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Why does Chanukah (חנוכה) warrant eight days of simcha—more than any other holiday, including Pesach (פסח) and receiving the Torah (תורה)? The shiur develops the principle that genuine happiness stems only from personal accomplishment, not from gifts. Chanukah alone represents a spiritual achievement that is primarily our own effort (lo nitnu likasav—not part of the written divine plan), making it the one holiday where we celebrate what we truly earned.
The shiur opens with a striking observation from the Rambam (רמב"ם): Chanukah (חנוכה) is unique among all Jewish holidays in that it has eight full days of simcha—more than Pesach (פסח)'s seven days, more than Shavuos, more than Sukkos (סוכות). This requires explanation. Why should the military victory over the Greeks and the Temple rededication generate greater joy than the Exodus or receiving the Torah (תורה)? The analysis begins with a Gemara (גמרא) in Yoma that compares Esther to dawn (ayeles hashachar), marking the end of the era of miracles. The Gemara asks: what about Chanukah, which occurred after Purim (פורים)? The answer: "lo nitnu likasav"—Chanukah wasn't written down in the holy writings. The Maharsha raises two profound difficulties: (1) Why does the era of miracles get compared to night (negative) while the end of miracles is compared to dawn (positive)—shouldn't revelation and miracles be "daytime"? (2) The Gemara seems to be saying that when there are no miracles, that's daytime, which contradicts the usual symbolism where divine revelation is light.
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Why doesn't Chanukah appear in the Mishna? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: Chanukah represents the victory of Gemara—the human ability to use godly intellect (ner Hashem nishmas adam) to develop Torah SheBaal Peh. The Menorah symbolizes the soul's illumination through this koach, while the Mizbeach represents the body's recreation—together forming the complete tikkun of man.
Why does Megillas Esther interrupt Torah study for a message the world deemed ridiculous—that every man should rule his home? The shiur develops the yesod that the moon's willingness to "make itself small" doesn't diminish it but creates unified sovereignty. A woman who enables her husband to lead isn't relegated to second class—she is the king-maker, comfortable creating oneness where a man cannot.
Chanukah; Gemara Yoma (Esther as ayeles hashachar); Parshas Mikeitz (Yosef and the Sar Hamashkim); Gemara Kiddushin (yetzer hara)
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