Parashat Miketz

“Ner Channuka, Pharaoh’s dream, and Peace”

Rav M. Elon

As in every year, so too this year we find the parshiyot dealing with Yosef coinciding with Channuka.

Therefore we will examine Yosef and the course of events surrounding his life, as well as the Festival of Channuka, and also the deep connection between these two matters.  We will open with the words of the Rambam that conclude the Laws of Channuka, which conclude Sefer ha’Zemanim (“The Book of Times,”) the third of the fourteen Volumes that comprise the Yad ha’Chazaka, (“Strong hand” – “yad” having the numerical value of fourteen, denoting the fourteen volumes of Maimonides’ monumental work encompassing all of Jewish Law.)

“Should he have before him (the performance of) Shabbat Candles and Ner Channuka (literally “the Channuka light”) or (Shabbat) Candles and Kiddush of Shabbat – (the performance of) Shabbat Candles takes precedence by reason of Sh’lom Beito, (“Shalom Bayit” – “Peace of the home,”) for the Divine Name may be erased in order to make peace between husband and wife.”

(Hilchot Channuka 4:12)

The Rambam describes a reality wherein one has sufficient funds to purchase either Shabbat Candles, or Channuka Candles, (or alternately to purchase Shabbat Candles or wine for Kiddush,) and the Rambam establishes the Halacha in favor of Shabbat Candles.  Shabbat Candles take precedence over the other mitzvot for the sake of ‘Shalom Bayit’ – for God’s very name is erased simply in order to bring about peace between husband and wife.

[In the case of the Sotah, the wife suspected of adulterous behavior, God’s name is written on parchment which is then immersed in water, erasing the name.  The woman then drinks the water which reveals whether she is guilty as charged by causing her death, or alternatively shows her innocence bringing about her immediate fertilization and pregnancy.]

Before we continue with the words of the Rambam, let us examine the evident question that arises from the words we have just read.  Would it not seem more appropriate to place the law we have just studied whereby Shabbat Candles precede Channuka Candle and Kiddush wine in the Laws of Shabbat?  For the Rambam determines that Shabbat Candles take precedence, for Shalom, Peace, is the most fundamental concept.  Why, then, does the Rambam record this Halacha here, in the Laws of Channuka?

Indeed the Rambam’s concluding words also deserve explanation:

“Shalom is (so) significant for the entire Torah was given in order to bring Shalom – peace – to the world, as the verse states: ‘Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace,’ (Mishlei 3:17.)”

  (ibid.)

It is specifically the straightforward nature of the Rambam’s words that lead to their lack of clarity.  Stating that Shalom is a value which carries great import is stating a clear and apparent precept, however stating that “the entire Torah was given in order to bring Shalom to the world” encompasses all of Torah, including those mitzvot between man and as fellow, as well as those mitzvot between man and God.  It is precisely here that the lack of clarity arises.  It is quite clear that the Torah - through its mitzvot – causes true peace to prevail between man and is fellow.  However, how do those mitzvot which are solely between man and God (which the Rambam seems to have included in his statement) lead to Shalom?

Thus we have two questions which require us to further examine this specific topic, while simultaneously particularly delving into this concept of “Shalom,” “Peace,” that the Rambam speaks of.

Regarding our first question, as to the placing of this Halacha together with the Laws of Channuka, while it seems that the more appropriate location for this Halacha would be with the Laws of Shabbat, Rav Mordechai Frome answers that the key to understanding the Rambam’s concluding words in the Laws of Channuka lies in his opening words to these halachot.

The Rambam states as follows:

“In the (era of the) Second Temple when the Greek Emperors imposed decrees on Yisra’el, and annulled their religion, and did not allow them to busy themselves with Torah and Mitzvot, and they set their hands upon their possessions and their daughters, and they entered the Temple, breaching through at many points, and they defiled the pure (objects,) and they oppressed them (Yisra’el) greatly, until the God of our Fathers had mercy on them, and He saved them from their hands, and rescued them, and the Sons of the Chashmona’im, the High Priests, triumphed over them, killing them, saving Yisra’el from them.  And they appointed a king from among the priests, and the monarchy returned to Yisra’el for over two-hundred years until the second destruction (of the Temple.)

