From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
“Another Year”: Days That Lift Us Every Year
Chanukah forbids no work and requires no festive meal, so why are its days called yamim tovim? Why were they established only “in another year,” and not in the year of the miracle? And why does Abaye call a siyum a festive day for the Rabbis alone?
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Shabbos 21b
מַאי חֲנוּכָּה? דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן: בְּעֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה בְּכִסְלֵיו, יוֹמֵי דַחֲנוּכָּה תְּמָנְיָא אִינּוּן, דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד בְּהוֹן וּדְלָא לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בְּהוֹן. שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יְוָנִים לַהֵיכָל טִמְּאוּ כׇּל הַשְּׁמָנִים שֶׁבַּהֵיכָל, וּכְשֶׁגָּבְרָה מַלְכוּת בֵּית חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וְנִצְּחוּם, בָּדְקוּ וְלֹא מָצְאוּ אֶלָּא פַּךְ אֶחָד שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן שֶׁהָיָה מוּנָּח בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, וְלֹא הָיָה בּוֹ אֶלָּא לְהַדְלִיק יוֹם אֶחָד. נַעֲשָׂה בּוֹ נֵס וְהִדְלִיקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים. לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה.
What is Chanukah? The Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev begin the days of Chanukah. There are eight of them, on which one may not eulogize or fast. For when the Greeks entered the Heichal, they defiled all the oils there. When the kingdom of the Chashmona'im grew strong and defeated them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil lying with the seal of the Kohen Gadol, and it held only enough to light for one day. A miracle was done with it, and they lit from it for eight days. In another year they established those days and made them festive days with Hallel and thanksgiving.
1“What is Chanukah? The Rabbis taught … When the Greeks entered the Heichal … In another year they established those days and made them yamim tovim, festive days, with Hallel and thanksgiving.”1
מַאי חֲנוּכָּה, דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן וְכוּ׳, שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יְוָונִים לַהֵיכָל וְכוּ׳, לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה (שבת כא, ב).
- The Heichal is the main hall of the Beis HaMikdash. ↩
Sources here
In shortThe Gemara says that “in another year” Chazal made the days of Chanukah yamim tovim, festive days, with Hallel and thanksgiving.
2 explains: “Not that work is forbidden on them. They were established only for reciting Hallel and saying Al HaNissim in the thanksgiving blessing.”2 Only eulogies and fasting are forbidden on them, as the Baraisa, the teaching of the Tanna'im quoted in the Gemara, says. This raises a question. If so, why are the days of Chanukah called yamim tovim, when work is not forbidden on them? True, the women are accustomed not to work while the lamps are burning,3 and some say that the men, too, should not work then.4 But even this custom applies only while the lamps are burning, and the name Yom Tov would seem to fit only a day on which all work is forbidden. Besides, on Chanukah there is not even an obligation to hold a festive meal, for the days were not established for feasting and rejoicing.5 They were established only with Hallel and thanksgiving. In what sense, then, are the days of Chanukah yamim tovim?
פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל, לֹא שֶׁאֲסוּרִים בִּמְלָאכָה, שֶׁלֹּא נִקְבְּעוּ אֶלָּא לִקְרוֹת הַלֵּל וְלוֹמַר עַל הַנִּיסִּים בְּהוֹדָאָה, וַאֲסוּרִים רַק בְּהֶסְפֵּד וּבְתַעֲנִית כַּנִּזְכָּר בַּבָּרַיְיתָא. וְיֵשׁ לְדַיֵּיק, אִם כֵּן מַדּוּעַ בֶּאֱמֶת נִקְרְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנוּכָּה בְּשֵׁם ׳יָמִים טוֹבִים׳, אַחַר שֶׁאֵין יָמִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲסוּרִים בִּמְלָאכָה, מִלְּבַד מַה שֶׁנּוֹהֲגוֹת הַנָּשִׁים שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלָאכָה בְּעֵת הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת (שו״ע סימן תרע ס״א), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים (ט״ז אליהו רבה) שֶׁגַּם הָאֲנָשִׁים לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ אָז מְלָאכָה, וְגַם זֶה הַמִּנְהָג הוּא רַק בִּזְמַן הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת, וְשֵׁם יוֹם טוֹב שַׁיָּיךְ לִכְאוֹרָה רַק בַּיּוֹם הָאָסוּר כּוּלּוֹ בִּמְלָאכָה. וּמִלְּבַד זֶה, בִּימֵי חֲנוּכָּה אַף אֵין חִיּוּב סְעוּדָה (שו״ע שם ס״ב) שֶׁלֹּא קְבָעוּם לְמִשְׁתֶּה וְשִׂמְחָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁלֹּא קְבָעוּם אֶלָּא בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה, אִם כֵּן צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר בַּמֶּה נֶחְשָׁבִים יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה לְיָמִים טוֹבִים.
