From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Seeing the Chanukah Lights: Every Day a Miracle
One who merely sees a Chanukah lamp must say a blessing, unlike any other mitzvah. Pesach and Purim also publicize miracles, yet there one must do the mitzvah oneself. Why is the Chanukah lamp different, and why does the Gemara ask only of it, “Where did He command us?”
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Shabbos 23a
הָרוֹאֶה נֵר שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ
One who sees a Chanukah lamp must say a blessing.
1“One who sees a Chanukah lamp must say a blessing.” Why should this be? With all the other mitzvos, we do not find that Chazal instituted a blessing over seeing them, only over doing the mitzvah itself. Why is the Chanukah lamp different? If it is because the lamp is for pirsumei nisa, publicizing the miracle, Pesach and Purim also have mitzvos that publicize the miracle, and still we find no blessing over seeing them. Moreover, here a person can fulfill the duty of publicizing the miracle merely by seeing his fellow's mitzvah. With the mitzvos of Purim and Pesach, by contrast, a person must himself do the mitzvah that points to the miracle in order to show and publicize it, [for example, reclining at the Seder, drinking the four cups, hearing the Megillah, and the like]. Seeing his fellow's mitzvah is not enough. Why is this so?
הָרוֹאֶה נֵר שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ (שבת כג, א). יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק, דְּבִשְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹות לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁתִּיקְּנוּ בְּרָכָה עַל רְאִיָּיתָם, רַק עַל עֶצֶם עֲשִׂיַּית הַמִּצְוָוה, וּמַדּוּעַ נִשְׁתַּנָּה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה בְּעִנְיָן זֶה. וְאִם מִשּׁוּם שֶׁהוּא לְפִרְסוּמֵי נִיסָּא, הֲלֹא גַּם בְּפֶסַח וּבְפוּרִים יֵשׁ מִצְוֹות שֶׁהֵם לְפִרְסוּמֵי נִיסָּא, וּבְכָל זֹאת לֹא מָצִינוּ בָּהֶם בְּרָכָה עַל רְאִיָּה. וְעוֹד שֶׁכָּאן יֵשׁ בְּחִינָה שֶׁיּוֹצֵא הָאָדָם יְדֵי חוֹבַת פִּרְסוּמֵי נִיסָּא גַּם בִּרְאִיָּה בְּעָלְמָא בְּמִצְוָוה שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ, וְאִילּוּ בְּמִצְוֹות שֶׁל פּוּרִים וּפֶסַח צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּעַצְמוֹ אֶת הַמִּצְוָוה הַמּוֹרֶה עַל הַנֵּס, בִּכְדֵי לְהַרְאוֹת וּלְפַרְסֵם אֶת הַנֵּס [כְּגוֹן לֵישֵׁב בַּהֲסִיבָּה, וְלִשְׁתּוֹת אַרְבַּע כּוֹסוֹת, אוֹ לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶת הַמְּגִילָּה, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה], וְאֵין דַּי בִּרְאִיַּת מִצְוֹות הַפִּרְסוּמִי נִיסָּא שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ, וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין מַדּוּעַ.
Sources here
In shortPesach and Purim also publicize miracles, so why does merely seeing the Chanukah lamp, even a fellow's, call for a blessing?
2Further on, the Gemara asks, “Where did He command us?”1 Rav Avya said: from “You shall not turn aside.”2 Rav Nechemyah said: from “Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will say to you.”3 Why did Chazal raise this question only about the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp, and not about other mitzvos of Chazal, such as reading the Megillah on Purim?
עוֹד שָׁם בַּגְּמָרָא, הֵיכָן צִיוָּונוּ, רַב אַוְיָא אָמַר מ״לֹא תָסוּר״ (דברים יז, יא), רַב נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר ״שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ״ (שם לב, ז). וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מַדּוּעַ הִקְשׁוּ כֵּן חז״ל רַק עַל מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, וְלֹא עַל שְׁאָר מִצְוֹות דְּרַבָּנָן, כְּגוֹן מִצְוַות קְרִיאַת הַמְּגִילָּה דְּפוּרִים.
- Shabbos 23a. The question is about the blessing over the Chanukah lamps, which says “and commanded us,” though the mitzvah was instituted by Chazal and is not written in the Torah. ↩
- 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. ↩
In shortWhy does the Gemara ask “Where did He command us?” about the Chanukah lamp and not about the Megillah or other mitzvos of Chazal?