And when Yisra’el triumphed over their enemies, annihilating them, it was the twenty-fifty of the month of Kislev.  They entered the Temple, but could not find any pure oil in the Temple save one jug – which was only sufficient to serve for one day of igniting (the Menora.)  They lit the lights of the Temple with it for eight days until they crushed olives in order to produce pure oil.”

(Hilchot Channuka, 1:1,2)

These are the only laws in the Rambam, says Rav Frome, that open with an account of war.  Therefore the Ramabm chose to conclude his laws in this section with the concept of peace and its deep significance.  The appreciation that Shalom, Peace, is above all can be gleaned from the reality wherein two laws collide with each other, as we find when Shalom (Shabbat Candles) takes precedence over the other concerns, (Channuka Candles or Kiddush.)

Rav Frome’s answer settles the first question, however solely in the structural-codification plane of the Rambam’s work.  The full comprehension of the intrinsic bases of these issues and their internal relationship that binds them with Channuka still lies before us.

We will attempt to delve into the nature of this Shalom that the Rambam describes in his closing words to his Laws of Channuka.  We will attempt to show that it is this very Shalom that lies at the basis of the Miracle of Channuka.  Let us now begin bit by bit.

Our sages have taught us that the nation of Israel is referred to as “Shulamit.”  Our Sages appended their words to the verse in Shir ha’Shirim:

“Return, return, the Shulamit, return, return so that we may behold you.

What will you see in the Shulamit?  As it were the dance at Machanayim.”

(Shir ha’Shirim 7:1)

Why is Yisra’el termed “Shulamit?”  Our Sages offer a number of reasons, [Cf. Shir ha’Shirim Rabba, ibid.] all of which are on the concept of Shalom (shin, lamed, mem) that is contained in the name Shulamit, (shin, vav, lamed, mem, yud, tav.)

One of the answers is based on the verse in Tehillim:

“When the earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved, I establish up the pillars of it.”

(Tehillim 95:4)

Our Sages expounded this (in order to explain the name “Shulamit,” given to Am Yisra’el) as follows:

“Rabi Shemu’el bar Tanchum and Rabi Chanan son of Rabi Berachya Botzrai (said) in the name of Rabi Yirmiya:  ‘A nation that made Shalom between Me and My world.’”

(Shir ha’Shirim 7:1)

We thus encounter the term ‘Shalom,’ ‘Peace,’ in a context that we unfamiliar with.  We are accustomed to the concept of peace between ourselves and our Father in heaven, or peace between us and ourselves, what is the nature of this ‘peace’ that God attains with His world through Yisra’el as the mediators?  We must clarify this point.

The Midrash continues:

“For if it (the nation of Israel) did not accept My Torah – I would have returned My world to (a state of) chaos and disorder.”

(ibid.)

Then our Sages expound the verse from Tehillim that we mentioned:

“As Rav Huna said in the name of Rabi Acha: It states, ‘When the earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved’ – if Yisra’el had not stood before Me at Mount Sinai and said: ‘All that God has spoken we will do and will hear,’ (Shemot 24:7) – the world had already been floundering, who gave the world it foundations?  I did, as it states: ‘I establish up the pillars of it, sela,’ in the merit of (stating) ‘I am the Lord your God,’ (Shemot 20:2,) I establish up its pillars.”

(ibid.)

In other words, “When the earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved” – the entire world would have pointlessly floundered and faltered if it were not for Yisra’el’s acceptance of the Torah, meriting to hear that “I” of “I am the Lord your God,” which was the merit upon which “I establish up the pillars of it.”  It is in this merit that the world stands firm and strong.

As we have stated, we must clarify the nature of this Shalom, this peace, between God and His world.  In fact, as we will soon see, this Shalom of the Shulamit is the very Shalom with which the Rambam concludes his Laws of Channuka, for the concept of Shalom between God and His world stands at the heart of the miracle of Channuka; for it is that Shalom that the Greeks desired to violate, and it was that Shalom that the Chashmona’im restored to its correct place.

And in further elucidation, we will consider the Sages’ exposition to the following verse:

“And the earth was without form, (“to’hu,”) and void (“vo’hu”); and darkness was upon the face of the void, and the spirit of God hovered above the water.”

