Chasidut su Salmi 119:130
פֵּ֖תַח דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ יָאִ֗יר מֵבִ֥ין פְּתָיִֽים׃
L'apertura delle Tue parole dà luce; dà comprensione ai semplici.
Likutei Halakhot
4. And this is the nature of the Chanukah candles. For Chanukah is a time of prayer and praise of the Blessed God, as it is written, “they established these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise etc.” For at that time, great miracles occurred and we say [the prayer] Al Hanissim (for all of the miracles) etc. And miracles are the quality of prayer which is beyond nature, as was explained above, and the main essence of prayer is truth, which is a light that shines to bring a person out of darkness, as explained above. And this is the quality of the Chanukah candles, which is the quality of “send Your light and Your truth etc.” (Psalms 43:3). For it is known that the miracle of Chanukah, and likewise all miracles that similarly occur in all periods and each and every year - that is, when the “wicked kingdom grew in power to cause them to forget Your Torah and to turn them away from Your desired laws.” And likewise in each and every individual in every time, when the Other Side grows in power and spreads itself out upon the individual, seeking to overcome them and prevent them from serving God in any which way, God forbid, and they said “write for yourselves on the horn of an ox that ‘you have no portion [with the God of Israel]’ etc.” then, there is no advice or strategy to save one’s soul other than [turning to] the truth. Meaning, that one ensures, according to their own level, to draw themselves only toward the truth of truth, and to look only to truth - in truth. And likewise in prayer, even if it is impossible for someone to pray at all, even so they may nonetheless seek to speak an utterance of prayer truthfully. And then the truth will illuminate a way for this person to lead them out of their darkness, as explained above. And this is the quality of the Chanukah candles, which is the quality of the light of truth, in the manner of “send Your light and Your truth etc.” (Psalms 43:3), as explained above. For by means of this one can step out of the darkness and be able to pray, which is the aspect of the days of Chanukah that were established [as days of] prayer, “to give thanks and praise” etc. And for this reason, the Chanukah candles [are positioned] lower than ten handbreadths, for the Shechina [Divine Presence] never lowered itself beneath ten [handbreadths], and therefore that is the place where they grab hold. And it is there specifically that we light the Chanukah candles close to the doorway, in the manner of “the opening of your words will shine, etc.” (Psalms 119:130) to show that it is specifically below ten handbreadths - in the very place that the Other Side grabs hold - that there too we can find the doorway to draw close to holiness through the light of truth. That we can draw the truth to there as well, and through the light of truth - which is the Chanukah candles - we can come close to the Blessed God in every place, even below ten handbreadths where there is no presence of the Shechina; there too we can find the opening by means of the light of truth...
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Mareh Yechezkel on Torah
Sermon on Parashat Bereshit
In Midrash Tehillim, it says, “’The beginning of Your words gives light’ (Psalms 119:130) – the beginning of Your words in the Creation was (Genesis 1:3), ‘Let there be light’; From there, ‘You make the fools understand,’ and they will begin with words of Torah” – and Rashi on Psalms cites this midrash. And it appears that his words can be elucidated according to the Mishnah (Avot 5:1), “With ten utterances the world was created, etc.” And see the book, Orchot Tzaddikim, as he explains that the teacher [of this mishnah] had two questions: One is, what was the benefit of having informed us that the world was created with ten utterances? And also, why was it created with ten utterances? And he answered about the first question, that an evildoer should know to be careful not to sin – for his punishment will be great, since he is destroying the world that was created with ten utterances. And about the second question, he answered that it is to give a goodly reward to the righteous. But that itself is difficult – why should the evildoer be punished with a severe punishment? As what does it matter that it was created with ten utterances, was He not able to have created it with one utterance? For if a craftsman makes a utensil in ten days that he could have made in a day, is his payment any greater as a result; and does one who breaks it have to pay any more? Likewise is it difficult – why should the righteous receive any more reward [as a result of this]? And see what he writes.
In Midrash Tehillim, it says, “’The beginning of Your words gives light’ (Psalms 119:130) – the beginning of Your words in the Creation was (Genesis 1:3), ‘Let there be light’; From there, ‘You make the fools understand,’ and they will begin with words of Torah” – and Rashi on Psalms cites this midrash. And it appears that his words can be elucidated according to the Mishnah (Avot 5:1), “With ten utterances the world was created, etc.” And see the book, Orchot Tzaddikim, as he explains that the teacher [of this mishnah] had two questions: One is, what was the benefit of having informed us that the world was created with ten utterances? And also, why was it created with ten utterances? And he answered about the first question, that an evildoer should know to be careful not to sin – for his punishment will be great, since he is destroying the world that was created with ten utterances. And about the second question, he answered that it is to give a goodly reward to the righteous. But that itself is difficult – why should the evildoer be punished with a severe punishment? As what does it matter that it was created with ten utterances, was He not able to have created it with one utterance? For if a craftsman makes a utensil in ten days that he could have made in a day, is his payment any greater as a result; and does one who breaks it have to pay any more? Likewise is it difficult – why should the righteous receive any more reward [as a result of this]? And see what he writes.
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