From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Rising in Holiness: How Israel Prevails
Why does the Gemara call the two men of Tzidon who lit by Beis Shammai and by Beis Hillel “elders” and not “sages,” and what do Chanukah lamps share with the Sukkos bulls? And if impure oil was permitted for the community, why was a miracle needed at all?
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Shabbos 21b
וְהַמְהַדְּרִין מִן הַמְהַדְּרִין, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק שְׁמֹנָה, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק אַחַת, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁנֵי זְקֵנִים הָיוּ בְּצַיְדָּן. אֶחָד עָשָׂה כְּבֵית שַׁמַּאי וְאֶחָד עָשָׂה כְּדִבְרֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל. זֶה נוֹתֵן טַעַם לִדְבָרָיו כְּנֶגֶד פָּרֵי הַחַג, וְזֶה נוֹתֵן טַעַם לִדְבָרָיו דְּמַעֲלִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין.
As for those who are most meticulous: Beis Shammai say, on the first day one lights eight, and from then on one lights fewer each night. Beis Hillel say, on the first day one lights one, and from then on one adds a light each night. Rabbah bar bar Chanah said in the name of R' Yochanan: There were two elders in Tzidon. One did as Beis Shammai said, and one did as Beis Hillel said. This one gave as the reason for his words: corresponding to the bulls of the festival. That one gave as the reason for his words: we rise in holiness and do not go down.
1“As for those who are most meticulous, mehadrin min hamehadrin: Beis Shammai say, one lights fewer each night, and Beis Hillel say, one adds a light each night. R' Yochanan said: There were two elders in Tzidon. One did as Beis Shammai said, and one did as Beis Hillel said. This one gave as the reason for his words: corresponding to the bulls of the festival. That one gave as the reason for his words: we rise in holiness and do not go down.”1
הַמְּהַדְּרִין מִן הַמְּהַדְּרִין, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, שְׁנֵי זְקֵנִים הָיוּ בְּצִידוֹן, אֶחָד עָשָׂה כְּדִבְרֵי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי, וְאֶחָד עָשָׂה כְּדִבְרֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל, זֶה נוֹתֵן טַעַם לִדְבָרָיו כְּנֶגֶד פָּרֵי הַחַג, וְזֶה נוֹתֵן טַעַם לִדְבָרָיו דְּמַעֲלִין בַּקּוֹדֶשׁ וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין (שבת כא, ב).
- On Sukkos the number of bulls offered went down by one each day, from thirteen on the first day to seven on the seventh (Bamidbar 29:12–34). ↩
Sources here
In shortBeis Shammai light fewer each night, after the Sukkos bulls; Beis Hillel add each night, for we rise in holiness.
2Notice the wording: “two elders were in Tzidon.” Chazal should have said “two sages.” We must also ask: what connection or likeness does the Chanukah lamp have to the bulls of the festival?
יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק לְשׁוֹן חֲכָמִים שְׁנֵי ׳זְקֵנִים׳ הָיוּ בְּצִידוֹן, וְהָיָה לָהֶם לוֹמַר ׳שְׁנֵי חֲכָמִים׳. עוֹד צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, מַה שַׁיָּיכוּת וְדִמְיוֹן יֵשׁ לְנֵר חֲנוּכָּה עִם פָּרֵי הֶחָג.
In shortWhy does the Gemara say “elders” rather than “sages,” and what do the Chanukah lamps share with the Sukkos bulls?
3Let us also first cite the question of the :2 why was the miracle of Chanukah needed at all? Chazal said that tumah, ritual impurity, is permitted for the community,3 so they were allowed from the outset to light with impure oil and had no need of a miracle.
וְנַקְדִּים עוֹד קוּשְׁיַית הַפְּנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (שבת כא, ב), מַדּוּעַ הָיוּ צְרִיכִים כְּלָל לְנֵס חֲנוּכָּה, הֲלֹא טוּמְאָה הוּתְּרָה בְּצִיבּוּר (יומא ז, ב), וְאִם כֵּן הָיָה מוּתָּר לָהֶם לְכַתְּחִילָּה לְהַדְלִיק בְּשֶׁמֶן טָמֵא, וְלֹא הָיוּ צְרִיכִים לְנֵס.
