Chanukah: The Light of Torah

Chanukah is the eternal struggle of klal Yisroel against the evil and darkness that continually threaten to take over the world. The Greeks were evil incarnate, referred to as choshech al p'nei tehom, because of the darkness they spread over the eyes of bnei Yisroel. The Greeks were envious of the divine rays of light emanating from the Torah. They therefore set to extinguish the light by attracting bnei Yisroel to Greek humanism and science as a replacement for Torah. The chochma of klal Yisroel would consequently be nullified, a victory for the Greeks. Klal Yisroel's task during that time period, therefore, was to struggle to maintain and expand light in a period of overall world darkness.
Chanukah serves as a paradigm for Jewish history: the fight of klal Yisroel against the wisdom of yovon results in a flourishing Torah life. During the period of the Haskala Movement in Europe , many Jews were drawn to the secular "enlightenment". The temptation was great to leave Torah and instead pursue secular wisdom. It was specifically in this time period, when nisyonos were plentiful, that the tzaddikim distanced themselves from the secular world with all their might. As a result of their full-fledged effort to escape the dangerous nullifying forces of the secular world, klal Yisroel were zoiche to receive the chidushim of Rabbi Akiva Eiger and the Ketzos.
Similar challenges face today's world. Hellenists try to entice klal Yisroel using all types of deceptions, aiming to darken the eyes of the Jewish nation. These Hellenists are jealous of Torah and Torah scholars and desire to diminish Torah learning and the Torah's influence.
Avrechim at "Toldos Yeshurun" are spreading light to Russian Jews and all of klal Yisroel. As a tiny speck of light banishes vast darkness, so too can the holy Torah light up secular emptiness. We must strengthen ourselves and know that our only anchor is Torah, and the more we strengthen ourselves in Torah, the closer we are to the coming of the geula bimheiro b'yomeinu.

Sicha by haGaon Rav Shmuel Auerbach, Shlita