Do the Mitzvah as Best as You Can
After the Yesod HoAvodah of Slonim zy'a was niftar, the chassidim debated who should be their next Rebbe. One elderly person recommended that they choose the Divrei Shmuel zt'l (the Yesod HoAvodah's grandson). He told them the following story:
The Divrei Shmuel was very attached to the mitzvah of Chanukah lecht. He studied the halachos very well, and every year, he spent a lot of time importing olive oil for the mitzvah. One year, on erev Shabbos, he filled his menorah with olive oil and went to his grandfather's house to watch the Yesod HoAvodah light Chanukah lecht. When he returned home to light his menorah, he saw that someone had already lit his menorah. Since Shabbos was approaching, there wasn't enough time to prepare another olive oil menorah, so he lit one candle made from animal fats, and that was his mitzvah that night.
The elderly chasid told his friends this story, saying, "The chiddush was that when he lit that one candle, he performed the mitzvah with joy. If he can be happy with his mitzvah, even when it wasn't performed b'hidur, as planned, he deserves to be Rebbe."
The elderly chassid's suggestion was accepted and the Divrei Shmuel became the next Rebbe of Slonim.
The Divrei Shmuel’s attitude was passed down to his son, the Beis Avraham of Slonim zt’l. One year, on a Friday, the Beis Avraham was about to light the Chanukah menorah, and his child ran by and knocked over the menorah. The oil spilled, and there wasn't enough time before Shabbos to prepare the menorah again. The Beis Avraham said with a smile, "The same Creator Who commanded us to light Chanukah lecht commanded us not to become angry."
One year, Rebbe Yochanan of Tolna zy’a (Bayit v’Gan, Yerushalayim) lit Chanukah lecht, and was saying zemiros and Tehillim. Many people were present. Due to pushing, a child fell on the Rebbe’s Chanukah menorah, and it turned over. The Rebbe said, "My dear child, I'm so grateful to you. Now I can keep Chazal's counsel, לה זקוק אין כבתה, if the candles blow out before a half-hour passes, one isn't obligated to light the candles again. How often can I fulfill this Chazal? Thank you for giving me this opportunity!"
Instead of being angry with the child, he rejoiced that he could practice a statement from Chazal. (Afterwards, the Rebbe lit the candles again because the Mishnah Berurah rules that if a half-hour hasn’t passed, one should be machmir and rekindle the candles.)
Once, the Chofetz Chaim zt'l was in the home of Reb Nachumke Kaplan zt'l on Chanukah. The time to light Chanukah lecht arrived, but Reb Nachumke waited to light until his Rebbetzin got home. The Chofetz Chaim asked his Rebbe why he waited since halachah clearly states one should light at the proper time, even if some people aren't home. Reb Nochumke replied, “My wife will be upset if I light the Chanukah lecht without her, so it is a matter of shalom bayis. Chazal say עדיף בית שלום, shalom bayis is more important than Chanukah lecht. So, according to halachah, I should wait until my wife comes home."
