliant orange on another were so surreal. She felt Hashem’s presence so clearly in that moment. 

With Each of Our Children

In a passionate and poignant address at the virtual Agudah Convention, Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff choked up as he spoke about the potential of each of our children to light up the night.

Here is an excerpt, pretty much word for word:

“We daven for children who are meirim es haolam baTorah.  Let’s just say it doesn’t work and he’s not connecting to the blatt—U’bemaasim tovim—he can light up the night with  maasim tovim! And if he doesn’t even have that, b’chol mileches avodas haBorei; he’s a member of Chaveirim, he lights up the night. We have to realize our children can light up the night with everything.

What’s the matter with us, have we gone crazy? So if some kid doesn’t exactly fit into the mold, it’s all over? We’re embarrassed that he wears his button open? We’re embarrassed that he doesn’t wear a hat. Don’t be so embarrassed; be proud of him!”

When we teach our children that there is only one way that they can succeed, only one way that we will be truly proud of them and not consider them a disappointment, we are paving the way for a world of darkness. We have to show them that they can bring so much light, so much good and so much joy to the world in whatever way they choose to serve Hashem. 

Yaakov, once the prized older brother, is now the shame of his family. He’s the reason why friends of his younger brothers were told “You can’t go play in that house,” and the reason why his parents were embarrassed to show their faces at family simchahs. And then the unthinkable happened and Yaakov was tragically killed in a car accident. Suddenly, the floodgates opened. Stories poured in from friends, acquaintances, strangers. Yaakov’s uncanny knack for having the perfect pick-me-up at hand when you were down; Yaakov’s smile that lit up many a dark place; Yaakov’s kind words, spoken to broken souls who hadn’t known much kindness. Apparently, while the people in his world looked down on him and were ashamed of him, Yaakov in his own quiet way had been changing the world all along. 

With the High Road

Sometimes it’s not a world of darkness or even a day of darkness, but just an uncomfortable encounter. There are two parties involved, maybe more. One of you might be right and one of you wrong, or perhaps you are both wrong, or both right. But whether you are wrong or right, the choice is yours. Your reaction can bring light or darkness, you can diffuse the tension or intensify the ugliness. You may think that taking the high road makes you a wimp, but in reality, it can make you the warrior, the one who battled feelings of anger and indignation and overcame them. It makes you an inner Maccabi. 

Mrs. Leiber felt her face growing hot and flushed as she listened to the tirade spewing through the phone line. Her most challenging student, Shoshi Katz, had received detention that day, and Mrs. Katz was holding nothing back as she lashed out at the school, at the principal, and at Mrs. Leiber herself. Mrs. Leiber had a few choice words too, about Shoshi’s behavior and about the chinuch at home that tended to contribute to such behavior. But when Mrs. Katz paused for a breather, she said none of that. She swallowed hard and said, “Mrs. Katz, you are right that Shoshi really is a very special girl. Can we discuss for a moment how we can work together to help her succeed? I really want to be there for Shoshi however I can and I really value your input on how I can best do that.” 

With Tiny Lights

It’s a heartwarming sight to watch the tiny little lichtelach in windows blazing a path in the darkness. But they are so small, and often pale in comparison to their neighboring dazzling holiday lights.  We teach our children, as they pause to admire those foreign lights, that dazzling displays of emptiness are just that—empty. It’s our tiny lichtelach that are so huge, so significant and impactful, because they blaze with the force of Torah, of kedushah. It’s a light that can’t be measured in earthly terms, as it is tiny in size but it lights up the whole world. 

And each of us can be a Chanukah light in that respect, with  tiny gestures that light up the world. Chazal tell us “me’at min ha’or docheh harbeh min hachoshech.” All it takes is a little bit of light to chase away a lot of darkness. Look at the powerful impact of those original Chanukah lights; imagine the impact we can have when we become the light. All it takes is a small dose of light, a small gesture of kindness, a few words of warmth and encouragement and we cannot begin to fathom the worlds of darkness we are sweeping away. 

Be the light, my friend, every day and in any way you can. It’s the smallest things you do that have the biggest impacts. 

It didn’t take much. Chani texted her friend, “Thinking about you!” Shira prepared her child’s favorite supper on the day of her first chumash test. Avigail paused for a split second on a backed up road  so a car could turn in front of her. Yehudis said good morning to a passing stranger. Aviva brought cookies over to a new neighbor. Esty gave the hardworking waiter an extra-generous tip. Chaya brought the bus driver a hot cocoa on the first frigid morning of the school year. Rachelli called her neighbor to give her a nachas report on one of her children. Tiny sparks together making the world a brighter place. 

*All names have been changed.

An earlier version of this article originally appeared in The Lakewood Shopper.

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