Concerning
the
Hanukkah
Candle
Article
No.
9,
1986
It
is
written
in
Masechet
Shabbat
(23b):
“Raba
said,
‘Clearly,
between
‘a
candle
for
his
house’
and
a
‘Hanukkah
candle,’
a
candle
for
his
house
precedes
because
of
domestic
peace.”
RASHI
interprets
that
“candle
of
his
house”
refers
to
Shabbat
[Sabbath],
and
he
is
poor
and
cannot
afford
to
buy
oil
for
two
candles.
As
for
domestic
peace,
it
is
as
is
said
below,
“My
soul
has
been
devoid
of
peace.”
This
is
the
lighting
of
the
candles
on
Shabbat,
when
his
household
regret
sitting
in
the
dark.
However,
a
Hanukkah
candle
is
not
for
domestic
peace
because
it
is
forbidden
to
use
its
light,
as
we
say
after
lighting
Hanukkah
candles,
“These
candles
are
holy;
we
have
no
permission
to
use
them
but
only
to
see
them.”
We
should
understand
the
following:
1)
He
explains
that
a
Shabbat
candle
precedes
a
Hanukkah
candle
because
of
domestic
peace.
This
requires
explanation.
Is
this
a
good
enough
reason
to
cancel
the
Mitzva
[commandment]
of
Hanukkah
candles,
which
is
so
important
because
of
the
sanctity
in
them,
to
the
point
where
our
sages
said
that
it
is
forbidden
to
use
their
light,
as
we
say,
“These
candles
are
holy;
we
have
no
permission
to
use
them
but
only
to
see
them”?
Do
we
cancel
this
Mitzva
because
of
domestic
peace,
which
is
a
corporeal
matter?
2)
We
need
to
understand
the
connection
between
a
Shabbat
candle
and
domestic
peace,
which
we
learn
from
the
verse,
“My
soul
has
been
devoid
of
peace,”
which
is
the
lighting
of
candles
on
Shabbat.
To
understand
the
above
we
must
first
explain
the
three
above
matters:
1)
What
is
Shabbat?
2)
What
is
domestic
peace?
3)
What
is
Hanukkah?
Our
sages
said
that
Shabbat
is
a
similitude
of
the
next
world
(Berachot,
57).
Also,
it
is
written
in
the
Shabbat
Evening
Prayer:
“You
have
sanctified
the
seventh
day
for
Your
name,
the
purpose
of
the
creation
of
heaven
and
earth.”
“Purpose”
means
that
this
is
the
purpose
for
which
Heaven
and
Earth
were
created.
Also,
it
is
known
that
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
meaning
for
the
creatures
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure,
and
this
is
called
“the
purpose
of
creation.”
What
precedes
the
purpose
is
the
time
of
work.
This
brings
up
the
question,
“If
the
purpose
is
to
do
good,
why
this
work?”
The
answer
is
that
in
order
to
avoid
the
bread
of
shame
we
were
given
work,
which
is
called
the
“correction
of
creation.”
This
means
that
through
this
correction
we
will
be
able
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
because
we
will
already
have
equivalence
of
form
with
the
Creator
in
the
sense
that
the
creatures
wish
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator
as
the
Creator
wishes
to
bestow
upon
the
creatures.
It
turns
out
that
working
in
order
to
bestow
eliminates
the
bread
of
shame.
According
to
this,
the
work
that
we
were
given
refers
to
the
correction
of
creation
and
not
to
the
purpose
because
the
purpose
is
to
enjoy
and
not
to
work.
Thus,
our
need
for
correction
does
not
refer
to
the
pleasure,
since
the
Creator
gives
it,
as
it
is
the
purpose.
But
in
order
to
receive
the
complete
delight
and
pleasure—and
complete
means
that
we
can
receive
the
delight
without
feeling
unpleasantness—we
were
given
work
because
the
work
is
that
we
have
to
change
the
Kelim
[vessels]
we
have
received
by
nature,
and
obtain
different
Kelim,
called
“vessels
of
bestowal.”
When
we
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
in
vessels
of
bestowal,
there
is
no
place
for
unpleasantness
upon
receiving
the
abundance.
Two
states
explain
to
us
the
two
discernments
we
described
concerning
achieving
the
complete
purpose
of
creation:
1)
The
order
of
correction
of
creation
that
we
work
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments]
in
order
to
bestow
is
regarded
as
using
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
means
that
since
there
are
deeds
and
there
are
intentions,
in
that
state
we
use
acts
of
bestowal,
regarded
as
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
These
acts
are
regarded
as
engaging
in
the
form
of,
“As
He
is
merciful,
so
you
are
merciful.”
