Shabbos Chanukah 5782
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Sfas Emes teaches that the name for Chanukah is connected with the pasuk in Mishlei which teaches (Chapter 22, Pasuk 6), חנוך לנער על פי דרכו. This also explains why the Gemara in Shabbos 22A teaches that we place theנר חנוכה משמאל ומזוזה מימין , and why the days of Chanukah were established as days of הלל והודאה. Chanukah is a time of praising and giving thanks to Hashem.
How are these different ideas connected with each other?
The Mezuzah on the right side represents Torah Shebichsav. Though it only contains a small section of the Torah, it contains the first two parshiyot of Shema which are fundamental parts of the Torah. When we say Shema, we accept upon ourselves Ohl Malchus Shamayim, and when we recite the second parsha we accept upon ourselves Ohl Mitzvos. Since having an actual sefer Torah is impractical, the Mezuzah serves as a miniature sefer Torah we have upon our doorpost.
In a similar vein the Ohr Gedalyahu teaches in the name of Rav Michoel Ber Weissmandel ztz"l that when Bnei Yisrael were entering Eretz Yisrael (Devarim, Chapter 27, Pasukim 1-8) they were commanded to take stones and write the entire Torah on these stones. These stones with the Torah were like a Mezuzah for Eretz Yisrael. Just as every Jew has the fundamentals of Torah on his doorpost, Eretz Yisrael required the entire Torah. We see from this that the Mezuzah represents the entirety of Torah Shebichsav at the entrance to the Jewish home.
Torah Shebichsav, the written Torah which was given to Bnei Yisrael at Har Sinai, was the main Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu brought down the first set of Luchos from Har Sinai, and Chazal teach in the Medrash Rabbah (Shir HaShirim Rabbah, 5,2), that every one of the Aseres HaDibros on the Luchos included its interpretations and understanding. In other words, Torah Shebichsav originally included its meaning and interpretations. There was no need for Torah Shebe’alpeh.
The Gemara in Eiruvin 54A teaches that had the first set of Luchos not been broken, Torah would never have been forgotten and no nation would have been able to rule over Israel. What brought about the need for Torah Shebe’alpeh? The Gemara in Nedarim 81A quotes the pasuk from Yirmiyahu Hanavi (Chapter 9, Pasuk 12), Al Azvam es Torasi. Bnei Yisrael were exiled from Eretz Yisrael for abandoning the Torah. Had Bnei Yisrael not sinned with the חטא העגל, the four exiles which ruled over Bnei Yisrael would never have taken place. The Dor De’ah, the generation of understanding which received the Torah, lost its way and its understanding. Instead of constantly being knowledgeable of Torah without forgetting, we became a nation mired in confusion and lost in darkness.
Hashem did us a great chesed and gave us light to illuminate the darkness of our exile. And that light is Torah Shebe’alpeh. And this explains why the Gemara tells us to light the נר חנוכה משמאל ומזוזה מימין. The right side contains the main Torah which is Torah Shebichsav. And opposite Torah Shebichsav, which we abandoned in the confusion and darkness of galus, sits the Ner Chanukah. The light of Chanukah is the light of Torah Shebe’alpeh and it’s meant to direct us and guide us towards the ways of the Torah.
This is why the Sfas Emes says the name Chanukah is associated with the pasuk חנוך לנער על פי דרכו. We need to direct a child and guide him in the proper path. Without our direction, the child is lost and lacking the proper knowledge to make appropriate decisions. Similarly, the light of Chanukah directs us when we are lost and confused in the darkness. The Dor De’ah lost its understanding and we need the light of Chanukah to show us the way. This is the power of Torah Shebe’alpeh. As the Medrash Tanchuma teaches in the end of parshat Noach, the pasuk in Yeshayahu Hanavi states (Chapter 9, Pasuk 1), העם ההולכים בחושך ראו אור גדול. The Medrash teaches that this light is the light of Torah Shebe’alpeh.
The Gemara in Berachos 7B teaches that the first person to say thank you was Leah. When her son Yehuda was born, she said (Bereishis, Chapter 29, Pasuk 35) הפעם אודה את ד'. She gave thanks to Hashem because she realized after the birth of her fourth son that she received more than her share of the tribes. Each of Yaakov’s four wives should have given birth to three sons. When she had her fourth and received more than her share, her response was הלל והודאה.
The light of Chanukah is more than we deserve. We received Torah Shebichsav which was meant to suffice for us. It had all of Torah in it. When we abandoned the Torah, Hashem did us a chesed and gave us the light of Torah Shebe’alpeh. And this is the light of Chanukah. And its light guides and directs us and encourages us towards the Mezuzah, Torah Shebichsav. And for that we give thanks on Chanukah, for they were established as eight days of הלל והודאה.
Good Shabbos, Good Chodesh, and Freilichen Chanukah
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