Class One. Peace exists on two levels: 1) You fight and win resoundingly, 2) there is no fight in the first place, the enemy is automatically vanquished. In Vayeshev, Yaakov is aspiring to the higher peace but gets instead the lower one: In golus Mitzrayim he has tranquility. Class Two. The Chanuka miracles are like...

Three types of candles exist: 1) The Menora in the Beis Hamikdash, 2) Shabbos Candles, 3) Chanuka Candles. The first two are lighted by day as they are Aharon’s lighting up the Jewish Souls “in the place of light”, while Chanuka Candles light up the Jewish Soul “in the place of darkness’. This Maamar includes...

This is the Chanuka Ma’amar that is the opposite of all the typical Chanuka Ma’amarim. Here darkness is not something that needs to be reversed but to be celebrated! Light and the sun (here) are about Avoda Zara (Chama) and the setting sun leaves only darkness which is God. The same is true of Sukkos...

Class One/ Twelve (המשך).   Class Two/ Thirteen (המשך).   Class Three/ Fourteen (המשך).   Class Four/ Fifteen (המשך).

13. Tenu Rabbanan Ner Chanukah 5734This Ma’amar (based on the אור התורה) addresses (specifically) the question of the Chanukah candles being on the left side.He explains that Mitzvas Asei are from a lower level than Mitzvas Los Ta’aseh. This is why we access the Light of Mitzvas Lo Ta’aseh through inaction.This is affective to address...

11. Rani ViSimchi Bas Tziyon 5735 (1st of a Hemshech). A (relatively short) Ma’amar that explains the notion of Chanukah beginning after dark.On the one jand this denotes the dire condition of the Jewish People then, not-withstanding that the Beis HaMikdash was standing, it was night and dark spiritually. This allowed the Syrian Greeks to...

12. Ner Chanukah Mishetishka HaChama 5735 (2nd of a Hemshech).This Ma’amar is the Avoda follow-up to the last one; it is far longer and detailed.Here the Rebbe argues the idea of ירידה צורך עלי’ה in the most extreme way: even if the Yerida is connected to (free will and) sin, the fact that it happened...

Mai Chanuka 5736.This Ma’amar is…1) Considered a Hemshech to the Pada BiShalom Ma’amar form 19 Kislev, though the connection seems rather superficial2) Based on the Previous Rebbe’s Ma’amar by this name from 25 years earlier (5701).In this Ma’amar Chanuka is explained, and the Mesiras Nefesh it involved is articulted.He explains that the word מקרב in...

Mai Mivurech 5736This is the third Ma’amar on Chanukah of this year, and it was said in the second Shabbos of Chanukah (Zos Chanuke). It is clearly NOT a Hemshech to the ones before.The point of this Ma’amar is to explain the seven Mitzvos of the Rabbanan, juxtaposed against 1) what is Biblical, 2) Rabbinic...

Rani ViSimchi 5737The Neshama has many levels; Yiddishkeit has many aspects; but even “Bas Tziyon” the Yid who only takes and gives nothing, reaches רני ושמחי and ושכנתי בתוכך and ונלוו גויים רבים.The Ma’amar develops the three levels of בתי אחותי אמי and ties it to תורה עבודה וגמ”ח and specifically to these three as...

Tanu Rabbanan Ner Chanuka 5738The issue of Chanuka, was an attack on the Soul (purity and holiness) of Yiddishkeit. It didn’t mind the Torah as long as it was intellectual, and Mitzvos were ok, as culture without Him C”V. The Mesiras Nefesh came from Yechida, completely removed from reason, and is one where one seems...

Mitzvasa Mishetishka Hachama 5738Class One:This Ma’amar is Hemshech from the previous one.The Rebbe is discussing the idea of transforming darkness to light.In this Ma’amar the Rebbe explains (based on a Gemara) that whatever is in Klipa is in Kedusha first. He gives three examples:1) The setting sun in Kedusha is the transference from Atzilus to...

