From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Ad Koh: The Self-Sacrifice of the Akeidah in the Chanukah Miracle
On his way to the Akeidah Avraham said, “I and the lad will go ad koh,” and koh hints at the 25th of Kislev. What does the binding of Yitzchak have to do with Chanukah? And why do we bless “Who performed miracles” on Chanukah and Purim, but not Pesach?
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Bereishis 22:5
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל־נְעָרָיו שְׁבוּ־לָכֶם פֹּה עִם־הַחֲמוֹר וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד־כֹּה וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם
And Avraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; we will bow down and return to you.”
1“I and the lad will go yonder, ad koh.” Avraham Avinu said these words as he went to the Akeidah, the binding of Yitzchak. The holy sefarim teach that koh (כה), whose letters add up to 25, hints at the 25th of Kislev, the day on which Chanukah falls: so writes the , and the quotes it in his name.1 But what does the binding of Yitzchak have to do with Chanukah?
וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה (בראשית כב, ה). פָּסוּק זֶה נֶאֱמַר בְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ בְּלֶכְתּוֹ לַעֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק, וְאִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (מאור עיניים מקץ ד״ה הבעש״ט, ובבת עין בשמו וישב ד״ה ויהי בעת) דְּ׳כֹּה׳ רוֹמֵז עַל כ״ה בְּכִסְלֵו שֶׁחָל בּוֹ חֲנוּכָּה, וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַה שַׁיָּיכוּת יֵשׁ בֵּין עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק לַחֲנוּכָּה.
- Me'or Einayim, Mikeitz, s.v. HaBaal Shem Tov; Bas Ayin, Vayeishev, s.v. Vayehi ba'eis. ↩
In shortKoh, said on the way to the Akeidah, hints at the 25th of Kislev; how is the Akeidah connected to Chanukah?
2Let us also cite a question of the : why do we say the blessing She'asah nissim, “Who performed miracles,” on Chanukah and on Purim, but not on Pesach?2
וְנַקְדִּים עוֹד קוּשְׁיַית הַקְּדוּשַּׁת לֵוִי (חנוכה ד״ה הטעם), מַדּוּעַ בַּחֲנוּכָּה וּבְפוּרִים מְבָרְכִים בִּרְכַּת ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים׳, וּבְחַג הַפֶּסַח אֵין אָנוּ מְבָרְכִין אוֹתָהּ.
- Kedushas Levi, Chanukah, s.v. Hata'am. ↩
In shortA second question: why is “Who performed miracles” said on Chanukah and Purim but not on Pesach?
3To understand all this, we may say the following. The holy sefarim explain that the test of the Akeidah was not needed at all for the holy Avos themselves; it was for the generations to come.3 The Holy One, blessed be He, knew how hard the exile would be for Bnei Yisrael, and what great tests they would face in keeping Torah and mitzvos in the bitter exile. So He put our fathers to the test of the Akeidah. For “the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children”:4 by withstanding this test, our fathers would hand down to Bnei Yisrael the power of mesirus nefesh, the readiness to give one's life. Through it the generations would be able to keep Torah and mitzvos in the bitter exile.
וּלְהָבִין כָּל זֶה אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, דְּהִנֵּה מְבוֹאָר בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (עיין שפת אמת וירא תרמ״ט, ורמז לזה גם הרמב״ם במורה נבוכים ח״ג פרק כד), כִּי נִסָּיוֹן הָעֲקֵידָה לֹא הָיָה בּוֹ צוֹרֶךְ כְּלָל עֲבוּר הָאָבוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים עַצְמָם, אֶלָּא הוּא הָיָה עֲבוּר הַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי הקב״ה אֵיךְ יִהְיֶה קוֹשִׁי הַגָּלוּת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְשֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִסְיוֹנוֹת גְּדוֹלִים לְקַיֵּים תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹות בַּגָּלוּת הַמַּר, עַל כֵּן הֶעֱמִיד הקב״ה אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּנִסָּיוֹן הָעֲקֵידָה, וּמַעֲשֵׂה אָבוֹת סִימָן לְבָנִים (עיין סוטה לד, א), שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּנִסָּיוֹן זֶה יִמְסְרוּ וְיַנְחִילוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יוּכְלוּ הַדּוֹרוֹת לְקַיֵּים תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹות בַּגָּלוּת הַמַּר.
