From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Seeing Hashem's Hand in Nature: Chanukah's Lesson
The Gemara asks, “What is Chanukah?” and Rashi explains: for which miracle was it established? Did the sages of the Gemara not know the story of Chanukah? And why were its festive days fixed only the following year, and not in the very year of the miracle?
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Shabbos 21b
מַאי חֲנוּכָּה? דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן: בְּכ״ה בְּכִסְלֵיו יוֹמֵי דַחֲנוּכָּה תְּמָנְיָא אִינּוּן דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד בְּהוֹן וּדְלָא לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בְּהוֹן. שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יְוָונִים לַהֵיכָל טִמְּאוּ כָּל 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.
What is Chanukah? For the Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev begin the eight days of Chanukah, on which one may not eulogize and may not fast. For when the Greeks entered the Heichal, they defiled all the oils in the Heichal. When the kingdom of the house 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.
1“What is Chanukah? For the Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev … For when the Greeks entered the Heichal … A miracle was done with it, and they lit from it for eight days.”1
מַאי חֲנוּכָּה, דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן בכ״ה בְּכִסְלֵו וְכוּ׳, שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יְוָונִים לַהֵיכָל וְכוּ׳, נַעֲשָׂה בּוֹ נֵס וְהִדְלִיקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים (שבת כא, ב).
- The Heichal is the inner hall of the Beis HaMikdash, where the Menorah stood. ↩
Sources here
In shortThe Gemara asks “What is Chanukah?” and answers with the cruse of oil that burned for eight days.
2 explains “What is Chanukah?” as asking: “For which miracle did they establish it?”2 This is hard to understand. Did the sages of the Gemara not know what happened in the miracle of Chanukah, that they had to ask, “What is Chanukah?” What, then, did they mean by the question? The asks this as well. A second question: the baraisa there, the early teaching that the Gemara cites, says, “The following year they established them and made them yamim tovim, festive days, with Hallel and thanksgiving.” Why did they not establish the days at once, in the very year the miracle was done for them?
וברש״י ז״ל, מַאי חֲנוּכָּה, עַל אֵיזֶה נֵס קְבָעוּהָ. וְקָשֶׁה, וְכִי לֹא יָדְעוּ חַכְמֵי הַגְּמָרָא מֶה הָיָה הַמְּאוֹרָע שֶׁל נֵס חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁהִקְשׁוּ ׳מַאי חֲנוּכָּה׳, אִם כֵּן צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַה כִּוְּונוּ בִּשְׁאֵלָה זוֹ (וכן הקשה בבני יששכר). עוֹד שָׁם בַּבָּרַיְיתָא, לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה. וְקָשֶׁה לָמָּה לֹא קָבְעוּ כֵּן מִיָּד בְּאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם הַנֵּס.
- Rashi on Shabbos 21b. ↩
Sources here
In shortDid the sages not know the Chanukah story, that they asked “What is Chanukah?” And why were the days established only the following year?
3Further on, the Gemara asks about the blessing over the Chanukah lamp, which says “and commanded us”: “Where did He command us?”3 Rav Avya said: from “You shall not turn aside.”4 Rav Nechemyah said: from “Ask your father, and he will tell you.”5 But why did the Gemara ask “Where did He command us?” here, of all places, about the Chanukah lamp? Over other mitzvos instituted by Chazal, too, we say the blessing “Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us.”
עוֹד שָׁם בַּגְּמָרָא (שם כג, א), וְהֵיכָן צִיוָּונוּ, רַב אַוְיָא אָמַר מִ״לֹּא תָסוּר״ (דברים יז, יא), רַב נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר ״שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ״ (שם לב, ז). וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין קוּשְׁיַית הַגְּמָרָא ׳וְהֵיכָן צִיוָּונוּ׳, מַדּוּעַ הִקְשׁוּ כֵּן דַּוְקָא כָּאן לְגַבֵּי מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, יוֹתֵר מִבִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹות דְּרַבָּנָן שֶׁגַּם בָּהֶם מָצִינוּ שֶׁמְּבָרְכִים עֲלֵיהֶם ׳אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹותָיו וְצִיוָּונוּ׳.
