From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Sons of Binah: The Teshuvah That Brought the Miracle
Al HaNissim thanks Hashem for delivering “the many into the hands of the few,” a plain wonder, and also “the impure into the hands of the pure.” What is remarkable in that? And why does Maoz Tzur call those who fixed Chanukah “sons of understanding”?
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Al HaNissim
מָסַרְתָּ גִבּוֹרִים בְּיַד חַלָּשִׁים, וְרַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים, וּטְמֵאִים בְּיַד טְהוֹרִים
You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, and the impure into the hands of the pure.
1In Al HaNissim, the thanksgiving added to our prayers on Chanukah, we say: “You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, and the impure into the hands of the pure.” Granted that “the many into the hands of the few” is something remarkable. But at first glance there is nothing remarkable at all in “the impure” being delivered “into the hands of the pure.”
מָסַרְתָּ גִבּוֹרִים בְּיַד חַלָּשִׁים וְרַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים וּטְמֵאִים בְּיַד טְהוֹרִים (נוסח תפלת על הניסים). וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, דְּבִשְׁלָמָא ׳רַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים׳ יֵשׁ בָּזֶה רְבוּתָא, אֲבָל מַה שֶׁנִּמְסְרוּ ׳טְמֵאִים בְּיַד טְהוֹרִים׳ אֵין בּוֹ שׁוּם רְבוּתָא לִכְאוֹרָה.
Sources here
In short“The many into the hands of the few” is a wonder, but what is remarkable about “the impure into the hands of the pure”?
2Let us also first look at the words of the hymn Maoz Tzur: “The sons of understanding, bnei vinah, established eight days for song and joyous praise.” What do the words “sons of understanding” mean here?
וְנַקְדִּים עוֹד לְשׁוֹן הַפִּיּוּט ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים׳, וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳ מָה עִנְיָינוֹ כָּאן.
Sources here
In shortWhy does Maoz Tzur call those who established Chanukah “sons of understanding”?
3aWe can explain this on the basis of what the holy sefarim teach:1 whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, does a miracle for Israel, Israel must first be stirred to teshuvah. Without teshuvah it is not Hashem's way to do a miracle, for He does not do a miracle for nothing. So we must say that before the miracle of Chanukah, too, Bnei Yisrael certainly did teshuvah, as the also writes.2 We find something similar with the miracle of Purim. Chazal said of the Torah: “They accepted it anew, out of love, in the days of Achashverosh, as it is written, ‘Kiyemu vekiblu, they upheld and accepted’: they upheld what they had already accepted.”3 explains: out of love for the miracle that had been done for them.4 So it was on Chanukah, too. After they saw the great miracle Hashem had done for them, they were stirred to great love for Him. Through this, the teshuvah they had done before the miracle now became teshuvah out of love, and so all their deliberate sins became like merits for them, as Chazal said.5
וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר עַל פִּי הַמְּבוֹאָר בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (ראשית חכמה שער האהבה פ״ח, באר מים חיים שלח), שֶׁבְּכָל פַּעַם שהקב״ה עוֹשֶׂה נֵס לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, צָרִיךְ שֶׁתְּחִילָּה יַקְדִּימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִתְעוֹרֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה, דִּבְלֹא תְּשׁוּבָה אֵין דֶּרֶךְ הקב״ה לַעֲשׂוֹת נֵס, דהקב״ה לָא עֲבִיד נִיסָּא בִּכְדִי. וְעַל פִּי זֶה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁגַּם בְּנֵס חֲנוּכָּה, וַדַּאי עָשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּשׁוּבָה קוֹדֶם הַנֵּס (וכן כתב בישמח ישראל אות יא). וְהִנֵּה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמָּצִינוּ לְעִנְיַן נֵס פּוּרִים, שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (שבת פח, א) הֲדוּר קַבְּלוּהָ מֵאַהֲבָה בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ דִּכְתִיב (אסתר ט, כז) ״קִיְּימוּ וְקִבְּלוּ״ קִיְּימוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר, וּפֵירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל מֵאַהֲבַת הַנֵּס שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם, כְּמוֹ כֵן הָיָה בַּחֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁרָאוּ הַנֵּס הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, נִתְעוֹרְרוּ אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּגוֹדֶל אַהֲבָה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה חָזְרָה תְּשׁוּבָתָם שֶׁעָשׂוּ קוֹדֶם הַנֵּס לִהְיוֹת עַתָּה בִּבְחִינַת ׳תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה׳, וּמִמֵּילָא כָּל הַזְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם כִּזְכוּיוֹת, כְּמַאֲמָרָם ז״ל (יומא פו, ב).
