The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 52:) states that the Yevanim desecrated the mizbeiach and made thirteen breaches in the walls of the Beis HaMikdash. In this devastating setting, the miracle with the Menorah occurred. Considering these circumstances, why do we celebrate the miracle that happened with the Menorah? At a time when the Beis HaMikdash appeared to be in the state of a churban, why was this situation worth celebrating?
There is a wonderful lesson here for us to take. There were problems in the Beis HaMikdash at this time. However, the Yidden were able to focus on the positive events that were transpiring simultaneously. In every situation, we must focus on the good, even if there is negativity as well. A person must also focus on his good traits, even if he has many faults. When a Yid accomplishes something good, he must celebrate those deeds.
In his old age, the Steipler didn't hear, and all requests had to be written. The bachur wrote on a paper what happened, how he failed to guard his eyes. The Steipler asked, "Were there times during your trip to Tel Aviv that you did guard your eyes?" The bachur was so broken it was hard for him to focus on the successes, but when the Steipler repeated his question, the bachur acknowledged that there were many instances in which he had guarded his eyes. The Steipler replied with powerful words of chizuk. We have his exact words because Reb Moshe Blau wrote them down immediately after this meeting. The Steipler said, "I am not exaggerating, and I am not lying. I am not exaggerating, and I am not lying. If I had strength, I would stand up for you. It is about a thirty-five-minute drive from Bnei Brak to Tel Aviv. Each time that you guarded your eyes, you performed the mitzvos of נפשך ובכל לבבכך בכל אלקיך 'ה את ואהבת ...ישראל בני בתוך ונקדשתי ...מאלקיך ויראת, fearing Hashem, sanctifying Hashem's name, and loving Hashem with all your heart and soul. You will be punished for the times that you failed, but each time you were strong against the yetzer hara, you rectified the past. Therefore, why should you cry? Each time you were cautious with kedushah, you were on the level of Yosef HaTzaddik, mamash, mamash, mamash (literally, literally, literally)! The main thing is to fight, to battle, and to keep waging the war!"
In a letter (Kreina d'Igrasa vol.1, 106), the Steipler writes to a bachur who failed a test: "Although you fail sometimes, r'l, nevertheless, there were many times that you conquered your yetzer hara and you overcame your temptations. When you overcome temptations that burn so strongly in you, you draw a light of kedushah on yourself and onto all worlds... We cannot measure or comprehend the great kedushah that comes onto a person who overcomes a temptation when the yetzer hara is burning in him. At these moments, he is like Yosef HaTzaddik. The rule is that when a person fights the yetzer hara, he sometimes wins and sometimes loses. Just as the sin is very great, so too, every success is a great merit. He will rectify in his lifetime all his sins."
3. Reb Zundel Salant zt'l once spoke to people during Chanukah, and the conversation turned to something sad and disturbing. Reb Zundel told them to change the conversation because Chazal forbid hespeidim on Chanukah.
The Chasam Sofer zt'l says that when a person begins doing teshuvah, it is a grave aveirah to be sad over the past aveiros. Now, it is time to celebrate the good that he is doing. The Trisker Magid zt'l (Magan Avraham Chanukah בגמרא איתא ה"ד) says that חנוכה comes from the word חינוך. This means that on Chanukah, we seek to be mechanech ourselves, to improve our ways. Since it is a time for teshuvah, we must be cautious to focus on and celebrate the good and to avoid being sad over our faults.
Chazal (Shabbos 21:) say, "בהון למספד דלא, we mustn't give eulogies during Chanukah." The Trisker Magid explains that this means one shouldn't be sad on Chanukah. He shouldn't mourn aveiros of the past. He should learn from the Chashmonaim, who focused on the good and removed focus from all the negative.
When one loses hope, he becomes inactive. He thinks, "What is the purpose? I am anyway a failure." But when one knows the value of his good deeds, he remains active and seeks to do whatever he can to continue improving.
The Gemara says that when the Chashmonaim won the war, אלא מצאו ולא בדקו שמן של אחד פך , "They searched and they found solely one jug of oil." The Beis Yisrael said that if it weren't for the בדקו, that they checked and searched for the oil, they wouldn't even have had one jug of oil. There wouldn't have been oil for the first day. This reminds us that we can't lose hope even in the worst situations.
It states (41:53-54) היה אשר השבע שני שבע ותכלינה הרעב שני שבע ותחלינה ,מצרים בארץ , "The seven years of plenty that were in the land of Egypt were finished, and the seven years of famine began."
The difference between ותכלינה (finished) and ותחלינה (began) is a 'כ or a 'ח. The 'ח stands on its two feet, and the letter 'כ is lying on its side. The 'כ is idle, representing those who lost hope. They are inactive. They don't think their mitzvos have purpose or value. This is ותכלינה, finished, destruction. The 'ח stands on its two feet. It represents those who continue serving Hashem. They may have faults, but they know that everything good they do is worth millions. This is ותחילנה, the beginning, and growing.
The Gemara (Brachos 53.) tells us that the nature of fire is that it is always new. The fire that burns at this moment isn't the same flame that burned a moment before. The Shem MiShmuel says that the miracle of Chanukah occurred with fire to hint that we should always become new and serve Hashem with a new spirit all the time. Don't allow your past (and future) faults to cause you to lose hope. The good you do is substantial, so you can always begin your avodas Hashem again.