- Rashi on Shabbos 21b. The thanksgiving blessing is Modim, in the Shemoneh Esrei. ↩
- Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 670:1 (the sefer has §עתר, with the letters transposed). ↩
- The Taz and Eliyahu Rabbah there. ↩
- Shulchan Aruch there, 670:2. ↩
In shortChanukah forbids no work and requires no festive meal; in what sense, then, are its days yamim tovim?
3We must also ask about Chazal's words “In another year they established them.” Why were the days of Chanukah established only a year later, and not at once, in the very year of the miracle? Notice the wording, too: leshanah acheres, “in another year,” and not leshanah haba'ah, “in the coming year.”
עוֹד יֵשׁ לְהַקְשׁוֹת, בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל ׳לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת קְבָעוּם׳, מַדּוּעַ קָבְעוּ יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה רַק לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת, וְלֹא קָבְעוּ אוֹתָם תֵּיכֶף בַּשָּׁנָה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם הַנֵּס. גַּם יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק הַלָּשׁוֹן לְשָׁנָה ׳אַחֶרֶת׳, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לְשָׁנָה ׳הַבָּאָה׳.
In shortWhy was Chanukah established only a year later, and why “another year” rather than “the coming year”?
4Let us first cite the Gemara: “Abaye said: May I be rewarded, for when I saw a young Torah scholar who had completed a tractate, I would make a yoma tava, a festive day, for the Rabbis.”6 Here too we must understand the expression yoma tava. It would seem to be no more than a seudas mitzvah, a meal in honor of a mitzvah, so in what sense is it a Yom Tov? We must also ask why he made the festive day only for the Rabbis and not for other people. It would seem that he should have invited everyone close to him to the seudas mitzvah.
וְנַקְדִּים מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא שַׁבָּת (קיח, ב) אָמַר אַבָּיֵי תֵּיתֵי לִי דְּכִי חָזֵינָא צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן דִּשְׁלִים מַסֶּכְתָּא עָבֵידְנָא יוֹמָא טָבָא לְרַבָּנַן, וְגַם שָׁם יֵשׁ לְהָבִין הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳יוֹמָא טָבָא׳, אַחַר שֶׁלִּכְאוֹרָה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא סְעוּדַת מִצְוָוה, וּבְמַה נֶחְשָׁב לְיוֹם טוֹב. עוֹד צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, מַדּוּעַ הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה יוֹם טוֹב רַק לְרַבָּנַן וְלֹא לִשְׁאָר בְּנֵי אָדָם, וְלִכְאוֹרָה הָיָה לוֹ לְהַזְמִין לִסְעוּדַת מִצְוָוה אֶת כָּל הַנִּלְוִים אֵלָיו.
- Shabbos 118b. ↩
In shortWhy does Abaye call the meal for a scholar's finished tractate a yoma tava, a festive day, and why only for the Rabbis?
5aWe can resolve all this as follows. The days of Chanukah were established for praise and thanks to Hashem, as Chazal said: “They established them … with Hallel and thanksgiving.” But in the very year the miracle was done for them through the Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans, Bnei Yisrael saw how great were the kindnesses of the Omnipresent, blessed be He, and how mighty the miracle was. Surely they all gave praise and thanks to the Holy One, blessed be He, and in their great love they went further and rose higher in Torah and mitzvos. Chazal said the same about the miracle of Purim: “They accepted it anew, out of love, in the days of Achashverosh, as it is written, ‘They upheld and accepted’: they upheld what they had already accepted.”7 explains: “Out of love for the miracle that was done for them.” Because they saw through the miracle how much they were loved and cherished, they were privileged to accept the Torah willingly and wholly.
