The Jew Shines Alone
based on a ma’amar by Rebbe Shaul Yedidya Elazar in Yisa Bracha
“Haneiros halalu kodesh hein, v’ein lanu r’shus l’hishtamesh bahen, elah lirosan bilvad – These candles are holy, and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to gaze upon them” [from the Chanuka candle-lighting nusach]
There is verse in Bamidbar [23:9] that says, “Hein am l’vadad yishkon – Behold, they [the Jews] are a people that shall dwell alone”. The Midrash [Shemos Rabba, 15:7] explains that all the letters of the alphabet have a “partner”, except for the letters of the word “hein”. That is, if you take an Aleph, numerical value of 1, and pair it with a Tes, numerical value 9, you arrive at 10. This works similarly with Beis [2] and Ches [8], and so on. When you get to Heh [5], the only way it can arrive at 10 is to pair with itself. Following this through in the double-digit numbers, Yud and Tzadi, Chaf and Peh, also give you 100 [10 times 10]. When you get up to Nun [50], again you cannot find a “match,” and must pair it with itself.
The Midrash goes on to inform us that Hashem says, “Just like these two letters have no partner with any letter other than themselves, so too the Jewish people – they cannot join up with the non-Jewish nations, but only with each other, they must be separate, as it says, “Hein am l’vadad yishkon, uvagoyim lo yischashav.” Reb Shaul points out that that’s the significance of the word “vadad” [alone] as well, since its numerical value [beis, daled, daled] is 10. Therefore, when the Jews are alone, only joined to one another – they achieve achdus [unity].
Therefore on Chanuka, when we light the candles we say, “Haneiros halalu kodesh hein” – the Jewish people are likened to a candle, which gives light. “V’ein lanu r’shus l’hishtamesh bahen – we are not allowed to make use of them”, meaning, they are not to be utilized by others, or intermingled. “Elah lirosan bilvad – but to see them alone” — to see to it that they remain alone, as in the verse, “Behold, they [the Jews] are a people that shall dwell alone” [as cited above], separate and unto themselves.
Reb Shaul then tells us that it’s with this power of separation that the Jewish people can withstand and survive the influence of the nations of the world. The Jewish people are compared to fire, as in the recent Haftorah [Ovadiah, 1:18], “And the House of Jacob shall be fire”. The nations are compared to water, as the Midrash [Shemos Rabba, 49:1] explains that “Mayim Rabim [many waters]” refers to the nations, citing the verse [Yeshayahu, 17:12], “Woe to the multitude of many peoples, who make a noise like that of the seas.” When water comes together with fire, it extinguishes the fire. But when there is a barrier [such as a pot] between them, then we see the opposite – that the fire dominates [boils] the water.
Translators note: This can also be seen in that the Jews are compared to a candle. On Chanuka, we strive to kindle the menorah with olive oil. Oil, when mixed with water, separates itself and rises to the surface. So it is with the Jews [compared to a candle, as above] and the rest of the nations.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid