JERUSALEM (VINnews) — It is not by coincidence that the final of the 2022 soccer World Cup started at exactly the same moment that Jews throughout Israel lit their first 5783 Chanukah candle.
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The symbolism could not be ignored: Jews fought Greece and Greek civilization which lauded physical prowess and initiated huge sports events, while the Jews insisted on the power of their spiritual heritage. The same symbol could even be seen in the huge traffic backups which occurred all over Israel at 4-5 PM on Sunday: Some drivers were returning home early to watch the game, others to light Chanukah candles on time and some to perform both activities.
Those for whom spectator sports have no attraction will not understand the magnitude of the dilemma facing sports lovers, who had to ignore their natural inclination to watch the game (easily available to all, even without a television, in the modern internet age) and attend to their Chanukah candles, singing and festivities. Rabbi Meir Mazuz, the head of the Kisei Rachamim yeshiva in Bnei Brak and a shrewd comprehender of such dilemmas, said that “by unfortunate coincidence, the Goyim know when to make a surprise. What is the surprise? On the first night of Chanukah there is football, the World Cup. The entire world participates, billions of people watch on television how this goy beats that goy and then those who win and lose make problems for everyone else.”
Rav Mazuz stressed that as Chanukah is the “sign that we overcame the Greeks and their machinations”, we need to light the Chanukah candles before the game. He added that “those who want protection should say Viyhi Noam and Yoshev Beseiser seven times and they won’t miss anything- at worst they’ll tell him that somebody kicked somebody else.”
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Rav Mendel Citrik, Rabbi of Turkey, holds a Menorah near Qatar World Cup final stadium
When lighting the candles and subsequently attending a learning session a short time later, a special sense of Jewish pride was felt by all. We did it! We didn’t cave in to our desire to see all of the game. Even a miracle which occurred 2,200 years ago has the potency to inspire, animate and unite the entire nation to this day. The light of the Chanukah candles shone brighter than all of the cellphone lights which lit up the Qatar stadium, brighter than the golden trophy gained by Argentina, as they proved once again the eternal strength of Am Yisrael.
Messi was at the Wailing Wall before the game praying I’m sure for a positive outcome and Hashem granted him that wish.