From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Humility, Teshuvah and Love: Reuven and the Chanukah Lights
A cryptic Midrash reads one verse of Shir HaShirim as two things: “The mandrakes give off fragrance” is Reuven, and “at our doorways are all choice fruits” is the Chanukah lamp. What could Reuven have to do with the lights of Chanukah?
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Shir HaShirim 7:14
הַדּוּדָאִים נָתְנוּ־רֵיחַ וְעַל־פְּתָחֵינוּ כׇּל־מְגָדִים חֲדָשִׁים גַּם־יְשָׁנִים דּוֹדִי צָפַנְתִּי לָךְ
The mandrakes give off fragrance, and at our doorways are all choice fruits, new and old, which I have stored away for you, my Beloved.
1The Midrash says: “‘The mandrakes give off fragrance’: this is Reuven. ‘And at our doorways are all choice fruits’: this is the Chanukah lamp.”1 What connection does Reuven have with the Chanukah lamp?
אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (מדרש פליאה לא) ״הַדּוּדָאִים נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ״ (שיר השירים ז, יד) זֶה רְאוּבֵן, ״וְעַל פְּתָחֵנוּ כָּל מְגָדִים״ זֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מַה שַׁיָּיכוּת רְאוּבֵן לְנֵר חֲנוּכָּה.
- Midrash Pli'ah §31, a collection of cryptic Midrashic sayings; Shir HaShirim 7:14. Reuven was the one who found the mandrakes, duda'im, in the field (Bereishis 30:14), and the Chanukah lamp is placed at the doorway. ↩
In shortA cryptic Midrash reads one verse as Reuven and the Chanukah lamp; what does Reuven have to do with Chanukah?
2aPerhaps we can explain this through a well-known comment that brings from the Midrash: “When Aharon saw the dedication offerings of the princes, he was disheartened that he had no part with them in the dedication, neither he nor his tribe. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By your life, yours is greater than theirs, for you kindle the lamps and meitiv them, setting them in order.”2 The holy sefer explains this.3 It is the way of tzaddikim, he writes, that even when they are privileged to serve Hashem, they always remain humble and brokenhearted, in the spirit of “and my sin is always before me.”4 So Aharon HaKohen, in his great humility, lowly in his own eyes, imagined that Hashem had not commanded him to bring an offering for his tribe because he surely stood on so low a level that Hashem did not want his offering. When Hashem saw how broken Aharon's heart was, He was pleased that Aharon should kindle the Menorah in this great humility. This is what He told him: “Yours is greater than theirs.” In other words, your broken heart is more precious to Me than all the offerings of the princes.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר, דְּהִנֵּה יְדוּעִים דִּבְרֵי רש״י ז״ל (במדבר ח, ב) שֶׁהֵבִיא מֵהַמִּדְרָשׁ (תנחומא בהעלותך ה), שֶׁכְּשֶׁרָאָה אַהֲרֹן חֲנוּכַּת הַנְּשִׂיאִים, חָלְשָׁה דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה עִמָּהֶם בַּחֲנוּכָּה לֹא הוּא וְלֹא שִׁבְטוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁלְּךָ גְּדוֹלָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁאַתָּה מַדְלִיק וּמֵטִיב אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת. וְאִיתָא בָּזֶה בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ יְשַׂמַּח יִשְׂרָאֵל (חנוכה אות מ), כִּי דַּרְכָּם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, אֲשֶׁר אֲפִילּוּ שֶׁזּוֹכִים לַעֲבוֹד ה׳, מִכָּל מָקוֹם תָּמִיד הֵם בְּהַכְנָעָה וּבְלֵב נִשְׁבָּר, וּבִבְחִינַת ״וְחַטָּאתִי נֶגְדִּי תָמִיד״ (תהלים נא, ה). וְעַל כֵּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן בְּגוֹדֶל עַנְוְותָנוּתוֹ וְהַשִּׁפְלוּת שֶׁהָיָה שָׁפָל בְּעֵינֵי עַצְמוֹ, דִּימָּה בְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ דְּהַטַּעַם שֶׁלֹּא צִוָּה לוֹ הקב״ה לְהַקְרִיב אֶת הַקָּרְבָּן שֶׁל שִׁבְטוֹ, וַדַּאי הוּא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא בְּמַדְרֵגָה פְּחוּתָה כָּל כָּךְ, עַד כְּדֵי כָּךְ שֶׁאֵין הקב״ה רוֹצֶה בַּקָּרְבָּן שֶׁלּוֹ. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הקב״ה אֶת גּוֹדֶל שִׁבְרוֹן לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, הוּטַב בְּעֵינָיו שֶׁיַּדְלִיק בְּהַכְנָעָה גְּדוֹלָה זֹאת אֶת הַמְּנוֹרָה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה ׳שֶׁלְּךָ גָּדוֹל מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם׳, הַיְינוּ דְּזֶה שֶׁאַתָּה בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר, חָשׁוּב אֶצְלִי יוֹתֵר מִכָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁל הַנְּשִׂיאִים.
