Sixth Night • Sparks of Light 5781

Significance of the Menorah

Tikki Reichman (Grade 11) 

Many people might wonder what the connection is between the lighting of the Chanukah candles and the lighting of the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash. What’s the significance of a Menorah in the first place?  

I’d like to share one perspective based on the Ramban’s commentary on Chumash. The Torah reading on Chanukah talks about the Chanukat Hamizbeyach – the dedication of the altar as relayed in Devarim chapter 7. Each of the 12 Shevatim brought an offering on each of the first 12 days of Nisan. Evidently, that was sufficient. The very next passage which is read on the last day of Chanukah is the commandment to tell Aharon that he is to light the Menorah. Before this moment he was distraught because all the Shevatim were able to bring Korbanot and he wasn’t able to. Hashem then tells Moshe to comfort Aharon by reminding him that he alone will be the one to light the Menorah. Rashi, quoting the Midrash, asks why this Mitzvah is repeated here. Rashi answers that Aharon felt bad about not contributing to the offerings, so Hashem told Moshe to comfort him by telling him that he alone would be the one to light the Menorah. Ramban, after quoting Rashi, challenges this answer because it assumes the importance of lighting the Menorah over Aharon’s other tasks as a Kohen. The Ramban asks why Hashem didn’t remind Aharon of being able to go into the Kodesh Hakodashim on Yom Kippur, offer Korbanot, perform Birkat Kohanim, or any of the other opportunities he has as a Kohen. I personally would think that it’s not such a big deal getting to light the Menorah compared to going into the Kodesh Hakodashim. That seems like a much bigger deal so why didn’t Hashem bring this up instead of bringing up the Menorah?

The Ramban answers his question saying that the Menorah had extra significance to Aharon because unlike all the other jobs of a Kohen the Menorah will live on forever through the similar candles we light on Chanukah. Today we remember Aharon every day of Chanukah when we light our Chanukiahs. Additionally this is the only time Chanukah is alluded to in the Tanach. The Netziv also brings another opinion. The Netziv says “Just as wisdom comes from one main source, so too must the Menorah be made of one solid piece” – bringing the two ideas together. The candles on each side of the Menorah have the Shamash connecting them just like all Torah leaders and Jews have the Torah leading their lives. The Netziv says that the six branches represent the wisdom taken from the Torah; while the Shamsh is like the Torah, the main source of all this wisdom.

To take it one step further the Netziv says the six branches are like the Chachamim all turning towards the Torah to lead us. To even bring the Netziv’s point further, Ramban points out that the Maccabim – the heroes of the Chanukah story, were descendants of Aharon. Like it says “Matisyahu Ben Yochanan Kohen Gadol Chashmonai Uvanav.” Hashem is showing Aharon that his family legacy will live on and ultimately serve Bnei Yisrael down the line.

Through these two things – the lighting of the Ner Chanukah and the Maccabim, the Jewish people remember Aharon many years later through the symbol of the Menorah and not through any of the other jobs given to Kohanim as these are no longer done. May we carry Aharon’s legacy of Avodat Hashem and the light of peace that he kindled this Chanukah and all those to come. 

Happy Chanukah! 

Why Celebrate the Beginning of the End?

Mrs. Shyndee Kestenbaum (Judaic Studies and Integrated Arts Teacher)

Chanukah is an interesting holiday. From a historical perspective, it is a blip in the story of Jewish persecution and the fight for Jewish independence in the land of Judea. The reality is that Chanukah doesn’t really have a definitive happy ending. Shortly after the rededication of the Bais Hamikdash, there is a short period of peace, short being the key word. Anyone who looks further down the timeline understands that everything kind of unravels with one thing leading to another until the Romans enter – and we all know what happened then.

To make things a little more puzzling, let’s look at another fact. We celebrate 8 days of Chanukah to commemorate the miracle of the oil lasting for an extra week. When one looks at the storylines that were simultaneously happening in the time of Chanukah – mainly the improbable victory of the Maccabim over the Greeks and the miracle of the oil, it is interesting that the oil is the focus. An interesting fact is that while pure oil is the ideal, they would have been permitted to use impure oil to light the menorah. So this begs the question, besides for an excuse to stock up on donuts and latkes, Why is the oil the focus? Why are we even celebrating Chanukah if things go downhill a couple of decades later?

