Chanukah
1. The Rambam rules at the (end of) "הלכות חנוכה" ("the Laws of Chanukah"): "היה לפניו נר ביתו ונר חנוכה, נר ביתו קודם" ("If one has before him the light of his house and the Chanukah light, the light of his house comes first") — that is, if one has only enough money to buy either a Chanukah light or a Shabbos light, the Shabbos light comes first and one must buy the Shabbos light, since the Shabbos light is for the sake of peace in the home. And the Rambam concludes: "גדול השלום שכל התורה ניתנה לעשות שלום בעולם" ("Great is peace, for the entire Torah was given to make peace in the world"). We need to understand: why does the Rambam write about the greatness of peace specifically in the Laws of Chanukah? He could, after all, have attached it to many earlier laws where this theme of peace is fitting. Furthermore, the entire law that the light of the house (on Shabbos) comes first and takes precedence over the Chanukah light should seemingly have been written in the Laws of Shabbos, and there too the Rambam could have added "Great is peace, etc." All the more so since, together with the law of the light of the house and the Chanukah light, the Rambam brings1 the law of the light of the house and Kiddush of the day — which has no connection at all to the Laws of Chanukah.
2. As has been discussed several times regarding the differences between the lights of the Beis HaMikdash and the Chanukah lights: the mitzvah of the lights of the Beis HaMikdash was to kindle them inside the Beis HaMikdash, and specifically by day, when it was fully light. The Chanukah lights, by contrast, must be "על פתח ביתו מבחוץ" ("at the entrance of one's house, on the outside") — outdoors — and they must be kindled "משתשקע החמה" ("from when the sun sets"), at the time when the sun goes down.
The lights of the Beis HaMikdash were kindled in a place where G‑dliness shone openly and the concealment of the world was entirely absent there. Therefore, when the Greeks brought impurity into the Sanctuary, the service of the Beis HaMikdash in general was nullified, and the kindling of the lights of the Beis HaMikdash in particular. The accomplishment of the Chanukah lights is that they illuminate the outside as well, even the darkness of the night — of exile — to the point of nullifying the entire realm of the opposing side: "עד דכליא ריגלא דתרמודאי" ("until the foot of the Tarmodites ceases [from the marketplace]")2 — ("Tarmod" has the letters of "mores," "rebellious"3).
In this the Chanukah lights are higher than the lights of the Beis HaMikdash, as is understood from the Ramban4: the lights of the Beis HaMikdash were nullified when the Greeks desecrated the Beis HaMikdash, but the Chanukah lights "אינן בטלין לעולם" ("are never nullified"); they shine also in exile, at the time of the greatest darkness.
This is similar to the advantage of baalei teshuvah over tzaddikim5. Tzaddikim have no connection at all to evil; but baalei teshuvah, through teshuvah, have the power to make even "זדונות" ("willful sins") become "זכיות" ("merits") — to transform the evil itself into good.
The number of the Chanukah lights, too, is greater than the number of the lights in the Beis HaMikdash: the lights of the Beis HaMikdash were seven, and the Chanukah lights — eight. The number seven indicates the "שבעת ימי ההיקף" ("seven days of the cycle") — the entire order of time in the world — which is the order of hishtalshelus (the chain of descending worlds); and the number eight indicates what is higher than the order of hishtalshelus6. Therefore, in the Beis HaMikdash, where there was a revelation of G‑dliness, the number seven sufficed — the light that is within the order of hishtalshelus. But in order to illuminate also the place of darkness, one needs for this the light that is higher than hishtalshelus — the eight lights of Chanukah7.
3. Nevertheless — although there is an advantage in the service of baalei teshuvah, which reaches higher than the service of tzaddikim — there is also an advantage in the service of the tzaddikim: they have nothing at all to do with evil, their entire service is only in good, and the G‑dly light is more revealed in them. Therefore the ultimate perfection is to join both modes of service — the service of tzaddikim and the service of teshuvah. The perfection of the union of the two modes of service will come about with the coming of Moshiach: "משיח אתא לאתבא צדיקיא בתיובתא" ("Moshiach comes to bring the tzaddikim to teshuvah")8 — Moshiach will bring even the tzaddikim to teshuvah. This union of both modes of service comes through a light that is higher than both of them, which unites both modes of service together.
This advantage of joining both modes of service is also alluded to in the Chanukah lights9: they themselves illuminate the darkness of night and of exile, yet they derive from, and follow in continuity with, the lights of the Beis HaMikdash — they were instituted in remembrance of, and because of, the miracle that occurred with the lights of the Beis HaMikdash.
