On Chanukah, One Can Accomplish More Than on All Other Days:
The Ruzhiner Rebbe zy”a (quoted in Irin Kadishin) said in the name of earlier tzadikim that on Chanukah, one can accomplish more than on all other yomim tovim. These days can be utilized more than any others to bring about a good year because the influences of all other holidays come from this world and are sent to the Upper World, whereas on Chanukah the influences comes from the Upper World and are sent down to this world.
He explains with a moshol of a man who comes to a king to ask for a specific thing. The king then consults with his advisors to determine if the thing the man wants is legal and if he is deserving of receiving it. However, when the king is traveling and is not at home in his palace, he is not as exacting and he grants requests much easier, without as much adherance to strict protocol.
Chanukah is a bechina of “ner mitzvah”, while other yomom tovim are “Torah ohr”. Therefore, on Chanukah one can ask Hashem for “a mitzvah”, meaning that one can ask Him to give him something beyond what he is deserving. Other holidays are “Torah ohr”, meaning that the strict rules of the Torah are enforced and one only receives what he deserves.
Illuminating all Worlds:
It is related that it was once told to the Chozeh of Lublin zy”a by a visiting chasid that there was a Jewish moser in his town who was causing the community a lot of problems. This occurred on Chanukah and when the informant’s name was told to the Chozeh, he said, “He is illuminated in all of the world!”
No one could understand why the Chozeh would speak so highly of a wicked man.
The next day, the man’s name was again told to the Chozeh, and he was able to see everything the person had done. He said, “Yesterday, when you told me the man’s name, he was in the middle of lighting the menorah and as a result of this mitzvah, his neshama was shining!”
From this story, we see that any person can reach extremely lofty levels of ruchnius through the lighting of the menorah on Chanuka. Even a lowly person who slanders his fellow Jews illuminates the entire world with his Chanukah lights.
Chanukah is an Auspicious Time for Bracha and Chesed:
The Tur (Orech Chaim 570) writes: “Chanukah has the letters of chanu koh (they rested on the th day of the month).” Rav Yitzchok of Radvil zy”a (Ohr Yitzchok) explains these words by citing the pasuk that says that Aharon Hakohen was told (Bamidbor 6:23): “Thus (koh) shall you bless the children of Yisroel.” He explains the meaning of the seemingly superfluous word “koh” by saying that a kohen represents the middah of chessed. To this end, the pasuk is saying that he should bless them in this way, whether they are worthy or not. Even if they don’t deserve it, the kohen should do chessed with them and give them his bracha.
Accordingly, the Tur is saying that Chanukah is “chanu koh”, i.e., the middah of chanina (grace and mercy) and “koh”. Even if we are unworthy, we can receive Divine chesed on this day.
Hadlakas Neiros by the Mezhibuzher Rebbe:
Sefer Botzina D’Nehorah relates that Rav Osher of Stolin zy”a once spent Chanukah with Rav Boruch of Mezhibuzh zy”a and witnessed how he lit the Chanukah lights and stared at them in wonder. He praised Rav Boruch by saying, “He is a small Jew in a small town and he makes a quiet bracha but he illuminates all worlds. And we have a large fire in a large town and we make a very loud bracha... but what do we know?”
The Pleasure Hashem Derives From Our Lights:
The Bais Aharon of Karlin zy”a expounds on the topic of Chanukah and says that the light we provide in our world of gashmius is so powerful that it illuminates the Upper World that is made up completely of light and is 100% ruchnius. So to speak, Hashem’s Shechinah derives its main pleasure from the lights of the tzadikim in this world,
Hashem has many thousands of angels who praise Him all day but still do not know where the place of His glory is. Their sole desire is to get close to Hashem, but He only desires to be close to simple human beings who serve Him in this world.
He explains this with a parable of a human king who has in his palace every type of earthly pleasure imaginable. He has all types of musicians working for him, who play every conceivable type of instrument. He also has a small bird that sings to him, and he puts aside all of the pleasures he has and all of the musical instruments in favor of this bird, as it is the only thing that he derives true pleasure from.
When he is asked to explain why he likes this bird so much when he could be enjoying the best music in the world, he says, “It is no big deal that professional musicians and expensive instruments can make nice sounds. But it is incredible that an untrained bird can sing so nicely.”
