Chanukah - A Yom Tov That Shines With the Light of Moshiach

00:00 The Rebbe told a story at a Chanukah farbrengen. At the Chanukah farbrengen of 5746, the Rebbe related that the Alter Rebbe once said in a maamar, while speaking about the time of the Geulah, and quoted the verse, “And the thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.” This is the verse in Parshas Pekudei that continues, “he made hooks for the pillars.” The Alter Rebbe explained that the verse alludes to the future Geulah: the Geulah through Moshiach would come 1,775 years after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash. The Alter Rebbe added that, according to this calculation, the Geulah would come in the year 5608. Now—this part of the story the Rebbe did not tell; the details appear elsewhere. The Rebbe spoke only briefly about the main point of the story. But elsewhere, further details are given: in fact, when you do the calculation, 1,775 years after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash brings you to 5603. The destruction of the Beis Hamikdash took place in the year 3828. If you take 3828 and add 1,775, you arrive at—

01:44 5603. But what happened was that the Alter Rebbe made the calculation and arrived at 5608. By then, the Alter Rebbe had passed away several years earlier. In 5608, the Tzemach Tzedek was already the Rebbe. After 5608 had passed—not just half the year, but the entire year—the Tzemach Tzedek’s youngest son, the Rebbe Maharash, came to his father and said, “Father, Grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, promised that 5608 would be a year of Moshiach, the time of the Geulah. The year 5608 has passed, and the Geulah still has not come. What happened? What is going on?” The Tzemach Tzedek replied, “What do you mean? Likkutei Torah was printed for the first time this year.” What do we see from this story? As is known, the Tzemach Tzedek worked day and night, for months and years, collecting and editing the Alter Rebbe’s maamarim. Then, in 5597, the Tzemach Tzedek sent

03:20 the Alter Rebbe’s maamarim on Bereishis and Shemos to the printer. But immediately afterward came the decrees in Russia at the time, and all the printing houses were closed—all the places that printed Jewish books, especially books of Kabbalah. This was connected with decrees and accusations brought by those then called the “Maskilim,” who wanted to interfere with Jewish communal life. That was how things were in those days. In any event, all the printing houses were closed, and printing stopped. What remained was what had already been printed on Bereishis and Shemos: the Alter Rebbe’s Torah Or. Many years passed, and only in 5608 did it again become possible to print books. The Tzemach Tzedek then printed the second part, on Vayikra, Bamidbar, and Devarim, and changed its name so there would be no difficulty printing it. But why was that necessary? Because at the time it was actually connected with matters involving [unclear]. In any case, the name Torah Or remained with the first book, while the second part was named Likkutei Torah. It contains the Alter Rebbe’s maamarim on Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim, and Shir Hashirim, as is known. Likkutei Torah, which contains all these maamarim, also includes the Tzemach Tzedek’s notes, as is known.

04:57 The Tzemach Tzedek printed Torah Or without his notes. He printed Likkutei Torah with his notes, following [unclear] a dream in which the Alter Rebbe came to him and [unclear] why he had not printed it with his notes, as you know from the details of the stories. But let us return to our subject: what did the Tzemach Tzedek tell his son, the Rebbe Maharash? True, Moshiach had not come, but Likkutei Torah had been printed that year, and Moshiach is present within Likkutei Torah. The Rebbe Maharash, however, said to his father, “Father, we want Moshiach in actuality.” In other words, the Moshiach present through Likkutei Torah is Moshiach in a spiritual sense. It is the content of Moshiach’s coming as it exists [unclear]—a spiritual Geulah. But the Rebbe Maharash meant that we want the Geulah in the physical world, in actual fact. The Rebbe explained this as well in a maamar he delivered after Shabbos during Chanukah, the maamar beginning “Bayom Hashmini”—it was the night of the seventh day of Chanukah. What was the Tzemach Tzedek’s reasoning? The Tzemach Tzedek held that when the teachings of the inner dimension of Torah were printed, particularly the Alter Rebbe’s teachings—the teachings about which the Baal Shem Tov received an answer from Moshiach that when they would be spread—

