Chazal established the eight days of Chanukah for
thanksgiving and praise to "Your great name." Another feature
established by Chazal for this festival is the commemoration
of the miracle, pirsumei nissa, by lighting the
Chanukah candles. They dwelt extensively upon this
mitzvah.
In Hilchos Chanukah, the Rambam writes: "This mitzvah
of lighting the candles is exceedingly dear and cherished."
Chazal ask why Parshas Behaalosecha is juxtaposed to
the chapter on the Nesi'im. We learn that when the
tribal princes brought their donations and sacrifices to the
Mishkan, Aharon HaKohen was greatly disheartened and
grieved that neither he nor his tribe were included. (We will
deal with this later at length.)
Hashem then said to him: "By your life! [I promise you that]
Yours [role] will be greater than theirs, for you will kindle
and administer to the lights [of the Menorah]."
The Rambam asks: "How is this a consolation? Why did Hashem
not console him with his priestly privileges such as the
offering of the ketores, which was his unique role? Or
with bircas kohanim, or the sacrifice of all the
korbonos, for that matter?
He quotes a teaching of Chazal which explains this. Hashem
promised Aharon not only the kindling of the Menorah, but
also the kindling of Chanukah lights for all time. The
kindling of the Menorah remained in effect only so
long as the Beis Hamikdosh stood, whereas the Chanukah
lights are lit every where, every year, down through the
generations. We see how important, how esteemed is this
commandment. But why, indeed?
In order to appreciate it, we must first attempt to
understand the significance of `thanksgiving and praise.' Why
did Chazal establish this as a directive, a ruling?
Chazal say elsewhere, "Leah assumed the distaff [province] of
hodo'oh, of acknowledgement and thanksgiving, and she
produced descendants who were baalei hodo'oh, those
who appreciate and give thanks." R' Shimon Bar Yochai says in
Maseches Brochos, "From the time the world was
created, no person gave thanks unto Hashem, until Leah came
and did so, as it is written, `This time I will give thanks
unto Hashem.' She was the precursor of all the thanksgivers
and acknowledgers.
"The first was Yehuda, who said, "[I acknowledge my fault.]
She is more righteous than I." Later on came Dovid Hamelech,
who said, "Hodu laShem . . . — Give thanks
[unto Hashem, for He is good, for His kindness is
everlasting." Doniel also gave thanks and acknowledged his
gratitude to Hashem.
What exactly is the meaning and denotation of hodo'oh?
How are we to understand that "from the time the world was
created, no person gave thanks to Hashem"? There was Odom
Horishon, Shem and Eiver, the Ovos — all of
these, men of immense spiritual stature! Did none of these
recognize, acknowledge or give thanks unto Hashem? Did no one
show appreciation until Leah came along and said, "This time
I will thank Hashem"? And how does Yehuda's confession fit
into this concept of thanksgiving? How does it connect to his
mother's hodo'oh?
Chovos Halevovos says: "Hashem is good to all." Hashem
is the Source of all goodness and kindness, but most people
are too blind to recognize this. There are several reasons
for this, but to really understand why, it is necessary to
study Chovos Halevovos, Shaar Avodas Elokim, Shaar
Habechinoh in depth. It seems, however, that in Leah's
pronouncement, "This time I will thank Hashem," there was a
realization so deep and intense that it evoked that
acknowledgement and thanks which came from awareness and
recognition of the goodness of Hashem. And from this emerged
Yehuda, who realized, recognized the truth and acknowledged
it by his confession.
In order to understand this, we must consider why Yehuda did
not have Tamar burned to death? What are we supposed to learn
from this? Actually, he had several options not to have her
burned. He was one of the judges and could have released her
from lack of proof. Yehuda, on the other hand, actually
publicized the matter, and this is the greatness shown
here.
Chazal teach in Parshas Nosso that he went to Shem and
Eiver, he went to everyone, and confessed his role, and all
so that even if, as a judge, he could have exonerated her,
she would have been left with her reputation blemished. How
much self-sacrifice it must have taken for him to acknowledge
his deed! And this is why he was rewarded with the ultimate,
greatest reward.
For his confession, Yehuda gained kingship forever after. And
all of this was the offshoot of Leah's acknowledgement of
thanks to Hashem. "This time I will thank Hashem."
The root of recognition is a true realization of Hashem's
loving kindness in everything. This attribute granted him the
strength to acknowledge his part in the affair, to stand up
and admit in public that he was to blame. To tell the truth
in this matter required a great deal of mesirus
nefesh! This produced a Dovid Hamelech who also
acknowledged and recognized and thanked. "Hodu laShem ki
tov — Give thanks unto Hashem for He is good!" And
afterwards came Doniel and so on [of which there is a great
deal to expand upon] . . .
We see from here that hodo'oh to Hashem comes when a
person recognizes the goodness and the kindnesses of Hashem.
It obligates a person. It obligates him to serve his
Creator.
