Looking Beyond the Bright Light
Shoshana Rucker and Tali Wercberger, Grade 11
Why do we say Maoz Tzur on Chanukah? The song we sing by the candles each night is one that recalls times in which Hashem rescued us from our enemies, specifically Pharoah, Bavel, Haman, and the Greeks. If this is a song where we thank Hashem for many different miracles, why specifically do we say it on Chanukah, rather than any other holiday like Pesach or Purim?
One possible answer is that the specific mention of Chanukat HaMizbeach indicates a stronger connection with Chanukah than the other holidays. However, this idea can be rejected since Chanukat HaMizbeach relates more broadly to the idea of redemption than to Chanukah specifically. So, what is the correct answer?
We would like to offer an alternate solution. When looking at the story of Chanukah, one may think that there is no way for these miracles to have been natural but are truly miracles from Hashem. However, looking at other times that Hashem has saved the Jewish People, such as in the story of Purim, there may be doubt whether these situations unfolded naturally or by the hand of Hashem. This is why it is so important to be reminded on Chanukah not only of Hashem’s big miracles but also of His smaller, less visible ones. Hashem works in wondrous ways, sometimes His miracles appear natural, while other times they are hard to miss.
One must learn to take this idea and apply it to their daily life. Not only is it important to look for the amazing miracles that Hashem does for us throughout our lives, but also the smaller, more subtle ones that He does for us each and every day.
Sweating the Small Stuff
Mrs. Rina Deutsch, Judaic Studies Teacher
Imagine being a Maccabee. Think of being part of a small group of ill-trained, ill-equipped, Jewish men going toe to toe with the enormous well-trained, well-equipped Assyrian Greek army.
It’s been years of guerilla warfare but battered and beleaguered, you finally make it to the Beit HaMikdash. The Yevanim haven’t been driven out of Israel, a peace treaty hasn’t been drafted. This was essentially one more small battle in the right place at the right time.
Walking into the Beit HaMikdash, you behold a truly disheartening scene. Everything has been knocked over, broken, and desecrated. You do what you can to set things right, to restore some order and kavod. You think, what can we do at this moment to rededicate the Mikdash and restart some form of the Avodah?
Light the Menorah! In theory, it’s a small act, but it’s achievable. So, you look around, trying to find the oil, sifting through the rubble and under overturned stones. Suddenly, someone calls out that he found one small jug with the seal of the Kohen Gadol! Now you all try to look around for more, but you realize it’s all you’ve got.
What if the story stopped here? What if this was it – one small army, one small battle, one small jug? What if the Maccabim had decided it was too small to matter?
Honestly, it’s terrifying to think of because we would lose our excuse to eat latkes and sample all the sufganiyot from all the bakeries across the city for eight days (it’s a toss-up between Richmond’s and My Zaidy’s in the Chabad Gate plaza for me, personally).
But really, what if?
I’d like to suggest that in many ways, the story did stop there. At least the story that the Maccabees had any control over, the story that they were able to affect with their efforts. Had they not been willing to do those small things, had they passed them off as not significant enough to even do, that’s actually where the story would have ended.
They had no idea about the nes that was about to happen. They had no idea that one day would turn into eight and that it would be commemorated for all time.
And they didn’t care. They did the small things, thinking that they were nothing more than that, but thinking that they were significant nonetheless and I think there’s a profound lesson in that.
How often do we do that, pass things off as small and therefore insignificant?
Oh, I know we don’t do it from the negative side; one tiny mistake, one small thing out of place, one little thing wrong and we are all over that. Of course, sometimes we should be, of course it can matter. One second makes the difference between matzah and chametz, it’s true.
But how often do we give ourselves credit for the little things? “It was just…”, “It was no big deal…”, “It doesn’t even count…”. How often do we rob ourselves of the simcha, and the feeling of accomplishment we could have from doing the small things?
Sometimes, the small things add up or they turn out to be really big, but if we don’t take simcha in the small stuff, we’re far less likely to do it in the first place. Being able to take pride in even the small things gives us a sense of pride and worth that can be all that it takes to keep going, to accomplish more. This is one of the ideas behind the concept of mitzvah goreret mitzvah, a mitzvah leads to another mitzvah. Doing one thing, even something small primes us to do another thing, even another small thing. Each small thing on its own can be a source of pride, a way to feel accomplished, but then they add up to more.
The Maccabim had one small jug. They didn’t necessarily know they had an “8x matching” donor behind them and they still said that just one is enough. And they were right.
In Pirkei Avos (2:21), Rabbi Tarfon teaches us, “Lo alecha ha’mlacha ligmor, v’lo atah bein chorin l’hibatel mimenah,” “It’s not on you to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” But who said it needs to be big? Who said it even needs to be successful? All it needs to be is tried. The results aren’t up to you, only the effort is.
We live in such a results-oriented society, and so often results are only seen to be worthy when they’re big. But the results aren’t up to us. How sad would it be if we focused solely on the idea that the results might be too small and so decided not to put in the effort which is what matters most anyway?