06:30 printed, then [unclear] “your wellsprings will spread outward,” and the Geulah would come. Through the printing of Likkutei Torah, a major step was taken in spreading the wellsprings of the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings. Surely, then, this would set in motion the cause that would bring about the result. Printing Likkutei Torah would certainly bring the Geulah through Moshiach. But the Rebbe Maharash’s argument was that all this concerns Moshiach as he exists in potential and in a spiritual sense, whereas we want Moshiach in actuality, in the physical world, below ten handbreadths. What does this story have to do with Chanukah at all? The story’s general connection to Chanukah is that Chanukah emphasizes this idea of actuality. It is not enough for [unclear] to exist in potential; things must happen in actual fact. Beyond that, Chanukah is connected with Moshiach. There are two points here: the general connection between this story about Moshiach and Chanukah, since Chanukah is a time when a greater radiance of Moshiach shines in the world; and the story’s emphasis that we want Moshiach in actuality, which is also connected with Chanukah. So let us discuss both points. We will explain why Chanukah is connected with Moshiach, and what inner connection there is between

08:05 Chanukah and Moshiach, more than on any other day or any other Yom Tov. There is something special about the days of Chanukah: the radiance of Moshiach shines more brightly then. We will also understand the specific point the Rebbe Maharash was asking for, seemingly, in actuality: that we want Moshiach—[unclear]. Chanukah is connected with Moshiach in a number of ways, and we can understand from this what the day of Chanukah is about. What happens then? The radiance of Moshiach shines. This is brought in several places. For example, Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl, in his book on Parshas Mikeitz, explains the verse, “I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.” It is written in Tehillim, chapter 132: “I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.” He says this verse refers to Chanukah. The Rebbe connected the verse with Chanukah: “I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.” That is the Chanukah lamp. And what does “I have prepared” mean? To get ready. In other words, the Chanukah lamp is the preparation. What does “I have prepared” mean? We prepare ourselves and make the vessels ready for the revelation of Moshiach. He also cites this in several books. In Bnei Yissaschar, he brings [unclear]. First [unclear].

09:50 And the light that shines on Chanukah is the light that brings us to Moshiach. The candles lit on Chanukah are connected with the light of Moshiach. The total number of Chanukah candles one is obligated to light is also thirty-six: on the first day we light one candle, on the second day two, and so on, until on the eighth day we light eight candles. One plus two plus three plus four plus five plus six plus seven plus eight—a total of thirty-six. That is the number thirty-six. We know, as is brought down, that the number of hours during which the hidden light shone for Adam Harishon was also thirty-six. Adam Harishon was created on Friday, and from that Friday until after Shabbos there was no darkness. In other words, the light shone for him for thirty-six hours. The hidden light is connected with the Geulah. It is the light that shone for Adam Harishon, and ultimately Hakadosh Boruch Hu will give that light to the righteous in the future. The hidden light shone for thirty-six hours: twelve hours of Friday, twelve hours of Shabbos night, and twelve

11:26 hours of Shabbos day, until after Shabbos. When it grew dark, Adam Harishon made Havdalah. As we say in Havdalah, Adam Harishon then made the blessing over fire, “Who creates the lights of fire.” This is brought in the teachings of our Sages. What is the hidden light? We know that the hidden light is the light of Moshiach, and on Chanukah, the thirty-six candles we light are connected with the number thirty-six—with the hidden light, the light of Moshiach that shines on Chanukah. There is an allusion in the four letters on the dreidel. Right? A dreidel has the letters nun, gimmel, hei, and shin. Those four letters have the same numerical value as “Moshiach.” And more than that: according to the custom in Eretz Yisroel, where the dreidel bears the letters nun, gimmel, hei, and pei, standing for “A great miracle happened here,” those letters have the same numerical value as “Menachem.” In other words, nun, gimmel, hei, and shin, as written on dreidels throughout the world—“A great miracle happened there”—have the numerical value 358, the numerical value of “Moshiach.”