And there is a further allusion in the number "eight" of the Chanukah lights, which alludes to the revelation of the Future to Come — like the harp of the days of Moshiach, which will not be like the harp of the Beis HaMikdash, of seven strings, but of eight strings10 — which is not only the revelation of what is higher than the order of hishtalshelus, as said above, but in it there is the drawing down of the Essence, the true matter of the infinite, which joins both matters: hishtalshelus (tzaddikim) and what is above the order of hishtalshelus (teshuvah).
4. In light of this we will understand why the Rambam brings the greatness of peace specifically in the Laws of Chanukah. Peace, after all, means the uniting of two things that are opposed to each other, the opposite of one another11. In this opposition there are several levels. In our context: the peace and uniting of all the affairs of the home toward one purpose — "ושכנתי בתוכם" ("and I will dwell among them") — and in particular the "כנגדו" ("opposite him") of the wife ("ביתו זו אשתו," "'his house' — this is his wife"12), and doing what is needed to transform it into an "עזר" ("helpmate")13 — peace in the home through the Shabbos lights14.
A greater opposition (and consequently a greater peace) is the opposition of darkness ("from when the sun sets") and light — hishtalshelus and what is higher than hishtalshelus. And this is the matter of Chanukah: (a) the matter of the service of teshuvah, that even the darkness should become illuminated (the peace and joining of separate things — with G‑dliness); (b) the joining of both modes of service: tzaddikim and baalei teshuvah, hishtalshelus and above hishtalshelus.
When, however, one does not have enough strength, it is understood that one must concentrate on the "and I will dwell among them" in the home, not on illuminating the outside — on kindling the Shabbos lights. Peace in the home takes precedence.
(From the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Vayeishev, 5722)
5. The Chanukah lights are distinguished from other mitzvah lights — even from the lights of the Beis HaMikdash, although the Chanukah lights derive from the lights of the Beis HaMikdash — in that other mitzvah lights are merely a means to a certain purpose that is attained through the lights, whereas the Chanukah lights have their goal and purpose in themselves.
Mitzvah lights in general divide into two categories: (a) lights made for honor, such as the lights of the synagogue and the like, which are kindled as honor for the synagogue and not for the sake of their illumination — which is why one cannot recite the blessing "בורא מאורי האש" ("Who creates the lights of fire") over them for Havdalah15; (b) lights that are kindled for the sake of their illumination, such as the Shabbos lights, which are kindled in order to bring peace in the home through their light. Likewise regarding the lights of the Beis HaMikdash it is written16: "יאירו שבעת הנרות" ("the seven lights shall illuminate") — they are kindled for the sake of illumination. And so too the Chanukah lights are for the sake of their light. This is understood from the fact that a reason is needed for the law that "אין מדליקין על נר חנוכה" ("one may not kindle from one Chanukah light to another"), namely that one may not derive any benefit from them17; from this it is clearly understood that if one were permitted to benefit from them, one could indeed make Havdalah over them, since their purpose is illumination.
But within the second category itself, the Chanukah lights differ from the Shabbos lights and the lights of the Beis HaMikdash. The illumination of the Shabbos lights and the lights of the Beis HaMikdash is for a purpose: for the sake of peace in the home (the Shabbos lights), or in order to be a testimony that will make known to everyone in the world that the Shechinah rests among the Jewish people (the lights of the Beis HaMikdash)18. But the illumination of the Chanukah lights is not for any other aim; their purpose lies in themselves.
And although the Gemara says that the Chanukah lights are "לפרסומי ניסא" ("to publicize the miracle")19 — to publicize the miracle through their illumination — the meaning is not that their entire matter is for this, but rather that they contain, besides their own essential purpose, also an additional matter: that they publicize the miracle of Chanukah20. A proof of this is that one fulfills the mitzvah and recites a blessing with G‑d's Name and Kingship over the Chanukah lights even in a case where there is no publicizing of the miracle.