That
is,
man
wants
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator
as
the
Creator
wants
to
bestow
upon
the
creatures.
Therefore,
if
he
acts
like
the
Creator,
meaning
follows
His
ways,
then
the
person
wants
the
Creator
to
pay
him
for
his
work
for
the
created
beings.
However,
here
there
is
also
the
work
of
the
intention,
which
is
to
aim
that
the
intention
will
be
similar
to
the
action
because
sometimes,
although
the
act
is
giving,
the
aim
is
otherwise.
That
is,
the
reason
he
gives
is
in
order
to
subsequently
receive
reward.
This
is
called
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake].
For
this
reason
if
a
person
wants
to
perform
an
act
of
giving
there
is
a
lot
of
work.
And
the
reason
that
compels
him
to
engage
in
giving
is
that
he
has
a
reason
that
causes
him
to
give
and
not
receive,
meaning
that
usually,
when
we
love
someone
a
desire
awakens
in
the
heart
to
give
to
the
loved
one,
since
this
expresses
our
love
for
that
person.
Alternatively,
an
important
person
also
awakens
in
our
hearts
to
disclose
love
for
him
by
giving
him
a
gift.
This
is
called
“His
mouth
and
heart
are
the
same,”
meaning
that
the
act
and
the
intention
are
the
same
and
his
heart
does
not
harbor
a
different
intent
from
the
act
of
giving
because
the
reason
is
the
intention
to
bestow.
This
is
called
Lishma
[for
Her
sake].
It
is
explained
that
in
the
second
state,
which
is
the
purpose
of
creation,
we
can
use
the
vessels
of
reception.
This
means
that
we
engage
in
reception
of
pleasures
but
the
reason
we
want
to
receive
pleasure
is
not
to
satisfy
our
wishes,
that
we
crave
pleasures
and
this
is
why
we
now
want
to
enjoy.
Rather,
there
is
a
completely
different
reason
here—the
opposite
of
our
action.
We
crave
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator,
and
for
ourselves,
we
do
not
want
to
receive
into
our
will
to
receive
because
it
would
separate
us
from
the
Creator.
However,
what
can
we
give
to
the
Creator
so
He
will
enjoy
it?
What
can
we
say,
so
to
speak,
that
He
needs?
There
is
only
one
thing
we
can
say:
Since
He
has
created
creation
in
order
to
delight
His
creatures,
we
want
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
because
we
want
to
satisfy
His
wish,
which
is
to
do
good.
Now
we
can
explain
the
question,
“What
is
Hanukkah?”
As
we
explained
the
first
state,
it
is
the
work
of
correction
of
creation,
which
is
to
obtain
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
with
which
we
can
then
achieve
the
purpose
of
creation.
We
can
call
this
“spirituality”
because
we
do
not
want
to
do
anything
for
ourselves,
but
only
for
the
Creator,
as
our
sages
said,
“An
offering,
meaning
a
burnt
offering,
is
all
for
the
Creator,
completely
spiritual.”
The
miracle
of
Hanukkah
was
about
spirituality,
as
we
say
(in
the
blessing
“On
the
Miracles”),
“When
the
wicked
kingdom
of
Greece
stood
over
Your
people
Israel
to
make
them
forget
Your
law
and
move
them
from
the
laws
of
Your
will,
You,
with
your
many
mercies,
stood
up
for
them
at
the
time
of
their
plight.”
According
to
what
we
explained,
“spirituality”
means
using
vessels
of
bestowal.
The
domination
of
the
Greeks
is
expressed
in
forbidding
anything
that
has
to
do
with
vessels
of
bestowal
because
there
was
control
over
the
work
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
there,
as
well.
This
was
on
the
outside.
It
is
far
more
so
in
the
thought—they
would
govern
the
thought
so
they
would
be
unable
to
aim
anything
for
the
Creator.
Rather,
they
wanted
the
people
of
Israel
to
be
immersed
in
self-love,
by
which
they
will
be
separated
from
the
Creator.
All
the
thoughts
of
the
Sitra
Achra
[Other
Side]
are
only
about
removing
them
from
the
Creator,
and
remoteness
and
separation
come
only
by
disparity
of
form,
known
as
“self-love.”
Baal
HaSulam
said
about
what
our
sages
asked
(Shabbat,
21b),
“What
is
Hanukkah?”
He
explained
that
the
answer
is
Hanu
[camped]
Koh
[here],
meaning
that
they
parked
here.
