Chanukah: Brighten the Darkness ת"ר מצות נר חנוכה A New Kabbalah class by Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz

Welcome to our class on we're going to be learning a beautiful discourse in the Reb the name of the discourse is called mitzva the rabbis taught us the Mitzvah ofah the Reb said this discourse of shab which was shab in the year 46 years ago later on in the year H 37 years ago in honor of Kana the re put gave out a certified edited version of this discourse um again in honor of the Year 37 years ago soic discourse is based on what it says the rabbis us the mitvah isi says the first day you light eight candles and every day thereafter you light one less the first day is eight the second day is seven um the third day is six and so on and so forth Bas Hill says no the first day you Light One Candle and from there on you add every day so the second day is two and the third day is three until you come to the E day and you light eight candles so again there's an argument between how you light the shabas the Kan candles B shami says the first day all eight and then you go down and basil says the first say one you go up what's the reason so Talma tells us that the reason B is cuz we compare it to the the sacrifice that were offered on the holiday of sukot and over there the the sacrifices every single day was less so that's why we go down a number and the reason why B Hill argues and says no we have to go up a number because in Holiness there's a rule of my you have to go higher in Holiness said it's known a the the alter Reb's uh teaching and what he points out is what is the connection between lighting Kan candles and the sacrifices Bor in question number one and especially the way the way way the the the third says that even Bill technically also agree with B Shi that you would have to light the first day eight and go down like the sacrifice onot the only reason why he argues is because the fact this is Holiness this is not to sacrifice for the nations of the world and because holds that you have to go up from one to the next but technically they both they're both connecting the idea of Kana candles with the sacrifices B sukot and the question is what's the connection and this explain many places that a connection of Kan withay because both of them are eight days kana's eight days and eight days and and what is what is the idea of eight eight we know is above nature because seven is a seven days a week that's nature and eight is above above nature sh says one second if that's the case we also have to understand what's the connection between sukot that were saying it's eight above nature and Kan above nature and that's why it's say days what's the connection between whatk and that they're both above nature in other words also this that we established that the kanuk candles is because of the miracle of the of the the candles in the temple and the fact is in the temple the candle labra had how many candles seven candles so if that's the case how come in Kaneka we have eight candles in eight days of the celebration also we have to understand this that we compare the candles of Kaneka not only in general to the holiday to but specifically to the the sacrifice that were brought in the holidays of go but seemingly kanuka is more connected idea of a manora calabra in other words because the why do we like the manora in Kaneka because of the miracle of the manora in the temple and the fact is that the sacrifices that were brought in the temple on sukot like all the sacrifices that's connected to the to the to the to the Altar and we know that the Candelabra and the altar is two different vessels in the in the temple and especially the way it's explained inal the whole different energies that with the with the Candelabra and the and the mbak and the altar and the fact there's the candles and the sacrifices it's it's it's different types of service in the temple and up to the point we know that God says to to to AR in reference to lighting the candleabra that your responsibility of lighting the manura is much greater than the sacrifices and also we know that the the the lighting of manora is not going to be abolished ever so you see it's two different world so the question is what's the connection also we have to understand another idea we you know the Mitzvah of lighting the it says when do we light it I'll say it in Hebrew I'll translate where the Sun is setting in other words the candles that were lit in the temple they were lit something which was called PL what is PL it's an hour and a quarter before the before the before the sun sets now since we're celebrating the Kaneka candles because of the Miracles of the Temple and as we know that whatever was established by the we do similar to what the original um uh rule is in the Torah so seemingly we should light at the same time you let the candles in the mdash which is basically an hour and a quarter before it gets dark and how can the Mitzvah is specifically what when it gets dark so says the the main point of the explanation is he's going to give the konel then he's going to elaborate on it that the whole idea of lighting the is I'll say it in Hebrew I'll translate because it's the heart of the discourse to bring light to Darkness Kaneka is all about taking darkness and bringing light in there why is that because what's the miracle of Kaneka after the Greeks went into the temple and they went ahead and they defiled all the oil in Temple and we know that the fact that the the the Greeks they were able to get into the temple and create Darkness up to was up to the point that they literally went ahead into the temple and defiled all the oil not only they defile the temple but specifically the oil they defiled what's what's the whole excitement they fact they they defile the oil because we know that sh oil is a level of Kes it's very very holy like it said the vers say clearly sh sh oil is Holy and not only it becomes holy like Sayes know in itself it's holy