Praise for Divine Salvation

ענין הלל והודאה.

The matter of Hallel and thanksgiving.

The Sefat Emet opens by defining the central theme: the spiritual meaning of praise and gratitude on Chanuka.

שיש לתת שבח על איבוד הרשעים מלכות יון שהחשיכה עיניהם של ישראל וכל מגמתם הי' לבטל תורה ומצות שבישראל.

That one must offer praise for the destruction of the wicked—namely the Greek empire—which darkened the eyes of Israel, and whose entire intention was to nullify the Torah and commandments within Israel.

The first reason for praise is liberation from Greek oppression, whose goal was the erasure of Torah.

כמ"ש שעמדה להשכיחם תורתך.

As it is said: “It arose to make them forget Your Torah.”

The Sefat Emet cites the liturgy describing Greece’s attempt to cause Israel to forget the Torah entirely.

והי' להם כח להרע בזה יותר משאר אומות ע"י שנתפרש להם התורה יונית כמ"ש יפת אלקים ליפת כו'.

And they had power to harm in this more than other nations, because the Torah had been translated for them into Greek, as it is said: “May God grant beauty to Japheth…”

The Greeks were uniquely dangerous because they possessed a Greek rendering of Torah, giving them a superficial sense of mastery over it.

אכן כתיב וישכון באהלי שם.

Yet it is written: “And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.”

The privilege of true Torah belongs only to Israel, the descendants of Shem.

שהי' כוונת נח ע"ז שיתבטלו לבנ"י ובתנאי זה נאמר יפת.

For Noah intended that Japheth’s beauty be subservient to the children of Israel, and under this condition the blessing of Japheth was given.

The aesthetic gifts of Greece were meant to support, not oppose, holiness.

אבל הם עשו להיפוך ופרצו י"ג פרצות במשכן ה'.

But they did the opposite and made thirteen breaches in the Sanctuary of God.

Instead of elevating holiness, Greece attacked it directly.

ולכך נקם השי"ת נקמתינו ונעשה עדות ובירור כי אין שום אומה יכולה לקבל הארת התורה רק בני ישראל חלק ה' עמו.

Therefore God avenged us, and this became a testimony and clarification that no nation can receive the illumination of Torah except Israel, God’s portion.

The miracle itself demonstrated that Torah’s inner light belongs exclusively to Israel.

ולכך עשה השי"ת הנס דמנורה להודיע כי אין עיקר התורה כמו שנראית לפנינו שנתפרשה יונית והיו הרשעים מדמים בנפשם כי גם הם יודעים התורה.

Thus God performed the miracle of the Menorah to show that the essence of Torah is not as it appears outwardly, as it was rendered in Greek, and the wicked imagined themselves to know the Torah.

The Menorah miracle exposed the illusion that the Greeks had true access to Torah.

אבל באמת התורה נקראת אש דת והיא למעלה מכל הטבע.

But in truth the Torah is called “a fiery law,” and it is above all nature.

Torah’s inner essence is supernal and cannot be captured by translation or intellect alone.

וזה העדות שבני ישראל יש להם חלק בפנימיות התורה והי' כל זה לטובה שיתבטל שייכות שהי' לבני יפת כנ"ל.

And this is the testimony that Israel possesses a share in the inner Torah, and all this occurred for good, to nullify the connection that the children of Japheth had to it.

The events purified and clarified the exclusive relationship between Israel and the inner light of Torah.

ובאבוד רשעים רנה.

“And when the wicked perish, there is song.”

The downfall of evil itself becomes a cause for holy joy.

זה ענין א'.

This is one aspect.

The Sefat Emet concludes the first theme: gratitude for the removal of evil.

ועוד יש לנו להודות על הארת הקדושה שנתוסף בנו.

And furthermore, we must give thanks for the increase of holiness that was added within us.

The second aspect is gratitude for spiritual elevation.

כי כל זמן שלא נתקנו בנ"י כראוי. לא היו יכולין לשמוח באבוד הרשעים.

For as long as Israel had not been properly rectified, they could not rejoice at the destruction of the wicked.

Only inner spiritual repair allows full joy in the downfall of evil.

לכך לשנה אחרת קבעום כשנתרוממו נפשות בני ישראל אחר איבוד הרשעים ויצאו מחשיכה לאורה ונתקרבו כמו שהי' קודם שהחשיכה עיניהם בגזירותיהם.

Therefore, the following year they established the festival, when the souls of Israel were elevated after the destruction of the wicked, and they emerged from darkness to light and were restored to their prior closeness before their eyes were darkened by the decrees.

The formal institution of Chanuka came only once Israel regained clarity and spiritual elevation.

אז שמחו ב' השמחות.

Then they rejoiced with both forms of joy.

They celebrated both the removal of evil and the increase of holiness.

וזה ענין הלל והודאה.

And this is the meaning of Hallel and thanksgiving.

The two modes of praise correspond to the two forms of redemption.

וכמו כן נשאר ב' הארות בימים הללו לסייע לבנ"י בסור מרע ועשה טוב.

And likewise, two illuminations remain in these days to help Israel: to turn from evil and to do good.

Chanuka grants ongoing spiritual power: resisting evil and cultivating goodness.

וזה פי' נר רמ"ח מ"ע ומילוי נר שס"ה מל"ת.

And this is the meaning of “lamp”: its numerical value corresponds to 248 positive commandments, and its full spelling corresponds to 365 negative commandments.

The Chanuka light reflects the full structure of mitzvot in body and soul.

וב' העיקרים אהבה ויראה שהם יסוד מ"ע ול"ת שנר חנוכה מסייע לבנ"י בעבודתם.

And the two foundations—love and awe—are the basis of the positive and negative commandments, and the Chanuka light helps Israel in this service.

Ultimately, Chanuka strengthens the two core emotions that underlie all Divine service.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that Chanuka contains two forms of praise—Hallel for the positive spiritual elevation, and thanksgiving for the removal of Greek darkness. The miracles revealed that Torah’s inner light belongs only to Israel, and established lasting spiritual forces that continue to aid Israel in “turning from evil and doing good.”