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December 18, 1988

Y.U. Hanukkah Dinner (1988)

Chanukah Torah Umadda Yeshiva University General Education
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Speech

Address by Dr. Lamm at the Occasion of the 77th Annual Hanukkah Dinner (2001)

I am overwhelmed by the extravagant introduction by the officers of our University Board of Trustees. The praise has been so extravagant, the encomia so dazzling, the presentation so persuasive, that I thank you for enabling me to draw inspiration – from myself... But, don’t worry about my getting a swelled head as a result, because I always recall something that happened just about 25 years ago. I was elected in August 1976 and in September, after school started I decided to mingle with the students. So, I proceeded to have lunch in the cafeteria. Now, in the cafeteria in those days there were three price levels, the lowest for students, then faculty, then outsiders. I took my tray, placed my lunch on it, and presented myself to the cashier. She looked at me and said, “You’re not a student, are you?” I said, “No.” “Are you member of the faculty?” I said, “No.” “Oh, then you’re an outsider.” I said, “No.” At which she loudly exclaimed, “So you’re a nobody.” It would be both foolish and arrogant of me to accept all the credit for these achievements. The support of countless individuals, working together, deserves credit for our improved status: cooperative governing boards, understanding faculties, hard working administrators, sophisticated and successful Investment Committee people, diligent fundraisers and many, many others. As for my own role, I am – to use a Twelfth Century metaphor – a dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants, namely, my distinguished predecessors, Dr. Bernard Revel and Dr. Samuel Belkin zikhronam liverakha, whose immense contributions to Yeshiva University, to Jewish education, to general higher education, to the scientific and medical communities, to the law community and especially to the Torah community – indeed, to all of society – should never be forgotten. In thanking them and all of you for your many expressions of kindness, I welcome you to this happy Annual Hanukkah Dinner. In so doing, permit me to mention that Yeshiva placed an ad …
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Outline

Annual Hannukah Dinner: Greetings (1985)

Yesterday, synagogues throughout the world read a special passage in honor of Hanukkah. It comes from the prophet Zechariah, who, 2,400 years ago, returned to the Land of Israel from exile in Babylon and there encouraged his despondent brethren and inspired them to continue rebuilding the Holy Temple. In this haftarah, Zechariah has a vision of two of the leaders of our people who are shown a marvelous stone – even roshah – a headstone, a chief or excellent stone, a symbol of strength and endurance by virtue of which the Temple will be rebuilt, the Land rehabilitated, and the People redeemed. Now, this stone, according to the prophet, had a remarkable feature: it had shiv'ah einayim al even achat – seven eyes on one stone. And when the people behold it, they will cry out, chen chen lah – “beautiful, beautiful!” What do these seven eyes mean? Two interpretations: one is that the Lord will watch over it with seven eyes – that is, He will protect it lovingly, cherish it, and care for it. The other interpretation is that it has seven facets – a multi-faceted gem. I mention all this because I believe that Yeshiva University is, for the Jewish and American communities – and especially the American Jewish community – an even roshah, a most precious gem. Truly, there is only one YU. There is no other institution quite like it in the range of its academic offerings, research, community service, and unique commitments. And as we draw to the close of the first century of our existence, our even roshah sparkles ever more brightly. We have, over the last several years, experienced the hashgachah pratit of God’s shiv'ah einayim – the special care and providence of His watchful eyes over us. Just five years ago we were at the brink of despair, teetering on the edge of insolvency. Even our annual Hanukkah Dinner had become so depleted, listless, and lifeless that I seriously considered doing away with it. But – in response to the strenuous labor, incredible generosity, and wise l…
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Speech

Annual Y.U. Hanukkah Dinner (1992)

I am delighted to greet the President of Israel, Chaim Herzog, an old and distinguished friend, in a triple capacity: as the President of Israel – a country in which over 10% of our undergraduate alumni have settled and now call “home,” and where we send some 300 or more students every year to spend a year or two in study – as an honorary doctoral alumnus of Y.U. – and as a role model for our students, a man who has had the finest education in two worlds – the world of the university and the world of the yeshivot, where he studied at Yeshivat Chevron as well as at the feet of his late, famed father, Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog. We appreciate your friendship in making this special trip and wish you well on your return journey this evening – בואכם לשלום וצאתכם לשלום. Hanukkah, like everything else in life, is open to a variety of interpretations, and to an even greater variety of misinterpretations. The event has been taken to signify a purely secular nationalist struggle – and the celebration of a supernatural miracle; the political assertion of freedom of religion – and the revolt against Hellenism, the then-contemporary form of assimilation. But whatever one’s inclination in historical exegesis, one thing is clear: the Hasmoneans (or Maccabees) were fighting for something beyond themselves. Their success consisted not in appealing to self-interest, but in rallying people to a higher cause – which made their self-interest meaningful and tenable. There is nothing quite so unrealistic and impractical as the cynical and smug assumption that people are interested only in their status and stomachs. But what was the overall and overarching cause for which our Hasmonean ancestors were willing to sacrifice their very lives, for which they revolted against the Greek-Syrian oppressors, and which we celebrate on this night of Hanukkah? The key lies in the special addition to our regular prayers during this happy festival, the Al HaNissim prayer. The oppressors had one priority:…
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