From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Lights Against Greek Darkness: Fixed Faith in Providence
The Pri Chadash says the lighting on the first night was instituted to recall the victory in war. But what do lamps have to do with a battle? And why does the baraisa say the sages “established” the festive days, when “made them” would have been enough?
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. לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה.
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. The following year they established them and made them festive days with Hallel and thanksgiving.
1“What is Chanukah? For the Rabbis taught … 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 … 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
מַאי חֲנוּכָּה דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן וְכוּ׳, שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יְוָונִים לַהֵיכָל, טִמְּאוּ כָּל הַשְּׁמָנִים שֶׁבַּהֵיכָל, וּכְשֶׁגָּבְרָה מַלְכוּת בֵּית חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וְנִצְּחוּם, בָּדְקוּ וְלֹא מָצְאוּ אֶלָּא פַּךְ אֶחָד שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן וְכוּ׳, וְלֹא הָיָה בּוֹ אֶלָּא לְהַדְלִיק יוֹם אֶחָד, 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 tells of the one pure cruse of oil, enough for a single day, that burned for eight.
2aThe 's question is well known: why do we light for eight days?2 The cruse held enough to light for one day, so they should have established lighting for only seven days. He answers that on the very first day they divided the oil into eight parts, since they needed to light from that cruse for eight days until they could bring pure oil, as writes.3 So from the first day the Menorah was already burning by a miracle. The poskim, the halachic authorities, challenged him. The Pri Chadash and the Eshel Avraham asked how they could divide the oil and put one part into the Menorah each night,4 since one does not rely on a miracle.5
הִנֵּה יָדוּעַ קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף (סימן עת״ר), לָמָּה מַדְלִיקִים שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים, הֲרֵי הָיָה בּוֹ כְּדֵי לְהַדְלִיק יוֹם אֶחָד, וְאִם כֵּן הָיָה לָהֶם לִקְבּוֹעַ לְהַדְלִיק רַק שִׁבְעָה יָמִים. וְתֵירֵץ, דְּתֵיכֶף בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן חִלְּקוּ אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן לִשְׁמוֹנָה חֲלָקִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּצְרְכוּ לְהַדְלִיק שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים מֵאוֹתוֹ הַפַּךְ עַד שֶׁיָּבִיאוּ שֶׁמֶן טָהוֹר (וכמ״ש בר״ן שבת כא, ב), וְנִמְצָא דְּמִיָּד בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן דְּלֵקָה הַמְּנוֹרָה בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס. וְהִקְשׁוּ עָלָיו הַפּוֹסְקִים (פרי חדש, אשל אברהם), הַאֵיךְ חִלְּקוּ הַשֶּׁמֶן וְנָתְנוּ בַּמְּנוֹרָה חֵלֶק אֶחָד בְּכָל לַיְלָה, הֲלֹא אֵין סוֹמְכִין עַל הַנֵּס (זוהר ח״א רל, ב. פסחים סד, ב).
2bThe Pri Chadash answers the 's question another way. Two miracles were done for them then: the miracle of the cruse of oil, and the miracle of victory in the war, when Hashem delivered the many into the hands of the few. They wanted to establish the first day for all generations as a remembrance of the victory, and so they instituted lighting on the first day, to recall the miracle of the war. Others challenged him:6 surely lighting the lamps recalls the miracle of the cruse of oil, so what does the act of lighting have to do with the miracle of the war? They should have instituted the remembrance of the victory in some other way, one that would plainly recall the miracle of the war.
וּבִפְרִי חָדָשׁ (שם) תֵּירֵץ קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר, דְּהִנֵּה נַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם אָז שְׁנֵי נִיסִּים, נֵס פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן וְנֵס הַנִּצָּחוֹן בַּמִּלְחָמָה מַה שֶׁמָּסַר הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ רַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים, וְרָצוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן לְדוֹרוֹת לְזֵכֶר נֵס הַנִּצָּחוֹן בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְעַל זֶה תִּיקְּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק בְּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, לְזֵכֶר נֵס הַמִּלְחָמָה. וְהִקְשׁוּ עָלָיו (עיין פרי מגדים משבצות זהב שם), דְּלִכְאוֹרָה הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת הוּא זֵכֶר לְנֵס פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן, וּמַה שַׁיָּיכוּת יֵשׁ לְמַעֲשֶׂה הַהַדְלָקָה עִם נֵס הַמִּלְחָמָה, וְהָיָה לָהֶם לְתַקֵּן זִכְרוֹן נֵס הַנִּצָּחוֹן בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר, שֶׁיְּהֵא נִיכָּר שֶׁהוּא זֵכֶר לְנֵס הַמִּלְחָמָה.
