As Chief Rabbi of the city of Tzvas and a proficient mohel (circumciser), Rav Shmuel Heller zt”l was constantly in demand to perform circumcision on the baby boys in his city. However, he always begged off attending the festive meal afterward, claiming that he had many important needs to attend to. In truth, R’ Shmuel just wanted to get back to his learning, for every second of Torah study was precious to him.
He was once a mohel at a bris during Chanukah, and as soon as the ceremony was over, he packed up and began to leave. Someone asked him why he isn’t staying. After all, there is a mitzvah to eat a meal on Chanukah, as well as at a bris milah (circumcision). R’ Shmuel smiled and replied that he was following the dictum of our Sages on Chanukah. “The Gemara (Shabbos 21b) asks the famous question: Mai Chanukah?– ‘What is Chanukah?’ What is the purpose and meaning behind this festive holiday?” As he turned to leave R’ Shmuel concluded, “And what is the answer given by the Sages? D’tanu Rabbanan – ‘for the Rabbis learned.’ In other words, the purpose of Chanukah is to learn the holy Torah!
Sefer Torah Tavlin explains that Indeed, our Sages tell us that the focus of the Greek Hellenists was l’hashkicham Torasecha – to uproot the primacy of Torah study from amongst the Jewish nation and make them no different from any other nation. But Hashem would allow no such thing and He defeated them with a mighty hand. Thus, writes the Kedushas Levi, it is incumbent upon us to increase our Torah study during Chanukah to commemorate, as well as to reestablish, that Torah learning is not the greatest thing in life – it is the only thing in life!