12:57 But if you take the letters as they say in Eretz Yisroel, “A great miracle happened here”—the initials nun, gimmel, hei, pei—the numerical value is 138. And 138 is the numerical value of “Menachem.” As the Gemara in Sanhedrin says, Menachem is a name of Moshiach. So Chanukah contains all these allusions to Moshiach. We can also see this in the fact that we light candles throughout the eight days of Chanukah, revealing the light of Moshiach. And here the Alter Rebbe comes in. The Alter Rebbe explains that this is connected to the number eight. After all, Chanukah lasts eight days. It is a Yom Tov associated with eight days, with eight candles, and with the miracle of the flask of oil: it held enough for only one day, yet burned for eight days. The number eight is connected to Moshiach. Why? The Alter Rebbe first cites the Gemara, which says that when Moshiach comes there will be eight princes of men. That is, there will be eight tzaddikim, princes of Israel, and among them will be Moshiach the King. The Gemara says there will be seven shepherds and eight princes of men. Moshiach the King is counted among the princes. The Alter Rebbe

14:28 I found this point very interesting: What is the difference between the shepherds and the princes? A shepherd tends the flock. A prince is a king’s son—a prince, a king. And why are there specifically seven shepherds and eight princes? What does this mean, and what is Levi? Who are the seven shepherds and eight princes of men, and is Moshiach indeed counted among the princes? The Alter Rebbe explains: The tzaddikim, the shepherds of Israel in every generation—including the Rebbes, the leaders of Israel over the years, and particularly from Moshe Rabbeinu through Moshiach the King—fall into two types. There were tzaddikim whose role was to influence Jews inwardly. That is, they studied Torah with them, taught them good character traits and halachah, taught them how to conduct themselves, and so on. These are the tzaddikim called shepherds. What does a shepherd do? He provides food. That, after all, is the shepherd’s purpose. And that is also the role of a rebbe who studies Torah with his students: he gives them nourishment—spiritual, inner nourishment. He teaches them Torah, teaches them to understand, teaches them good character traits. Such were all the tzaddikim who headed yeshivos and Sanhedrins and studied Torah with the people, especially Moshe Rabbeinu; our Sages, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, who...

15:58 They were, yes, masters of Torah. But in every generation there were also leaders of Israel whose primary role was not teaching Torah. They themselves were also brilliant Torah scholars, but their purpose in relation to the people of their generation was to act as princes. They did not teach them Torah or influence them through study. Rather, they influenced the world, performed miracles and wonders in it, and brought about all kinds of spiritual influence that works in an encompassing way, among other things. That is the prince, the king. A king is someone elevated above the people; that is his role. He is set apart from them, sits in his place and influences the people of his country, but from a distance. So too with the tzaddikim whose influence was not inward, unlike those who studied with people. The Alter Rebbe gives an example from the Gemara: Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai in relation to—what’s his name?—Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai’s role was Torah. He headed a yeshivah and the Sanhedrin. He was a leader of Israel around the time of the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, before and after the destruction, and especially afterward. He also established the yeshivah, the Sanhedrin and the synagogue. His leadership was that of a shepherd, working inwardly. At the same time there was another of the Tannaim, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. And with Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa we find

17:44 many wonderful stories about his righteousness, his holiness, his fear of Heaven and his self-sacrifice, and about the way he lived his daily life, utterly detached from this world, and so on. But we do not find that he had such a great influence through Torah teaching. His was the influence of a prince. This is what the Gemara in Berachos says when it distinguishes between Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa: Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai is like a minister before the king, while Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa is like a servant before the king. Rabbi Yochanan was a minister, a master of Torah; Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was the servant who could enter before Hakadosh Boruch Hu. But the Gemara says that the servant is with the king more than the minister is. So, in any case, when Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai needed healing, he turned to Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa to pray for him. Rabbi Chanina was at home in the king’s house, and in this respect he had an advantage over him. The Alter Rebbe says that this is precisely the point. This is what the Gemara in Sukkah means when it says there are seven shepherds and eight princes of men. The shepherds—tzaddikim whose influence works inwardly—number seven, because seven is a number associated with the inner order. Seven is connected with the seven days of Creation, with Shabbos, with the seven-day week, with the Shemittah cycle. It represents an ordered service, ordered matters, the order of the world—the number seven, the seven days of Creation. This is the shepherd’s influence: he develops people step by step and continually teaches Jews, the servants of Hashem. The prince, by contrast, stands above and is connected with the number eight. Eight is associated specifically with things on a higher level. Eight is the number of what is above