This
means
that
Chaf-Hey
[Koh/25th]
of
Kislev
[the
date
when
Hanukkah
begins]
was
not
the
end
of
the
war,
but
only
a
pause.
It
is
like
an
army
that
wants
to
start
a
new,
major
assault,
so
it
lets
the
soldiers
rest
and
regain
their
strength
so
they
can
continue
the
war.
He
said
that
there
are
fools
who
think
that
they
received
the
order
not
to
go
forward
into
enemy
territory
but
to
rest
because
they
have
finished
the
war
and
there
is
no
need
to
defeat
the
enemy
anymore.
It
turns
out
that
Hanukkah
is
still
not
the
completion
of
the
goal,
but
only
the
correction
of
creation.
It
completes
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
meaning
acts
of
bestowal,
and
this
is
why
it
is
forbidden
to
use
the
light
of
Hanukkah,
since
using
is
an
act
of
reception,
and
the
miracle
was
only
on
acts
of
giving—that
they
can
do
them
and
aim
to
bestow,
which
is
called
Lishma.
The
miracle
was
that
they
emerged
from
the
domination
of
the
Greeks
and
could
go
with
faith
above
reason.
But
the
Klipa
[shell/peel]
of
the
Greeks
was
governing
Israel
so
as
not
to
do
anything
unless
he
knows
why
and
what
purpose
this
work
will
bring
him,
and
especially
to
aim
everything
above
reason.
According
to
what
we
explained,
it
follows
that
although
a
Hanukkah
candle
implies
a
spiritual
miracle,
which
is
that
the
people
of
Israel
were
liberated
from
the
dominion
of
the
Greeks,
it
was
only
half
a
thing.
That
is,
only
the
vessels
of
bestowal
were
corrected
by
the
miracle
of
Hanukkah,
and
this
is
regarded
as
correction
of
creation,
but
still
not
the
purpose
of
creation.
But
Shabbat,
which
is
a
similitude
of
the
next
world,
is
regarded
as
the
purpose
of
heaven
and
earth,
regarded
as
the
“purpose
of
creation,”
meaning
the
completion
of
the
final
purpose.
That
is,
a
likeness
of
what
will
appear
at
the
end
of
correction
illuminates
on
Shabbat.
Therefore,
Shabbat
is
the
time
for
reception
of
pleasure,
meaning
that
we
are
using
vessels
of
reception
and
only
need
to
aim
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
regarded
as
all
the
people
in
the
world
having
to
achieve
this
degree,
as
it
is
written,
“For
no
outcast
shall
be
outcast
from
Him.”
Rather,
everyone
will
achieve
the
goal
in
full,
meaning
to
receive,
but
in
order
to
bestow.
Now
we
will
explain
what
we
asked
about
the
connection
between
Shabbat
and
domestic
peace.
It
is
known
that
“house”
is
called
Malchut,
who
is
the
receiver
of
the
upper
abundance
in
vessels
of
reception
in
order
to
bestow.
However,
Malchut
has
many
names,
and
the
name
“house”
indicates
wholeness,
as
it
is
written
in
the
Sulam
(Ladder
commentary
on
The
Zohar,
Noah,
p
88,
item
249):
“You
should
know
that
when
a
person
is
in
full
wholeness,
he
is
regarded
as
dwelling
in
the
house.
The
word
‘house’
implies
Nukva
de
ZA,
who
illuminates
in
Mochin
de
GAR,
as
it
is
written,
‘A
house
shall
be
built
with
wisdom.’
Therefore,
those
who
receive
from
her
are
regarded
as
dwelling
in
the
house.
However,
when
a
person
needs
corrections
because
he
is
incomplete,
he
needs
keeping
so
the
outer
ones
do
not
grip
him
and
make
him
sin.
Therefore,
he
must
come
out
of
the
house
because
he
is
forbidden
to
receive
these
high
Mochin
for
fear
that
the
outer
ones
will
suck
from
him.
He
must
go
out
to
the
path
of
the
Creator,
meaning
receive
the
corrections
he
needs.
At
that
time
he
is
permitted
to
receive
Mochin
from
the
Zivug
of
ZA
and
Leah,
for
because
they
are
Ohr
Hassadim
that
is
covered
in
Hochma,
there
is
no
suckling
from
them
to
the
outer
ones.
These
Mochin
are
called
‘hostel’
because
they
are
intended
for
travelers.
Therefore,
although
Noah
was
righteous
and
wholehearted,
he
compares
him
to
a
traveling
guest.”
Thus,
we
see
that
we
should
make
two
discernments
in
the
order
of
the
work:
1)
a
state
called
“house,”
2)
a
state
called
“traveling
guest.”