- See Pri Megadim, Mishbetzos Zahav, Orach Chaim 670. ↩
In shortIf the first night recalls the military victory, as the Pri Chadash says, what does lighting a lamp have to do with a war?
3Further on, the baraisa, the early teaching that the Gemara cites, says: “They established them and made them yamim tovim, festive days, with Hallel and thanksgiving.” Notice the wording “they established them,” keva'um. It would have been enough to say, “They made them yamim tovim with Hallel and thanksgiving.”
עוֹד לְהַלָּן בַּבָּרַיְיתָא שָׁם ׳קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וּבְהוֹדָאָה׳. וְיֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳קְבָעוּם׳, דְּהָיָה דַּי לוֹמַר ׳עֲשָׂאוּם׳ יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וּבְהוֹדָאָה.
In shortWhy does the baraisa add “they established them,” keva'um, instead of simply “they made them” festive days?
4We will explain all this 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.”7 Why did Chazal choose to describe the very nature of the kingdom of Greece as “darkness,” of all things?
וּנְבָאֵר כָּל זֶה, בְּהֶקְדֵּם מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה ב, ד) ״וְחוֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם״ (בראשית א, ב) זוֹ מַלְכוּת יָוָן שֶׁהֶחֱשִׁיכָה עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין מַדּוּעַ רָאוּ חז״ל לְכַנּוֹת אֶת מַהוּתָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת יָוָן בִּבְחִינַת ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳ דַּוְקָא.
- Bereishis Rabbah 2:4 (the sefer has 2:5); Bereishis 1:2. ↩
In shortThe Midrash calls Greece “darkness”; what made that the right word for what Greece was?
5It seems we can explain this as follows. There is a great principle of faith in Hashem: we must believe that everything that happens in the world, to an individual or to the community, small or great, is all done by Hashem's power. As Chazal said, “A person does not so much as bruise his finger below unless it is decreed upon him from Above.”8 Even something as small as the movement of a little finger comes about entirely through hashgachah pratis, Hashem's watchful care over each individual.
וְנִרְאֶה לְבָאֵר, כִּי הִנֵּה יֵשׁ כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בֶּאֱמוּנַת ה׳, שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בָּעוֹלָם, הֵן לְיָחִיד וְהֵן לִכְלָל, דָּבָר קָטֹן אוֹ גָדוֹל, הַכֹּל נַעֲשָׂה מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (חולין ז, ב) אֵין אָדָם נוֹקֵף אֶצְבָּעוֹ לְמַטָּה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מַכְרִיזִין עָלָיו מִלְּמַעְלָה, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ דָּבָר קָטָן כָּזֶה שֶׁל הֲזָזַת אֶצְבַּע קְטַנָּה הַכֹּל הוּא בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה פְּרָטִית.
- Chullin 7b. ↩
In shortA great principle of faith: everything, down to the bruise of a finger, comes about by Hashem's power and hashgachah pratis.
6This faith in Hashem's providence is exactly what the Greeks wanted to uproot from our hearts. They wanted to bring a different spirit into Klal Yisrael, as they told the Jews, “Write on the horn of the ox that you have no portion in the God of Israel.”9 That is, they came to uproot from Bnei Yisrael the pure faith that there is hashgachah pratis and that everything is done by Hashem's power, every act, small or great. For every single thing is a “portion in the God of Israel,” since everything comes from His power. This is what they meant by “you have no portion in the God of Israel”: His providence is not present in everything. And indeed we find that many Jews became Hellenists, who strayed onto this path and were drawn after the Greeks' way of thinking.