- Shabbos 23a. Chanukah is a mitzvah instituted by Chazal and is not written in the Torah, hence the Gemara's question. ↩
- Devarim 17:11. The verse commands following the rulings of the Sages: “You shall not turn aside from the word that they tell you, right or left.” ↩
- Devarim 32:7. The verse continues: “… your elders, and they will say to you.” ↩
In shortOther mitzvos of Chazal carry the same blessing, so why does the Gemara ask “Where did He command us?” only about Chanukah?
4aWe may answer on the basis of the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l. He answered the question of the : what was the miracle on the first night?6 He explained it through the holy words of , zt"l, on the verse “And Bnei Yisrael walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.”7 R' Elimelech noted that the wording is difficult. The verse should have said that Bnei Yisrael walked “in the midst of the sea on dry land,” as it is written elsewhere.8 But every Jew must know and believe with complete faith that even what looks like the way of nature is also a miracle and a wonder. It comes from the power of the Holy One, blessed be He, exactly like an outright miracle. That a person can walk on dry land is as great a wonder as if he were walking in the midst of the sea. As Chazal said, “For every single breath, praise Hashem.”9
אָכֵן יֵשׁ לוֹמַר עַל פִּי אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצלל״ה, שֶׁאָמַר לְתָרֵץ קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף (סימן עת״ר) מֶה הָיָה הַנֵּס בַּלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן. וּבֵיאֵר עַל פִּי דְּבָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁל הָרַבִּי ר׳ אֱלִימֶלֶךְ זצללה״ה עַל הַפָּסוּק (שמות יד, כט) ״וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם״, וְדִקְדֵּק דְּהַלָּשׁוֹן ׳בַּיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם׳ קָשֶׁה, דְּהָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ ׳בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה׳ (וכדכתיב נחמיה ט, יא). אֶלָּא דְּהִנֵּה כָּל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת וּלְהַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵימָה, שֶׁגַּם מַה שֶׁנִּרְאֶה כְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, הוּא גַּם כֵּן בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס וּפֶלֶא וּמִכֹּחַ הקב״ה, מַמָּשׁ כְּמוֹ נֵס גָּמוּר. וּמַה שֶׁהָאָדָם יָכוֹל לְהַלֵּךְ בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, הֲרֵי זֶה פֶּלֶא כְּאִילּוּ הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל (בראשית רבה יד, ט) עַל כָּל נְשִׁימָה וּנְשִׁימָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ.
- Beis Yosef, Orach Chaim 670. The oil that was found was enough for one night, so the miracle of its burning was only on the seven nights that followed. ↩
- Shemos 14:29. The teaching is in Likkutei Shoshanah, printed at the end of Noam Elimelech. ↩
- Nechemyah 9:11: “They passed through the midst of the sea on dry land.” ↩
- Bereishis Rabbah 14:9 (the sefer has 14:11). Chazal read neshamah, “soul,” in “Let every soul praise Hashem” (Tehillim 150:6) as neshimah, “breath.” ↩
In shortEven ordinary nature is a miracle: R’ Elimelech reads “they walked on dry land in the midst of the sea” as walking on dry land with the awareness they had in the sea.
4bThis is the meaning of “And Bnei Yisrael walked on dry land.” Even when they walked on actual dry land, they walked aware that everything comes only from Hashem's power, just as they recognized it when they walked in the midst of the sea, where they knew clearly that they were walking by Hashem's power. This answers the 's question. Even on the first day, when they had oil, they knew that the oil's power to burn also came from Hashem and was a miracle. For “He Who told the oil to burn will tell the vinegar to burn.”10 Even in the burning of oil they saw Hashem's power, just as with vinegar. So for them the lighting of the first night, too, was a kind of miracle, and that is why the mitzvah of lighting was established for the miracle of the first night as well. Those are his holy words.