- Pnei Yehoshua on Shabbos 21b. ↩
- Yoma 7b. When there is no other way, communal offerings may be brought even in a state of impurity. ↩
In shortImpure oil was permitted for communal service, so why was a miracle needed at all?
4Perhaps we can resolve this as follows. On the verse “The voice is the voice of Yaakov, and the hands are the hands of Esav,” Chazal said: “When the voice of Yaakov is found in the synagogues, the hands of Esav do not rule.”4 That is, through the voice of our Torah and our good deeds we weaken and subdue the power of the nations who rise against us, and this gives us the strength to stand and endure in the bitter exile. So it was at the time of the Chanukah miracle too. The Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans, overcame the Greeks by the power of “The voice is the voice of Yaakov,” by rising higher in Torah and in avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem. This is what we say in the prayer: “and the wanton into the hands of those who engage in Your Torah.”5
וְאוּלַי אֶפְשָׁר לְיַישֵּׁב בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, דְּהִנֵּה אָמְרוּ רז״ל (בראשית רבה סה, כ) ״הַקּוֹל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו״ (בראשית כז, כב), בִּזְמַן שֶׁקּוֹלוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב מָצוּי בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת אֵין הַיָּדַיִים יְדֵי עֵשָׂו שׁוֹלְטוֹת. וְהַיְינוּ, כִּי עַל יְדֵי קוֹל הַתּוֹרָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים שֶׁלָּנוּ, אָנוּ גּוֹרְמִים לְהַחֲלִישׁ וּלְהַכְנִיעַ כֹּחַ הַגּוֹיִים הַקָּמִים נֶגְדֵּנוּ, וְזֶה נוֹתֵן לָנוּ כֹּחַ מַעֲמָד וּתְקוּמָה בַּגָּלוּת הַמַּר. וְהִנֵּה כָּךְ הָיָה גַּם בִּזְמַן הַנֵּס שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁהִתְגַּבְּרוּ הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים עַל הַיְוָונִים בְּכֹחַ הַקּוֹל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִתְעַלּוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בִּתְפִילָּה ׳וְזֵדִים בְּיַד עוֹסְקֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ׳.
In shortThe voice of Yaakov in Torah and good deeds weakens the nations, and by it the Chashmona'im overcame the Greeks.
5aWith this we can explain the dispute of Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel. We may say that Chazal's words “two elders” hint at the flow of mercy and kindness, in the spirit of the phrase “an elder full of mercy.”6 The hint is that these two elders wanted to show the way to bring down an abundance of mercy and kindness upon Klal Yisrael in its exile among the nations. They came to tell us how Israel can overcome the nations, so that the nations' hands will not rule: one did as Beis Shammai said, giving as his reason “corresponding to the bulls of the festival,” and the other did as Beis Hillel said. The idea rests on a well-known teaching: the seventy bulls that Bnei Yisrael offered on the festival correspond to the seventy nations.7 They were offered so that the nations of the world would receive their life and abundance through Bnei Yisrael, and through this we would have the power to weaken the nations' strength and overcome them.
וּבָזֶה נוּכַל לְבָאֵר מַחֲלוֹקֶת בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּבֵית הִלֵּל, דְּיֵשׁ לוֹמַר דִּלְשׁוֹן חז״ל ׳שְׁנֵי זְקֵנִים׳, מְרַמֵּז לְהַשְׁפָּעַת רַחֲמִים וַחֲסָדִים, עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ הַלָּשׁוֹן (מכילתא בשלח ד) ׳זָקֵן מָלֵא רַחֲמִים׳. וְהוּא רֶמֶז שֶׁשְּׁנֵי זְקֵנִים אֵלּוּ רָצוּ לְהַרְאוֹת הַדֶּרֶךְ לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ שֶׁפַע רַחֲמִים וְחֶסֶד עַל כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגָּלוּת בֵּין הָעַמִּים. וּבָאוּ לוֹמַר, בְּאֵיזֶה אוֹפֶן יוּכְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הָאוּמּוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ יְדֵיהֶם שׁוֹלְטוֹת, אֶחָד עָשָׂה כְּדִבְרֵי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וְנוֹתֵן טַעַם לִדְבָרָיו כְּנֶגֶד פָּרֵי הַחַג, וְהָאֶחָד כְּדִבְרֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל. וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא עַל פִּי הַנּוֹדָע דְּמַה שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁבְעִים פָּרִים בְּקָרְבְּנוֹת הֶחָג הוּא כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים אוּמּוֹת (סוכה נה, ב זוהר ח״ג רנט, א), כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ אוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם אֶת הַחַיּוּת וְהַשֶּׁפַע בְּאֶמְצָעוּת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִהְיֶה כֹּחַ בְּיָדֵינוּ לְהַחֲלִישׁ אֶת כּוֹחָם וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם.