- See Sfas Emes, Vayeira 5649; the Rambam also hints at this in Moreh Nevuchim III, ch. 24. ↩
- See Sotah 34a. ↩
In shortThe Akeidah was not for the Avos themselves; it handed down the power of mesirus nefesh to keep the Torah in the bitter exile.
4This power protected Israel in the days of the Greek kingdom, which would say to Israel, “Write on the horn of the ox that you have no portion in the God of Israel.”5 The Greeks sought to uproot faith from Israel, and Bnei Yisrael and the Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans, fought them over this with mesirus nefesh. Where did the Chashmona'im get this power of mesirus nefesh? From the power of Avraham Avinu and from the binding of Yitzchak. This explains the connection between the Akeidah and the miracle of Chanukah.
וְזֶה הַכֹּחַ עָמַד לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּימֵי מַלְכוּת יָוָן, שֶׁהָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל ׳כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלוֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳ (בראשית רבה ב, ד), וְרָצוּ לַעֲקוֹר הָאֱמוּנָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים נִלְחֲמוּ בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ נֶגְדָּם בָּזֶה. וְהִנֵּה מִנַּיִן בָּא הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים, זֶהוּ מִכֹּחוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה וּמַעֲקִידַת יִצְחָק, וּבָזֶה מְבוֹאָר הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת עִנְיַן הָעֲקֵידָה לְנֵס חֲנוּכָּה.
- Bereishis Rabbah 2:4 (the sefer has 2:5). ↩
In shortThe Chashmona'im fought the Greeks' war on faith with mesirus nefesh drawn from the Akeidah, and that links the Akeidah to Chanukah.
5aWe find the word koh in the Priestly Blessing too: “Koh, so shall you bless Bnei Yisrael.”6 The Baal HaTurim writes there that it recalls the merit of “I and the lad will go yonder, ad koh.”7 Following our approach, we may say that this koh, too, hints at Chanukah. The commentators, R' Chaim Paltiel and the , ask about the Priestly Blessing: how can it make sense at all to bless a person in material things?8 If his deeds make him worthy of an abundance of blessing, he will receive it from Heaven anyway. And if, Heaven forbid, he is not worthy, what good will the blessing do? The answer is that the Kohanim need only make Israel a vessel fit to receive the blessing. If a Jew, Heaven forbid, is in the state of “I made my deeds evil, and so I lost my livelihood,”9 the Priestly Blessing comes to rouse him to set right what he has made crooked. Then the blessing can rest on him of itself. This is the meaning of “They shall place My Name upon Bnei Yisrael”: through this, of itself, “and I will bless them.”10
וְהִנֵּה גַּם בְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים מָצִינוּ לְשׁוֹן ׳כֹּה׳, כָּאָמוּר ״כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ (במדבר ו, כג). וּבְבַעַל הַטּוּרִים כָּתַב שָׁם שֶׁהוּא לְהַזְכִּיר זְכוּת ״וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה״. וּלְדַרְכֵּנוּ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, שֶׁגַּם ׳כֹּה׳ זֶה הוּא רֶמֶז לַחֲנוּכָּה. דְּהִנֵּה בְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים הִקְשׁוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (רבי חיים פלטיאל שם ו, כד. כלי יקר שם ו, כו) הֵיאַךְ שַׁיָּיךְ כְּלָל לְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה עַל עִנְיְינֵי גַּשְׁמִיּוּת, הֵן בְּאִם רָאוּי הוּא לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו לְשֶׁפַע בְּרָכָה, אֲזַי בְּלָאו הָכִי יְקַבֵּל הַשֶּׁפַע מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּבְאִם ח״ו אֵינוֹ רָאוּי, אִם כֵּן מַה תּוֹעִיל הַבְּרָכָה. אַךְ הָעִנְיָן הוּא, כִּי הַכֹּהֲנִים צְרִיכִים רַק לִפְעוֹל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלִי הָרָאוּי לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, שֶׁבְּאִם ח״ו אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא בִּבְחִינַת ׳הֲרֵעוֹתִי אֶת מַעֲשַׂי וְקִפַּחְתִּי אֶת פַּרְנָסָתִי׳ (קידושין פב, ב), בָּאָה בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים לְעוֹרְרוֹ לְתַקֵּן אֶת אֲשֶׁר עִיוֵּות, וְאָז מִמֵּילָא תּוּכַל לָחוּל עָלָיו הַבְּרָכָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ. וְזֶהוּ ׳וְשָׂמוּ אֶת שְׁמִי עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִמֵּילָא ׳וַאֲנִי אֲבָרְכֵם׳.