- Rashi on Bamidbar 8:2 (the sefer has 8:1); Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'aloscha 5. The princes, the heads of the twelve tribes, each brought an offering for the dedication of the altar (Bamidbar 7). ↩
- Yismach Yisrael, Chanukah §40. ↩
- Tehillim 51:5. ↩
In shortAharon’s broken heart is what made his kindling greater than the princes’ offerings: Hashem treasured his humility, as the Yismach Yisrael explains.
2bYet even after Aharon had heard these words from Hashem through Moshe, his humility did not change in the slightest; he remained as lowly as he had been before. The Torah testifies to this: “And Aharon did so,” and Chazal comment, “This tells the praise of Aharon, that he did not deviate.”5 The question here is well known: how could anyone imagine that Aharon HaKohen would deviate from Hashem's will? But the explanation is what we have just seen. Aharon heard that his stature was so great that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired him for the mitzvah of kindling the Menorah. Even so, his broken heart did not change at all, and when he kindled the lamps he was in great humility. Those are his holy words.
אָכֵן אֲפִילּוּ אַחֲרֵי שֶׁכְּבָר שָׁמַע אַהֲרֹן דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ מִפִּי הקב״ה בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה, לֹא שִׁינָּה אֲפִילּוּ בְּמִקְצָת מִמִּידַּת הַכְנָעָתוֹ, וְנִשְׁאַר שְׁפַל בֶּרֶךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה קוֹדֶם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁמְּעִידָה הַתּוֹרָה עָלָיו ׳וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן אַהֲרֹן׳, לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה (ספרי במדבר ס), וְיָדוּעַ הַקּוּשְׁיָא מַה שַׁיָּיךְ אֵצֶל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן שִׁינּוּי מֵרְצוֹן הקב״ה, אַךְ הַפֵּירוּשׁ הוּא כַּנִּזְכָּר, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ אַחֲרֵי שֶׁשָּׁמַע דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ, שֶׁמַּעֲלָתוֹ גְּדוֹלָה כָּל כָּךְ עַד שהקב״ה חָפֵץ בּוֹ לְמִצְוַת הַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה, לֹא נִשְׁתַּנָּה כְּלוּם מִשִּׁבְרוֹן לִיבּוֹ, וּבְעֵת הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת הָיָה בְּהַכְנָעָה גְּדוֹלָה, עכד״ק.
- Bamidbar 8:3; Rashi there; Sifrei Bamidbar 60 (the sefer has Sifrei 8:5). ↩
In shortEven after hearing Hashem’s praise, Aharon stayed as humble as before; that is “And Aharon did so”: he did not change.
3As is well known, a broken heart is a great foundation of teshuvah. For of an arrogant person the Holy One, blessed be He, says, “I and he cannot dwell together.”6 How, then, could such a person return to Hashem? We find that Reuven repented in an outstanding way, so much so that the Midrash says Hashem told him, “You have opened with teshuvah first.”7 We have said that the teshuvah Hashem accepts is the one done out of lowliness. So if Reuven's teshuvah was so pleasing to Hashem that He told him, “You have opened with teshuvah first …,” this proves that Reuven was lowly and brokenhearted. Otherwise his teshuvah would not have been accepted.
