From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Trust in Hashem: The Light of Chanukah
Why does the verse say both “Hashem was with him” and “Hashem made succeed,” and where did Rashi find the Name of Heaven on Yosef's lips? How is Avraham's road to the Akeidah tied to Chanukah? And why does the Gemara set Yosef's pit of snakes amid the laws of Chanukah?
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Bereishis 39:3
וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו כִּי יְהֹוָה אִתּוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־הוּא עֹשֶׂה יְהֹוָה מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ
His master saw that Hashem was with him, and that whatever he did, Hashem made succeed in his hand.
Rashi: “That Hashem was with him”: the Name of Heaven was always on his lips.
1“His master saw that Hashem was with him, and that whatever he did, Hashem made succeed in his hand.” Why does the verse say the same thing twice, “Hashem was with him” and “Hashem made succeed in his hand”? explains: “‘Hashem was with him’: the Name of Heaven was always on his lips.” But how did Rashi know to explain the verse this way? It does not seem to be the verse's plain meaning. [The Ramban raised a similar question.1]
וַיַּרְא אֲדוֹנָיו כִּי ה׳ אִיתּוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר הוּא עוֹשֶׂה ה׳ מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ (בראשית לט, ג). צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, מַהוּ כְּפִילוּת הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳ה׳ אִיתּוֹ׳ ו׳ה׳ מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ׳. וְהִנֵּה ברש״י ז״ל אִיתָא, ׳ה׳ אִיתּוֹ׳ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם שָׁגוּר בְּפִיו. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, מְנָא לֵיהּ לרש״י לְפָרֵשׁ הַפָּסוּק כָּךְ, דְּלִכְאוֹרָה אֵין זֶה מַשְׁמָעוּת הַכָּתוּב [וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה הִקְשָׁה הרמב״ן].
- Ramban on Bereishis 39:3. ↩
Sources here
In shortWhy does the verse say “Hashem was with him” and “Hashem made succeed,” and where did Rashi find the Name of Heaven on Yosef's lips?
2Let us first cite what the verse says of Avraham Avinu on his way to the Akeidah, the binding of Yitzchak: “We will go yonder, ad koh.”2 The holy sefarim say that these words hint at Chanukah, which falls on the 25th of Kislev, for the letters of koh, kaf and hei, have the numerical value 25.3 But what connection is there between Avraham Avinu's going to the Akeidah and Chanukah?
וְנַקְדִּים, דְּהִנֵּה אֵצֶל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (בראשית כב, ה) ״נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה״, וְאִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (מאור עיניים מקץ והביאו בבת עין וישב) שֶׁמְּרוּמָּז כָּאן עִנְיַן חֲנוּכָּה שֶׁהוּא בכ״ה כִּסְלֵו, וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין הַשַּׁיָּיכוֹת בֵּין הֲלִיכַת אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה אֶל הָעֲקֵידָה, לַחֲנוּכָּה.
In shortAvraham's “we will go ad koh” hints at Chanukah on the 25th of Kislev; but how is the road to the Akeidah connected to Chanukah?
3There is a second question to explain. The Gemara says, “One who sees a Chanukah lamp must say a blessing.”4 The Rishonim, the early authorities, ask why it is only with the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp that we find a blessing over seeing, and not with any other mitzvah.5
עוֹד יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר, דְּהִנֵּה בַּגְּמָרָא (שבת כג, א סוכה מו, א) אִיתָא, הָרוֹאֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. וְהִקְשׁוּ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים (עיין תוספות סוכה מו, א ד״ה הרואה) מַדּוּעַ רַק בְּמִצְוַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מָצִינוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרְאִיָּה, וְלֹא בִּשְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹת.
In shortWhy, of all the mitzvos, does merely seeing the Chanukah lamp call for a blessing?
4A third question. In the same place, in tractate Shabbos, the Gemara brings this teaching: “‘And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.’ Why does the verse add ‘there was no water in it’? There was no water in it, but there were snakes and scorpions in it.”6 What does this exposition of Chazal have to do with Chanukah, that it appears in the middle of the Gemara's discussion of Chanukah?
