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Audio: Chanukah: Whose Side are You on?

12/6/2009 9:27:00 PM

A7 Radio's "The Shmuz" with Rabbi B. Shafier

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Chanukah centers on the ideological battle of two cultures; the hedonistic Yevanim (Greek / Syrian culture) waged war against Torah ideals. The battle was not fought for the physical survival of the Jewish nation, but rather for its ideology and way of life.

Today, we live in very different times. We are no longer downtrodden and subjugated to oppressive regimes; we are free to choose our lifestyle. Not only does Torah learning flourish at an unprecedented level, we have also created our own insular culture. Even in exile, the Jewish nation has fashioned its own way of life. We have our own neighborhoods and schools, we have our own shopping districts and clothing styles, and we even have our own novels, music, and daily newspapers. It seems we have won the cultural war -- there are no Yevanim influences in our world -- and as such, the message of Chanukah has little to offer us. Unfortunately, this rosy picture is far from reality.

This Shmuz explores some of the inroads that "foreign ways " have found even into the finest Torah homes, and identifies the ideological battleground of our time.

Discuss this topic on the new Torah Spirituality for the Nations forum

Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier is the director of Tiferes Bnei Torah, a Monsey, New York based organization that offers yeshiva programs to young working people. Born and bred in Kew Gardens Hills, Rabbi Shafier learned at the Choftez Chaim Yeshiva and studied under Rabbi Davidowitz and Rabbi Harris. He taught for 12 years in Rochester, New York and was a Rebbe at Chofetz Chaim in Monsey. He hosts The Shmuz, a weekly podcast on Torah insights every Sunday from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Israel time on Israel National Radio. For more information visit http://www.theshmuz.com

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