From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Seeing Clearly: The Chanukah Light Against Confusion
One who merely sees a Chanukah lamp must say a blessing, though no other mitzvah is fulfilled by seeing. Why do Chazal ask about Chanukah, more than any mitzvah of theirs, “Where did He command us?” And why is Greece alone called “darkness,” as if deeper than night?
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.” But with other mitzvos we do not find that a person can fulfill the mitzvah by seeing alone, or that seeing a mitzvah calls for a blessing. Why, then, is it with the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp, of all mitzvos, that one who sees it says a blessing?
הָרוֹאֶה נֵר שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ (שבת כג, א). וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, הֲלֹא בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹות לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שַׁיָּיךְ לְקַיֵּים אֶת הַמִּצְוָוה בִּרְאִיָּה לְבַדָּהּ, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה חִיּוּב בְּרָכָה עַל הָרְאִיָּה שֶׁל הַמִּצְוָוה, וּמַדּוּעַ דַּוְקָא בְּמִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מָצִינוּ עִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מְבָרֵךְ.
In shortNo other mitzvah is fulfilled, or blessed, by seeing alone; why is the Chanukah lamp different?
2In the same place Chazal ask, “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.”3 Why does the Gemara ask this about the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp, more than about all the other mitzvos of Chazal?
עוֹד בְּדִבְרֵי חז״ל (שם), וְהֵיכָן צִיוָּונוּ, רַב אַוְיָא אָמַר מ״לֹא תָסוּר״ (דברים יז, יא) רַב נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר ״שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ״ (שם לב, ז). וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מַדּוּעַ דַּוְקָא כְּלַפֵּי מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה פָּרִיךְ הַגְּמָרָא כֵּן, יוֹתֵר מִכָּל שְׁאָר מִצְוֹות דְּרַבָּנָן.
- 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 sefer has 17:1). 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 shortWhy does the Gemara ask “Where did He command us?” about the Chanukah lamp more than about any other mitzvah of Chazal?
3Chazal also said in the Midrash: “‘And darkness was upon the face of the deep’: this is the kingdom of Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel.”4 But every exile, we find, is called “night,” which means darkness, as Chazal said that this world is likened to night.5 Why, then, did Chazal define the Greek exile in particular as “darkness”? We learn from this that the exile under Greece was harder in some way than all the other exiles: it was not only night, but a darkness deeper than night. We must also ask why they chose to expound this from the word “darkness” written here, at the beginning of creation.
עוֹד אָמְרוּ חז״ל בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה ב, ד) ״וְחוֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם״ (בראשית א, ב) זוֹ מַלְכוּת יָוָן שֶׁהֶחֱשִׁיכָה עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, דְּהִנֵּה בִּכְלָל עַל כָּל עִנְיַן הַגָּלוּת מָצִינוּ שֶׁהוּא נִקְרָא בְּחִינַת ׳לַיְלָה׳ שֶׁהוּא מוֹרֶה עַל חוֹשֶׁךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (בבא מציעא פג, ב) שֶׁהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דּוֹמֶה לַלַּיְלָה, אִם כֵּן מָה רָאוּ חז״ל לְהַגְדִּיר אֶת מַהוּתָהּ שֶׁל גָּלוּת יָוָן בִּפְרָטוּת לִבְחִינַת ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְהָבִין מִזֶּה שֶׁהַגָּלוּת דְּמַלְכוּת יָוָן הָיְתָה קָשֶׁה בְּאֵיזֶה בְּחִינָה יוֹתֵר מִכָּל שְׁאָר הַגָּלוּיוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה רַק בִּבְחִינַת לַיְלָה אֶלָּא בִּבְחִינַת חוֹשֶׁךְ יוֹתֵר מִלַּיְלָה. עוֹד יֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מַדּוּעַ בָּחֲרוּ לִדְרוֹשׁ כֵּן דַּוְקָא מִן תֵּיבַת ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳ הָאָמוּר כָּאן בְּרֵאשִׁית הַבְּרִיאָה.
In shortEvery exile is “night,” so why is Greece called “darkness,” as though deeper than night, and why learn it from creation's darkness?
4My holy father and teacher, zt"l, said on these words of the Midrash, “‘And darkness’: this is the kingdom of Greece,” that there is a yetzer hara that blinds the eyes, and it is called “darkness.” This was the way of the kingdom of Greece, and this is what Chanukah is about. Those are his holy words.
וְהִנֵּה כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה אָמַר עַל דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַנִּזְכָּרִים ׳וְחוֹשֶׁךְ׳ זוֹ מַלְכוּת יָוָן, שֶׁיֵּשׁ יֵצֶר הָרַע שֶׁמְּסַמֵּא אֶת הָעֵינַיִים, וְהוּא נִקְרָא ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳, וְזֶה הָיָה דַּרְכָּהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת יָוָן, וְזֶהוּ עִנְיַן חֲנוּכָּה, עכד״ק.
