The heart of the Chanukkah kitchen beats with foods fried in oil – a delicious, tangible reminder of the miracle, where a small amount of oil miraculously burned for 8 days. Beyond cooking, oil holds a deep meaning in the Torah: it is a profound symbol of the human spirit’s enduring ability to ignite hope and shine brightly, even when surrounded by darkness.
The Rebbe reveals:
— One of the differences between Chanukkah and other festivals is that on other festivals, there is an obligation to celebrate with festive meals which include bread, water, meat, and wine. In contrast, on Chanukkah, there is no obligation to celebrate with festive meals; and the meals one serves are optional in nature.
… All of these foods are used as metaphors for the Torah. There are, however, differences between them.
Water and bread are the staples of our everyday existence.
In contrast, wine is not a daily necessity, it is used to contribute an element of pleasure to our existence as it is written (« Shoftim », 9:13), “Wine gladdens G‑d and humans.” Oil is not required for our day to day existence. It is never served as a food in its own right. Rather, it is used in minute qualities to add flavor to other foods. Thus it is associated with the quality of pleasure.
The full interactive class based on the Rebbe’s ‘sichah’ for Parashat Miketz is available here.
Bread and water are metaphors for Nigleh, the revealed dimensions of Torah law, the concepts of Torah which are necessary for our people to know to observe the mitzvos properly. Like bread and water, this knowledge is necessary for our people’s existence. In contrast, wine and oil are metaphors for Pnimiyut HaTorah – the innder dimension of the Torah. For like these two substances, the study of Pnimiyut HaTorah adds pleasure and vitality to our observance of the Torah and its mitzvos.
In particular, there is a difference between oil and wine. For wine is drunken as a beverage in its own right, while oil is not. Also, there are times (Shabbat and festivals), when wine is required for Kiddush. Similarly, in regard to the symbolic meaning of the two. Wine refers to those dimensions of the Torah’s secrets that are close to revelation and can be perceived by a sensitive eye.
In contrast, oil refers to the deepest secrets of the Torah, those that transcend revelation.
This reflects the significance of Chanukkah, that it is associated with these deeper levels of the Torah…
Based on the Rebbe’s explanations on Parashat “Miketz” (5752).
