Ad Mosai?! How Can We Possibly Address the Horrific Terror Attack on Jews Celebrating Chanukah in Sydney? What Does G-d Want of Us? How Could This Happen on Chanukah, Which Is About Conquering Darkness With Light? What Do We Do About This – Physically and Spiritually? How Can We Not Feel Deep Despair and Want to Give Up?
MyLife: Chassidus Applied Episode 572 with Rabbi Simon Jacobson
Sunday, December 14, 2025 / 24 Kislev 5786 – 8:00-9:00PM ET
Podcast YouTube Chassidusapplied.com
The topics in this week’s 572nd episode of the highly acclaimed MyLife: Chassidus Applied series, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, will include:
How can we possibly address the horrific terror attack on Jews celebrating Chanukah in Sydney leaving 16 of our people dead?
- Ad mosai?!
- What does G-d want of us?
- How could this happen on Chanukah, which is about conquering darkness with light? And demonstrating this in the streets with a public menorah as the Rebbe instructed?
- How can we ever explain the tragic murder of any innocent person, let alone a shliach, when we are told that shluchei mitzvah einan nizokin?
- Where was the protection from above, especially considering that Chanukah draws down from the highest levels of G-dliness, eight above seven?
- Is it safe to light public menorahs?
- What do we do about this – physically and spiritually?
- How can we not feel deep despair and want to give up on Judaism?
- How do we celebrate Chanukah and learn its lessons in face of this tragedy?
Chanukah
- What are the primary lessons of Chanukah?
- Why do we mark the holiday by lighting flames rather than commemorating the victory in the battle against our enemies?
- What does the light actually represent?
- What was the war about between the Greeks and the Jews?
- Did it also include a civil war between the Jewish Hellenists and the rest of the community?
- Why do we light the candles in the evening, at the door facing outside, and why eight candles – differently than the menorah lighting in the Holy Temple?
- Why are we not allowed to benefit from the light of the Chanukah candles?
- Why did the Rebbe institute the lighting of public menorahs?
- What is the basis of Hillel and Shammai’s different opinions about the order of lighting the Chanukah candles?
- How will we light the candles after Moshiach comes?
Dealing with harsh difficulties
- How to navigate when you’re at rock bottom with barely any support?
- Can we apply the story of hearing the child’s cry to Hashem and His people?
Miketz
- Does Miketz hint to the end of golus?
MyLife: Chassidus Applied is a weekly video webcast candidly answering questions from the public about all life matters and challenges, covering the entire spectrum of human experience.
This hour-long dose of insights, broadcast live every Sunday night 8-9PM ET, is meant to provide people with inspired guidance and direction, empowering them to deal with any issue they may face.
In what has become a staple in so many people’s lives, MyLife: Chassidus Applied has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in week after week. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?
MyLife demonstrates how Chassidus provides us with a comprehensive blueprint of the human psyche as a microcosm of the cosmos, and offers us all the guidance we need to live the healthiest possible life and build nurturing homes and families, bringing up the healthiest possible children, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. MyLife is brought to you by the Meaningful Life Center as a public service, free of charge.
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