The Talmud tells us there are three ways to light a Chanukah menorah: A good way, a beautiful way, and the most beautiful of the beautiful way.

The good way is for each household to light a single lamp or a candle each night of Chanukah.

The beautiful way is for every member of each household to light a single lamp or a candle each night of Chanukah.

The most beautiful of the beautiful way is for every member of each household to light one more candle each night, until there are eight candles for every one of them. (Rema Shulchan Aruch 671:2. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 139:6. See chabad.org/4568664 for details.)

As you may have realized, the Jewish people decided unanimously that they want to do this mitzvah in the most beautiful of the beautiful way. It doesn’t matter that they don’t all necessarily do every other mitzvah in the best way possible. The light of Chanukah gets special treatment.

Because the light of Chanukah is lit in the dark of winter when darkness is strongest.

When you’re sitting in a place of light, it’s okay to just do what needs to be done. But when a thick darkness covers the face of the earth and a cold wind freezes all life outdoors, that’s when you need to really shine—to create the most beauty you possibly can.

Today is a time of deep spiritual darkness in the soul of humankind. Shine all you can. And then more.