In shortThe Rebbe's father taught that Greece's “darkness” is a yetzer hara that blinds the eyes, and this is what Chanukah is about.
5To explain his holy words further, and to explain all that we have asked, we may say this. In the blessing of Ahavah Rabbah, before the morning Shema, we ask, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, and attach our hearts to Your mitzvos.” But we have already asked, “Put into our hearts understanding, to understand and to discern, to hear, to learn …” Why do we ask a second time, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah”? At first glance it seems to repeat what was said before.
וּלְבָאֵר וּלְהָבִין יוֹתֵר דְּבָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, וְגַם כֵּן לְבָאֵר כָּל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה. דְּהִנֵּה אָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים בְּבִרְכַּת אַהֲבָה רַבָּה ׳וְהָאֵר עֵינֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּנוּ בְּמִצְוֹותֶיךָ׳. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, דְּאַחֲרֵי שֶׁכְּבָר בִּיקַּשְׁנוּ ׳וְתֵן בְּלִבֵּנוּ בִּינָה לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל לִשְׁמוֹעַ לִלְמוֹד׳ וְכוּ׳, מַהוּ זֶה שֶׁמְּבַקְּשִׁים שֵׁנִית ׳וְהָאֵר עֵינֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ׳, וְלִכְאוֹרָה הוּא כְּחוֹזֵר וּמַגִּיד מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מִקּוֹדֶם.
Sources here
In shortAfter asking Hashem for understanding of Torah, why do we ask again, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah”?
6aWe can understand this request through what , zt"l, explained6 on Chazal's words: “One who slaughters on Shabbos: on what account is he liable? On account of dyeing.”7 Tosafos comment there that the words refer to shochet de'alma, literally “the slaughterer of the world.”8 The Baal Shem Tov explained it this way. As is well known, the yetzer hara has two ways of bringing a person to sin. The first is the simple way: the yetzer hara urges a person to transgress the Torah and the mitzvos. This yetzer is easy to overcome, since the Torah forbids the thing explicitly. But the yetzer hara has another scheme: it shows a person a sin as though it were a mitzvah, and blinds the eyes of Bnei Yisrael. Overcoming this confusion that the yetzer sows is a hard battle.
וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין עִנְיַן הַבַּקָּשָׁה הַזֹּאת, עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב זצללה״ה (בן פורת יוסף קונטרס אחרון) עַל מַאֲמַר חז״ל (שבת עה, א) שׁוֹחֵט מִשּׁוּם מַאי מִחַיַּיב מִשּׁוּם צוֹבֵעַ, וְאָמְרוּ שָׁם בְּתוֹסָפוֹת, אַשּׁוֹחֵט דְּעָלְמָא קָאֵי. וּבֵיאֵר בָּזֶה, דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ שֶׁהַיֵּצֶר הָרַע יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי דְּרָכִים שֶׁבָּהֶם בָּא לְהַחֲטִיא אֶת הָאָדָם, הָאֶחָד הוּא בְּאוֹפֶן פָּשׁוּט, שֶׁהַיֵּצֶר הָרַע מְדַבֵּר עַל לֵב הָאָדָם לַעֲבוֹר עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹות, וְעַל זֶה הַיֵּצֶר נִיתָּן בְּנָקֵל לְהִתְגַּבֵּר, אַחַר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה מְפוֹרָשׁ הַדָּבָר לְאִיסּוּר. אֲבָל יֵשׁ עוֹד תַּחְבּוּלָה שֶׁל הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁמַּרְאֶה לָאָדָם עַל עֲבֵירָה שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָוה, וּמְסַמֵּא אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל בִּלְבּוּל זֶה שֶׁל הַיֵּצֶר הוּא מִלְחָמָה קָשֶׁה.
- Ben Poras Yosef, Kuntres Acharon. ↩
- Shabbos 75a. Slaughtering an animal on Shabbos is counted under the forbidden labor of dyeing, since the blood colors the skin. ↩
- In its plain sense, Tosafos means that the Gemara is speaking of slaughtering in general. ↩
In shortThe Baal Shem Tov taught that the yetzer hara’s hardest scheme is not urging sin but showing a sin as a mitzvah and blinding the eyes.