- Reishis Chochmah, Shaar HaAhavah, ch. 8; Be'er Mayim Chaim, Shelach. ↩
- Yismach Yisrael, Chanukah §11. ↩
- Shabbos 88a; Esther 9:27. ↩
- Rashi on Shabbos 88a. ↩
- Yoma 86b. ↩
In shortHashem works no miracle without teshuvah first; after the Chanukah miracle their love for Him turned that teshuvah into teshuvah from love, and their sins became merits.
3bThis is what we say in Al HaNissim: “And afterward Your children came to the inner chamber of Your House.” Why does it speak of “Your children” here? Chazal's teaching is well known: when Bnei Yisrael do the will of the Omnipresent, they are called children.6 Here, by doing teshuvah out of love, they came to “do the will of the Omnipresent,” and so they were called “children.”
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים בִּתְפִילָּה ׳וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּאוּ בָּנֶיךָ לִדְבִיר בֵּיתֶךָ׳, וְלִכְאוֹרָה מַדּוּעַ נִזְכַּר בְּכָאן לְשׁוֹן ׳בָּנֶיךָ׳, אַךְ נוֹדַע מַאֲמַר חז״ל (בבא בתרא י, א עיין שם, שמות רבה כד, א) בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם נִקְרָאִים בָּנִים, וְלָכֵן כָּאן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה בָּאוּ לִהְיוֹת בִּבְחִינַת ׳עוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם׳ וּמִמֵּילָא נִקְרְאוּ ׳בָּנִים׳.
- Bava Basra 10a, see there; Shemos Rabbah 24:1. ↩
In shortDoing Hashem’s will through teshuvah from love, they are called “Your children” in Al HaNissim.
4We may say that this is the meaning of “the impure into the hands of the pure.” Through the miracle in which the Greeks were delivered into their hands, Bnei Yisrael reached the level of the pure and the righteous. For even their deliberate sins were turned into merits, through the teshuvah out of love that their love for the miracle had stirred.
וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁזֶּה הַכַּוָּונָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים ׳וּטְמֵאִים בְּיַד טְהוֹרִים׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַנֵּס שֶׁנִּמְסְרוּ הַיְּוָונִים בְּיָדָם, הִגִּיעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַדְרִיגַת טְהוֹרִים וְצַדִּיקִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאַף הַזְּדוֹנוֹת נֶהְפְּכוּ לָהֶם לִזְכוּיוֹת, עַל יְדֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ מֵאַהֲבַת הַנֵּס.
In shortTheir love for the miracle turned even their sins into merits, so the victory itself made them “the pure.”
5This lets us explain the poet's words, “The sons of understanding, bnei vinah, established eight days for song and joyous praise.” The miracle came only after they had first returned in teshuvah, as we saw with the rule that Hashem does no miracle without teshuvah. And we know that teshuvah comes from the world of Binah, the sefirah of understanding.7 So through their teshuvah they became “sons of Binah.” This is the meaning of bnei vinah: because they did teshuvah and became sons of Binah, they earned the miracle, and then “they established eight days.” The word bnei, “sons,” is also precise. After they saw the great miracle they reached the level of teshuvah out of love, and through it they became “children,” banim. Both words, bnei vinah, are wonderfully precise.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר מַאֲמַר הַפַּיְּיטָן ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים׳, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַנֵּס נַעֲשָׂה רַק לְאַחַר שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ תְּחִילָּה לַחֲזוֹר בִּתְשׁוּבָה כַּנִּזְכָּר, וְנוֹדַע שֶׁתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא מֵעוֹלָם הַבִּינָה (עיין מגילה יז, ב וזוהר ח״ג י, ב, ופרי עץ חיים שער ז פי״ב), נִמְצָא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי תְּשׁוּבָתָם הִגִּיעוּ לִהְיוֹת בְּחִינַת ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳. וְזֶהוּ ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳ דְּהַיְינוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה וּבָאוּ לִהְיוֹת ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳ זָכוּ לְהַנֵּס, וְאָז ׳יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ׳. וּמְדוּיָּק גַּם הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳בְּנֵי׳ בִּינָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁרָאוּ הַנֵּס הַגָּדוֹל הִגִּיעוּ לְמַדְרִיגַת תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה הִגִּיעוּ לִבְחִינַת ׳בָּנִים׳, וּמְדוּיָּק לְהַפְלִיא שְׁתֵּי תֵּיבוֹת ׳בְּנֵי בִּינָה׳.