5bHow can a person set his deeds right? By fighting his yetzer hara with mesirus nefesh, and the Priestly Blessing awakens this in him. The verse's wording, “Koh, so shall you bless,” may hint at this. Koh alludes to mesirus nefesh, like the koh said in the account of the Akeidah, which is all about giving one's life. And this hints at the miracle of Chanukah as well, for there, as we saw with the Chashmona'im, it was the power of mesirus nefesh that protected Israel.
וְהִנֵּה אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר לְאָדָם לְתַקֵּן מַעֲשָׂיו, זֶהוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּלְחָם כְּנֶגֶד יִצְרוֹ הָרַע בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, וְעִנְיָן זֶה מִתְעוֹרֵר עַל יְדֵי בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים. וְזֶה יֵשׁ לִרְמוֹז בִּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב ׳כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ׳, שֶׁהוּא רוֹמֵז לְעִנְיַן מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ ׳כֹּה׳ הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת הָעֲקֵידָה שֶׁהִיא עִנְיָן שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ. וְעִנְיָן זֶה מְרַמֵּז גַּם עַל נֵס חֲנוּכָּה, דְּמָצִינוּ בּוֹ שֶׁהַכֹּחַ שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ הוּא שֶׁעָמַד לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּנִּזְכָּר.
In shortKoh in “Koh, so shall you bless” hints at mesirus nefesh, the strength to fight the yetzer hara that the Priestly Blessing awakens, and so it hints at Chanukah too.
6With this we can answer the question of the .11 Why did a miracle have to be done with the cruse of pure oil? Chazal said that tumah, ritual impurity, is permitted for the community,12 so they could have lit with impure oil. The answered that they could indeed have lit in impurity. But Hashem wanted to show how dear Israel is to Him by having His people light the Menorah in purity, and so He performed the miracle. Yet the question still seems to stand. As is well known, “The Holy One, blessed be He, does not perform a miracle for nothing.”13 Showing His love for Israel by having the mitzvah done with hiddur, in its finest form, would seem to fall under “for nothing” too. So the difficulty remains: how could Hashem perform a miracle for this?
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְתָרֵץ קוּשְׁיַית הַפְּנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁהִקְשָׁה לָמָּה הָיָה צָרִיךְ לֵיעָשׂוֹת נֵס בְּפַךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן הַטָּהוֹר, הֲרֵי אָמְרוּ רז״ל (יומא ז, ב) טוּמְאָה הוּתְּרָה בְּצִיבּוּר, וְאִם כֵּן יָכְלוּ לְהַדְלִיק בְּשֶׁמֶן טָמֵא. וְתֵירֵץ, דְּאָמְנָם כֵּן שֶׁיָּכְלוּ לְהַדְלִיק בְּטוּמְאָה, אַךְ הקב״ה רָצָה לְהַרְאוֹת חִיבַּת עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפָנָיו, בְּכָךְ שֶׁיְּקַיְּימוּ מִצְוַות הַדְלָקַת נֵרוֹת הַמְּנוֹרָה בְּטָהֳרָה, וְלָכֵן עָשָׂה לָהֶם הַנֵּס. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, דְּלִכְאוֹרָה אַכַּתִּי הַקּוּשְׁיָא בִּמְקוֹמָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת, שֶׁהֲרֵי נוֹדַע הַמַּאֲמָר ׳לָא עָבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נִיסָּא בִּכְדִי׳ (הובא בקדושת לוי עשר קדושות קדושה ה), וְלִכְאוֹרָה גַּם לְצוֹרֶךְ עִנְיָן זֶה לְהַרְאוֹת חִיבָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּקַיְּימוּ הַמִּצְוָוה בְּהִידּוּר, גַּם הוּא לִכְאוֹרָה בִּכְלַל ׳בִּכְדִי׳, וְאִם כֵּן עֲדַיִין יִקְשֶׁה הֵיאַךְ זֶה עָשָׂה לָהֶם הקב״ה נֵס.