The Ramban writes at the end of Bo as follows: "The
underlying purpose of all the mitzvos is to have us believe
in Hashem and know, acknowledge, that He is our Creator. This
is the purpose of all Creation, there is no other reason or
intention in the initial creation, nor is there any point of
interest in Heaven for the goings on down below except for
that one goal — that man become aware of Hashem, that
he acknowledge the Creator Who formed him.
"The reason why we pray aloud, and why we have synagogues
where we gather together to pray and gain special merit by
praying in public, is so that we, as a multitude, recognize
Hashem and thank Him for having created us and for being
bountiful towards us, and publicize the fact to the whole
world and proclaim, `We are Your creations.'
This is what Chazal infer from the verse, `And they shall
call unto Hashem vigorously.' From here we learn that prayer
must be said aloud and that the voice be heard. And from the
publicized, overt miracles, a person learns to thank Hashem
and publicize the hidden miracles in his life, which is the
very basis of the Torah.
"A person has no portion in Toras Moshe unless he believes
that everything that happens, indeed, everything that
is, including his very self, is a miracle unto itself.
There is no nature, there is no natural course of things in
the world, not generally or globally speaking, nor in the
individual circumstance. If a person performs mitzvos he will
be rewarded, and if he transgresses Hashem's will and
commands, he will be punished. Everything is a decree from
Above, as I have already mentioned. And the covert miracles
will eventually be publicized . . . "
Rabbenu Yonah expands on this theme with greater clarity. He
quotes the Rif (Perek Chamishi) on Brochos, daf
4 with a marvelous insight: "R' Elozor bar R' Avina says:
`Whoever says Tehilloh leDovid (Ashrei) three times
daily is guaranteed to be a ben Olom Habo!'" This is a
well known thing, and not difficult for us to fulfill since
it is an integral part of the daily services. Chazal
instituted a blessing before and a blessing after the
Pesukei Dezimrah, that is, Boruch She'Omar and
Yishtabach, and the Rif rules thus.
Rabbenu Yonah asks why Chazal say that whoever recites Hallel
every day is considered blaspheming Hashem? In his words:
"This refers to one who praises with `Hallelukoh, hallelu
avdei Hashem,' the Hallel which we say on [Rosh Chodesh
and on] Chanukah . . . But we do praise Him with the daily
Pesukei Dezimroh. Why then, is one who says Hallel
every day considered blaspheming? Some explain that this
is because it concludes with `yehallelukoh,' which is
like his having uttered a brochoh in vain. But this
does not sit right with me, for one who says a superfluous
blessing is not equivalent to one who curses Hashem, as it
were.
"Furthermore, it states: `One who recites Hallel . . . ' and
does not specifically say that he recited it with its
blessing." (We have no difficulty in all of this, in what the
Rif says, nor in what Rabbenu Yonah says. Why not? Whoever
says Tehilloh leDovid every day is guaranteed a
portion in Olom Habo. Why not? One can gain his
portion in the World to Come so easily; it is even
guaranteed! `Muvtach lo.')
But Rabbenu Yonah says, and how awesome is what he says, "And
it appears to my Master, the Rov, that the reason for this is
because the main point of saying Hallel is connected
with great misfortunes that overtake the community. Then,
when we have overcome them and been redeemed from our
troubles, we recite it upon that very occasion, as Dovid did
when he was succored from his enemies and troubles. But when
one recites this praise very day, it appears as if one is
saying that Hashem does not perform miracles every day, which
is why he is commemorating the miracles of the past, the
celebrated ones like the Exodus from Egypt and the overt
miracles of Chanukah and other such prominent ones.
"If he is only mentioning those well known historical
miracles of the past, it appears as if he is denying Hashem's
Omnipotence and miracle-working in the present, and this is
blasphemy. Tehilloh leDovid [Ashrei] however, relates
to the future and also to the ongoing, everyday miracles. If
one acknowledges these daily miracles, then he deserves a
portion in Olom Habo."
This is exactly what the Ramban is saying in Bo: A
person has no part in Toras Moshe Rabbenu if he does
not recognize the marvels and wonders which we experience all
the time, those hidden miracles which are the very source of
our ongoing existence.
Chovos Halevovos says that it is not only the hidden
miracles. If a person wishes to see miracles like those that
took place at the Exodus from Mitzrayim in this world, those
famous ones, he must consider the fact that we are still in
existence, a puny entity among all the world nations. Our
continued survival is a most wondrous miracle in itself.
We cannot help but see many awesome things here. First, what
does it actually mean that one recites Hallel? It is
not a simple mouthing. Rather, it acknowledges, in effect,
the fact that we are alive by virtue of those past miracles.
But if he recites Hallel every day, he is saying that
he only contemplates the miracles of history while
overlooking the daily wonders that sustain us. If this is so,
he is denying Hashem! This is blasphemy!