- See Megillah 17b, where the blessing of teshuvah follows the blessing of understanding; Zohar III 10b; Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar 7, ch. 12. ↩
In shortTeshuvah stems from Binah, so their teshuvah made them “sons of Binah” and earned the miracle, and their love then made them Hashem's children.
6aThis may also explain why we do not say the blessing “Who performed miracles for our fathers” on Pesach, a question the asks. At the Exodus from Egypt, Bnei Yisrael did not do teshuvah before the miracle. As the verse says, “And you were naked and bare.”8 Chazal also said that the ministering angels were saying, “These are idol worshippers and these are idol worshippers.”9 Klal Yisrael was at the lowest level in Egypt, and the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed it for the sake of the future, as the verse says, “When you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain.”10
וּבָזֶה אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר, מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין מְבָרְכִים בִּרְכַּת ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים׳ בִּימֵי הַפֶּסַח וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהִקְשָׁה בִּקְדוּשַּׁת לֵוִי. דְּהִנֵּה בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם לֹא עָשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּשׁוּבָה קוֹדֶם הַנֵּס, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (יחזקאל טז, ז) ״וְאַתְּ עֵרוֹם וְעֶרְיָה״ (ועיין מכילתא ורש״י ז״ל שמות יב, ו), וּכְבָר אָמְרוּ רז״ל (זוהר קע, ב. ילקוט שמעוני רלד) שֶׁהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹמְרִים הַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁכְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּשֵׁפֶל הַמַּדְרֵגָה, והקב״ה גָּאַל אוֹתָם עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד, וּכְמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (שמות ג, יב) ״בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ אֶת הָעָם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱלוֹקִים עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה״.
- Yechezkel 16:7. See the Mechilta and Rashi on Shemos 12:6: they were bare of mitzvos, so Hashem gave them the mitzvos of the Pesach offering and circumcision, that they might have merits for which to be redeemed. ↩
- Zohar II 170b; Yalkut Shimoni §234. The angels said this at the splitting of the sea. ↩
- Shemos 3:12. ↩
Sources here
In shortNo teshuvah came before the Exodus: Israel was bare of mitzvos and at its lowest, and Hashem redeemed it for the sake of the future.
6bSo, since no “arousal from below,” a stirring that begins with people here below, came before the miracles of the Exodus, we are not to say on Pesach, “Who performed miracles for our fathers.” The miracle did not come about through any arousal of our fathers. Not so on Chanukah and Purim, where the miracle was awakened by an arousal from below, since they did teshuvah before it. So on them we say, “Who performed miracles for our fathers”: through their prayer and their good deeds, our fathers earned the miracles.
וְעַל כֵּן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא קָדַם לְנִיסֵּי יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם שׁוּם הִתְעוֹרְרוּת עַל יְדֵי דָּרֵי מַטָּה, לָכֵן אֵין לָנוּ לְבָרֵךְ בְּפֶסַח ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ׳, כִּי לֹא מִצַּד הִתְעוֹרְרוּת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ נִתְעוֹרֵר וּבָא הַנֵּס. מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן בַּחֲנוּכָּה וּפוּרִים, שֶׁנִּתְעוֹרֵר הַנֵּס וּבָא עַל יְדֵי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת דָּרֵי מַטָּה בַּמֶּה שֶׁעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה קוֹדֶם הַנֵּס, לָכֵן מְבָרְכִים ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ׳, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי תְּפִילָּתָם וּפְעוּלָּתָם בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הַטּוֹבִים זָכוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהַנִּיסִּים.
In shortSo on Pesach we do not bless “Who performed miracles for our fathers”; on Chanukah and Purim our fathers’ teshuvah awakened the miracle.
7[There is another way to explain why we do not say “Who performed miracles” on Pesach.11 When a festival is proclaimed, its time is awakened: on every Yom Tov, in every generation, Bnei Yisrael are stirred to feel the holiness of the lights that shone in those days, at the time of the miracle. The holy sefarim explain the words of the blessing, “in those days, at this time,” in this way:12 just as a great light shone on Israel from Heaven in those days, so this time is especially suited for that same great light to shine on us as it shone then. With this, other sefarim explain the verse “And these days are remembered and performed in every generation.”13 At first glance it is superfluous, since the verse before it already says, “The Jews upheld and accepted upon themselves and upon their offspring to observe these two days.”14 But the verse means that these days, on which the miracle took place, are “remembered and performed” in every generation: they bring the same holy lights that shone in the days of Mordechai to the generations that follow.]