3We can explain this. There is a difference between the miracle of Chanukah and the other miracles. The other miracles done for Klal Yisrael were to save the body. On Purim the decree was against the body: Haman sought to wipe out Israel, “to destroy, to kill and to annihilate.”4 On Pesach, too, there was bodily slavery, and the decree to throw the male children into the water.5 Since the decrees were against the body, the miracles of Pesach and Purim, too, were to save the body. On Chanukah, though, the main decree was against the soul, not the body. The Greeks decreed against Shabbos, circumcision and the sanctifying of the new month, and sought to abolish all the mitzvos. They darkened the eyes of Israel by trying to bring in their false beliefs, that everything is nature and chance, as they said, “Write on the horn of the ox that you have no portion in the God of Israel.”6 So the miracle of Chanukah was to save the soul.
וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר, דְּהִנֵּה יֶשְׁנוֹ חִילּוּק בֵּין הַנֵּס דַּחֲנוּכָּה לִשְׁאָר הַנִּיסִּים, דִּשְׁאָר הַנִּיסִּים שֶׁהָיוּ לִכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ עַל הַצָּלַת הַגּוּף, כְּגוֹן בְּפוּרִים שֶׁהָיְתָה הַגְּזֵירָה עַל הַגּוּף, שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ הָמָן לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלָיָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרוֹג וּלְאַבֵּד, וְכֵן בְּפֶסַח הָיָה שִׁעְבּוּד הַגּוּף, וְכֵן הָיְתָה גְּזֵירָה לְהַשְׁלִיךְ אֶת הַזְּכָרִים לַיָּם, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהַגְּזֵירָה הָיְתָה עַל הַגּוּף, מִמֵּילָא גַּם הַנִּיסִּים דְּפֶסַח וּפוּרִים הֵם עַל הַצָּלַת הַגּוּף. אַךְ לְעוּמַּת זֶה בַּחֲנוּכָּה הָיְתָה עִיקַּר הַגְּזֵירָה עַל הַנְּשָׁמָה וְלֹא עַל הַגּוּף, שֶׁגָּזְרוּ עַל שַׁבָּת וּמִילָה וְחוֹדֶשׁ וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹות, וְהֶחְשִׁיכוּ עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי שֶׁרָצוּ לְהַכְנִיס הַדֵּעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם, לַחְשׁוֹב שֶׁהַכֹּל הוּא טֶבַע וּמִקְרִיּוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳ (בראשית רבה ב, ד), נִמְצָא שֶׁהַנֵּס שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה הָיָה עַל הַצָּלַת הַנְּשָׁמָה.
In shortPesach and Purim saved the body; the Greek decree targeted the soul with the belief that all is nature, so Chanukah saved the soul.
4Just as the Greeks schemed to plant in Klal Yisrael the false belief that the world runs by nature, so the main purpose of Chazal in instituting the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah lamps was the reverse: to root these false beliefs out of Israel. They wanted to teach Israel for all generations, and plant it deep, that one must guard against these false beliefs and keep far from those who scheme to plant alien thoughts in Klal Yisrael. The lesson of the Chanukah lamps is to grow strong in faith in Hashem and trust in Him. We are to reflect on this: in those days the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted His people to light the lamps of the Menorah in purity, and so He did a miracle for them. In the same way He really does miracles for us every single day. As we say in prayer, “and for Your miracles that are with us every day,”7 for Hashem's way of guiding the world is wholly by miracle.
וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמְּזִימַּת הַיְוָונִים הָיְתָה לְהַחֲדִיר בְּתוֹךְ כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל דֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת שֶׁהָעוֹלָם מִתְנַהֵג בְּטִבְעִיּוּת, כֵּן לְעוּמַּת זֶה, עִיקָּר וּמַטְּרַת מַה שֶׁתִּיקְּנוּ חז״ל מִצְוַות הַדְלָקַת נֵרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה הָיְתָה לְבַעֵר הַדֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת הַלָּלוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, לְהוֹרוֹת וּלְהַשְׁרִישׁ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְדוֹרוֹת, אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לְהִשָּׁמֵר וּלְהִמָּלֵט מִן אֵלּוּ הַדֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת, וּלְהִתְרַחֵק מֵאוֹתָם אֵלּוּ הַזּוֹמְמִים לְהַחֲדִיר מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת בְּקֶרֶב כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהַלִּימּוּד אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לִלְמוֹד מִנֵּרוֹת הַחֲנוּכָּה הוּא, לְהִתְחַזֵּק בֶּאֱמוּנַת ה׳ וּבִטָּחוֹן בַּה׳, וּלְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בָּזֶה, שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁבַּיָּמִים הָהֵם רָצָה הקב״ה שֶׁעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל יַדְלִיקוּ נֵרוֹת הַמְּנוֹרָה בְּטָהֳרָה, וְעַל כֵּן עָשָׂה לָהֶם נֵס, כָּךְ בֶּאֱמֶת הקב״ה עוֹשֶׂה לָנוּ נִיסִּים בְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בִּתְפִילָּה ׳וְעַל נִסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם עִמָּנוּ׳, כִּי כָּל הַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם הוּא בְּנֵס עַל יְדֵי הקב״ה.