אָכֵן אֶפְשָׁר לְיַישֵּׁב בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה. דְּהִנֵּה מַה שֶׁקָּבְעוּ יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה הוּא לְהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּכְמַאֲמַר חז״ל ׳קְבָעוּם וְכוּ׳ בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה׳, אַךְ הִנֵּה בְּאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם הַנֵּס עַל יְדֵי הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים, שֶׁאָז רָאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת גּוֹדֶל חַסְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם ב״ה וְתוֹקֶף הַנֵּס, וַודַּאי נָתְנוּ כּוּלָּם שֶׁבַח וְהוֹדָאָה להקב״ה, וּבְגוֹדֶל אַהֲבָתָם הוֹסִיפוּ וְהִתְעַלּוּ יוֹתֵר בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְוֹות, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (פח, א) בְּעִנְיַן נֵס פּוּרִים, הֲדוּר קִבְּלוּהָ מֵאַהֲבָה בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, דִּכְתִיב (אסתר ט, כז) ״קִיְּימוּ וְקִבְּלוּ״ קִיְּימוּ מַה שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר, וּפֵירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל מֵאַהֲבַת הַנֵּס שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם, שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת שֶׁרָאוּ אַהֲבָתָם וַחֲבִיבוּתָם עַל יְדֵי הַנֵּס, זָכוּ וּבָאוּ לְקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה בְּרָצוֹן וּבְקַבָּלָה גְּמוּרָה.
- Shabbos 88a and Rashi there; Esther 9:27. ↩
In shortA miracle shows Israel how loved they are, and that love lifts them in Torah and mitzvos, as after Purim they accepted the Torah anew out of love.
5bSo it was with the miracle of Chanukah. In the year of the miracle, everyone was stirred of their own accord to thank and praise Hashem, as they saw the Omnipresent's kindness to them. So there was no need to establish these days with Hallel and thanksgiving. But the years that followed were already “another year”: a year different in its very nature from the year of the miracle, when people no longer felt Hashem's kindness as strongly as at the time of the miracle. So Chazal had to make it an enactment, that these days be kept as a Yom Tov with Hallel and thanksgiving. That way people would take to heart how kind Hashem has been and, out of love for the miracle, rise in the Torah of Hashem and in His service. This is also what the words “they established them and made them yamim tovim” mean. When the sages of that generation established the days of Chanukah for all generations, they made these days bestow on us a spiritual flow of holiness. These days give us the power to recognize the greatness of the miracle Hashem did for Israel and to thank Him for it, and through this to rise in His service out of love for the miracle. That is what makes them yamim tovim, good days.
וּכְמוֹ כֵּן הָיָה גַּם בְּנֵס חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁבְּאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁהָיָה הַנֵּס כּוּלָּם הִתְעוֹרְרוּ מֵאֲלֵיהֶם לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לַה׳, בִּרְאוֹתָם חַסְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם ב״ה עֲלֵיהֶם, וְלָכֵן לֹא הָיָה צוֹרֶךְ לִקְבּוֹעַ יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה אֵלּוּ בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה. אֲבָל לַשָּׁנִים הַבָּאוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ כְּבָר בִּבְחִינַת ׳לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁהָיְתָה הַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה מְשׁוּנָּה בְּמַהוּתָהּ מֵהַשָּׁנָה שֶׁבָּהּ הָיָה הַנֵּס, שֶׁאָז כְּבָר לֹא הִרְגִּישׁוּ כָּל כָּךְ אֶת חַסְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם ב״ה כְּבִשְׁעַת הַנֵּס, לְכָךְ הָיוּ צְרִיכִים חז״ל לִקְבּוֹעַ הַדָּבָר בְּתוֹרַת תַּקָּנָה, שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ יוֹם טוֹב בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ אֶל לִבָּם לְהַכִּיר חַסְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם ב״ה, וּמֵאַהֲבַת הַנֵּס לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בְּתוֹרַת ה׳ וּבַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְזֶהוּ גַּם כַּוָּונַת הַלָּשׁוֹן קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם ׳יָמִים טוֹבִים׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁבָּזֶה שֶׁקָּבְעוּ חַכְמֵי אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר אֶת יְמֵי הַחֲנוּכָּה לְדוֹרוֹת, עַל יְדֵי כֵּן קָבְעוּ שֶׁיָּמִים אֵלֶּה יִהְיוּ מַשְׁפִּיעִים עָלֵינוּ שֶׁפַע קוֹדֶשׁ בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת, לְהַכִּיר אֶת גּוֹדֶל הַנֵּס שֶׁעָשָׂה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְהוֹדוֹת לוֹ עַל זֶה, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ מֵאַהֲבַת הַנֵּס, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת ׳יָמִים טוֹבִים׳.
In shortIn the miracle's year thanks came by itself; Chazal fixed Chanukah for “another year,” when the feeling fades, so the days themselves would bestow holiness and lift us.