Class One. All Yomim Tovim celebrate material victories and are therefore celebrated through physical means: meat and wine etc. Chanuka was an attack on our Neshama, as they left the Beis HaMikdash intact etc. It is therefore celebrated through Hallel and candles. When a Yid has darkness he digs deeper and reveals higher levels of...

עמדת להם בעת צרתם means that He stood up for Us in our time of need, Because He reacts to us: when we stand up he stands. And… we stand when there are צרות. Standing means מוח שליט על הלב the mind and (what is above the mind) the eyes [that can see G-dliness] are...

Class One. To understand the מנורה of חנוכה we first discuss the מנורה that lit in the בית המקדש. The מנורה’s seven branches are the seven מדות, and there is זה לעומת זה and לאום מלאום יאמץ between the seven of נפש האלקוית and the seven מדות of the נפש הבהמית. To guarantee that קדושה...

This Ma’amar is a Chanuka Ma’amar, because it has at its foundation the idea of ירידה צורך עלי’ה. In this class the Rebbe uses the language of פרצת כל הגדרים. The level of בת ציון is the the lowest level and is connected to action, of Mitzvos, but it reaches higher than אחותי and אמי.

The change in the פסוק נר אלוקים נשמת אדם as opposed to נר הוי’ נשמת אדם as it appears in משלי כ”ז, כ is based on the ירושלמי שבת פ”ב ה”ו. All the Jewish people make up one body with seven branches and seven different types of service to Hashem. The seven רועים shepherds assist...

This Ma’amar is about Galus and is therefore appropriate for Chanuka, since it is a Galus Yom tov though it occurred during the time of the Beis HaMikdash Thus, Rani which means to sing which is done from distance and darkness (as the Zohar states) brings one close, In fact even closer than when in...

To get to the Essence you must go in order and start from the very Bottom. Osiyos before Ohr in Torah, Mitzvos Maasoyos before any Kavana. Bas Tzion.

Class One. This part of the Ma’amar (which is the largest part of the Ma’amar) explores many levels of life and connection: 1) Food and drink, 2) Wine, 3) Water that is higher than wine, 4) Oil, 5) Good smell, 6) Light. Each of these six are found in the Beis HaMikdash and the Ma’amar...

A Ma’amar that juxtaposes Mezuza and Chanuka candles and wonders why we join them together at the door, Mezuza on the right and the Menora on the left. Mezuza is for the house though it protects you even when you leave it. This protection is on the level of Hashem Echad (you’re above the world...

Rani ViSimchi is the Maamar of Chanuka (and Bihaalosecha, after Shavuos). It explains three levels and then a fourth. The three are the regular concerns of a Yid: 1) Mitzvos, 2) Torah 3) Mesiras Nefesh in the daily performance of Torah and Mitzvos. The fourth is called ‘Bas Tzion’ and emerges in Golus, when the...

Vayeshev: above work and yerida tzorach aliya is real and constant peace that is after descending into Eretz Migurei Aviv and (lower still) Eretz Kinaan. Later he descends further into Mitzrayim and achieves an even higher VaYechi! How this ties into Chanuka, Golus etc.

7 Mitzvos of the Ribanan, elevate the left [as if we were to say “Smol mikareves”], but only once the 613 Mitzvos diOraisa have made a Keli for the right side. This explains much about Chanuka licht: Their 1) side (left) 2) number (eight) 3) time (after dark) and location 4) (outside).

This Maamar is Muga. The number eight is higher than order, but not all “eighths” are equal. The eighth of Miluim is relative to Hishtalshelus, while the eighth of Chanuka is connected with Atzmus.

The Chanuka candles celebrate the war. The candles are the Candles of the Neshama and (Torah and) Mitzvos.

The G-Dliness reveled at the time of Chanuka , in the darkness, comes from very high. It joins with regular everyday life and light of a Yid.

Chanuka celebrates (the days and ) numbers 24, 25, and 26. We (nowadays) celebrate only 25- WHY.