Tonight, take a look at the candles and think of something small you can put your effort towards. And remember how truly big that is.
Defying the Odds, With Hashem’s Help
Yair Sayegh, Grade 11
On Chanukah, we commemorate the miracle of the oil lasting eight days. After the Jews defeated the Greeks in battle, they returned to to find the Beit Hamikdash defiled. When the Jews proceeded to try and light the Menorah, they were not able to find any oil, except for one jug that could last only one night of burning. The oil ended up lasting eight days and we light the candles every day in honour of that.
However, by doing so an issue arises. Why on the first night do we light the chanukiah, and with the bracha of sheasa nissim (focusing on the miracle)? On the first day the oil was supposed to be burning anyway, and it was not a miracle that the Jews were able to light the Menorah. If so, why do we have the need to say celebrate Chanukah on the first night if there was no miracle performed?
Perhaps we can answer as follows. The miracle was not just that the Jews were able to have one jug of oil that lasted them the entire eight days, a big part of the miracle was that the Jews were even able to find the one jug in the first place. As Tosafot remarks on Shabbat 21b, at the time of the story of Chanukah, the Greeks were considered impure, and when the Gemara says that the signature of the kohen was still on the last jug, it doesn’t just mean that the Greeks did not defile the oil and pour it out, it means that the Greeks didn’t even touch it, for if they had touched it the oil would be considered impure. The chances of the Jews finding a jug of oil that hasn’t been touched by the Greeks is so slim that it must have been a miracle. We light the candles and say sheasa nissim on the first night to thank Hashem that we were able to find the oil in the first place.
The message that we can take from this into our own lives is that even when you think that it’s impossible for a certain thing to happen, if you make an effort to do as much as you can, Hashem will do the rest. Even though there was an incredibly low chance the Jews would be able to find a kosher jug of oil, they went and searched for one anyway. When Hashem saw the Jews putting in the effort, He aided them with a miracle, and they were able to find the jug. We should merit to be able to put maximum effort in whatever we do, and that Hashem should help us succeed in our every endeavour.
It Is in Our Hands
Rabbi Hillel Horovitz, Shaliach
When returning to Jerusalem in the days leading to the Second Mikdash, the Jewish Nation was not in a good situation. Not many of the Jews returned (approximately 42,000 according to Ezra 2), the financial situation was not easy (Chagai 1) and the building of the Mikdash didn’t proceed as smoothly and easily as expected (Ezra 4).
Within this context the prophets try to encourage the nation. One of these prophets is Zechariah, which we read as the Haftarah on Chanukah. Zechariah is convincing the people that Hashem is still with them even after the destruction and exile of the first temple and that the days of glory are yet ahead.
As part of the Haftarah, Zechariah describes a vision that is a prophecy to Yehoshua, the Kohen Gadol. In this vision, Yehoshua is standing, an angel on one side and the Satan on the other. This vision represents the following question: Are Yehoshua and the nation worthy of a full redemption? Do they deserve a building of the Mikdash? The answer is given by Hashem, Hashem intervenes and rebukes the Satan saying: “הֲל֧וֹא זֶ֦ה א֖וּד מֻצָּ֥ל מֵאֵֽשׁ” (Zechariah 3:2) meaning is it not enough that this nation went through fire (a reference to galut); is that not enough to have them worthy?
The Haftarah continues to tell us that after this response by Hashem the dirty clothes of Yehoshua were changed and he was worthy of his title. The Haftarah then continues and says that it is promised to Yehoshua that if he will go in the path of Hashem, and Jerusalem will be filled with justice, then Hashem will also bring “את עבדי צמח” which is understood by many of the mefarshim as Mashiach.
This means as follows: going through galut and suffering is enough to enable the nation with a portion of geula, but with righteousness and justice a higher level could be achieved. The potential for a full geula is always around, the question is, do we deserve it? Do we take the opportunity given to us?
We can see a similar idea within the story of Chanukah, the Chashmonaim clear the Mikdash, they win the battle and bring back autonomy to Israel. For how long? Will this prevail? The Haftarah is giving us the answer – it is within our own hands.
Throughout history, until this very day, Hashem is giving us opportunities for redemption. The Tanach and Gemara are filled with stories of great individuals that could have been Mashiach. The Haftarah and story of Chanukah are telling us, echoing the voice of Zechariah, that nothing happens on its own, it is our actions that will determine the extent of geula.
And what is the correct path to go? What should lead us while making decisions getting us closer to the will of Hashem? To that the Haftarah answers with the words of Zechariah to Zerubavel: “לֹ֤א בְחַ֙יִל֙ וְלֹ֣א בְכֹ֔חַ כִּ֣י אִם־בְּרוּחִ֔י אָמַ֖ר ה׳ צְבָאֽוֹת”, it is not our strength or power; rather, going in the way of Hashem.
