Question: Over the past few months I have started to become more committed and involved in Judaism. I really enjoy learning about the many mitzvot but it sometimes leaves me feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of commandments and I wonder if it will ever really be possible for me to keep all these mitzvot. Can you offer any advice?

Answer: We are currently celebrating the festival of Chanukah. On Chanukah we light the menorah to commemorate the miracle that took place in the times of the second temple. The Greeks had entered the Temple and defiled it. After the Jewish army - the Hashmonaim - managed to overcome their enemies, they entered the sanctuary and wanted to fulfil the mitzvah of lighting the menorah. They were only able to find a small flask of uncontaminated oil, which contained enough oil to kindle for one day only. A great miracle happened and the oil lasted for 8 days by which time they were able to obtain new oil.

Upon realizing that there was only enough oil for one night and that it would take them 8 days to procure new oil, the Hashmonaim could have reacted in a number of ways: They could have come to terms with the reality that because they would not be able to fulfil the mitzvah over the next few nights it would be pointless to even start and they might as well give up right there and then. Alternatively they could have decided to divide the flask of oil in their possession into 8 equal parts, setting aside a small amount for each night - compromising on each one of the nights in order to enable them to light on the subsequent nights.

The approach they chose however was different. They focused on the present by pouring all the oil at hand into the menorah to at least fulfil that day's mitzvah in the best possible manner. When G-d saw their commitment and desire to give the mitzvah all they had, He too put extra quality into the oil, allowing it to burn for a full eight nights.

The Talmud records an argument between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai regarding the order in which we are to kindle the Chanukah candles. Beit Shammai says that on the first night one should light 8 candles and decrease the number by one each night. Beit Hillel are of the opinion that on the first night we light one candle and each succeeding night we increase it by one. The point of dispute is where our focus should be - on the present or the future. Beit Shamai maintain that we should focus on the future nights to come and thus light 8 candles on the first night, 7 on the second night and so on. Beit Hillel are of the opinion that our focus should be more concentrated on the present night and thus we should light 1 candle on the first night , 2 on the second night and so on until the 8th night. We follow the view of Beit Hillel and light each night corresponding to the present day of Chanukah.

The message of Chanukah is clear. Beit Shamai's view is important, as a person needs to know in which direction he/she is heading. But if by looking ahead one will be left feeling overwhelmed with the task at hand then it is better to ignore the future and focus on the present. The way to do it is by following in the footsteps of the Hashmonaim - carrying out our present day duties in the best possible manner. When G-d sees that we are giving the mitzvah at hand all that we've got, He too will do His part in providing us with the strength to continue to shine with tomorrow's mitzvot as well.

So focus on the task at hand taking it one mitzvah at a time.

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