"One Amora said that Beit Shammai's reason for requiring a continual decrease from eight lights to one corresponds to the bull sacrifices of Sukkot, and Beit Hillel's reason for requiring a continual increase from one to eight is that in sacred matters we increase and do not decrease." (Shabbat 21b)
QUESTION: The rule of "ma'alin bekodesh" - [in sacred matters] we increase" - is mentioned many times in Gemara and is a widely accepted rule. Why does Beit Shammai disregard it and on the contrary, in the case of Chanukah he bases his decision on the progressive diminution of the Sukkot sacrifices.
ANSWER: According to the
Midrash the Syrian-Greeks issued decrees against the observance of the
Sukkot festival. They prevented the Jews from bringing the festival sacrifices and also caused them to endure hardship in order to observe
Sukkot.
Beit Shammai indeed agrees with the popular rule that in sacred matters we elevate. However, in the instance of Chanukah they emphasize that since prior to Chanukah the Jews struggled with the mitzvah of Sukkot and now that they have been victorious, there will no longer be any deterrent to observe Sukkot in the future. Therefore, they hold that it is only proper that some law of Sukkot be applied to the ways the Chanukah victory is commemorated. Hence, Beit Shammai opine that the Chanukah lights should be kindled in a decreasing number, similar to Sukkot sacrifices, which the Syrian-Greeks forbade to be offered.
"They celebrated a festival to Hashem for eight days, just as the days of the Sukkot festival." (Sefer Hasmonean II, 10:9)
QUESTION: What do Sukkot and Chanukah have in common?
ANSWER: According to a
Midrash the Greeks issued a decree forbidding the Jews to observe the
Sukkot festival, and they were unable to bring the sacrificial offerings of
Sukkot in the
Beit Hamikdash. Hence, Hashem said, "You wanted to abolish the eight days of
Sukkot; I will therefore give them an additional festive period of eight days -
Chanukah."
Alternatively, in Chumash Vayikra, there is a listing of all the festivals of the year, concluding with Sukkot. This is followed immediately by the Parshah in which Hashem says to Moshe, "Command the Children of Israel that they take to you pure olive oil, to kindle a lamp continually," (23:1-44, 24:14). The juxtaposition of Sukkot to olive oil is an indication that on the eighth day of Chanukah we recite the entire Hallel, just as it is said in its entirety all the eight days of Sukkot.
Alternatively, the Beit Yosef (Tur, Orach Chaim 417) writes in the name of his brother Rabbi Yehudah that the three festivals Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot correspond to the patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.
When the angels visited Avraham, he told Sarah, "Hurry! Three se'ahs of meal, fine flour! Knead it and make cakes!" (Bereishit 18:6). The visit took place on Pesach (see Rashi, ibid. 18:10), and the cakes she baked were actually matzot. Since it was Pesach, he wanted her to prepare the dough herself to guard against leavening (Alshich). Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah and corresponds to Yitzchak because it was heralded by the blast of the shofar, which came from the ram which was offered in his stead (Pirkei D'Rebbe Eliezer, 31). Sukkot is for Yaakov, as the pasuk says, "Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot and built himself a house, and for his livestock he made shelters; he therefore called the name of the place 'Sukkot' " (ibid. 33:17).
The name "Yaakov" has the numerical value of one hundred and eighty-two. Since Sukkot is in his honor, one hundred and eighty-two sacrifices were offered during the festival.
The three patriarchs were prototypes of the three things (Torah, service [of G-d], and deeds of kindness) upon which the world stands. Avraham was the prototype of Gemilut Chassadim, Yitzchak represents Avodah - sacrifice and prayer, and Yaakov, who is described in the Torah as "A wholesome man, abiding in the tents [the yeshivot of Shem and Eiver (Bereishit, 25:22, Rashi)]," is the prototype of Torah.