*[עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לְיַישֵּׁב בְּדֶרֶךְ אַחֵר, מַדּוּעַ לֹא מְבָרְכִים ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים׳ בְּפֶסַח. דְּהִנֵּה הַקְּרִיאָה מְעוֹרֶרֶת הַזְּמַן, וּבְכָל יוֹם טוֹב מִתְעוֹרֵר עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת, לְהַרְגִּישׁ קְדוּשַּׁת הָאוֹרוֹת אֲשֶׁר הוֹפִיעוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בִּשְׁעַת הַנֵּס. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּירְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (קדושת לוי קדושה ראשונה) נוֹסַח הַבְּרָכָה ׳בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, שֶׁכְּמוֹ הָאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁהוֹפִיעַ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, כְּמוֹ כֵן מְסוּגָּל בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה לְהוֹפִיעַ עָלֵינוּ אוֹתוֹ אוֹר גָּדוֹל כַּאֲשֶׁר הוֹפִיעַ אָז. וּבָזֶה פֵּירְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (לב לדוד לחיד״א פרק כט בשם הרמ״ז, אור המאיר פורים, אורח לחיים פרשת בא, ועוד) מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (אסתר ט, כח) ״וְהַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה נִזְכָּרִים וְנַעֲשִׂים בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר״, דְּלִכְאוֹרָה הוּא לְמוֹתָר, אַחַר שֶׁכָּתוּב לְמַעְלָה בַּפָּסוּק (שם, כז) ״קִיְּימוּ וְקִבְּלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְעַל זַרְעָם לִהְיוֹת עוֹשִׂים אֵת שְׁנֵי הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה״. אַךְ כַּוָּונַת הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר, שֶׁהַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בָּהֶם הַנֵּס, נִזְכָּרִים וְנַעֲשִׂים בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר, הַיְינוּ שֶׁמַּשְׁפִּיעִים וּמְבִיאִים אֶת אוֹתָם הָאוֹרוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִּימֵי מָרְדְּכַי, לַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים.
- The sefer's note: An addition from another place. ↩
- Kedushas Levi, Kedushah Rishonah. ↩
- Esther 9:28; Lev David of the Chida, ch. 29, in the name of the Ramaz; Ohr HaMeir, Purim; Orach LeChaim, Bo; and elsewhere. ↩
- Esther 9:27. ↩
In shortEach festival reawakens the lights of its miracle, as “in those days, at this time” and “remembered and performed in every generation” teach.
8[This, however, is true only of Chanukah and Purim. On them the lights were drawn down and revealed through the miracles done then, and so it is for all generations. It is not so on the night of Pesach. The holy light of that night had been prepared and waiting since the six days of creation, and it was not the miracle that brought the lights down. As the Torah says, “It is a night of watching for Hashem,”15 and Chazal said: “A night that has been kept and waiting since the six days of creation.”16 , too, explains: “The Holy One, blessed be He, was watching and waiting for it, to fulfill His promise to take them out of the land of Egypt.”17 Clearly, then, it was not the miracle that caused those lights to rest on that night. The lights themselves were prepared and ready to come, so much so that Hashem was already waiting to fulfill His promise to Avraham to redeem his children.]
אָכֵן זֶה הוּא רַק בַּחֲנוּכָּה וּפוּרִים, שֶׁבָּהֶם עַל יְדֵי הַנִּיסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ אָז, נִמְשְׁכוּ וְנִתְגַּלּוּ הָאוֹרוֹת, וּכְמוֹ כֵּן הוּא לְדוֹרוֹת. אָמְנָם בְּלֵיל חַג הַפֶּסַח אֵינוֹ כֵּן, שֶׁכֵּן כְּבָר הָיָה מוּכָן וְעוֹמֵד הָאוֹר הַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁל זֶה הַלַּיְלָה מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית, וְלֹא הַנֵּס גָּרַם לְהָאוֹרוֹת לִימָּשֵׁךְ וְלָבוֹא. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (שמות יב, מב) ״לֵיל שִׁמּוּרִים הוּא לַה׳״, וְאָמְרוּ חז״ל (ראש השנה יא, ב) לַיִל הַמְשׁוּמָּר וּבָא מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית, וְכֵן פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל (שמות שם) ׳שֶׁהָיָה הקב״ה שׁוֹמֵר וּמְצַפֶּה לוֹ לְקַיֵּים הַבְטָחָתוֹ לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם׳, הֲרֵי מְבוֹאָר שֶׁלֹּא הַנֵּס גָּרַם לְאוֹתָם הָאוֹרוֹת שֶׁיָּחוּלוּ בָּזֶה הַלַּיְלָה, אֶלָּא הָאוֹרוֹת עַצְמָם הָיוּ מוּכָנִים וְעוֹמְדִים לָבוֹא, עַד כְּדֵי שהקב״ה הָיָה מְצַפֶּה כְּבָר לְקַיֵּים הַבְטָחָתוֹ לְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁיִּגְאַל אֶת בָּנָיו.