- Mechilta, Beshalach 4. The Mechilta says that at the Sea Hashem appeared like a warrior, and at Sinai like an elder full of mercy. ↩
- Sukkah 55b; Zohar III 259a. ↩
In short“Two elders” hints at mercy; the seventy Sukkos bulls let the nations receive their life through Israel, and that gives Israel the power to weaken them.
5bThis is the reasoning of Beis Shammai, who said that one lights fewer each night, corresponding to the bulls of the festival. They understood that the Greeks' power was weakened by this same force: the abundance comes to the nations through Bnei Yisrael, as with the bulls of the festival. But Beis Hillel say that one adds a light each night, for “we rise in holiness and do not go down.” They mean that at times this first way is not enough to weaken the nations. One must add and rise in holiness and in avodas Hashem, and through this the nations' strength is weakened. This is what the Midrash says: through the power of “The voice is the voice of Yaakov,” the hands of Esav do not rule. So to overcome the nations we must increase our Torah and avodas Hashem, and this is how Israel prevailed over the Greeks.
וְזוֹ הִיא סְבָרַת בֵּית שַׁמַּאי שֶׁאָמְרוּ פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ כְּנֶגֶד פָּרֵי הֶחָג, הַיְינוּ שֶׁהֵבִינוּ שֶׁהָאוֹפָן שֶׁהֶחֱלִישׁוּ אֶת כֹּחַ הַיְוָונִים, הָיָה גַּם כֵּן בְּכֹחַ זֶה שֶׁהַשֶּׁפַע בָּא לְהָאוּמּוֹת דֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּעִנְיַן פָּרֵי הֶחָג. אֲבָל בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ דְּמַעֲלִין בַּקּוֹדֶשׁ וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין, וְכַוָּונָתָם הִיא, דִּפְעָמִים שֶׁאֵין דַּי בָּזֶה לְהַחֲלִישָׁם, אֶלָּא צְרִיכִים לְהוֹסִיף וְלַעֲלוֹת בַּקּוֹדֶשׁ וּבַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה גּוֹרְמִים לְהַחֲלִישׁ כּוֹחָם שֶׁל הָאוּמּוֹת, וּכְדִבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל ׳הַקּוֹל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב׳ אֵין שׁוֹלְטִים יְדֵי עֵשָׂו, הֲרֵי שֶׁבִּכְדֵי לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הָאוּמּוֹת מֵהַצּוֹרֶךְ לְהַרְבּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וּבָזֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ גָּבְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַיְוָונִים.
In shortBeis Shammai saw the Greeks weakened by the bulls’ way; Beis Hillel add that we must rise in holiness, for the voice of Yaakov stops the hands of Esav.
6We find these two ways in the miracle of the cruse of oil as well. The asked, as we saw, why a miracle was needed when impurity is permitted for the community. We may answer as follows. Had no miracle been done, and had Bnei Yisrael lit the Menorah with oil the Greeks had touched, the Greeks would have had a connection to the lighting of the Menorah and a hold on it. But to weaken their power, the Greeks had to receive all their life through Israel, and not the other way around. So the Holy One, blessed be He, performed the miracle and provided new oil, in which the nations had no part at all. By this power Bnei Yisrael overcame the Greeks; this is the first way, that of Beis Shammai. Beyond this, when they fulfilled the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah in their great holiness, they added to their avodah and so weakened the Greeks' power; this is the second way, that of Beis Hillel. That is why it was set for all generations that we add a light each night: to teach that the main thing is to rise in holiness, in Torah and avodah, for through this miracles are done for us.