The Greeks endeavored to detach the Jews from Torah study, which is compared to light, and have them pursue secular knowledge. Chanukah, which is connected with light, is thus the holiday in which we celebrate our renewed opportunity to engage in Torah study. So Sukkot, which is the festival associated with Yaakov (the prototype of Torah), is most compatible with Chanukah, the festival which commemorates our salvation from those who wanted to make us forget Torah.
"Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot and built for himself a house." (Bereishit 33:17)
QUESTION: The word "lo" - "for himself" - seems superfluous; it could have just said "Vayiven bayit" - "He built a house"?
ANSWER: Here is a
remez - hint - that Yaakov celebrated
Sukkot and
Chanukah. According to the
Zohar Vayikra 100b the first point of the
pasuk, "Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot," is a hint that Yaakov observed
Sukkot, the festival that corresponds to him (see above).
The second part of the pasuk, "He built for himself a house," can be explained as a hint to Chanukah. According to the Gemara (Shabbat 21b) the proper way to fulfill the mitzvah of kindling Chanukah candles is to place them "al petach beito mibachutz" - "by the entrance of one's house from the outside." During the eight days of Chanukah we kindle a total of 36 candles (without the shmashim). The numerical value of the word "lo" - "for himself" - is 36.
Thus, the Torah tells us not only did Yaakov journey to Sukkot, a hint that he observed Sukkot, but he built lo bayit - a house where he could kindle 36 candles at the entrance for the eight days of Chanukah.
"Chanukah - Sukkot"
QUESTION: Where in the prophets do we find a connection between Chanukah and Sukkot?
ANSWER: A connection between
Chanukah and
Sukkot is found among is prophesies of Haggai. He was one of the last prophets and one of the
Anshei Keneset HaGedolah - The Men of the Great Assembly. He lived during the reign of King Darius of Persia, who according to the
Midrash was the son of Achashveirosh and Esther, and he sanctioned and encouraged the construction of the second
Beit Hamikdash which had begun in the days of Cyrus (Ezra ch. 3) but was subsequently discontinued for eighteen years.
Haggai conveyed the following "In the seventh month [Tishrei] on the twenty first of the month [the seventh day of Sukkot - Hoshana Rabbah -] the word of Hashem came through Haggai the prophet saying ... for thus said Hashem, 'there will be one more; it is a small one, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land'" (2:1,6).
The message of this prophecy was that in addition to the current subjugation under Persia, one more nation would subdue the Jews, the Greeks; but their domination would last only a short time (Rashi). Hashem was thus saying, "During the Greek rule, I will cause a major upheaval in the land" - a reference to the Hasmoneans revolt against the Greeks and the miracle of Chanukah.
"Chanukah - Sukkot"
QUESTION: Where in the Gemara do we find a connection between Chanukah and Sukkot?
ANSWER: The connection between
Chanukah and
Sukkot is also evident from the tractate of
Sukkah. It begins with laws pertaining to the construction of a
Sukkah and concludes with a story connected to Hellenistic Jews in the day of the Syrian-Greeks.
The final Mishnah in the tractate of Sukkah (56a) relates that, in the Beit Hamikdash there were 24 mishmorot - watches - of Kohanim, who each served during a different week. At the end of the week the incoming and outgoing watches would divide the lechem hapanim - show-bread - that stood on the table the entire week. Normally the incoming watch would divide it among themselves in the north of the Courtyard, while the outgoing watch would do so in the south. Also each watch had its own ring affixed to the floor in which the head of the animal was enclosed to hold it down during slaughter. Every watch also had its own alcove in which to store knives. An exception to this was the watch of Bilgah; they always divided their share of lechem hapanim in the southern side of the Courtyard. Their ring and alcove was permanently closed, forcing them to use another watch's ring and alcove and thus suffer embarrassment.
The concluding piece of Gemara (56b) explains that this was a punishment to the family Bilgah for the following incident: Once, Miriam, the daughter of one of the members of the watch of Bilgah, became an apostate and married an officer of one of the Greek kings. When the Greeks subsequently entered the Sanctuary in the days of Matityahu ben Yochanan, she scornfully kicked with her sandal on the top of the Altar and exclaimed "Wolf! Wolf! how long will you consume the money of Israel and you do not stand by them in a time of pressing need." (She compared the Altar on which two sheep of Karban Tamid are offered daily to a wolf that devours sheep.)