it's not becomes holy it's holy just like for example that when you have uh two different types of liquids and oil is one of them oil always goes to the top because oil has a certain Dynamic that it always Rises to the top it's a very holy oil so therefore since we're dealing with something which is holy oil which is holy and the Greeks came in and defiled and made the the oil impure so it's much deeper than the fact that they defile the whole Temple defile the whole Temple is terrible but the defile the oil it's so holy and even though again the temple is very very holy and it has 10 different levels of Holiness Etc but oil is is off the charts and like it's self-understood that even after we came back into the temple and we purifi the temple but in order to light the manor we needed a a special Miracle starting with the miracle that they literally that we found one little jug of oil a pure jug of oil that was signed and sealed with the Seal of the high priest which are spiritually what does that represents it represents the oain the infinite light of hem which is above his above any level of of of of of reality in this world and because in reference to the level of Darkness cannot make you dark when you're connected so high with there's no such thing as Darkness you can be in a dark place you're not going to feel feel and see the darkness and on the contrary this powerful light of brings light into the darkness up to the point that Darkness actually gives off light it's a hard thing to comprehend but when you have o s a it brings light into darkness and B even deeper Darkness gives off light like it says the with the added letter letter of God will bring light into the most darkest places and that's why since it's all about the oil of the manura is all about to bring in the infinite light bringing light into the Darkness Darkness to give off light and that's why we light the candles when it gets dark because again what's the whole idea of lighting the candles it's all about in the darkness to bring light and that's why because again the whole essence of Kan is to bring light the infinite light of God into the darkness so the darkness gives off light and that's why the the candles of Kana there's eight candles and the same thing also the the the days of kanah is eight why because what does eight represent above nature and when you're dealing with this power of above nature you have the power to bring light Into Darkness okay so that is the most powerful part of theic discourse is establishing the purpose of Kaneka lighting is to bring light into the darkness and literally the dark the darkness gives off light because you're coming from a place which is above above anything of Nature and what does that mean now going to explain what does it mean practically so you explain practically based in introduction which brought down in the in the oneic discourses of the previous rebba and he says as follows this that the Greeks came in and they made the oil imp impure why do they why do they go what do they care about taking the oil and opening up The Jug and making it imp pure because their war was a spiritual warfare in other words they didn't want to go ahead and kill physically the people the Jewish people but their intent was their will was that we should forget about that it's God's Torah and we should forget about that God gave us the MIT and even in this this they they they waged war against learning Torah and doing MIT it wasn't so much about learning Torah study Torah to knowledge do an act but what bothered them was the godliness The Godly part of it the fact that it's God's Torah the fact that it's God's Commandments and that's why it says they want us forget what that hashem's t in other words the Greeks technically didn't care that you should learn Torah hey you're learning history you're learning interesting stories do bother them what bothered them was that the fact that it's Godly Torah and other words learn it Torah is is brilliant brilliant ideas as we know Torah it's it's intellect it's wise Etc but their war was that we should forget that it's God's Torah and know we should forget the part that God gave us the Torah and the same thing also in K to mitv that the war of the Greeks was about the godliness in the mitz know the fact that the Mitzvah is the will of and that's they wanted us to to to Veer off from the fact that it's God's Will and know what bothered them was the statutes the ones the mix didn't make sense or Beyond logic and the fact that was aem's Will and there's two insights into it in other words in reference to the mitv that we know there's three types of MIT which are above logic a which are testimonies m which are rules that are logical so in reference to rules which are testimonies or rules that are logical since they make sense to the Greeks right they agreed we should observe them what was their War what the war was against the ones that are are statutes the ones that are Beyond logic why because why are you doing it because hasem sent you to do it that's that's one idea now they didn't didn't bother us that they Lear that we did the MIT of bother them that we were doing the mitz which will beond logic that's one Insight another Insight no no no even deeper this that they wanted us not to do the mitz is referring to all the mitz even the mitv of and why is that never explain as follows there is explains based on what it's known that even the mitz which are adus testimonies M logical laws why do we observe them so we observe them mainly because hasem asked us to do so just like and we do it doesn't make sense we're doing hasm asked us even when we observe that we're not doing because logically makes sense we're doing it because God asked us to do so now this idea that even a Mitzvah that has a logic why are we doing it because the will of hem it's not only reference to the person that's fulfilling the Mitzvah know words we're doing it in a way has asked me to do it what does that represent