- Pnei Yehoshua on Shabbos 21b. ↩
- Yoma 7b. When there is no other way, communal offerings may be brought even in a state of impurity. ↩
- Cited in Kedushas Levi, Kedushos, Kedushah 5. ↩
In shortSince impure oil was permitted, the Pnei Yehoshua says the miracle showed Hashem's love; but Hashem does no miracle for nothing.
7But according to what we have said, we may answer as follows. As is well known, Hashem deals with us measure for measure, just as we conduct ourselves. The Baal Shem Tov, zt"l, explained the verse “Hashem is your shadow”14 this way: the Holy One, blessed be He, acts toward us like a shadow. As we act below, so He acts toward us from above. So when we always conduct ourselves with mesirus nefesh, which is above the way of nature, Hashem too conducts Himself toward us above the way of nature. In this way nature itself, and the whole way He runs the world, become subordinate to the miracle, and there is no difference between nature and miracle.
אָכֵן לְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר, דְּהִנֵּה מוּדַעַת זֹאת כִּי הקב״ה מִתְנַהֵג אִתָּנוּ מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָנוּ מִתְנַהֲגִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב זצללה״ה אֶת מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים קכא, ה) ״ה׳ צִלְּךָ״, שהקב״ה מִתְנַהֵג עִמָּנוּ כְּמוֹ הַצֵּל, כְּפִי מַה שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂים לְמַטָּה, כֵּן הקב״ה מִתְנַהֵג עִמָּנוּ מִלְמַעְלָה. וּמִמֵּילָא כְּשֶׁאָנוּ מִתְנַהֲגִים תָּמִיד בְּמִידַּת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁזֶּהוּ לְמַעְלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, אֲזַי גַּם הקב״ה מִתְנַהֵג עִמָּנוּ בִּבְחִינָה זֹאת, לְמַעְלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, וְנִמְצָא דִּבְאוֹפֶן זֶה גַּם הַטֶּבַע וְכָל הַהַנְהָגָה מְשׁוּעְבֶּדֶת לְנֵס, וְאֵין הֶבְדֵּל בֵּין הַטֶּבַע לְהַנֵּס.
- Tehillim 121:5. ↩
In shortHashem is our shadow: when we live with mesirus nefesh above nature, He runs the world above nature, and nature becomes one with miracle.
8This is what we find in the miracle of Chanukah. The holy sefarim, the and the , ask: do we not find many miracles like the miracle of Chanukah, even in later generations?15 A miracle happened to the Maharshal, R' Shlomo Luria, when a small candle burned for a long time,16 and the same happened to many other tzaddikim. What, then, is so special about the miracle of Chanukah? The answer is that although such miracles did happen, here there was more. The whole way Hashem ran the world was then itself beyond the way of nature, and even a miracle was an everyday thing.
וְהִנֵּה עִנְיָן זֶה מָצִינוּ בְּנֵס חֲנוּכָּה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (ישמח ישראל חנוכה, שפתי צדיק וארא) הֲלוֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁכַּמָּה פְּעָמִים אֵירְעוּ נִיסִּים מֵעֵין הַנֵּס דַּחֲנוּכָּה, וַאֲפִילּוּ בַּדּוֹרוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנִים, כְּגוֹן להמהרש״ל, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לוֹ נֵס בְּנֵר קָטָן שֶׁדָּלַק זְמַן רַב (כמרומז בהקדמת ים של שלמה, קב הישר פרק צ״ו), וְכֵן לְעוֹד הַרְבֵּה צַדִּיקִים, וְאִם כֵּן מָה הָרְבוּתָא בְּנֵס חֲנוּכָּה. אַךְ הָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה, דְּאַף שֶׁאָמְנָם מָצִינוּ שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ נִיסִּים כָּאֵלּוּ, אֲבָל כָּאן הָיָה יוֹתֵר מִזֶּה, שֶׁכָּל הַהַנְהָגָה עַצְמָהּ הָיְתָה בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה שֶׁל שֶׁלֹּא כְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, וְאַף הַנֵּס הָיָה דָּבָר הַשָּׁכִיחַ.
- Yismach Yisrael, Chanukah; Sifsei Tzaddik, Va'eira. ↩
- As hinted in the introduction to Yam Shel Shlomo; Kav HaYashar, ch. 96. ↩
In shortOther tzaddikim saw candle miracles too, but at Chanukah the whole running of the world was beyond nature, and miracles were commonplace.
