Rav Naftoli Tzvi Horowitz, the Ropshitzer
“Now Yosef was the shalit – the ruler – over the land; he was the mashbir – the provider – to all the people of the land” (42:6)
In the sefer Ayala Shelucha, the Ropshitzer further expands this teaching and explains that our pasuk is saying that Yosef was the shalit because he was the mashbir; the reason Yosef became a viceroy was because he broke his desires. He then became a mashbir, providing sustenance for the entire world! He who breaks down his desires and rules over his yetzer is a Tzaddik, called a mashbir, who then has the power to break down any barriers that separate us from Hashem, drawing down shefa and sustenance onto the whole world.
In Ayala Shelucha, the Ropshitzer observes that our Parsha always falls on Chanuka, and he connects the power to break down barriers to the power of the Chanuka candles. Hashem commanded us to light the Chanuka candles in order to instill in us the power of teshuva by awakening our hearts to remember and see that Hashem will shine favor on us, just as he did for our forefathers, in those days, at this time. Now, during the exile, our eyes are shut and our hearts are blocked. Because of our sins, we sit in the darkness of Golus, ruled over by other nations, and a great barrier is erected between us and Hashem, and we cannot gaze on the light of His countenance. We are prevented from seeing be’ohr pnei Melech Chaim (Mishlei 16:15) from Avinu Shebashomayim! As Hashem says, “I shall hide My face...because of the evil that they have done” (Devorim 31:18).
This concealed divinity causes us great darkness, like it says in Tehillim 18:12: “His darkness conceals Him”.
So it was in the exile of Golus Yovon, among the wicked Greeks who defiled our oils, which represent our wisdom as is known (Menochos 86 and Zohar III 34a). In their wickedness they defiled our wisdom and our Jewish minds, our sechel (intellect) was rendered tomei (impure) and our hearts forgot divine wisdom. When the hands of the Chashmono’im were victorious and they guided us to do teshuva, saving us from our enemies and subjugating the Greek rulers, they purified the defilement and they refined and purified our wisdom and minds by drawing down supernal wisdom, insight and knowledge from on high to us, the holy nation of Klal Yisrael. This enlightened our eyes with a pure, white light of holy divine wisdom to understand how to do teshuva, as we say, “They purified Your Mikdosh and lit candles in Your holy chambers”.
The Ropshitzer sees this idea hinted at in the gematria of lehadlik ner Chanuka, which equals the gematria of ohr chodosh:
Lehadlik Ner Chanuka:
(lamed=30+hei=5+dalet=4+lamed=30+yud=10+kuf =100 = 179)
(nun=50+reish =200 = 250) (ches=8+nun=50+vov=6+kaf=20+hei =5 = 89) = 518 plus the kollel = 519
Ohr Chodosh:
(alef=1+vov=6+reish =200 = 207) (ches=8+dalet=4+shin=300 = 312) = 519
The roshei teivos (initial letters) of lehadlik ner Chanuka are lamed, nun and ches, spelling chalon – a window. This is the window that allows the pure light to illuminate His wisdom to flow toward us, as we say in davening, “Every day He opens the doors and gates of the East and breaks open the windows of the firmament (Birkas Yotzer Ohr on Shabbos).
Therefore, explains the Ropshitzer, we celebrate these days in every generation to awaken in our hearts the desire for teshuva, to recognize that our King will deliver us, and in Him shall our hearts rejoice, for simcha only comes from an abundance of goodness and favor – as we see that people who have children, wealth, silver and gold are happy of heart. Therefore, we should rejoice over all the goodness and favors, the miracles and kindness that Hashem has done for us in those days past. He removed from us the wicked Greek rulers, who wished to prevent us from fulfilling Hashem’s mitzvos, as Chazal say (Megillas Antiochus) that they tried to prevent us from keeping Shabbos, Mila and Chodesh, whose roshei teivos are shin, mem and ches and spell same’ach – joy.
Therefore we recite the thirtieth perek of Tehillim, Mizmor Shir Chanukas Habayis – whose roshei teivos are mem, shin, ches, hei, which spells simcha, and the words of the berocha lehadlik ner Chanuka equal the same gematria as nogila venismecha bo – we shall rejoice in Hashem!
Lehadlik Ner Chanuka
(lamed=30+hei=5+dalet=4+lamed=30+yud=10+kuf =100 = 179)
(nun=50+reish =200 = 250) (ches=8+nun=50+vov=6+kaf=20+hei =5 = 89) =
Nogila Venismecha Bo
(nun=50+gimmel=3+yud=10+lamed=30+hei=5 = 98)
(vov=6+nun=50+shin=300+mem=40+ches=8+hei=5= 409) (bais=2+vov=6 = 8) = 515 + the three words themselves = 518