- From the Modim blessing of the Amidah. ↩
In shortChazal gave the Chanukah lamps to uproot the Greek belief in nature and plant faith that Hashem does miracles for us daily.
5So lighting the Chanukah lamp differs from the other mitzvos that publicize a miracle. With the other mitzvos, the purpose is only to publicize the miracle, and so the heart of the mitzvah is the deed itself. Not so with the Chanukah lamp. Besides the deed of the mitzvah, which publicizes the miracle, it has another purpose: to uproot whatever runs against faith, such as the false beliefs of the Greeks.
נִמְצָא שֶׁשּׁוֹנֶה הַדְלָקַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מִשְּׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹות דְּפִרְסוּמֵי נִיסָּא, כִּי בִּשְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹות מַטְּרַת הַמִּצְוָוה הִיא רַק הַפִּרְסוּמִי נִיסָּא שֶׁבָּזֶה, וּמִמֵּילָא עִיקַּר הַמִּצְוָוה הִיא מַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְוָוה בְּפוֹעַל. מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן בְּהַדְלָקַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁמִּלְּבַד מַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְוָוה עַצְמָהּ שֶׁהוּא לְצוֹרֶךְ הַפִּרְסוּמִי נִיסָּא שֶׁבָּזֶה, יֶשְׁנוֹ עִנְיָן נוֹסָף, לַעֲקוֹר וּלְשָׁרֵשׁ הָעִנְיָינִים שֶׁל הֵיפֶךְ הָאֱמוּנָה, כַּנִּזְכָּר.
In shortOther such mitzvos are fulfilled in the deed; the Chanukah lamp has a further aim, to uproot whatever runs against faith.
6[To our sorrow we know that the Hellenists, who want to put everything down to nature and to say, “You have no portion in the God of Israel,” are with us in every generation, always. Only their way of waging war changes from one form to another.8 This war against Israel has gone on for thousands of years, from the Churban, the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, until the end of this last exile. It has been waged in exile among the nations and in exile among Jews who, Heaven forbid, seek to bring these false beliefs into Klal Yisrael.]
*[וּלְדַאֲבוֹנֵנוּ אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים, שֶׁהָעִנְיָן שֶׁל הַמִּתְיַוְּונִים הָרוֹצִים לְהַכְנִיס הַכֹּל בְּטִבְעִיּוּת, וְלוֹמַר ׳אֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳, קַיָּים בְּכָל דּוֹר וְדוֹר תָּמִיד, אֶלָּא שֶׁאוֹפֶן מִלְחַמְתָּם פּוֹשֵׁט צוּרָה וְלוֹבֵשׁ צוּרָה אַחֶרֶת. וּמִלְחָמָה זוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל קַיֶּימֶת כְּבָר אַלְפֵי שָׁנִים, מִזְּמַן הַחוּרְבָּן וְעַד סוֹף הַגָּלוּת הָאַחֲרוֹן, בֵּין בַּגָּלוּת בֵּין הַגּוֹיִים וּבֵין בַּגָּלוּת בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל, שח״ו רוֹצִים לְהַכְנִיס אֵלּוּ הַדֵּעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת בִּכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל].
- The sefer's note: From what he added while delivering these words (transcribed from a recording). ↩
In shortThe Hellenists' war on faith goes on in every generation, from the nations and from within, only changing its form.