The Shabbos lights, if one kindles them in a manner where the purpose of peace in the home is not achieved — for example, when several householders kindle the Shabbos lights in one menorah, where the added lights contribute no illumination and consequently do not contribute to peace in the home — one may not recite a blessing over such lights21. But regarding the Chanukah lights the law is simple22: "נר שיש לה שני פיות עולה לשני בני אדם" ("a lamp that has two spouts counts for two people") — two people may kindle Chanukah lights in two separate spouts of one lamp, even though the second light in the lamp adds nothing at all to publicizing the miracle. The Gemara also says23 that "בשעת הסכנה" ("at a time of danger"), when one cannot kindle the Chanukah lights in a manner of publicizing the miracle, it suffices to place the light by oneself on the table, and one recites a blessing over it. We see from this that the matter of publicizing the miracle in the Chanukah lights is only an addition to the main purpose — the illumination of the lights themselves.
6. The inner explanation of this: all the matters of Chanukah — the decrees of the Greeks at that time, the self-sacrifice of the Jews then, which brought about the miracle of Chanukah, the miracle itself and, consequently, also the mitzvah of the Chanukah light that the Sages instituted in remembrance of the miracle — are things that touch upon the bond, higher than reason and understanding, between the Jewish people and G‑d.
The aim of the Greek decrees was "להשכיחם תורתך" ("to make them forget Your Torah") — to make Jews forget Your Torah, the G‑dliness in the Torah that is higher than intellect. They did not mind Jews studying the intellect and wisdom of the Torah; they only wanted that in the study of Torah it should not be felt that it is G‑d's Torah. And likewise "להעבירם מחוקי רצונך" ("to make them transgress the statutes of Your will") — that Jews should not observe the "chukim," the mitzvos that are higher than intellect and whose observance is only with acceptance of the yoke, because such is "Your will," G‑d's will. That is, the Greeks would even have agreed that the Jews observe the chukim-mitzvos through a certain rationale: one can observe chukim even though one does not understand them intellectually, because one relies on the fact that the One who commanded the chukim, being a wondrous master of intellect, presumably has an understandable reason for the chukim as well24. To such a manner of observing the chukim the Greeks were not so opposed. What mainly bothered them was that the Jews observe the chukim entirely with acceptance of the yoke, without any explanation at all, only because such is G‑d's will25.
This is also the explanation of why the Greeks defiled all the oils that were in the Beis HaMikdash. The entire matter of impurity and purity is higher than intellect, as the Midrash says26: "אמר הקב"ה חקה חקקתי גזירה גזרתי ואי אתה רשאי לעבור על גזרתי" ("The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have engraved a statute, I have decreed a decree, and you are not permitted to transgress My decree") — there is no intellectual explanation why a dead body conveys impurity and why a mikveh purifies; rather, it is G‑d's decree and a strict law, which Jews may not do otherwise. And because impurity is a matter entirely higher than human understanding, the Greeks waged war against it and "טמאו כל השמנים שבהיכל" ("defiled all the oils in the Sanctuary").
The service of the Jews at that time, too, was in a manner higher than reason and understanding — in the war against the Greeks they went with self-sacrifice ("the weak against the mighty," etc.) for G‑d and His Torah and mitzvos, and the entire matter of self-sacrifice is higher than intellect.
So too in the miracle of Chanukah — besides the fact that every miracle is higher than nature and intellect — G‑d showed through this miracle His special bond with the Jewish people, "להראות חבתם של ישראל" ("to show the endearment of Israel"), which is higher than the boundaries of intellect.
And because the miracle of the cruse of oil demonstrates the bond of the Jewish people with G‑d in a manner higher than any measure and limitation ("the portion of Israel"), the Sages therefore instituted the main mitzvah of Chanukah to be the kindling of lights27 as a remembrance of the miracle of the cruse of oil (and gave the matter of Hallel and thanksgiving for the miracle of winning the well-known war), to demonstrate the bond of the Jewish people with G‑d, higher than any measure and limitation28.
Accordingly it becomes understood why the illumination of the Chanukah lights is not a means for something else, but the purpose is in themselves: since they point to the bond with G‑d, with His Essence, one consequently cannot say that they are for the sake of something else, heaven forfend.
7. As said earlier, the matter of the Shabbos lights, the lights of the Beis HaMikdash and the Chanukah lights is — light.
The Gemara says29: "ואין אור אלא תורה, שנאמר כי נר מצוה ותורה אור" ("and 'light' means nothing other than Torah, as it is said: 'For a mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light'"). It follows that the light of all three above-mentioned kinds of lights is — Torah. But within the Torah itself there are several levels, which in general are alluded to in the three kinds of lights:
The study of Torah in order to know how to fulfill mitzvos, "לדעת את המעשה אשר יעשון" ("to know the deed that they shall do") — which, generally and in its inner sense, is the matter of the Torah that "עושה שלום בעולם" ("makes peace in the world")30 — the Shabbos lights, which are for the sake of peace in the home.
