LMaan Yeshmeu - Mercaz Anash ************************ The Kedusha of Chanukah In the household of the tzaddik, Reb Dovid of Tolna, hadlokas haneirois was a special event. His chassidim would gather excitedly in his house to take part in the lighting of his golden menora, which was an elaborate piece of artistic craftsmanship. One year, on the first night of Chanuka, when the tzaddik was ready to light it, he turned to one of his chassidim and said, Your wife is short, isnt she? When you want to speak to her, what do you do? Do you bend over towards her, or does she raise herself up to your height? Without waiting for an answer, he recited the berachos and lit the menora. Needless to say, the chossid and all those present were very puzzled. During this time, Reb Dovids great nephew, the tzaddik, Reb Mordechai Dov of Hornisteipol, was staying at his home, and seeing the confusion of the chassidim, he explained: The Gemara says that The Shechina does not descend lower than ten tefachim from the ground. However, there is an exception to this rule, for the Chanuka menora is ideally required to be lower than ten tefachim, and it brings theShechina itself here below. Reb Mordechai concluded by quoting from theAriZal that this is the deeper meaning of the words of the Gemara, If your wife is short, you should bend over and whisper to her. The following evening, at the time of hadlokas haneiros, Reb Dovid again made some puzzling comment to one of his chassidim. Immediately, though he had not been told of the previous nights explanation, he turned to Reb Mordechai and said, This time, you will not understand as you did yesterday! (סיפורי חסידים זוין מועדים ע 281) One Chanuka, a group of chassidim traveled to see the Chozeh of Lublin. One of them handed the Rebbe a pan on which his friends name was written, and when the tzaddik looked at the note, he spat. Later the same evening, the chossid decided to try giving the note again. This time, as soon as the tzaddik saw it, he said, This man illuminates all the worlds! He then added, When I first saw the pan, that man was playing cards; this time he is lighting his menora. (ספורים חסידים זוין מועדים ע 286) After kindling the Chanukah licht, the Rebbe Rashab would sit near them for half an hour and learn, though at a slight distance, in order not to benefit from its light. He would learn Gemara, wherever he was holding in his learning of Shas. The Rebbe explained that this practice highlights the special connection of Torah to light, and is a lesson for everyone - Chanukah is a time to increase ones learning. Furthermore, since the Yevanim wished to prevent us from studying Torah, we increase our study. (רשימות היומן ע שכג, תומ תשמב חב ע 618) The War of the Yevanim The goal of the Yevanim was lehashkicham torasecha ulehaaviram meichukei retzonecha (to make them forget Your Torah and transgress the decrees of Your will). As the Medrash says, the Yevanim demanded the Yidden write that they have no part in HaShem. This was a war against HaShem.Let them study Torah, said the Greeks. Let them practice the mitzvos, mishpatim, and eiduyos, but they must not mention that the Torah is HaShems and that the mitzvos are the decrees of His will. Torah and mitzvos must be severed from HaShem. (היום יום ב טבת) In a sicha (כא כסלו תשמ), the Rebbe explained how the goal of the Yevanim and the misyavnim was to remove the separation that exists between Yidden and goyim, and to educate children to be similar to the other nations. This is more severe than placing decrees against the observance of Torah and mitzvos, because its effect remains even after the decree is over. It begins with something small, through lighting up the way for a child with oil that is contaminated with goyishkeit, claiming that it produces the same light. When one educates children improperly, drawing light from a source which is not tahor, this leads a child to become a Misyaven (רל). The lesson from Chanuka is: when lighting up Yiddishe homes, one must use only pure Yiddishe light, uncontaminated by any goyishkeit. By doing so, with mesirus nefesh (not giving in to the majority, who also appear to be stronger), we will be victorious, for HaShem is on our side. לקוש חכ ע438 ) ) Celebrating Chanukah Since the primary nes of Chanukah was a ruchniyusdike one, annulling the decrees of the Yevanim against the observance of Yiddishkeit and the offering of korbanos, we commemorate it in a ruchniyusdike way, by saying Hallel and praising HaShem. However, it is also customary to make ones seudos finer during Chanukah in order to recall the nes of winning the war and to commemorate the completion of the Mishkan on chaf-hei Kislev. During such a seuda, one should sing praises to HaShem for His nissim, thus making it a seudas mitzva. (שוע אוח סי תער ובהשלמה לשוער שם) It was customary for the Tzemach Tzedek, as it had been for the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe before him, to hold a gathering on one of the evenings of Chanukah with his family, including his daughters-in-law. This was called a latkes ovent, a latkes evening. At this gathering the Rebbes would tell stories, some of which were repeated year after year. The Rebbe Rashab would also set aside time during Chanukah to speak to the children. (היום יום כח כסלו, רשימות היומן חנוכה תרצג) Consider This! Why is it specifically the lights of Chanukah that draws the Shechinah below ten tefachim? How do we distinguish between pure Yiddishe light and contaminated goyishkeit when they both incorporate the study of Torah and the observance of mitzvos? A Way of Life Blocking a Neighbors Veiw My neighbor wants to extend his house and block my spectacular ocean view. Can I stop him? * Halacha says[1] that one may stop a neighbor from building a wall or planting a thick tree[2] that will block sunlight from entering his window. (Exact distances are enumerated in Shulchan Aruch[3]) * If one built a wall blocking his neighbors window and the neighbor noticed it and was silent, the neighbor cannot later demand that the wall be removed[4]. The reason is that since people are generally particular about this even for a short period of time, having remained silent is considered as consent.[5] * One may prevent a neighbor from building a sukkah that will block sunlight even though it is temporary. If one does permit his neighbor to build a sukkah near a window, it does not permit building a permanent structure, since he only allowed the sukkah for the purpose of a temporary mitzvah.[6] * Poskim write[7]that if the wall is far enough to allow sunlight to enter the window, the neighbor cannot stop the construction because of obstruction of view. Not having light is considered real damage which can be prevented, whereas losing a nice view may be less comfortable but is not considered damage. * Later Poskim note[8] that in a situation when it is clear that the primary purpose of that window was for the view (such as over the water etc.), one may prevent a neighbor from blocking it. * Contemporary Poskim[9] add that these halachos only apply to blocking light. However, one cannot stop a neighbor from hanging lights outside his house at night although the excess light disturbs his sleep. Since in this scenario he can easily resolve the problem by use of a curtain, he therefore cannot demand his neighbor to inconvenience himself. Please note that the above may not be applicable for your situation. Consult your Rov for a final psak. [1] שוע חומ סי קנד סי וסכא. [2]ראה פתחי תשובה שם סקיא. [3] ראה גם בשוע ורמא שם סכב ואילך. [4]שוע ורמא שם סעיף י. [5]ראה סמע שם סקכז. [6] שות המביט חג סי קכה. [7] ראה בשות מהרלבח סי מד. [8] כי רוצים לדמות זה למש המהרלבח שם דהמונע מחבירו הבטה לשדותיו מצי מעבב ליה דמוכחא דהאי חלון להכי קאי. [9] ראה ספר פתחי חושן - נזקין פיד הע נו.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 12:53:21 +0000
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