THE REBBE ON CHANUKA PART 2 MAKING THE DARKNESS GLOW

On Chanukah, the Previous Rebbe would tell his chassidim,[1] "We must listen carefully to what the candles are saying." In fact, the message of the Chanukah lights affects the entire scope of our service of G-d throughout the year, for "a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light."[2] Though every mitzvah is a lamp which lights up the darkness of our material world, this illumination is more manifest in those mitzvos which are associated with visible light. The spiritual implications of the Chanukah lights are reflected in the halachic details that regulate the performance of the mitzvah. For a start, the Chanukah lights should be kindled after sunset and must burn into the night.[3] Furthermore, they should be placed "at the outside of the entrance to one's home,"[4] which shows that they are primarily intended to illuminate the public domain rather than one's own home.