6bThis is what Chazal meant by “One who slaughters: on what account is he liable?” Tosafos explained it as “the slaughterer of the world,” and this means the yetzer hara, the great slaughterer of all the people of the world. For Chazal said, “He is the Satan, he is the yetzer hara, he is the Angel of Death.”9 The Gemara means to ask: why will the Holy One, blessed be He, punish the yetzer hara in the time to come?10 Did Hashem not Himself make it His messenger for this very task, to urge people on and lead them to sin? This is the meaning of “One who slaughters: on what account is he liable?” The Gemara answers, “On account of dyeing.” The yetzer hara is liable because it dyes the act of sin and shows it to a person as if it were a mitzvah. For this it was not sent by Hashem, and so it will be held liable for it. Those are his holy words.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳שׁוֹחֵט מִשּׁוּם מַאי מִחַיַּיב׳, וּפֵירְשׁוּ הַתּוֹסָפוֹת ׳שׁוֹחֵט דְּעָלְמָא׳ וְהַכַּוָּונָה עַל הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁהוּא הַשּׁוֹחֵט הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁל כָּל בְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ חז״ל (בבא בתרא טז, א) הוּא שָׂטָן הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע הוּא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת. וְכַוָּונַת הַגְּמָרָא לְהַקְשׁוֹת, מַדּוּעַ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא יַעֲנִישׁ הקב״ה אֶת הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע (כמובא בסוכה נב, א), הֲלֹא הקב״ה עַצְמוֹ עֲשָׂאוֹ שָׁלִיחַ לְכָךְ לְדַבֵּר עַל לֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם וּלְהַחֲטִיאָם, וְזֶהוּ הַכַּוָּונָה ׳שׁוֹחֵט מִשּׁוּם מַאי מִחַיַּיב׳, וּמְתָרֵץ בַּגְּמָרָא ׳מִשּׁוּם צוֹבֵעַ׳, הַיְינוּ עַל מָה שֶׁהוּא צוֹבֵעַ אֶת מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֲבֵירָה וּמַרְאֶה אוֹתָהּ לְעֵינֵי הָאָדָם כְּאִילּוּ הוּא מִצְוָוה, וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה לֹא נִשְׁלַח מֵאֵת הקב״ה, וּלְפִיכָךְ יִתְחַיֵּיב עַל זֶה, עכד״ק.
- Bava Basra 16a. ↩
- Sukkah 52a, where Hashem slaughters the yetzer hara in the time to come before the righteous and the wicked. ↩
In short“Liable for dyeing”: the yetzer, sent by Hashem to tempt, is punished for dyeing a sin to look like a mitzvah, which it was never sent to do.
7This is what we ask in the blessing before Krias Shema. First we pray to understand the Torah, and then we ask Hashem, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah.” We are asking Hashem to light up our eyes so that the yetzer hara will not, Heaven forbid, blind them by calling a sin a mitzvah. We ask to recognize a sin as a sin, and to fight and stand firm in this battle with the yetzer. This needs a request and prayer of its own, since it is not included in our earlier prayer for understanding.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים בְּבִרְכַּת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, אַחַר שֶׁמִּקּוֹדֶם לָכֵן אָנוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִים עַל הֲבָנַת הַתּוֹרָה, עַתָּה אָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ ׳וְהָאֵר עֵינֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיָּאִיר ה׳ אֶת עֵינֵינוּ, שח״ו לֹא יְסַמֵּא הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע אֶת עֵינֵינוּ בְּאָמְרוֹ עַל עֲבֵרָה שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָוה, וְנוּכַל לְהַבְחִין עַל הָעֲבֵירָה שֶׁהִיא עֲבֵירָה, וְלִלְחוֹם וְלַעֲמוֹד בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הַיֵּצֶר הַזּוֹ. וְיֵשׁ צוֹרֶךְ לְיַחֵד בַּקָּשָׁה וּתְפִילָּה בְּיִחוּד עַל זֶה, שֶׁכֵּן זֶה אֵינֶנּוּ נִכְלָל בִּתְפִלָּתֵינוּ לְעֵיל.
In short“Enlighten our eyes” is a separate plea, beyond understanding, that the yetzer hara not blind us into calling a sin a mitzvah.
8To be saved from this yetzer hara, a person must be privileged to receive “the light within the Torah.”11 Understanding the Torah is not enough. Even among those who sit in the beis midrash, who learn and know the Torah, this confusion of mind is found. Only rare individuals, who are privileged to receive the light within the Torah, can know clearly what is a mitzvah and what is a sin. This is what we ask: “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah,” that we be privileged to receive the light within the Torah. Through this the words “and attach our hearts to Your mitzvos” will be fulfilled in us. We will cleave to Hashem and to His mitzvos without separation, and when we come to fulfill His mitzvos we will not fall into any blemish or harm.
