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"Fifth Day of Chanukah"

QUESTION: What is the uniqueness of the fifth day of Chanukah?

ANSWER: The fifth day of Chanukah can never occur on a Shabbat. When Chanukah occurs on days that are even only potentially Shabbat days, the light of Chanukah combines with the light of Shabbat for a powerful illumination. So the fifth night, which can never be Shabbat, represents great darkness relative to the other nights. Thus, the fifth light of Chanukah has the unique task and power to illuminate and instill spirituality even in such a time of darkness.

Similarly, it is the duty of every Jew, wherever he may find himself, be it in Warsaw, England, the United States or Canada, to illuminate even the heaviest darkness.

In Chabad circles this day is of special significance because the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Chassidut, was released from his second imprisonment on the fifth day of Chanukah, in the year 5561.

He was imprisoned because the government scholars thought that some of the topics accentuated and expanded in his Chassidic philosophy might cause insubordination to the government and refusal to engage in practical matters, which are necessary for the existence of the state. Upon articulately clarifying his teaching and dispelling their fears, he gained his release.

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"Fifth Day of Chanukah"

QUESTION: In the Gemara (Shabbat 21b) Beit Shammai is of the opinion that on the first night of Chanukah one should light eight candles and decrease the number by one each night. Beit Hillel, has an opposite view. On the first night light one candle and each succeeding night increase it by one.

How does their distinctive personal character effect their view as to how many candles one should light each night of Chanukah, and what significance does their views have on the fifth day of Chanukah?

ANSWER: The views and opinions one expresses are a product of his character and nature; e.g. an intrinsically good-natured and congenial person sees things in a positive and favorable light, while a harsh person who is stern and austere will commonly take a negative and pessimistic approach. Hence, the halachah differences of Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel are an expression of their respective character traits.

Shammai and Hillel were of opposing natures, and their views in Torah reflect their mental dispositions, which they transmitted to their students - Beit Shammai - the school of Shammai and Beit Hillel - the school of Hillel.

The Gemara (Shabbat 30b) says that Hillel was very humble and gentle. Shammai, on the other hand, was stern and unyielding. It was not difficult to provoke Shammai and cause him to lose his temper, but Hillel was extremely patient and would never take offense. For example, when a prospective proselyte once came to Shammai asking to be converted and making preposterous requests, Shammai became exasperated and pushed him away, while Hillel accepted him cordially and warmly.

The significance of lighting Chanukah candles on the outside, when it is dark, is that the "street" which is dark - alien to Torah and sometimes even actively hostile to Torah - must be illuminated and be converted into a "friendly domain" and become an ally to the authentic Torah philosophy.

The Sages of Shammai and Hillel have diverse opinions as to how this is accomplished, based on the two different approaches to serving Hashem. One approach is "Sur mei'ra" - "Turn away from - i.e. abandon" - evil, and the other is "Asei tov" - "Do good." The philosophy of "Sur mei'ra" is to vehemently fight evil until it is eradicated. The policy of "Asei tov" is to accentuate and intensify the doing of good until the evil is overpowered and eventually dissipates by itself.

Beit Shammai favors the "Sur mei'ra" approach. This is comparable to strategy in a war: the initial attack has to be fierce and overwhelming, and once the enemy is destroyed, all that is necessary is to clean up the remnants. Similarly, with the "Sur mei'ra" approach the first attack must be devastating, and then once the enemy is shattered minor attacks follow till it is totally conquered. Therefore, they hold that to properly eradicate the enemy - the roaming forces that are alien to Torah and Yiddishkeit - at the outset a strong pillar of light is needed - eight candles. Once a breakthrough is made, the rest of the battle can be accomplished with less weaponry.

Beit Hillel, favors the "Asei tov" approach. Cognizant that a little bit of light dispels much darkness, they hold that one should always accentuate the good and add in one's activities little by little. Eventually, the antagonists will be so affected by the illumination that they will convert and totally join your forces.

The fifth night of Chanukah has a special significance in demonstrating the prevalence of the "Asei tov" approach over the Sur mei'ra" approach. This is the first night when following the approach of Beit Hillel results in more illumination on the Menorah, since we light five candles according to Beit Hillel and only four candles according to Beit Shammai. It is thus on this night that the approach of ever-increasing illumination overtakes the approach of constant decrease and the progression towards maximum illumination begins to prevail.

The study of Chassidut emphasizes the "Asei tov" approach, unlike Mussar - study of ethics - which follows the "Sur mei'ra" philosophy. Therefore, in Chassidic circles, the fifth night of Chanukah is considered an auspicious time.