וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ – “And the earth was unformed and void, and ‘darkness’ (Bereishis 1:2)—this refers to the Greek exile, which darkened the eyes (and some versions add the hearts) of Yisrael with their decrees...” (Bereishis Rabbah 2:4).
In a single word, the Midrash defines the Greek exile and the essence of the decrees of the wicked Greek kingdom as “darkness.” They intended to darken the eyes and hearts of Yisrael, chas veshalom. Similarly, Rashi comments at the beginning of Parashas Vayechi (Bereishis 47:28): “When Yaakov our forefather passed away, the eyes and hearts of Yisrael were closed due to the distress of the enslavement.”
What does it mean to “darken the eyes and the heart”?
How does one darken the eyes and the heart? The Kedushas Levi (Vayigash, d’h Vehinei Eineichem), quoting his teacher, the great Maggid of Mezeritch, explains: “My teacher, the righteous Rav Dov Ber, said that just as there is ‘light and darkness’ in the world, so too there is ‘light and darkness’ in the human mind.” These holy words teach us that “darkness” does not merely refer to the absence of physical light but also to the state of obscurity within a person‘s intellect and mind.
When one‘s mind is clouded, he cannot find a spark of clarity to illuminate his way. Such a person is like a blind individual groping in the darkness. Even if the sunlight brightens the streets, all remains shrouded in darkness within the heart and mind. As the pasuk in the tochachah section (Devarim 28:29) attests: וְהָיִיתָ מְמַשֵּׁשׁ בַּצָּהֳרַיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר יְמַשֵּׁשׁ הָעִוֵּר בָּאֲפֵלָה - You shall grope at noonday as a blind person gropes in the darkness. (See Mesilas Yesharim chapter 3 for further insight.)
To counteract this darkened state, the Chashmona‘im arose, purified the Beis Hamikdash, and “lit candles in Your holy courtyards” to illuminate the eyes and hearts of Yisrael.
For this reason, the primary establishment of Chanukah was not centered on the victories, battles, or deliverances but rather on the lighting of the pure olive oil in the Menorah by the holy kohanim in the Beis Hamikdash. This is explicitly stated in the Gemara‘s discussion of “What is Chanukah?” (Shabbos 21b). The essence of the chag is reflected in its central mitzvah: “to light the Chanukah candles” and bring light to the eyes and hearts of Yisrael.
A prosperous family of the upper echelons of society lived in one of the wealthiest cities overseas. Among the wealthiest elites, they built a luxurious villa in an exclusive high-class suburb. The large house was an exquisite architectural masterpiece, surrounded by decorative gardens and lush lawns. It was meticulously furnished with the finest and most elegant décor, exuding grandeur and luxury.
However, the legendary wealth that adorned every corner of their lavish estate brought no joy to its owners. The mansion‘s vast, empty halls were filled with sorrow and grief. The one thing they desired most was missing—a child. The elderly couple who owned the home had not been blessed with children, and their hearts yearned deeply to embrace a small child who would bring light and happiness to their melancholy and darkened home. They did everything humanly possible, spending enormous sums on treatments and remedies, and constantly prayed and beseeched Hashem, the sole keeper of the keys to childbirth (Taanis 2a), to grant them the gift of parenthood.
At long last, after many years, Hashem heard their prayers, and their cries ascended before Him. They were blessed with a beautiful and healthy son, a radiant child who brought a luminous light into their home.
Their joy knew no bounds. Their only son grew and flourished into a fine and admirable young boy. His devoted parents poured endless love and warmth upon him, as was fitting and proper for their beloved only child, the prince of their home.
One day, the beloved son fell gravely ill, unfortunately contracting a severe and dangerous disease that posed a threat to his life. His loving father cared for him with boundless devotion. Driven by his great love for his son, he spared no effort to heal and restore him. He spent a significant fortune bringing the finest doctors to his bedside. Renowned specialists and experts came from near and far to find a cure for the critically ill child. The father, constantly worried and anxious for his son‘s wellbeing, barely left his bedside. With Hashem‘s help, the merciful and faithful Healer, the child eventually recovered and regained his strength.
