Page 9 - HaMizrachi #25 Chanuka 2020 USA

MIZRACHI EDUCATORS TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Reuven Taragin Rabbanit Shani Taragin

The End of the Beginning…

and The Beginning of the End

he Jewish calendar is divided into Torches of fire accompanied the spectacu- hours begin to increase, and then he “cel-
two periods of six months – one lar dancing at the Simchat Beit HaShoeva ebrated for eight days. The next year he
Tbeginning with Nissan as the “first (Masechet Sukkah 5:3). On Chanukah, we instituted those days as holidays.” Chazal
of the months” (Shemot 12:1). and the other commemorate the miracle of finding oil employ the exact same terminology in
beginning with Tishrei as “Rosh Hashanah” by lighting candles for eight nights. The teaching us of the miracle of Chanukah: “A
– the beginning of the year. Each period Gemara juxtaposes the laws of wicks and miracle occurred and they lit the Menorah
is subsequently divided into two tekufot oils used for the Simchat Beit HaShoeva to from it for eight days. The next year the
(seasons) . Chanukah is celebrated in the the laws of wicks and oils used to light the Sages instituted those days and made them
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very middle of the Tishrei–Tevet tekufa, the Chanukah candles (Shabbat 21a). holidays with recitation of Hallel and spe-
time of the winter solstice. In many ways, Upon inaugurating the Mikdash, Yehuda cial thanksgiving in prayer and blessings”
it is therefore the end of the beginning of HaMaccabi commanded the Jews to cel- (Shabbat 21b). Chanukah is the beginning
the year and the beginning of the end of the ebrate eight days with their agricultural of a new tekufa as daylight time increases.
six-month period. species, “like the days of Sukkot,” for they Remarkably, we are enjoined to participate
As the end of the beginning of the year, we could not properly celebrate Sukkot that in this increase of light in tandem with
find numerous parallels between Chanukah year (Book of Maccabees II, 10:6-7). Just as Hashem’s natural solar forces.
and Sukkot: King Shlomo inaugurated the Mikdash on With numerous vaccines for Coronavirus
From Shavuot till Sukkot, Bikkurim are Sukkot (Melachim I, 8:65-6), it was purified poised for worldwide distribution over the
and inaugurated on Chanukah (hence the
brought with the famous proclamation of name – “to dedicate”). next few months, the media is full of news
“Arami Oved Avi.” From Sukkot till Cha- of “the beginning of the end of Covid-19.”
nukah they are brought without the proc- Chaggai (2:18) delivered his prophecy con- Chanukah reminds us that we have reached
lamation (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:6).The Sfat cerning the reestablishment of the Mik- a critical juncture – we must look back

Emet (Chanukah 5644) infers from this that dash and the success of the olive harvest at the past few months and reflect upon
th
the simcha of Sukkot continues through on the 24 of Kislev as a continuation of lessons we have learned since Nissan, and
st
Chanukah! his previous prophecy on the 21 of Tishrei especially from Tishrei-Sukkot, till now.
(Sukkot). 3 Now is also the time to ponder what the
Beit Shammai’s position of lighting Chanu-
kah candles in descending sequence from The Sfat Emet explains that the “light of upcoming months of Tevet-Shevat-Adar
8-1 is based on the descending order of Sukkot” mandated by the Torah is reflected may bring.
through the rabbinic holiday of Chanukah!
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sacrifices offered on Sukkot (Shabbat 21b). Sukkot and Chanukah teach us that the
With its many parallels to the Tishrei hol- light of one season has effects on the sub-
Juxtaposed to the laws of the holiday of iday of Sukkot, Chanukah not only con-
Sukkot in Parashat Emor, the Torah teaches cludes the beginning of the season, but is sequent ones as well. The light of Chanukah
us to contribute pure olive oil to light the also the beginning of the end of the first shines not just from natural sources. We
menorah in the Mikdash – a hint to Chanu- six months of the year, as it heralds “Tek- also banish the darkness through our own
kah. Rav Eliezer of Worms says the holidays ufat Tevet.” Not in an apocalyptic sense “candle lighting” initiatives as we prepare
are connected by the number of days and by of course; on the contrary, Chanukah for better and brighter beginnings!
the full Hallel (Rokeach, Hilchot Chanukah reinvigorates and inspires us to anticipate
225). redemption in literally the darkest times 1 See Eruvin 56a-b, Sanhedrin 13a and Avodah
The Gemara invalidates Chanukah candles of the year. Zara 8a.
and a sukkah higher than 20 amot. 2 The Gemara (Avodah Zara 8a) records how 2 Shabbat 22a (see Tosfot “ner”).
There is a principle of “Hiddur – Mehadrin Adam HaRishon saw the daylight hours 3 See Rav Yoel Bin-Nun, “Yom Yesod Heichal
Hashem,” Megadim 12, 49-97.
min HaMehadrin” that applies particularly receding and thought Hashem wanted to 4 Chanukah 5641.
to the Four Species on Sukkot and lighting restore the world to complete darkness as Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational
candles on Chanukah (Shulchan Aruch OC punishment for his sin. He therefore fasted Director of Mizrachi and the Director of the
671:2). for eight days until he saw the daylight Mizrachi Matan Lapidot Educators’ Program.

Moral reflection needs time the way the human body needs oxygen.
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