Hanukkah and Awakening Awe For תרל”ד 3
(ליל ב’) מצוה להניחה ע”פ ביתו מבחוץ.
“(Second night) It is a mitzvah to place it at the entrance of his house on the outside.”
The Sefat Emet begins with the halakha of placing the Chanukah lights outward, hinting that their purpose is to illuminate beyond one’s inner self into the public realm.
אא”ז מו”ר ז”ל פי’ עפ”י הגמ’ מי שאין בו יראת שמים אין לו מפתחות חצוניות כו’.
My revered grandfather explained, based on the Gemara: “One who lacks fear of Heaven has no outer keys.”
This means that without awe of Heaven, a person cannot open the gateways that allow inner holiness to shine outward.
נמצא מובן כי בחנוכה נפתח פתח של יראת שמים בכל איש ישראל.
Thus it is understood that on Chanukah a gateway of fear of Heaven opens for every Jew.
Chanukah offers a unique spiritual opening through which awe of God becomes newly accessible.
ולכן קבעו מצות הנרות כי כשנפתח יראת ה’ בלב האדם יכול לקבל אור התורה שהם הפנימיות.
Therefore the mitzvah of the candles was established, for when fear of God opens in a person’s heart, he can receive the light of Torah, which is the inner essence.
The candles symbolize that inner Torah light can be received only after awe prepares the heart.
ופי’ הלל והודאה נראה כי ע”י הנס דחנוכה נתקדש שם שמים.
And the meaning of “praise and thanksgiving” appears to be that through the miracle of Chanukah the Name of Heaven was sanctified.
The two modes of response—praise and thanks—arise because the miracle revealed God’s sanctity.
כמ”ש ולך עשית שם גדול וקדוש שראו הכל נצחונו של השי”ת וגבורותיו.
As it is written: “You made for Yourself a great and holy Name,” for all saw the Holy One’s victory and His might.
The miracle was publicly visible, demonstrating divine power.
ועי”ז נפל פחד השי”ת על הכל.
And through this, the fear of God fell upon all.
The revelation caused even distant observers to experience awe.
ומכש”כ שבנ”י קיבלו יראת השי”ת כראוי.
All the more so Israel received the fear of God properly.
The Jewish people internalized this fear in a deeper way.
ומצד נצחונו ית’ הוא ההלל לשבח לפניו.
From His victory comes the praise—Hallel—to exalt Him.
Praise expresses joy in God’s revealed triumph.
ומצד קבלת היראה להודות לפניו להיות נכנע ולהבין שפלות עצמו הוא בחי’ הודאה.
And from accepting fear is the thanksgiving—being humbled and recognizing one’s lowliness—which is the aspect of Hoda’ah.
Thanks expresses surrender and recognition of our smallness before God.
ויש לומר שזה מחלוקת שמאי והלל אי העיקר הלל או הודאה.
And one may say that this is the dispute between Shammai and Hillel—whether praise or thanksgiving is primary.
They differ on which spiritual response stands at the center of Chanukah.
וקי”ל כב”ה כי צריך להיות רצון האדם רק שיתקדש שמו ית’.
And the law follows Hillel, for a person’s will must be solely that God’s Name be sanctified.
Hillel teaches that our intention should be focused on God’s honor above all.
אף שמקודם צריכין לגרש הרע ולתקן עצמו מ”מ אין הכוונה להיות מתוקן רק שנוכל עי”ז לקדש שמו ית’.
Although at first one must banish evil and refine oneself, the goal is not self-perfection, but that through it one may sanctify His Name.
Self‑improvement is a means, not an end; it enables divine revelation.
וע”י הרצון לזה ממילא נופל פחד השי”ת ויראתו על האדם.
And through the desire for this, automatically the fear of God falls upon a person.
When one’s intention is pure, awe comes naturally without struggle.
וז”ש ימים הנכנסין והיוצאין והבן.
And this is the meaning of “the days that enter and the days that depart”—understand this.
The increasing and decreasing lights reflect these two spiritual movements.
ומעלין בקודש כו’.
And “we ascend in holiness,” etc.
The candle‑adding follows the principle that holiness must rise.
פי’ כשיש ב’ ענינים בחי’ התגדלות קדושת השי”ת ונצחונו. ובחי’ הכנעת האדם לעזוב הרע.
The meaning is that when there are two aspects—the expansion of God’s holiness and victory, and the submission of the person to abandon evil—
These correspond to Hallel and Hoda’ah, the two modes already described.
יש להתדבק בצד הקדושה כנ”ל.
One must attach oneself to the side of holiness, as above.
The focus is always to cleave to divine holiness rather than to one’s own refinement.
Summary: Chanukah opens a channel of awe that enables Torah’s inner light. Praise expresses God’s revealed victory; thanksgiving expresses human humility. Hillel teaches that sanctifying God’s Name is primary, and rising in holiness means attaching oneself to divine expansion rather than self‑perfection.
