Rabbi Daniel Dorsch’s Chanukah Message for 2025

This year, do not be afraid to let the light go out.

We can recall the words of the most famous Chanukkah song written by Peter, Paul, and Mary that charge us to preserve the light, because it has lasted for so many years.

But is keeping a light alive simply for the sake of keeping it lit doing us any favors?

In the weeks leading up to Chanukkah, I came across an interesting passage during the Daf Yomi Talmud cycle in tractate Zevachim that speaks about the fire of Moses. The fire that came down in Moses’ time and was used in the tabernacle was eternally stoked and kept lit for generations. This is the origin of the expression Ner Tamid, the eternal flame.

Then King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem. The copper altar that had served a generation on the move became obsolete. It was replaced by a permanent stone altar in the Jewish peoples’ home in Jerusalem. The Talmud claims that at this moment the fire was also replaced. Yet Rav Pappa recalls that it was the fire from the old copper altar that sent sparks toward the new stone one.

As Jewish families, we sometimes hold on to rituals and traditions as if they can never be changed. Over time, as we try to keep the original fire alive, we risk doing ourselves a disservice. Chanukkah at Bubbe and Zaydee’s can be special. But what happens when we never draw down our own altars to make space for new ones and new fires to be lit?

This year, ask your children or grandchildren to host the first night of Chanukkah. Light sparks. Volunteer to bring the latkes. Or, better yet, bring the ingredients and make latkes with them in their kitchen. Let them take pride and ownership of our tradition. Breathe new life and kindle new lights as we pass these traditions from one generation to the next.

Our lights will all eventually extinguish. But when we make space for the lights that come after us, this is how we truly keep the miracle alive.

Rabbi Daniel Dorsch is the senior rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim in Marietta, Ga. and the immediate past president of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association.