עוֹד שָׁם בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (דף כב, א) הֵבִיאוּ מֵימְרָא, ״וְהַבּוֹר רֵיק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם״ (בראשית לז, כד) מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם, מַיִם אֵין בּוֹ אֲבָל נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים יֵשׁ בּוֹ. וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין מַה שַׁיָּיכוּת יֵשׁ לְמִדְרַשׁ חֲכָמִים זֶה עִם עִנְיַן חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁהוּזְכְּרָה מֵימְרָא זוֹ בְּאֶמְצַע הַסּוּגְיָא דַּחֲנוּכָּה.
- Shabbos 22a; Bereishis 37:24. ↩
In shortWhy does the Gemara set the snakes and scorpions of Yosef's pit in the middle of its discussion of Chanukah?
5Let us first cite the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l. He answered the question of the : why do we light for eight days, when on the first day there was no miracle?7 He explained it along the lines of the 's words on the verse “And Bnei Yisrael walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.”8 Even when they walked on dry land, they recognized Hashem's power and His wonders, and to them it was a miracle and a wonder, as though they were walking in the midst of the sea. As Chazal said, “For every single breath, praise Hashem,”9 in the spirit of “He Who told the oil to burn will tell the vinegar to burn.”10 Ordinary nature, too, all comes from Hashem's power. This answers the 's question: even on the first day, the Jews of that time felt that the light came purely from Hashem's kindness, truly like a miracle, and so lighting was established for the first day as well. Those are his holy words.
וְנַקְדִּים אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה, שֶׁאָמַר לְתָרֵץ עַל קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף (סימן עת״ר) לָמָּה מַדְלִיקִים שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים, הֲלֹא בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן לֹא הָיָה הַנֵּס. וּבֵיאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַאֲמָר הַנּוֹעַם אֱלִימֶלֶךְ (ליקוטי שושנה בסופו) בְּבֵיאוּר הַכָּתוּב ״וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם״ (שמות יד, כט), פֵּירוּשׁ שֶׁגַּם בְּעֵת שֶׁהָלְכוּ בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, הִכִּירוּ כֹּחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו, וְהָיָה אֶצְלָם בְּגֶדֶר נֵס וּפֶלֶא כְּאִילּוּ הוֹלְכִים הֵם בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (בראשית רבה יד, ט) עַל כָּל נְשִׁימָה וּנְשִׁימָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ, בִּבְחִינַת ׳מִי שֶׁאָמַר לַשֶּׁמֶן וְיִדְלוֹק הוּא יֹאמַר לַחוֹמֶץ וְיִדְלוֹק׳ (תענית כה, א), שֶׁגַּם הַטֶּבַע הָרָגִיל הַכֹּל הוּא מִכֹּחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ. וּבָזֶה מְיוּשָּׁב קוּשְׁיַית הַבֵּית יוֹסֵף, שֶׁכֵּן אַף בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן הִרְגִּישׁוּ שֶׁהוּא רַק מֵחַסְדֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַמָּשׁ כִּבְחִינַת נֵס, וְלָכֵן קָבְעוּ לְהַדְלִיק גַּם בְּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, עכד״ק.
- Beis Yosef, Orach Chaim 670. The oil that was found was enough for one night, so the miracle of its burning was only on the seven nights that followed. ↩
- Likkutei Shoshanah (printed at the end of Noam Elimelech), at its end; Shemos 14:29. ↩
- Bereishis Rabbah 14:9 (the sefer has 14:11). Chazal read neshamah, “soul,” in “Let every soul praise Hashem” (Tehillim 150:6) as neshimah, “breath.” ↩
- Taanis 25a. R' Chanina ben Dosa said this when his daughter mistakenly filled the Shabbos lamp with vinegar, and it burned. ↩
In shortSeeing Hashem's hand even in nature, the Rebbe's father taught, they counted the first night's natural burning a miracle and lit for it too.