7This explains why it is on Chanukah, of all times, that Chazal said one who sees the lamp must say a blessing. The mussar sefarim do teach that the movements of the outer limbs awaken what is within; the says this, and the says something similar.9 So a person must surely make the effort to do the mitzvah in practice and take care to light it himself. Even so, with the Chanukah lamp the mitzvah can be fulfilled even by seeing. For the main purpose of the Chanukah lamp is not the act of lighting itself but reflection. We are to gaze at the Chanukah lights and understand what they show. At the time of the miracle the Holy One, blessed be He, showed His guidance by way of miracles and removed from the heart the false beliefs the Greeks and the Hellenists had planted, and so it is in every generation. That is why we find nothing like this with other mitzvos, whose substance is the deed itself.
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן לָמָּה דַּוְקָא בַּחֲנוּכָּה אָמְרוּ חז״ל שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ, דְּאַף שֶׁאִיתָא בְּסִפְרֵי מוּסָר (מסילת ישרים פרק ז, וכעין זה בספר החינוך מצוה טז) שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ תְּנוּעַת הָאֵיבָרִים הַחִיצוֹנִים בָּא לִידֵי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַפְּנִימִיּוּת, וְאִם כֵּן בְּוַדַּאי צָרִיךְ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּפוֹעַל אֶת הַמִּצְוָוה, לְהַדֵּר לְהַדְלִיק בְּעַצְמוֹ, אַךְ מִכָּל מָקוֹם בְּנֵר חֲנוּכָּה אֶפְשָׁר לְקַיֵּים אֶת הַמִּצְוָוה אֲפִילּוּ עַל יְדֵי רְאִיָּה, כִּי עִיקַּר הַמַּטָּרָה שֶׁל הַנֵּר חֲנוּכָּה הוּא לֹא עֶצֶם מַעֲשֵׂה הַהַדְלָקָה, אֶלָּא הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת, לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּנֵרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה, וְלִרְאוֹת וּלְהָבִין כִּי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַנֵּס הֶרְאָה הקב״ה הַנְהָגָתוֹ הַנִּיסִּית, וְהוֹצִיא מִן הַלֵּב אֶת אוֹתָן דֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת שֶׁהֶחְדִּירוּ הַיְוָונִים וְהַמִּתְיַוְּונִים, כֵּן הוּא בְּכָל דּוֹר וְדוֹר. וְלָכֵן לֹא מָצִינוּ דָּבָר כָּזֶה בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹות, שֶׁעִנְיָינָם הוּא עֶצֶם מַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְוָוה.
- Mesillas Yesharim, ch. 7; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 16. ↩
In shortDeeds awaken the heart, so one should light oneself; yet seeing suffices, for the lamp's main purpose is reflection on Hashem's miracles.
8This lets us explain why it was about the Chanukah lamp, of all mitzvos, that Chazal asked, “Where did He command us?” We may say that the question here is not about the part of the mitzvah that is the act of lighting. That, they knew, is learned from “You shall not turn aside” [which is why they did not ask this about doing the other mitzvos of Chazal]. Their question was about the part of the mitzvah that is reflection, an added part found only in the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah lamp. To this Chazal answered. One view holds that everything Chazal obligated is learned from “You shall not turn aside,” and this too is included. The other learns it from “Ask your father, and he will tell you.” For this verse says, “Remember the days of old … ask your father, and he will tell you,”10 and this refers to the six days of creation: to remember that Hashem is the Creator of the world, as the explains there, and others as well.11 The verse points to faith in Hashem, and about this the Torah wrote, “Ask your father, and he will tell you”: hold fast to simple faith. So Rav Nechemyah did not want to learn the mitzvah from “You shall not turn aside,” because the second verse speaks of faith more plainly, and faith is the main purpose of the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp, as we have explained.
