Post Chanukkah, Pre Shabbos Post

I read some of Netivos Shalom about Chanukah. He cites the Gemorah that says that Chazal set for Hallel to be said because the oil burned miraculously and the candles burned again.  He questions this, pointing out that the reason why Hallel is set to be said on a holiday is that the Jews were saved from destruction. He explains that the light referred to is a spiritual light that went dark and was reignited.  The story of darkness and light is the story of the near death and resurrection of the Jewish People.

He says that this fits with the creation story.  We're told that always confused and dark, then G-d said there should be light.  And it was good.  The antidote to darkness and confusion is to see the light of G-d, which can be found in everything in creation.

Maybe, as cliched as it sounds, Chanukah simply is the holiday of light.  From a spiritual perspective, even if they were keeping Torah and mitzvot superficially, the Jew's eyes had become blinded.  Helenism successfully covered them in darkness.  They were on the verge of disappearance.

This is all too relevant today.

Please G-d, help us to see and live the light.