6We can explain this more fully. The Midrash says: “‘And darkness’: this is the kingdom of Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel with its decrees, for it would say to them, ‘Write on the horn of the ox that you have no portion in the God of Israel.’”11 Why did the Midrash not mention the other decrees of Greece as well? Chazal tell us that the Greeks decreed against several mitzvos, Shabbos, circumcision and the sanctifying of the new month,12 and that they decreed against Torah study too, as we say in Al HaNissim.13 But we know that in every generation the nations want, Heaven forbid, to uproot faith in Hashem and trust in Him, and as a result Israel grows cold in its mitzvos and its Torah study as well, until it falls into great slackness. So the Greeks decreed first of all to uproot faith in Hashem, and this is “that you have no portion in the God of Israel.” Their scheme was that the other decrees, such as abolishing those three mitzvos and Torah study, would then follow of themselves. This was the main battle of the Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans: they fought hard to stand against the Greeks for faith, and their name, Maccabi, is formed from the first letters of Mi chamocha ba'eilim Hashem, “Who is like You among the mighty, Hashem?”14 for they did much to make faith in Hashem known.
אָכֵן אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ בְּיֶתֶר בֵּיאוּר, דְּהִנֵּה אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה ב, ד) ׳וְחוֹשֶׁךְ׳ זֶה מַלְכוּת יָוָן שֶׁהֶחֱשִׁיכָה עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגִזְרוֹתֵיהֶן, שֶׁהָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶם כִּתְבוּ לָהֶם עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלוֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, לָמָּה לֹא הִזְכִּירוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ גַּם אֶת שְׁאָר גְּזֵירוֹת מַלְכוּת יָוָן, הֲלֹא אִיתָא בחז״ל (מגילת אנטיוכוס) שֶׁהַיְּוָנִים גָּזְרוּ לְבַטֵּל כַּמָּה מִן הַמִּצְוֹות, שַׁבָּת מִילָה וְחוֹדֶשׁ, וְכֵן גָּזְרוּ עַל לִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה (כדאיתא בעל הניסים). אָכֵן יָדוּעַ, כִּי בְּכָל דּוֹר וְדוֹר הָאוּמּוֹת רוֹצִים לַעֲקוֹר ח״ו אֱמוּנַת ה׳ וּבִטָּחוֹן בַּה׳, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִתְקָרְרִים יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם בְּמִצְוֹות וּבְלִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה, עַד שֶׁבָּאִים לִידֵי רִפְיוֹן גָּדוֹל. לָכֵן תְּחִילָּה גָּזְרוּ הַיְּוָנִים לַעֲקוֹר ח״ו אֱמוּנַת ה׳, וְזֶהוּ ׳שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֶּאֱלוֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳, וּמִזִּימָּתָם הָיְתָה שֶׁמִּמֵּילָא יִתְקַיְּימוּ גַּם שְׁאָר הַגְּזֵירוֹת, כְּגוֹן בִּיטּוּל שְׁלוֹשֶׁת הַמִּצְוֹות הַנִּזְכָּרוֹת, וְלִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה. וְעַל זֶה הָיָה עִיקַּר מִלְחֶמֶת הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים, שֶׁנִּלְחֲמוּ הַרְבֵּה לַעֲמוֹד נֶגֶד הַיְּוָונִים בְּעִנְיַן הָאֱמוּנָה, וְ׳מַכַּבִּי׳ נוֹטָרִיקוֹן ״מִי כָמוֹכָה בָּאֵלִים הַשֵּׁם״ (סדר הדורות), שֶׁהִרְבּוּ לְפַרְסֵם אֱמוּנַת ה׳.
- Bereishis Rabbah 2:4 (the sefer has 2:5); Bereishis 1:2. ↩
- Megillas Antiochus. ↩
- Al HaNissim speaks of the Greeks' attempt “to make them forget Your Torah.” ↩
- Shemos 15:11; Seder HaDoros. ↩
In shortThe Midrash names only the decree against faith because uprooting faith was meant to undo every mitzvah; faith was the Chashmona'im's main battle.
7aThe first in whom we find faith and trust in Hashem is Avraham Avinu, the head of the believers, who rooted this power in the generations after him. This explains how the Akeidah is connected to the miracle of Chanukah. More than anything else, the binding of Yitzchak shows the strength of Avraham Avinu's faith in Hashem. Chazal said, “At three years old Avraham recognized his Creator,”15 yet the strongest test of faith that Avraham Avinu ever faced was the test of the Akeidah.