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ, מַדּוּעַ בְּנֵר חֲנוּכָּה דַּוְקָא שָׁאֲלוּ חז״ל ׳הֵיכָן צִיוָּונוּ׳. דְּיֵשׁ לוֹמַר דְּאֵין הַכַּוָּונָה לִשְׁאוֹל כָּאן מִצַּד חֵלֶק עֲשִׂיַּית מַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְוָוה שֶׁל הַהַדְלָקָה, שֶׁזֶּה יָדְעוּ כְּבָר שֶׁנִּלְמַד מִלֹּא תָסוּר [וְעַל כֵּן לֹא הִקְשׁוּ כֵּן בְּנוֹגֵעַ לַעֲשִׂיַּית שְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹות דְּרַבָּנָן], אֶלָּא שְׁאֵלָתָם הָיְתָה עַל חֵלֶק מִצְוַות הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת שֶׁבַּדָּבָר, שֶׁהוּא חֵלֶק נוֹסָף הַנִּמְצָא דַּוְקָא בְּמִצְוַות הַדְלָקַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה. וְעַל זֶה הֵשִׁיבוּ חז״ל, דְּחַד מַאן דְּאָמַר סָבַר, שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר חִיְּיבוּ חז״ל יָלְפִינַן מִ׳לֹּא תָסוּר׳, וְגַם זֶה בִּכְלָל, וְחַד מַאן דְּאָמַר יָלֵיף מִ׳שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ׳, דְּהִנֵּה בְּפָסוּק זֶה נֶאֱמַר ״זְכוֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ״, וְהַכַּוָּונָה לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית, לִזְכּוֹר שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ הוּא יוֹצֵר וּבוֹרֵא הָעוֹלָם (כמבואר באור החיים שם ועוד), וְהוּא מוֹרֶה עַל עִנְיַן אֱמוּנַת ה׳, וְעַל זֶה כָּתְבָה הַתּוֹרָה ׳שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ׳ לְהַחְזִיק בֶּאֱמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה. וְלָכֵן לֹא רָצָה לִלְמוֹד מִ׳לֹּא תָסוּר׳, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבַּפָּסוּק הַשֵּׁנִי יוֹתֵר מְבוֹאָר עִנְיַן הָאֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהוּא עִיקַּר הַמַּטָּרָה שֶׁל מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר.
In shortThe Gemara sought a source for the reflection unique to Chanukah, and Rav Nechemyah found it in “Ask your father,” a verse about faith.
9The 's question is well known: why was lighting established for the first day as well?12 On the first day there was no miracle, for there was enough oil for that day. From our words we may say this. Chazal's main aim in instituting the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp was to plant faith in the hearts of Israel, the firm knowledge that the world is guided by miracle, in the spirit of “and for Your miracles that are with us every day.” It follows that even when the miracle is not revealed, a person must always recognize Hashem's power and His wonders. That is why we light on the first day too: to reflect always that everything happens by miracle, by Hashem's power, and to beware of the views that say the world runs by nature.
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף, לָמָּה קָבְעוּ לְהַדְלִיק גַּם כְּנֶגֶד הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, הֲרֵי בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן לֹא הָיָה נֵס, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה שֶׁמֶן מַסְפִּיק בִּשְׁבִיל הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן. וְלִדְבָרֵינוּ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁעִיקַּר הַכַּוָּונָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁתִּיקְּנוּ חז״ל מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, הָיְתָה בִּשְׁבִיל לִנְטוֹעַ אֱמוּנָה זוֹ בְּלִבְבוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָדַעַת נֶאֱמָנָה כִּי הַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם נַעֲשֵׂית בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס, בִּבְחִינַת ׳עַל נִסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם עִמָּנוּ׳, אִם כֵּן מִמֵּילָא גַּם כְּשֶׁאֵין הַנֵּס גָּלוּי, צָרִיךְ תָּמִיד לְהַכִּיר אֶת כּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו וּלְפִיכָךְ מַדְלִיקִים גַּם בְּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, בִּכְדֵי לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן תָּמִיד שֶׁהַכֹּל הוּא בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס מִכֹּחַ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְלִיזָּהֵר מֵהַדֵּעוֹת שֶׁאוֹמְרִים שֶׁהַהַנְהָגָה הִיא טִבְעִית.
- Beis Yosef, Orach Chaim 670. ↩
In shortWe light even the first night, when the oil burned naturally, because the lamps teach that even unrevealed miracles are Hashem's doing.
10This lets us explain the words we sing in the hymn Maoz Tzur: “Men of understanding established eight days for song and joyous praise.” What do “men of understanding” have to do with “eight days”? The poet means to answer the 's question, why eight days of Chanukah were established. His answer is that the sages of that generation were “men of understanding.” Binah, understanding, means understanding one thing from another.13 From the miracle of Chanukah they reflected and understood how the Holy One, blessed be He, always deals with us through miracles. Once they understood this, they understood as well that there is no difference between the first day and the other days, as we said. That is why “they established eight days.”
