First Candle of Hanukah
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
"...The underlying nature of the miracle of Chanukah in and of itself involves a renewal. The Nesivos Sholom explains (Ma’amarei Chanukah p. 35) that the Gemorah discusses the underlying principle of how we light the Chanukah lamps itself, according to Beis Hillel. It is called “Mosif v’holech – adding more and more as we go along.
This special power of Chanukah began with the Beis HaMikdash – where more and more holiness was added. It spread to the people.
Rav Dessler writes that every Yom Tov is actually the very same day that comes back to us year after year. Each Chanukah is the very same Chanukah that the Maccabbees experienced. This light of Chanukah that increases as each day progresses is with us constantly.
The Nesivos Shalom further asks why the verse tells us Mechadesh kol yom b’tuvo. Why must Hashem re-create every day?
He answers that it was to give man hope as well. So that man can renew himself and say, “Today is a new day and I am newly created.” By the same token the nation of Israel is compared to the moon. Just as the moon renews itself, so too can we renoew ourselves and reach our fullest. Perhaps it was because of this notion as well that Chanukah was made to also include a Rosh Chodesh – to remind us of our power of renewal."
Read it in its entirety HERE.