19:33 nature. Eight points to miracles, to spirituality, to something beyond the ways of nature. On Chanukah there was a revelation beyond the natural order, and that is why it is associated specifically with eight: eight days, eight candles. Eight signifies a revelation above nature, above the world. The Gemara says that Moshiach is one of the eight princes. And the Alter Rebbe explains why Moshiach has both aspects: the seven shepherds—Moshiach will teach Torah to Jews—and the eight princes—he is the king. But when we must place him in one category, we place him specifically among the princes, because this is the main aspect of Moshiach the King; the emphasis is that he is a king. Moshiach is indeed a teacher who will teach the people Torah, but his principal distinction is his princely aspect. He will reveal matters of compassion and princeliness, things entirely above nature. This will be the revelation of Moshiach that we are all waiting for; may it happen immediately. All of this is explained so that we can understand what the great light is, what great thing takes place during Chanukah. Jews prepare for Chanukah, and Chanukah is a very great Yom Tov. We also know what our Sages, of blessed memory, say about Chanukah—what the true greatness of the days of Chanukah is: then the light of Moshiach shines in the world. The great light of [unclear], which is connected with Moshiach the King, shines and illuminates the world, even in the physical realm below. And

21:11 from this come the Yom Tov, the light of Chanukah and the joy of Chanukah. In several maamarim, the Rebbe discusses the connection between Chanukah and Moshiach on a deeper level, bringing out the central point of the service of Chanukah and its connection to the work of bringing Moshiach Tzidkeinu. He discusses this in connection with the great miracle of Chanukah. As we see, the Chanukah miracle is connected to the great revelation that will come in the future, with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. What will then be open and tangible is, in a sense, preceded by the Yom Tov of Chanukah, which is a foretaste of the Yom Tov of the true and complete Geulah. In other words, Chanukah places not only an individual Jew, but the world and the entire Jewish people, in a state resembling the days of Moshiach. One of the things we see in the texts, in Tanach and in the Midrashim, concerning the revelation of Moshiach is that the verse will then be fulfilled: “For then I will transform the peoples to a pure language, so that they will all call upon the name of Hashem and serve Him with one accord.” That is, when Moshiach comes, Hakadosh Boruch Hu will transform and change all the nations. All those who until now were either against Jews, or cold toward Jews, or closed off when it came to Jews, and, Heaven forbid, [unclear]—who did not serve Hakadosh Boruch Hu but served [unclear], and, Heaven forbid, [unclear]. They did not

22:49 served Hakadosh Boruch Hu, but instead worshipped idols, and, Heaven forbid, [unclear]. When Moshiach is revealed, the verse will be fulfilled: “Hashem will be King over the entire earth; on that day Hashem will be one and His name one.” Hashem’s oneness will be revealed in the world. The whole world will cry out: Hakadosh Boruch Hu. The whole world will cry out: There is nothing besides Him. The whole world will hear the truth: He alone exists, and there is no other. Even the nations of the world—and this is one of the central themes we see in the verses describing the Geulah—will be transformed. They will serve Hakadosh Boruch Hu and come: “All the nations will stream to it.” The nations of the world, all the nations, will run to Moshiach the King to hear his wisdom, to hear [unclear], to hear the Torah, to hear his words. And all peoples will unite as one: “Then I will transform the peoples to a pure language, so that they will all call upon the name of Hashem and serve Him with one accord.” They will serve Hakadosh Boruch Hu in one place, all together. The Rambam cites this at the end of Hilchos Melachim. It is one of the great wonders promised for the Geulah, for which we are waiting. And this theme, one of the central themes in the revelation of Moshiach, began with Chanukah. On the Yom Tov of Chanukah, we find the concept of is’hapcha, as we call it in the language of Chassidus: a transformation in which something changes completely from one extreme to

