Chanukah: A Transition To A New Regimen

Question: Spiritual work must be intense and incessant. So why does the Chanukah symbolize a “rest-stop” on the way, from the words, “Chanu” a “rest-stop here”?

Answer: Truly in spirituality there is no parking in the full sense of the word.

The idea is that in this stage we need to finish the work on all ten Sefirot and go on to correction according to the method of “reception for the sake of bestowal.” Therefore there is a “rest-stop” here for we need to stock up on the resources, new vessels, in our war for correction. Essentially, this is talking about a new method.

First we successfully introduced vessels from the worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiyainto the world of Atzilut. With this we pass through the appropriate levels in the same order: zero plus the first, second, and third. In other words, we stabilize ourselves in the levels of still, vegetative, and animate.

And after this we work in the world of Atzilut in order to draw these Lights below, to the worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. And this is the fourth level, using the receptivevessels in order to bestow.

And after this, the completion of correction is reached by way of the descent to these worlds.

Therefore “Chanukah” symbolizes the transition to work with a completely different characteristic: If previously we rose to the world of Atzilut in Galgalta ve Eynaim and vessels of “AHP on the rise,” so now we descend to the depths in order to finish the work. Here what is required is a transition to a completely different approach, a different style of work, and therefore this stage is called a rest-stop.

Accordingly, the Lights before Hanukkah and after it, the former being Neshama and the latter being Chaya, are opposite Lights. For in work in Hafetz Hesed I don’t want to get anything, and in reception for the sake of bestowal I work with those vessels, those desires, which I formerly restricted completely, I didn’t activate them.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/2/13, Writings of Rabash