Torah Minute: “Chanukah and True Nachas”

By Rabbi Moshe Katz

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It’s one of my all-time favorite emails.
And I wanted to share it with you.
It’s from a fellow that used to come to my class. I hadn’t seen him in years.
He told me that, sadly, his Mom had passed away from cancer at the age of 80.
They were going through her papers and found something he wanted to share with me.
What was it?
It seems that I once sent his mother a note.
It went something like this…
“Your son comes to my Torah class. He’s a great kid.

You did a very good job!”
And what did she do with it?
She saved it! With her valuable papers!
He wanted me to know, and thanked me for giving his Mom such “nachas”.
(Nachas is a word that can’t really be translated. It means something like pride.
But a million times more! )
… Why am I sharing this with you?
… Because Chanukah is coming.
And the world would be a much different place if not for Chanukah.
If we hadn’t gone to war against the Greeks to preserve Judaism.
And to preserve Jewish values.
Because Greek culture saw things very differently.
You know what would have made a mother proud in Sparta?

What would have given her “nachas”?
A slightly different message.
Something like this.
“You should be very proud of your son…
He’s a mighty warrior!”
… We don’t give as many presents on Chanukah as many people around us.
But here’s a suggestion.
Chanukah is a great time to give our kids the ultimate gift.
Not just another toy. Or another gadget.
But self-esteem and Jewish pride!
We should think of something special that they did.
And tell them how proud it made us.
Because they were a mensch!
And thanks to Chanukah?
That’s what counts!
And they should feel like a million bucks that we celebrate Chanukah!