Chanukah, Illuminating Rabbi Meir’s Olive

"And you shall eat, be satiated and bless Hashem your Lord over the good Land (i.e. the Holy Land) in which He has given to you" (Devarim 8:10).

Rav Avira stated... the Heavenly angels questioned Hashem regarding a seeming contradiction that appears in the Holy Torah: "On the one hand You wrote - 'I am a Lord who will not show favor [in judgement]' (Devarim 10:17), but on the other hand You also wrote - 'Hashem will show favor to you' (BaMidbar 6:26)? The Holy One answered them: "How can I not show favor to the Jewish people? For I have written in the Torah 'you shall eat, be satiated and [then] bless Hashem your Lord', and yet they already bless me after eating even an olive's worth (approx. 30 grams) and an eggs worth (approx. 60 grams) [which is much less than their being fully satiated]!" (Berakhot 20b).

With this source Rabbi Meir established the law of reciting a blessing after eating just an olive's worth of food (i.e. 30 grams), while Rabbi Yehudah established the blessing only after an egg's worth (i.e. 60 grams). Jewish law rules in accordance to the opinion of Rabbi Meir - an olive's worth.

Since food is what keeps body and soul together, it goes to say that when this act is conducted properly and in balance (i.e. not to overeat) it enables a true existence and perspective in life. Thus an olive's worth (i.e. 30 grams) even though not at all satisfying, is enough already to give the soul productive energy to use in the performance of Mitzvot.

And when after eating even such a minimal intake of food, one then uses this energy to say words of praise and glory to Hashem - this then activates the reciprocal praise and glory that Hashem takes in the Jewish nation. With this, Hashem, as it were, gives over the heavens and earth in their hands so that they can guide and direct nature according to their own will, thus leading to "super-natural" wonders and miracles taking place. This results in people "seeing" the glory and splendor of Hashem hidden behind creation, which is the general attitude and lifestyle of truly living in the Holy Land - the Land of Israel.

(For more insights and development of these ideas, please listen to the following audio series: Likutey Moharan lesson #47)

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Based on all this, we can understand a more profound insight and depth in the miracle of the Chanukah story, message and festival:

The Menorah served to illuminate the rest of the world with the light and Divine favor that was generated through all of the holy items and devotions performed in the Holy Temple. 

This involved the High priest lighting the Menorah daily with pure and untainted "olive" oil. This was specifically used to show and demonstrate to the entire world that the goal of the Holy Temple is basically to reveal Hashem's Divine favor in this mundane world of concealment, and that this can also be achieved on a personal level through minimizing one's food intake to even an "olive's worth", and then to praise Hashem using this energy.

Thus, it was specifically the High priest who lit the olive oil Menorah lamp, since "Hashem will show favor to you" - which is generated by eating and blessing Hashem even after an "olive's worth" - is part of the priestly blessings (above BaMidbar 6:26).

However, the Greeks sought to undermine this glory, trying to take away from the Jewish people their ability to reveal and even "control" Hashem's Divine favor. With their decrees to prevent the Jews from observing Shabbat, sanctifying the New Moon, and performing the Mitzvah of circumcision - 3 events in life which reflect the pride and glory of Hashem in His holy nation - the Greeks hoped to throw the Jews into a spiritual "panic". With this accomplished, they hoped to "stress-out" the Jewish nation, which would eventually affect the quality and quantity of their eating, thus blemishing the "olive's worth" of their sustenance. 

This is hinted to in the Hebrew work for Greece - Yavan - which is etymologically similar to quicksand - Yeven Metzula: by making the Jews sink into a spiritual "quicksand", this would cause them to lose control and thus eat whatever and however etc., thus leading to the concealment of Hashem's Divine favor.

Due to this, Matityahu the High priest along with his five sons - all Cohanim/priests - felt the heavy responsibility to restore the nations ability to reactivate Hashem's Divine favor, since it was their responsibility to bless the nation with this blessing (above BaMidbar 6:26).

This led to the "super-natural" victory of this small Macabee/Cohanim army over the massive Greek empire. For these weren't your regular weaponed-trained soldiers! Matityahu and his sons were tzadikkim of the highest caliber totally immersed in the holiness and service of the Holy Temple. Thus they went out to battle with the blessing of "Hashem will show favor to you".

When the victory was won and the Cohanim gained full control again over the Holy Temple, one of the first things they looked for was pure "olive oil" to rekindle again the Menorah. And yes, the next miracle was that they found a container of pure and untainted olive oil sealed with the insignia of the High priest! Since this was the whole purpose of the Temple - to illuminate the world with Divine Favor through Rabbi Meir's "olive's worth" - it was considered a big miracle.

The next miracle was that the olive oil was only enough to kindle the Menorah for one day, yet it continued to burn for a total of 8 days. The number 8 corresponds to the eighth Sefirah (spritual energy from Above) called Hod-Glory. For when Divine Favor is revealed through super-natural miracles this leads to both the glory of Hashem and the Jewish nation to be revealed. 

With all this, it is now understood why Torah law states that it is best to use "olive oil" to light the Chanukah candles  - i.e. to reveal Rabbi Meir's "olive's" worth.

For this reason too, the only thing permitted to do with the Chanukah lights is to "look" at them (as opposed to using their light to read a book etc.). This looking is basically "seeing" the revealed glory and splendor of Hashem and the Jewish people which is re-revealed through the Chanukah festival every year.

In line with all this we see why the days of Chanukah are called days of praise and thanksgiving. For with the awareness of the "olive's worth" activated, leading people to become properly concerned and aware of keeping in-check their quality and quantity of eating, this also results in properly praising and thanking Hashem for the sustenance that He gives us.

For this reason also, Torah law states that if words of praise and thanks to Hashem are recited in any meal prepared during the Chanukah festival, it becomes a Mitzvah to partake of that meal - i.e. that the food eaten then is in the category of Rabbi Meir's "olive worth" of food (even though one actually eats more than 30 grams of food during this meal).

May we truly merit this year to connect to the powerful light and awareness generated by the Chanukah candles, and may we be inspired to begin again to enhance the holy quality of our eating, as this is the main means of revealing Hashem's special love to the Jewish nation, Amen.

(For an audio class on these ideas, please follow: chanukah-illuminating-rabbi-meirs-olive)

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As Chanukah is a special time for sending support to the needy (known in Yiddish as "Chanukah Gelt"), if you would like to send support for families in need here in Yerushalayim (including me and my family), please follow this paypal link: CHANUKAH SUPPORT. As a token of appreciation for your support, please also submit your full Hebrew name (if applicable) and mother's name, and I will (bli neder) add your name to my 40 day davening list which also includes sporadic prayers at the Holy Cites here in the Holy Land.

SHALOM AND CHANUKAH SAMEACH

Meir Elkabas