וְהִנֵּה מוּדַעַת זֹאת כִּי יְסוֹד גָּדוֹל לִתְשׁוּבָה, לִהְיוֹת בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר. כִּי עַל בַּעַל גַּאֲוָה אוֹמֵר הקב״ה אֵין אֲנִי וְהוּא יְכוֹלִים לָדוּר יַחַד (סוטה ה, א), וְאִם כֵּן אֵיךְ יוּכַל לָשׁוּב לִפְנֵי ה׳. וְהִנֵּה מָצִינוּ בִּרְאוּבֵן שֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה מְעוּלָּה, עַד שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה פד, יט) שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה אַתָּה פָּתַחְתָּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה תְּחִילָּה. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁתְּשׁוּבָה הַנִּרְצֵית הִיא הַנַּעֲשֵׂית מִתּוֹךְ שִׁפְלוּת, אִם כֵּן מִזֶּה שֶׁהָיְתָה הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל רְאוּבֵן רְצוּיָה לִפְנֵי הקב״ה, עַד שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ אַתָּה פָּתַחְתָּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְכוּ׳, מוּכָח שֶׁהָיָה רְאוּבֵן בְּשִׁפְלוּת וּבְלֵב נִשְׁבָּר, כִּי לוּלֵא כֵּן לֹא נִתְקַבְּלָה תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ.
- Sotah 5a (the sefer has 5b). ↩
- Bereishis Rabbah 84:19. Reuven was repenting for having disturbed his father's bed (Bereishis 35:22). ↩
In shortTeshuvah needs a broken heart, so the praise Reuven's teshuvah received proves that he was lowly and brokenhearted.
4The same was true of the Chashmona'im, the Hasmoneans, as has been explained elsewhere. The rule is that a miracle is drawn down from Above only through an arousal from below, a stirring that begins with man. So in the days of the Chashmona'im the people surely stirred themselves to proper teshuvah, in lowliness and with a broken heart. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, bestowed miracles on them and, as we say in Al HaNissim, delivered “the mighty into the hands of the weak.” The word “weak” hints at the middah they possessed, the character trait of lowliness: they were weak in their own eyes.
וְעִנְיָן זֶה הָיָה גַּם אֵצֶל הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁהַכְּלָל הוּא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אִיתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא כְּדֵי לְהַמְשִׁיךְ נֵס מִלְּעֵילָא, וְאִם כֵּן בְּוַדַּאי בִּימֵי הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים הִתְעוֹרְרוּ הֵם לִתְשׁוּבָה כָּרָאוּי בְּשִׁפְלוּת וּבְלֵב נִשְׁבָּר, וְלָכֵן הִשְׁפִּיעַ הקב״ה עֲלֵיהֶם הַנִּיסִּים, וּמָסַר גִּיבּוֹרִים בְּיַד חַלָּשִׁים, וְ׳חַלָּשִׁים׳ מְרַמֵּז שֶׁהָיוּ בְּמִידַּת שִׁפְלוּת, שֶׁהָיוּ חַלָּשִׁים בְּעֵינֵי עַצְמָם.
Sources here
In shortThe Chanukah miracle too came through teshuvah in lowliness; Al HaNissim's “weak” are those who were weak in their own eyes.
5Midrash Tanchuma says something along the same lines.8 The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe: “Go and tell Aharon: You are destined for something greater than this. … But the lamps, forever, ‘toward the face of the Menorah they shall give light.’” The Ramban writes that this refers to the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamps, which endures for all generations, even in the time of exile.9 That is, Aharon HaKohen's service in kindling the Menorah, done in great humility and with a broken heart, stood Israel in good stead and awakened the miracle of Chanukah, for the Jews of that time repented properly, in humility and lowliness.
וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה אִיתָא בְּמִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא (בהעלותך ה, ועיין במדבר רבה טו, ו), אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה לְמֹשֶׁה, לֵךְ אֱמוֹר לְאַהֲרֹן, לִגְדוּלָּה מִזּוֹ אַתָּה מְתוּקָּן וְכוּ׳, אֲבָל הַנֵּרוֹת לְעוֹלָם אֶל מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִירוּ. וְאִיתָא ברמב״ן ז״ל, שֶׁהַכַּוָּונָה לְמִצְוַת נֵרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה שֶׁמִּצְוָתָם קַיֶּימֶת לְדוֹרוֹת עוֹלָם גַּם בְּעֵת הַגָּלוּת. וְהַיְינוּ, שֶׁעֲבוֹדַת אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן בְּהַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה, שֶׁהָיְתָה בְּהַכְנָעָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבְשִׁבְרוֹן לִבּוֹ, זֶה עָמַד לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹרֵר הַנֵּס שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁבָּאוּ לִתְשׁוּבָה כָּרָאוּי בְּהַכְנָעָה וּבְשִׁפְלוּת.
- Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'aloscha 5; see Bamidbar Rabbah 15:6; Bamidbar 8:2. ↩
- Ramban on Bamidbar 8:2. The Ramban explains that the Midrash alludes to the Chanukah lamps kindled by Aharon's descendants, the Chashmona'im. ↩
In shortAharon's humble kindling, which the Ramban links to the Chanukah lamps, helped awaken the miracle when Israel repented in lowliness.
6Following this approach, the words of the Yalkut quoted at the start are well explained:10 “‘The mandrakes give off fragrance’: this is Reuven. ‘And at our doorways are all choice fruits’: this is the Chanukah lamp.” The two belong together, because in both we find lowliness, as we have explained.
וּלְפִי דַּרְכֵּנוּ, מְבוֹאָר לְנָכוֹן דִּבְרֵי הַיַּלְקוּט, ׳הַדּוּדָאִים נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ זֶה רְאוּבֵן, וְעַל פְּתָחֵינוּ כָּל מְגָדִים זֶה נֵר חֲנוּכָּה׳, דְּיֵשׁ שַׁיָּיכוּת בֵּין שְׁנֵי עִנְיָינִים אֵלּוּ, דְּבִשְׁנֵיהֶם מָצִינוּ עִנְיַן הַשִּׁפְלוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר.
- So the sefer here; at the start it cites the saying from Midrash Pli'ah §31. ↩
In shortReuven and the Chanukah lamp share one verse because both show teshuvah rooted in lowliness.
7What emerges from our words is that the days of Chanukah are days of teshuvah. We know that the avodah of the Days of Awe continues until these days. On the Days of Awe themselves, though, the avodah is teshuvah out of fear, while afterward, on Sukkos, comes a time of teshuvah out of love, as the holy sefarim write. In the words of the holy Zohar, “Imma Ila'ah, the Higher Mother, shelters over them like a mother over her children,”11 and this points to love. Chanukah, too, is a time of teshuvah out of love. When the miracle was done for them, they returned to Hashem out of love, a love born of the miracle.
הַיּוֹצֵא מִדְּבָרֵינוּ, כִּי יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה הֵם יְמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, וְנוֹדַע דַּעֲבוֹדַת הַיָּמִים הַנּוֹרָאִים נִמְשֶׁכֶת עַד יָמִים אֵלּוּ, אֶלָּא דְּבַיָּמִים הַנּוֹרָאִים הָיְתָה הָעֲבוֹדָה בִּבְחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה מִיִּרְאָה, אֲבָל לְאַחַר מִכֵּן בְּסוּכּוֹת הוּא זְמַן שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ הַסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, וְכִדְאִיתָא בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (ח״ג רנה, ב) אִימָּא עִילָּאָה לִסְכָכָא עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּאִמָּא עַל בְּנִין, שֶׁזֶּה מוֹרֶה עַל בְּחִינַת אַהֲבָה. וּכְמוֹ כֵּן בַּחֲנוּכָּה הוּא גַּם כֵּן זְמַן שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה, שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם הַנֵּס, שָׁבוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה מִתּוֹךְ אַהֲבַת הַנֵּס.
- Zohar III 255b, on the sukkah. Imma Ila'ah, “the Higher Mother,” is a Kabbalistic name for the sefirah of Binah. ↩
In shortChanukah carries on the teshuvah of the Days of Awe, but like Sukkos it is teshuvah out of love, born of love for the miracle.
