Description: Light of Chanukah and Shabbos 06
We have explained that the brachah of Shehechiyanu teaches us how to daven brachos and korbanos, which are the introduction to davening, and Shehechiyanu is the introduction to every Yom Tov including Chanukah. Then the brachah of She’asah Nissim corresponds to Pesukei D’Zimrah, where we recognize how Hashem is the one who is doing all that happens in the world, making the rain, snow, and wind. The brachah of She’asah Nissim as well brings us the clarity that all of ‘tevah’ is merely a neis that we have gotten used to.
Lastly, we have Birchos Krias Shemah, and Shemah. At that point in davening, we progress to the next level of Emunah, the level of Ain Od Milvado, where we see that the whole world is just a manifestation of the will of Hashem. That’s what we are saying when we say, ‘Shemah Yisrael Hashem Elokainu Hashem Echad.’
This correlates to the brachah of Lehadlik neir shel Chanukah. The Neiros are the lights which illuminate and create the ultimate clarity of vision, bringing the truth which Neiros Shabbos give us on Shabbos, during the week as well. When we have the combination of Hallel and Hoda’ah, letting us appreciate each and every thing Hashem does for us, and we are able to utilize all that we have as a method of identifying the presence of Hashem in this world and in our lives, we can then experience this light, this clarity of vision, that in reality there is nothing except Hashem’s presence and Hashem’s will.
This is how Chanukah lays out the path for us, to follow the rest of the dark winter. We have it all in front of us, we have brachos, Pesukei D’Zimrah, and Shemah, all year – but the treacherous waters make us forget their importance, and what we are supposed to be getting from davening. Chanukah shines a light and illuminates the purpose of these three parts of tefillah, so that we can utilize them to grow in Emunah and Bitachon daily! We can infuse the weekday with the light of Shabbos.
Rav Shimshon Pincus explains that Shabbos is like Shemonah Esray. Once we have davened through Shemah, we are now ready to stand in the presence of the Shechinah and talk directly to Hashem, with no one between us, and no one else in existence – just us and Him! This is what Shabbos is – a day to spend with Hashem alone – everything else is ‘shovais’ it rests, it stops!
He goes on to explain that the relationship between the neiros of Shabbos and the neiros of Chanukah is demonstrated in one of the unique halachos of Neiros Chanukah. The menorah (when it is lit beside the door, as is done in Eretz Yisrael,) has a very specific position how it must be placed. It can’t be lower than three tefachim to the ground, and it can’t be higher than ten tefachim off the ground. So, the ideal placement is between 9 inches off the ground up to 36 inches off the ground. The reason it can’t be lower than three is because it would seem like a candle which is used for light and other purposes, which was temporarily placed on the floor. It therefore has to be elevated. But not higher than ten tefachim! What’s the significance of ten tefachim?
Chazal say that the Shechinah Hakedoshah, even when it comes down to this world, it never descends lower than ten tefachim. It hovers in the air so to speak, but in greater depth, it takes up residence in a ‘reshus’, a domain which isn’t considered part of the earth, rather part of the heavenly domain. The bottom ten tefachim are part of the earthly domain, from ten and up is the domain of heaven.
The lights of Chanukah are here to cast light within our domain, to illuminate the days of the week, the days of darkness, where olam hazeh is strong. Conversely, the neiros of Shabbos are generally lit on a table or shelf – higher than ten tefachim! Shabbos takes us out of this world, and places us into ‘me’ein olam habah’, an existence akin to living in the world to come! This is the relationship between the two lights. Whereas Shabbos elevates us to a new plane, Chanukah brings that clarity to the plane where we reside, this world!
Have a wonderful Shabbos, and a freilichen Chanukah.
We have explained that the brachah of Shehechiyanu teaches us how to daven brachos and korbanos, which are the introduction to davening, and Shehechiyanu is the introduction to every Yom Tov including Chanukah. Then the brachah of She’asah Nissim corresponds to Pesukei D’Zimrah, where we recognize how Hashem is the one who is doing all that happens in the world, making the rain, snow, and wind. The brachah of She’asah Nissim as well brings us the clarity that all of ‘tevah’ is merely a neis that we have gotten used to.
Lastly, we have Birchos Krias Shemah, and Shemah. At that point in davening, we progress to the next level of Emunah, the level of Ain Od Milvado, where we see that the whole world is just a manifestation of the will of Hashem. That’s what we are saying when we say, ‘Shemah Yisrael Hashem Elokainu Hashem Echad.’
This correlates to the brachah of Lehadlik neir shel Chanukah. The Neiros are the lights which illuminate and create the ultimate clarity of vision, bringing the truth which Neiros Shabbos give us on Shabbos, during the week as well. When we have the combination of Hallel and Hoda’ah, letting us appreciate each and every thing Hashem does for us, and we are able to utilize all that we have as a method of identifying the presence of Hashem in this world and in our lives, we can then experience this light, this clarity of vision, that in reality there is nothing except Hashem’s presence and Hashem’s will.
This is how Chanukah lays out the path for us, to follow the rest of the dark winter. We have it all in front of us, we have brachos, Pesukei D’Zimrah, and Shemah, all year – but the treacherous waters make us forget their importance, and what we are supposed to be getting from davening. Chanukah shines a light and illuminates the purpose of these three parts of tefillah, so that we can utilize them to grow in Emunah and Bitachon daily! We can infuse the weekday with the light of Shabbos.
Rav Shimshon Pincus explains that Shabbos is like Shemonah Esray. Once we have davened through Shemah, we are now ready to stand in the presence of the Shechinah and talk directly to Hashem, with no one between us, and no one else in existence – just us and Him! This is what Shabbos is – a day to spend with Hashem alone – everything else is ‘shovais’ it rests, it stops!
He goes on to explain that the relationship between the neiros of Shabbos and the neiros of Chanukah is demonstrated in one of the unique halachos of Neiros Chanukah. The menorah (when it is lit beside the door, as is done in Eretz Yisrael,) has a very specific position how it must be placed. It can’t be lower than three tefachim to the ground, and it can’t be higher than ten tefachim off the ground. So, the ideal placement is between 9 inches off the ground up to 36 inches off the ground. The reason it can’t be lower than three is because it would seem like a candle which is used for light and other purposes, which was temporarily placed on the floor. It therefore has to be elevated. But not higher than ten tefachim! What’s the significance of ten tefachim?
Chazal say that the Shechinah Hakedoshah, even when it comes down to this world, it never descends lower than ten tefachim. It hovers in the air so to speak, but in greater depth, it takes up residence in a ‘reshus’, a domain which isn’t considered part of the earth, rather part of the heavenly domain. The bottom ten tefachim are part of the earthly domain, from ten and up is the domain of heaven.
The lights of Chanukah are here to cast light within our domain, to illuminate the days of the week, the days of darkness, where olam hazeh is strong. Conversely, the neiros of Shabbos are generally lit on a table or shelf – higher than ten tefachim! Shabbos takes us out of this world, and places us into ‘me’ein olam habah’, an existence akin to living in the world to come! This is the relationship between the two lights. Whereas Shabbos elevates us to a new plane, Chanukah brings that clarity to the plane where we reside, this world!
Have a wonderful Shabbos, and a freilichen Chanukah.