- Reb Pinchas of Koretz, student of the Baal Shem Tov
Happy CCCChanukah to you and yours! The 8 crazy nights are finally upon us! Donuts, Latkes, Dreidels, and of course the Menorah; Judaism officially rocks! (I don't know if you can tell that this is one of my favorite holidays). What adds to these awesome days is how many innumerable lessons and sources of inspiration we can derive from them. The faith of the small army of Maccabees in the face of oppression. The courage of the Jewish people who risked their lives in order to adhere to the Torah & Mitzvot, rather than leaving Judaism for Hellenism. The one jar of pure oil found in the temple. But what stands out in the minds of most Jews at this time of year, is the flickering of the candles on our small Menorahs, which we light for 8 days to commemorate the 8 days that the oil miraculously stayed lit for in the holy temple in Jerusalem.But what are some of the deeper aspects contained in the Menorah lighting we do every year? To understand this a bit better, let's take a look at Torah - the 5 books of Moses. In general, Torah & its study can be divided into 3 categories: A) Torah as a guide to life B) Torah as a means of connecting to G-d C) Torah as an end unto itself.
On the 1st level, we study Torah simply to understand how to live. If you buy a complex object needing assembling, you can try and assemble it without the instruction manual. But it makes sense to take a look, a thorough look, at the manual written by the designer himself - which will guide you on the proper path to success, and help you make the most out of your materials. In this respect, the sages say: "Mitzvot were given to refine the human being" and "The Torah was given to make peace in the world." Deeper though, is Torah as a vehicle for union with G-d. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi teaches, that when you understand, when your mind grasps a law or concept or story of Torah, which has within it G-d's Will & Wisdom, you are essentially becoming enveloped by G-d's Will & Wisdom. "This is a wonderful union, the likes of which there is none other, and which has no parallel anywhere in the material world..." Finally, there exists a 3rd level of Torah study, Torah "for its own sake." In the 1st 2 levels, Torah serves as a means to an end, whether it be mastering life or even connecting to G-d. But loftier than all, is learning Torah simply for its own sake. King Solomon writes: "A mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light." From the 3 above levels within Torah, we can learn about 3 levels within light as well: A) Light as a tool for life B) Light as a means of connecting to G-d C) Light for the sake of light.
Let's look at the mitzvot within Judaism that have to do with light. Light as a tool for life can be seen in Shabbat candles, whose purpose is "shalom bayit" - creating peace in the home; A tranquil & pleasant atmosphere in honor of the Shabbat. As we said above: "The entire Torah was given to make peace in the world" (Maimonides). The Shabbat Candles thus represent Torah's role as a guide to a life of harmony & perfection. Next is the lights that were kindled in the Holy Temple, the house of G-d. The Talmud asks: "Does such a place, where G-d's divine glory is manifest, need light?" Rather, the lights served as "a testimony to the entire world that the divine presence rests in Israel." This light represents the 2nd level, the connection between G-d, heaven & earth, and us. But then there are the lights of Chanukah. True, we light candles in order to "publicize the miracle" of Chanukah. But that's not the essence of why we light, for often in history, out of fear, Jews fulfilled the mitzvah by lighting in hiding. Rather, the essence of the Menorah candles we light is just for its sake alone.
Jewish Mystics teach that on Chanukah we light 36 candles altogether (1+2...+8). This isn't by chance, but rather corresponds to the hidden light that shone in the world during part of the 6th and all of the 7th day of creation. After Adam & Eve were sent from the Garden of Eden, G-d hid this light for the future Messianic time. Except during Chanukah. As we light our candles (Friday before Shabbat will be 4 candles), let's watch the candles dance, signifying something much deeper than we can imagine. Perhaps its the Jewish soul
that can never be extinguished? Or the secret power of good, of light, over darkness? As the Rebbe Maharash used to say:
"One must listen to what the Chanukah candles are saying..."
- (Based on a talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe)
Shabbat Shalom & Happy Chanukah!
-Daniel
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