Hatavas Haneiros

Everyone loves the sight of the menorah on the last night of Chanukah as eight candles are lit up and shining bright. What is less known is the secret of what makes these candles so beautiful. The tzaddikim reveal to us that the avodah of hatavas haneiros, the cleaning and priming of the menorah before it is lit, is in truth much higher and more important than the actual avodah of hadlakas haneiros, lighting the candles.

We see that the lighting of the candles in the Beis Hamikdash can be done even by a zar, ie., a yisrael, not a kohein versus hatavas haneiros which can be done only by a kohein. This shows us the exalted avodah in preparing your vessels to shine this great light. On an outside level, the cleaning of the neiros’ vessels seems not to be the most exciting. However, Hashem gifted us this process. As one matures further into adulthood one realizes how imperative this avodah is to live the chaim toivim.