In shortThe miracles of Chanukah and Purim drew down their lights, but the light of Pesach night was waiting from creation, “a night of watching.”
9[This makes clear why we do not say “Who performed miracles … in those days, at this time” on Pesach. The blessing means that because of the miracle “in those days,” the same holy lights shine on us “at this time” too, as we saw with the days that are “remembered and performed.” This is so only on Chanukah and Purim, where the lights for the generations depend on the miracle done in those days. On the night of Pesach, though, the lights were prepared and waiting beforehand, so it is not fitting to bless, “Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days.”]
וּבָזֶה מְבוֹאָר הַטַּעַם שֶׁאֵין מְבָרְכִין ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים וְכוּ׳ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳ בְּפֶסַח, כֵּיוָן דְּפֵירוּשׁ הַבְּרָכָה הוּא, שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת מַעֲשֵׂה הַנֵּס ׳בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם׳, מוֹפִיעִים עָלֵינוּ אוֹתָם הָאוֹרוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים גַּם ׳בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳ כַּנִּזְכָּר, וְזֶה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בַּחֲנוּכָּה וּפוּרִים, שֶׁהָאוֹרוֹת לְדוֹרוֹת תְּלוּיִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַנֵּס בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן בְּלֵיל פֶּסַח, שֶׁכְּבָר מִקּוֹדֶם לָכֵן הָיוּ הָאוֹרוֹת מוּכָנִים וְעוֹמְדִים, לֹא שַׁיָּיךְ לְבָרֵךְ וְלוֹמַר ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם׳.
In shortThe blessing says the miracle of old brings its light now: true of Chanukah and Purim, not of Pesach, whose light came before the miracle.
10a[This lets us understand what writes: “All the books of the Prophets and all the Writings will be annulled in the days of Moshiach, except for Megillas Esther … And though all memory of the troubles will be annulled …, the days of Purim will not be annulled, as it says, ‘And these days of Purim shall not pass from among the Jews, and their remembrance shall not cease from their offspring.’”18 That is the gist of his words.]
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן מַה שֶׁכָּתַב הרמב״ם ז״ל (פ״ב מהלכות מגילה הי״ח) כָּל סִפְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים וְכָל הַכְּתוּבִים עֲתִידִין לִיבָּטֵל לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, חוּץ מִמְּגִילַּת אֶסְתֵּר וְכוּ׳, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּל זִכְרוֹן הַצָּרוֹת יִבָּטֵל וְכוּ׳, יְמֵי הַפּוּרִים לֹא יִבָּטְלוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אסתר ט, כח) ״וִימֵי הַפּוּרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֹא יַעַבְרוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִים וְזִכְרָם לֹא יָסוּף מִזַּרְעָם״ עכ״ד.
- Rambam, Hilchos Megillah 2:18; Esther 9:28. ↩
In shortThe Rambam rules that in the days of Moshiach the Prophets and Writings will be annulled, but not Megillas Esther or the days of Purim.
10b[We find the same with the days of Chanukah. The Ramban explains a teaching of the Midrash, Hashem's words to Aharon: “Yours is greater than theirs, for yours endures forever.”19 This, he says, hints at the lights of the Chanukah of the Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans, a mitzvah kept even after the Destruction, in our exile.20 From his words there it appears that the days of Chanukah, too, will not be annulled in the days of Moshiach. We may explain this through what we have seen about the lights of these days. The whole point of establishing the miracle on Chanukah and Purim is that the lights are revealed to us through the miracle that took place at this time in those days. Through the power of these days they made them festive days, with a revealing of lights that shine in every generation. So even in the days of Moshiach they will not be annulled. Not so the other festivals: since it is not the time itself that brings about the lights of the Yom Tov, the lights are not fixed in the time, and so the festivals are destined to be annulled.]
