The Rebbe explains that Chanukah gelt should be given to sons and daughters, before and after marriage. It is also given to grandchildren, even though they already receive Chanukah gelt from their parents. In addition to the parents, other members of the family should also give Chanukah gelt. On at least one year, the Rebbe said that children should give amongst themselves as well. The Rebbe would give Chanukah gelt to children during rallies, and encouraged others to gather children and do the same; and, at least one year, also to soldiers being visited on mivtzoim.
The Tzemach Tzedek (and the earlier Rebbeim) would give Chanukah gelt on the fourth or fifth night of Chanukah. However, in 5748 the Rebbe encouraged that Chanukah gelt should be given every night of Chanukah. The Rebbe explained the reason the Rebbeim only gave once over Chanukah was so it would retain its novelty and it wouldn’t become routine. However, the Rebbe said, because the darkness of exile has intensified, specifically in education, we should now give Chanukah gelt every night. In order to fulfill the directive of the Rebbeim to give on the fourth or fifth night and to preserve the novelty, one should give extra on the fourth or fifth night—double or triple as much as the other nights. The Rebbe continued encouraging nightly Chanukah gelt in the following years, and, at the very least, on two nights of Chanukah.
The Rebbe spoke many times throughout the years that Chanukah gelt should be used as an opportunity to educate children on the importance of giving tzedakah from their own money. All a child’s needs are taken care of by his parents, so the primary use of his money is for mitzvot, and first and foremost tzedakah. When a child receives more money, especially money that he hadn’t expected to receive, it is in order to give more tzedakah.
In the later years, the Rebbe would hold rallies for children every Chanukah, during which he would give the chaperones Chanukah gelt to distribute to the children. The Chanukah gelt that the Rebbe gave was almost always coins. During one Chanukah rally, the Rebbe gave a fascinating insight into this practice: by nature, children value coins more than paper money and this is reflected in Torah. In Torah, too, coins have more value than paper money. In order to effect a halachic transaction (like marriage), one can only use coins which have inherent value, not paper money which is really only a note from the treasury promising that it is backed by something.
The Rebbe learns a lesson from this: the service of a Jew is to make the world into a dwelling place for Hashem, to acquire it for Hashem, and he “pays” for it with gold and silver, by dedicating his ratzon (will) and ta’anug (enjoyment) to Torah and mitzvot. But it isn’t enough to use paper money; it isn’t enough to make a resolution and write down a promise that something will be done; one must use coins with inherent value—one must actually do it!
Adapted from Derher
