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What Is the Miracle of Hanukah
What Is the Miracle of Hanukkah
Hanukkah, Kislev-Tevet, December 1965
Our sages said (Shabbat [Sabbath] 21a): “What is Hanukkah? Our sages said, ‘On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah, which are eight,’” etc., when Greeks entered the hall, defiled all the oils in the hall, etc., they checked but found only one jar of oil that was sealed with the seal of the high priest. It contained only enough to light for one day. A miracle happened and they lit with it for eight days. The following year, they were appointed as [days of] praise and gratitude, and the rule is that it is forbidden to use its light.
“Greeks” means within reason, which is philosophy, meaning to adjust the Mitzvot [commandments] to the intellect, such as a “release” [from levirate marriage].
The “Hall” is the mind and heart, which are the hall within man.
“Oils” are the Mitzvot [commandments], as it is written, “oil for lighting,” since the Torah is called “light” and the Mitzvot are called “candle,” as it is written, “A candle is a Mitzva [sing. for Mitzvot], and the Torah is light.” The light cannot shine without oil, for the Torah cannot shine if it has nothing on which to grip, meaning the oil.
“One jar of oil” means that after the victory and the devotion that they had with the Greeks, they found that the matter of faith is “one,” as in “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” “Of oil” means that this Mitzva is signed by the seal of the high priest, whose quality is the quality of Hesed. Hesed means “As He is merciful, so you are merciful,” implying for the sake of the Creator.
However, this force suffices to light only one night, since the matter of faith must be renewed each time, as it is written, “New every morning; great is the faith in You.” A miracle happened to them and that power of faith sufficed them for eight days.
Praise and gratitude are only a miracle for spirituality; this is why it is forbidden to use its light, implying that it is only for spirituality.