When the Sages heard of this, they punished the entire watch of Bilgah in three ways that would demean it in the eyes of all onlookers. To explain why all were punished because of Miriam's outrageous behavior, the Gemara says that it was based on the adage "The utterances of a child in public express the view of either his father or his mother." Thus, it was clear to the Sages that her contemptuous behavior was symptomatic of the corruption of her family.
It is said about Torah, "The end is joined with the beginning and the beginning with the end (Sefer Yetzirah 1:7, see Likkutei Sichos vol. 14, p. 25). Hence, it is not accidental but intentional, that the tractate Sukkah begins with laws of the Sukkah and ends with an incident in the days of Matityahu ben Yochanan, one of the heroes of Chanukah.
Because of the relation of Sukkot and Chanukah, those who beautify their Sukkah with various items, also have a custom to hang up a bottle of oil.
"Sukkot and Chanukah - Yaakov and Redemption."
QUESTION: What is the connection between Sukkot, Chanukah, Yaakov and the coming redemption?
ANSWER: From a spiritual perspective
Chanukah is eight days and we kindle eight candles because it has a connection with the
Ohr Haganuz -
hidden light - which will be revealed in its full glory in the days of
Mashiach (see p. 17) and just as the number eight transcends the limits of creation which is associated with the seven days of the week and the seven orbital planets, so too,
Mashiach is above
seder hishtalshelut - chain of creation.
Just as Chanukah is celebrated for eight days, likewise, Sukkot is celebrated eight days. And there is actually a connection between the two (see page 125).
The three festivals, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot correspond to the three patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov (see Tur, Orach Chaim 417). In addition the first and second Beit Hamikdash, which were destroyed, and the third Beit Hamikdash, which we will have in the Messianic era and which will be perpetual, correspond to the three patriarchs. They all rendered a description of the site where the Beit Hamikdash stood. The description identified with Avraham is that it was a mountain, as the Torah (Bereishit 22:14) records "on the mountain Hashem is seen." The description found in connection with Yitzchak is that it was a field, as stated, "Yitzchak went out to pray in the field" (ibid. 24:14). Yaakov called it a house, as it is stated "He named that place" 'the House of Hashem' (28:19).
Avraham's "mountain" represents the first Beit Hamikdash. Hashem watched over it like a guard strategically stationed on top of a mountain. This protection, however, was not permanent and it was ultimately destroyed. The "field" of Yitzchak (which is an empty place) signifies the second Beit Hamikdash, which in contrast to the first was lacking in Divine Presence (Yoma 21b). The "house" of Yaakov symbolizes the third Beit Hamikdash, which will enjoy Divine Presence and protection that is permanent and complete like a house (see Pesachim 88a, and Maharsha).
This indicates that the concepts of ultimate redemption, Mashiach, and the third Beit Hamikdash have a special connection with the patriarch Yaakov, to whom Sukkot corresponds, and to Chanukah (which is associated with Sukkot).
QUESTION: Since in contemporary times a shul is a Beit Hamikdash in miniature (Megillah 29a), what is the significance of these three titles for a shul?
ANSWER: The majority of people are not mountain climbers. Even those who are, do it rarely. Going out to the fields (vacationing in the country) is done more frequently and by a larger number of people. Living in a home is something all people do and at all times. Yaakov emphasized that the
shul should resemble a home - a place visited by all people and at all times.
The less one carries the easier it is to climb a mountain. When going out to the fields (on vacations) people take along baggage and dwell in cottages. However, the living conditions do not compare to the comforts of one's personal home. Yaakov emphasized that the place of worship be treated like a home - elegantly furnished and beautified to the highest degree.
Kingdom of the Hasmoneans