וְזֶה הַפֵּירוּשׁ ׳וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַּיַּבָּשָׁה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁגַּם כְּשֶׁהָלְכוּ בַּיַּבָּשָׁה מַמָּשׁ, הָלְכוּ מִתּוֹךְ יְדִיעָה וְהַכָּרָה זוֹ שֶׁהַכֹּל הוּא רַק מִכֹּחַ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִכִּירוּ בְּכָךְ כְּשֶׁהָלְכוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם, שֶׁאָז יָדְעוּ בִּידִיעָה בְּרוּרָה שֶׁהוֹלְכִים בְּכֹחַ ה׳. וְעַל פִּי זֶה מְתוֹרָץ קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף, שֶׁגַּם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם שֶׁמֶן, יָדְעוּ וְהִכִּירוּ שֶׁמַּה שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶן יָכוֹל לִדְלוֹק, הוּא גַּם כֵּן מִכֹּחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ וּבְדֶרֶךְ נֵס, כִּי ׳מִי שֶׁאָמַר לַשֶּׁמֶן וְיִדְלוֹק יֹאמַר לַחוֹמֶץ וְיִדְלוֹק׳ (תענית כה, א), שֶׁגַּם בְּמַה שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶן דּוֹלֵק רָאוּ בָּזֶה כֹּחַ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּמוֹ בְּחוֹמֶץ, וְנִמְצָא שֶׁגַּם הַהַדְלָקָה שֶׁל הַלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן הָיְתָה לָהֶם בִּבְחִינַת נֵס, וְעַל כֵּן קָבְעוּ מִצְוַות הַדְלָקָה גַּם כְּנֶגֶד הַנֵּס שֶׁל הַלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן, עכדה״ק.
- Taanis 25a. R' Chanina ben Dosa said this when his daughter mistakenly filled the Shabbos lamp with vinegar, and it burned. ↩
In shortSo the first night’s lighting was a miracle too: they saw Hashem’s power in oil burning as in vinegar, and the mitzvah was set for that night as well.
5We can explain this more fully by first citing the Midrash: “‘And darkness was upon the face of the deep’: this is the kingdom of Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel with its decrees, for it would say to them, ‘Write on the horn of the ox that you have no portion in the God of Israel.’”11 Why did Chazal call the hardship of Greek rule “darkness”? And what was this darkness with which the kingdom of Greece darkened the eyes of Israel? We must also ask why they decreed that this be written on the horn of an ox, of all places. What did they mean to teach by it?
וּבְיֶתֶר בֵּיאוּר אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ, בְּהֶקְדֵּם מַאֲמַר הַמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה ב, ד), ״וְחוֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם״ (א, ב) זוֹ מַלְכוּת יָוָן שֶׁהֶחֱשִׁיכָה עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּגְזֵירוֹתֵיהֶם, שֶׁהָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶם כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלוֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין דִּבְרֵי חז״ל אֵלּוּ, מָה רָאוּ חז״ל לְכַנּוֹת קוֹשִׁי שִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכוּת יָוָן בִּלְשׁוֹן ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳, וּמַהוּ בְּחִינַת הַחוֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁהֶחֱשִׁיכָה מַלְכוּת יָוָן אֶת עֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק, לָמָּה גָּזְרוּ לִכְתּוֹב כֵּן עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר דַּוְקָא, מַה בָּאוּ לְהוֹרוֹת בָּזֶה.
- Bereishis Rabbah 2:4 (the sefer has 2:5); Bereishis 1:2. ↩
In shortThe Midrash calls Greece “darkness” for its decree on the horn of the ox; what was that darkness, and why an ox's horn?
6As is well known, the Greeks' scheme was to mislead the Jewish people and plant in them, Heaven forbid, the feeling of “my strength and the might of my hand.” They wanted to deny the pure faith planted in the hearts of Israel, the faith of “The righteous man shall live by his faith,”12 and to hide Hashem's power from the Jews' eyes, as though everything ran by the way of nature, Heaven forbid. This is why they said, “Write on the horn of the ox.” The ox stands for strength more than any other animal, and its main strength is in goring with its horns. So the horn of the ox stands for strength above all. This is what the Greeks meant to teach the Jews: “Write on the horn of the ox that you have no portion in the God of Israel,” only “My strength and the might of my hand made me this wealth.”13 In this way they sought to darken the eyes and hearts of Israel and to hide from it Hashem's power in everything in the world. This is the “darkness” with which they darkened the eyes of Israel.