9Our question is now resolved: how could Hashem perform a miracle, when He does not perform miracles for nothing? The Chashmona'im walked the path of mesirus nefesh, as we saw in their war against the Greeks, so Hashem conducted Himself toward them above the way of nature. The miracle was woven into Hashem's way of guiding the world, His ongoing guidance, and there was no difference between nature and miracle. So the 's question no longer arises. The rule that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not perform a miracle for nothing applies only where the world runs by nature, for then a miracle goes against the way the world is run. But here, where the whole of His guidance was miraculous, the rule does not apply.
וּמֵעַתָּה מְיוּשָּׁב מַה שֶׁהִקְשֵׁינוּ הֲלֹא לָא עָבֵיד הקב״ה נִיסָּא בִּכְדִי, דְּמֵאַחַר שֶׁהַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים הָלְכוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, מִמֵּילָא הָיְתָה הַנְהָגַת הקב״ה עִמָּם לְמַעְלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, וְהָיָה הַנֵּס מְעוֹרָב בַּהַנְהָגָה הַתְּמִידִית, וְלֹא הָיָה הֶבְדֵּל בֵּין טֶבַע לְנֵס, וְשׁוּב אֵין מָקוֹם לְקוּשְׁיַית הַפְּנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, כִּי מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָא עָבֵיד הקב״ה נֵס בִּכְדִי, הוּא רַק בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ הַנְהָגָה טִבְעִית, שֶׁאָז כשהקב״ה עוֹשֶׂה נֵס הוּא נֶגֶד הַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם, אֲבָל כָּאן שֶׁכָּל הַהַנְהָגָה הָיְתָה נִיסִּית, אֵין אֶת הַכְּלָל הַזֶּה.
In shortA miracle “for nothing” is ruled out only where nature governs; the Chashmona'im's mesirus nefesh had made the whole order miraculous.
10This also answers the 's question: why do we not say the blessing She'asah nissim on Pesach? In the miracles of Chanukah and Purim, natural means were mixed in. On Chanukah a war was fought, which is a natural thing; only the victory was miraculous, when the Holy One, blessed be He, delivered the many into the hands of the few.17 On Purim, too, the miracle was clothed in natural means, through the efforts of Queen Esther. The miracles came about in this way for the reason we have seen: this itself was the miracle, that nature and all His ongoing guidance were subordinate to the miracle. That is why the miracle was not apparent. But since it was mixed with natural means, the Tzedukim, the Sadducees, had an opening to deny the miracle, Heaven forbid. To dispel this notion, the blessing “Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days” was instituted, to teach that all of it was, in essence, a miracle. Pesach was different. There the whole way of guidance was entirely above the way of nature, with nothing of nature mixed in. So there was no need to institute a blessing, since the miracle was known to all.
וּבָזֶה גַּם מְתוֹרָץ קוּשְׁיַית הַקְּדוּשַּׁת לֵוִי מַדּוּעַ לֹא מְבָרְכִים בִּרְכַּת ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים׳ בְּפֶסַח, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבְּנֵס חֲנוּכָּה וּפוּרִים הָיָה מְעוֹרָב גַּם דַּרְכֵי הַטֶּבַע, דְּבַחֲנוּכָּה נֶעֶשְׂתָה מִלְחָמָה שֶׁהִיא עִנְיָן טִבְעִי, רַק שֶׁהַנִּצָּחוֹן הָיָה בְּדֶרֶךְ נֵס, שֶׁמָּסַר הקב״ה רַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים, וְגַם בְּפוּרִים הָיָה הַנֵּס מְלוּבָּשׁ בְּדַרְכֵי הַטֶּבַע עַל יְדֵי הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה. וּמַה שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ הַנִּיסִּים בְּאוֹפֶן כָּזֶה, הוּא מֵחֲמַת הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, שֶׁזֶּה גּוּפָא הָיָה הַנֵּס, שֶׁהַטֶּבַע וְכָל הַהַנְהָגָה הַתְּמִידִית הָיְתָה מְשׁוּעְבֶּדֶת לְהַנֵּס, וּלְכָךְ לֹא הָיָה הַנֵּס נִיכָּר. אָכֵן לְהוֹצִיא מִלִּבָּם שֶׁל צְדוֹקִים אֲשֶׁר הָיָה לָהֶם פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְהַכְחִישׁ ח״ו אֶת הַנֵּס מֵאַחַר שֶׁהָיָה מְעוֹרָב בְּדַרְכֵי הַטֶּבַע, לָכֵן תִּקְּנוּ לְבָרֵךְ ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם׳, לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁהַכֹּל הָיָה בְּעֶצֶם נֵס. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בַּפֶּסַח, אֲשֶׁר כָּל הַהַנְהָגָה הָיְתָה בְּאוֹפֶן שֶׁל לְמַעְלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי, וְלֹא הָיָה מְעוֹרָב מִצַּד הַטֶּבַע כְּלוּם, בָּזֶה לֹא הוּצְרְכוּ לְתַקֵּן בְּרָכָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַנֵּס הָיָה מְפוּרְסָם לַכֹּל.
