Chasidut · Breslov
Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 4:15/ליקוטי הלכות·
אוְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁמְּסַבְּבִין הָעֲנִיִּים בַּחֲנֻכָּה לְקַבֵּל מָעוֹת חֲנֻכָּה (מגן אברהם סימן תרע), זֶה בְּחִינַת הֶאָרַת פָּנִים מִלְמַעְלָה, שֶׁהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵאִיר פָּנָיו לָנוּ לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתֵנוּ כַּנַּ״ל, כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל אוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי הַצְּדָקָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים יז, טו): ״אֲנִי בְּצֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶה פָנֶיךָ״.
1CHANUKAH TZEDAKAH TO THE POORHere Reb Noson will connect Chanukah, the Ohr HaPanim, and the mitzvah of tzedakah, charity.This also relates to the custom on Chanukah for the poor to go around from house to house collecting tzedakah that is called “Chanukah money.”112,” is brought in Shulchan Arukh, Magen Avraham 670. This is an expression of the illumination of the Supernal Panim—that HaShem shines His Panim towards us, into our homes. For the only way to receive “the Light of the Panim of the Living King”113 16:15. This verse is alternately translated in §14 above as “In the Light of the Panim of the King there is life.” righteous- ,צדק) is by giving tzedakah, as it is written, “With tzedek I shall behold Your Panim.”114114 Reb Noson is here equating tZeDeK charity). ,צדקה) ness) with tZeDaKah
בוְעַל־כֵּן בָּרְגָלִים שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לַעֲלוֹת לָרֶגֶל לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לְקַבֵּל אוֹר הַפָּנִים, עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ אִישׁ כְּמַתְּנַת יָדוֹ לְהָבִיא עוֹלַת רְאִיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים טז, טז): ״וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה אֶת פְּנֵי ה׳ רֵיקָם וְכוּ׳״.
2Therefore on the festivals, when the Jewish people are required to make the pilgrimage to the Beit HaMikdash to receive the Ohr HaPanim, “[each] man” must bring “according to what he can give.” This means that he must bring the olat re’iyah-offering,115115 In addition to the required chagigah (festivaloffering) for each of the Shalosh Regalim, every adult male was to bring an olat re’iyah (a burnt-offering upon appearing) in the Beit HaMikdash. as it is written, “the Panim of HaShem shall not be seen empty-handed,”116116 Translation of these verses from Devarim is based on Chazal’s teaching that HaShem comes to the Beit HaMikdash to see the festival pilgrims, just as He appears there to be seen by them (Chagigah 2a; see also Rashi on Shemot 34:20: “It is your obligation to bring the olah-offering of ‘seeing the Panim’”). because it is impossible to receive illumination from HaShem’s Panim without a personal contribution.
גאֲבָל בָּרְגָלִים שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לַעֲלוֹת לְבֵית ה׳ לְקַבֵּל אוֹר הַפָּנִים, צְרִיכִין לְהַעֲלוֹת הַקָּרְבָּן, שֶׁהוּא נִדְבַת לִבּוֹ, בְּחִינַת צְדָקָה, וּצְרִיכִין לִטְרוֹחַ בּוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹתוֹ לְבֵית ה׳.
3However, there is a distinction between the Shalosh Regalim and Chanukah. On the festivals, when one must ascend to the House of HaShem to receive the Ohr HaPanim, one must bring up the offering, which as the contribution of one’s heart correlates to tzedakah. Personal effort is required in order to bring it up to the House of HaShem.
דאֲבָל בַּחֲנֻכָּה בָּאִים הָעֲנִיִּים לְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, שֶׁהֵם ״מָאנִין תְּבִירִין דִילֵיהּ״ (הקדמת הזהר י:), שֶׁבּהָםֶ שְׁכִינַת אוֹר פָּנָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיה נז, טו): ״אֶשְׁכֹּן אֶת דַּכָּא״.
4In contrast, on Chanukah the poor come into one’s home. The Zohar refers to them as “[HaShem’s] broken vessels,”117 I, 10b. signifies the manifestation of (שכינה) in whom manifests the shekhinat, dwelling place, of the Light of His Panim, as in “Eshkon with the despondent.”118 HaShem’s Presence dwelling in this world. In likening this here with the Zohar’s depiction of the poor as “HaShem’s broken vessels,” Reb Noson proves that it is with the poor and despondent that HaShem says dwell)—they are His SheKhiNat ,אשכן) He will eShKoN dwelling place). ,שכינת)
הוְעַל־כֵּן כְּשֶׁהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ אוֹהֵב אֶת אֶחָד וְרוֹצֶה לְהָאִיר לוֹ פָּנָיו – שׁוֹלֵחַ לוֹ עָנִי לִזְכּוֹת בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ: (זהר וירא קד.): ״מָאן דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָחִים לֵיהּ – שָׁדַר לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹנָא מִסְכְּנָא״. וְעַל־כֵּן בַּחֲנֻכָּה, שֶׁאָז הוּא בְּחִינַת שֶׁהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵאִיר פָּנָיו לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתֵינוּ, עַל־כֵּן בְּרַחֲמָיו שׁוֹלֵחַ לָנוּ הָעֲנִיִּים לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתֵינוּ, כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת בָּהֶם, כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל עַל יָדָם אוֹר הַפָּנִים שֶׁמֵּאִיר אָז לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתֵינוּ, וְכַנַּ״ל.
5Therefore when HaShem loves someone and wants to shine His Panim upon him, He sends him a poor person through whom he can gain merit. This is as the holy Zohar teaches, “To the one for whom HaKadosh Barukh Hu has compassion, He sends a poor person as a gift.”119 I, 104a. For Chanukah is a time when HaShem shines His Panim into our homes. Therefore in His compassion He sends the poor into our homes, so that we might attain merit through them, so that through them we might receive the Ohr HaPanim that shines into our homes at that time.