Chanukah’s Unique Ability to Awaken a Person from His Slumber
Turning on the Light
There are two ways to wake a person from sleep. One is to make a loud noise, and the other is to light up the room. Says the Imrei Noam (Kislev, Ch. 3): On Rosh Hashanah, they woke us from our slumber through the loud noise of the Shofar blast which cries out for those asleep to wake up. On Chanukah, however, we’re awakened from our slumber through the light of the menorah.
The Imrei Noam explains that this is the meaning in the words of the Navi, which we recite on Shabbos Chanukah: ...then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me as a man is awakened from his sleep.... “I see and behold—there is a menorah made entirely of gold with its bowl on top and its seven lamps are on it” (Zechariah 4:2). That is, the light of the menorah has the power to awaken a person from sleep.
Because we exist in a materialistic world, it is easy for us to forget about our true mission in this world and to fall asleep at our post. The days of Chanukah, however, are a time when a great light shines, and we feel great sweetness in ruchniyus, causing us to come awake and serve Hashem with greater strength and intensity, without needing a loud blast to rudely awaken us.
Showing the Sweetness
Those involved in kiruv will tell you that reprimands and shouts don’t work. If you want to bring a person closer to the ways of Torah and Yiddishkeit, invite them for a seudas Shabbos. They will see the beauty of Yiddishkeit, of children sitting well-behaved around the table, as the candles dance and the challos emit a delicious aroma. These sights and sounds penetrate their hearts, and they’re often aroused to teshuvah.
We are no different. We also need to become awakened to do teshuvah and become close to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. This can be done through shouting and screaming, or it can be done by spreading the light. The days of Chanukah are a time for the latter method—as the light of Chanukah illuminates our neshamos with a fiery glow.
Waking Up with Serenity
Similarly, when it is time to wake from sleep in the morning, no one wants to be awakened by a loud boom. Everyone would want to be roused by the sounds of sweet music (consult a rav before doing so). That is because, as we know, it is difficult for people to transition between different situations—to go from a state of slumber, for example, to a state of being awake. Often, the person who has a hard time getting up in the morning also has a hard time getting to sleep at night—because it’s difficult to switch states.
And so, if we come to the person with force in an attempt to get him to switch states, he will resent it and become angry. However, if we light up his room and we stream in pleasant music, we will gently ease him into a state of being awake, without the trauma of force.
The External Indicates the Internal
In the Sefer Beis Aaron (Chanukah) he explains that we can always tell the inner meaning of a mitzvah based on its outer trappings. For example, we fulfill the mitzvah of sukkah by entering the shade and the protection of the schach, which mirrors the Divine protection and shade. When we take the lulav and esrog, we bring together the four species—mirroring the unity of the four letters of the Name of Hashem. And so it is with many mitzvos; we can tell the inner meaning based on the way that mitzvah is carried out.
On Chanukah, when the mitzvah is to light candles, we derive insight into the inner dimension of the mitzvah, which is to illuminate the neshamah more so than other mitzvos do.
Saying It Calmly
The Gemara states; One must say three things in his home on Erev Shabbos as it gets dark: Have you taken ma’aser from the produce? Have you made an eruv? Light the candles. And one must say these things calmly so that the people of his household will accept it from him (Gittin 7a).
Explains Rebbe Yechezkel of Kuzmir: We are all in a state of “Erev Shabbos as it gets dark” as we stand on the cusp of redemption. And so, if we want others to become close to their spiritual mission, we must say so calmly—that is, to illuminate hearts through the light of Torah and mitzvos—but not through reprimand.
A Precious Mitzvah
There’s a well-known lashon of the Rambam where he says, “The mitzvah of ner Chanukah is a precious one indeed.” It is interesting that the Rambam uses this expression in his sefer, which is primarily halachic in nature. What place is there to mention the preciousness of the mitzvah here? The sifrei chassidus expound upon this, each in their own way... but one thing is certain: If the mitzvah of ner Chanukah is precious, it can certainly infuse love and preciousness into the hearts of those who carry it out.
Indeed, if a person insists on remaining in his slumber even during the days of Chanukah, then nothing will help him. But regarding one who opens his eyes to see the light of Chanukah, the tzaddikim revealed to us that he will become awakened by the light the way no other mitzvah can awaken a person—for the Yom Tov of Chanukah was designed from the outset for the generation of דמְשיחאָ עִקבתאָ, to awaken this last generation before Mashiach in a sweet and warm way, through light, and through the sweetness of praise and thanks.
Blessing for the Preciousness of the Miracle
The Gemara (Shabbos 23a; Sukkah 46a) teaches that one who sees the ner Chanukah recites the blessing לְאָבותינו. נסים שעִשה Tosafos in Sukkah ask, “Why is this mitzvah different? For every other mitzvah there’s no concept of reciting a berachah when we see it. Why do we do so for ner Chanukah?” They answer that this is due to the preciousness of the miracle. But even this doesn’t adequately answer the question—for the sukkah, too commemorates a miracle, yet we don’t recite a blessing when we see it!
The Miracle of Ner Chanukah Illustrates a Deeper Love
The sefarim explain that the miracles of Chanukah illustrate Hashem’s love for us more so than any other neis—for even without the miracle of the oil, we would still be deeply grateful for the miracles of the war in which “the few conquered the many” and “the strong were given into the hands of the weak.” Why was the miracle of the oil necessary? Only to illustrate and reveal to the world that the Ribbono shel Olam gives to His children—out of His deep love for them—above and beyond what they requested.
