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Tag: Zohar

Chanukah: the Holiness of the Doorway – the Mezuzah and the Chanukiya

Chanukah: the Holiness of the Doorway – the Mezuzah and the Chanukiya

There is a curious connection between the mezuzah and the lighting of the chanukiya. These two mitzvot are brought together in halakhic,  midrashic and mystical material. I would like to present two foundational texts that help prepare us for a new and exciting approach to Chanukah.

The Bavli

First, the gemara in Shabbat 22a, in describing where exactly to place the Chanukah lights, tells us that there is a mitzvah to place the chanukiya within a tefach (a hand’s breadth) of the doorway1. We then learn this debate:

שבת כ”ב.

וְהֵיכָא מַנַּח לֵיהּ? 

רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבָא אָמַר מִיָּמִין 

רַב שְׁמוּאֵל מִדִּפְתִּי אָמַר מִשְּׂמֹאל.

Bavli Shabbat 22a

And where [near the doorway] should it be placed?

Rav Acha the son of Rava said, “On the right.”

Rav Shmuel from Difti said, “On the left.” …

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Introduction to Pesukei d’Zimra (7) – an Independent Unit – Zohar

Introduction to Pesukei d’Zimra (7) – an Independent Unit – Zohar

Gratitude bestows Reverence

The Zohar, like Rav Sa’adia and the Rambam, presents pesukei d’zimra as functioning outside of the parameters of the amida. In parashat Vayakhel (דף ר׳ ע״א – ר׳ ע״ב) the Zohar offers a kind of commentary on the siddur. In that section we learn that there are six mitzvot – not obviously related to tefila – that can be fulfilled through davening: Fear of God, Love of God, Blessing God, Unifying God, the Priestly Blessing, being ready to give up our lives for God1. After introducing these six Mitzvot, we are then told which section of the siddur is connected to which Mitzvah. Let’s see how the Zohar understands the role of pesukei d’zimra:

זוהר ב:ר”ב  ב 

לְיִרְאָה אֶת הַשֵּׁם, פִּקּוּדָא דָּא קַיְּימָא בְּאִלֵּין תּוּשְׁבְּחָן דְּקָאָמַר דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, וּבְאִינּוּן קָרְבָּנִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּתַמָּן בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְדַחֲלָא מִקַּמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן שִׁירִין קַיְּימִין בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי יִרְאָה. וְכָל אִינּוּן הַלְלוּיָהּ, דְּאִינּוּן רָזָא דְּיִרְאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְשַׁוָּאָה רְעוּתֵיהּ בְּאִינּוּן שִׁירִין בְּיִרְאָה…

Zohar 2:202b

To fear God: This commandment is fulfilled through the recitation of the praises of King David, as well as the Torah’s sacrifices. For in those areas a person must awaken one’s self in awe before the Creator. For these songs are grounded in malchut which is called fear. And all those chapters that have the word Halleluya, which are the secrets of the fear of the Holy Blessed One. A person is required to place his will into these songs with fear…

…

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