Tehillim 118 - Zot Chanukah, or "Cherchez la femme" (Look for the Woman)

Tehillim 118 - Zot Chanukah, or "Cherchez la femme" (Look for the Woman)

Tehillim 118:19, 23 «Pitchu li sha'arei tzedek… Me'et Ha-Shem haytah zot» - (Open for me the gates of righteousness… This came from G-d). It is known that every opening of the gates takes place through the word זאת «zot» (this), as it is said: «Open for me the gates of righteousness…» (Tehillim 118:19) That is why the mitzvah of kindling the Shabbat candles was given to women, for «this» זאת shall be called woman»: «This came from G-d.» (Tehillim 118:23) For it is said in Bereishit (2:23): «and she shall be called woman, for from man was this taken». In the pasuk describing how the Creator created woman, the word «this» is connected with the word «woman». This hints that the gates are opened precisely because the woman kindles the candles. (Zohar 2:37) It may also be that through the kindling of the Chanukah candles, light is revealed Above. In other words, the light of the candles kindled below brings about the revelation of the light Above. And because in the days of the Hasmoneans the Jewish people themselves performed an act that led to the revelation of the highest blessing, the mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah candles was established. While the Chanukah candles are burning, women are forbidden to perform work, because the revelation of the light Above takes place through the word «zot» (this), and woman is also called «zot» (this); try to delve into this.  (Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, «Kedushat Levi», Teachings on Chanukah)