8[12This explains what Chazal say of the days of Chanukah: “They established them and made them yamim tovim, festive days, with Hallel and thanksgiving.”13 Notice the wording: why are they called yamim tovim? Work is not forbidden on them; only eulogies and fasting are. And the plain sense of Yom Tov points to a day on which work is forbidden. But from our words it emerges that Chanukah is a time especially suited for teshuvah, for setting false beliefs right. The Gemara says, “There were no yamim tovim for Israel like the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur,”14 and it explains: “Yom Kippur, because it has forgiveness and pardon.”15 This implies that Yom Kippur is called a Yom Tov because it is a day of forgiveness, and not necessarily because work is forbidden on it. If so, the days of Chanukah, which are especially suited for teshuvah for blemished thought and for setting beliefs right, are rightly called yamim tovim.]
*[וּלְפִי זֶה מְבוֹאָר מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (כא, ב) קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה. וְיֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק מַדּוּעַ נִקְרְאוּ ׳יָמִים טוֹבִים׳, אַחַר שֶׁאֵינָם אֲסוּרִים בִּמְלָאכָה אֶלָּא בְּהֶסְפֵּד וּבְתַעֲנִית, וּבְפַשְׁטוּת לְשׁוֹן ׳יוֹם טוֹב׳ מוֹרֶה עַל אִיסּוּר מְלָאכָה. אָכֵן לְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ נִמְצָא שֶׁחֲנוּכָּה הוּא עֵת מוּכְשָׁר לִתְשׁוּבָה לְתַקֵּן הַדֵּיעוֹת הַכּוֹזְבוֹת, וְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת תַּעֲנִית (כו, ב) לֹא הָיוּ יָמִים טוֹבִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּאָב וּכְיוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים, וּמְפָרֵשׁ בַּגְּמָרָא (ל, ב) יוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים מִשּׁוּם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ סְלִיחָה וּמְחִילָה, וּמַשְׁמַע שֶׁמִּפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא יוֹם סְלִיחָה נִקְרָא יוֹם טוֹב, וְלָאו דַּוְקָא מִפְּנֵי אִיסּוּר מְלָאכָה שֶׁבּוֹ. וְאִם כֵּן גַּם יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה הַמְּסוּגָּלִים לִתְשׁוּבָה עַל פְּגַם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה וּלְתַקֵּן הַדֵּיעוֹת, שַׁפִּיר נִקְרָאִים הֵם ׳יָמִים טוֹבִים׳.
In shortWork is allowed on Chanukah, yet its days are yamim tovim: like Yom Kippur, they are days of teshuvah and forgiveness.
9[We may also say this. We know that if Israel needs the Holy One, blessed be He, to show it miracles, it must awaken the miracle through an arousal from below. That is, we conduct ourselves in His service above the way of nature, with mesirus nefesh, the readiness to give one's life, for His honor. In return an arousal from Above is awakened, and He conducts Himself with us in a way of miracles, above nature. With Reuven, who saved Yosef, we find an act of mesirus nefesh. Reuven knew that the brothers would not be pleased, and still he wanted to save Yosef and acted to do it. So it was on Chanukah too. As is well known, the Jewish people and the Chashmona'im gave their lives to keep the Torah and the mitzvos. Through this they were privileged to see Hashem act with them through miracles, in the victory in battle and in the miracle of the cruse of oil. This is the connection between Reuven and Chanukah.]
עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר, דְּיָדוּעַ כִּי בְּאִם צְרִיכִים יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיַּרְאֶה לָהֶם הקב״ה נִיסִּים, צְרִיכִים לְעוֹרֵר הַנֵּס עַל יְדֵי אִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא, וְהוּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאָנוּ מִתְנַהֲגִים בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ לְמַעְלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לִכְבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, עַל יְדֵי כֵּן מִתְעוֹרֵר כְּנֶגֶד זֶה אִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָא לְהִתְנַהֵג עִמָּנוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁל נִיסִּים מֵעַל הַטֶּבַע. וְהִנֵּה בִּרְאוּבֵן שֶׁהִצִּיל אֶת יוֹסֵף מָצִינוּ מַעֲשֵׂה מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁהֲרֵי יָדַע רְאוּבֵן שֶׁלֹּא יִיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי הָאַחִים, וְעִם כָּל זֹאת רָצָה וּפָעַל לְהַצִּיל אֶת יוֹסֵף. וְכֵן הָיָה בַּחֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְהַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים מָסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם לְמַעַן שְׁמִירַת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹות כַּיָּדוּעַ, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה זָכוּ לְהַנְהָגַת נִיסִּית בְּנִצְחוֹן הַמִּלְחָמָה וּבְנֵס פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן. וְזֶה בֵּיאוּר הַשַּׁיָּיכוֹת בֵּין רְאוּבֵן לַחֲנוּכָּה.
In shortReuven risked his brothers' anger to save Yosef, and the Chashmona'im gave their lives; such mesirus nefesh draws miracles above nature.
10[There is yet another way to explain it. The verse says, “And Reuven heard, and he saved him from their hands, and he said … ‘Throw him into this pit.’”16 Afterward Reuven saw that there were snakes and scorpions in the pit, as Chazal said,17 and he saw that a great miracle had been done: even so, they did not harm Yosef HaTzaddik at all. Then, so great was his love for the miracle that Reuven repented out of love. This is the meaning of “Reuven returned to the pit,”18 on which Chazal said: “Where had he been? … With his sackcloth and his fasting.”19 It is also what Chazal meant by “‘The mandrakes give off fragrance’: this is Reuven, who saved Yosef.” Through saving Yosef he came to teshuvah out of love, and teshuvah is a kind of fragrance.20]
עוֹד יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר, דְּהִנֵּה כְּתִיב (בראשית לז, כא) ״וַיִּשְׁמַע רְאוּבֵן וַיַּצִּילֵהוּ מִיָּדָם, וַיֹּאמֶר וְכוּ׳ הַשְׁלִיכוּ אוֹתוֹ אֶל הַבּוֹר הַזֶּה״, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁרָאָה שֶׁהָיוּ בּוֹ נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים כְּמַאֲמַר חז״ל (שבת כב, א), וְרָאָה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לוֹ נֵס גָּדוֹל, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא הִזִּיקוֹ כְּלָל לְיוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, אֲזַי מִגּוֹדֶל אַהֲבַת הַנֵּס עָשָׂה רְאוּבֵן תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם, כט) ״וַיָּשָׁב רְאוּבֵן אֶל הַבּוֹר״ וְאָמְרוּ חז״ל (בראשית רבה פד, יט) וְהֵיכָן הָיָה וְכוּ׳ בְּשַׂקּוֹ וּבְתַעֲנִיתוֹ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל ״הַדּוּדָאִים נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ״ זֶה רְאוּבֵן שֶׁהִצִּיל אֶת יוֹסֵף, הַיְינוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַצָּלַת יוֹסֵף בָּא לִידֵי תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה, דִּתְשׁוּבָה הִיא בְּחִינַת ׳רֵיחַ׳ (עיין רש״י שיר השירים ב יג).
- Bereishis 37:21–22 (the sefer has 37:21). ↩
- Shabbos 22a. ↩
- Bereishis 37:29. ↩
- Bereishis Rabbah 84:19 (the sefer has 84:14). ↩
- See Rashi on Shir HaShirim 2:13, who reads the vines that “give forth fragrance” as those who repented and were accepted. ↩
In shortSeeing Yosef unharmed among snakes and scorpions moved Reuven to repent out of love, and that teshuvah is the mandrakes' “fragrance.”
11[The Midrash continues: “‘And at our doorways are all choice fruits’: these are the Chanukah lamps.”21 Just as Reuven, when he saved Yosef, repented out of love because of the miracle, so it was at the time of the Chanukah miracle. When Bnei Yisrael saw the great miracles done for them, they repented out of love. With this the connection between Reuven and Chanukah is well settled.]