The malachim are close to Hashem and it is, therefore, easy for them to recognize His greatness and serve Him. But Hashem’s greatest pleasure is when human beings manage to recognize the truth and to come close to Him.
The Gemara (Pesachim 109A) states: “There is no simcha without meat.” Rav Yitzchok of Neshchiz zy”a (Sefer Toldos Yitzchok) explains that although has many angels who serve Him, His only true joy is from “meat”, i.e., flesh and blood human beings who serve Him.
The Chanukah Lights Remove Our Taivos:
The Sanzer Rov zy”a (in Divrei Chaim) writes that the Chanukah lights instill a person’s entire body with kedusha. This is seen from the rule that it is a mitzvah for the lights to burn “until feet cease to walk in the market (shuk).” He explains that the yeitzer hara is called “the shuk”, as from the time a person is born, it tries to create an excitement (hishtokekus) for worldly pleasures.
The Chanukah lights purify and cleanse a person from his taivos, which the yeitzer hara has implanted within him, and free him from their grasp. Thus, the lights of Chanukah burn until people cease to walk “in the shuk” of the yeitzer hara and embrace a life of ruchnius.
Emunah Elicits the Middah of Chesed:
The Bais Avrohom of Slonim zy”a writes that the words “nafshenu chiksa l’Hashem” (our soul waits for Hashem, Tehillim 33:20) have the same first letters as “notzer chesed l’alafim” (He creates kindness for thousands), as well as “l’hadlik ner Chanukah” (to kindle the Chanukah lights). This indicates that what the Kohen Gadol is able to create chesed for thousands of people by lighting the Menorah in the Bais Hamikdosh can also be accomplished by any Jew who lights the Chanukah lights, as long as his soul years for Hashem and he possesses emunah and bitachon.
The pasuk in Tehillim continues “ezreinu u’magineinu hu” (He is our help and our shield). “Help” means assisting someone when he is in a time of danger, while a “shield” is a protection to help a person avoid future danger.
“Ki bo yismach libeinu. (For our heart will rejoice in Him.)” This is a reference to help we received in the past. “Ki b’sheim kodsho batachnu. (Because we trusted in His holy name.)” This is referring to the trust we have that He will help in the future, and emunah and bitachon provide a person with parnassah.
“Yehi chadecha Hashem aleinu ka’asher yechalnu lach. (May Your kindness, Hashem, be upon us as we hoped to You.)” We say that even though our bitachon was not as good as it should be, He should still have mercy on us and provide us with our needs.
Rav Moshe Midner zt”l asked why the curse the nachash received is considered so bad. It was told that it would eat dirt, which seems like a good thing, as it will always be surrounded by food.
He answered that Hashem’s curse was that the snake would never need to speak to him. Since Hashem didn’t want anything to do with the snake, He provided it with as much food as it will ever need and cut all ties with it. A Yid, however, must always daven to Hashem and ask for parnassah. We are not provided with sustenance easily because Hashem wants to hear from us. He wants to retain His connection with us, so He makes us daven to Him for our livelihoods.
The Kobriner Rebbe zy”a says that when one davens for parnassah, he is in the category of “those who seek to become purified” and such people receive Divine assistance. Davening shows that one has emunah and bitachon in Hashem. Therefore, one who davens has the gates of parnassah opened for him.
All your Desires Will Not Satisfy You:
The tzadikim of the house of Ruzhin would occasionally relate the following story at the time of the lighting of the menorah of Chanukah:
A group of several chasidim were once sitting in the bais medrash of Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov zy”a and engaging in conversation. Suddenly, Rav Levi Yitzchok walked in and approached them. He asked them what they were talking about and why they were wasting their time speaking about nonsense.
They were embarrassed to answer but when he asked again, they were forced to say that they were discussing the great wealth of the Graf Pototsky and his lavish lifestyle. They were saying how he was so rich that if he wants to sledding in the middle of the summer, when there is no snow on the ground, he commands his servants to pour bags of sugar on a hill so that he can sled on it as if it were snow.
Rav Levi Yitzchok asked, “Does the Graf light Chanukah licht?”
The chasidim replied, “Of course not! He’s not even Jewish.”
The Rebbe then said, “If he doesn’t light Chanukah licht, he has no inkling of what true pleasure in this world is!”