וְהִנֵּה אֶת זֹאת הָאֱמוּנָה בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה רָצוּ הַיְוָונִים לְקַלְקֵל וְלַעֲקוֹר מִלִּבֵּנוּ, וּלְהַכְנִיס רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת בְּקֶרֶב כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָהֶם ׳כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלוֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳ (בראשית רבה שם), וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁבָּאוּ לַעֲקוֹר הָאֱמוּנָה הַטְּהוֹרָה הַזּוֹ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּכָךְ שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָהּ הַשְׁגָּחָה פְּרָטִית וְשֶׁהַכֹּל נַעֲשָׂה מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כָּל פְּעוּלָּה קְטַנָּה אוֹ גְּדוֹלָה. שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר הוּא חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהַכֹּל הוּא מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָהֶם ׳שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלוֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאֵין הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ מְצוּיָה בְּכָל דָּבָר. וּבֶאֱמֶת מָצִינוּ שֶׁהַרְבֵּה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲשׂוּ מִתְיַוְּונִים, שֶׁתָּעוּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, וְנִמְשְׁכוּ אַחַר דַּעְתָּם שֶׁל הַיְוָונִים.
- Bereishis Rabbah 2:4. ↩
In short“You have no portion in the God of Israel” attacked faith that Hashem's providence is in everything, and many Jews were drawn after it.
7This explains why the kingdom of Greece is called “darkness.” The Greeks darkened the eyes of Israel, so that the Jews could not look upon Hashem's works or see His power and His light in everything, and they brought into the Jewish people doubts about faith in Hashem, Heaven forbid, and false beliefs. When the Holy One, blessed be He, had mercy on the Jews and came to their aid, and they overpowered the Greeks and defeated them, the task of Chazal was the reverse. They had to draw a new light into the hearts of Israel, so that the Jews would see Hashem's power in everything, and to instill understanding among Bnei Yisrael, so that they would believe that everything is done by His providence.
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן מַדּוּעַ מַלְכוּת יָוָן הִיא בְּחִינַת ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַיְּוָונִים הֶחְשִׁיכוּ אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ לְהַבִּיט אֶל פְּעוּלּוֹת ה׳, וְלֹא יִרְאוּ אֶת כֹּחַ הַשֵּׁם וְאוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּכָל דָּבָר, וְהִכְנִיסוֹ בְּעַם יִשְׂרָאֵל סְפֵיקוֹת בֶּאֱמוּנַת ה׳ ח״ו וְדֵיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת. וְכַאֲשֶׁר רֵיחָם עֲלֵיהֶם הקב״ה וְהָיָה בְּעֶזְרָם, וְגָבְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִצְּחוּם, הָיָה לְעוּמַּת זֶה עֲבוֹדַת חֲכָמֵינוּ ז״ל לְהַמְשִׁיךְ אוֹר חָדָשׁ בְּלִבָּם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁיִּרְאוּ כּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ בְּכָל דָּבָר, וּלְהַשְׁפִּיעַ דַּעַת בְּקֶרֶב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְהַאֲמִין בְּכָךְ שֶׁהַכֹּל נַעֲשֶׂה בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ.
In shortGreece is “darkness” because it blinded Israel to Hashem's hand; after the victory Chazal had to draw a new light into Jewish hearts.
8[10Bnei Yisrael are “believers, the children of believers,”11 who believe that everything comes from Hashem's power. Yet in our time, too, there are false beliefs that say, “My strength and the might of my hand made me this wealth.”12 We must uproot these false beliefs from among us, and take care that the mind stays pure, unmixed with this evil thought.]
*[וְהִנֵּה בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַאֲמִינִים בְּנֵי מַאֲמִינִים שֶׁהַכֹּל מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, אָכֵן גַּם בִּזְמַנֵּנוּ יֵשׁ דֵּעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת שֶׁאוֹמְרִים ׳כּוֹחִי וְעוֹצֶם יָדִי עָשָׂה לִי אֶת הַחַיִל הַזֶּה׳, וּצְרִיכִים לְהוֹצִיא וּלְשָׁרֵשׁ דֵּעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת אֵלּוּ מִתּוֹכֵנוּ, וְצָרִיךְ לִשְׁמוֹר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמּוֹחַ טָהוֹר מֵעִרְבּוּב הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת].
