We discussed that every Yid should consider himself special. It was this pride that angered the Yevanim. It bothered the Yevanim that Yidden believe they have a close connection with Hashem and that their deeds have universal, and even celestial, significance.
This is the reason they forced Yidden to write on their oxen’s horns, באלקי חלק לכם שאין ישראל, that they don’t have a portion with the G-d of Yisrael. They didn't want them to feel important.
This jealousy continues until today. Deep down, goyim know that the Jewish people are Hashem's chosen nation, and this gives them no rest. They know that our deeds are significant to Hashem, and they have trouble swallowing that reality.
The Sfas Emes (5636 איתא ה"ד 'ז ליל) writes, "The Yevanim stopped the Yidden from performing three mitzvos: Chodesh, Shabbos, and bris milah. Why did they specifically want to annul chodesh, more than all other mitzvos? And what aspect of Rosh Chodesh did they want to annul? It doesn't seem this refers to the korban Mussaf of Rosh Chodesh, so what did they want to annul? It seems they wanted to annul kiddush hachodesh, when witnesses tell beis din that they saw a new moon, and beis din establishes the day as Rosh Chodesh. It angered the Yevanim that the calendar and the yomim tovim should depend on Bnei Yisrael.
"Therefore, they said, 'Write on the oxen's horn that you don't have a portion with the G-d of Yisrael.' [These words contradict themselves.] If Hashem is the 'G-d of Yisrael,' as they were told to write on the oxen's horn, this automatically means they have a portion with Hashem!
"[But the answer is, the Yevanim knew and agreed that Hashem is the G-d of Yisrael, but they didn't want Yidden to feel that they have a חלק, portion, with Hashem, and that their deeds can bring holiness to the world.]" They weren't against us performing mitzvos, but they were against our belief that the mitzvos we perform have supernatural qualities, and through the mitzvos, we become attached to Hashem, and we draw down Hashem's holiness.
Another reason for this decree was that the Yevanim accepted that there were tzaddikim among Klal Yisrael who had a close connection with Hashem. This is why Hashem is called "the G-d of Yisrael," the G-d of tzaddikim. But they denied that there's a connection between Hashem and the average Yid, or between Hashem and a Yid who is at a very low level.
The Sfas Emes teaches that the Yevanim failed to educate the Jewish nation to believe like them. In fact, due to the gezeiros of that era, Hashem gave the Jewish nation Chanukah, which reveals the close connection between Hashem and the Jewish nation.
The Rambam on the Beloved Mitzvah of Chanukah
The Rambam (Hilchos Chanukah 4:12) writes, להזהר אדם וצריך מאוד עד היא חביבה מצוה חנוכה נר מצות בה, "The mitzvah of lighting Chanukah lecht is an extremely beloved mitzvah, and a person must be cautious with it."
Why is Chanukah lecht called חביבה מצוה, a beloved mitzvah? We will explain with a mashal:
A poor girl married a very wealthy man. She felt honored to live in the large mansion that he provided. She had never lived amidst so much wealth before. But one day, she told her husband that she preferred to live in her previous home, where she lived before she got married.
Her husband agreed, and they moved into the tiny home. This made his wife very happy because now she knew for sure that her husband loved her. When she lived in her husband's wealthy estate, she thought: "He brought me to his fancy home because he lives there. Where else should he bring me? This doesn't prove that he loves me." But when she saw that her husband was prepared to forgo pleasure and comfort to please her, that assured her that he loved her.
The Rambam calls Chanuka lecht מצוה מאוד עד חביבה a very beloved mitzvah because, on Chanukah, Hashem comes down to our low levels. This proves that He loves us. He comes down to us to elevate us so we can be close to Him.
The Meor Einayim writes, "The Shechinah never descends below ten tefachim (see Succah 5). However, Hashem makes sure that no Jew will be detached from Him. So, during the miracle of Chanukah, Hashem kiveyachol comes down below ten tefachim. He comes close to man to bring him back up to Him."
The Divrei Chaim of Sanz zt'l said, "On Shabbos, Hashem brings us up to Him. On yom tov, Hashem comes down to us. On Chanukah, Hashem visits His children in prison." It is the holiday for the people imprisoned by the yetzer hara. On this holiday, Hashem comes to them.
The Divrei Chaim of Sanz zt'l explains, "When a king is on his throne, in his palace, the average person can't visit him. Surely, those punished by the king won't be able to visit the king. However, when the king travels around his kingdom, it's his custom to visit the prisoners in jail. At this time, the prisoners shout, ‘King! Save us!' This is what happens on Chanukah. Hashem comes to us to save us from our imprisonment."
Chanukah for the Distant and the Average
In Avodah Zarah (20:), Reb Pinchas ben Yair teaches ten steps for success in avodas Hashem. They are, זהירות ,זהירות לידי מביאה תורה לידי מביאה נקיות ,נקיות לידי מביאה זריזות ,זריזות לידי מביאה לידי מביאה טהרה ,טהרה לידי מביאה פרישות ,פרישות יראת לידי מביאה ענוה ,ענוה לידי מביאה חסידות ,חסידות רוח לידי מביאה קדושה ,קדושה לידי מביאה חטא יראת ,חטא הקודש. Ten levels are mentioned here. Chazal (Succah 5.) state, "The Shechinah never goes down below ten." This hints that one needs to have success in at least one of the ten levels mentioned here to have a connection with the Shechinah. But on Chanukah, we light the menorah below ten tefachim. This hints that on Chanukah, even if one is at a very low level and hasn’t even begun avodas Hashem, the Shechinah will come to him and help him rise from there.
One night, before lighting Chanukah lecht, the Tolna Rebbe zt'l asked a chassid who had a short wife, "When you speak to your wife, does she climb up on a chair to speak to you or do you bend down to speak with her?" After asking this question, the Rebbe lit the Chanukah lecht.
Rebbe Mordechai Dov of Hornesteipel zt'l explained the Tolna Rebbe's intention. The Gemara (Bava Metzia 59.) says, "If you have a short wife, bend down to seek her counsel." The Tolna Rebbe hinted that on Chanukah, Hashem keviyachol bends down to whichever level we are on to elevate us.
The Sfas Emes writes, "Chanukah is mostly for the chalashim and the beinonim." Chanukah is mainly for the Yidden who are at a low or mediocre level. Chanukah is their opportunity to come close to Hashem.