אֶלָּא נוֹדַע שֶׁעֲצַת הַיְוָונִים הָיְתָה לְהַטְעוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַכְנִיס בְּקִרְבָּם הֶרְגֵּשׁ ׳כּוֹחִי וְעוֹצֶם יָדִי׳ ח״ו, לְהַכְחִישׁ הָאֱמוּנָה הַטְּהוֹרָה הַנְּטוּעָה בְּלִבּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּבְחִינַת ״צַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה״ (חבקוק ב, ד), וּלְהַסְתִּיר מֵעֵינֵיהֶם כּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, כְּאִילּוּ הַכֹּל מִתְנַהֵל בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע ח״ו. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר׳, דְּ׳שׁוֹר׳ מוֹרֶה עַל בְּחִינַת ׳כֹּחַ׳ יוֹתֵר מִכָּל שְׁאָר בְּהֵמוֹת, וְגַם עִיקַּר כּוֹחוֹ הוּא מַה שֶׁמְּנַגֵּחַ בְּקַרְנָיו, נִמְצָא שֶׁקֶּרֶן הַשּׁוֹר מוֹרֶה בְּיוֹתֵר עַל בְּחִינַת ׳כֹּחַ׳. וְזֶה בָּאוּ הַיְוָונִים לְהוֹרוֹת לָהֶם, כִּתְבוּ עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְרַק ׳כּוֹחִי וְעוֹצֶם יָדִי עָשָׂה לִי אֶת הַחַיִל הַזֶּה׳. וּבָזֶה רָצוּ לְהַחְשִׁיךְ אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם וְלִבָּם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְהַסְתִּיר מֵהֶם כֹּחַ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל דָּבָר הַנִּמְצָא בָּעוֹלָם, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת הַ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳ שֶׁהֶחְשִׁיכוּ בּוֹ עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
In shortThe ox's horn stands for strength; the Greeks' “darkness” was teaching Israel to credit nature and its own might, not Hashem.
7The goal and perfection of avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem, is to reach the level of seeing and recognizing that there is no “nature” at all, Heaven forbid, and that everything runs only by Hashem's providence. As Yaakov Avinu said, “And I return in peace to my father's house, and Hashem will be my God,” Elokim.14 As is known, Elokim has the same numerical value as hateva, “nature,” while the Name Hashem stands for the attribute of mercy and kindness and points to Hashem's way of guiding the world through miracles.15 Yaakov was praying that Hashem would be his Elokim: that even in matters of nature he would see and recognize the power of the Holy One, blessed be He, and in his eyes there would be no difference at all between nature and miracle. Through this the words “And I return in peace to my father's house,” to his Father in Heaven, would be fulfilled. He would return beshalom, whole, to Hashem.
וְהִנֵּה הַתַּכְלִית וְהַשְּׁלֵימוּת שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת ה׳, הוּא לְהַגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵיגָה כָּזוֹ שֶׁיִּרְאֶה וְיַכִּיר שֶׁאֵין שׁוּם טֶבַע ח״ו כְּלָל, כִּי אִם שֶׁהַכֹּל מִתְנַהֵל רַק עַל יְדֵי הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה (בראשית כח, כא) ״וְשַׁבְתִּי בְשָׁלוֹם אֶל בֵּית אָבִי וְהָיָה ה׳ לִי לֵאלוֹקִים״, ׳אֱלֹקִים׳ בְּגֵימַטְרְיָא ׳הַטֶּבַע׳ כַּיָּדוּעַ (פרדס רמונים שער יב פ״ב), וַה׳ הוּא מִידַּת רַחֲמִים וְחֶסֶד וּמוֹרֶה עַל הַנְהָגַת הַנֵּס, שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל יַעֲקֹב ׳וְהָיָה ה׳ לִי לֵאלֹקִים׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁגַּם בְּעִנְיְינֵי הַטֶּבַע יִרְאֶה וְיַכִּיר שֶׁהוּא מִכּוֹחוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בְּעֵינָיו הֶבְדֵּל בֵּין הַטֶּבַע לְהַנֵּס כְּלָל. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יְקוּיַּם ״וְשַׁבְתִּי בְשָׁלוֹם אֶל בֵּית אָבִי״ אָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיָּשׁוּב בִּשְׁלֵימוּת אֶל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
In shortAvodas Hashem is perfected in seeing no difference between nature and miracle, as Yaakov prayed that Hashem be his Elokim, “nature.”
8At first glance, what we have said leads to a difficulty. When Hashem does miracles for us, it would seem unfitting to institute a festive day and a special blessing for them. A miracle is no more than Hashem's constant guidance every day, which is also a kind of miracle, for the way of nature, too, is miraculous. As we say in the Modim blessing of the Amidah, “and for Your miracles that are with us every day.”
