Third Night • Sparks of Light 5781

Chanukah and Purim

Daniela Black and Nava Edery (Grade 10) 

Purim was the last holiday celebrated by Jews before the world went into total lockdown because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. How does this connect to the holiday we are celebrating now? Chanukah and Purim relate in many ways, yet there is one big difference that sets them apart. We all know that both Haman and the Greeks did not want Jews on this planet, but both tried to annihilate the Jews in different ways. Haman wanted to physically wipe out any living Jew from this planet, he wanted to kill us all. The Greeks tried to wipe out the essence of the Jewish people, they wanted the Jews to believe in what they believed in. This is the main difference between the holiday we last celebrated before going into lockdown and the holiday we are thankfully celebrating now. To connect to Purim, the last holiday we celebrated before COVID-19 hit Toronto, let’s thank Hashem for physically being here, alive and healthy today. And during Chanukah we light our chanukiyot to show that the essence of the Jews is still alive so let’s keep our faith in God and pray for the health and healing of other Jewish souls.

The Deeper Meaning of Chanukah

Mrs. Elisheva Reichmann (Mechanechet)

The Alter from Kelm once stated that he never fulfilled Chanukah properly. This is a surprising statement given the incredible Tzaddik that he was. Moreover, what did he intend to accomplish by making such a negative statement about himself?

Most people live their lives focused on simplistic levels of existence, but in truth there are deeper levels of awareness. Imagine a child for example who comes home with 100% on her test. She is so proud of herself; she got such a high score! But it turns out that she only got that grade because she copied another person’s paper. Although she may have scored 100%, she missed the larger purpose which was to understand the material. The test was only a means of evaluating her abilities.

It is said that Chanukah, Purim and Rosh HaShana all celebrate the same core – that Hashem loves us and that He wants us to have a relationship with Him. We are instructed to light the Menorah to recall the miracles Hashem performed for us – our military victory but particularly the jug of oil that was found, staying lit for eight nights. The question is asked, why celebrate with the Menorah? If anything, that was the least important part of the story – it wasn’t even necessary! The answer is exactly that. By making an unnecessary miracle Hashem not only saved us, but expressed His love for us.

The Alter from Kelm was teaching us an important lesson. He was saying that, too often we get caught up in the details, in the test itself. We forget that the test or the Mitzvah goes beyond the action and has deeper meaning for us to apply to our real lives. Lighting the Menorah is the Mitzvah, but to fulfil Chanukah’s purpose we need to connect with Hashem, appreciate His love for us and love Him in return.

What Is the Proper Location for the Placement of the Menorah?

Hillel Roth (Grade 9)

The Gemara in Shabbos (21b) discusses the laws and Halachos regarding the placement of the Menorah. The Gemara states: “The requirement to fulfill the mitzvah of Menorah, is to place the Menorah outside one’s domain, in their courtyard.” The Gemara explains that by placing the Menorah outside a person’s domain, he or she is publicising the miracle of Chanukah to anyone that passes by on the street, and therefore fulfills the mitzvah of pirsumei nisa (publicising the miracle of Chanukah) in the best possible manner. The Gemara also notes the following: “In times of danger (persecution), one should place the Menorah in their domain … And that will be sufficient for fulfilling the obligation.”

Later in the discussion, though, the Gemara (22b) asserts that placing the Menorah in one’s home may not be sufficient, and that the obligation of publicizing the miracles of Chanukah when lighting inside is not achieved. Since the fundamental principle of lighting the Menorah is to serve as a symbol for the miracles of Chanukah, publicising the Menorah outside is essential to fulfilling the Mitzvah, and if this is not done, one has not adequately fulfilled the obligation of Menorah and pirsumei nisa. The Gemara goes on to state that placing the Menorah inside does not fulfill the obligation at all, but instead lighting the Menorah inside is only done for the purpose of a personal Zecher l’mitzvas Chanukah (a personal remembering of the miracles of Chanukah). It would seem from this that the Gemara holds that lighting inside does not warrant even a partial fulfillment of the Mitzvah; rather, lighting the Menorah inside is purely for the purpose of Zecher l’mitzvas Chanukah.