24:24 the other. The is’hapcha of the opposing side, of the nations’ ways, of Greek wisdom—all of it was transformed into complete holiness. This is what the Gemara tells us in describing how the events of Chanukah unfolded. The Gemara does not recount every detail; it goes straight to the point: in the days of Chanukah, the Greeks, whose whole purpose was darkness, wanted to bring darkness into the world. They entered and sought to defile all the oils in the Sanctuary. Why did they focus specifically on the oils in the Sanctuary? One explanation is that oil produces light. And the Gemara says that Greece brought darkness into the world. That was their purpose. They wanted to bring darkness into the world, to darken it, to prevent G-dliness from illuminating it. That was the whole nature of their kelipah. They wanted darkness to prevail, to gain power over this world, for the kelipah to prevail, until they could, Heaven forbid, carry out their plot, [unclear] against the Jewish people, and erase the Jewish nation. And this was the greatest miracle of Chanukah. The greatest miracle of Chanukah was that the opposite happened: the darkness was transformed, and the darkness itself became light. Through all the miracles Hakadosh Boruch Hu performed then, the situation was turned from one extreme to the other through the Chashmona’im, who stood firm with actual mesirus nefesh,

25:58 and transformed the entire situation. This is the central, fundamental theme of Chanukah. Indeed, on Chanukah we find [unclear]. As the maamarim of Chassidus ask: [unclear] what we find in the mitzvah the Sages instituted for Chanukah, lighting the Chanukah candles. The lighting of the Chanukah candles is connected, both in the enactment and at its foundation, to the miracle of the light. For there was a miracle involving the light: there was no oil, as the Gemara says in Tractate Shabbos. They had defiled all the oils, and Hakadosh Boruch Hu performed a miracle: “They found one flask of oil,” which could have lasted only one day, and a miracle occurred and it burned for eight days. This is the miracle of Chanukah, around which the entire Yom Tov revolves. So the question arises: the entire Yom Tov, bound up with the light of Chanukah, has its source in the Beis Hamikdash. But when we look closely, we see that they are not the same. Lighting the Chanukah candles is nothing like lighting the lamps in the Beis Hamikdash. First, in the Beis Hamikdash they lit seven lamps; on Chanukah we light eight candles. Second, in the Beis Hamikdash they lit the lamps on the right, in the south, which is the right-hand side of the world. With a Chanukah candle, however, the halachah is that it should be on the left: the mezuzah on the right and the Chanukah candle on the left.

27:33 Just the opposite—it has to be on the left side. In the Beis Hamikdash they lit during the day, at the time of minchah. On Chanukah we must light at night; the time for the mitzvah begins when the sun sets. Everything about Chanukah goes in precisely the opposite direction. Chanukah originates with the lamps of the Beis Hamikdash, yet the entire order of lighting is the reverse of the order in the Beis Hamikdash. Chassidus explains that this is precisely the point we spoke about earlier. The purpose of the Chanukah candles differs from that of the lamps in the Beis Hamikdash. [unclear], but these are two separate laws. The lamps of the Beis Hamikdash belonged specifically to the Beis Hamikdash, a place of holiness, a place of service to Hashem, the place of the Chosen House. [unclear] the order of service, [unclear] according to halachah. [unclear] that this was in the Beis Hamikdash. In the Beis Hamikdash the number was seven—seven lamps. That is the number associated with the seven middos, the seven sefiros, the seven days of Creation. Seven is the usual number. [unclear] Chanukah—Chanukah takes place in a time of exile. It takes place in a time of concealment, a time of darkness. It is a time of darkness. [unclear] On the contrary, hidden strengths awaken: inner strengths, essential strengths, mesirus nefesh. As is known, [unclear]. It is precisely