"May my portion be with those who complete the Hallel every
day. Tehilloh leDovid, Pesukei Dezimrah . . . "
"My portion . . . " says R' Yossi. "`May my portion be . . .
' What is so great about that? We say Pesukei Dezimrah
every day. Everyone does . . . So what does this mean? It
states, `May my portion be with those who complete Hallel
every day.' It does not state, ` . . . with those who say
Pesukei Dezimrah.
It really means that a person should praise Hashem for every
breath, every step he takes, for every moment that he is
alive. He should acknowledge that Hashem is the Source of his
life. Of such a person, says R' Yossi, "Would that my portion
be with those (who say this kind of Hallel every
day)."
*
We now come to explain the matter of the candles. Why did
Chazal establish the commemoration only on the miracle of the
Menorah? There were other wonders: many in the hands
of few; impure in the hands of the pure; wicked in the hands
of the righteous, infidels in the hands of those who delve in
Your Torah, the mighty in the hands of the weak.
The Chashmonaim were, actually, very brave and mighty, but
compared to the Greeks, they were weak. They were not trained
at all in warfare. From a military standpoint, they were
doomed to lose.
Chazal say that angels fought alongside them. The Greeks shot
arrows and the angels intercepted them and shot them right
back. No thinking person attributes the military victory to
the might of the Chashmonaim. "Who is like unto You, Hashem,
among the mighty ones?"
This is the meaning of the Macabbees. This is what we must
contemplate and not think for a moment that it was otherwise,
G-d forbid.
What then, is the main reason why Chazal established the
kindling of the lights? Why this miracle of all the
others?
In the laws pertaining to Chanukah, the Bach writes that the
Jewish people became very lax in the avodoh. Heaven
demanded improvement and rededication on their part and this
was evoked by the Greek persecution. They decreed that the
sacrifices be abolished, that the korbon tomid be
discontinued and the Menorah not be lit. They passed
laws against circumcision, Shabbos observance and, in short,
any form of avodoh, mitzvah-observance. No Torah, no
worship of any form. The Greeks were determined to uproot the
Torah.
Hashem helped the Jews once they showed their willingness to
sacrifice themselves, to exert themselves in trying to
reinstate the avodoh, which included lighting the
Menorah. So this is the fulcrum, the purpose of the
miracle, to make known the will of Hashem and the fact that
He is pleased with their efforts. Therefore, this was
established for all time, for all generations, in order to
strengthen us in our service of Hashem and in His Torah. By
contemplating the miracle of the lights, we are meant to come
to an appreciation of Hashem's kindnesses and the necessity
to be prepared to make sacrifices in serving Him.
The Ramban quotes a Sifrei which states that Hashem
wants us to serve Him in the avodoh of the Mikdash,
and to serve Him through Torah. What is the meaning of
serving Hashem in Torah?
That a person should subjugate himself entirely until he is
verily like a servant, and what a servant has acquired, his
master has acquired; the former possesses nothing of his own.
Whatever he is engaged in during the day, whatever he has
accomplished — all belongs to his master.
*
To be a servant of Hashem is to serve Him through His Torah.
This means that Torah should be his goal, his purpose in
life; it should fulfill all of his needs. Whatever a person
does, whatever he engages in, should be for only one end
purpose — Torah! In order to fulfill it. Then he quotes
a teaching of Chazal: "`Very good' — this refers to
sleep."
What is so good about sleep? It is oblivion. But if one
sleeps a bit in order to revitalize himself so that he can
continue with renewed vigor to serve Hashem, to learn Torah
with a clearer head, then such sleep is truly `very good.'
If, indeed, all of a person's deeds are attuned to serving
Hashem, then everything that makes it possible is also
good.
"I will praise Hashem in my lifetime; I will sing to Hashem
so long as I exist." If a person is totally devoted to
serving Hashem, then even when he sleeps, he is serving
Hashem with all his might. In this manner, he can `praise
Hashem' every day, twenty-four hours a day. This is because
his whole life is consecrated to Hashem, so that every thing,
seemingly unrelated, is also mobilized for his service to
Hashem, be it through prayer or Torah study.
This is what Hashem demands of us, as it is written, "For My
glory did I create [the world], did I make it." So that
mankind can acknowledge the kindnesses of Hashem so that
Hashem can shower him with more goodness. And when a person
is aware of it, he cannot help but being joyful day and
night.
Hallel must be recited through joy. What does this mean? How
can one create joy within oneself?
Simple enough. By saying Hallel, we cannot help but be
grateful for all the miracles and favors which Hashem does
for us, and this realization naturally stimulates and evokes
joy. This is the acquisition which we must take with us from
Chanukah.
May Hashem shower us with His heavenly assistance, success
and blessing in everything!
In memory of the Mashgiach of Yeshivas Chevron Knesses
Yisroel, R' Tzvi (Hirsch) Zev Paley zt'l, whose first
yahrtzeit is 20 Kislev.
