‫בס”ד‬

# 54

A Collection of Inspiring Insights

‫חנוכה תשע"ב‬
Besamei HaTorah Chanukah 5772
…Beneath the Surface Compiled by: Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg
R’ Shmuel Winzelberg Chanukah Treasures
R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, zt”l, would say: An Inside Look
Chanukah means that the Chashmonayim rested from
their war on the 25th day of Kisleiv. This is alluded to in The Gemara (Shabbos 22a) states two teachings in the
the Torah in Parashas Bamidbar (33:29), where the name of R' Tanchum. The first is that it is halachically
journeys of Bnei Yisroel are listed. The 25th resting place unacceptable to place the Chanukah menorah higher than
that the Bnei Yisroel encamped in the desert— was twenty amos, just as a succah is pasul if the s'chach is higher
Chashmonah. than twenty amos. The very next teaching relates that when
Yosef was thrown into the pit by his brothers, there was no
Bonus Besamei HaTorah! water in it; however, it was filled with snakes and scorpions.
R’ Naftoli M'Rapshitz once explained the pasuk in What could be the possible connection between these two
Bereishis (43:34), ‫ותרב משאת בנימן ממשאת כלם חמש‬ ideas? Rav Meir Shapiro, zt"l, explains that when Reuven
‫ידות‬, and Binyamin’s portion was greater than the was trying to save Yosef from his brother's plot to kill him,
portions of all of them fivefold. In the tefilah of Al he suggested throwing him in the pit with the intention to
secretly rescue him and return him to Yaakov. However,
HaNissim that we say on Chanukah, we give thanks to
what type of plan could Reuven have had by throwing Yosef
Hashem for ‫חמש ידות‬, five hands: ‫מסרת גיבורים‬ into a pit full of dangerous animals?! They could have killed
,‫ וטמאים ביד טהורים‬,‫ ורבים ביד מעטים‬,‫ביד חלשים‬ him! The answer must be that Reuven didn’t see the snakes
‫ורשאים ביד צדיקים וזדים ביד עוסקי תורתך‬, You delivered and scorpions, because otherwise he never would have cast
the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into Yosef into them. The reason for this is because the pit was
the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the deeper than twenty amos (as is learned from Tosafos Yom
pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous and the Tov in Mesechta Tamid), and that is too much of a distance
wanton into the hands of the diligent students of Your for one's eyes to see well. We can now understand the
Torah. This is all alluded to in the Torah in Parashas teachings of R' Tanchum. The Chanukah menorah may not
Mikeitz, which invariably falls out on Shabbos be placed higher than twenty amos, since one's eyes can't see
that far very well, and he will be unable to notice what is
Chanukah!
there. It is now understandable as well why Reuven wanted
Chanukah Thoughts to throw Yosef into the pit. Since its bottom was greater than
twenty amos away, he couldn’t tell that there were snakes
Ideas and Reflections and scorpions there! Indeed, R' Tanchum was teaching that
the two ideas are conneted.
By: Rabbi Aron Moshe Jacobsohn
The Ran (Rabbeinu Nissim, Shabbos 21b) explains that the name Chanukah is a blend of two words—
chanu, and chaf-hey (‫)חנוכה = חנו כ"ה‬, which means, they rested on the twenty-fifth. This is a reference to the
Chashmonayim, and their rest from battle on the 25th of the month of Kisleiv. According to this
explanation, why would we celebrate the resting after the war, and not our military success? Shouldn’t we
celebrate our miraculous victory, and not the cessation of battle? Rav Chaim Friedlander (Sifsei Chaim)
explains that when celebrating a victory, what is celebrated is how the enemy was defeated. However, that
was not the point here. The battle and its success was only a conduit to be able to serve Hashem in peace.
Therefore, the main point of the battle was the resting afterwards, and not the actual victory.