6This is also what Chazal meant about completing a tractate: “I would make a yoma tava for the Rabbis.” When a young scholar finishes learning a tractate, a flow of holiness is awakened. The miracle of Purim led Israel to accept the Torah willingly, out of love for the miracle. So too, when a scholar is privileged to finish a tractate, his love and fondness for the Torah make him especially able to add to his learning and rise higher in Torah and in avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem. So that day was made a yoma tava for the Rabbis, so that its power would help them always to rise in Torah and avodah. But this applies to the Rabbis in particular, the students who learn and engage in Hashem's Torah constantly. On them this flow of holiness can be bestowed, so that they keep rising in their Torah.
וְזֶה גַּם כַּוָּונַת חז״ל לְעִנְיַן סִיּוּם מַסֶּכְתָּא ׳עָבֵידְנָא יוֹמָא טָבָא לְרַבָּנַן׳, דְּהִנֵּה כַּאֲשֶׁר צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן מַשְׁלִים לִלְמוֹד מַסֶּכְתָּא, נִתְעוֹרֵר עַל יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁפַע קוֹדֶשׁ, דִּכְמוֹ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַנֵּס קִיבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה בְּרָצוֹן מֵאַהֲבַת הַנֵּס, כֵּן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁזָּכָה לְסַיֵּים מַסֶּכְתָּא, אֲזַי מֵאַהֲבַת וַחֲבִיבוּת הַתּוֹרָה, מְסוּגָּל מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ לְהוֹסִיף וּלְהִתְעַלּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וּלְכָךְ קָבְעוּ אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם יוֹמָא טָבָא לְרַבָּנַן, לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ מִכֹּחַ זֶה הַיּוֹם שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ תָּמִיד לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה. אָכֵן עִנְיָן זֶה שַׁיָּיךְ בְּרַבָּנַן דַּוְקָא, הֵם הַתַּלְמִידִים הַלּוֹמְדִים וְעוֹסְקִים בְּתוֹרַת ה׳ תָּמִיד, עֲלֵיהֶם אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ שֶׁפַע קוֹדֶשׁ זֶה, שֶׁיּוֹסִיפוּ לְהִתְעַלּוֹת תָּמִיד בְּתוֹרָתָם.
In shortFinishing a tractate stirs love of Torah and a flow of holiness, which the Rabbis, learning constantly, can receive; hence their yoma tava.
7It follows that the days of Chanukah were established long ago as days of rising higher, in the spirit of “in those days, at this time.” So in these days everyone can rise in Torah and prayer, and is especially suited to it. We should take care to use the time of Chanukah well and not, Heaven forbid, waste this precious time. May we be privileged to do so, and in this merit may we see the coming of the Redeemer. Amen, may it be His will.
הַיּוֹצֵא מִזֶּה, שֶׁהַיָּמִים שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה הֵם יְמֵי הִתְעַלּוּת מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא, אֲשֶׁר קָבְעוּ בַּיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה בִּבְחִינַת ׳בַּיָּמִים הַהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, לָכֵן יָכוֹל כָּל אֶחָד וּמְסוּגָּל בְּיוֹתֵר לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַתְּפִילָּה, וְיֵשׁ לִרְאוֹת לְנַצֵּל אֶת הַזְּמַן שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה, וְלֹא ח״ו לְבַטֵּל הַזְּמַן הַיָּקָר הַזֶּה, כֵּן נִזְכֶּה, וּבִזְכוּת זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְבִיאַת גּוֹאֵל, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we use Chanukah's days of rising well, not waste them, and in this merit see the Redeemer come.
The Rebbe asks in what sense Chanukah's days are yamim tovim, why they were fixed only “in another year,” and why Abaye made a yoma tava for the Rabbis when a young scholar finished a tractate. A miracle shows Israel how loved they are, and love lifts them in Torah, as after Purim they accepted the Torah anew. In the year of the miracle everyone thanked Hashem of their own accord; but the following years were “another year,” different in nature, when the feeling had faded. So Chazal made an enactment, and by fixing the days for all generations they made them bestow holiness: the power to recognize the miracle, give thanks and rise out of love. That is what makes them good days. A siyum likewise awakens love of Torah that lifts those who learn constantly. So we must use Chanukah's precious days to rise in Torah and prayer.
Takeaway
In the year of the miracle no one had to be told to give thanks; the feeling came by itself. Chazal established Chanukah for “another year,” when the feeling has faded, so that the days themselves would bring us that holiness and lift us again. Like a scholar who finishes a tractate, we can use these precious days to rise in Torah and prayer, and take care not to let them slip by.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.