(Bereshit 1:2)

Our Sages expounded this verse with relation to the four major empires that will arise in history:

“Rabi Shim’on ben Lakish solved the verse (with regard) to the exiles (“galuyot,”) – ‘And the earth was without form’ – this is the exile of Babylon, as the verse states ‘I looked upon the land and it was to’hu,’ (Yirmiyahu 4:23.)

‘And vo’hu’ – the is the exile of the Medes, ‘And they hurried (‘va’yavhilu’) to bring Haman,’ (Esther 6:14.)

‘And darkness’ – this is the exile of Greece, which darkened the eyes of Yisra’el with their decrees, for she (Greece) would say to them: ‘Inscribe on the horn of an ox that you have no part in the God of Israel.’

‘Upon the face of the void’ – this is the exile of the empire of evil which has no grounds, just as void has no foundations – so too the evil.

‘And the spirit of God hovered’ – this is the spirit of the Messiah.”

(Bereshit Rabba 2:4)

At a superficial level the words of our Sages in relation to Greece seem to be unclear.  How is it possible that the word “darkness” hints at the Greek Empire, an empire which led the development of man’s philosophical thinking, and which gave the world universal thinkers in the likes of Aristotle and Plato, which developed sports and culture, and which ultimately served as the basis of modern Western culture – how can this empire be deemed “darkness?”

Yet this is exactly the point – the battle of Yisra’el against Greece is the battle of light against darkness.  This is the battle of those within whom the internal-Divine fire burns against those who maintain that God does not supervise nor relate to His world.  The Greek concept of Divinity maintains that the Superior Being is too exalted to be concerned with the intricacies of the world. 

[This is the basis of the Aristotelian concept of deity who is beyond the knowledge of the world’s affairs, and in any case does not supervise it.  Cf. the beginning of the Kuzari, First essay, in the words of the philosopher.]

Man, and only man, dominates the world.  He creates, and he acquires wisdom, and he will prostrate himself before the human body at the various Olympic Games, and he will be the standard by which all achievement is measured.  This world is a dark world, a world wherein the Divine does not materialize in even the smaller aspects of life.  God is detached, cold and distant.  In contra-distinction to this, the Nation of Israel desires to demonstrate that not only is God associated with His world – but there is not a single crevice in the world that lacks God’s command and that does not reveal the Infinite.

Let us now move on to Yosef, and the issues will become even clearer.  Yosef passes through three “stations” in Egypt.  Firstly he serves in the house of Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chief chef.  Then, as a result of false charge brought against him by Potiphar’s wife he moves on to his second station, the prison.  There he meets Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker, and as a result of his precise solution of their dreams, two years later he is called to Pharaoh’s palace, where he then assumes a position whereby he wields great power over all of Egypt.  We thus have three stations which are in fact three incremental stages that gradually build and polish the character of Yosef step after step.

This gradual, incremental structure can be observed in two respects. Firstly, the power and authority that Yosef acquires in each new location that he finds himself.  The second indication of Yosef’s development is various declarations that he makes at each stage demonstrating his advance in the world of upwards spiritual growth.

As we noted, his first “station” is in the house of Potiphar.  The verses describe his position and his circumstances as follows:

“And God was with Yosef, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  And his master saw that God was with him, and that God granted success to everything he set his hand to.  And Yosef found favor in his eyes, and he served him; and he placed him in command over his house, giving him responsibility for everything he owned.  And it came to pass from the time that he gave him control over his house, and over all that he had, that God blessed the Egyptian's house due to Yosef; and God’s blessing was upon all that he had in the house and in the field.  And he left all his affairs in Yosef’s hands, and he did not concern himself with anything regarding him except for the bread which he ate; and Yosef was well-built and handsome.”

(Bereshit 39:2-6)

Thus, firstly, “God granted success to everything he did,” which is the first stage of success.  Yosef is given charge of Potiphar’s home, Potiphar leaves his entire estate in Yosef’s hand except for one sphere which remains outside Yosef’s jurisdiction – “and he did not concern himself with anything regarding him except for the bread which he ate.”  This “bread” is in fact a euphemistic term hinting at Potiphar’s own wife, as Yosef himself will respond to her advances:

“And he said: ‘My master does not even know what is of me in the house…”

(ibid. v. 8)

And then he continues:

“There is none greater than I in this house, and he has not kept a single thing from me, save you, being his wife.”

