Strugglers of the World — Ignite
On February 9th, 2024, one of the bleakest days of winter, an Israeli man named **Sharon Sharabi came to the Ohel, the resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He stood there for a long time—about forty minutes—and prayed with such intensity that people nearby couldn’t help but notice.
As he was leaving, a young chassid approached him and said quietly,
“I don’t know what you asked G-d for, but I do know your prayers will be answered within the year.”
Sharon was praying for his brother Eli, who had been taken hostage into Gaza on **October 7th*.
One day short of a year later, Eli Sharabi was released.
For 491 days, Eli endured starvation, terror, and captivity underground. Only after his release did he learn that his wife and two daughters had been murdered. And yet, somehow, he chose life.
“I love life,” Eli has said.
It’s hard to read those words and not stop for a moment.
This week’s Torah portion, Vayeishev, tells a story that feels uncomfortably familiar.
Yosef is betrayed by his brothers, sold, falsely accused, and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He is locked away, forgotten, with no clear path forward. And the Torah tells us something simple—but profound:
“G-d was with Yosef”—there, in the prison.
Yosef’s circumstances didn’t improve right away. But he didn’t give up on himself, on others, or on G-d. His body was confined, but his inner life wasn’t. And eventually, that inner strength became the doorway to redemption.
That is why Chanukah speaks so deeply to moments like these.
The Maccabees lived in a time of fear, pressure, and exhaustion. Standing up for Jewish life was dangerous and unpopular. Many people understandably chose to step back.
But the Maccabees didn’t.
And the miracle didn’t come overnight. It came slowly. Through persistence. Through struggle.
The Menorah they fought for had seven lights, lit inside, during the day.
The Chanukah Menorah we light has eight lights, lit outside, after dark, and grows brighter each night.
That’s not incidental. It’s the message.
Struggle doesn’t just restore what was lost.
It can elevate us to places we never could have reached otherwise.
So if you’re struggling right now—quietly or openly—this week’s Torah and Chanukah’s lights are speaking directly to you.
Don’t give up.
Light one more candle.
Say one more prayer.
Do one more good thing.
And remember: Hashem is with you—even here.*
Good Shabbos & Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yitzi & Rishi Hein