Having Enough

In a programme marking Hanukkah, rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand examines our culture of materialism and abundance, and the prevalent feeling of not having enough.

In the story of Hannukah, the Maccabees - a band of Jewish rebels - have only enough oil to keep the fire in their temple alight for a single day following its desecration at the hands of the tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes. God intervenes and the Maccabees' flame miraculously burns for eight days. Hanukkah is often thought of as a festival of light, but Shoshana argues that its central teaching is about "having enough".

Contrasting our fate in the west with that of countless people worldwide for whom securing basic food and water is a struggle, Shoshana remarks that it's peculiar that westerners seem unable to settle upon a level of material wealth. Instead, we try to accumulate as we cling to the notion that having more will make us happy.

Drawing upon the Buddha's teachings, Shoshana explains that eastern religions have an outlook that views all human suffering as stemming from the human experience of desire. The Book of Exodus, with tales of manna falling from heaven, also provides insightful teachings on learning to consume responsibly and avoid excess.

Shoshana concludes that abundance is not a healthy state to be in, but neither is deprivation. The challenge is having enough - not too much and not too little - and finding peace when we have all that we need.

Presenter: Shoshana Boyd Gelfand
Producer: Max O'Brien
A TBI Media production for BBC Radio 4.