Chanukah

 Proverbs 4:18 - וְאֹ֣רַח צַ֭דִּיקִים כְּא֣וֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָ֝א֗וֹר עַד־נְכ֥וֹן הַיּֽוֹם׃

The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, ever brightening until noon. The NS cites this and the Beis Avraham saying that orach stands for the ohr-light of the 8 that builds up, and that's what this verse refers to here. We build up to the light of the eighth night which brings us light all year till next Chanukah. Chazal set ner Chanukah to bring a Jew light at all times, especially dark times.  The key is the shining of this light beyond Chanukah.

The parsha of the Nesi'im read through Chanukah fits with this.  On the eighth day - Zot Chanukah we read zot chanukat hamizbeach... and it repeats it again zot Chanukah... It hints to the holiday of Chanukah and the strong light that continues after Chanukah, which is radiant and ever brightening.  All year we take strength from this light.

We're escorted by Chanukah's light throught the year. Ve'Achar kach ba'u banechah - we returned to the level of being G-d's sons! (Bnei Yisaschar).  Chidah says that the 3 they wanted to abolish - Shabbos, R"Ch, Milah - all show that we are banim to Hashem. Beini u'bein B"Y - Shabos is a special sign between us, G-d's childern, it's not allowed to be kept by non Jews. We set R"Ch and we set up higher worlds that parallel what's set here.  Even if they technically err what they set is set in all worlds. Chazal - We should do it, even if mistaken, or purposely wrong, or done by very few - Atem, no matter what.  Milah - Zahar - With a bris we're called G-d's sons. 

These 3 were their target to undo because they hilight our being G-d's sons.

Ve'achar kach ba'u banecha - we beat them in that we returned to being G-d's sons. 

This level of banim is what helps us all year till next Chanukah. It helps us with sur mirah and with asei tov.  

Proverbs 3:11
מוּסַ֣ר יְ֭הֹוָה בְּנִ֣י אַל־תִּמְאָ֑ס
Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son - The Sabba Kadosh of Slonim explains that it can be read in an alternative way: 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Early Mistakes of the Book of Breishit: Deep Darkness Corrected By Lofty Light

 The Torah is an instruction book for life.  So why does it start with stories of major mistakes? The Cheit Eitz HaDaat makes sense to be included because it is something that all mankind yearns to see rectified. But what about the other stories? The way G-d created the world is that there was darkness for 2000 years before there was the era of light.  This is how it is, erev-night and then from it boker-morning light, the peel and then the fruit, sur mirah - keep from the bad and then asei tov - do good. Avraham with his chesed - kindness, Yitzchak with his gevurah - strength, and Yaakov with his tiferet - balance, began the tikun-correction of the world.  Before that tikun came about there was darkness.  The three things the world cannot tolerate were being done, as we're told by Chazal: Kin'ah - jealousy, ta'avah - desire, and kavod - honor, remove a person from this world.  Kin'ah - Mishlei says that jealousy rots a person's bones.  Kayin fell down far and hard
Read more

Purim - Makom Acheir

 Many focus on Esther's decision to step up after Mordechai tells her that if she doesn't rise to the occasion salvation will come another way. But there's something else worth focusing on here: how did Mordechai know this? The Nesivos Shalom says that Mordecha was tapping into a traditional approach which teaches the spiritual reality that at the darkest time light comes. There's the possibilty that a person earns the grace that comes and saves them with light. Then there's the a Above and Beyond scenario. On RH and YK we build up to judgment, yet there's mercy beyond that judgment. Mordecha was (possibly) saying that there's a way to get G-d to save you, the old fashioned way - you earn it. But if you don't get there in by earning it straight up there's another way that may come into play. Salvation can come from another place: the Mercy of G-d. And it's specifically at the darkest time that this other method can take effect. This wonderou
Read more

Shemot - Why Exile Pt I

Exile and redemption hold a major place in the Torah and in the Jewish People's reality. it starts at the Brit Bein HaBetarim - The Covenant Between The Pieces. During the first moments of G-d's establishing that the Jewish People will be chosen, G-d tells Avraham that they will be strangers in a strangle land. Before this moment a darkness falls upon Avraham and tradition has it that in the darkness all of the future (4 major) exiles that Avraham's children would go through were revealed to him. But isn't exile a punishment? So how is it announced before the Jewish People exist to have done anything wrong? And could the positive purpose of the first exile of Egypt be, given that they entered holy, and left on a low level? And why doesn't Avraham pray for his children to not have to go through this exile? After all, he prayed for the wicked people of Sedom to not be destroyed, why didn't he pray for the annulment of this decree against his children? And why do w
Read more