וְהִנֵּה בִּכְדֵי לְהִינָּצֵל מִיֵּצֶר הָרַע זֶה, צָרִיךְ לִזְכּוֹת לִבְחִינַת ׳הַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה׳, וְלֹא דַּי בַּהֲבָנַת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי גַּם בְּחוֹבְשֵׁי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַלּוֹמְדִים וְיוֹדְעִים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מָצוּי בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת הַזֶּה, וְרַק יְחִידִים הַזּוֹכִים לִבְחִינַת הַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, הֵם יְכוֹלִים לָדַעַת בִּבְהִירוּת מַהוּ מִצְוָוה וּמַהוּ עֲבֵירָה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים ׳וְהָאֵר עֵינֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לִבְחִינַת הַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, וּמִמֵּילָא עַל יְדֵי זֶה יְקוּיַּים בָּנוּ ׳וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּנוּ בְּמִצְוֹותֶיךָ׳, שֶׁנִּהְיֶה דְּבֵקִים בְּךָ וּבְמִצְוֹותֶיךָ בְּלִי פֵּירוּד, שֶׁכְּשֶׁנָּבוֹא לְקַיֵּים מִצְוֹותֶיךָ לֹא נָבוֹא לִידֵי שׁוּם פְּגָם וְקִלְקוּל.
- See Eichah Rabbah, Pesichta 2: “The light within it brings him back to the good.” ↩
In shortKnowledge alone does not tell mitzvah from sin; only the light within the Torah does, and “Enlighten our eyes” asks for it.
9[12Let us explain this further. When the yetzer hara tells a person that a sin is a sin, he can fight it. But when the yetzer hara turns a sin into a mitzvah, even those who fear Hashem can be misled. This is the “darkness.” Just as darkness keeps a person from seeing what an object is, so the yetzer hara blinds and confuses, and people do not see that a sin is a sin; they imagine it is a mitzvah. We see that even among those who sit in the beis midrash and learn Torah there are false beliefs. That is why we ask in prayer “to learn and to teach …” and afterward add a further request, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, and attach our hearts to Your mitzvos.” “To learn and to teach” alone is not enough. One must also be privileged to receive the light within the Torah, which we ask for in “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah,” and through it one can be privileged to see “attach our hearts to Your mitzvos” fulfilled.]
*[וּנְבָאֵר יוֹתֵר הַדְּבָרִים. דְּהִנֵּה כְּשֶׁהַיֵּצֶר הָרַע אוֹמֵר לָאָדָם עַל עֲבֵירָה שֶׁהִיא עֲבֵירָה, אָז הָאָדָם יָכוֹל לְהִלָּחֵם עִמּוֹ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהַיֵּצֶר הָרַע הוֹפֵךְ אֶת הָעֲבֵירָה לְמִצְוָוה, אָז אֲפִילּוּ יִרְאֵי ה׳ יְכוֹלִים לִטְעוֹת בָּזֶה. וְעִנְיָן זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳, שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁכְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ חוֹשֶׁךְ אֲזַי הוּא מוֹנֵעַ מֵהָאָדָם לִרְאוֹת עַל חֵפֶץ מַהוּ, כָּךְ הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע מְסַמֵּא וּמְבַלְבֵּל וְלֹא רוֹאִים עַל עֲבֵירָה שֶׁהִיא עֲבֵירָה, וּמְדַמִּים לַחְשׁוֹב שֶׁהוּא מִצְוָוה. וְאָנוּ רוֹאִים שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ בֵּין יוֹשְׁבֵי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁהֵם לוֹמְדֵי תּוֹרָה, יֶשְׁנָם דֵּעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת, וְעַל כֵּן אָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים בִּתְפִלָּה ׳לִלְמוֹד וּלְלַמֵּד׳ וְכוּ׳, וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן אָנוּ מוֹסִיפִים וּמְבַקְּשִׁים עוֹד ׳וְהָאֵר עֵינֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּנוּ בְּמִצְוֹותֶיךָ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאֵין דַּי ב׳לִלְמוֹד וּלְלַמֵּד׳ לְבַד, אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ לִזְכּוֹת גַּם לִבְחִינַת ׳הַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבָּהּ׳ שֶׁעָלָיו מְבַקְּשִׁים ׳וְהָאֵר עֵינֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ׳, וְעַל יָדוֹ אֶפְשָׁר לִזְכּוֹת לְ׳וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּנוּ בְּמִצְוֹותֶיךָ׳.
- The sefer's note: From what he added while delivering these words (transcribed from a recording). ↩
In shortA sin dressed as a mitzvah is the “darkness” that misleads even Torah scholars, so learning needs the Torah's inner light too.