וְהִנֵּה רֹאשׁ וְרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר מָצִינוּ בּוֹ עִנְיַן אֱמוּנָה וּבִטָּחוֹן בַּה׳, הוּא אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה רֹאשׁ הַמַּאֲמִינִים, אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁרִישׁ וְהִכְנִיס כֹּחַ זֶה לְדוֹרוֹת. וּבָזֶה מְבוֹאָר שַׁיָּיכוּת עִנְיַן הָעֲקֵידָה לְנֵס חֲנוּכָּה, כִּי עִנְיַן עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק מוֹרֶה בְּיוֹתֵר עַל תּוֹקֶף אֱמוּנַת אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ, דְּאַף שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (נדרים לב, א) בֵּן שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים הִכִּיר אַבְרָהָם אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ, אוּלָם מִכָּל מָקוֹם הַנִּסָּיוֹן הֶחָזָק בְּיוֹתֵר בֶּאֱמוּנַת ה׳ שֶׁהָיָה לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה הָיָה נִסָּיוֹן הָעֲקֵידָה.
- Nedarim 32a. ↩
In shortAvraham, head of the believers, rooted faith in the generations; the Akeidah, the strongest test of his faith, is what ties it to Chanukah.
7bAs Chazal said, when the Holy One, blessed be He, told him, “Bring him up there as a burnt offering,” Avraham Avinu could have answered, “Yesterday You said, ‘For through Yitzchak shall offspring be called yours,’ and today You say, ‘Bring him up there as a burnt offering’!”16 Yet he withstood this test through the greatness of his faith in Hashem, whole and simple, and he handed this power down to his children after him, as far as the generation of the Chashmona'im. This is hinted in the verse's words “We will go yonder, ad koh.” With this power, the power of the Akeidah's test, they went on, and its influence reached as far as the time of Chashmonai and his sons. So they were privileged to see the miracle of Chanukah, to which the word koh, the 25th of Kislev, alludes.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל (ירושלמי תענית ב, ד) דְּבִזְמַן שהקב״ה אָמַר לוֹ ״וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעוֹלָה״ (בראשית כב, ב) יָכוֹל הָיָה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לְהָשִׁיב וְלוֹמַר, אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ ״כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע״ (שם כא, יב) וְהַיּוֹם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר ״וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעוֹלָה״, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם עָמַד בָּזֶה הַנִּסָּיוֹן עַל יְדֵי גּוֹדֶל אֱמוּנָתוֹ בַּה׳ בִּשְׁלֵימוּת וּבִתְמִימוּת, וּמָסַר אֶת זֶה הַכֹּחַ לְבָנָיו אַחֲרָיו, עַד לְדוֹרָם שֶׁל הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים. וְזֶה מְרוּמָּז בִּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב ״נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה״, כִּי עִם הַכֹּחַ הַזֶּה שֶׁל נִסָּיוֹן הָעֲקֵידָה הָלְכוּ וְהִשְׁפִּיעוּ עַד לִזְמַן חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וּבָנָיו, וְזָכוּ לְנֵס חֲנוּכָּה הַנִּרְמָז בְּתֵיבַת ׳כֹּה׳.
- Yerushalmi Taanis 2:4; Bereishis 22:2; 21:12. ↩
In shortAvraham withstood the Akeidah through whole faith and passed its power down to the Chashmona'im; “we will go ad koh” hints that it reached the miracle of the 25th of Kislev.
