There is the famous question posed by the Bais Yosef: Why do
we kindle the Chanukah lights for eight days? Wasn't there
enough oil in the menorah of the Beis Hamikdosh to burn for
that first day? As such, that first day should be no miracle,
and we would remain with the miracle of the oil lasting for
only seven days, not eight.
To this, der velt answers the following: When one
contemplates the Chanukah miracle -- that the oil, which was
truly enough for only one day, lasted for eight days -- one
comes to the realization that teva-nature is also a
miracle.
What is the true difference between nature and miracle?
Hashem created His World from nothing at all, and it
wondrously continues to exist. We have simply become
accustomed to it. Man is born into this world where the sun
shines by day and the moon illuminates the night. Everything
follows its own course and natural setting, and therefore
does not impress us at all -- until something new and
unexpected occurs.
Yet, when one contemplates the goings-on of this world and is
forced to realize that every aspect of nature is indeed a
miracle, then one can understand why Chanukah is celebrated
for eight days. We are celebrating the first day of "natural"
phenomena, in addition to the seven days of miracle.
This is precisely what we sing in the song "Mo'oz Tzur:"
"Bnei binoh, yemei shemonoh, kov'u shir urenonim." The
Bnei binoh, those who comprehend the true meaning, are
the ones who determined that we celebrate for eight days.
They truly understood that through the seven days of miracle
one must also give thanks for "regular" nature as part of
this miracle.
We can more deeply understand this concept with the
following: There was once a tremendously gifted and talented
musician in America. The music halls would overflow with the
crowds when he held a performance. People flocked from all
over to hear his music and original compositions. Yet, this
musician felt that in truth, the general populace did not
appreciate his musical genius. He proved his feelings with
the following incident:
He was once walking along the streets of New York, when he
suddenly stopped and began to play his music. Not one of the
passersby halted to listen and indeed, no one paid him any
attention at all. This musician therefore concluded that
people do not even begin to appreciate the beauty and quality
of his music. It is just that in the whole world, a few
individuals are attuned and do indeed have musical
inclination, which enables them to appreciate his genius in
song. They spread the word, and everyone else, hearing that
this musician is something extraordinary, came running along
to the concerts as well. The masses have no personal
appreciation because they are generally not musical enough to
value his songs.
This musician was mistaken, though. People did appreciate his
music. Yet when a pedestrian is walking along the street and
immersed in thought, he is not listening for music, and would
therefore pay no attention even if the finest melodies reach
his ears. However, if that same person were to concentrate on
the fact that one of the world's greatest musicians is
standing before him on the sidewalk and he is about to hear
the finest of compositions, of course this passerby will
value and truthfully appreciate the high quality talent he is
about to encounter.
We can apply the same concept to our subject. Generally,
mankind does not contemplate the greatness in Hashem's
creation. We just don't look out for it, so immersed are we
in our day-to-day lives. Yet, if we would just stop to think
for a moment about the awesome metamorphosis of a tiny
seedling which has blossomed into a tall tree whose branches
reach the very heavens, or the wondrous phenomena of tens and
tens of baby fish hatching and developing into live
creatures, all in the murky depths of the oceans -- for
example -- we would very quickly come to the realization of
what nature truly is: one big marvel.
It has been said that nature is just one constant miracle. It
is only that our daily routines have obstructed our vision,
and therefore conceal the miracle of nature from our eyes.
It is the same with our learning and, in truth, with
everything. If a person contemplates a subject and will
therefore appreciate better its deeper meaning, it would
completely change his previous outlook on the topic.
Of course, it is possible to learn superficially, simply
passing over the gemora. But, if one reviews his
studies over and over, delving far deeper than just the
poshuteh pshat, he will certainly encounter ideas and
concepts that had not occurred to him the first time around,
and would never have entered his mind. He suddenly is
confronted with a new sugya, which he had not realized
existed.
Certainly, this is not to say that one should not acquire a
bekius in Torah. On the contrary, one should strive
towards this important goal, and even set himself up with a
kevius for bekius only.
Yet, the ben Torah must know that his bekius
could come later, while his derech halimud, and
his depth and understanding of Torah, must mainly be acquired
during his years in yeshiva. Once a young bochur
leaves yeshiva, it will be very difficult for him to
master this deeper understanding on his own.
We must also remember that many times, the physical existence
of a ben Torah is not always so rich and expansive.
Moreover, when he sees a friend who has long left the halls
of the beis medrash for the business world and has
acquired a fine parnossoh and enjoys a very
comfortable lifestyle, the ben Torah can experience
feelings of jealousy.
Yet, one must realize that there is no room for envy here. In
the words of my great father zt"l (HaRav Eliyahu
Lopian), we can learn from the weekly parshiyos we are
reading now that a person cannot judge a situation from its
present state. Rather, he should look ahead to see what the
future holds in store for him.
For example, Yosef, a young seventeen-year-old, was separated
by his own brothers from his beloved father. He was sold as a
slave in the most degrading manner and was led down to
Mitzrayim, among goyim, all alone. Anyone who saw
Yosef's situation would have pitied him tremendously. What a
terrible fate he was suffering!
Yet, what was the end of the story? Yosef became the viceroy
over the entire Egypt, enjoying power and affluence that
overshadowed his sorry beginning in every way.
In contrast, we look at Yaakov Ovinu. He was escorted to
Mitzrayim with the greatest pomp and ceremony, to finally be
reunited with his long-lost son who now held the greatest
position possible in those days. He was going to enjoy all
the physical comforts and honors in the care of his esteemed
and favorite son, and was greeted with the greatest
outpouring of kovod.
Yet, the Medrash (Rabba, Vayeishev 86) tells us that
Yaakov should have gone down to Mitzrayim in chains; He was
in reality beginning the golus. However, Hakodosh
Boruch Hu said, "He is my precious son; can I lead him
down to Mitzrayim in a shameful state?" And so, Yaakov Ovinu
went down with the greatest honor, surrounded by his children
and grandchildren, to enjoy a peaceful old age. Surely, many
envied his state. In reality, though, this was to be the
beginning of a long and difficult exile, which was nothing to
warrant any jealousy at all.
The ben Torah's future is really the thing that
counts. Eternity is his, and the long-awaited Redemption,
which all of Klal Yisroel awaits, will be largely the
ben Torah's to enjoy. It will bring him to greater
heights for nitzchiyus. Although the present does not
shimmer with richness and prosperity, the future is a
different story altogether. The future is the ben
Torah's!
Oh! That we be zoche, with Hashem's help, to learn
this lesson from the neiros Chanukah. Just as the
Chashmonaim established the celebration of Chanukah for eight
days, which shows their obvious ability to capture more than
just the superficial miracle, we should guide our lives in
the same manner. We should focus our own outlooks with deeper
thought and reflection. We should constantly remember that by
hisbonenus -- contemplation -- we will emerge with a
totally different point of view, which will bring us to
greater and greater heights.
The above article, which has been adapted and translated
with permission, appeared in the twelfth edition of the bi-
annually published Kol Hatorah journal. It was
transcribed by HaRav Yosef Aron Oppenheimer from a
droshoh given by Reb Leib zt"l, during the last
Chanukah of his life. Reb Leib served as rosh
hayeshiva of Gateshead for thirty-five years, until his
passing in 5739 (1979).
