Chanukah 5779

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Chanukah 5779

by Mordechai Dolinsky

 

A new insight to the ruchnius of Chanukah.  Besides the regular kedusha of the fulfillment of all the mitzvos that are connected to Chanukah, over the complete 8 days min HaShomayim there comes a special ruach of inspiration of chizuk in bitachon v’emunah for all Klal Yisroel.

 

The pirsumai nissah of Chanukah is how the Shchinah showed itself so very outstandingly clearly.  How a small minority group of neemanei Ha Torah were victorious over an extremely massive army of sonai Hashem and the Torah.  This is the light of the Menora; the Torah that was saved, this is the light of the Menora.

 

Have a true aliya from the pirsumeir nissah and a freilichen Chanukah.

Parshas Mikaitz (Chanukah) 5767

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Parshas Mikaitz (Chanukah) 5767
By Mordechai Dolinsky

Why was Yosef held so strongly accountable for asking to be remembered by the cup-bearer?  One may speculate Yosef’s ability to interpret the dreams either as a wisdom that he possessed with of course Divine assistance, or a special absolute miracle.  Assuming that it was a miracle it can account for Yosef being criticized.

If one is blessed by Hashem to be deemed worthy of such a Divine blessing it is like actually walking on thin air; how can one be concerned about wearing out his shoes?  When Yosef interpreted the dream for Pharoh his test was to do so not feeling at all that it was his wisdom, only a miracle; by drawing on the miracle he had experienced with the Divine gift of interpreting the dreams of the cup-bearer and baker.

This, too, was the test of the Chashmonaim—after having experienced the complete blessing of miracle nothing to do with their efforts whatsoever, they had to continue the war against the Yevanim, not attributing the success to their own efforts.  When one is blessed with this level of miracle he bears the awesome responsibility to respond accordingly.

We are living in an era that, too a large degree, Clal Yisorle is blessed by Hashem with these absolute nissim.  We must be aware of it and live up to the expectations of Hashem in our emuna and our actions.\

Have a wonderful Shabbos, Chaunkah and Chodesh.

Parshas Mikaitz (5766) Chanukah Rosh Chodesh

Parshas Mikaitz (5766) Chanukah Rosh Chodesh
By Mordechai Dolinsky

The commitment and mesiras nefesh to fulfill Hashem’s Will brings joy and happiness to our lives.  Yosef Hatzaddik earned this through his mammoth efforts of self-control and in turn received great blessings for everything including the wisdom of the interpretation of Pharoh’s dreams.  The Chashmonaim fought the Yevanim who attempted to oppose all the above and isolate the happiness of life and relate to it as an isolated concept (manifested in the form of their theatres etc.).

Have a wonderful Shabbos, a joyous Chanukah and a blessed month.

Parshas MiKaitz — Shabbos Chanukah (5765)

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Parshas MiKaitz — Shabbos Chanukah (5765)
By Mordechai Dolinsky

Imagine the anguish Yosef went through being falsely accused and subsequently imprisoned for something that he demonstrated and exercised the epitome of self-control not to indulge in and sin.  Now, as a ruler,  he was basking in the success that the false accusations caused and created.  What a lesson!

Our fulfillment of the Torah and mitzvos ignite a light within and outside our homes which usually we cannot see.  Perhaps with the mitzvah of the Chanukah lights we are taking a glimpse at this light.

Have a beautiful Shabbos and a happy Chanukah.

Chanukah Insight (5760)

One of the most absolutely fascinating and amazing aspects of Chanukah that I ever came across is something that was revealed by the illustrious “Alshich” z”l.  The light of our modest Chanukah candles is from none other than the “Or HaGanuz” of “Maasei Breishis”.  Just to freshen our Memories–on Pasuk 4 at the beginning of Parshas Breishis Rashi brings that the light of the ‘Maasei Breishis’ was put away for the Tzaddikim in the next world; this is the ‘Or HaGanuz’.  I am perpetually shocked and mystified by this insight of the Chanukah light.  Without exaggeration it would be apropos to say that the ‘Avos HaKdoshim’  could to do something to bring the light of the ‘Or HaGanuz’.  Here we have some ignoramus lighting his little colored Chanukah candles, the music box on the Menorah playing the “I Have A Little Dreidel” song, and the remains of a latke still lingering in his mouth, and the light of the “Or HaGanuz’ shining from his Menorah.
I would like to share a possible thought and message about this profound phenomenon.  The who le miracle that Klal Yisroel experienced, the military victory over the Greeks and the miracle of the oil, all came about as a result of nothing but and only because of a tremendous gift from Above.  This is to exclude other instances where the “nuclear core” of the miracle stems from the
inspiration and workings of Klal Yisroel.  This characteristic and concept was carried over to the Mitzva commemorating the miracle.  In consistency with the actual miracle which in essence was a gift from Above, likewise the special Mitzvah of Chanukah brings an awesome gift from Above, the ‘Or HaGanuz ‘.
This thought is echoed in a seemingly humorous question that serious sources have brought up.
Why on Purim do we ‘spin the Groger’, the noisemaker, in a movement facing upwards, while on Chanukah we ‘spin the Dreidel’ in a downward movement?  The answer given is that on Purim the miracle came as a result of Klal Yisroel’s inspiration from ‘below’ contrary to Chanukah where the main source of the miracle was from Divine inspiration Above coming down.
This insight may shed light on a mystical aspect of the sprinkling of the blood of Yom Kippur
The Kohen Gadol sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices of the “Par” and the “Seir”, one sprinkle upward and seven sprinkles downward.  This service is possibly the most significant and important for the existence of Klal Yisroel and the act of the Kohen Gadol pointing his finger upward and downward is certainly very puzzling. Amazingly, our “dreidel–groger” insight might be a possible direction to understanding it.  The sprinkle upward representing the aspect of accomplishment from Klal Yisroel, and the sprinkle downward representing the things that are accomplished mainly through the gifts from Above.
The opinion of Bais Shammai is well known–that we start the first night of Chanukah with the lighting of eight candles and as the days progress the number of candles lit decreases.  The concept of going down might be a reflection of this Divine gift of the pouring down from Above the tremendous blessings that brought about the miracles.  Listen to this ‘remez’ from the ‘Baal HaTurim’ concerning Bais Shammai.  One Pasuk (Vayikra 8:2) says “BeHaaloscha Es HaNairos” in contrast to the Pasuk (Shmos 27:20) ” LeHaalos Ner Tomid”.  According to Bais Shammai the change is from “Nairos” (plural) to “Ner” (singular).  The last letters of the three words “LeHaalos Ner Tomid” is “Tof”–“Reish”–“Daled”  spells the Hebrew word “Tayraid”– to go down.  This might be a beautiful ‘remez’ of the Heavenly gifts coming down.
What does all this mean?  If a person prepares himself and properly connects himself to the Mitzvah of the lighting and in general makes an effort to lift himself and upgrade his spiritual status on Chanukah he will make himself eligible to be a recipient of marvelous spiritual gifts from Above
He might thereby gain some concrete inspiration from Chanukah along with the extra weight gained from those delicious latkes and jelly donuts.  Happy Chanukah!