Spreading The Light

If the Shamash symbolizes the light of Moshiach on the zeroth day of Chanukkah, it of course symbolizes the same on the nights of Chanukkah itself. As one confers the light of the Shamash to the other candles, one spreads as it were the light of Moshiach. The eight lights of the Channukiah then stand for eight years, from Chanukkah 5776 onwards. This year's Chanukkah stands for year zero; the light of Moshiach is not yet being spread, but the Shamash is burning. Every year, the light spreads more, and more. Such is the Gilui of Moshiach.