- From the Al HaNissim prayer. ↩
In shortChanukah's and Purim's miracles were hidden in nature, so a blessing declares them miracles; Pesach's open miracle needed none.
11[We can also explain this along the same lines, in a slightly different way.18 We find that the mesirus nefesh of that generation for Hashem's mitzvos was so great that they gave their lives not only for doing the mitzvos themselves [as Chazal said: “Why are you being taken out to be stoned? Because I kept Shabbos. Why are you being taken out to be burned? Because I circumcised my son”].19 They gave their lives even for hiddur mitzvah, doing a mitzvah in its finest form. Sefer Yosifon relates that the Greeks decreed that anyone who said he was a Jew would be killed.20 So the Jews could have kept the mitzvos in private, without saying or showing that they were Jews.21 But they gave their lives to keep the mitzvos openly, in public, which is only a matter of hiddur mitzvah.]
*[עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר קְצָת, דְּהִנֵּה מָצִינוּ שֶׁמִּידַּת הַמְּסִירוֹת נֶפֶשׁ לְמִצְוֹות הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר הָיְתָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל כָּךְ, שֶׁלֹּא רַק עַל עֶצֶם עֲשִׂיַּית הַמִּצְוֹות מָסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם [וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל (ויקרא רבה לב, א ועוד) עַל מָה אַתָּה יוֹצֵא לִיסָּקֵל עַל שֶׁשָּׁמַרְתִּי שַׁבָּת עַל מָה אַתָּה יוֹצֵא לִישָּׂרֵף עַל שֶׁמַּלְתִּי אֶת בְּנִי], אֶלָּא גַּם לְמַעַן הִידּוּר מִצְוָוה הָיוּ מוֹסְרִים אֶת נַפְשָׁם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאִיתָא (בספר יוסיפון פ״כ) שֶׁהַיְּוָונִים גָּזְרוּ שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁיֹּאמַר שֶׁהוּא יְהוּדִי יֵהָרֵג, וְאִם כֵּן הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוֹות בְּצִינְעָה וְלֹא לוֹמַר וּלְהַרְאוֹת שֶׁהֵם יְהוּדִים (ועיין עוד בביאור הגר״א יו״ד סימן קנז סק״כ), אַךְ הֵם מָסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם בִּשְׁבִיל קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות בָּרַבִּים וּבְפַרְהֶסְיָא, שֶׁהוּא רַק עִנְיָן שֶׁל הִידּוּר מִצְוָוה.
- The sefer's note: An addition from another place. ↩
- Vayikra Rabbah 32:1, and elsewhere. In the Midrash's own wording there, stoning is for circumcision and burning for keeping Shabbos. ↩
- Sefer Yosifon, ch. 20. ↩
- See further Biur HaGra, the Vilna Gaon's commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 157, sub-paragraph 20. ↩
In shortThat generation gave their lives even for a mitzvah's hiddur, keeping the mitzvos openly when they could have kept them in secret.
12[The miracle of Chanukah came about through the mesirus nefesh of the Chashmona'im and Bnei Yisrael. They gave their lives not only for Hashem's mitzvos but even for the hiddur of the mitzvos. So it was only right that Heaven, too, in an arousal from above, would grant them a miracle beyond the way of nature, even if it was only for the hiddur of the mitzvah. It was fitting that a miracle be done for them and that they have pure oil, so that they could fulfill the mitzvah in its finest form and in complete perfection. [Hiddur mitzvah comes from the law of “This is my God and I will glorify Him,” which Chazal expound, “Beautify yourself before Him with mitzvos,” so that the mitzvah has beauty.22 Surely this includes doing the mitzvah in purity, and not amid the repulsiveness of impurity. So even according to the view that impurity is permitted for the community, which is a full permission even from the outset, lighting in impurity is still not called a mitzvah done with hiddur.]]