After his recovery, the son expressed heartfelt gratitude to his devoted father for his loving care and compassion. He said, “Father, I have always known how much you love me, but during my grave illness, I truly realized the depth of your love. I saw your extraordinary concern, your unwavering dedication to all my needs, and how you never left me for even a single day during my sickness.”
Out of the great love that had now deepened between them, the son grew closer to his devoted father, and they began to spend a fixed time together every day in the luxurious parlor of the palace. The father dedicated this hour of tranquil joy to bond with his beloved son, listening to him, discussing everything in his life, and addressing his needs. The time was especially precious and pleasant for both of them, as the son made it a daily practice to bring a distinguished steaming cup of tea, served on a golden tray, and present it to his esteemed father.
One day, however, when the son entered to meet his father as usual, he did not bring the tea. When the father inquired why today was different and why he had come empty-handed, the son apologized, explaining that he felt weak and didn‘t have the strength to prepare the tea.
The father immediately became alarmed and, with great concern, asked, “What happened? Could it be, chas veshalom, that the old illness has returned? Or perhaps some dangerous infection has taken hold?”
The son quickly reassured his father, explaining that there was no illness at all, not even the slightest hint of one. “It‘s just a bit of weakness that made me feel slightly lazy about preparing the tea... but it‘s nothing serious.”
As expected, the devoted father was neither calm nor convinced. “One does not play around with health!” he declared firmly. He immediately summoned the city‘s most renowned professor to thoroughly examine his cherished and pampered only son, who had suddenly become a little weak, wasn‘t feeling great, and even coughed once or twice.
Soon enough, the expert physician arrived at the palace gates—not without first collecting a hefty fee. He conducted a comprehensive and detailed examination and concluded that the son was completely healthy. The esteemed doctor issued a clear diagnosis: “The patient is perfectly fine and requires no medication! It is simply temporary fatigue. Let the boy rest at home for a day to regain his strength.”
Following the doctor‘s advice, the son remained in his luxurious room that day to rest, recover, and regain his energy.
To the son‘s astonishment, throughout the entire day, his loving father constantly inquired about his well-being and hovered around his bedside. The father repeatedly entered his room to ensure his son‘s comfort, personally served him a delicious, hearty meal and a soothing cup of tea, going to great lengths to make his son‘s rest as pleasant as possible.
The son, puzzled by his father‘s intense concern, finally asked, “I don‘t understand. When I was seriously ill, I understood your worry and your tireless efforts to ensure my recovery from that dreadful illness. But now, as the doctor clearly stated, I‘m not sick at all. I‘m just resting a little to regain my strength. Why are you so anxious about me today?”
The father responded with deep emotion, “I doubt you can fully comprehend my heart... Listen to what I have to say. My love for you is immense, far greater than you can imagine. You were born to us after many years of pain and lengthy anticipation, and my heart is bound to you with an unbreakable and profound love. Therefore, even though I knew perfectly well that there is no illness, only minor fatigue that you‘ll recover from easily, my closeness to you and the burning love within me would not allow me to refrain from caring for your every need today, so that you may quickly return to full strength.”
From that day onward, the son‘s affection for his father grew immensely, multiplying many times over, as it is written (Mishlei 27:19), הַפָּנִים לַפָּנִים כֵּן לֵב הָאָדָםכַּמַּ יִם לָאָ דָ ם- As water reflects a face, so does one person’s heart to another. After witnessing, on a day when he barely required his father‘s care and could have managed all his needs independently, how his father nevertheless continued to ensure that everything was perfectly arranged for him so he would not have to exert himself in his weakened state, the son came to realize the boundless love his father had for him. If he had previously estimated the depth of his father‘s love during his serious illness, he now saw that it was far greater than he had ever imagined. Thus, on that very day, his affection for his father grew tenfold.
The famous Chanukah question posed by the Pnei Yehoshua regarding the pure jug of oil that miraculously burned for eight days is well known. His golden words are as follows: “One must wonder why was there any need for the miracle at all? After all, we hold the principle that ‘tumah is permitted...