The Siddur Speaks
A Closer Look at Davening
‫ וקבעו שמונת ימי חמוכה‬,‫והדליקו נרות בחצרות קדשך‬
(‫)תפלת על הנסים‬
And they lit lights in Your holy courtyards,
and established Chanukah for eight days.
In Al HaNissim, we describe how after the Bais
HaMikdash was reclaimed, the Chashmonayim lit the
menorah in its courtyard and the lights burned for eight
days. The Chasam Sofer teaches that this lends itself to
possibly answer the famous question of the Bais Yosef, that
if there was actually enough oil to last for one day, why do
we celebrate Chanukah for eight days? The miracle of the
oil burning only occurred for seven days, since there was a
sufficient amount of oil for the entire first day! The Chasam
Sofer answers that when the Chashmonayim entered the
Bais HaMikdash after conquering the Greeks, the entire
Sanctuary was contaminated and defiled, and it needed to be
cleansed and purified. It was also filled with idols and was
no place for the holy menorah to be lit. therefore, they
moved the menorah to the outside courtyard and lit it there,
where the entire nation witnessed it burn for eight days. It is
known, though, that oil does not burn the same outside as it
does indoors. Due to winds and weather conditions, the oil
burned much faster outside than it would have if it were
inside the Bais HaMikdash. The sole, pure jar of oil that
they found contained sufficient oil to be burned for one day
indoors, not outside— and despite this, it not only lasted the
entire first day, but it burned for a consecutive eight days—
outdoors! Therefore, the first day of Chanukah was indeed
included in the special miracle. This is why we say in Al
HaNissim that they lit the menorah in the holy courtyards,
to teach us that it was lit outdoors, and not in the Sanctuary,
and therefore, they established Chanukah for eight days,
and not seven, since even the first day was included in the
miracle!
Pearls of Wisdom …A Word for the Ages
R’ Shalom Mordechai Schwadron, zt”l, in his sefer
Lev Shalom, asks, "Why was there no seudas mitzvah,
a designated festive meal associated with the Yom Tov
of Chanukah?" He answers, "If there would be a
seudas mitzvah, then Chanukah would take on a
physical nature, while the whole essence of
Chanukah is spiritual."
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‫בס"ד‬
L’Maaseh…
A Tale to Remember
Prior to World War II, Rabbi Yisroel Spira, the Bluzhever
Rebbe, was the rav in Galicia. After the war broke out, he
was captured and transported to Bergen-Belsen, a
concentration camp. There, the Rebbe worked very hard
to help other Jews in any way that he could, and everyone in
the camp quickly began to treat him with much respect. One
year, as Chanukah approached, the prisoners in Bergen-
Belsen had no candles or oil to light for Chanukah, and they
turned to the Bluzhever Rebbe for advice. They did not want
to miss the mitzvah of lighting the menorah on Chanukah,
even though there was great risk involved, since any practice
of Judaism earned a sentence of death from the Nazis, ys"v.
The Rebbe somehow managed to get a little shoe polish, and
realized that it was oil-based which could be used as oil. By
taking a few strands from his clothing he was able to twist
them together and make a wick. Word quickly spread that the
the Bluzhever Rebbe would be lighting the menorah for
anyone who would like to observe, and late on the first night
of Chanukah, everyone gathered quietly around the Rebbe.
They were all terrified that the Nazis might find out what they
were doing and punish them, but that didn’t stop anyone. The
Rebbe set up his make-shift menorah with the shoe polish and
wick, and quietly said the brachos. However, when he
reached the brachah of Shehechiyanu, he paused, turned
around to look at everyone who had gathered, and then turned
back to continue the brachah. Everyone answered amein, but
someone asked the Rebbe what made him pause before the
brachah of Shehechiyanu? The Bluzhever Rebbe responded,
"The truth is that I had trouble saying Shehechiyanu with
simchah, since in that brachah we thank Hashem for keeping
us alive to experience this moment. I thought to myself, 'How
can I thank Hashem for this? We are all so hungry and scared
for our lives!' But when I looked around at everyone gathered
here and saw so many people who risked their lives to come
see the lighting of a menorah, I became very happy! I was
able to say Shehechiyanu, thanking Hashem for keeping me
alive to see the greatness of the Jewish people— a people
who never give up and try their very best to keep Hashem's
mitzvos, even in the most dire of situations. Great people like
this will surely overcome this horrendous ordeal, and will one
day rebuild their lives!" Many years later, the Bluzhever
Rebbe received a letter. It was from a man who was present at
that secret Chanukah candle lighting in the concentration
camp. He wrote, "Rebbe, I just wanted to let you know that
on that night when you lit the menorah and explained your
joy over being able to say the brachah of Shehechiyanu,
you saved my life. I did indeed rebuild my family and I
wanted to thank you, because I was ready to give up!”
 ‫בס”ד‬

