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Here's a translation of the Likutay Halachos teaching on Chanukah, with an
emphasis on clarity and understanding:
Laws of Chanukah:
Halacha 1:
The Matter of Chanukah:
Based on what our Rabbi Nachman wrote
in the discourse beginning "Achawei Lan Mena D'la Shavya Lachabala"
in Likutay Moharan, Torah Teaching 25:
Every person must extract
themselves from the realm of imagination, which is the force of animalistic
desires, and ascend to the intellect, as explained there. Even after one
initially breaks the power of imagination, when one continues to ascend from level
to level, this power of imagination and all the confusions re-emerge, requiring
one to subdue it again. This subjugation is achieved through the revelation of
the greatness of the Creator, which is essentially through charity, as
explained there. And this is the intention of [the prayer “Hoadoo” in the
morning, between the first section of the prayer which is associated with the
world of ‘aseya’ – action, and the succeeding section which corresponds to the higher
world of ‘yitzeera’ – formation] "Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His
name," which is to elevate from the level of action to formation.
Therefore, we mention the greatness of the Creator to subdue these forces, as
explained there.
Part A:
This is the aspect of Chanukah,
which is the first illumination of the year (as mentioned in the books),
symbolizing the beginning of a person's education in divine service. The term
"Chanukah" [-the root is ‘chinuch’] signifies that a person is being
educated in the service of the Blessed God. It's impossible to begin serving
God without first waging war against the power of imagination as mentioned
above. This is analogous to the war against idolaters before Chanukah, which
was the wicked kingdom of idolaters who wanted to erase the Torah of God and
make people transgress His laws. This is the aspect of the power of
imagination, the animalistic force, which spreads over a person, trying to
obstruct and divert him from the Torah of God, Heaven forbid, as written in
Daniel 8, "And the he-goat became very great..." (in the apparition
this animal represented Yuvun - Greece, and Chanuka is a celebration of
defeating and surmounting them).
After overcoming this evil
kingdom and breaking the power of imagination as mentioned, one begins to light
the Chanukah lights, meaning one merits to ascend to the intellect, which is
like the lit candle, as discussed in the discourse "Patah Rabbi Shimon"
(Likutay Moharan, Torah Teaching 60). Each day one adds more, because one
cannot remain on one level; rather, one must increase holiness in the soul
daily, and the intellect must grow daily. This is reflected in the practice of
adding a candle each day, where the first candle remains lit throughout all
days. When lighting on the second night, the two candles are for the first and
second nights, and so forth. Hence, the first candle of the first night
accompanies all the subsequent nights' candles, reflecting what our Rabbi wrote
(in Likutay Moharan, Torah Teaching 62) that all beginnings are difficult
because they involve moving from one opposite to another. However, once one
begins to progress and sanctify more, all the work of the subsequent days gains
strength from that initial beginning, similar to fasting, or the Tetragrammaton
written ‘in reverse’ [meaning there is a cycle of increment each time reverting
to start from the beginning and then adding a letter, as in: a, ab, abc, abcd],
where the first letter accompanies all others, like "Yud, Yud Kay,
Yud," etc. This is the essence of Chanukah lights; we start with one
candle and then add one more each day, showing that the first candle's light
extends through all the days, because all days receive strength from the
beginning of the educational process in divine service, the first ascent to
intellect, which is the first candle of Chanukah. Each day as the intellect
increases, all days receive strength from that beginning, as all beginnings are
difficult, as mentioned above. And this is why we say Hallel during Chanukah,
as an aspect of praising the Blessed God to reveal the greatness of the
Creator, to subdue the power of imagination that re-emerges each time one tries
to ascend from level to level, as mentioned above.
Part B:
This is the aspect of charity,
where we increase giving money during Chanukah to the poor, to break the power
of imagination at every level through the revelation of different colors, which
is the revelation of the Creator's greatness through charity, as mentioned
above. This also relates to the games that even the ancient righteous practiced
during Chanukah with permissible forms of play (but due to our many sins, today
this often leads to transgression, as people engage in forbidden play), which
is about lowering oneself to a state of smallness to then ascend to the next
level, in the aspect of "descent for the sake of ascent," as
mentioned. Because during Chanukah, we ascend from level to level, in the
aspect of increasing day by day as mentioned above.