וְהִנֵּה גַּם בְּעִנְיַן נֵס פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁהָיָה בַּחֲנוּכָּה מָצִינוּ שְׁנֵי דְּרָכִים אֵלּוּ. דְּהִנֵּה עַל קוּשְׁיַית הַפְּנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, מַה צּוֹרֶךְ הָיָה לְהַנֵּס הֲלֹא טוּמְאָה הוּתְּרָה בְּצִיבּוּר, יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, כִּי אִלְמָלֵא הָיָה נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם נֵס, וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ מַדְלִיקִים הַמְּנוֹרָה בְּשֶׁמֶן שֶׁנָּגְעוּ בּוֹ הַיְוָונִים, אֲזַי הָיָה לִיוָונִים שַׁיָּיכוּת וַאֲחִיזָה בְּהַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה, וַהֲרֵי כְּדֵי לְהַחֲלִישׁ כֹּחָם הָיָה מֵהַצּוֹרֶךְ שֶׁהֵם יְקַבְּלוּ כָּל חַיּוּתָם דֶּרֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא לְהֵיפֶךְ, וְלָכֵן עָשָׂה הקב״ה הַנֵּס, וְהִמְצִיא לָהֶם שֶׁמֶן חָדָשׁ אֲשֶׁר בְּשֶׁמֶן זֶה לֹא הָיָה שׁוּם שַׁיָּיכוּת לְהָאוּמּוֹת, וּבְכֹחַ הַזֶּה הִתְגַּבְּרוּ עַל הַיְוָונִים, וְזֶהוּ כְּהַדֶּרֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה דִּלְעֵיל. וּבְנוֹסָף, כַּאֲשֶׁר קִיְּימוּ מִצְוַות הַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה בְּגוֹדֶל קְדוּשָּׁתָם, בָּזֶה הוֹסִיפוּ בַּעֲבוֹדַת שָׁמַיִם, וְגָרְמוּ לְהַחֲלִישׁ כֹּחַ הַיְוָונִים, וּכְדֶרֶךְ הַשֵּׁנִי הַנִּזְכָּר. וְלָכֵן קָבְעוּ לְדוֹרוֹת לִהְיוֹת מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּהַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת, לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁהָעִיקָּר לִהְיוֹת מַעֲלִין בַּקּוֹדֶשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשִׂים לָנוּ נִיסִּים.
In shortNew oil kept the Greeks from the Menorah, and the holy lighting added to Israel's service; rising in holiness is what brings miracles.
7May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us, so that we too can “rise in holiness” in learning Torah and in doing the mitzvos. Amen, may it be His will.
יַעֲזוֹר הקב״ה, שֶׁנּוּכַל גַּם אָנוּ לִהְיוֹת בִּבְחִינַת מַעֲלִין בַּקּוֹדֶשׁ בְּלִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה וּבַעֲשִׂיַּית הַמִּצְוֹות, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we too rise in holiness in learning Torah and doing the mitzvos.
Two elders of Tzidon lit by Beis Shammai’s count, falling like the Sukkos bulls, and by Beis Hillel’s, rising in holiness. Why “elders,” what have lamps to do with bulls, and why was a miracle needed when impure oil was permitted? The Rebbe answers that “elders” hints at mercy, for both showed how Israel overcomes the nations in exile. Beis Shammai’s way follows the seventy bulls: the nations must receive their life through Israel, and so are weakened. Beis Hillel add that this is not always enough; we must rise in Torah and avodah, for when the voice of Yaakov is heard the hands of Esav do not rule. The oil miracle held both ways: new oil the Greeks never touched, lit in great holiness. So we add a light each night: rising in holiness brings miracles.
Takeaway
The Chashmona'im prevailed through the voice of Yaakov, the sound of Torah and good deeds, and through oil that the Greeks had never touched. The way we follow, like Beis Hillel's lamps, is to keep adding a little more Torah and a little more avodah, rising in holiness and never going down. Each night's added flame reminds us that this growth is what brings Hashem's miracles.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.