8aThis lets us explain how Chazal's teaching “And the pit was empty …” is connected to Chanukah. In this episode we must ask: how could Reuven go along with the brothers, and even say, “Throw him into the pit”?17 He wanted to save Yosef, yet there were snakes and scorpions in the pit, and he should have feared that they would kill Yosef. But we know that when a tzaddik conducts himself with the middah of trust, the character trait of relying on Hashem, Hashem deals with him measure for measure, above nature, and saves him from danger. So Reuven's heart was confident and secure that Hashem would save Yosef from the snakes.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר שַׁיָּיכוּת דְּרָשַׁת חז״ל וְהַבּוֹר רֵיק וְכוּ׳, לַחֲנוּכָּה. דְּהִנֵּה בְּעִנְיָן זֶה לִכְאוֹרָה צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, אֵיךְ הִסְכִּים רְאוּבֵן וְאָמַר ״הַשְׁלִיכוּ אוֹתוֹ אֶל הַבּוֹר״ (לז, כב), הֲרֵי רָצָה לְהַצִּיל אֶת יוֹסֵף, וַהֲלֹא בַּבּוֹר הָיוּ נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים, וְהָיָה לוֹ לָחוּשׁ פֶּן יַהַרְגוּ אֶת יוֹסֵף. אֶלָּא דְּנוֹדָע שֶׁהַצַּדִּיק אֲשֶׁר מִתְנַהֵג בְּמִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן, אֲזַי ה׳ מִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ מִידָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִידָּה לְמַעְלָה מִן הַטֶּבַע, וּמַצִּיל אוֹתוֹ מִן הַסַּכָּנָה. וְעַל כֵּן הָיָה רְאוּבֵן סָמוּךְ לִבּוֹ וּבָטוּחַ, שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ יַצִּיל אֶת יוֹסֵף מִן הַנְּחָשִׁים,
- Bereishis 37:22. ↩
In shortReuven could put Yosef in a pit of snakes because Hashem saves, above nature, a tzaddik who lives with trust.
8bFor we find that Yosef reached a great level of trust, as the verse says, “that Hashem was with him,” and explains, “The Name of Heaven was always on his lips.” Rashi understood the verse this way from the words just before it, “And he became a successful man.”18 We see that Hashem dealt with Yosef so that he succeeded in everything he did, and this proves how great his trust was. The Name of Heaven was always on his lips, and because of this the Holy One, blessed be He, made him succeed in all his deeds. [“Hashem was with him” is Yosef's trust; “Hashem made succeed” is its result.] And since the middah of trust in Hashem is learned from Chanukah as well, this teaching was placed beside Chanukah.
כִּי מָצִינוּ שֶׁיּוֹסֵף הִגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגַת בִּטָּחוֹן גְּדוֹלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״כִּי ה׳ אִתּוֹ״ וּפֵירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם שָׁגוּר בְּפִיו. וּמַשְׁמַע לרש״י לְפָרֵשׁ כֵּן, מִמַּה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״וַיְהִי אִישׁ מַצְלִיחַ״, דְּמִזֶּה שֶׁמּוֹצְאִים אָנוּ שֶׁה׳ הִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ זוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מַצְלִיחַ בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר הוּא עוֹשֶׂה, זֶה מוֹכִיחַ עַל גּוֹדֶל מִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ, שֶׁשֵּׁם שָׁמַיִם הָיָה שָׁגוּר בְּפִיו, וּבְשֶׁל כָּךְ הִצְלִיחוֹ הקב״ה בְּכָל מַעֲשָׂיו. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁעִנְיַן מִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן בַּה׳ נִלְמַד גַּם מֵעִנְיַן חֲנוּכָּה, לָכֵן נִסְמַךְ מַאֲמָר זֶה לַחֲנוּכָּה.
- Bereishis 39:2. ↩
In shortRashi learns from Yosef's success that the Name of Heaven was on his lips, a sign of great trust; since Chanukah teaches trust, the pit teaching sits beside it.
9This also lets us understand why one who sees the Chanukah lamp says a blessing. The holy sefarim explain that the light of the Chanukah lamp is the light of King Moshiach,19 in the spirit of the verse “I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.”20 In the days of Moshiach, Bnei Yisrael will reach a wondrous level of faith. As the verse says, “When I return your captivity before your eyes, says Hashem.”21 Then they will reach the level of seeing, an exceedingly great level, when faith will be completely clear, and so they will have strong trust in Hashem. On Chanukah, too, Israel was privileged to reach something of this level: to believe with complete and clear faith that everything is done by Hashem's power. This too is a foretaste of the seeing that is to come. That is why we find seeing here: one who sees the Chanukah lamp must say a blessing.