(ibid. v. 9)

From there Yosef is taken to prison:

“And God was with Yosef, and He showed him kindness, making him find favor with the chief warden of the prison.  And the chief warden of the prison placed all the inmates incarcerated in the prison under Yosef’s charge; and Yosef took care of everything that had to be done there.  The chief warden of the prison did have to look after anything that was under his care, for God was with him and God granted him success in everything he did.”

(ibid. v. 21-23)

At this point there are no limits to Yosef’s authority.  He becomes the de facto governor of the prison.  The chief warden allows Yosef free reign in the prison, and for all intents and purposes becomes a mere bystander, simply observing Yosef’s actions.  The expression of Yosef’s success is also clearer and more apparent.  In the prison we are told: “God granted him success in everything he did,” a more general expression clearer than the “God granted success to everything he set his hand to” that is recorded when he was in Potiphar’s house.  In other words, Yosef’s success has increased and advanced a stage since his sojourn as the head of Potiphar’s home.

We then move to the third stage.  As we recall, Yosef is brought before Pharaoh who is greatly troubled by his dreams, which are then solved by Yosef.  Then we read of Pharaoh’s reaction:

“And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find one such as this, a man who has God’s spirit inside him?”

(ibid. 41:38)

Here we witness a completely separate realm of success.  The spirit of God, Who created everything that exists, is within Yosef.  Yet there is even more:

“And Pharaoh said to Yosef, ‘Since God has shown you all this, there is none with as much insight and wisdom and you.’”

(ibid. v. 39)

Pharaoh, who has no awareness of God, who recognizes no authority greater than himself, declares aloud: “Since God has shown you all this.”  He recognizes the revelation of God that is beyond him and normal men.

And it is against this background that Yosef receives his unique powers:

“You shall be in charge of my house, and by your word all my people will be ruled; only by the throne will I outrank you.”

(ibid. v. 40)

And then out of concern for his words having been misunderstood, Pharaoh repeats and re-emphasizes:

“And Pharaoh said to Yosef, ‘See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.’  And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and placed it upon Yosef's hand, and he had him dressed him in the finest linen garments, and he placed a gold chain around his neck; he had him ride in his second royal chariot; and they cried before him, ‘Viceroy!’ (Yosef) was thus given authority over all of the land of Egypt.”

(ibid. v. 41-43)

And then, in a demonstration of Yosef’s absolute powers over the Egyptian Empire, Pharaoh reiterates:

“And Pharaoh said to Yosef: ‘I am Pharaoh.  Without your say no man will lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.’”

(ibid. v. 44)

We can therefore observe Yosef’s three-stage progression.  While with Potiphar, God hands success into his hand, when Yosef is in prison the expression of his success is more general, “God granted him success in everything he did.”  Finally, in Pharaoh’s palace we find the ultimate description “a man who has God’s spirit inside him.”

These three stages reflect the three stages that Yosef himself experiences in his travels towards voiding himself before God.

After the description of Yosef’s power in Potiphar’s home, the Torah tells us:

“…and Yosef was well-built and handsome.”

(ibid.  39:6)

Rashi comments immediately:

“He would groom his hair, and due to this God had the bear – Potiphar’s wife –  become aroused by him (allegorically speaking.)”

(Rashi ibid.)

The development that then transpires is:

“And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, ‘Lie with me.’”

(ibid. 7)

Yosef’s reaction is described as follows:

“But he refused, and he said to his master's wife: ‘Behold, my master does not even know what is of me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.  There is none greater in this house than I; nor has he kept back any thing from me but you being his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’”

(ibid. v. 8,9)

Yosef justifies his refusal to take up Potiphar’s wife’s offer with a number of arguments: firstly, he does not want to betray the trust that his master has placed in him.  And then finally Yosef argues that his assent would cause him to “sin against God.”

Despite the fact that this is a tremendous level of behavior in and of itself, where one is able to withstand a repeated and continuing seduction – at Yosef’s level, and for one of such immense character, he should have mentioned the argument that he would “sin to God” well prior to making mention of his strong desire to refrain from betraying his master’s trust.