my personality it's almost like an obedient slave hasem wants me to learn I learn wants me to do I do they make sense they don't make sense I'm doing whatever hasm asked me to do so why am I doing it for one reason one reason only Hashem asked me to do it and whatever hasm asked me to do he I'm ready to do it so that's from the person observing the Mitzvah but even deeper there says even from the Mitzvah itself why because every Mitzvah every commandment from even the ones that are logical it means it makes sense that we should do them ultimately they are the will of hem and we're talking a will above logic a will deepen an understanding but so happens to be that in these Commandments of hasem hasem chose there should be some kind of logic and understanding in them not only that even when there's a reason for a Mitzvah and the truth is there are reasons for Mitzvah the fact is even when there's a reason it's higher and deeper for us for us to comprehend why cu the true reason of any Mitzvah is in the intellect of in the intellect of now God's intellect is infinite as we know Hashem and is intellect to all one so it's impossible for a human being a finite human being to comprehend the real reason of a Mitzvah and like it says clearly in the section ofes that the reasons of the mitz were not revealed and it's higher than it's higher than our intellectual comprehension to be able to comprehend it and even where there's a reason that's given it's not the ultimate reason so let's even say you have a reason for MIT it's not the ultimate reason for the Mitzvah now this idea that the I the reason that is explained is not the ultimate idea we also comprehend it why because every single logical person knows that a finite intellect cannot comprehend INF infinite and on the contrary every time there's a reason for a Mitzvah it's the fact that we can comprehend that that itself is a wonder how do we human beings comprehend what why hasm wants us to do something so why do we comprehend things cuz hem did a with us Hashem did a kind with with us that we should be able to comprehend the fact that we comprehend is a it's idea and even after Hashem chose with his kindness and he revealed to us a reason for Mitzvah so it's known that the reason is on the general idea of the Mitzvah but not on the specific part of the Mitzvah so what do we see from here that even the mitz of where it's a testimony which we make s sense oh it's for that reason or it's a mish we it's a logical reason for it it's for us it's just like a just like a statue why because even the MIT to have reason is above logic and not only that ultimately it's it's the will of and the will is much deeper and much higher than logic and this is the idea that the that the Greeks wanted us to Veer off from the from the statutes of the will of in other words that even in the ad and even in the M even in the MIT which logically makes sense or it's a testimony so we have some kind of reason why it happens so the Greeks were trying to get us to Veer away from that why because they wanted to so to speak uproot from from us the The Godly feeling in the Mitzvah they want to take away the Godly energy that we have with the Mitzvah because we know that all the Mitzvah is comes from the intellect of which is above logic and what they wanted to do is they wanted to Rob us and take us away from that powerful connection to above logic that we have with KES So based on this re explains now we'll understand what the talud says that when the Greeks came into the temple they they made impure they defiled all the oil all the Shan that was in the temple why what does it mean when they came into the temple they came into the temple so they went and they were specific they were looking for the oil and with the oil that's how they were they were they're going to destroy the Jewish people why is that and explains calistic say what's the so is like the big hole what is it spiritually the is referring to which sphere the sphere of Bina the oil is what SPH the sphere of which is above the understanding of Bina as we learned before that sh oil it's holy so therefore they went ahead and they defiled they made impure the oil in the which means the which is high than why is that because their goal was that we should forget the fact that the and the will of a and we should learn to why because it's the intellect because because it makes sense not because it's com now so that was the intent so this basically the war of the Greeks was to rip us away from the godliness in the Torah that's their goal that was their War how do we how do we succeed in this war so you cannot go ahead and combat it with logic and even logic which is even above logic which is connected to logic and know cabalistic of the Soul that's logic it's connect to the actions the emotions and intellect is above logic but it's connected to logic so even in that's not going to help us the level of Kai why because since they defiled all the oil in the temple and know they defiled even the Holiness which is above logic which is connected to logic so it's not enough to come back and combat it with logic and again even if it's a logic which is connected to above logic so where how do we win the war so the way we win the war it's through the aid of and I'll say it in Hebrew I'll translate it mysterious neish you want to win somebody's trying to take the godliness out of you you have to be willing to go on self-sacrifice what does it mean self-sacrifice that you're standing with a with a tremendous strength about anything that's trying to to stop you and cabal is called a very very deep taking a strong stand which is not a logical thing sometimes you have to take a strand which is not logical for example like the mysterious self-sacrifice when when you go when a person goes and Kem to sanctify God's name it's not logical but what's the answer it can't be differently there's times when you're pushed against the wall someone's trying to rob you from your