Once, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov was asked. Why was a
holiday instituted for the victory of Chanukah over the Greek/Syrians in 150 BCE, and the miracle having overcome
Haman on Purim 400 BCE, and no holiday was instituted for the miracle of the
war against Sisra 1350 BCE mentioned in the book of the prophets, or the defeat
of Sancheriv 700 BCE?
The Rabbi explained. There are miracles that happened, and
at that time they were truly huge supernatural revelations of G-dliness.
However, those revelations and influences did not extend to future generations.
Then, there are miracles where the G-dly light and energy shined not only for
the people then. This miraculous energy that took place at that time, once
infused in the day, is renewed every year, and such is the miracles of Chanukah
and Purim.
This is the deeper meaning of the blessing, “(G-d)… who did
miracles for our forefathers in those days (which are repeated) in these days
“. The miracle of Chanukah that happened then, repeats itself and shines also
today, for those who connect through the practices of the Holiday, and receive
the blessings in these days.
In the Talmud there is a dispute between the house of
Shamai, and the house of Hillel, how to light the eight candles that
commemorates the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days.
Shamai says, the first night of Chanukah we light eight
flames and reduce the number the following nights, to seven, six etc. The house
of Hillel says, we begin on the first night with one flame and increase our
count every night.
This legal disagreement has its roots in a much deeper
divergence of world view perspectives, between the two. In life, is it the
concrete, tangible, and actual that has greatest significance and value or, do
we attribute equal value to potential and what’s hidden inside?
Shamai says, as we begin the Holiday and have all eight days
before us, on the first night, there is the potential to enjoy and draw
blessings from all eight days, so we proclaim and express that, in lighting the
eight candles. Hillel says, what matters
is actuality. On the first night, we only have one day, we therefore can only
light one candle.
Why and how can Shamai give any credence at all to the
potential, when in actuality it’s not there.
If I have a seed, with the potential to grow into a fruit
bearing tree, can I celebrate the harvest or eat any fruits before it has grown
into anything?
Shamai and his followers were so elevated, they saw the
world from G-ds perspective where the potential is always there and faces no
obstacles in manifesting itself. It’s
only from a natural physical standpoint that events have a time delay, and a
risk factor, between potential and actuality. From Shamai's perspective,
potential is actuality. His faith was so deep, potential and actuality is a
present moment reality.
Hillel was more pragmatic, in this world, from a more
worldly down to earth point of view. Torah was not given to angels, but to
humans living to a degree with the confines of natural rules. The objective of
Torah, is not how it is in the Heavens, but its actual influence on people, and
in this world.
In the Hebrew letters of Chanukah our sages point out, they
represent the acronym, “eight days and the law follows the house of Hillel”.
The miracle of Chanukah came about because of the actual
down to earth self-sacrifice of the Maccabees.
The response of the Jews in those days to the threat of Hellenization
wasn’t Judaism in the heart or spirituality only in the Synagogue. The response
was a practical rededication of the Temple down here in this world.
Action and more action today, is where the beef is.
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