******The Last night of Chanuka lights brought home their lost father******
R’ Zalman lived in the city of Szerencs in Northern Hungary. He was a rich man but was not blessed with children. He and his wife never gave up and prayed to Hashem and went to Tzaddikim for Brachos and had a son who they named Chaim Chaikel. However, he soon lost his fortune. R’ Zalman took comfort in being blessed with a child and was satisfied and adapted to a simpler life. He still managed to sell off some of his belongings in order to get the best teachers for his son, and it paid great dividends.
Soon tragedy came, and when Chaim Chaikel was ten years old, R’ Zalman and his mother died, and Chaim Chaikel was left an orphan without a Torah education. The good-hearted people of the city took pity on him and were distributed among the people that Chaim Chaikel should have a place to be. R’ Zalman, before he passed away, told his son that he had once been very rich and lost everything, but one antique Chanukah Menorah that he had inherited and was very valuable was still left to him, which he held on to with dedication, and he begged his son he should pay close attention to this and wished him that the Menorah should always illuminate his life.
Chaim Chaikel was not thrilled at having to constantly be on the move and being a burden on the city, so he decided to find a job and support himself. He met a carpenter in another city who was ready to take him in to his home and teach him the trade. Chaim Chaikel was very happy, and being smart, he quickly learned the trade and became a master carpenter, and his boss was very happy with him, and Chaim Chaikel found his cozy place.
Years later, he met a fine girl from another city, and Chaim Chaikel had to go live there. He got married and hoped to earn a living as a carpenter; however, in that city there were already many carpenters, and Chaim Chaikel struggled to make ends meet, and when the family grew, it became very difficult, and Chaim Chaikel told his wife that he would go back to his former city for a while and thus be able to make a living and come home.
Chaim Chaikel embarked on his first journey to Szerencs, visited his parents' graves, cried, and prayed for success. He then traveled from city to city, accepting jobs until his reputation as a master carpenter grew. A friend advised him that in France there was a demand for his expertise work, and he traveled to France, but in France he got frustrated as he didn't know the language, and out of sheer desperation he started drinking.
The bartender recognized in Chaim Chaikel that he was not a drunkard and started talking to him and realized who he was and asked Chaim Chaikel to be in charge of his bar. Some time passed, and Chaim Chaikel got used to the gentile life and left everything behind and forgot about his home. Meanwhile, his wife and children were devastated because they didn't know where he was and had no trace of him.
Just then, the R’ of her town was about to get married, and the R’ invited the holy Shinova Rov [eldest son of the holy R’ Chaim of Sanz,] and the whole city went to welcome the Shinova Rov. Chaim Chaikel’s wife remained at home with a broken heart. A neighbor noticed that she did not go and advised her to ask for a blessing from the Shinova Rov that her husband would come home to her!
She was embarrassed to meet the Rov and begged the neighbor to come with her and ask for a Bracha. The Shinova Rov listened to the neighbor and took a bag of money and said to hand it over to Chaim Chaikel's wife. When she saw the money, she burst into tears and was glad that someone was thinking of her. She now gained courage and went to the Rov, thanking him for the money, but this is not what she came for! The Rov asked her to tell her story, and the Rov thinks for a long time and calls out to her, You have your husband's menorah. I advise you that on the last night of Chanukah, you should make sure that the Menorah be lit all night, and Hashem will help you! She thanked the Rov and went home.
Meanwhile, Chaim Chaikel was working in the bar and was very happy, and when one day he went down to the cellar to bring some wine, he heard someone following him, and he saw an elderly Yid yelling at him, Why did you desert your wife? This happened a few times, and Chaim Chaikel laughed it off until the Yid grabbed him and lifted him up and threatened, If you don't go home today, I'm going to make a pile of bones out of you!
This shook him up, and he got into his wagon and drove home. He was in a state of fear and intent to get home as soon as possible! The wintry weather brought heavy rains and cold, and finally Chaim Chaikel arrived in the middle of the dark and rainy night, and the city was dark, and he didn't know where to go! But from a distance he sees a house that is bright, and he drives there and knocks on the door, and when the door is opened, there is a Chanukah joy: our father is here! Everyone was happy and danced with their father. The Menorah of his father brought back memories and feelings of regret for his behavior. After Chanukah they went to the Shinova Rov, who blessed them with success in their livelihood and gave Chaim Chaikel a path to repent, and they built a nice Jewish home together.