וְהִנֵּה לִכְאוֹרָה לְפִי הָאָמוּר יוֹצֵא, שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר עוֹשֶׂה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ נִיסִּים, אֵין רָאוּי לְהַתְקִין יוֹם טוֹב וּבְרָכָה מְיוּחֶדֶת עַל זֶה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין זֶה יוֹתֵר מֵאֲשֶׁר הַנְהָגַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הַתְּמִידִית שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם, שֶׁגַּם הִיא בְּגֶדֶר נֵס, שֶׁהֲרֵי גַּם הַנְהָגַת הַטֶּבַע הִיא בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים וְעַל נִיסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם עִמָּנוּ.
Sources here
In shortIf nature itself is a miracle, why should any one miracle earn a festive day and a blessing of its own?
9aThis lets us understand Chazal's question “What is Chanukah?” which explains as “For which miracle did they establish it?” They were wondering why a festive day had been established for the miracle of Chanukah at all. “For which miracle did they establish it?” If we set out to establish festive days for the miracles Hashem does in the world, we would not know which of them deserves one, for every single day people saw and recognized many miracles that the Holy One, blessed be He, does. To this they answered from the words of the baraisa: “The following year they established them and made them yamim tovim with Hallel and thanksgiving.” In other words, the festive days were not established to commemorate that miracle itself. They were established to teach us Hallel and thanksgiving and root them deep in us: to know that everything comes from Hashem's power and His wonders, and to thank and praise Him for His miracles with us every day, in the spirit of “For every single breath, praise Hashem.”
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן לָנוּ שְׁאֵלַת חז״ל ׳מַאי חֲנוּכָּה׳, וּפֵירֵשׁ רש״י עַל אֵיזֶה נֵס קְבָעוּהָ. הַיְינוּ שֶׁהָיוּ תְּמֵיהִין מָה רָאוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ כְּלָל יוֹם טוֹב עַל נֵס חֲנוּכָּה, כִּי ׳עַל אֵיזֶה נֵס קְבָעוּהָ׳, הֲלֹא אִם בָּאנוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ יָמִים טוֹבִים עַל הַנִּיסִּים שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם, לֹא נֵדַע עַל אֵיזֶה נֵס מֵהַנִּיסִּים רָאוּי לִקְבּוֹעַ, כִּי בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם הָיוּ רוֹאִים וּמַכִּירִים נִיסִּים רַבִּים שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה הקב״ה. וְעַל זֶה תֵּירְצוּ מִדִּבְרֵי הַבָּרַיְיתָא ׳לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאָמְנָם מַה שֶׁקָּבְעוּ הַיּוֹם טוֹב לֹא הָיָה לְזֵכֶר אוֹתוֹ הַנֵּס עַצְמוֹ, אַךְ קָבְעוּ הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה לְלַמֵּד וּלְהַשְׁרִישׁ לָנוּ עִנְיַן הַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה, שֶׁנֵּדַע שֶׁהַכֹּל מִכֹּחַ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו, וְנוֹדֶה וּנְהַלֵּל לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ עַל נִיסָּיו עִמָּנוּ בְּכָל יוֹם, בִּבְחִינַת עַל כָּל נְשִׁימָה וּנְשִׁימָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ.
In short“For which miracle?” asks why Chanukah has a festival at all when miracles are seen every day; the answer: the days were set to teach Hallel and thanksgiving.
9bChazal did institute the lighting of lamps to resemble the miracle, but that miracle is not the reason the mitzvah of Chanukah was established. The main thing is the lesson of Chanukah: through this miracle we take it to heart to praise Hashem always for all His other miracles that are with us every day. That is why they said, precisely, “They established them as yamim tovim with Hallel and thanksgiving,” and not “They established them as yamim tovim to light the Chanukah lamp on them.” That would have implied that Chazal's enactment was mainly for the sake of the miracle itself.
וְאָמְנָם חז״ל קָבְעוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵרוֹת דּוּגְמַת מַעֲשֵׂה הַנֵּס, אַךְ לֹא אוֹתוֹ הַנֵּס הוּא הַטַּעַם שֶׁקָּבְעוּ מִצְוַות חֲנוּכָּה, רַק הָעִיקָּר הוּא הַלִּימּוּד מֵעִנְיַן חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה הַנֵּס נִיתֵּן אֶל לִבֵּנוּ תָּמִיד לְהַלֵּל לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ עַל שְׁאָר נִיסָּיו שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם עִמָּנוּ. וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ ׳קְבָעוּם יוֹם טוֹב בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה׳ דַּיְיקָא, וְלֹא ׳קְבָעוּם יוֹם טוֹב לְהַדְלִיק בָּהֶם נֵר חֲנוּכָּה׳, שֶׁאָז הָיָה מַשְׁמַע שֶׁעִיקַּר תַּקָּנַת חז״ל הוּא מֵחֲמַת מַעֲשֵׂה הַנֵּס עַצְמוֹ.