# 55

A Collection of Inspiring Insights

‫ חנוכה תשע"ב‬- ‫ שבת מברכים‬- ‫פרשת מקץ‬

Besamei HaTorah Parashas Mikeitz - Shabbos Mevorchim 5772
…Beneath the Surface
Shabbos Chanukah
R’ Shmuel Winzelberg Rosh Chodesh Teiveis is on Monday & Tuesday
‫יתן לכם רחמים לפני האיש ושלח לכם את אחיכם אחר‬ Compiled by: Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg
(‫יד‬:‫)מג‬

And may Hashem grant you mercy before the man

Staten Island Z’manim
and may he release to you your other brother (43:14)

Rashi explains: ‫את אחיכם – זה שמעון‬, Your Brother –

this is Shimon; ‫אחר – רוח הקודש נזרקה בו לרבות‬
‫יוסף‬, Other – the Holy Spirit spread out in him to include
Yosef. Through Ruach HaKodesh, Yaakov was able to
ascertain that all the brothers would be united
including Yosef. Additionally, using Ruach HaKodesh,
Yaakov was also able to determine the coming of
Moshiach ben Yosef. The last letters of the
words ‫רחמים לפני האיש ושלח‬, when rearranged, spell
out ‫משיח‬.
(Chaim Shel Torah quoting Likutei Mesamchei Lev)
Parshah Thoughts
Ideas and Reflections
Rabbi Aron Moshe Jacobsohn
In this week's parshah (41:39-40), Pharaoh
appoints Yosef as his second-in-command based on
the interpretion of his puzzling dreams. R’ Chaim
Shmuelevitz was bothered with this. Why should
interpreting a dream suffice to warrant a position in
leadership? He answers that throughout their
conversation, Pharaoh noticed that Yosef had Yiras
Shamayim, Fear of Heaven. When a person is always
focused on, and involved with, a Higher Authority—
Hashem, they are unable to be influenced by anyone
and will be unwavering in their convictions and
decisions. This is a quality of leadership and is what
Pharaoh saw that made Yosef fit for the position.
Nothing can sway a person when he is trying to do
what is correct.
Candle Lighting: 4:15
Sof Z’man Krias Shema:
Mogen Avraham: 9:01 / Gra: 9:37
Sof Z’man Tefillah (Shacharis): 10:23
Havdalah: Tzeis HaKochavim: 5:20
Rabbeinu Tam (72 minutes): 5:47
Next Week: Vayigash
Candle Lighting: 4:20
Shabbos Treasures
The Precious Gift of Shabbos
When we meet others on Shabbos, we shouldn’t greet
them in the same way that we would on the weekday,
rather, we should use greetings that are special for
Shabbos. This can even be done in any language, not only
in Hebrew. The Mishnah Brurah teaches (307:5) that by
saying ‘Gut Shabbos!’ to someone, it is a way to do the
mitzvah of zachor es yom ha’Shabbos, remembering
Shabbos.
Pearls of Wisdom …A Word for the Ages
Whoever seeks Divine mercy for his friend and davens for
him while he is also in need of that very same thing, he
will be answered first by Hashem and have his need
fulfilled. (Bava Kamma 92a)

