Pure Olive Oil: A Lesson in Love
Eliav Saban
Grade 12 student, Yeshivat Or Chaim
The Gemara in Shabbat 21b states:
תנו רבנן מצות חנוכה נר איש וביתו והמהדרין נר לכל אחד ואחד והמהדרין מן המהדרין בית שמאי אומרים יום ראשון מדליק שמנה מכאן ואילך פוחת והולך ובית הלל אומרים יום ראשון מדליק אחת מכאן ואילך מוסיף והולך
The Rabbis taught: The mitzvah of Chanukah is one candle per household. The Mehadrin is one candle per person. The Mehadrin Min Hamehadrin, Beit Shammai says: the first night you light eight and then you light one less every night. Beit Hillel says: The first night you light one and add one more every night.
The Gemara depicts a dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel as to the best way to light the Chanukah candles throughout the eight-day holiday. Eight to one or one to eight? How can we understand this argument on a deeper level?
Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler addresses this discussion in his book, Michtav Eliyahu:
The dispute of Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel refers to the person who wishes to perform the mitzvah in the best possible manner – “mehadrin min ha-mehadrin.” This hints at the person who wishes to perfect himself in all aspects of Torah, whom we discussed above. Beit Shammai advocates that he should adopt the second option, recognize his lowliness, lessen his emphasis on outward finesse, and rather concentrate on increasing inwardness and sincerity. But Beit Hillel believes that he should indeed copy the outward actions of the tzaddikim, while constantly reminding himself that he must grow in inwardness, adding “light” to “light” as time goes on.
According to this explanation, Beit Shammai’s mehadrin is for us to reduce our outward focus, as represented by the candles, and achieve an internalized ideal of being “one”. The one candle on the last night signifies a stronger sense of identity and internalized values. Beit Hillel, on the other hand, is saying that, practically speaking, most people need to add to their external behaviour and actions to help achieve internal value-based identity. We need to constantly fuel the fire!
This explanation of Rav Dessler gives tremendous insight into the debate between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai. I believe that we follow Beit Hillel in this halacha (and in general), because nobody is perfect. No matter what a person’s affiliation or background, we all have what to work on. Each person can think of where they are today in their connection to Hashem, Torah and Mitzvot, and think of what “adding a candle” means for tomorrow. Each day we can take one more step to improving ourselves. Whether it be davening, making minyan, being nicer to others, giving tzedaka, keeping shabbat or learning Torah, or anything else – we can do it!
This Chanukah, take the message of the candles – we can all strive to be mehadrin min hamehadrin. Do accomplish that we need to take it one day at a time, adding a little more each day. May we all have the ability and courage to light the candles and let them shine.
The Light Can Only Be Seen After The Darkness
Kayla Saiet, Leora Tenenbaum and Chavi Zieleniec
Grade 10 students, Ulpanat Orot
Timing plays a big role in Judaism, everything that happens in your life needs to happen in that exact moment. All of the months and Chagim are in a certain order that was thoughtfully planned out by Hashem. So, what can we learn about the timing and month that Chanukah takes place in Chanukah takes place in the month of Kislev, following Mar-Cheshvan, which by definition means the “bitter month.” Cheshvan is after all of the Chagim are over, it is a month with no holidays. Cheshvan is also the beginning of winter and one of the hardest times work wise in school, it’s an overall hard time of year. Then comes Kislev and the Holiday of Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights. But what light are we referring to? The miracles and the miraculous ways of Hashem. By having Cheshvan, a hard month right before Kislev, the time of Nissim, we learn that we need darkness in order to see the light. No matter how tough things are we need to always remember that the light of Hashem is near. We can further understand this concept with a parable. A man had a dream, he was walking on the beach and walking along with him was Hashem. As the man and Hashem were walking the man noticed two sets of footsteps. He asks Hashem what do these footsteps represent? Hashem replies saying that the footsteps are symbolizing all the moments in his life. The man is examining the footsteps and all of a sudden confusion comes upon him. He asks why whenever I was going through a hard time there is only one set of footsteps? Were you not with me Hashem through those tough times? Hashem responds saying there was only one set of footsteps because I was carrying you on my shoulders during those difficult times. Through the hardest times Hashem is holding us and that is what we can see during Chanukah. We feel Hashem’s presence by remembering the miracles that took place and we also see that he was with us too during Mar-Cheshvan. Cheshvan came first to teach us that the rain was necessary for the flower to blossom. May we all be able to see the light after the darkness and see Hashem through the good and the difficult times.
Happy Chanukah!