וְהִנֵּה בְּנֵס חֲנוּכָּה שֶׁהָיָה עַל יְדֵי מְסִירוּת נַפְשָׁם שֶׁל הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲזַי כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא זוֹ בִּלְבַד שֶׁמָּסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם לְמִצְוֹות הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ עַל הִידּוּר הַמִּצְוֹות מָסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם, לָכֵן בְּדִין הוּא שֶׁאַף מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם יַשְׁפִּיעוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּאִיתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא נֵס חוּץ לְדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, גַּם אִם הוּא רַק לְהִידּוּר הַמִּצְוָוה, וְעַל כֵּן הָיָה זֹאת מֵהָרָאוּי שֶׁיֵּיעָשֶׂה לָהֶם נֵס וְיִהְיֶה לָהֶם שֶׁמֶן טָהוֹר, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָוה מִתּוֹךְ הִידּוּר וּבְתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵימוּת. [דְּהִידּוּר מִצְוָוה הוּא מִדִּין זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ הִתְנָאֵה לְפָנָיו בְּמִצְוֹות שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נוֹי לַמִּצְוָוה, וּבְוַדַּאי בִּכְלַל זֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמִּצְוָוה נַעֲשֵׂית מִתּוֹךְ טָהֳרָה וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ מֵיאוּס הַטּוּמְאָה, (ולכן הגם דלמאן דאמר טומאה הותרה בציבור הוא היתר גמור אפילו לכתחילה, אך מכל מקום אינו קרוי מצווה בהידור)].
- Shemos 15:2; Shabbos 133b. ↩
In shortBecause they gave their lives even for hiddur, Heaven gave them a miracle even for hiddur: pure oil, since purity beautifies the mitzvah.
13[This properly explains the connection between the verse “I and the lad will go yonder, ad koh” and Chanukah. All of Israel's power of mesirus nefesh comes from the power of Avraham Avinu. He was the first to give himself over to be killed, in Ur Kasdim, where he was cast into the fiery furnace.23 It comes, too, from the power of the binding of Yitzchak, where Avraham overcame his compassion with mesirus nefesh to do the will of his Creator. Avraham and Yitzchak handed this power down to their descendants after them, as the verse says, “that he will command his children and his household after him.”24 From Avraham the Chashmona'im and their generation inherited this power, with which they gave their lives and drew the great miracle down upon Israel.]
וּלְפִי זֶה מְבוֹאָר לְנָכוֹן שַׁיָּיכוּת הַפָּסוּק ״וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה״ לַחֲנוּכָּה, כִּי כָּל הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל הַמְּסִירוֹת נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מִכֹּחַ אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה, שֶׁהוּא הָיָה הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁמָּסַר נַפְשׁוֹ לַהֲרִיגָה בְּאוֹר כַּשְׂדִּים (בראשית רבה לט, יח), וְכֵן בְּכֹחַ עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק שֶׁבִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ כָּבַשׁ רַחֲמָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן בּוֹרְאוֹ, וְהֵם הוֹרִישׁוּ זֶה הַכֹּחַ לְזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית יח, יט) ״אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת בֵּיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו״, וּמִמֶּנּוּ נָחֲלוּ הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים וְדוֹרָם זֶה הַכֹּחַ שֶׁמָּסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם וְהִמְשִׁיכוּ הַנֵּס הַגָּדוֹל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
- Bereishis Rabbah 39:18, so printed (in standard editions parashah 39 has sixteen sections). Avraham's being cast into the furnace in Ur Kasdim is told at 38:13; see also 39:8. ↩
- Bereishis 18:19. ↩
In shortAvraham, in Ur Kasdim and at the Akeidah, bequeathed mesirus nefesh to his children, and with it the Chashmona'im drew down the miracle.