In any event, Potiphar’s wife does not cease her advances on Yosef:

“And it came to pass, that she spoke to Joseph day by day, and he did not heed her (invitations) to lie with her or be with her.”

(ibid. v. 10)

Then we find a close encounter with temptation (according to an opinion among our Sages):

“One such day, he (Yosef) went into the house to do his work; and none of the men of the house were there in the house.”

(ibid. v. 11)

Yosef comes close to erring, he comes to the house in order ‘to do his work’ with Potiphar’s wife, so to speak, yet then the truth dawns on him in all its strength, and Yosef flees from the unfaithful wife who desires to lead him to be unfaithful to his lofty identity:

“And she caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me;’ and he left his garment in her hand, and he fled, going outside.  And it was when she saw that he left his garment in her hand as he had fled outside…”

(ibid. v. 12,13)

From there Yosef ‘s journey takes him to the prison, after Potiphar’s wife falsely charges him with a crime that he did not commit.  There, at his second station, in the prison, Yosef meets the chief butler and the chief baker who are terribly troubled.  Yosef understands that their gloomy countenances are as a result of their dreams.  Then Yosef tells them:

“Do interpretations not belong to God? Please, tell me.”

(Bereshit 40:8)

At the outset Yosef declares that only God holds the solutions to dreams, and then he requests that they tell him the content of their dreams.  And then, after Yosef hears the dream of the chief butler, deciphering it appropriately, he requests of him as follows:

“But remember me with you when it shall be well with you, and please do kindness for me - mention of me to Pharaoh, and you will bring me out of this abode;  For I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing to deserve being placed in the dungeon.”

(ibid. v.14,15)

The request that Yosef makes of the chief butler, when in fact he was solely to rely on God, adds two more years to Yosef’s sojourn in the prison.

[As Rashi comments on that very verse: “Since Yosef depended on him to mention him (to Pharaoh) therefore it was necessary for him to remain a prisoner for two years, as the verse states: ‘Happy is the man who places his trust in God, and does not turn to the proud, (‘r’havim’)’ (Tehillim 40:5) – who does not place his trust in the Egyptians who are termed ‘rahav,’ (proud.)”]

The verse offers the explanation:

“And the chief butler did not remember Yosef, and he forgot him.”

(ibid. v. 23)

On our level, we see no wrong in the request for assistance from someone who has just received our help. However, at the high spiritual level of Yosef ha’Tzaddik, Yosef the Saint, he should not have placed even one iota of his trust in a human being.

Then we witness Yosef’s third stage, the stage where he finally completely voids himself before God.

Pharaoh calls Yosef and offers him a unique opportunity:

“And Pharaoh said to Yosef: ‘I have dreamed a dream, and there is no-one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you, that you can hear a dream in order to interpret it.”

(ibid. 41:15)

Yosef the prisoner could very easily exploit this fortunate opportunity that has come his way to accrue political power, or at the very least to ensure his release from prison.  Any other person would have used the opportunity before Yosef to praise his own abilities – yet not Yosef ha’Tzaddik!

“And Yosef answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not me, (“Bil’adai”) God will answer Pharaoh favorably.’”

(ibid. v. 16)

“Bil’adai” – literally “Without me” – answers Yosef, ‘I am nothing.’  God, and only God, will offer a favorable solution to Pharaoh’s dreams.

[This level of character is even greater than Yosef’s response in the prison.  Then, he stated “Do interpretations not belong to God?”  Yosef offered but a small measure of credit to God, and then immediately afterwards urges the chief butler and baker: “Please, tell me.”]

Therefore we see an incremental structure in the narrative surrounding Yosef’s ordeals.  We must note this increment also exists in the immediate surrounds within which Yosef acts.  The house of Potiphar is the house of the chief chef.  In the prison Yosef meets prisoners of royal decree, who yield from the highest class of society.  Indeed they are incarcerated owing to errant behavior, yet still they are figures who may yet be released, returning to positions of authority, as indeed occurs to the chief butler.  From the prison Yosef is taken to Pharaoh’s palace – the power center of all of Egypt.

Thus, as Yosef acquires further levels of lofty humility – which we in our positions in life yearn to attain even the smallest quantity of – he too acquires further power and authority.