In shortThe lamps recall the miracle, but the festival’s reason is its lesson, so Chazal said “with Hallel and thanksgiving,” not “to light the lamp.”
10This also answers our second question: why the days were established the following year in particular. In the year of the miracle itself, when they saw Hashem's greatness through the miracle, they grasped His power, which rules over all that happens in the world. So in their eyes the miracle was no greater than everyday events, and there was no reason to establish a festive day for it. Only the following year, when they no longer stood on the level they had reached at the time of the miracle, did they see a need to establish these days, in which the miracle could be plainly seen. They did so to root in all generations the lesson that every single day we must thank Hashem for His miracles with us.
וְזֶה גַּם הַטַּעַם שֶׁקְּבָעוּם לַשָּׁנָה הָאַחֶרֶת דַּוְקָא, כִּי בְּאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁנָה כְּשֶׁרָאוּ גְּדוּלָּתוֹ וְרוֹמְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ עַל יְדֵי הַנֵּס, הִשִּׂיגוּ עַל יְדֵי זֶה אֶת כֹּחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ הַשּׁוֹלֵט בְּכָל הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בָּעוֹלָם, וּמִמֵּילָא לֹא הָיָה נֶחְשָׁב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם הַנֵּס כְּלָל יוֹתֵר מִמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיִּקְבְּעוּ עָלָיו יוֹם טוֹב. וְרַק לַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה שֶׁכְּבָר לֹא עָמְדוּ בְּדַרְגָּתָם כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁעַת הַנֵּס, רָאוּ צוֹרֶךְ לִקְבּוֹעַ הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה שֶׁהָיָה נִיכָּר שֶׁהָיָה בָּהֶם נֵס, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁרִישׁ עִנְיָן זֶה לְדוֹרוֹת, שֶׁגַּם בְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם חַיָּיבִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְהוֹדוֹת לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ עַל נִיסָּיו עִמָּנוּ.
In shortIn the miracle's own year everything looked miraculous; only a year later, their level lowered, did they establish the days for all generations.
11This is why the text of the blessing says, “in those days, at this time.”16 What do the words “at this time” add? The point is that we must learn for ourselves: just as in those days everyone saw the miracles the Holy One, blessed be He, did for them, so it is at this time too. Even though we do not see the miracle, we must still believe that in our own time, too, Hashem does miracles for us, and “for every single breath” we will praise Hashem.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁתִּיקְּנוּ בְּנוּסַּח הַבְּרָכָה ׳בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, דְּלִכְאוֹרָה מַהוּ ׳וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, אֶלָּא הָעִנְיָן הוּא, דְּיֵשׁ לָנוּ לִלְמוֹד לְנַפְשֵׁנוּ, שֶׁכְּמוֹ שֶׁבַּיָּמִים הָהֵם רָאוּ כּוּלָּם הַנִּיסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם הקב״ה, כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא גַּם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ רוֹאִים אֶת הַנֵּס, מִכָּל מָקוֹם צְרִיכִים אָנוּ לְהַאֲמִין בָּזֶה, שֶׁגַּם בִּזְמַנֵּנוּ עוֹשֶׂה עִמָּנוּ הקב״ה נִיסִּים, וְעַל כָּל נְשִׁימָה וּנְשִׁימָה נְהַלֵּל יָהּ.
- From the blessing over the Chanukah lamps. ↩
In short“At this time” teaches that the miracles seen then continue now, hidden; we must believe in them and praise Hashem for every breath.