10[Who has this clarity, the light within the Torah? The elders of the generation, the true tzaddikim, the great Torah scholars, the ehrliche Yidden, upright and devout Jews who sit over Torah and avodah day and night. They have true understanding, and so it is written, “Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will say to you.”13]
וּלְמִי יֵשׁ אֶת הַבְּהִירוּת, אֶת בְּחִינַת ׳הַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה׳, לַזְּקֵנִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, לַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִיתִּים, לַגְּאוֹנִים, לערליכ׳ע אידן הַיּוֹשְׁבִים עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, לָהֶם יֵשׁ אֶת הַדַּעַת הָאֲמִיתִּי, וּלְכָךְ כְּתִיב ״שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ זְקֵינֶךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ״ (דברים לב, ז).
- Devarim 32:7. ↩
In shortThat clarity belongs to the elders, true tzaddikim and devout Jews immersed in Torah, so the Torah tells us to ask them.
11[We live in a generation of confusion of mind, and we can see plainly how darkness and light are mixed together. In the past people knew that only truly rare individuals in a generation had da'as Torah, a Torah outlook. Today everyone has become a thinker with views on da'as Torah, and this is what it means for light and darkness to be mixed together.]
אָנוּ נִמְצָאִים בְּדוֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ בִּלְבּוּל הַמּוֹחִין, וְרוֹאִים זֹאת בְּחוּשׁ הֵיאַךְ חוֹשֶׁךְ וְאוֹר מְשַׁמְּשִׁים בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא. בְּעֵבֶר יָדְעוּ, שֶׁרַק יְחִידִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר מַמָּשׁ יֵשׁ לָהֶם אֶת הַ׳דַּעַת תּוֹרָה׳, אֲבָל הַיּוֹם כָּל אֶחָד כְּבָר נִהְיָה הוֹגֵה דֵּיעוֹת בְּדַעַת תּוֹרָה, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת אוֹר וְחוֹשֶׁךְ מְשַׁמְּשִׁים בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא].
In shortLight and darkness are mixed in our generation, where everyone claims the da'as Torah that once belonged to rare individuals.
12aThis was the purpose of the war of the Greeks, and of the Hellenists with them, who strayed and followed the Greeks' ways: to plant a false intellectualism and blind the eyes of Israel, as and the explain.14 The Greeks knew well that if they urged the Jews to transgress the Torah and the mitzvos, they would not prevail over them at all. So they came to bring confusion of thought into Israel, in the manner of the “dyeing” we have seen. That is why Chazal said, “‘And darkness’: this is the kingdom of Greece.” They acted as darkness does, hiding the faith from Israel and leading the Jews away from it in confusion.
וְזֶה הָיָה עִנְיַן מִלְחֶמֶת הַיְוָונִים, וְעִמָּם הַמִּתְיַוְּונִים שֶׁתָּעוּ וְהָלְכוּ בְּדַרְכָּם, לְהַחֲדִיר שִׂכְלִיּוּת מְדוּמָּה וּלְסַמּוֹת הָעֵינַיִים שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּיאֲרוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (מהר״ל נר מצוה, בני יששכר מאמרי חנוכה). כִּי זֹאת יָדְעוּ נֶאֱמָנָה, שֶׁאִם יְדַבְּרוּ עַל לֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבוֹר עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹות, לֹא יוּכְלוּ לָהֶם כְּלָל, וְלָכֵן בָּאוּ לְהַכְנִיס בִּלְבּוּל הַמַּחְשָׁבוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּבְחִינַת ׳צוֹבֵעַ׳ הַנִּזְכָּר. וְעַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ חז״ל ׳וְחוֹשֶׁךְ׳ זוֹ מַלְכוּת יָוָן, דְּפָעֲלוּ כִּבְחִינַת ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳, שֶׁהִסְתִּירוּ וּבִלְבְּלוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵהָאֱמוּנָה.
- Maharal, Ner Mitzvah; Bnei Yissaschar, Maamarei Chanukah. ↩
In shortThis was the Greeks’ war: knowing open sin would fail, they planted a false intellectualism that confused Israel’s faith, the “darkness” of Chazal.
12bWe may say that this is why Chazal expounded it from the word “darkness” in this verse about the creation of the world. Chazal expounded that at the creation of the world, light and darkness were mixed together.15 This hints that the kingdom of Greece is not just night, which is wholly dark. It is harder than that. It is like the darkness at the beginning of creation, a mixture of light and darkness, where it is never clear when it is dark and when it is light, since they are mixed together all the time. The deeds of the Greeks were like this too. Through the false intellectualism they brought into Israel, they showed the Jews a sin as though it were a mitzvah, the “dyeing” we have seen.
וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר דִּלְכָךְ דָּרְשׁוּ זֹאת חז״ל מִתֵּיבַת ׳חוֹשֶׁךְ׳ הָאֲמוּרָה בְּפָסוּק זֶה דִּבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁכֵּן דָּרְשׁוּ חז״ל (בראשית רבה ג, ו, הובא ברש״י א, ד) שֶׁבִּזְמַן בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם הָיוּ אוֹר וְחוֹשֶׁךְ מְשַׁמְּשִׁים בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא. וְנִרְמָז בָּזֶה, שֶׁמַּלְכוּת יָוָן אֵינֶנָּה רַק בִּבְחִינַת לַיְלָה שֶׁהוּא כּוּלּוֹ חוֹשֶׁךְ, אֶלָּא קָשֶׁה מִזּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא כִּבְחִינַת הַחוֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁהָיָה בְּרֵאשִׁית הַבְּרִיאָה שֶׁהָיָה מְעוֹרָב מֵאוֹר וְחוֹשֶׁךְ, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאֵין בָּרוּר מָתַי הוּא חוֹשֶׁךְ וּמָתַי הוּא אוֹר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵם מְעוֹרָבִים בְּיַחַד כָּל הָעֵת, כָּךְ גַּם הָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַיְוָונִים, שֶׁבַּשִּׂכְלִיּוּת הַמְּדוּמָּה שֶׁהִכְנִיסוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֶרְאוּ לָהֶם עַל עֲבֵירָה שֶׁהוּא מִצְוָוה, כִּבְחִינַת צוֹבֵעַ, כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.
- Bereishis Rabbah 3:6; Rashi on Bereishis 1:4. Hashem then separated the light from the darkness. ↩
In shortChazal learn it from creation’s darkness, when light and darkness were mixed: Greece was worse than night, showing a sin as a mitzvah.
13With this we can explain why the Sages instituted a blessing over seeing the Chanukah lamp. Just as in that generation the Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans, fought against the false beliefs of the Greeks and the Hellenists, who confused the thoughts in the hearts of Bnei Yisrael, so against this confusion the Sages instituted the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah lamp. Its purpose is to shine the light of the Torah for us in all generations, in the spirit of “A mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light.”16 As is well known, the Chanukah lamp reveals the hidden light of creation, and through it we can see clearly what Hashem wants. Then we will not, Heaven forbid, have the confusion of mind that “dyeing” brings, but will be able to see what is a mitzvah and what is a sin. That is why they said that one who sees a Chanukah lamp says a blessing. Seeing stands for clarity, for seeing which way to go, as in “I see the words of Admon,” meaning “I agree with them.”17 This is the main reason for the Chanukah lamp: to give us light, so that we can truly see, as is fitting. As we say in HaNeiros Halalu, “and we have no permission … but only to look at them.”18 It is like the Chashmona'im, who fought against the false beliefs of the Greeks and lit up the hearts of Bnei Yisrael.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר, מַדּוּעַ תִּיקְּנוּ חֲכָמִים לְבָרֵךְ עַל רְאִיַּית נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, כִּי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר נִלְחֲמוּ הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים כְּנֶגֶד דֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת הַיְוָונִים וְהַמִּתְיַוְּונִים שֶׁעִרְבְּבוּ וּבִלְבְּלוּ אֶת הַמַּחְשָׁבוֹת בְּלִבְבוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּנֶגֶד זֶה תִּיקְּנוּ אֶת מִצְוַות הַדְלָקַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, לְהָאִיר לָנוּ לְדוֹרוֹת אֶת אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה, בִּבְחִינַת ״נֵר מִצְוָוה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר״ (משלי ו, כג), וְכַיָּדוּעַ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מִתְגַּלֶּה בְּחִינַת אוֹר הַגָּנוּז, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נוּכַל לִרְאוֹת בְּטוֹב מַהוּ רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָנוּ ח״ו עִרְבּוּב הַדַּעַת בְּחִינַת צוֹבֵעַ, אֶלָּא נוּכַל לִרְאוֹת מַהוּ מִצְוָוה וּמַהוּ עֲבֵירָה. וְעַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מְבָרֵךְ, ׳רוֹאֶה׳ עִנְיָינוֹ בְּחִינַת הַבְּהִירוּת לִרְאוֹת בְּאֵיזֶה דֶּרֶךְ לֵילֵךְ, כְּמוֹ ׳רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אַדְמוֹן׳ (כתובות קח, ב), כִּי זֶה עִיקַּר הַטַּעַם שֶׁל נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, לְהָאִיר לָנוּ לִהְיוֹת בִּבְחִינַת רוֹאֶה כָּרָאוּי וּכְנָכוֹן, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים ׳וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת וְכוּ׳ אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָם בִּלְבַד׳, כְּדוּגְמַת מַה שֶׁהַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים נִלְחֲמוּ כְּנֶגֶד הַדֵּיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת שֶׁל הַיְוָונִים, וְהֵאִירוּ לִבְבוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
- Mishlei 6:23. ↩
- Kesubos 108b. Rabban Gamliel says this to endorse the ruling of Admon, one of the judges in Yerushalayim. ↩
- Maseches Soferim 20:6. ↩
In shortThe Chanukah lamp reveals a hidden light that shows mitzvah from sin; since “seeing” means clarity, even seeing it earns a blessing.
