Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav Kook

Hannukah - whose very name alludes to the concept of Hinukh (education) - affected and influenced by the more sublime days to come, portrays and presents the lights which will illuminate our nation, the light of Torah, the light of prophesy, the light of wisdom, the light of Justice, the light of heroism, the light of joy, the light of Hesed, the light of love and so on.

But before we attain that state of awareness of the highest purpose of life all these many lights appear to us to be separated by their own individual identitities. It seems to us that each one must stand apart from the others so that its own distinct form might not become blurred.

And sometimes this separateness leads to controversy and conflict.

One person may be drawn more strongly to one light and it will appear to him that those who are drawn to the other lights lessen the radiance of that light which is most dear to him and which he values above all the rest. But at the same time, as each as each individual does his utmost to strengthen and glorify that virtuous aspect to which his soul is drawn, Klal [Yisrael] is built up and perfections are multiplied.

Yet divisiveness, too, will not exist forever, for as long as there is divisiveness Kedushah does not establish itself in the world. And the essence of the blessing is the blessing of the shalom. And this blessing will come to be fulfilled in the future when awareness is atttained by all that all the lights, in all their particular individualities, are all one light.

It is for this reason, that on Hannukah, when we look ahead to the more sublime, the more lofty, the more inspiring days to come, the blessing does not speak of "lights" (Nerot) but of one "light" - "L'Hadlik Ner shel Chanuka" - "to kindle the light of Hannukah."