godliness and you you whatever you're going to start strategizing it's not going to work the only thing that's going to work is mysterious sish above logic where does that come from that comes from our connection with the essence of our soul what's the essence of our soul called it's called y the highest part of the soul and this deep connection takes us the we cannot be disconnected fromes somebody wants to disc no we're not being disconnected logic no logic we are not being disconnected that's called mysterious NE now since in the level of Y the most powerful deepest part of the soul that you you it's not possible to go ahead and create a blemish or impurity God forbid in other words just like for example the the one little uh uh flask of oil that was sealed with the high priest over there nobody can touch why is there one left over because in the that we all have nobody can touch that part when a person stands with mysterious or self-sacrifice from the place of y That's how you win the war so the way only way to win the war against when someone's trying to rob you of your Judaism is when you connect to your and when you connect to your you know you're not getting disconnected from anything which is connected and just like it was literally by the war with the Greeks when they went onious neish self- sacrifice Mato and his children and even though they were weak and they were few but they stood with mysterious NE to fight against people that were stronger than them and by by doing that they a they awoke between within himself to go on merious self-sacrifice and for to sanctify God's name not to rebel against the and that's how they won the war so what the re is explaining is and it's an important lesson when the is's a real war when someone is trying to attack and and rip away your Judaism from you whatever logical negotiation you're going to use it's not going to work the only thing that's going to work is m nees it cannot be different and it's not logical and I'm not disconnecting from now when a person goes ahead and wins the war which happens through mysterious neish giving self-sacrifice that's complete that's complete self that's complete success why is that because besides the fact when a person serves with mysterious means the essence of your soul and that comes from the essence of your soul so what happens then is it's not just your essence of your soul is but that brings out the essence which actually goes and flushes through and permeates through all your all your attributes from your intellect through your emotions until your action in other words words that it's noticeable that the person doing this is a I'll say say I'll translate it a my serious NE is someone that's on self-sacrifice he's on fire and no one gets into the way even though serious comes from the the essence of your soul but guess what it spills over to your intellect your emotions your action and you're operating from a place of AES just like when it when it says in reference to so what does God say so the literal translation is because Abraham heard my voice but a also means the heal the lowest part in the body the heel has like the least amount of life force and energy but through the fact thatu when AES he affected that even his heel heard godliness in other words when kicks in there's no opposition there's no opposition when a person is on fire I am not getting disconnected from and is talking your is on fire it affects you from top to the bottom because when you serve AEM logically and even if it's above logic which is connected to logic it's possible to have opposition however when the comes out there's no opposition not only that when the comes out it affects the animal soul that literally the physical course animal soul gets transformed and the trans the animal Souls on fire So based on this explain now we'll see why the candles of the Kaneka manura is different than the candles of the temple both in the amount the number and B in the time that you're lighting it why because what is Kaneka what we learn what's Kaneka Kaneka is to bring light Into Darkness what type of Darkness where they wanted us to be disconnected from a and we came out with mysterious came out so is all about mysterious self sacrifice from where from the not froma even from from the highest and deepest part of our soul Totally Above logic and that's why because it came from the place mysterious that's why we l at candles and we lighted candles because Aid is connected to above above logic and just like for example everybody gives an example just like the difference between the violin the ker in the B mikdash we know was only seven strands and when Mah comes it's going to have eight strands why because even though the bdash the temple is the holiest place in the world and especially the violin that was played in the B mdash you're drawing in from from this the name as we know the K is spelled so you have over there the the letters K which is the numerical value of hashem's name and you have the letter N which is candle which is referring to the candle the candle of God is the soul of human being so we're dealing with the ker in the mdash but the fact is it's the ultimate complete in in in nature and that's why only had seven seven strings however Masia comes what's going to be revealed mhia comes above Logic on a higher level and that's why it's going to have eight strands so that's first reason why we know why Kaneka is eight days because it's above and that's also the second reason there explains why the candles of Kaneka is different than the temple on the time that you light the candles why because lighting the candles when is when it gets dark because specifically when you bring out your y your essence of your soul which is above logic you have the power to bring light Into Darkness not only the darkness doesn't block the light but deep than that literally the darkness starts shining and that's why the time for lighting the conic candles is when until when