14[Following our approach, we can also connect the verse “Koh, so shall you bless” to Chanukah. In the Priestly Blessing, too, we find the theme of doing the mitzvos in their finest form. The verse says, “May Hashem lift up His countenance to you,”25 and Chazal said: “How shall I not lift up My countenance to Bnei Yisrael? I wrote for them in the Torah, ‘You shall eat and be satisfied, and bless Hashem your God,’ and they are exacting with themselves to bless even for an olive's bulk or an egg's bulk.”26 This is hiddur in fulfilling the mitzvos. So the Masorah, the traditional record of where words recur in Scripture,27 is properly explained, and so is the link between these verses and Chanukah: it all fits together.]
וּלְדַרְכֵּנוּ נוּכַל לְקַשֵּׁר גַּם פָּסוּק ״כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ״ לַחֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁכֵּן גַּם בְּעִנְיַן בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים מָצִינוּ עִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְהַדְּרִים בְּמִצְוֹות, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר שם כו) ״יִשָּׂא ה׳ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ״, וְאָמְרוּ חז״ל (ברכות כ, ב) וְכִי אֵיךְ לֹא אֶשָּׂא פָּנִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לָהֶם בַּתּוֹרָה (דברים ח, י) ״וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלוֹקֶיךָ״ וְהֵם מְדַקְדְּקִים עַל עַצְמָם עַד כְּזַיִת וְעַד כְּבֵיצָה, שֶׁהוּא עִנְיָן שֶׁל הִידּוּר בְּקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות. וּמְבוֹאָר לְנָכוֹן הַמְּסוּרָה וְקִישּׁוּר הַפְּסוּקִים לַחֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁהַכֹּל עוֹלֶה בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד].
- Bamidbar 6:26. ↩
- Berachos 20b; Devarim 8:10. ↩
- The reference is evidently to the link the Baal HaTurim draws (on Bamidbar 6:23, cited above) between the two verses that use koh: “I and the lad will go yonder, ad koh” and “Koh, so shall you bless.” ↩
In shortHashem lifts His countenance to Israel for blessing even over an olive's bulk: the same hiddur in mitzvos that brought the Chanukah miracle.
15On Chanukah the special power of those days is awakened again, in the spirit of “in those days, at this time.”28 Today, too, we need a constant miracle within the workings of nature. So it is our duty to conduct ourselves with mesirus nefesh in Torah, in prayer and in every mitzvah. Through this we will be privileged to receive the hidden light, and may the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp shield us so that we are saved speedily. Amen, may it be His will.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר בַּחֲנוּכָּה מִתְעוֹרֵר סְגוּלַּת הַיָּמִים הָהֵם, בְּחִינַת ׳בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, וְגַם כְּהַיּוֹם צְרִיכִים אָנוּ לְנֵס תְּמִידִי בְּתוֹךְ הַנְהָגַת הַטֶּבַע, לָכֵן מוּטָּל עָלֵינוּ לְהִתְנַהֵג בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַתְּפִילָּה וּבְכָל מִצְוָה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְאוֹר הַגָּנוּז, וְיָגֵן עָלֵינוּ מִצְוַות נֵר חֲנוּכָּה לְהִיוָּושֵׁעַ בִּמְהֵרָה, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
- From the blessing over the Chanukah lamps. ↩
In shortMay we serve with mesirus nefesh and be privileged to receive the hidden light, and may the Chanukah lamp shield us and bring speedy salvation.
The Rebbe asks what the Akeidah, hinted in Chanukah’s date by ad koh, has to do with Chanukah, and why “Who performed miracles” is said on Chanukah and Purim but not on Pesach. The Akeidah was for the generations: it handed down the power of mesirus nefesh, and with it the Chashmona’im fought the Greeks. Since Hashem is our shadow, those who live with mesirus nefesh above nature are led above nature, so at Chanukah miracle and nature were one. This answers the Pnei Yehoshua’s question about the pure oil; and since the miracles of Chanukah and Purim were hidden in nature, a blessing declares them, while Pesach’s open miracle needed none. An addition says they gave their lives even for hiddur mitzvah, and were given a miracle for hiddur. We too need a constant miracle, so we must serve with mesirus nefesh.
Takeaway
The Akeidah planted in every Jew the power to give himself over completely for Hashem, and that inheritance carried the Chashmona'im through their war with the Greeks. Because Hashem is our shadow, when we serve Him beyond what nature asks, even in the finer details of a mitzvah, He answers us beyond nature. On Chanukah we can take on more mesirus nefesh in Torah, prayer and every mitzvah, and so draw down the constant miracle we still need today.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.