וְעִנְיָן זֶה מָצִינוּ גַּם בִּימֵי חֲנוּכָּה, וְכִדְאִיתָא ברמב״ן ז״ל פָּרָשַׁת בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ (במדבר ח, ב) שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (תנחומא בהעלותך ה, במדבר רבה טו, ו) שֶׁלְּךָ גְּדוֹלָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם דְּשֶׁלְּךָ לְעוֹלָם קַיֶּימֶת, שֶׁנִּרְמְזוּ כָּאן נֵרוֹת חֲנוּכַּת חַשְׁמוֹנַאי שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָוה נוֹהֶגֶת אַף לְאַחַר חוּרְבָּן בְּגָלוּתֵינוּ. וּמִדְּבָרָיו שָׁם נִרְאֶה, שֶׁיְּמֵי חֲנוּכָּה גַּם כֵּן לֹא יִבָּטְלוּ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְהָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה יֵשׁ לוֹמַר עַל פִּי הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁכָּל עִיקַּר קְבִיעוּת הַנֵּס בַּחֲנוּכָּה וּפוּרִים, הוּא שֶׁמִּתְגַּלֶּה עָלֵינוּ הָאוֹרוֹת עַל יְדֵי הַנֵּס שֶׁהָיָה בָּזֶה הַזְּמַן בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, וְקָבְעוּ בְּכֹחַ וּסְגוּלַּת אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים בְּחִינַת יָמִים טוֹבִים וְהִתְגַּלּוּת הָאוֹרוֹת, שֶׁיַּשְׁפִּיעוּ בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת, לָכֵן גַּם בִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ לֹא יְבוּטְּלוּ. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּשְׁאָר מוֹעֲדִים, שֶׁלֹּא הַזְּמַן גּוֹרֵם לְאוֹרוֹת הַיּוֹם טוֹב, אֵין הָאוֹרוֹת קְבוּעִים בִּזְמַן, לָכֵן עֲתִידִין לִיבָּטֵל].
- Tanchuma, Beha'aloscha 5 (the sefer has 9); Bamidbar Rabbah 15:6. Aharon was disheartened that he had no share in the dedication offerings of the tribal princes, and Hashem consoled him with the lighting of the Menorah. ↩
- Ramban on Bamidbar 8:2 (the sefer has 8:1). ↩
In shortThe Ramban implies Chanukah too will never be annulled, for its lights, drawn into these days by the miracle, shine in every generation.
11May Hashem help the days of Chanukah stir us to teshuvah. Through it may we be privileged to see the miracles and wonders Hashem will do for us as in those days, in the spirit of “in those days, at this time,” with the coming of the son of Dovid. Amen, may it be His will.
יַעֲזוֹר ה׳, שֶׁיְּמֵי חֲנוּכָּה יַשְׁפִּיעוּ עָלֵינוּ לְהִתְעוֹרֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִזְכֶּה לִרְאוֹת בַּנִּיסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּבַיָּמִים הָהֵם, בִּבְחִינַת ׳בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, עִם בִּיאַת בֶּן דָּוִד, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that Chanukah stir us to teshuvah, so that we see miracles as in those days with the coming of Moshiach.
The Rebbe asks what is remarkable in “the impure into the hands of the pure,” and why Maoz Tzur speaks of “sons of understanding.” Hashem works no miracle without teshuvah first, so Israel surely returned before Chanukah; seeing the miracle, as at Purim, they loved Him anew, their teshuvah became teshuvah from love, and their sins became merits. So the victory made them “the pure”; doing His will, they are “Your children”; and since teshuvah stems from Binah, they are “sons of Binah.” No such teshuvah came before the Exodus, so on Pesach we do not bless “Who performed miracles.” Another way: the holy sefarim (the Kedushas Levi) read that blessing as the miracle of old bringing its light now; the Rebbe adds that this is true of Chanukah and Purim, while Pesach night’s light waited from creation. So, the Ramban implies, Chanukah, like Purim, will never be annulled.
Takeaway
Hashem does not do miracles for nothing: the miracle of Chanukah came because our fathers first returned to Him, and when they saw His kindness, their teshuvah became love that turned even their sins into merits. These days call us to take that first step of teshuvah ourselves, and to answer Hashem's goodness with love, which makes us truly His children. The light of those days returns at this time every year, ready to shine on us.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.