Celebrating Chanukah in Heaven

Chanukah is around the corner and I’m already thinking about how I’m going to handle another holiday without my son. Every year it seems to get harder. Thank G-d, we will be with family and I’ll light his menorah. But I wonder, how does he celebrate Chanukah in Heaven? I don’t think he lights candles on a giant menorah up there. But our Sages say that this world mirrors the world above, so there must be something similar between our Chanukah here and his Chanukah there. 

Where’s G-d? – A World Falling Apart

Aside from the fact that Chanukah commemorates a historical event, there is a deeper meaning to the holiday. The lights of the menorah celebrate the victory of the revelation of G-dliness over spiritual darkness. With war, violence, and hatred currently running rampant in our world, it’s difficult to see G-d in the picture. There’s a parable of a man seeing a beautiful castle on fire in a forest. Everything is going up in flames. The man wonders out loud ‘Where is the master of this house?’ He sees no one, but a voice coming from somewhere loudly says ‘I am the Master!’ 

Similarly, our world seems to be falling apart, or to quote an old saying, ‘Everything is going to hell in a handbasket’. Nonetheless, G-d is here taking care of His burning house. It’s just that it’s so hard to see.

Light is the Key to Understanding

The similarity between our Chanukah and Chanukah in Heaven is light. In my post, Lighting My Son’s Chanukah Menorah, I spoke about the Ohr HaGanuz. This Ohr, meaning light, is a spiritual light. What is a spiritual light? The Kabbalists always refer to G-dliness, or spirituality,  as light. Light means revelation, revealing that which is hidden. Our Sages say that this spiritual light is within the physical lights of our menorah. The article The Hidden Light, by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, describes the connection between Chanukah and the Ohr HaGanuz:

‘…Chanukah brings together thousands of miles of the universe and thousands of years of history. It celebrates the end of the Hellenist exile, the third of the four exiles our people have experienced at the hands of four different superpowers. Exile, and the suffering that goes with it, can challenge one’s faith. But when one looks at those Chanukah lights, and sings the Maoz Tzur song about miraculous survival in all of those exiles, he sees the world – time and place – from one end to another and gains an understanding of the Divine design for the destiny of His beloved people...

Within this special light is the meaning of every event that happens in our lives, giving each event meaning and purpose. When we develop our spiritual sixth sense, we actually obtain comfort and clarity that everything G-d does is for the ultimate good.  

In contrast, physical light doesn’t exist in Heaven. There’s nothing physical getting in the way of total clarity and comprehension. The souls of our loved ones understand why they were born, what their purpose was in life, and why they died when they did. They take comfort basking in this spiritual light, the Ohr HaGanuz.

In other words, my son and I are looking at the same light. It’s just that he knows what he’s looking at and understands it better than I do.

Connecting with the Infinite

I want to share a profound experience I had after my child passed away. Rather than being angry at G-d, I felt a deep connection, a true relationship with Him. It was like He was giving me a big hug saying ‘I’m sorry, I know this hurts, but I had to do it.’ I would sit alone, cry, and blurt out ‘G-d, I love you.’ 

Experiencing spiritual clarity when we look at our Chanukah lights isn’t easy. The emotional pain over the loss of a child will never go away. The best we can hope for is comfort knowing that G-d has a reason for everything and that our children are happy. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said that death is harder for the living than for those who have passed away. It’s so true.

Wishing everyone a joyous and meaningful Chanukah.