Rav Hershel Schachter elaborates on the idea of an incomplete fulfillment of the mitzvah of Menorah when lighting inside. He notes that there must be even a partial fulfillment of the mitzvah of Menorah when lighting inside, or else the Rabbis would not require us to say the designated brachos associated with the Menorah lighting. If we are not fulfilling the mitzvah of Menorah at all, then we would evidently be saying a bracha levatala (a bracha said in vain, with no clear purpose, or mitzvah fulfillment). It would seem, then, that there must be a partial fulfillment of the mitzvah, which is why the Rabbis allow us to say the respective brachos when lighting the Menorah, without fear of reciting a bracha levatala. Rav Schachter notes that one is partially fulfilling the mitzvah of Menorah because of the personal pirsumei nisa that they are getting from lighting the Menorah with their family inside their home. Since in this case a person is at least partially fulfilling the mitzvah of Menorah, we are allowed to say the brachos associated with lighting the Menorah.

Throughout the generations living in Chutz Laaretz (outside of Israel) it has become a tradition to light inside, due to persecution and weather, among other reasons. It has also become a custom to place the Menorah parallel to a window, in order to publicise the Menorah while still ensuring the Menorah is protected from rain and wind. In Israel, it is a tradition to light the Menorah outside, enclosed in a glass box, where it is safe from harmful elements but where the weather is still more suitable for lighting outside. In consideration of the above factors, the correct location for the Menorah when lighting in Chutz Laaretz is inside, preferably facing a window. Although these are the usual methods of placement for the Menorah, the specific details of their placement differ among personal customs.

Of Mitzvot and Miracles

Mr. Ezer Diena (Judaic Studies/Science Teacher)

The Talmud (Shabbat 21a) is the source of the well-known story that after the Chashmonaim regained control of the Beit Hamikdash, they found only one small jug of oil bearing the Kohen Gadol’s seal. Even though the oil contained within was enough to burn for only one day, it burnt for eight days, which is the reason why we celebrate for eight days.

Interestingly, Rabbi Achai Gaon’s version of the Talmud was slightly different; rather than “enough oil to last one day”, his text read that “there was not enough oil to last even one day”. While this version does help with some aspects of the story, it is hard to understand on a practical level; which foolish person would prepare oil jugs for the Menorah that wouldn’t even last for one day?

Rabbi Refael Azoulai (cited by Shabbat Shel Mi to Shabbat 21a) suggested that this oil was not actually menorah oil, but rather, oil prepared for the Kohen Gadol’s daily Mincha offering, called the Minchat Chavitin. As part of this offering, the Kohen Gadol would bring 3 log (a measurement of liquid) of oil, whereas the Menorah required 3.5 log. Not only would this explain how there could be “not enough oil to last even one day”, but it also explains why the Kohen Gadol’s seal would be on the oil in the Beit Hamikdash, a practice that we don’t see referenced anywhere else in Jewish literature.

However, this suggestion is problematic, since oil used for a Korban Mincha is not of the same quality as is required for the Menorah (Mishnah Menachot 8:5), and if so, how could the Chashmonaim have used inferior oil for the Menorah, since it is not kosher to light from? Rabbi Azoulai suggests that the Kohen Gadol of that time went above and beyond the requirements, and used the best oil he could find for his personal Minchat Chavitin, and therefore, it was kosher for the Menorah as well.

What emerges from this interpretation (as wild as it is) is that the entire Chanukah miracle only came about because the Kohen Gadol of that time used a superior product for his private daily offering. This explains why we strive to fulfill the lighting of the Chanukah candles with all of the enhancements we can (such as with beautiful Chanukiyot and olive oil), but also shows us that one person’s enhanced mitzvah can bring a true miracle for the entire Jewish People. In the merit of our embellishments and overall beautification of our mitzvot on Chanukah and throughout the year, may we soon see further miracles, and greet Mashiach speedily in our days!