The miracle of the Chanukah lights is unique because it happened after the end of nevuah. Rav Shapiro tells us (p.131) that miracles that happen after the close of prophecy are lessons that the Creator of the world is learning with us. Because they cannot exist in written form, they only exist through what we learn from them. In as much as we grasp the lesson, we receive the Torah of the chag. And if we do not learn from it, and it is only a story, then the miracle of Chanukah no longer exists in any meaningful sense. These eight short essays were written to help me keep the miracle of Chanukah alive.

The ideas are taken from Reflections and Introspection, Chanukah and Purim, Torah Insights of HaGaon HaGadol Rav Moshe Shapiro. They do not do justice to the depth of the sefer. But they were written with one moment in mind, that moment after the candles are lit, and the flames are shining bright, and our heart is open to really thinking about the message of those lights. These are the ideas I wanted to remind myself of at that time. They are eight insights I found inspiring, one for each night. And while they are not exactly meditations, they might be able to be put to use for that purpose. I hope you enjoy!