The Siddur Speaks
A Closer Look at Davening
(‫ה‬:‫מה טובו אהליך יעקב משכנותיך ישראל )במדבר כד‬
How good are your tents, Yaakov, your dwelling places,
<
Yisroel. (Bamidbar 24:5) Part XV
The Maharal (Chidushei Agados) says that the tents and
dwelling places which are referred to in this pasuk, are
specifically designated for kedushah, holiness. The Gemara
(Sanhedrin 105b) expounds that it is a reference to shuls and
batei midrashos, for as long as there are places to learn Torah
and daven, the Shechinah (Divine Presence) will be found within
Yisrael, as it says in Pesikta D'Rav Kahana (28) that as long as
Klal Yisroel davens, the Shechinah will be amongst them. The
same applies to batei midrashos as well. From the time the Bais
HaMikdash was destroyed, Hashem could be within reach
through learning, as it says in Brachos (8a), the Holy One,
Blessed is He, has nothing in His world except for the four amos
(cubits) of Halachah.
According to the Alshich (Toras Moshe), this pasuk teaches
us how we can bring Shechinah and Divine influence to attach
itself to Klal Yisroel. It is either through the Ohel Mo'eid in the
Mishkan or through the Bais HaMikdash. There is no limit to
how high a level one can reach in these places since they are
aligned directly opposite with the Sha'ar HaShamayim, the Gate
to Heaven! This is the most direct channel for the flow of
Heavenly influence to come through. Nowadays, when we
unfortunately have no Bais HaMikdash, the closest thing we
have to that is our shuls and batei midrash. By attaching
ourselves to these holy places as much as we can, we can cause
Hashem's many brachos to come down to us.
B’Kitzur…
<
A Quick Look at Hilchos Tefilah
In Birchas HaShachar, the Morning Blessings, the
brachah of HaNosein LaSechvi Binah, He (Hashem) gives
understanding to the heart (also means: rooster), should
not be said until daybreak. (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 7:2)
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‫בס"ד‬
V’halachtah B’drachav
The Ways of Hashem
<
Working on our Middos
The pasuk (Eikev 10:12) says ‘Yisrael, what does Hashem ask of
you? Only to fear Hashem, to go in all His ways, to love Him, and to
,
serve Him with all your heart and all your soul’. To fear Hashem,
says Sforno, is to know Hashem’s Greatness. Or HaChaim,
ha'kadosh, explains that fear of Hashem is the entranceway to enter
the Gates of Ahavah, love, which is an even higher level— that of
loving Hashem. Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, zt”l, says that the
word yirah, fear, has the same root as the word roeh, to see. The
point of yiras Hashem is to bring one to see Hashem more clearly.
Many siddurim cite a minhag from the Sefer Yireim, that it is
recommended to say Parashas HaYirah (Devarim 10:12-11:9) each
and every day. After recital of this parshah, some add an additional
tefilah: ‘May it be Your will Hashem that You embed Your love and
fear in my heart and in the hearts of all Bnei Yisroel, Your people, to
fear Your Great, Mighty, and Awesome Name, with all our hearts,
and all our souls, a fear for the loftiness of the Infinite One. May
Your Name be blessed and uplifted, for You are Great, and Awesome
is Your Name! Amein, Selah!
L’Maaseh…
A Tale to Remember
As a young girl, Rebbetzin Sarah Schenirer was always interested in
intellectual pursuits and tried to learn as many seforim as she could, as
long as it had a Yiddish translation. Her learning separated her from
others, as most girls her age were looking for the lastest novels and other
forms of entertainment. It always bothered her that there was no proper
environment or educational system in place for the young women, and
she noticed that people were falling off the path of religiosity. When
World War I broke out, Sarah Schenirer went to Vienna and worked as a
seamstress to make a living. She took her role of being a Daughter of
Israel very seriously, but constantly thought of how she could help
others realize this legacy. On Shabbos Chanukah, Sarah Schenirer went
to shul and heard the Rav speak. Rabbi Dr. Plesh spoke of Matisyahu
and the Chashmonayim; of Chanah and her seven sons; and of Yehudis.
Sarah Schenirer felt a new inspiration and enthusiasm from his words,
and felt a drive inside her to reach out to others. She started giving
lectures for women, but soon realized that it was very difficult to get
new ideas based on Torah to be accepted, due to the great amount of
assimilation. It then occurred to her that to have the most success, she
should try to start teaching young girls, whose untainted neshamos were
still pure. There was much opposition and ridicule, but that did not sway
Sarah Schenirer. Her brother wrote a note on her behalf to the Belzer
Rebbe, asking for his advice regarding his sister's ventures to educate
the young Jewish daughters, the Bnos Yisrael, in the ways of Yahadus
and Torah, to which the Rebbe replied, "Brachah v'hatzlachah!"
(blessings and success!). Not only were these two words the only form
of encouragement that she had ever received, it gave her all the impetus
she needed. She continued to teach the young girls about their duties as
children of Hashem, and thereby started the Bais Yaakov Movement!
<
‫בתוך שאר חולי ישראל‬ ‫ רפאל שמואל בן שרה‬:‫לרפואה שלמה‬