- The sefer's note: From what he added while delivering these words (transcribed from a recording). ↩
- Shabbos 97a. ↩
- Devarim 8:17. ↩
In shortThe Greek idea lives on today as “my strength and the might of my hand,” and we must uproot it to keep the mind pure.
9aThis explains why the sages of that generation did not want to establish a remembrance of the miracle of the war through something physical. With the victory in the war, it was plain that there had been a miracle, since the many were delivered into the hands of the few. Even so, one could still go astray and imagine that the victory of the Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans was no miracle. One could say it came because the few were more skilled in warfare, and make other such claims of “my strength and the might of my hand,” and say, Heaven forbid, that “Hashem did not do all this.”13 Not so with the miracle of the cruse of oil: there no one could deny that it happened by a miracle.
וּבָזֶה מוּבָן מַדּוּעַ לֹא רָצוּ חַכְמֵי אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר לִקְבּוֹעַ זֵכֶר לְנֵס הַמִּלְחָמָה בְּאֵיזֶה עִנְיָן גַּשְׁמִי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁכְּלַפֵּי נֵס נִצְחוֹן הַמִּלְחָמָה, אַף שֶׁהָיָה נִיכָּר שֶׁהָיָה בָּזֶה נֵס, שֶׁכֵּן נִמְסְרוּ רַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם עֲדַיִין הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לִטְעוֹת וּלְדַמּוֹת שֶׁהַנִּצָּחוֹן שֶׁנָּצְחוּ הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים לֹא הָיָה נֵס, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ הַמְעַטִּים יוֹתֵר מְלוּמָּדִים בְּדַרְכֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה, וּשְׁאָר טְעָנוֹת שֶׁל כּוֹחִי וְעוֹצֶם יָדִי, וְלוֹמַר ח״ו שֶׁלֹּא ה׳ פָּעַל כָּל זֹאת. מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן בְּנֵס פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן, שֶׁבָּזֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר הָיָה לְהַכְחִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס.
- The phrase echoes Devarim 32:27. ↩
9bTo remove this bitter error from the heart, Chazal established the remembrance of all the miracles through the lighting of lamps, which belong to the realm of light and spirit. Through the lighting, pure faith and the hidden light stored away since creation would flow down, in the spirit of “A mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light”:14 the ability to see nothing but Hashem's power in all of creation, the opposite of the Greeks' way. Through this the Jews would recognize that the victory in the war, too, came about by a miracle. This settles the difficulty in the words of the Pri Chadash: why the remembrance of the victory, too, was instituted through the lighting of the lamps.
וּבִכְדֵי לְהוֹצִיא מִן הַלֵּב טָעוּת מָרָה זוֹ, לָכֵן קָבְעוּ חז״ל זָכָר כָּל הַנִּיסִּים עַל יְדֵי הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת אוֹרוֹת וְרוּחָנִיּוֹת, שֶׁמִּכֹּחַ הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת יִהְיֶה נִשְׁפָּע הָאֱמוּנָה הַטְּהוֹרָה וְאוֹר הַגָּנוּז, בְּחִינַת ״נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר״ (משלי ו, כג), הַיְינוּ לִרְאוֹת רַק כּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ בְּכָל הַבְּרִיאָה, הֵיפֶךְ מִדַּרְכָּם שֶׁל הַיְוָונִים, וּבְכָךְ יַכִּירוּ שֶׁגַּם נִצְחוֹן הַמִּלְחָמָה נַעֲשָׂה בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס. וּבָזֶה נִתְיַישְּׁבוּ דִּבְרֵי הַפְּרִי חָדָשׁ, מַדּוּעַ גַּם אֶת זֵכֶר הַנִּצָּחוֹן בַּמִּלְחָמָה תִּיקְּנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עַל יְדֵי הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת.
- Mishlei 6:23. ↩
In shortA victory can be credited to skill, so Chazal recalled it too through the lamps, whose spiritual power shows that Hashem alone acts.