29:33 in the hardest times, when people go through concealment and bitter, difficult trials, that the innermost depths of their hearts awaken. We saw this in the dark days of Chanukah. They faced an era dominated by Greek wisdom, and the Greeks wanted “to make them forget Your Torah and turn them away from the statutes of Your will.” The Jews did not simply become frightened and go to sleep. On the contrary, they went out to war. That was mesirus nefesh. The mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous. These were open miracles, entirely beyond the natural order. And where did all this come from? From mesirus nefesh. When Yiddishkeit is in danger, we are not intimidated by the world. That reveals the light of mesirus nefesh, which illuminates the world. When a Jew faces hardship, his mesirus nefesh gives him the strength to overcome the darkness of Greek wisdom and the darkness of the Greek kelipos, and transform it into something holy. That is the whole point of Chanukah. Specifically at night, when the sun sets. Not when there is light, the lofty lights of spiritual greatness; specifically when the sun sets, amid the darkness of exile, the darkness, the cold, and the [unclear] of exile. Specifically when it is in the public domain. The mitzvah is to place the menorah at the entrance. The mitzvah, as the Shulchan Aruch says, is to set the menorah at the entrance. Almost all mitzvos are mitzvos [unclear], but this mitzvah must be performed specifically at the entrance, by the door. Why do we light specifically at the entrance? The mezuzah is also at the door, but the mezuzah is there because it must protect the home, not what is outside. On Chanukah it is the reverse: it

31:36 must face outward, so that the light shines from the home to the outside. We light specifically toward the outside; there is a dispute between Rashi and Tosafos, and so on, about this whole matter. But what is the point? The point is that the Chanukah candles are all about a Jew who stands facing darkness, facing the public domain, facing the kelipah and the sitra achra that confront him, and does not grow weaker because of them. On the contrary, he reveals deeper strengths and specifically shines. “Night will shine like day”; the night fills with light. This was the greatest miracle of Chanukah. It awakened in the Jews the greatest resolve for mesirus nefesh. It transformed darkness into light, and that is the deeper meaning of the Yom Tov of Chanukah. That is why it is the greatest preparation a Jew can make for the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. When a Jew lights Chanukah candles, when a Jew holds a Chanukah celebration and a farbrengen, and knows the halachos and customs of Chanukah with the greatest joy—a Jew lives through the days of Chanukah with tremendous joy, with a feeling of Yom Tov, with vitality and light. All of this, certainly, is [unclear] of a Jew. [unclear], so this is not an old Yom Tov, but “in those days, at this time.” And what happens through Chanukah is that a Jew sees that he is not intimidated by all these difficulties. On the contrary, he even transforms all these difficulties, and through them he himself grows.

33:11 With greater faith, greater joy, and greater vitality. As it was on the first Chanukah, so it will be in our days, at this time, with the true and complete Geulah through Moshiach Tzidkeinu. That is what this is all about: through the work of the Jewish people now, this will soon be fulfilled in practice, when Moshiach comes: “For then I will transform the nations to a pure language.” Hakadosh Boruch Hu will transform all the nations, bringing every person to recognize Him and serve Him. And the world itself, the entire world—“the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem as the waters cover the sea”—will be filled with G-dliness. So now, as we enter these holy days of Chanukah, may each of us grow even stronger in—not only [unclear]—the simple faith and absolute confidence with which a Jew lives and thinks and knows, certain that Moshiach is coming very soon. Especially on such exalted days, such momentous days, when Moshiach’s light burns in the world and the hidden light that will be revealed in the future shines in the world during Chanukah. “I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one”—and so our confidence is absolute. Especially in the mitzvah [unclear] we are engaged in now, a Jew knows that by strengthening our confidence and praying once more, making the request once more, that [unclear]

34:41 “May You speedily cause the offspring of David Your servant to flourish, and raise his power through Your salvation, for we hope for Your salvation all day long.” When we pray, “May our eyes behold Your return to Zion in mercy,” a Jew asks Hakadosh Boruch Hu and prays, and also takes good actions to bring the true and complete Geulah closer and hasten it. These are especially auspicious days. This is the Rebbe Maharash’s point: it is not enough to have Moshiach in the G-dly Torah. When we learn Chassidus, we do indeed live with Moshiach’s light. Chassidus brings you into the air, the light, the atmosphere, and the life of Moshiach. But that is Moshiach in a spiritual sense. It takes us out of spiritual exile, but that is still not everything; a Jew is not satisfied with that. A Jew wants Moshiach to actually come, as the Rebbe Maharash taught us, because Chanukah is a Yom Tov connected with actual deed. This is what we spoke about at the beginning: Chanukah has two aspects. It is a Yom Tov connected with Moshiach, and it is a Yom Tov connected with actual deed. What does that mean? As we know, the Gemara in Shabbos records the disagreement between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel about how to light the Chanukah candles. Beis Shammai say that the number decreases: on the first day, we light eight candles; on the second, seven; then six, five, four, three, two, and one. That is Beis Shammai’s position. According to Beis Hillel—and this is the halachah—on the first day we light one candle, then two candles, three candles, until on the eighth day

