Inner Light in Exile For תרל”ד 4

בשם המגיד [בס’ נר ישראל] מה שמדליקין עתה בפנים שמחזיקים עצמינו שפלים מאוד בגלות וגם בפנים נמצא חיצוניות ומתקיים פתח ביתו מבחוץ כנ”ל.

In the name of the Maggid (in the book Ner Yisrael): that the reason we now light the candles indoors is because we regard ourselves as very lowly in exile, yet even indoors there is still an element of externality present, and thus the principle of “the entrance of his house facing outward” is still fulfilled as explained above.

The Sefat Emet cites the Maggid, teaching that the shift to lighting indoors during exile reflects Jewish spiritual humility. Even in a protected, inner space there remains some exposure to the outside world, symbolized by the halachic requirement that the light still be oriented outward.

והכלל לבקש רחמים מהשי”ת שע”י הדלקת הנרות נוכל לגרש מחשבות הרעות לפרוש מחיצוניות כנ”ל.

And the essential point is to request mercy from the Holy One, blessed be He, that through the lighting of the candles we may banish evil thoughts and separate ourselves from externality, as explained above.

The lighting of the Chanuka candles is presented as a spiritual practice for inner purification. The light helps a person push away intrusive thoughts and detach from superficial, external influences.

וצריך האדם להאמין לחכמים שסמכו הרבה על נס הזה וקבעוהו לימים טובים לדורות.

And a person must trust the Sages, who relied greatly upon this miracle and established it as a festival for generations.

The Sefat Emet emphasizes faith in the Sages’ wisdom: their decision to enshrine the Chanuka miracle reflects profound spiritual insight, and their enactment guides all future generations.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that lighting Chanuka candles indoors reflects Jewish humility in exile, while still preserving outward illumination. The candles serve as a means to dispel negative thoughts and detach from externals, and one must trust the Sages who embedded this miracle into the rhythm of Jewish life.