נר איש וביתו - נר אחד בכל לילה ואיש וכל בני ביתו סגי להו בנר אחד:
A Candle for a Man and his House- One candle on each night; and for a man and his entire household it is sufficient to have one candle.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִצְוַת חֲנוּכָּה, נֵר אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ. וְהַמְהַדְּרִין, נֵר לְכׇל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. וְהַמְהַדְּרִין מִן הַמְהַדְּרִין, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק שְׁמֹנָה, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק אַחַת, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ.
The Sages taught in a baraita: The basic mitzva of Hanukkah is each day to have a light kindled by a person, the head of the household, for himself and his household. And the mehadrin, i.e., those who are meticulous in the performance of mitzvot, kindle a light for each and every one in the household. And the mehadrin min hamehadrin, who are even more meticulous, adjust the number of lights daily. Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree as to the nature of that adjustment. Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Hanukkah, he kindles one light. And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, he kindles eight lights.
A candle is much more than a fragrant piece of decor. A candle is many things — an olfactory object of expression, a time-machine, a therapeutic tool.
It’s true. The mental health benefits of burning candles are real, according to various researchers. Though it might seem silly, the science of candles for health is rooted in the practice of aromatherapy.
When discussing the daily ritual of the Tabernacle, the Tora links the offering of the incense with the preparation of the menora and the kindling of the lights:
"And Aharon shall offer sweet incense upon it every morning; when he prepares the lights he shall offer it. And when Aharon kindles the lights in the evening he shall offer it, a constant incense before God for all your generations." (Shemot 30:7-8)
In light of this (no pun intended) There are about 300 active olfactory receptor genes "devoted to detecting thousands of different fragrance molecules through a large family of olfactory receptors," according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientia Pharmaceutica in 2016,
"The sense of smell plays an important role in the physiological effects of mood, stress, and working capacity," the study researchers wrote.
It seems reasonable in this case to assume that these verses do more than simply point out that the incense is offered at the same time the menoraa is tended to; rather, they point to a fundamental connection between these two.
We as a collective nation have accepted that the central theme of Chanukah is the menorah. However, we do better to recognise that the menora cannot be separated from the incense. Aside from the above verses, we also find mention of the incense in the Tora reading for Chanukah: "One spoon of ten measures of gold, full of incense." What, then, is the symbolic significance of the menora and the incense?
I learned from R' Aharon Lichtenstein z"l that "light is a symbol of those things which are clear and orderly, rational and comprehensible (as in the term "enlightenment"). Light also hints at intellectualism and logic. These characteristics – logic and order – typified Greek culture at its best. Indeed, if we were to relate only to the menorah and its lights, we would celebrate the victory of the values of pure thought and intellect, which are associated with our opponents. But in fact, the Torah teaches us that the incense always accompanies the lighting of the menorah. These are related not only in terms of time, but also on a much deeper and more fundamental level."
The incense introduces a note of mystery: smoke wafts from it and rises, transcendental clouds hover over it and shroud the surroundings in a numinous haze. This is the antithesis of the clarity of light. Incense belongs not to our rational and logical world, but rather to the world of mysticism, outside our understanding and beyond our grasp. "They shall place incense in Your nose and a burnt offering on Your altar" (Devarim 33:10). The sacrifice belongs to the altar, while the incense belongs, as it were, to God Himself.
So this year don't forget the incense.
Happy Chanukah!!!!!