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ הַלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁאוֹמְרִים בְּפִיּוּט ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים׳, דְּצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מָה עִנְיַן ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳ לְ׳יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה׳. אֶלָּא כַּוָּונַת הַפַּיְּיטָן לְיַישֵּׁב אֶת קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף, מַדּוּעַ קָבְעוּ שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה. וּמְתָרֵץ, שֶׁמִּפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳, וְ׳בִּינָה׳ עִנְיָינָהּ לִהְיוֹת מֵבִין דָּבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר (רש״י דברים א, יג), וְהֵם הִתְבּוֹנְנוּ וְהֵבִינוּ מֵהַנֵּס דַּחֲנוּכָּה, אֵיךְ שהקב״ה מִתְנַהֵג עִמָּנוּ תָּמִיד בְּנִסִּים, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהֵבִינוּ כֵּן, מִמֵּילָא הֵבִינוּ שֶׁאֵין הֶבְדֵּל בֵּין הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן לִשְׁאָר הַיָּמִים כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַרְנוּ, וְעַל כֵּן ׳יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ׳.
- Rashi on Devarim 1:13. ↩
Sources here
In shortMaoz Tzur's “men of understanding” inferred from the miracle that Hashem always acts through miracles, so they established all eight days.
11This also explains the wording Chazal instituted in the blessing: “Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days, at this time.”14 The meaning is that on Chanukah we must reflect and learn that everything that happens in the world comes from Hashem's guidance, by way of miracle. We must see that just as “in those days” the Holy One, blessed be He, did miracles for Israel, so it is “at this time” too. Even though we do not feel or see the miracles with our senses, we must still believe that at this time, too, Hashem does miracles for us all the time, just as He did in those days.
וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר בָּזֶה הַנּוּסָּח שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ חז״ל ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם ׳בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳. שֶׁהַכַּוָּונָה הִיא, כִּי בַּחֲנוּכָּה יֵשׁ לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן וְלִלְמוֹד שֶׁכָּל הַנִּפְעָל בָּעוֹלָם הוּא בְּהַנְהָגַת הקב״ה בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס, וּצְרִיכִים לִרְאוֹת שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁ׳בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם׳ עָשָׂה הקב״ה נִסִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּךְ הוּא גַּם ׳בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, אֲפִילּוּ שֶׁאֵין מַרְגִּישִׁים וְאֵין רוֹאִים הַנִּיסִּים בְּחוּשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן צְרִיכִים לְהַאֲמִין בַּדָּבָר, שֶׁגַּם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה עוֹשֶׂה לָנוּ הקב״ה נִיסִּים כָּל הָעֵת, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם.
- From the blessing over the Chanukah lamps. ↩
In short“In those days, at this time” teaches that Hashem's miracles continue now, even when our senses do not perceive them.
12[15“In those days, at this time”: the trials never stop. In every generation the yetzer hara seeks, through the Hellenists, to bring into Israel the message “You have no portion in the God of Israel,” reaching each person through his own particular matters. I do not wish to dwell on this. One can stumble in this even in our generation. On the one hand, our time has the strength of Torah and Chassidus. On the other hand, in every generation there is the yetzer hara, which seeks to weaken the power of faith through the Hellenists.]
*[׳בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, הַנִּסְיוֹנוֹת הֵם תָּמִיד, שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וְדוֹר הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע רוֹצֶה לְהַכְנִיס בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי הַמִּתְיַוְּונִים לֵאמֹר ׳אֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳ לְכָל אֶחָד עִם הָעִנְיָינִים שֶׁלּוֹ, וְאֵין רְצוֹנִי לְהַאֲרִיךְ בָּזֶה. וְאֶפְשָׁר לְהִכָּשֵׁל בָּזֶה אֲפִילּוּ גַּם בְּדוֹרֵינוּ, כִּי אַף שֶׁמִּצַּד אֶחָד יֵשׁ בִּזְמַנֵּנוּ כֹּחַ הַתּוֹרָה וְהַחֲסִידוּת, מִכָּל מָקוֹם מִצַּד אַחֵר נִמְצָא בְּכָל דּוֹר וְדוֹר הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע הָרוֹצֶה לְהַחֲלִישׁ אֶת כֹּחַ הָאֱמוּנָה עַל יְדֵי הַמִּתְיַוְּונִים.
- The sefer's note: From what he added while delivering these words (transcribed from a recording). ↩
In shortThe trial never stops: even in a generation strong in Torah and Chassidus, the yetzer hara uses Hellenists to weaken faith.