The study of Torah through which Jews bind themselves with G‑d31 — the lights of the Beis HaMikdash, which are a testimony that the Shechinah rests among the Jewish people.
The study of Torah "לשמה" ("for its own sake"), for the sake of the Torah itself, without ulterior aims — which is the Torah as it is united with His Essence32; and regarding the Essence — and consequently also regarding the Torah as it is one with Him — it is not applicable to say that there is any purpose, heaven forfend, other than Himself — the Chanukah lights33.
8. Although publicizing the miracle is only an added matter beyond the main mitzvah of the Chanukah light itself, this nevertheless does not contradict the law34 that if one kindles the Chanukah lights in a place (higher than twenty cubits, where the human eye cannot reach) or at a time35 where there can be no publicizing of the miracle, one does not fulfill the mitzvah. For the definition of the mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah light is that the light, of itself, should be an illuminating light, a light that shines for people36 (and, ideally, also in a manner of publicity). It is not necessary, however, that people actually receive the light in practice; it is only required that the light be such a light that, from the light's own side, it shines to people37.
9. The inner reason why the lights must, of themselves, be lights that illuminate for everyone, even in a manner of publicity: the highest levels of G‑dliness, including those that are higher than the order of hishtalshelus, up to the Essence and Ein Sof, blessed be He, must be drawn down below38. They are indeed entirely higher than any definition of measure and limitation of worlds, yet even the highest levels must be drawn down in such a manner that the lower realm can receive them.
So it is also in Divine service: the power of self-sacrifice and the essential bond of a Jew with G‑d is not, in its essence, meant to be a means, a medium to arouse and illuminate the revealed powers; its purpose is the self-sacrifice itself, the bond with G‑d. The power of self-sacrifice must, however, be in a revealed manner, to the point that it can affect the revealed powers to fulfill Torah and mitzvos, as explained in Tanya39, that the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos depends on self-sacrifice. But even if the revealed self-sacrifice does not, heaven forfend, actually affect one to fulfill Torah and mitzvos (just as with the Chanukah light when it does not actually illuminate for people), this is not a deficiency in the self-sacrifice; rather, it is a deficiency in the revealed powers, which are not vessels to be affected by the self-sacrifice40. But the self-sacrifice he has kindled [not merely that it is always whole within him in potential, as the saying of our Sages41: "ישראל אף על פי שחטא ישראל הוא" ("A Jew, even though he has sinned, remains a Jew")].
10. On this basis we will understand a wondrous thing we find in the mitzvah of the Chanukah light, by which it is distinguished from all mitzvos. All mitzvos are set up in such a way that it is possible for a gentile to interfere and not allow them to be fulfilled. Even the three mitzvos regarding which it is stated42: "יהרג ואל יעבור" ("Let him be killed rather than transgress"), that a Jew is obligated to give up his life for them — though the gentile cannot have the power to nullify these three mitzvos, the gentile can wage war against the fulfillment of these mitzvos, and if the Jew is not intimidated and gives up his life for them and is killed, then there is, after all, no fulfillment of the mitzvah either. Different is the mitzvah of the Chanukah light, to which the non-Jew has no access to nullify it. For even at a time of a decree of persecution, may G‑d spare us, the gentile cannot destroy the fulfillment of this mitzvah, because at such a time the mitzvah of the Chanukah light is that the Jew places the Chanukah light on the table, as the wording of the Gemara is: "מניחה על שלחנו ודיו" ("he places it on his table and that suffices"), and the non-Jew will not disturb him.
The explanation of this is as discussed earlier: since the mitzvah of the Chanukah light demonstrates the bond of the essence of the soul with G‑d, with His Essence, it is a place that no sin can touch; consequently, the matter of exile, which is caused by sin ("ומפני חטאינו גלינו מארצנו," "and because of our sins we were exiled from our land"), also cannot exist there, and therefore no one can nullify the mitzvah of the Chanukah light. A gentile can do no more than issue a decree and not allow the illuminating light of the Chanukah light to shine outside, in the world; but the essence of the Chanukah light no one can touch. This is similar to what was explained in the commentary of the Ramban43, that the Chanukah lights "are never nullified" — the entire concealment of exile, or of the world in general, does not affect them.
