Aharon's Shame: The Humility That Kindles Light

9aFrom the very beginning [at the Mishkan's dedication] an event like this taught us about Chanukah. Through the trait of shame and submission Aharon earned the lighting of the Menorah and the offering of the korbanos. As Rashi says, “Why are you ashamed? For this you were chosen.”¹ My holy father and teacher, zt"l, explained it:² “For this,” since you have the trait of shame, “you were chosen” for this service. For it needs submission, lowliness and “fear on the face,” which is shame.³

9bUntil the days of Shimon HaTzaddik, the miracle of the Western lamp happened, and no one was stirred by it at all.⁴ Later, when the Greeks defiled the Heichal and it needed chinuch, a new dedication, the Kohen too had to come to the trait of shame, as at the first. He saw the miracle in the oil even on the first night, as the commentators answer,⁵ something that had not happened until then. And he remembered that in earlier times this had happened in Israel constantly and was not counted a miracle at all. Only now, because of the Kohen's low state, was it a miracle. So of itself he came to great shame and extra submission, and through this he earned the lighting of the Menorah, bringing light into the hearts of all Israel. Impurity is in truth set aside for the community, so they did not need this miracle on the first night, as the Chacham Tzvi asks.⁶ Even so, the miracle came because of the love of the mitzvah, that is, so that the mitzvah would be done with the fear, love, submission and lowliness it needs.