There is a teaching in Masechet Brachot: Five things in this world are one-sixtieth something else. Fire is one-sixtieth Gehenna; honey one-sixtieth manna. Shabbat, one-sixtieth the world to come; sleep one-sixtieth death. And dreams. Dreams are one-sixtieth prophecy.
Kislev was the month of dreamers. There are nine recorded dreams throughout last month’s Torah portions; the dreams of Joseph, the dreams of Pharaoh. There is a power in G-d’s orchestration of the world; and we’re given the gift of glimpses. Kislev is a time for focusing on our dreams, and for dreaming of what we can build: for ourselves, for our community, and in partnership with G-d.
I was learning with a friend. A list, eight reasons long, as to why we celebrate Chanukah for eight days. Perhaps the oil burned one-eighth at time, and so all eight days were miraculous. Perhaps (my second favorite), because G-d created the world in seven days, so the eighth day transcends nature. Or because (my actual favorite), because we wandered the ruins of the Temple that we loved – our closest physical connection to G-d in this world – and we knew it was lost, and there wasn’t oil enough to do anything with – and we chose to light a candle anyway.
The word Chanukah means dedication. We stood amongst the ruins and rededicated the Temple, and that moment, to G-d. And He met us where we were, and answered with a miracle. But as with Chanukah – as with Nachshon by the ocean before that Temple even existed – we had to start building first. Even though G-d knew we would.
And Tevet. Tevet is the time that marked the destruction of the Temple, when Jerusalem was sieged. So what do we do with the knowledge that the first days of Tevet also fall on the last nights of Chanukah, this very time of dedication and renewal?
Well, there is a reason we count upward. A reason we ascend in holiness, and add candles for eight days, and burn brighter through the dark times. We enter into Tevet knowing how it ends. The walls are breached. The Temple Falls. And we will stand after that falling, and light a single jar of oil. Time and time and time again.
And G-d will meet us a with a miracle.
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