10This explains the precise wording of Chazal: “They established them and made them yamim tovim with Hallel and thanksgiving.” The sages of that generation wanted to rid the Jewish people of the false beliefs the Greeks had planted in their hearts, and for this they needed to establish faith among them in a fixed, lasting way. False beliefs are not outright heresy, Heaven forbid. They are a blurring and confusion: whoever is caught up in them loses his clarity, seeing things one way at one time and another way at another. Even after he has seen the light of pure faith, false beliefs can, Heaven forbid, rise in his heart again. So to prevail against them, it was not enough to make days of Hallel and thanksgiving, for that alone would not cure the sickness. Hallel, thanksgiving and faith in Hashem had to be established firmly and permanently, so that these false beliefs would never again rise in their hearts.
וּבָזֶה יְדוּקְדַּק לְשׁוֹן חז״ל ׳קְבָעוּם׳ וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וּבְהוֹדָאָה, שֶׁכְּשֶׁהַחֲכָמִים שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר רָצוּ לְבַעֵר מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַדֵּיעוֹת הַכּוֹזְבוֹת שֶׁהִכְנִיסוּ הַיְוָונִים בְּלִבָּם, הָיוּ צְרִיכִים לִקְבּוֹעַ הָאֱמוּנָה בִּקְבִיעוּת בְּתוֹכָם. דְּהִנֵּה עִנְיַן הַדֵּיעוֹת הַכּוֹזְבוֹת אֵינֶנּוּ מַמָּשׁ כְּפִירָה גְּמוּרָה ח״ו, אֶלָּא הוּא טִשְׁטוּשׁ וְעִרְבּוּבְיָא, שֶׁהַנִּתְפָּס בָּהֶם נֶעְדָּר מִמֶּנּוּ הַבְּהִירוּת, שֶׁעִיתִּים רוֹאֶה כָּךְ וְעִיתִּים רוֹאֶה כָּךְ, וְגַם אַחַר שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אֶת אוֹר הָאֱמוּנָה הַטְּהוֹרָה יוּכְלוּ שׁוּב לַעֲלוֹת עַל לִבּוֹ דֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת ח״ו. עַל כֵּן בִּכְדֵי לְהִתְגַּבֵּר נֶגֶד הַדֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת, לֹא הָיָה דַּי שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ יְמֵי הַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה, כִּי בָּזֶה לֹא יִיטָּהֲרוּ מֵחֳולָיִים, אֶלָּא הָיָה נִצְרָךְ שֶׁיִּקְבְּעוּ הַהַלֵּל וְהַהוֹדָאָה וְהָאֱמוּנָה בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּקְבִיעוּת וּבִתְמִידוּת, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלוּ שׁוּב הַדֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת הַלָּלוּ עַל לִבָּם לְעוֹלָם.
In shortFalse beliefs blur and return, so one celebration was not enough; keva'um means faith had to be established in Israel permanently.
11Our words also explain what we asked: why is it about Chanukah, of all mitzvos, that the Gemara asks, “Where did He command us?”15 We do not find this question about the other mitzvos that Chazal instituted. The heart of the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp is to teach us not to be caught up, Heaven forbid, in false beliefs, but to hold fast to pure faith. Yet this is a hard task for simple people, whose eyes the yetzer hara sometimes blinds in this. So the counsel for them is to ask the tzaddikim. Only the tzaddikim and the great Torah scholars, who have been privileged to receive the light within the Torah, can light up this darkness for us and plant faith firmly in us. This is what Chazal meant when they asked “Where did He command us?” about the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp, which points to faith. They were troubled: where will simple people find the strength to reach faith and trust as a settled middah, a trait of character, and not be caught up in these false beliefs? To this Rav Avya answered, from “You shall not turn aside,” and Rav Nechemyah, from “Ask your father.”16 Through the sages of the generation, simple people will have the strength to grow firm in faith.
וּלְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ יִתְפָּרֵשׁ גַּם מַה שֶׁהִקְשֵׁינוּ, מַדּוּעַ דַּוְקָא בַּחֲנוּכָּה מָצִינוּ (שבת כג, א) דְּפָרִיךְ הַגְּמָרָא ׳הֵיכָן צִוָּנוּ׳, מַה שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ כֵּן בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹות מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם. אֶלָּא דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁעִיקַּר מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה בָּאָה לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא לִיתָּפֵס ח״ו אַחֲרֵי דֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת, אֶלָּא לְהַחְזִיק בֶּאֱמוּנָה טְהוֹרָה, אָכֵן זֶהוּ עֲבוֹדָה קָשֶׁה עֲבוּר פְּשׁוּטֵי הָעָם, אֲשֶׁר לִפְעָמִים הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע מְסָמָא אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם בָּזֶה, וְלָכֵן הָעֵצָה הַיְּעוּצָה לָהֶם, הוּא לִשְׁאוֹל אֶת פִּי הַצַּדִּיקִים, כִּי אַךְ וְרַק הַצַּדִּיקִים וּגְדוֹלֵי הַתּוֹרָה, אֲשֶׁר זָכוּ לַמָּאוֹר אֲשֶׁר בַּתּוֹרָה, הֵם יְכוֹלִים לְהָאִיר לָנוּ חֲשֵׁיכָה זוֹ, וּלְחַזֵּק וְלִנְטוֹעַ בָּנוּ הָאֱמוּנָה כָּרָאוּי. וְזֶה כַּוָּונַת חז״ל שֶׁהִקְשׁוּ דַּיְיקָא עַל מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה הַמּוֹרֶה עַל הָאֱמוּנָה, ׳הֵיכָן צִוָּנוּ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁהוּקְשָׁה לָהֶם מֵהֵיכָן יִהְיֶה הַכֹּחַ לִפְשׁוּטֵי הָעָם לְהַגִּיעַ לְמִידַּת הָאֱמוּנָה וְהַבִּטָּחוֹן, וְשֶׁלֹּא לִיתָּפֵס בְּדֵיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת הַלָּלוּ. וְעַל זֶה אָמַר רַב אַוְיָא מִ׳לֹּא תָּסוּר׳ וְרַב נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר מִ׳שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר יִהְיֶה בְּכוֹחָם לְהִתְחַזֵּק בֶּאֱמוּנָה, כַּנִּזְכָּר.
- Shabbos 23a. The question was raised in the previous maamar. ↩
- Devarim 17:11; 32:7. The verses read: “You shall not turn aside from the word that they tell you, right or left”; “Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will say to you.” ↩
In shortFaith is hard for simple people to hold, so the Chanukah mitzvah is learned from verses that send us to the sages of the generation.
12This blurring and confusion of the mind exists in every generation, ours as well. So if a person has doubts, Heaven forbid, he must ask the sages of the generation about everything. May the Holy One, blessed be He, bestow on us too some of the hidden light, and may the words “Shine a new light upon Tziyon” soon be fulfilled in us.17 Amen, may it be His will.
וְהִנֵּה עִנְיַן טִשְׁטוּשׁ וּבִלְבּוּל הַמּוֹחִין קַיָּים בְּכָל דּוֹר וְדוֹר, וְגַם בְּדוֹרֵנוּ אָנוּ, וְעַל כֵּן בְּאִם יֵשׁ לָאָדָם ח״ו סְפֵיקוֹת, צְרִיכִים לִשְׁאוֹל עַל כָּל דָּבָר אֶת הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר. יְהִי רָצוֹן שהקב״ה יַשְׁפִּיעַ גַּם עָלֵינוּ מֵאוֹר הַגָּנוּז, וִיקוּיַּים בָּנוּ בִּמְהֵרָה ׳אוֹר חָדָשׁ עַל צִיּוֹן תָּאִיר׳, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
- From the morning blessing Yotzer Ohr. ↩
In shortConfusion about faith exists in every generation, so doubts belong with the sages; may Hashem shine the hidden light on us.
13a[18We live in a generation of great confusion of mind, in which light and darkness are mixed together. It is impossible to spell this out, for it is not fitting, but everyone understands what we mean.19 May Hashem have mercy on us and light up the great darkness in which we dwell. How can we find the light that will shine for us? We are simple people, and we cannot see and find the light by our own power.]