14This explains why it is here, of all places, that Chazal asked, “Where did He command us?” They meant: from where can we be privileged to reach the heart of the matter, the lesson of the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp, and how can we overcome this confusion of mind? To this they answered: from “You shall not turn aside” and from “Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will say to you.” That is, we do so by asking the counsel of the tzaddikim who give their lives to the tent of Torah day and night.19 By the light of the Torah that they have, they see clearly, without any doubts, what is a mitzvah and what is a sin, and through them we can walk on the straight path. As Chazal said, “Make for yourself a teacher, and remove yourself from doubt”:20 when there are doubts, the remedy is to listen to the words of the Sages. This is what we must learn from the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp: to banish confusion of mind and doubts by taking counsel from the elders.
וּבָזֶה יִתְבָּאֵר מַה שֶׁדַּוְקָא כָּאן שָׁאֲלוּ חז״ל ׳וְהֵיכָן צִיוָּונוּ׳, וְכַוָּונָתָם בִּשְׁאֵלָה זוֹ, מֵהֵיכָן נוּכַל לִזְכּוֹת לְעִיקַּר הָעִנְיָן וְהַלִּימּוּד מִמִּצְוַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, וְאֵיךְ נוּכַל לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל עִרְבּוּב הַדַּעַת הַזֶּה. וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ מִ׳לֹּא תָסוּר׳ וּמִ׳שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ זְקֵנֶךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ׳, הַיְינוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁאַל אֶת פִּי הַצַּדִּיקִים הַמְּמִיתִים עַצְמָם בְּאָהֳלָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, אֲשֶׁר בִּמְאוֹר הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם רוֹאִים בְּבֵירוּר מַהוּ מִצְוָוה וּמַהוּ עֲבֵירָה בְּלִי שׁוּם סְפֵיקוֹת, עַל יְדֵי זֶה נוּכַל לֵילֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז״ל (אבות א, טז) עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב וְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הַסָּפֵק, שֶׁבְּאִם יֵשׁ סְפֵיקוֹת, הָעֵצָה הוּא לִשְׁמוֹעַ לְדִבְרֵי חֲכָמִים. וְעִנְיָן זֶה יֵשׁ לָנוּ לִלְמוֹד מִמִּצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, לְבַטֵּל אֶת עִרְבּוּב הַדַּעַת וְהַסְּפֵיקוֹת, עַל יְדֵי נְטִילַת עֵצָה מֵהַזְּקֵנִים.
- The phrase echoes Berachos 63b, on “This is the Torah: when a man dies in a tent” (Bamidbar 19:14). ↩
- Avos 1:16. ↩
In short“Where did He command us?” asks how to gain Chanukah's clarity; the answer sends us to tzaddikim who see by the Torah's light.
15Especially in this generation, when the confusion is very great, each of us must overcome it through the light within the Torah and emunas chachamim, faith in the Sages, and so know what is forbidden and what is permitted. The rule is that no foreign ideas may be mixed with the Torah. So we find on Chanukah that they searched for a cruse of pure oil, with nothing else mixed in.
וּבְיִחוּד בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה, שֶׁהַבִּלְבּוּל גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, לָכֵן מוּטָּל עַל כָּל אֶחָד לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל זֶה, עַל יְדֵי הַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה וֶאֱמוּנַת חֲכָמִים, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יֵדַע אֶת הָאָסוּר וְהַמּוֹתָר. וְהַכְּלָל הוּא, שֶׁאָסוּר לְצָרֵף מִלְּבַד הַתּוֹרָה שׁוּם דֵּיעוֹת זָרוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בַּחֲנוּכָּה שֶׁחִיזְּרוּ אַחֲרֵי פַּךְ שֶׁמֶן טָהוֹר, בְּלֹא עֵירוּב שׁוּם דָּבָר אַחֵר.
In shortIn today's great confusion we need the Torah's light and faith in the Sages, with nothing foreign mixed in, like Chanukah's pure oil.