36:10 we light eight candles. That is the meaning of Chanukah. Yes, that is the mitzvah of Chanukah, because the halachah was decided according to Beis Hillel. As brought in the sefarim, “Chanukah” is an acronym for “eight candles, and the halachah follows Beis Hillel.” Those are the initials that spell Chanukah. In other words, we light eight candles and the halachah follows Beis Hillel—that is the essence of Chanukah. The question is: why? What is the difference between the approaches of Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel? The Gemara gives a reason, but there is a central point here, as the Rebbe explains, based on the respective approaches of Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel. Briefly, in a few words: Beis Shammai hold that when you look at something, you look at what it contains in potential. Its potential is the main thing. And that is the truth of what it is: the potential within it. Because that potential is indeed real. The potential that Hakadosh Boruch Hu gives, the potential that the Torah gives, is the greatest thing—what is present here in potential. And when you look at what exists in potential, you understand why eight candles are lit on the first day. When the Jewish people won the war and found the flask of oil, that flask contained, in potential, a miracle for eight days. In actuality, only the first day had taken place. But what was contained in the potential,

37:34 in the capacity of that oil? Enough for eight days. On the second day, one day had already passed; only seven days remained. Only seven remained in potential, so seven candles are lit. And the number continues to decrease. But Beis Hillel come and say: No. What is all this “potential”? It is potential, and certainly, with the power Hakadosh Boruch Hu gives, it is possible. But a Jew must look at what actually happens. What have I actually accomplished here in this physical world? This world is a world of actual deed, and with every action, we must look at what was actually done. So when we look at what happened in practice, Beis Hillel argue: on the first day there was the first miracle, and we light one candle. On the second day there was another miracle, and we light a second candle. On the third day there was a third miracle, and we light three. That is what actual deed means. This is why we follow that order, because Chanukah tells us that our work must be done in practice. That is how it was with the Chashmonaim: theirs was mesirus nefesh in practice, not just in potential. They actually stood up to the Greeks and transformed the entire situation—a situation of war, G-d forbid—and brought about peace. They brought about a transformation in the world. Of this it is said, “In those days, at this time.” A Jew must know that preparing for the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, especially as we are in [unclear]

38:57 the days of Chanukah, must involve actual work. We must illuminate the world not merely in potential, with holy thoughts, however holy they may be, but through actual deeds. Action is the main thing. As brought in the maamar we heard earlier, which the Rebbe repeated on that Zos Chanukah: regarding the disagreement in the Gemara in Kiddushin—“Which is greater, study or action?”—the ruling is that study is greater because it leads to action. But when Moshiach comes, the Alter Rebbe says, then “action is greater”—specifically action. That is what Chanukah is about. We light [unclear] Chanukah, we turn to [unclear] action, and action is the main thing. So on Chanukah a Jew can come and ask Hakadosh Boruch Hu: This Chanukah, we want to see Moshiach actually come, in practice. Not only Moshiach in Likkutei Torah—certainly, we must study Likkutei Torah, Torah, [unclear] Chassidus, the inner dimension of Torah, because that is “Your wellsprings will spread outward,” which will bring about “When will the Master come?”—Melech HaMoshiach. But we must also pray, demand, and ask that Moshiach actually come, in the physical world, in a visible and revealed way. And may we indeed merit to see with our own eyes, this Chanukah, the revelation of Moshiach; may Moshiach actually come, and may the Beis Hamikdash actually be built.

40:22 And may the Kohen Gadol actually light the lamps in the Beis Hamikdash—may we merit that. Then we will truly be able to celebrate the dedication of the Jewish people and the dedication of the Mikdash, the Third Beis Hamikdash, with the greatest energy and the greatest joy. May everyone have a joyous, joyous Chanukah, and may we carry this light, this joy, and this vitality through the entire year.