12With this we can answer the question of the , the classic commentary on the Gemara. According to the view that impurity is permitted when the whole community is impure,17 why was a miracle needed at all? They could have lit with impure oil! He answers that they really could have lit even without the miracle. The miracle came from the Omnipresent's love for Bnei Yisrael: He wanted them to perform the mitzvah in purity and in the finest way. But from our words the question can be resolved another way. Really, they did not need the miracle for lighting the Menorah at all. It came only so that they would learn for themselves the principle we have stated: to believe that the whole way the world is guided is Hashem's providence and a miracle.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְתָרֵץ קוּשְׁיַית הַפְּנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁהִקְשָׁה לְמַאן דְּאָמַר טוּמְאָה הוּתְּרָה בְּצִיבּוּר (יומא ו, ב), לָמָּה הָיָה צָרִיךְ כְּלָל לֵיעָשׂוֹת נֵס, הֲרֵי יָכְלוּ לְהַדְלִיק בְּשֶׁמֶן טָמֵא. וְתֵירֵץ, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת יָכְלוּ לְהַדְלִיק גַּם בְּלֹא הַנֵּס, וְהַנֵּס הָיָה מֵחֲמַת חִיבַּת הַמָּקוֹם ב״ה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁרָצָה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת הַמִּצְוָוה בְּטָהֳרָה וּבְהִידּוּר. אַךְ לְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ אֶפְשָׁר לְיַישֵּׁב בְּדֶרֶךְ אַחֵר, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת לֹא הָיוּ צְרִיכִים לְהַנֵּס לְצוֹרֶךְ הַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה כְּלָל, אֶלָּא אַךְ וְרַק בִּשְׁבִיל לִלְמוֹד לְנַפְשָׁם עִיקָּר זֶה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁכָּל הַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם הוּא בְּהַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וּבְדֶרֶךְ נֵס, כַּנִּזְכָּר.
- Yoma 6b. ↩
Sources here
In shortIf impurity is set aside for the community, the lighting needed no miracle; it came to teach that the whole world runs by Hashem's providence.
13This also explains what we find with the Chanukah lamp: one who sees a Chanukah lamp must say a blessing.18 Why did the Sages institute a blessing over seeing with the Chanukah lamp, of all places, something we do not find with other mitzvos? We may say this. We have explained that the main purpose of lighting the Chanukah lamp is not only the act of the mitzvah itself, done to recall the miracle. The main thing is the seeing and the reflection the mitzvah brings, which root in our hearts the knowledge that Hashem does miracles for us at all times. A person can learn this for himself even by merely seeing the lamp. That is why a blessing was instituted for one who sees a Chanukah lamp.
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן גַּם, מַה שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּנֵר חֲנוּכָּה שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה נֵר שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ (שבת כג, א), וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין מַדּוּעַ דַּוְקָא כָּאן בְּנֵר חֲנוּכָּה תִּקְּנוּ חֲכָמִים לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרְאִיָּה, מַה שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ כֵּן בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹות. וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁבֵּיאַרְנוּ דְּעִיקַּר תַּכְלִית הַהַדְלָקָה בְּנֵר חֲנוּכָּה אֵינֶנָּה רַק מַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְוָוה בְּפוֹעַל, בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַזְכִּיר הַנֵּס, אֶלָּא הָעִיקָּר הוּא מִצְוַות הָרְאִיָּה וְהַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת מֵהַמִּצְוָוה, לְהַשְׁרִישׁ בְּלִבֵּנוּ עִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת עוֹשֶׂה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ נִיסִּים, וְהִנֵּה עִנְיָן זֶה אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּלְמַד הָאָדָם לְנַפְשׁוֹ גַּם עַל יְדֵי רְאִיָּה בְּעָלְמָא, לָכֵן תִּיקְּנוּ בְּרָכָה לָרוֹאֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה.
- Shabbos 23a. ↩
In shortSince the Chanukah lamp's purpose is the awareness it plants, which seeing alone can give, even one who sees it says a blessing.
14This explains how the Midrash continues: “‘And the spirit of God hovered upon the face of the waters’: this is the spirit of King Moshiach.”19 Seeing Hashem's power and providence even in the way of nature will come about completely in the days of Moshiach. Then the darkness will depart, and the lights of King Moshiach will be revealed. Through this we will all recognize it and see it with our own senses, as the verse says, “And it will be said on that day: Behold, this is our God,”20 and as we pray, “Let every creature know that You made it.”21 This is like the verse “The end of the matter, when all has been heard: fear God.”22 “The end of the matter” means the days of Moshiach, at the End of Days. Then, “when all has been heard,” we will “fear God,” es haElokim: we will learn to fear Hashem even through the attribute of Elokim, the way of nature.
