online tzaddik

bringing down the light

Chanukah is a festival of light and spiritual perception of God. The kingdom of Greece wanted to overpower us with foreign philosophies, in order to make us forget the Torah. The Greek ideology represented a spiritual force operative even today: The belief that there are more enlightened ways than the Torah, in particular, the conviction that external form and beauty are the highest value. The Greeks believed that the world runs autonomously, according to the laws of nature. They also believed that man is independent from God, and maintained that human reason is the highest expression of wisdom and knowledge.

This path inevitably leads to the denial of God (apikorsut in Greek) and a rejection of the responsibility to observe the mitzvot. The preciousness and centrality of the Torah becomes forgotten and lost. The Greek philosophy negates the Jewish belief in a God Whose presence permeates the entire universe, and Who personally supervises every aspect of our lives.

For every Jew, the Torah is the essence of holy wisdom; the Torah is the only possible way to acquire a clear and true perception of God. The problem is that many find themselves in circumstances where it is difficult, and seemingly impossible, to sense the light of the Torah. Today, the challenge is to seek the right channel to constrict the light in a way it can be perceived.

During the first Chanukah two millennia ago, God "preceded the illness with a cure." Not only was the Greek rule overthrown, but a great light was brought into the world and established for all future generations including, and especially, our own. Every Chanukah, we draw down the very same light by simply lighting the Chanukah menorah, everyone in his own home and place, no matter who, what ,or where he may be. The Chanukah light has the awesome ability to penetrate the lowest levels and unify them all. When the flame is lit, it services to constrict and channel a glimpse of Divine light. This is what all the Tzaddikim have worked to accomplish throughout history: To bring down the light to the lowest places in Creation, where anyone can receive, it they so desire. When we light the Chanukah menorah, we connect to the Infinite from wherever we find ourselves. "Though I walk in the valley overshadowed by death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (Psalms 23:4). [see Likutey Halachot, Haskamat HaBoker 4:10]

TZADDIK Magazine archives, Chanukah 5761 / 2000

the chanukah connection

Chanukah is about pure and impure vessels. The essential miracle of Chanukah was centered on the discovery of one pure vessel of oil used to rekindle the menorah extinguished by the Greeks when they invaded the Second Temple. Amidst all the defiled vessels, the Priests, the Hasmonean Kohanim found one small vessel with the seal of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, containing enough pure oil for only a single day. The menorah lights were kept burning constantly in the Temple, since their light was one of the signs of our connection with God. So when the lights were extinguished, it was urgent to rekindle them as soon as possible and rededicate the Temple to the service of God. The problem, however, was that it was an eight-day process to manufacture new pure oil. The Hasmonean Kohanim faced a dilemma: Should they light the menorah immediately or wait until enough pure oil could be made to ensure a continual flame? The decided to light the menorah without delay, out of their intense desire to reestablish the connection with God. God also desired the connection and responded with a miracle: Oil that should have been used up after one day continued to burn for eight full days until a fresh stock of pure oil could be produced.

Although the Temple menorah had seven lights, we celebrate Chanukah every year by lighting an eight-light menorah to publicize the miracle. On a higher level, the oil of the Chanukah lights hints to knowledge and wisdom. The Temple vessels were defiled through the idolatry of the Greeks. On a deeper level, the impure vessels indicated that the Jewish mind had become blemished by heretical Greek ideas, leading to confusion about the true purpose of life.

The Greeks believed that the world ran autonomously, according to the laws of nature. They also believed that man was independent of God, and maintained that human reason was the highest expression of wisdom and knowledge. This is contrary to the Jewish belief in one God whose presence permeates the entire universe, personally supervising every detail of our lives. The true purpose of life is to come to a knowledge of God through everything we do. This is a purpose which is based on faith and transcends human reason.

Just as the Hasmonean Kohanim renewed our connection with God during the Second Temple, we also affirm our bond to God each year by lighting the menorah. Through binding our thoughts to Him during Chanukah, we purify our vessels and remember the true purpose of life.

Source: Otzar HaYirah, Chanukah; TZADDIK Magazine archive, Chanukah 5760 / 1999