(From the sichos of the third night of Chanukah and Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz, Zos Chanukah, 5750 [OCR unclear: year])
Notes
1) As in the Gemara, but with even more connection between them; see there. This is not the place to elaborate.
2) Shabbos 21b.
3) Kehillas Yaakov (by the author of Malei HaRoim), under its entry. And it is alluded (as with all matters of the inner dimension of the Torah) also in the revealed Torah: for there were servants of Shlomo who rebelled against him and intermingled among the Tarmodites (as is implied in Tractate Yevamos 16b), and the rebellion against Shlomo, who sat on the throne of G‑d, is the rebellion and casting off of the yoke of the Kingship of Heaven. — From this too one sees the advantage of the Chanukah lights over the lights of the Beis HaMikdash: the revelation of the Beis HaMikdash did not negate the existence of the rebellion of Tarmod; on the contrary, it was a partner in the destruction of the Temple (Yerushalmi Taanis ch. 4, end of halacha 5), whereas the Chanukah lights eliminate (even) the "foot of the Tarmodites," nullifying its entire existence (even the "foot," the very lowest level) and the casting off of the yoke.
4) Beginning of Parshas Behaaloscha.
5) Berachos 34b. See Sefer HaMaamarim 5709, p. 183, note 1.
6) Responsa of the Rashba, vol. 1, §9. See at length the maamar beginning "Vayehi BaYom HaShemini," 5704.
7) For this reason they also established the blessing for healing as the eighth blessing, since healing is the matter of teshuvah, as explained in the maamar beginning "V'chol Adam Lo Yihyeh" of the Tzemach Tzedek (Or HaTorah, Derushei Yom Kippur, p. 1555) and in the maamar of 5723 (Sefer HaMaamarim Melukat, vol. 5, p. 15). See there.
8) See Likkutei Torah, Devarim 92b; Shir HaShirim 50b.
9) For the connection of this also to Parshas Vayeishev, see Or Torah of the Maggid, Parshas Vayeishev, which explains: "the land of his father's sojournings" (megurei, from the term for fear) — although he is in the earthiness and materiality of this world, he is nevertheless "in his father's fear," meaning the fear of his Father in Heaven. "The land of Canaan" — even if he is among the wicked ("Canaan, in whose hand are deceitful scales"), he does not learn from their deeds. (Torah Or there explains similarly that there are two lands, except that Torah Or explains it on a loftier level: the higher unity and the lower unity.) It emerges that the two lands are the service of the tzaddikim and the service of teshuvah, and both are in one verse.
10) Arachin 13b. See Likkutei Torah, Tazria 21d.
11) See Iggeres HaKodesh, end of epistle 30.
12) Beginning of Yoma. See also Shabbos 118b.
13) Yevamos 63a.
14) See the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe (Orach Chaim, beginning of §263) on the reason for the Shabbos lights: "so that he not stumble on wood or stone etc., and the main thing etc. that he eats by it" [and all of a person's needs are included under the term "eating"]. In light of what was said in the text regarding "a helpmate opposite him," one better appreciates the continuation of the Rambam's words in the Laws of Chanukah there, on the reason the light of the house comes first because of peace in the home: "for the Name is erased in order to make peace between husband and wife" — consider this carefully. This also explains why the lights are called "the light of his house" (and Rashi — Shabbos 23b — needed to add the explanation "on Shabbos") and not "the Shabbos light."
15) Berachos 53a. Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, §298, se'if 17.
16) Bamidbar 8:2.
17) Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim §673. This is discussed at length in the book HaMoadim BaHalachah by Rabbi S. Y. Zevin.
18) Shabbos 22b. See the Sifra cited in Tosafos there.
19) Ibid. 23b.
20) There is no difficulty from what was said above regarding the advantage of the Chanukah lights on account of the peace in them (except that the level of peace in the Chanukah lights is loftier than the level of peace in the Shabbos lights), nor from the fact that through the Chanukah lights the oil is refined and the sparks within it are elevated — for these matters are additional things in the Chanukah lights (similar to the matter of publicizing the miracle). But their main matter is not for another goal; the purpose lies in themselves.
21) See all of this in the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, §263, se'if 10, and in the sources noted there.
22) Shabbos 23b.
23) Ibid. 21b. And although another light is needed for recognition — even without a second light one recites the blessing and kindles (Acharonim on §678).
24) See Bamidbar Rabbah (19:3): "All these I have grasped, but the section of the Red Heifer — I said, 'I will become wise,' but it is far from me." And there (19:6): "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: To you I reveal the reason of the Heifer."