When we think into our own lives, we will see that the Ribbono shel Olam gives to us above and beyond what we ask for—for “one who gives, gives with a generous eye” (Bava Basra 71a). And when He gives to us, He wraps these gifts in even more good, beyond our greatest dreams.
We see this over and over...whether it is a yeshua in the area of parnassah or in the area of shidduchim, and so forth. When the yeshua comes, it comes with a completeness and a generosity the likes of which we could never have dreamed—and it is this generosity that reveals just how much Hashem loves us and how precious we are to Him.
Above and Beyond
This is the miracle of Chanukah. HaKadosh Baruch Hu said to Klal Yisrael, “When I save you from the Greeks, I will do so with a completeness from all sides. I will give you oil for the Menorah, because I know that you will wish to light the Menorah in My honor. I will also ensure that the oil is pure, because you will surely want to light the Menorah in purity.” And through this, the Ribbono shel Olam revealed his love for us.
It is for this reason that Chazal taught us that a person who sees the light of ner Chanukah recites a berachah—something that they did not say regarding any other mitzvah. For one who sees the ner Chanukah is reminded not only of the miracle itself, but also of the deep חביבות, herishment, that Hashem has for us. The person’s heart is awakened with feelings of holiness and love for Hashem to the extent that he can now recite, “הזָה בזָמְן ההם בימְים לְאָבותינו ניסים שעִשה.”
When Hashem Smiles at Us
The tzaddikim liken this berachah to when a person passes a place where a miracle was performed for him, in which case he recites “שעִשה הזָה.” במְקום נס לְיAt that time, the person is reminded of the great miracle that Hashem did for him—and his heart overflows with gratitude. Similarly, when a person passes the menorah and sees the Chanukah lights arrayed in the windows and doorways, his heart is awakened with feelings of gratitude for the love that Hashem has exhibited toward us—until the berachah bursts forth from his heart: בימְים לְאָבותינו ניסים שעִשה ברֵוך הזָה. בזָמְן ההם
A Yid related that he traveled from Eretz Yisrael a long way to be with his one-hundred-year-old father, to fulfill the mitzvah of kibbud av with him. This did not come easy...it was a very difficult undertaking. Upon his return, he arrived at the airport only to be told that the airline wished to give him a business class seat. “It was as though the Ribbono shel Olam was talking to me... ‘You fulfilled a mitzvah with mesirus nefesh... now I will pamper you,’” he said. “‘I will give you more than you need!’”
He Gives with a Generous Hand
Many in Klal Yisrael, sadly, deal with personal problems—whether in parnassah matters, in the area of shidduchim, related to chinuch of their children, and so forth. May everyone see a yeshua very soon. When it comes to Chanukah, a time for praise and thanks to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, it is often difficult for these people to get into the spirit of והודאָה. הלְלְ Even if we point out to them the incredible good that the Ribbono shel Olam does for them in other areas, they find it hard to hear this—and the reason is that they look at their problems as though they are too difficult to bear. When we ask them how they feel about their lives—from 1-100—they will choose 60.
If these people would only understand what we have learned here—that when the Ribbono shel Olam gives us good, He goes above and beyond in showering us with good, then their entire perspective on life will change, and they will see the chessed Hashem much more clearly. They will then be able to get up and praise Hashem for all the good in their lives.
If this person remembers—amid his nisyonos and his difficulties—that the good that he does have is above and beyond his expectations, he will understand from this that the Ribbono shel Olam loves him with a deep love, and He hasn’t forgotten him for even a moment. Had HaKadosh Baruch Hu forgotten him—chas v’shalom—everything in his life would be ruined. From this recognition, he will be aroused to praise Hashem for the good, and he will burst out in song and praise.
Flowers from The King of All Kings
Everything in this world has a purpose—for Hashem doesn’t do or create anything without a purpose. What is the purpose of beautiful things, such as flowers? The answer is that they’re a vehicle to illustrate and convey cherishment and love. By gifting a person something that doesn’t have any material purpose other than conveying love, he illustrates his great love for the person.
When the Ribbono shel Olam gives us things beyond our immediate needs, it is like gifting us flowers—and with this, His love and cherishment for us are revealed. Indeed, there are those people who see everything they have as necessities, and nothing is ever enough for them. These people will never fully feel Hashem’s love for them—because they always need more.... But anyone with sechel will look around and see that so many of the gifts he has were not given to others, because they’re not necessities, and through this, he will feel keenly the love that Hashem has for him, and he will be aroused to praise and thanks.
The Opportunity of Chanukah
Chanukah is a time that is opportune for waking a person from his slumber, to illuminate his neshamah, and to teach him to look at his life with the proper perspective—a outlook through which he will see that all the gifts that Hashem gives him are above and beyond, and he will feel love and gratitude and be aroused to give והודאָה. שבח ut it is de-B pendent on whether the person is prepared to meditate upon the true essence of Chanukah.
In our world, if we only look around, we will see people who endure all sorts of challenges and difficulty, and they’re nevertheless permeated with joy and gratitude—all because they meditate upon the goodness that Hashem gives them, and they thus feel with a clear and overwhelming understanding that Hashem loves them and accompanies them at every moment.
