900. Two Degrees

What is Hanukkah? This means that we must ask like the four questions: wise, wicked, innocent, and one who does not know how to ask.

There is a dispute concerning the Hanukkah candle: One said it was permitted to use its light, and one said it is forbidden. He said to him, “These are two degrees. One is revelation of love from the side of His goodness, meaning that by this he can praise and glorify His name, and one said it is forbidden, meaning from the side of pure air, which is only from the discernment that He is great and ruling, regarded as covered Hassadim.”

There is an allegory about a poor man who was happy with the king’s gift, who made miracles for him above nature. By nature, he is poor in knowledge and sick in the mind, and the Creator bestows upon him His light, meaning that he delights with the King’s gift. This is the main thing for him, that he is serving the King, and this is all the pleasure he receives, meaning that his sole purpose is that He is great and ruling.

This is the meaning of “‘If they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What will I tell them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I will be [Hebrew: EKYEH] that which I will be. Thus shall you tell the children of Israel: ‘EKYEH sent me to you.’’” RASHI interpreted “I will be with you in this trouble, and I will be with you in the enslavement in the rest of the kingships.”

It is written in Berachot (p 9): “He said before him, ‘Master of the world, why am I reminding them of another trouble? They have enough with this trouble.’ He said to him, ‘Well said,’ etc., and since then, such was the view of the Creator when He said, ‘I will be that which I will be.’ He said it only to Moses, and not that he would tell this to Israel.”

This means that it is the degree of Moses, meaning that he is regarded as covered Hassadim, which is considered “The eye has not seen,” meaning covered Hassadim, “a God besides You,” meaning that all his work is in the discernment of great and ruling, and he needs no reward but God, as this is his entire vitality, that he is serving the Creator.

“I will be that which I will be.” I created the world with the quality of goodness, I lead it, and I renew it, as was said, “The Lord is good to all, the Lord is good as a stronghold in the day of trouble, the Lord does good to the good.” Another thing: “I will be that which I will be.” I created the world with the quality of faith, and with the quality of faith am I destined to renew it. Lord, you are my God, I will exalt You, I will thank Your name for You have done wonders; counsels from afar rears into faith, a God of faith and there is no iniquity, and His faith and mercy are with Him” (Otiot de Rabbi Akiva, in Item 5).