Chanukah and Chanun: Grace Beyond Merit
Name a tzaddik: tap for who he wasTitle a sefer
Tehillim 67:2
אֱלֹהִים יְחָנֵּנוּ וִיבָרְכֵנוּ יָאֵר פָּנָיו אִתָּנוּ סֶלָה
May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He make His face shine upon us, selah.
46aThe Maharsha gives a reason for the name Chanukah [in 's Chiddushei Aggados on Shabbos 21, in these words: "It seems to me that it is called Chanukah after the dedication (chanukas) of the Altar …"].1 Perhaps we may explain it through the verse that asks God to be gracious to us, to bless us and to make His face shine upon us, selah. The Chanukah lamp had to endure for the generations, as the Holy One, blessed be He, promised Aharon, "Yours is greater than theirs [the princes' offerings]," and as explains.2 So the miracle came from the attribute of Chanun, "Gracious," which is a free gift, given even to one who is not worthy or deserving, as Chazal say.3 Even if the generations to come are not worthy in themselves, the holiness of these days and the time of favor will awaken again and return as they first were, as with all the festivals. This is "May God be gracious to us": with a free gift. "And bless us": afterward blessing will rest on the work of our hands, as the blessing rested in the Menorah. Through this, "may He make His face shine upon us, selah": the shining of His face and His favor will be selah, forever, and will awaken for all time.
[יח] טַעַם לִקְרִיאַת שֵׁם חֲנוּכָּה עַיֵּין במהרש"א [באגדות מהרש"א שבת כ"א. וז"ל וְנִרְאֶה לְפָרֵשׁ דְּנִקְרָא חֲנוּכָּה ע"ש חֲנוּכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְכוּ'] אוּלַי י"ל בָּזֶה כִּי כָּתוּב (תהלים ס"ז) אֱלֹקִים יְחָנֵּנוּ וִיבָרְכֵנוּ יָאֵר פָּנָיו אִתָּנוּ סֶלָה. הַיְינוּ שֶׁיַּעַן שֶׁהַנֵּר הַזֶּה הֵי' נָחוּץ שֶׁיְּהִי' לְדוֹרוֹת וּכְהַבְטָחַת הקב"ה לְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁלְּךָ גְּדוֹלָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, וְכַמְּבוֹאָר ברמב"ן (פ' בהעלותך) לָכֵן הֵי' הַנֵּס מִמִּדַּת חַנּוּן שֶׁהוּא מַתְּנַת חִנָּם אעפ"י שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְּדַאי וְאֵינוֹ הָגוּן וכדחז"ל. שֶׁאַף אִם הַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים לֹא יְהִי' רְאוּיָם מִצַּד עַצְמָם יִתְעוֹרֵר ג"כ קְדוּשַּׁת הַיָּמִים וְעֵת רָצוֹן וְשֶׁיַּחֲזוֹר לִמְצִיאוּת הָרִאשׁוֹן כְּכָל הַמּוֹעֲדִים וְזֶה אֱלֹקִים יְחָנֵּנוּ בְּמַתְּנַת חִנָּם וִיבָרְכֵנוּ שֶׁיִּשְׁרֶה אח"כ הַבְּרָכָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהֵי' בַּמְּנוֹרָה הַבְּרָכָה. ועי"ז יָאֵר פָּנָיו אִתָּנוּ סֶלָה שֶׁהֶאָרַת הַפָּנִים וְהָרָצוֹן יְהִי' סֶלָה וְיִתְעוֹרֵר לָעַד.
- Maharsha, Chiddushei Aggados, Shabbos 21b. ↩
- Rashi on Bamidbar 8:2; Ramban there, who reads the promise as a hint of the Chanukah lights of the Chashmona'im, which continue even after the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. ↩
- Berachos 7a, on "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious" (Shemos 33:19): "even though he is not deserving." ↩
In shortThe Chanukah light had to last for all generations, so its miracle came from Chanun, a free gift that reawakens these days' favor even for the unworthy.
46bThe Gilyon HaTosafos explains that the attribute of Chanun is to pity one who cries out, even without right.4 We have explained their words this way. The lender truly acted against the Torah's law by not returning the pledge, and a beis din compels a person to keep a positive mitzvah. Even so, the borrower who cries out is crying without right: "You borrowed money from him and gave him the pledge, so how can you cry out against him?" Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, listens, as it says, "I will listen, for I am gracious (chanun)."5 The Baalei HaTosafos explain the same in Parshas Mishpatim.6 That is why Chanukah was established for thanksgiving and praise: the time is fit for mercy on those who cry out and pray for good. It follows all the more, since the measure of good is greater:7 He Who hears a cry [against another] will hear a prayer for good, even from those who cried out not as the law allows, Heaven forbid, for such is the attribute of Chanun. This answers why it is called Chanukah: they were worthy of the attribute of chen, grace, which derives from Chanun.8
וּמְבוֹאָר בְּגִלְיוֹן הַתּוֹס' (ר"ה י"ז ע"ב) שֶׁמִּדַּת חַנּוּן הִיא לָחוּס עַל הַצּוֹעֵק אַף שֶׁלֹּא כַּדִּין. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם שֶׁאַף שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת עָשָׂה הַמַּלְוֶ' שֶׁלֹּא כְּדַת הַתּוֹרָה לְהָשִׁיב הָעֲבוֹט. וב"ד כּוֹפִין עַל מ"ע. אעפי"כ הַלֹּוֶה צוֹעֵק שֶׁלֹּא כַּדִּין. כִּי אַתָּה לָוִיתָ אֶצְלוֹ מָעוֹת וְנָתַתָּ לוֹ הָעֲבוֹט וְאֵיךְ אַתָּה צוֹעֵק עָלָיו. אעפי"כ הקב"ה שׁוֹמֵעַ. וכש"נ וְשָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי חַנּוּן אָנִי. וְכֵן מְבוֹאָר בְּבַעֲלֵי הַתּוֹסָ' פ' מִשְׁפָּטִים עיי"ש. וּלְכָךְ נִתְקַן לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל שֶׁהָעֵת מוּכְשָׁר לְרַחֵם עַל הַצּוֹעֲקִים וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים לְטוֹבָה בְּקַל וָחוֹמֶר מִדָּה טוֹבָה מְרוּבָּה. אַף שֶׁהֵי' צוֹעֲקִים שֶׁלֹּא כַּדָּת ח"ו כִּי כֵן הוּא מִדַּת חַנּוּן. וְלָכֵן נִקְרָא חֲנוּכָּה שֶׁזָּכוּ לְמִדַּת חֵן הַנִּגְזָר מֵחַנּוּן (כתי"ק):
- Gilyon HaTosafos on Rosh Hashanah 17b, as the sefer cites it. ↩
- Shemos 22:26. ↩
- Shemos 22:25–26. The Chizkuni there gives this reading: though the lender has a claim on the pledge, "I will listen to him, for I am gracious." ↩
- Sotah 11a; Yoma 76a. ↩
- The sefer's note, added by his son, the editor: printed from his own handwriting. ↩
In shortChanun hears even a cry that has no claim, so Chanukah, named for the grace of Chanun, is a time of compassion for all who cry out and pray for good.
Takeaway
Chanukah's light comes from Hashem's free grace, which returns each year whether or not we have earned it. Use these days to give thanks and to pour out your prayers, trusting not in your own worth but in the attribute of Chanun, Who hears even a cry that has no claim.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Yerachmiel Yisroel Yitzchok Danziger of Alexander. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.