An interesting point that arises from the verses is the description of the dreams, more specifically Pharaoh’s dreams.  As we will recall, after Pharaoh dreams his two dreams the Torah describes Pharaoh’s inner turmoil as follows:

“And it was in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men; and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.”

(ibid. 41:8)

Pharaoh tells them his “dream,” (in the singular,) yet they those magicians are unable to perceive the unitary nature of the reality, and thus they remain confused, unable to “interpret them to Pharaoh.”  They perceive two separate dreams, and it is for this reason that Pharaoh is not content with their explanations.

And then, when Pharaoh repeats the dreams to Yosef, once again he uses the singular for when referring to both his dreams.

“And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is no-one who can interpret it…”

(ibid. v. 15)

It is then, when Yosef ha’Tzaddik has completely voided himself before God, declaring “It is not with me!  God will answer Pharaoh favorably,” that Yosef understands that Pharaoh’s dream is in fact one.

“And Joseph said to Pharaoh: ‘Pharaoh’s dream is one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.”

(ibid. v.25)

Pharaoh feels that Yosef’s solution to the dreams is a true solution.  From then onwards matters develop further and further, and with regards our discussion, Yosef attempts to liberate Pharaoh from the point of view of Egypt, from the perspective of the magicians who see Pharaoh’s dreams according to their own values and their own political concerns.

Yosef, who cleaves to God to the point of voiding himself, understands to perceive the two dreams as one dream with two components.

There, in Pharaoh’s palace, which represents the climax of the temporal world, there, in the palace of the tyrant who considers himself a god, who tirades against his servants, there, in this darkest of places – specifically there is where Yosef represents the ultimate of light, of might.  It is there where Yosef teaches Pharaoh “Bil’adai” – “It is not me!”  Pharaoh thus reacts with acknowledgement of the supernal God, then realizing that this is a man “who has God’s spirit inside him.”

On the same note, Greece represents darkness, for Greece darkened the eyes of Yisra’el.  The Greek philosophy does not require that one denounce the Almighty, as we explained previously.  To the contrary – it accords Him tremendous proportions.  Greek philosophy claims that God has no interaction with reality on earth, for He far transcends knowledge of individual man.

Ironically, however, specifically the glorification of the concept of the deity above man is the greatest mortification and degradation. The Greek “God” is cold and detached, leaving the world a dark and dreary place.

In contradistinction to this, the God of Israel is infinite, He manifests in every single detail of reality.  This was so beautifully stated by the first Lubavitcher Rebbe who said: “He who does not see God in every place – does not see God anywhere.”

The Greeks desired to defile the oil, they did not negate wisdom, yet they desired it impure and detached from the Heavenly Deity which manifests in the world.

It was through this that the Greeks tore the heavens from the earth, they tore the Shalom between God and His world, and it is this that places them as the direct antithesis of Am Yisra’el – the “Shulamit” who desires to bring about God’s manifestation in His world.  As our Sages stated: “He who makes peace between God and His world.”

This is also the fusion of the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, between the concentrated, quintessential spirituality hinted at by the Written Torah which is then revealed by the personalities of the Oral Torah.

Channuka is the festival of the Oral Torah.  It is the first festival enacted by the Rabbinic Sages.  Thus it is in Channuka that God’s word is manifest in the world, now it becomes apparent that wisdom is not and abstract, intangible concept that hovers above the world, never to appear in the world, to the contrary!  The light which represents wisdom appears in the world and publicizes the miracle of Channuka.

The light reveals the Shalom between the heavens and the earth.

Now we may understand the Rambam’s specifically concluding the Laws of Channuka with a law regarding Shalom, and also we may comprehend his stating that the Torah was given “in order to bring Shalom to the world.”  This is the Shalom between eternity and the finite, between great, exalted concepts that appear and manifest themselves in this world.

This, then, is the purpose of Sh’leimut – Perfection – to demonstrate that in every minutia there are traces of the Greatest One, to illustrate that the worlds are not torn apart from each other.  This is the purpose of Channuka, to publicize the miracle first and foremost in our own homes, to ourselves, and then to bring it out into the light of day.

Translated by Sholem Hurwitz

Copyright Keren Yishai\Rav M. Elon