וּבָזֶה אֶפְשָׁר גַּם לְהָבִין הָעִנְיָן מַדּוּעַ הָרוֹאֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מְבָרֵךְ. דְּהִנֵּה מְבוֹאָר בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (מאור עינים מקץ, בני יששכר טבת ג, ד) שֶׁהֶאָרַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה הוּא אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים קלב, יז) ״עָרַכְתִּי נֵר לִמְשִׁיחִי״. וְהִנֵּה בִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ יִזְכּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַדְרֵגָה נִפְלָאָה בֶּאֱמוּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (צפניה ג, כ) ״בְּשׁוּבִי אֶת שְׁבוּתֵיכֶם לְעֵינֵיכֶם אָמַר ה׳״, שֶׁאָז יִזְכּוּ לִבְחִינַת רְאִיָּה אֲשֶׁר זֶהוּ מַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה עַד לִמְאֹד, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הָאֱמוּנָה בְּרוּרָה בִּשְׁלֵימוּת, וּמִמֵּילָא יִהְיֶה אָז לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּטָּחוֹן חָזָק בַּה׳. וּכְעֵין זֶה בַּחֲנוּכָּה זָכוּ גַּם כֵּן לְמַדְרֵגָה הַזֹּאת, לְהַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵימָה וּבְרוּרָה שֶׁהַכֹּל נִפְעָל מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְהוּא גַּם מֵעֵין בְּחִינַת הָרְאִיָּה דִּלְעָתִיד, וּלְפִיכָךְ מָצִינוּ כָּאן עִנְיַן הָרְאִיָּה, שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ.
In shortThe Chanukah lamp shines with Moshiach's light, when faith will be as clear as sight; so seeing the lamp itself calls for a blessing.
10This also explains my holy father's teaching about the first night of Chanukah. The people of that time reached a great level of faith and trust in Hashem, as we have seen, understanding that everything comes from His power. So in their eyes even the lighting on the first day was a miracle.
וּבָזֶה מִתְבָּאֵר דִּבְרֵי קָדְשׁוֹ שֶׁל כ״ק אאמו״ר, כִּי אָז זָכוּ לְמַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁל אֱמוּנָה וּבִטָּחוֹן בַּה׳ כַּנִּזְכָּר, שֶׁהֵבִינוּ שֶׁהַכֹּל מִכֹּחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, וְלָכֵן הָיָה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם גַּם הַהַדְלָקָה שֶׁל הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּגֶדֶר נֵס.
In shortTheir clear faith that everything comes from Hashem, the Rebbe's father taught, made even the first night's lighting a miracle in their eyes.
11May Hashem help us reach the simple faith handed down to us from generation to generation, “in those days, at this time.”22 May Chazal's words be fulfilled in us: “Israel is redeemed only in the merit of faith.”23 And may the hidden light of King Moshiach be revealed to us. Amen, may it be His will.
יַעֲזוֹר הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁנַּגִּיעַ לִידֵי אֱמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה הַמְּסוּרָה לָנוּ מִדּוֹר דּוֹר, בַּיָּמִים הַהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, וִיקוּיַּם בָּנוּ אֲמָרָם ז״ל (ילקוט שמעוני ח״ב רמז תקיט) אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְאָלִים אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הָאֱמוּנָה, וִיגַלֶּה עָלֵינוּ אוֹר הַגָּנוּז שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortMay we reach the simple faith of our fathers, in whose merit Israel is redeemed and the hidden light of Moshiach revealed.
Four questions open the maamar: Yosef's doubled “Hashem,” Avraham's ad koh as a hint of Chanukah, the blessing over merely seeing the Chanukah lamp, and Yosef's pit among the laws of Chanukah. The Rebbe's father, R' Yechiel Yehoshua of Biala, taught that the first night was a miracle too, for those who see Hashem's hand in nature. The Greeks decreed first against faith, knowing the rest would follow, and faith was the Chashmona'im's main battle. That faith began with Avraham, whose test at the Akeidah gave his children strength as far as Chanukah. Reuven trusted that Hashem would save Yosef from the snakes, and Yosef's trust is why he succeeded, so the pit belongs beside Chanukah. On Chanukah Israel tasted the clear faith of Moshiach's days, a kind of seeing: so seeing the lamp calls for a blessing, and even the first night was a miracle in their eyes.
Takeaway
The Greeks knew that once faith is uprooted, mitzvos and Torah study grow cold by themselves. Avraham's faith at the Akeidah came down to us, and Yosef shows it in daily life: the Name of Heaven always on his lips, and Hashem's help above nature in return. The Chanukah lights invite us to see even ordinary nature as Hashem's kindness, a foretaste of the clear faith of the days of Moshiach.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.