וּמַמְשִׁיךְ הַמִּדְרָשׁ ״וְעַל פְּתָחֵינוּ כָּל מְגָדִים״ זֶה נֵרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁבִּרְאוּבֵן כְּשֶׁהִצִּיל אֶת יוֹסֵף מָצִינוּ שֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה מֵחֲמַת הַנֵּס, כֵּן הָיָה גַּם בִּזְמַן נֵס חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁרָאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַנִּיסִּים הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם, עָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה. וּבָזֶה מְיוּשָּׁב אֶל נָכוֹן שַׁיָּיכוּת רְאוּבֵן לַחֲנוּכָּה.
- The sefer quotes it here as “the Chanukah lamps”; above, “the Chanukah lamp.” ↩
In shortOn Chanukah, too, great miracles moved Bnei Yisrael to repent out of love, so the Chanukah lamps follow Reuven in the Midrash.
12[This also lets us explain why the Gemara, in the middle of its discussion of Chanukah, brings the teaching “‘And the pit was empty; there was no water in it’ … but there were snakes and scorpions in it.”22 From our words we may say that this teaching shows us teshuvah out of love, born of love for a miracle, as we found with Reuven. The very same thing happened in the miracle of Chanukah, as we have seen, and so the connection is well explained.]
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר מַדּוּעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַסּוּגְיָא שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה, הוּבָא מַאֲמָר וְהַבּוֹר רֵיק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם וְכוּ׳ אֲבָל נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים יֵשׁ בּוֹ. אַךְ לְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, שֶׁמֵּהַדְּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת יֵשׁ לִלְמוֹד אֶת עִנְיַן הַתְּשׁוּבָה מִתּוֹךְ אַהֲבָה מֵאַהֲבַת הַנֵּס, כִּדְמָצִינוּ בִּרְאוּבֵן כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, וְזֶה הָעִנְיָן מַמָּשׁ הָיָה גַּם בְּנֵס חֲנוּכָּה כַּנִּזְכָּר, וּמְבוֹאָר לְנָכוֹן הַשַּׁיָּיכוֹת].
- Shabbos 22a; Bereishis 37:24. ↩
In shortThe Gemara sets the pit's snakes and scorpions within its Chanukah discussion because both teach teshuvah out of love for a miracle.
13May Hashem grant that, in the merit and by the power of the Chanukah lamps, we take upon ourselves “A mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light,”23 and that we be privileged to see the hidden light at the coming of Moshiach. Amen, may it be His will.
יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁנְּקַבֵּל עָלֵינוּ בִּזְכוּת וּבְכֹחַ אוֹרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה ״נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר״ (משלי ו, כג), וְנִזְכֶּה לְאוֹר הַגָּנוּז בְּבִיאַת מָשִׁיחַ, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
- Mishlei 6:23. ↩
In shortMay we take on, through the Chanukah lamps, the lamp of mitzvah and the light of Torah, and see Moshiach's hidden light.
A Midrash reads “The mandrakes give off fragrance” as Reuven and “at our doorways are all choice fruits” as the Chanukah lamp. The Rebbe begins with the Yismach Yisrael: Aharon kindled the Menorah with a broken heart that Hashem prized above all the princes’ offerings, and he stayed just as humble after hearing it. Teshuvah needs such lowliness, so Hashem’s praise of Reuven’s teshuvah shows he was brokenhearted; the Chashmona’im, too, repented in lowliness, “weak” in their own eyes, and Aharon’s humble kindling helped awaken their miracle. Both halves of the verse share lowliness, and Chanukah, like Sukkos, is also teshuvah out of love. An added passage goes further: Chanukah’s days are yamim tovim as days of forgiveness; Reuven’s mesirus nefesh, like the Chashmona’im’s, drew miracles; and Reuven repented out of love on seeing Yosef unharmed among snakes and scorpions, as Israel did after the Chanukah miracle.
Takeaway
Aharon's kindling was dearer to Hashem than all the princes' offerings because it came from a broken heart, and he stayed humble even after hearing how great he was. Reuven's teshuvah and the teshuvah of the Chanukah generation grew from that same lowliness, and from a love stirred by seeing Hashem's miracles. In these days we too can return to Hashem humbly, with a love that grows as we notice the miracles He does for us.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.