Dear Nitzotzos Community, A gutten Chodesh Teives! Teiveis is the fourth month of the year (when we count from Tishrei) and includes the end of Chanukah. It is interesting that Chanuka is in both Kisleiv and Teives. This tells us that in some way Teives ought to be the continuation of the service that we started in Kisleiv. Kisleiv is the most romantic time of the year for us as Jews. In the darkness of winter we found Hashem's eternal light. This is embodied in Chanukah which takes place at the end of Kisleiv. In the last moments of the month, when all hope seem lost, we pull victory from the jaws of defeat and experience the illumination of Chanukah. Chanukah is something that needs to be taken with us if we are to make it through the harsh winter months. This is why Chanukah extends into Teives. If Chanukah stands alone on its own month, then the romance of Chanukah is fleeting. That Chanukah extends into Teives tells us that the relationship between Klal Yisrael and Hashem is real (that which is real never changes - it only grows) and that carries us through the cold, dark winter. How do we do this? As the fourth month, Teives represents Netzach which means perseverance and victory. Though the war is over we must continue to hold our position against potential enemy attacks. On Chanukah we defeated the Greeks and the message of assimilation that they stood for. But can we say that a true "victory" has been achieved? As we look at the world around us we know that we contin
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