When
a
person
is
still
incomplete,
he
must
come
out
and
be
in
a
state
of
traveling
guest,
which
is
the
path
of
the
Creator,
in
order
to
receive
corrections,
by
which
he
will
achieve
wholeness.
This
is
why
these
people
are
called
“traveling
guests,”
for
they
are
still
in
the
middle
of
the
way
and
have
not
achieved
the
goal
they
should
achieve.
Although
they
are
righteous,
like
Noah,
who
was
righteous
and
wholehearted,
he
was
still
deficient
because
he
corrected
only
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
called
“spiritual
vessels.”
As
mentioned
above,
this
is
called
the
“correction
of
creation,”
since
he
can
already
bestow
in
order
to
bestow,
which
his
called
Lishma.
By
this
we
understand
what
the
Hanu-Koh
[Hanukkah]
candle
comes
to
imply—it
is
only
a
pause
and
not
the
end
of
the
work.
For
this
reason,
it
is
forbidden
to
use
the
light
of
the
Hanukkah
candle
because
the
miracle
was
on
spiritual
vessels,
and
vessels
of
bestowal
cannot
be
used
so
as
to
enjoy
the
light.
This
is
why
they
are
only
to
be
seen.
But
a
Shabbat
candle—where
Shabbat
is
regarded
as
“the
purpose
of
heaven
and
earth,”
which
is
a
similitude
of
the
next
world—is
called
the
“purpose
of
creation,”
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
that
they
will
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
Hence,
this
light
is
received
in
vessels
of
reception,
called
“receiving
in
order
to
bestow.”
That
is,
they
are
using
the
vessels
of
reception.
This
is
called
a
“house,”
as
in
“A
house
shall
be
built
with
wisdom,”
where
Malchut
is
the
root
of
the
souls,
called
“assembly
of
Israel,”
and
receives
abundance
for
the
souls.
When
the
lower
ones
are
fit
for
reception
of
Ohr
Hochma
[Light
of
Wisdom],
it
is
called
Mochin
[light/pleasure]
de
Shabbat,
meaning
Mochin
de
Hochma,
and
Mochin
de
Hochma
is
the
light
of
the
purpose
of
creation.
It
follows
that
Hanukkah
candle
and
Shabbat
candle
imply
two
dissimilar
discernments.
Now
we
will
explain
what
we
asked
about
the
connection
between
domestic
peace
and
Shabbat,
for
which
our
sages
said
that
it
precedes
the
Hanukkah
candle.
The
Sefira
[singular
of
Sefirot]
Yesod
is
called
“domestic
peace”
because
it
bestows
upon
Malchut,
since
Malchut
is
the
root
of
the
souls.
When
Malchut
is
as
a
dot,
meaning
that
it
illuminates
only
as
a
tiny
dot,
the
souls
do
not
have
the
abundance
they
need.
This
is
called
“Shechina
[Divinity]
in
exile.”
At
that
time
the
Klipot
[shells/peels]
prevail
and
wish
to
control
matters
of
sanctity,
and
there
is
a
lot
of
work
for
the
lower
ones.
This
created
the
division
between
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity]
and
Tuma’a
[impurity].
Upon
the
arrival
of
Yesod
de
Gadlut
[adulthood/greatness],
it
imparts
the
upper
abundance
to
Malchut,
meaning
imparts
upon
her
the
light
of
Hochma.
At
that
time
domestic
peace
is
made,
as
it
is
written,
“When
a
man's
ways
please
the
Lord,
He
makes
even
his
enemies
be
at
peace
with
him.”
This
is
why
Yesod
is
called
“peace,”
since
it
makes
domestic
peace,
when
the
powers
of
Klipa
are
cancelled,
as
it
is
written,
“When
Shabbat
begins,
it
becomes
unique
and
separates
from
the
Sitra
Achra,
and
all
are
crowned
with
new
souls”
(Kegavna
[a
prayer]
on
Shabbat
Eve).
It
follows
that
when
the
“house,”
which
is
Malchut,
receives
the
abundance
of
Shabbat,
peace
is
made,
and
then
all
the
judgments
are
removed
from
her.
This
is
why
the
Shabbat
candle
implies
the
abundance
of
the
end
of
correction,
while
the
Hanukkah
candle
indicates
the
light
attained
in
the
middle
of
the
work,
which
is
in
order
to
be
able
to
continue
and
complete
the
work.
This
is
why
a
Shabbat
candle
is
called
“domestic
peace,”
after
the
abundance
that
comes
from
Yesod
to
Malchut.