25) See also Hayom Yom, 2 Teves.
26) Bamidbar Rabbah, beginning of Parshas Chukas. Rambam, end of the Laws of Mikvaos.
27) See Tosafos, s.v. "HaRoeh," Sukkah 46a; Magen Avraham, beginning of §676, and the commentaries there; Tzafnas Paneach (the Rogatchover Gaon) on the Rambam, Laws of Chanukah 3:3.
28) This is also the reason for the number of eight Chanukah lights, for the number eight indicates the level that is above limitation, as explained above; and the reason for "mehadrin min hamehadrin," as explained in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 1, p. 92.
29) Taanis 7b.
30) Sifri, cited in the Rambam, end of the Laws of Chanukah. See Likkutei Torah, the maamar beginning "Hechaltzu" and its explanation, on the saying of our Sages (Sanhedrin 99b): "Whoever engages in Torah for its own sake makes peace, etc."
31) Zohar III, 73a. See Tanya, end of ch. 5, and ch. 42 [OCR unclear: "נג"].
32) See Tanya, ch. 23, and the glosses of the Tzemach Tzedek there.
33) This also explains what the Ramban writes (beginning of Parshas Behaaloscha) in the name of the Midrash: "But the lights (which by his interpretation refers to the Chanukah lights) are forever 'toward the face of the menorah.'" Seemingly, how does "toward the face of the menorah" apply to the Chanukah lights? Rather, it alludes to the level of the Torah as it is united with His Essence, a level that is entirely "face" (see Iggeres HaKodesh, the epistle beginning "David Zemiros") — "the face of the menorah."
34) Shabbos 22a and Rashi there. See also Rambam, Laws of Chanukah 3:3 and 4:12.
35) See Turei Zahav, §673; [OCR unclear], Rashal, Magen Avraham, Chemed Moshe, and others.
36) Like the menorah, of which it is said, "they shall illuminate."
37) An analogy: whatever is fit for mixing, the mixing does not prevent its validity (Menachos 103b). — Based on what is said in the text, one will also understand the reason for the dispute (Shabbos 21b) whether one may make use of the light (of the Chanukah lights). The reason of the opinion that it is permitted to make use of it is that the light of the Chanukah lights acts and serves also for matters within hishtalshelus. The reason of the opinion that it is forbidden to make use of its light — and so is the halachah — is that the purpose of this light is not to serve and act in the world, since it is above the bounds of hishtalshelus; and even when it acts in the world, it does so in a detached manner (and these two matters are alluded to in oil: it permeates everything, yet it does not mix), and therefore it is not contracted and diminished in its drawing down, since it is not in a state of enclothement. Accordingly one also better appreciates what the Ramban writes (beginning of Parshas Behaaloscha), that the Chanukah lights and the Priestly Blessing are never nullified. For the two of them — the Chanukah lights and the Priestly Blessing — share a common feature: they are above hishtalshelus (which is why the days of Chanukah were instituted for Hallel and thanksgiving, and the Priestly Blessing was placed in the blessing of thanksgiving, for a light that is above hishtalshelus is not within the bounds of comprehension, but only of thanksgiving); and nevertheless they are drawn down and act in the world, except that the drawing down is not contracted by the limitations of the world — "עד מהרה ירוץ דברו" ("His word runs very swiftly") (as explained in Likkutei Torah, end of Parshas Korach).
38) A dwelling for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms — like the matter of a dwelling.
39) End of ch. 25.
40) Similar to "the thief at the mouth of the tunnel calls upon the Merciful One": even at the moment when his faith in G‑d shines openly and he calls upon the Merciful One, he performs the act of theft with his revealed powers. Likewise it is possible that at the moment of actual self-sacrifice for the sanctification of G‑d's Name, he may not be careful about some mitzvah (since he is still among the lightest of the light) because of his revealed powers. [See Kuntres HaAvodah, ch. 5. This is not the place to elaborate.]
41) Sanhedrin 44a.
42) Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah §157:1.
43) Beginning of Parshas Behaaloscha. See also above, p. 811.
Key Lesson
The Chanukah lights express a Jew's essential bond with G‑d, which is above reason and is its own purpose — and so they shine even into the darkness of exile, and no decree can extinguish them. Yet that bond must also be drawn into daily life, uniting the "inside" of a peaceful, G‑dly home with the illumination of the "outside" world.