chanukah
On Chanukah The ‘Ohr Haganuz’ of Every Jew Shines
On Chanukah, the light of the ‘Ohr Haganuz’ - the hidden light - shines. The first thing Hashem created was a very great light. He then saw that it was unbefitting for it to shine in an imperfect world and hid it until the time of Mashiach. This radiant, spiritual light is revealed in the candles of Chanukah.
There is a light hidden in every Jew - it is the essence of his soul. Although a Jew may seem evil on the outside, he has an essential core which desires goodness only. On Chanukah, when the ‘Ohr Haganuz’ is revealed, the essence of every Jew is also revealed. STORY In a European town, there was a ‘moser’ - a man who would go to the local, rabidly anti-Semitic government and relate tales of ‘misdeeds’ his fellow Jews had committed. This resulted in much monetary loss, imprisonment and sometimes even loss of life. Jewish law permits implementing the death of such a man, as he is a danger to society. The townspeople came to the ‘Chozeh of Lublin’, gave him the name of the ‘moser’ and his mother’s name, requesting that the Chozeh curse him that he see the light of day no more. The Chozeh said, ‘I should curse this man? His soul shines in all the heavenly spheres!’ Confused, they returned the next day in the morning and presented their request again. The Chozeh cursed the ‘moser’ and he was, soon afterwards, not among the living. Puzzled, the townspeople asked, “Why couldn’t the Rebbe curse the man yesterday?” The Chozeh answered, “Yesterday, while you were presenting your request, he was lighting the Chanukah candles and, indeed, his soul shone in all the worlds.” This story requires explanation. If this ‘moser’ lit Chanukah candles, he most probably wore tzitzis, donned tefillin and had a mezuzah on his door. What is the uniqueness of lighting the Chanukah candles that it presented his soul in such a radiant light? According to what was explained above, the answer is clear. This man had sullied his soul so deeply, that its light was obscured by the filth of his many sins. However, there is one part of a Jewish soul that can never be damaged. This is his very essence, his hidden spark, the Ohr Haganuz. When the ‘moser’ lit Chanukah candles, his Ohr Haganuz was revealed in its splendor and its brightness obscured all his sins. |
There is a light hidden in every Jew - it is the essence of his soul. |
Shiurei Harav Moshe Wolfson , shlita
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