16This explains what Chazal said: “If this repulsive one accosts you, drag him to the beis midrash.”21 Notice the wording: why “drag him to the beis midrash”? They should have said, “Engage in Torah.” Why should overcoming the yetzer depend on whether a person learns inside the beis midrash or outside it? But the meaning is this. When a person comes and goes in the street, a place full of false beliefs and confused thinking, as we see today, the yetzer overpowers him and blinds his eyes. He cannot overcome it as long as his mind and understanding are blemished by the false beliefs outside the beis midrash. That is why they said that if “this repulsive one accosts you,” the only remedy is to “drag him to the beis midrash,” and so keep far from these false beliefs.
וְזֶה בֵּיאוּר מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (קידושין ל, ב) אִם פָּגַע בְּךָ מְנוּוָּל זֶה מָשְׁכֵהוּ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְיֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק מַהוּ הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳מָשְׁכֵהוּ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ׳, הֱוֵי לְהוּ לְמֵימַר ׳עֲסוֹק בַּתּוֹרָה׳, וּמַה תָּלוּי הַהִתְגַּבְּרוּת עַל הַיֵּצֶר אִם הָאָדָם לוֹמֵד בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ אוֹ מִחוּצָה לוֹ. אַךְ הַפֵּירוּשׁ הוּא, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר הָאָדָם הוֹלֵךְ וּבָא בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים אֲשֶׁר הוּא מָקוֹם הַמָּלֵא בְּדֵיעוֹת כּוֹזְבוֹת וּבִלְבּוּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁרוֹאִים כְּהַיּוֹם, עַל יְדֵי זֶה מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו הַיֵּצֶר וּמְסַמֵּא אֶת עֵינָיו, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו כָּל זְמַן שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ וְשִׂכְלוֹ פָּגוּם מֵהַדֵּיעוֹת הַכּוֹזְבוֹת אֲשֶׁר מִחוּץ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ ׳אִם פָּגַע בְּךָ מְנוּוָּל זֶה׳, אֲזַי אֵין עֵצָה אֶלָּא אַךְ וְרַק ׳מָשְׁכֵהוּ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ׳, לְהִתְרַחֵק מֵאֵלּוּ הַדֵּעוֹת הַכּוֹזְבוֹת.
- Kiddushin 30b. “This repulsive one” is the yetzer hara. ↩
In short“Drag him to the beis midrash”: the yetzer's blinding cannot be overcome while the mind is full of the street's false beliefs.
17So it emerges from our words that the remedy for these confusions lies in the power of Torah study, the power of the tzaddikim in the spirit of “Ask your father …,” and escaping the beliefs outside the beis midrash that confuse and muddle a person's mind.
נִמְצָא הָעוֹלָה מִדְּבָרֵינוּ, שֶׁהָעֵצָה לְבַטֵּל אֵלּוּ הַבִּלְבּוּלִים הוּא בְּכֹחַ תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, וּבְכֹחַ הַצַּדִּיקִים בִּבְחִינַת שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְכוּ׳, וְכֵן לְהִמָּלֵט מֵאֵלּוּ הַדֵּיעוֹת אֲשֶׁר מִחוּץ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַמְּבַלְבְּלִים וּמְעָרְבִים אֶת דַּעַת הָאָדָם.
In shortConfusion yields to Torah study, to the guidance of tzaddikim, and to escaping the false beliefs outside the beis midrash.
18May Hashem grant that, in the merit of faith in the Sages and of Torah study, we be privileged to see the redemption speedily. Amen, may it be His will.
וַיְהִי רָצוֹן, שֶׁבִּזְכוּת אֱמוּנַת חֲכָמִים וְלִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה, נִזְכֶּה לִגְאוּלָּה בִּמְהֵרָה, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
In shortThe Rebbe prays that faith in the Sages and Torah study bring the redemption speedily.
Why does seeing a Chanukah lamp earn a blessing, why is “Where did He command us?” asked here, and why is Greece called “darkness”? The Rebbe's father, R' Yechiel Yehoshua of Biala, taught that Greece’s darkness is a yetzer hara that blinds the eyes. The Baal Shem Tov taught that the yetzer is liable for “dyeing,” painting a sin as a mitzvah; building on this, the Rebbe explains that against it we ask, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah,” for knowledge alone does not suffice, only the light within the Torah. Greece was darker than night, light and darkness mixed as at creation. The Chanukah lamp reveals the hidden light that restores clarity, so even seeing it is blessed. “Where did He command us?” points to the remedy: the counsel of tzaddikim, nothing foreign mixed into the Torah, and leaving the street’s false beliefs for the beis midrash.
Takeaway
The hardest test is not the sin we recognize but the sin that comes dressed as a mitzvah; that is the darkness of Greece, and even learned people fall into it. Each morning, when we say “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah,” we can ask for the clarity that learning alone does not guarantee. The Chanukah lamp teaches that this clarity comes from the light within the Torah, from the counsel of true tzaddikim, and from keeping foreign ideas out, like the pure oil with nothing mixed in.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.