וּבָזֶה יִתְבָּאֵר הֶמְשֵׁךְ הַמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה שם) ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״ זֶה רוּחוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. דְּהִנֵּה עִנְיָן הַזֶּה לִרְאוֹת כּוֹחוֹ וְהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ גַּם בְּהַנְהָגַת הַטֶּבַע, יִתְקַיֵּים בִּשְׁלֵימוּת בִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁאָז יִסְתַּלֵּק הַחוֹשֶׁךְ וְיִתְגַּלּוּ הָאוֹרוֹת שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַכִּיר כּוּלָּנוּ וְנִרְאֶה זֹאת בְּחוּשׁ, כָּאָמוּר ״וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הִנֵּה אֱלוֹקֵינוּ זֶה״ (ישעיהו כה, ט), ׳וְיֵדַע כָּל פָּעוּל כִּי אַתָּה פְעַלְתּוֹ׳. וּכְעִנְיָן הַכָּתוּב (קוהלת יב, יג) ״סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע אֶת הָאֱלֹקִים יְרָא״, שֶׁ׳סוֹף דָּבָר׳ הַיְינוּ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, אָז יִהְיֶה ׳הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע אֶת הָאֱלֹקִים יְרָא׳, שֶׁנִּלְמַד לְיִרְאָה אֶת ה׳ גַּם עַל יְדֵי מִידַּת ׳אֱלֹקִים׳, הַיְינוּ הַנְהָגַת הַטֶּבַע.
- Bereishis Rabbah 2:4; Bereishis 1:2. ↩
- Yeshayahu 25:9. ↩
- From the Amidah of Rosh Hashanah. ↩
- Koheles 12:13. ↩
In shortThe Midrash's “spirit of Moshiach” follows Greece's darkness: in his days all will see Hashem within nature and fear Him even through Elokim.
15This is the meaning of what is written in Midrash Pinchas, the teachings of R' Pinchas of Koritz: on Chanukah the light of King Moshiach is revealed to us.23 For the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp, too, comes to root this in our hearts: to see that everything comes from Hashem's power, as it will be in the days of Moshiach.
וְזֶהוּ מַה דְּאִיתָא בְּמִדְרַשׁ פִּנְחָס (אות א) שֶׁבַּחֲנוּכָּה מִתְגַּלֶּה עָלֵינוּ אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁעִנְיַן מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה הוּא גַּם כֵּן לְהַשְׁרִישׁ בְּלִבֵּנוּ עִנְיָן זֶה, לִרְאוֹת שֶׁהַכֹּל מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ.
- Midrash Pinchas §1. ↩
In shortMoshiach's light shines on Chanukah because its lamp already plants the clear sight of Hashem's power that his days will bring.
16May Hashem help us reach this level. May He remove what blocks our eyes and open our hearts to His service, so that all of us recognize Hashem's power in everything, and through this may the light of King Moshiach be revealed to us. Amen.
יַעֲזוֹר ה׳ שֶׁנַּגִּיעַ לִידֵי מַדְרֵגָה זֹאת, שֶׁיִּקַּח מֵאִתָּנוּ סְתִימַת הָעֵינַיִים, וְיִפְתַּח לִבֵּנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, שֶׁנַּכִּיר כּוּלָּנוּ אֶת כֹּחַ ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּכָל דָּבָר, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִתְגַּלֶּה עָלֵינוּ אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, אָמֵן:
In shortMay Hashem open our eyes to see His power in everything, and so reveal to us the light of Moshiach.
The Rebbe asks why the Gemara asks “What is Chanukah?” as if the story were unknown, and why the days were fixed only a year later. He brings his father’s answer (R’ Yechiel Yehoshua of Biala) to the Beis Yosef: as R’ Elimelech read “they walked on dry land in the midst of the sea,” even nature is a miracle, so the first night’s ordinary burning was one too. The Greeks’ darkness was to hide Hashem behind nature and man’s strength; avodah is perfected in seeing no difference between nature and miracle. Then why a festival for one miracle? That is the Gemara’s question, and its answer: the days were fixed with Hallel and thanksgiving to root in us praise for everyday miracles, a year later, once the miracle’s clarity had faded. So the blessing says “at this time,” one who only sees the lamp blesses, and on Chanukah Moshiach’s light already shines.
Takeaway
The Greeks' darkness was a way of seeing: the belief that the world runs by itself and that our success comes from our own strength. Chanukah was established with Hallel and thanksgiving to teach us that even the oil's ordinary burning is Hashem's doing, and when we look at the lights we can let that knowledge sink in. The more we see Hashem's hand within nature and thank Him for every breath, the more the light of Moshiach shines on us even now.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.