*[אֲנַחְנוּ נִמְצָאִים בְּדוֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּלְבּוּל הַמּוֹחִין גָּדוֹל, וְאוֹר וְחוֹשֵׂךְ מְשַׁמְּשִׁים בּוֹ בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵט הַדָּבָר כִּי אֵינוֹ כְּדַאי, אַךְ כָּל אֶחָד מֵבִין כַּוָּונָתֵינוּ*, ה׳ יְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְיָאִיר לָנוּ אֶת הַחוֹשֵׂךְ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבּוֹ אָנוּ שְׁרוּיִים. וְאֵיךְ אָנוּ יְכוֹלִים לִמְצוֹא אֶת הָאוֹר שֶׁיָּאִיר לָנוּ, הֲרֵי אָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים פְּשׁוּטִים וְאֵין בְּכוֹחֵנוּ לְבַד לִרְאוֹת וְלִמְצוֹא אֶת הָאוֹר,
- The sefer's note: From what he added while delivering these words (transcribed from a recording). ↩
- The sefer's note: The test spoken of here was to join those who believe in “my strength and the might of my hand” and are distant from Judaism. Even those who did not actually join them were influenced and came to believe in the power of their own hand. ↩
13b[The only way is to walk in the path of and the students of his students. As my holy father and teacher, zt"l, always used to say, everything is received from the mouths of the true tzaddikim of the generation and its true great Torah scholars, who have genuine da'as Torah, a Torah outlook, and think in purity and holiness. Though ours is a poor generation, we have the path from the mouths of our teachers and our fathers. We must hold on to it and walk by it in the darkness of the exile, and through this we will be privileged to cleave to pure thoughts. “Ask your father, and he will tell you”: cleave to true tzaddikim. Just as people ask about other matters, so they must ask about these matters too, [matters of faith and of the proper way to make one's own effort]. May it be His will that we soon be privileged to see “Shine a new light upon Tziyon,” speedily in our days.]
אָמְנָם הַדֶּרֶךְ הַיְחִידָה הִיא לֵילֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהָלְכוּ בָּהֶם הבעש״ט וְתַלְמִידֵי תַּלְמִידָיו, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אאמו״ר ז״ל תָּמִיד הָיָה אוֹמֵר, וְהַכֹּל מְקוּבָּל מִפִּי צַדִּיקִים אַמֵּיתִים שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר, וּגְדוֹלֵי הַתּוֹרָה הָאֲמִיתִּים שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם דַּעַת תּוֹרָה אֲמִיתִּית וּמַחְשָׁבָה בְּטָהֳרָה וּקְדוּשָּׁה. וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָנוּ בְּדוֹר עָנִי, מִכָּל מָקוֹם יֵשׁ לָנוּ אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ מִפִּי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וּבָזֶה צָרִיךְ לֶאֱחוֹז וְלֵילֵךְ בְּחַשְׁכוּת הַגָּלוּת, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְהִדָּבֵק בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת טְהוֹרוֹת. וְשָׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ, לְהִדָּבֵק בַּצַּדִּיקִים אַמֵּיתִים. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִים עַל דְּבָרִים אֲחֵרִים, כֵּן צָרִיךְ לִשְׁאוֹל גַּם בְּעִנְיָינִים אֵלּוּ [שֶׁל אֱמוּנָה וְאוֹפֶן הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הָרָאוּי]. יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לְ׳אוֹר חָדָשׁ עַל צִיּוֹן תָּאִיר׳, בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ]:
In shortIn a confused generation we must hold to true tzaddikim and ask them even about faith; may a new light soon shine upon Tziyon.
He sets out the Beis Yosef’s question on the eight days, the Pri Chadash’s answer that the first day recalls the victory in war, and the challenge to it: what do lamps have to do with a war? He also asks why the baraisa says “they established them.” The key is the Midrash calling Greece “darkness”: the Greeks darkened Israel’s eyes to Hashem’s providence over every detail. A victory in battle could be credited to skill, “my strength and the might of my hand,” so Chazal tied the remembrance of every miracle to lamps, which draw down pure faith and the hidden light. Since false beliefs blur and return rather than deny outright, faith had to be established permanently. That is hard for simple people, so the Gemara learns the mitzvah from verses that send them to the sages; in our confused generation too, we must ask the true tzaddikim.
Takeaway
The Greek darkness was a quiet blurring of the eyes, until a person no longer sees Hashem's hand in every event, small or great. Such confusion rarely comes as outright denial; it returns again and again, so Chazal established faith in us permanently through the Chanukah lamps. Where our own sight is too dim, the way is to hold on to true tzaddikim and ask them, even about matters of faith.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.