Our Sages learnt, the Mitzva of the Chanuka Lamp..

The Alef Kabbala group (4 Dec 07) studied a discourse by the Lubavitcher Rebbe said on Chanuka Kislev 5738 (1977), beginning with a passage from the Talmud (Shabbat 21b) "Our Sages learnt, the Mitzva of the Chanuka Lamp..". The discourse explains that the central effect of Chanuka is to bring light to darkness, and even more, to make the darkness itself shine. Chanuka reveals an infinite level of radiance which has this power. Within the individual this means a level of dedication, mesirut nefesh, which stems from Yechidah, the deepest aspect of the soul.