you light it until there's no one left in the in the street like it say in there's no one near to call that basically anyone is gone and it says use the Expression what does t mean it's referring to those that Rebel T is the same letters as as Rebellion we read this and then hanging out in the street in a in a public place a place which has no no boundaries and no respect Etc but through the fact that you light the conic candles you're able to get rid of all the rebellion and re has two two different ideas in it one is that the light of the K candles totally nullifies and gets rid of any Rebellion that's Point number one and the light of Kaneka affects it totally it it totally creates it in a way where it has a tremendous yearning for that even those that Rebel should come to the level of Yearning For so you see the candles has two two powerful components one is it totally nullifies negativity but more importantly the negative becomes a positive force So based on this explains we'll see the the connection between the candles of kanuka and the holiday sukot and specifically the sacrifices that were brought in the holiday sukot cuz what's the iot and also the sacrifice that brought inot you're revealing Mak which is above just like literally a Suka it covers up over the person and what happens on the eight day ofk the Mak this powerful energy gets internalized in an internal way just like the the the spiritual work of of mysterious which affects us in our intellect emotions and physicality it's not just we have mysterious s and it's not real it becomes real it comes tangible changes our life in a personal way and that's why both of them which is Mak that comes with and which becomes internalized in in every part of our being the both eight both eight days why because what is eight eight is one and seven is eight what does that mean that the one which is above nature gets drawn into the seven nature and just like the candles of Kaneka affect into reg the the the rebellious people on the street on two components that first it totally gets rid of it and then secondly it actually transforms it the same thing also when we brought the 70 sacrifices on the holiday of sukot to correspond to the Seven Nations that first thing what accomplishes that the the nation you know the energy should get diminished but then it then it effects not only so to get the Min but actually the nations of the world help the Jewish people like it says clearly in talmud if the if the nations of the world knew how good the temple was for them they would they would surround it and and they would protect it in other words through the fact that we create the idea of his which means we transform the world that through that we add into Holiness that what that they end up watching the B mdash so first it's getting rid of it but then they ultimately transform it with actually helping just like what it's going to be like when Messiah comes where it says that God is going to turn around the all the nations of the world are going to serve one God and then like it says the strangers are going to come and take care of our sheep up until the point that we're going to bring the 70 sacrifices coresponding to the 70 nations of the world and up to the point which going to have the level we're going to we're going to add the the the the sacrifice for the Jewish people in the bet mikdash now this idea that we have to light the candles on Kaneka in a place of darkness and again the first component that gets rid of the darkness but more deeper that Darkness actually gives us light is referring to specifically the times of galut the times of Exile that we're in right now and especially the double darkness and the and the intense darkness which is taking place now before mhia comes and says this is the a lesson of of the candles of Kaneka for every single person in galut right now that the tent of the darkness of godesses to awaken within us our mysterious NE and when comes out we have the power to transform and and to tr to to to elevate and transform the darkness into light and when a per when every single person does their spiritual work and everyone does it together and L says even most people do it together and even by doing one Mitzvah whether you're doing it in action or in speech or in thought we have the power to to uh tilt the whole scale and we can make the whole world for meritorious and we can create salvation what for every single person and finish he says how much more so when we add in fulfilling the mitv specifically mitzah lighting the candles and this Mitzvah as we know is connected specifically for the Salvation and Redemption which is going to be through mashia and as we know that m is going to be the one and and also Elijah that's going to notify us about the Redemption they are from the eight um which is talks about in the prophets which is connected to the eight candles of Kaneka up to the point in reference to that where the kanaka candles is connected to the ultimate Redemption just like the kanaka candles don't get nullified the same thing also the future Redemption is going to be a Redemption an everlasting Redemption that after we have this Redemption it's not going to be any more Exile at all and the same they also we're going to have the bet mdash the Third Temple which is an everlasting home for the Jewish people which will never be nullified and it's going to happen when Messiah comes and finishes off and he says he should come and redeem us and take us standing upright to and and beautifully finish the last two words of a happen very very quickly so here we have a beautiful powerful discourse of rebba about the mitzah of Kaneka and the ultimate purpose of kanah is that we have the power to bring out our and our can bring light into this Dark World of Gus and we bring it in we will Merit to have the greatest light which will ultimately bring the coming of Messiah and God's willing our next class will be Ines have a great and blessed week sh to