13[May Hashem help us to be “men of understanding” and to learn from the Chanukah lamps to understand the ways of faith. May each of us take to heart that the Holy One, blessed be He, guides our lives through all twenty-four hours of the day. If, Heaven forbid, His life-giving power were cut off for a moment, it would be impossible to lift a hand without His power, in the spirit of “For every single breath, praise Hashem.”16 We see this in reality, in how Israel is “a scattered sheep”17 among seventy nations and could not survive, Heaven forbid, even one moment without Hashem's providence and guidance. Everything, in every respect, comes from the power of the Creator. There is no such thing as nature or oversight, or saying that a person does anything by himself, for “a person does not so much as bruise his finger below unless it is decreed upon him from Above.”18 The mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp must plant these truths of faith in us until the end of all generations, and in the merit of faith may we be privileged, speedily in our days, to see the coming of Moshiach ben Dovid. Amen.]
הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יַעֲזוֹר, שֶׁנִּהְיֶה בִּבְחִינַת ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳, וְנִלְמַד לְהָבִין מֵהַנֵּרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה עִנְיְינֵי הָאֱמוּנָה, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד יַכְנִיס בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁהַנְהָגַת הקב״ה אִתָּנוּ הִיא בְּמֶשֶׁךְ עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת מֵעֵת לְעֵת, וח״ו אִם יִפָּסֵק חַיּוּת הקב״ה לְרֶגַע, אִי אֶפְשָׁר יִהְיֶה לְהָרִים הַיָּד בְּלֹא הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל הקב״ה, בִּבְחִינַת ׳עַל כָּל נְשִׁימָה וּנְשִׁימָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ׳ (דברים רבה ב, לז). כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִים זֹאת בִּמְצִיאוּת, אֵיךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׂה פְּזוּרָה בֵּין שִׁבְעִים אוּמּוֹת, וְאֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לְהִתְקַיֵּים ח״ו אֲפִילּוּ רֶגַע אֶחָד בְּלֹא הַשְׁגָּחַת וְהַנְהָגַת הקב״ה. וְהַכֹּל בַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל הוּא מִכֹּחַ הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, וְאֵין שׁוּם עִנְיָן שֶׁל טֶבַע אוֹ שִׁכְחָה, אוֹ לוֹמַר שֶׁהָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה מַשֶּׁהוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי ׳אֵין אָדָם נוֹקֵף אֶצְבָּעוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה עַד שֶׁמַּכְרִיזִין עָלָיו מִלְּמַעְלָה׳ (חולין ז, ב). וְעִנְיְינֵי אֱמוּנָה אֵלּוּ צָרִיךְ מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה לִנְטוֹעַ בְּתוֹכֵנוּ עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת, וּבִזְכוּת הָאֱמוּנָה נִזְכֶּה בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ לְבִיאַת מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד, אָמֵן]:
- Devarim Rabbah 2:37. Chazal read neshamah, “soul,” in “Let every soul praise Hashem” (Tehillim 150:6) as neshimah, “breath.” ↩
- Yirmiyahu 50:17. ↩
- Chullin 7b. ↩
In shortMay we become “men of understanding” who see Hashem's hand in every moment, and in the merit of that faith see Moshiach come.
He asks why one who merely sees the Chanukah lamp must bless, though Pesach and Purim also publicize miracles, and why the Gemara asks only here, “Where did He command us?” Pesach and Purim saved the body; the Greek decree targeted the soul, planting the belief that everything is nature and chance. So Chazal gave the lamps to uproot that belief and teach that Hashem does miracles for us every day. Other such mitzvos are fulfilled in the deed; the Chanukah lamp’s main purpose is reflection, and seeing achieves that. The Gemara’s question concerns this added part, which Rav Nechemyah finds in “Ask your father,” a verse about remembering creation, and so about faith. The same idea explains why we light the first night, Maoz Tzur’s “men of understanding,” and “in those days, at this time.” He prays that this faith take root, and in its merit Moshiach come.
Takeaway
The Greeks did not need to touch a Jewish body; it was enough to convince us that the world runs by itself. The Chanukah lights answer with something we need only look at: the same Hashem who made the oil last guides every hour of our lives, even when nothing looks like a miracle. Standing before the lights, we can take this in, and that simple faith guards us against the voices of every generation that say otherwise.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.