R’ Chaim Shmulevitz explains that if one wants to see if a child is loved, they shouldn’t look at whether he is clothed and fed. This doesn’t prove love as it is a parent’s responsibility to provide the basic needs. If one wants to see if a child is loved, they need to look for the extras – does a parent spend quality time with their children? Do the children receive those extra little gifts, the extra affection? Do the parents go beyond the bare minimum? The Jews were at a point in history where they were facing spiritual and physical annihilation. Hashem stepping in and allowing the Maccabim to win the war was a necessary act for the continuity of the Jewish People. The basic act of Hashem, our protector. What was extra? Providing the Jews with the ability to light the Menorah in the most mehudar way possible, symbolizing the renewal of the spiritual dedication.

Yes, the military victory was important, yes things may fall apart later on. So what are we celebrating? What are we remembering? The miracle of the oil is that sign of love that Hashem has for us, His children.

Now more than ever, we need to be reminded that we have that protection and that love. May we be zoche this Chanukah to see the love of Hashem as clearly as they did back then and bring a much needed refuah, personally to my family and for all of those in need.

Shedding Light onto Chanukah’s “Miracles”

Gavriel Nickerson (Grade 11)

The miracles performed by Hashem in Mitzrayim and Har Sinai are the most well-known, jaw-dropping miracles known to man. I mean, Hashem split the Red Sea and performed ten incredible miracles, and revealed Himself to Israel to give the Torah. But come Chanukah, and sure, the Maccabim needed some help with the battle but ultimately the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed, and the olive oil they found lasts for a couple more days than it should have. No boils, locusts, or seas collapsing on any enemies. I’m not discrediting any miracles, obviously, they’re all G-d’s work, but it’s interesting to see the contrast between the well-known miracles of Egypt and the help that G-d gave the Maccabim and Jews.

These interesting comparisons beg the questions:

Why couldn’t Hashem just snap His fingers, and bring a big gust of wind, wiping out the Greeks and all of their Hellenist views? In other words, why did Hashem’s miracles become more subtle and less supernatural?

Hashem had to retract His miracles to create space to give Bnei Yisrael the independence to make moral choices. This was important for Hashem to enable our free will. It gave us a hand in our own destiny. 

In Berakhot 33b, Rabbi Hanina teaches, הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, חוּץ מִיִּרְאַת שָׁמַיִם – “Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven.”

This means we have the choice to serve Hashem.  Because if we knew G-d would kill us if we sinned, we would never sin.  Therefore, He asks us to serve Him and He gives us space by allowing us to make our own choices. The same goes for miracles. If we see God breaking the laws of nature, we’d live as perfect Jews, and we wouldn’t need faith.

On Chanukah Hashem decided to hold back from performing jaw-dropping supernatural miracles (like splitting the Red Sea) in order to allow for true free will. The Greeks were trying to convert the Jews to be Hellenists. If Hashem constantly revealed His power and saved Israel supernaturally, there would be no active challenge to remain G-d-fearing.

We publicly celebrate Chanukah because it wasn’t just Hashem who saved us. We used our free will to follow Hashem, and now we proudly display it for the whole world to see. Matityahu and the Maccabim fought and won (with Hashem’s help of course), and for that, we glorify this particular holiday. In fact, Chanukah is known for the mitzva of pirsumei nisa, publicizing the miracle. Chanukiot are proudly displayed on window sills and placed outside. It is the most that we publicly display a miracle. This is in order to show our successful denial of Hellenism in 139 BCE. Despite the Hellenist attempts to force assimilation, the Jews were able to maintain their faith and perform Mitzvot. We continue to thank Hashem for giving us free will and we serve Him every year by lighting our beautiful channukiot by the window with our families.

Appreciating the Greatest Miracles

Rabbi Akiva Danzinger (Judaic Studies/Arts Teacher)