Chasidut · Breslov
Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 4:12/ליקוטי הלכות·
אוְעַל־כֵּן הָיָה הַנֵּס שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה עַל־יְדֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים, כִּי הַכֹּהֵן הוּא בְּחִינַת חֶסֶד (זהר נשא קמה:), בְּחִינַת אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה חוֹתְכִין אֶת הַמַּלְכוּת מֵהָאַרְבַּע מַלְכֻיּוֹת, וּמְחַיִּין אוֹתָהּ מֵאוֹר הַפָּנִים שֶׁמֵּאִיר בְּשָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים, כַּנַּ״ל.
1CHANUKAH AND THE BEIT HAMIKDASHHaving earlier taught that chesed frees Malkhut from the malkhut of the Greek Empire—i.e. freeing lower wisdom from the influence of extraneous wisdom—so it can be invigorated with the Ohr HaPanim, Reb Noson here links chesed and the Ohr HaPanim with two key components of the Chanukah miracle: the Kohanim and the Beit HaMikdash.Therefore the miracle of Chanukah, the triumph of the Malkhut of holiness over the Four Kingdoms, came about specifically through the Kohanim. For the Kohen represents chesed, corresponding to Avraham, the personification of this trait. As discussed previously, through this revelation of chesed we sever Malkhut from the Four Kingdoms and vitalize it with life from the Ohr HaPanim that shines during the Shalosh Regalim.98
בוְעַל־כֵּן נִקְרָא חֲנֻכָּה – עַל שֵׁם חֲנֻכַּת בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁהָיָה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, כִּי עִקַּר אוֹר הַפָּנִים הוּא בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁלְּשָׁם עוֹלִין בָּרְגָלִים לְקַבֵּל אוֹר הַפָּנִים כַּנַּ״ל, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת חֲנֻכָּה – לְהַחֲיוֹת הַמַּלְכוּת מֵאוֹר הַפָּנִים, כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה לְהַשָּׂגַת אֱלֹקוּת, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר הַדְלָקַת נֵר חֲנֻכָּה, כַּנַּ״ל.
2Therefore this holiday is called Chanukah, after the chanukah, dedication, of the Beit HaMikdash that took place during that period.99 on Orach Chaim 670). For the main revelation of the Ohr HaPanim is in the Beit HaMikdash, to which the pilgrims would ascend on the Shalosh Regalim in order to receive the Ohr HaPanim.100 This is the concept of Chanukah, namely to infuse vitality into Malkhut from the Ohr HaPanim and thereby merit a perception of Godliness—this being the essence of lighting the Chanukah candles.