This translation almost completely
by Grok, aims to convey the spiritual and symbolic meanings of Chanukah as
described in the Likutay Halachos, focusing on the battle against one's lower
instincts, the growth of intellect and holiness, and the practices that embody
these teachings.
Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman
הִלְכוֹת
חֲנֻכָּה:
הֲלָכָה א:
עִנְיַן
חֲנֻכָּה:
עַל-פִּי מַה
שֶּׁכָּתַב רַבֵּנוּ בַּמַּאֲמָר הַמַּתְחִיל אַחֲוֵי לָן מְנָא דְּלָא שַׁוְיָא
לְחַבָּלָא בְּסִימָן כה:
שֶׁצָּרִיךְ
כָּל אָדָם לְהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא כֹּחַ הַבַּהֲמִיּוּת,
שֶׁהֵם הַתַּאֲווֹת כֻּלָּם, וְלַעֲלוֹת אֶל הַשֵּכֶל, עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְאַחַר
כָּךְ, אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁמְּשַׁבֵּר הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כְּשֶׁחוֹזֵר לַעֲלוֹת
מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא, אֲזַי מִתְפַּשֵּׁט שֵׁנִית כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה וְכָל
הַבִּלְבּוּלִים, וְצָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְהַכְנִיעָם, וְהַכְנָעָה הוּא עַל-יְדֵי
הִתְגַּלּוּת גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא, דְּהַיְנוּ צְדָקָה, עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְזֶהוּ
כַּוָּנַת הוֹדוּ לַה' קִרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁהוּא כְּדֵי לַעֲלוֹת מֵעֲשִׂיָּה
לִיצִירָה, עַל-כֵּן מַזְכִּירִין גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא כְּדֵי לְהַכְנִיעָן,
עַיֵּן שָׁם:
וְזֶה
בְּחִינַת חֲנֻכָּה, שֶׁהוּא הֶאָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה מִכָּל הַשָּׁנָה (כְּמוֹ
שֶׁמּוּבָא בַּסְּפָרִים , וְהִוא מְרַמֶּזֶת עַל הַתְחָלַת חִנּוּךְ הָאָדָם
בַּעֲבוֹדָה, וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן חֲנֻכָּה, שֶׁאָדָם מִתְחַנֵּךְ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם
יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַתְחִיל בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּי אִם
כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה מִלְחָמָה לְשַׁבֵּר כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה
כַּנַּ"ל, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת מִלְחֶמֶת עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁהָיָה קֹדֶם
חֲנֻכָּה, שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים הָרְשָׁעָה שֶׁרָצוּ
לְהַשְׁכִּיחַ תּוֹרַת ה' וּלְהַעֲבִירָם עַל חֻקֵּי רְצוֹנוֹ, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת
כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, כֹּחַ הַבַּהֲמִיּוּת, שֶׁמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט עַל הָאָדָם וְרוֹצֶה
לְמָנְעוֹ וּלְהַעֲבִירוֹ מִתּוֹרַת ה', חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב
(דָּנִיאֵל ח) וְהַצָּפִיר הַשָּעִיר וְכוּ'. וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁזּוֹכֶה
לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל מַלְכוּת הָרִשְׁעָה הַנַּ"ל וּלְשַׁבֵּר כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה
כַּנַּ"ל, אָז מַתְחִילִין לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁזּוֹכִין
לַעֲלוֹת אֶל הַשֵּכֶל שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת נֵר הַדּוֹלֵק, כַּמּוּבָא בַּמַּאֲמָר
פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן (בְּסִימָן ס). וּבְכָל יוֹם מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ, כִּי
אָסוּר לַעֲמֹד עַל מַדְרֵגָה אַחַת, רַק צָרִיךְ לְהוֹסִיף קְדֻשָּׁה בְּנַפְשׁוֹ
בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה שִׂכְלוֹ מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּכָל יוֹם
וָיוֹם, וְזֶה שֶׁמּוֹסִיפִין בְּכָל פַּעַם עַל הַנֵּר הָרִאשׁוֹן וְהַנֵּר
הָרִאשׁוֹן קַיָּם בְּכָל הַיָּמִים, כִּי כְּשֶׁמַּדְלִיק בְּלֵיל שֵׁנִי שְׁנֵי
נֵרוֹת הֵם כְּנֶגֶד לַיְלָה רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִיָּה, וְכֵן בְּלֵיל שְׁלִישִׁי
וְכוּ', נִמְצָא שֶׁהַנֵּר הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל לַיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הוֹלֶכֶת עִם
כָּל הַנֵּרוֹת שֶׁל כָּל הַלֵּילוֹת, זֶה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב רַבֵּנוּ
(בְּסִימָן סב) שֶׁכָּל הַתְחָלוֹת קָשׁוֹת, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא מֵהֵפֶךְ אֶל
הֵפֶךְ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כָּל מַה שֶּׁהוֹלֵךְ וּמִתְקַדֵּשׁ יוֹתֵר, כָּל
הָעֲבוֹדוֹת שֶׁל כָּל הַיָּמִים מְקַבְּלִים כֹּחַ מֵהַהַתְחָלָה, וְכֹחַ
הַהַתְחָלָה הוֹלֶכֶת עִם כָּל הַיָּמִים, בְּחִינַת תַּעֲנִית, בְּחִינַת שֵׁם
הֲוָיָה בָּאֲחוֹרַיִם, שֶׁאוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הוֹלֶכֶת עִם כָּל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת,
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין יוּ"ד יוּ"ד ק"י וְכוּ', וְזֶה בְּחִינַת
נֵרוֹת חֲנֻכָּה, שֶׁבִּתְחִלָּה מַדְלִיקִין נֵר אֶחָד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ א"ב,
וְאַחַר כָּךְ אב"ג, נִמְצָא שֶׁנֵּר רִאשׁוֹן הוֹלֶכֶת עִם כָּל הַיָּמִים,
כִּי כָּל הַיָּמִים מְקַבְּלִין כֹּחַ מִן הַתְחָלַת חִנּוּךְ הָעֲבוֹדָה
שֶׁהִתְחִיל לַעֲלוֹת אֶל הַשֵּכֶל שֶׁהוּא נֵר רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה, וְאַחַר
כָּךְ כָּל מַה שֶּׁשִּכְלוֹ מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּכָל יוֹם כָּל הַיָּמִים
מְקַבְּלִים כֹּחַ מֵהַהַתְחָלָה, כִּי כָּל הַהַתְחָלוֹת קָשׁוֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
וְזֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים הַלֵּל בַּחֲנֻכָּה, זֶה בְּחִינַת שֶׁבַח הַשֵּׁם
יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּדֵי לְגַלּוֹת גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, כְּדֵי
לְהַכְנִיעַ כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה שֶׁמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּכָל פַּעַם שֶׁרוֹצִין לַעֲלוֹת
מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא כַּנַּ"ל:
וְזֶה
בְּחִינַת הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁמַּרְבִּין לִתֵּן מָעוֹת חֲנֻכָּה לַעֲנִיִּים כְּדֵי
לְשַׁבֵּר כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה שֶׁבְּכָל מַדְרֵגָה עַל-יְדֵי הִתְגַּלּוּת
הַגְּוָנִין, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא שֶׁנִּתְגַּלִּין עַל-יְדֵי
צְדָקָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַצְּחוֹק שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹהֲגִים גַּם
הַקַּדְמוֹנִים הַצַּדִּיקִים לִשְׂחֹק בַּחֲנֻכָּה בְּמִינֵי שְׂחוֹק שֶׁל הֶתֵּר
(אַךְ שֶׁבַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים עַכְשָׁיו בָּאִין לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה, כִּי
מְשַׂחֲקִין בִּשְׂחוֹק שֶׁל אִסּוּר), זֶה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁמּוֹרִידִין עַצְמָן
לִבְחִינַת קַטְנוּת כְּדֵי לַעֲלוֹת אֶל הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה, בִּבְחִינַת
יְרִידָה תַּכְלִית הָעֲלִיָּה, כַּמּוּבָא, כִּי בַּחֲנֻכָּה עוֹלִין מִדַּרְגָּא
לְדַרְגָּא, בִּבְחִינַת מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ כַּנַּ"ל:
נ נח נחמ נחמן
מאומן
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