For תרמ”ב – תרמ”ג 13
זאת חנוכה ע”ש שקורין בו זאת חנוכת המזבח.
“This is Chanukah, named because on it we read ‘This is the dedication of the altar.’”
The Sefat Emet begins by linking the name of the day to the Torah’s description of the altar’s dedication.
הענין הוא ע”פ מ”ש טוב אחרית דבר מראשיתו.
“The matter is based on what is written: ‘Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.’”
He explains that Chanukah represents the culmination and fulfillment of earlier beginnings.
ובכח החנוכת מזבח שהי’ בכוונה רצוי’ לפניו ית’.
“And by the power of the dedication of the altar, which was performed with intention pleasing before God.”
The original dedication was carried out with pure divine intention, giving it enduring spiritual force.
לכן זוכין בדורות אחרונים לההארות האלו שהיו בימי חנוכה וזהו העדות
“Therefore, in later generations we merit these illuminations that existed in the days of Chanukah; this is the testimony.”
Because of that original purity, later generations can still access those same lights—and that enduring presence serves as testimony.
וכן מ”ש בתורה זאת חנוכת היינו כנ”ל שנשאר לעולם.
“So too what the Torah says, ‘This is the dedication,’ means as stated above—that it remains forever.”
The Torah’s phrase indicates that the spiritual effect of the dedication did not fade but persists eternally.
כי הי”ב נשיאים המשיכו הארה קבועה בכל יום.
“For the twelve princes drew down a fixed illumination on each day.”
Each tribal leader contributed a stable spiritual light that became embedded in creation.
רק שבגלות אין יכולים להרגיש.
“But in exile one cannot feel it.”
Although the lights remain, exile dulls our sensitivity to them.
ובחנוכה חוזר וניעור אותן ההארות כמ”ש לעיל ג”כ מזה:
“And on Chanukah those illuminations are reawakened, as stated above regarding this as well.”
Chanukah temporarily restores access to those concealed lights, allowing them to shine again.
Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that the original dedication of the altar created eternal lights that normally remain hidden in exile but reawaken during Chanukah, allowing later generations to access the spiritual illumination of the past.
