Chanukah, as we’ve mentioned previously, was dedicated for Avodah Sh’BeLev- work of the heart.
Avodat Hashem, serving G-d, is different than regular work. There is a famous line that we say at a Siyum Masechet:
הם עמלים ואנו עמלים. הם עמלים ואינם מקבלים שכר. אנו עמלים ומקבלים שכר
They toil and we toil. They toil and don’t get reward. We toil and get reward.
The obvious question is, doesn’t everyone get rewarded for their toil? Who works for free? The answer is that in the outside world, you only get paid for your accomplishments. If you work but don’t deliver, you don’t get paid. If the tailor couldn’t do your cuffs, or the painter couldn’t paint the ceiling, they don’t get paid. They get paid for the bottom line, not for the toil. But Hashem pays us for our efforts.
What does this have to do with Chanukah?
Our rabbis tell us that the Greeks introduced competitive spots, such as the Olympics. Competitive sports are all about the final outcome- winning. Second place is nice but only the winning team takes home the trophy. You don’t get the trophy for trying. This is contrary to Avodat Hashem, in which G-d pays us for our effort. G-d doesn’t tell us to accomplish, He says to do and to try. This lesson is found in one of the Mizmorim we say when we light the Chanukah candles.
מזמר שיר חנוכת הבית לדוד
A mizmor, a song for the Hanukat HaBayit of David....
Why does it say the Hanukat Habayit of David?? David HaMelech wasn’t there for that. It was Shelomo HaMelech who built the Bet HaMikdash. It should be the Mizmor for Shelomo!
The answer is, who prepared for the Bet HaMikdash? Who wanted, and yearned for it? Although David HaMelech wasn’t there for actual building, he made the effort. He had the toil, the wanting and the effort, and that’s what counts.
It’s important to understand this principle, in order to be a proper Oved- Hashem (servant of Hashem) so that we don’t despair or give up when we can’t accomplish.
Chacham Ovadia Yosef gives a beautiful teshuva (response) related to this concept in his sefer Yabia Omer, vol 4, on the topics of the Or HaChaim, siman 13.
A question was asked: When there are celebrations in a shul, such as a Brit Milah, or a Hatan, there are changes to the tefila, such as not saying Tahanunim. This also applies if there’s a siyyum Masechet in the shul. When a group of simple, working men finished a Masechet, and made a Siyum, the question was posed as to whether their Siyum should be celebrated the same way it was done 400 years ago. Could their siyyum also count for making changes to the prayers? These men probably didn’t review and they probably wouldn’t pass on test on the Masechet. So, does it count?
Hacham Ovadia answered, based on a quote from Rav Chaim Vital, student of the Arizal who said that the Arizal told him:
דע לך כי און גדולת הנפש תלויה כפי מעשה אדם רק כפי הזמן ודור ההוא
You should know that the greatness of a soul is not dependent on the person’s actions, but it is dependent on the times he’s living in.
כי מעשה קטן מאד בדור הזה שקול בכמה מצוות גדולות בדור אחרים
A very small activity in this generation weighs in like many great mitzvot from the older generations.
כי בדורות אלו הקליפה גברה מאד מאד
Because in our generation the negative forces are very, very, strong.
This was said 400 years go in Sfat, and they thought the Yetzer Hara was so strong then. Imagine today!
Hacham Ovadia says this is especially true in our generation. Therefore, the work and effort of those men was definitely worthy of the celebration.
This is one of the fundamentals to walk away with on Chanukah, to give us hizuk in our Avodah: Every ounce of effort we put in counts. G-d celebrates our effort.
When they built the Mishkan, the pasuk says that there was “Dayo V’Hoter: Enough material and too much.” How can that be? The Or HaChaim explains that G-d made a miracle. Everything that they brought got used. It all went in to the Mishkan, even if it seemed like there was too much.
Everything goes in. G-d celebrates your efforts.
We can see this with the miracle of Chanukah. How was it that the oil burned for eight days if it was only one jug?
There really was eight days worth of oil in the jug. Hashem took into account the people’s feelings and efforts, and so, where they saw only one jug, G-d saw eight! That’s something we can’t measure. Only G-d can measure the amelut and effort that we put in.
Have a great day.